Raconteur

I don’t have the hate for Villa many here do - yeah, they laughed at us when we went down, and we spanked them 6-0 to return the favour, so that’s square for me. I’ve also got a few Villa fan mates, and they’ve been nothing but sympathetic from a Bruce-survivor perspective. All of which is to say I really hope Grealish stays - and I leant into @brummie suggestion that they don’t need to sell. Is there any realistic possibility of him saying no to City? That article makes the great leap from “bid in” to “medical next week”…?

Sure, but that argument posits that Bruce is desperate to leave and (according to some) is even willing to accelerate his departure by “earning” the sack. Yet he’s not so desperate to leave that he’ll promise to stay three more years in the hope he’ll get a fatter wad before then. Desperate to leave? Scared of facing the fans? Don’t buy it. Money grabber for sure, but that’s a very different argument. Signing a new contract hoping it gets broken for a fat wad? I still find it more convincing the fucking spud is actually trying his very very best, just that it is woefully inadequate.

If (!) Bruce signs, it puts paid to any talk of him being desperate to get sacked, or engineering failure for a payoff. Nope, not malice, just incompetence…

Was my favourite player for a long time, and gutted was the word for me, too - as much because it confirmed Rafa would be leaving shortly thereafter, too. I have to say I was surprised he couldn't force his way into a very good Leicester team, and he seems to be little more than a squad player (which is why I hope he goes to Everton. ASM and Ayoze together would be pure sex.

Begs the question - who has the hardest rebuilding job out of Postecoglou at Celtic or Vieira at Palace? Both seem to suddenly be utter basket cases after long periods of stability

Funnily enough, Xisco just popped in my FB vids, laying on Carroll’s third in the 6-0 twatting of Villa. Looked better in those two touches than I remembered from his whole time here.

Plenty of potential for a drawn out Pogba transfer, and the subsequent need to fill a Pogba-sized hole…

It’s a really peculiar feeling to care more about how Rafa does at his new club than what Bruce does with the club I’ve supported nearly 30 years.

Getting strong Morgan/Markle vibes from Jordan every time Stavely comes up.

It makes me laugh to think Kinnear was fired for getting 5m less than Ashley expected for Cabaye, and yet Bruce turns a 10m player into one essentially driven from the club for coppers...

I really don't think Harper being promoted is an egregious example of the cronyism that's rampant in football - he's been coaching for a while now, and got promoted solely and wholly because Ashley/Charnley aren't going to go and find a new Academy Director if there's someone that can be raised up. Same reason the job was available in the first place - Dawson was moved to first team coach becase Ashley/Charnley won't hunt for a new coach outside the club. It's indicative more of the "no fucks given" attitude than a wicked "jobs for the boys".

I don’t think Muto has any place on that list - adjusted for time, it’s the equivalent of Guivarch or Andersson. All three added nothing to our club, but I’d say Guivarch is leagues ahead of Muto on any shit transfer matrix

Gateshead with Big Mike

Yup, that Lazio home is one of the nicest kits I’ve seen this year

Seemed very pointed that the first look we get of Cabbage Heed is him talking to Ritchie. Pretending they’re not both remembering Ritchie called him a fucking coward…

No, but if you said it over and over for months, even if Harry Kane had a broken leg and Maguire an ACL then yeah, it might bother folk...

This is my understanding - PIF had the people who were going to have control (as they understood it) submit to the ODT, but the Premier League insisted that the state of KSA be considered a director for the purposes of the test, at which point PIF “withdrew”. Have I got it wrong?

Modest, too

Feel like lumping on Palace to go down

I dunno, Ayoze might be a decent bet. He hasn't established himself in the first XI at Leicester and might be available at a decent price. Rafa was a big fan, and is always down to sign a Spaniard or seven...

In my mind there is no doubt whatsoever that this is how our summer will pan out - I envy your ability to place a question mark at the end of your sentence...

Makes me wonder if he has a Robbie Fowler-type property portfolio to show for it, or just the memory of booze and blow? He certainly only gave two memories to fans in that time, both in the same match… Although I’m sure I read he does a lot of charity work in Senegal…

This timeline is getting more and more fucked up…

No need to worry about Rafa going to Everton - he’ll be available again before the consortium is calling the shots…

Ange Postecoglou confirmed as Celtic manager. I know cheering for Celtic is frowned on here, but I have a fondness for them as well as wanting an Aussie to do well. Objectively, though, it’s a pretty poor appointment. He might well be the best manager Australia has produced, but that doesn’t equal a CV to stop the rot Lennon left behind...