Village Idiot

Oh, a tree. I like trees.

From scrying several boards it looks like opinion is split 50/50 on the issue. There are some people calling for protests/banners this weekend but I'll be honest and say that I don't expect anything massive. We are a docile set of fans why lie (we have it good afterall). And a lot of people that are disgusted (like me) understand the economic necessity of it. I myself will abstain to buy Barça shirts for a while until I get myself to accept it, I have 10 of the feckers anyway. But I won't protest. When you look at it it's silly since we have shitloads of sponsors anyway, and Nike pays us a king's ransom for wearing their shirts and displaying their brand, but it still doesn't feel right after all these years.

Actually our board has just blamed the old board for it. Fun and games.

We already considered shirt sponsors under the Laporta board, as the club was essentially bankrupt when he took over. He sought permission from the club members that voted yes, a necessary step since it wasn't allowed in our statutes. Ultimately, though, we went with the UNICEF deal. There has always been talk that this was only a "stepping stone" of sorts to get people used to a name in the shirt, and the rumors have always been there and in the past years we where linked with deals with Basf, China, Betfair... We need the money, there's no arguing about it. But it still saddens me.

Just confirmed by our board. Five years, €30m+performance bonuses. Ah well, a small bit of our identity ripped apart, but we can't pretend this isn't about money.

El Mundo Deportivo claims we are apparently going to announce our first commercial sponsor, who'll share shirt space with UNICEF. "Qatar Foundation" would pay us €30m per season. http://simdecksimulator.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/b_4793.jpg Ah well, guess we need the money.

"As" claiming that Moratti will sack Benítez after the CWC, even if he wins it.

WC year.

Is that legit? How boring/self-absorbed can somebody be to talk about his football tactics to his mistress? Good grief. PS: Don't let him near the mackem lasses.

Six seasons... not even Ferguson is on that long. I suppose there are provisions for severance but it is mental to hand out such a contract.

Signing unknown Brazilians for 15m and peddle them on loans?

No fan of Pardew but that's bollocks. Not even their worst manager of the past 10 years. You might want to check facts on that. the 2006–07 season Pardew was criticised after seeing West Ham through their worst run of defeats in over 70 years which included a League Cup defeat to Chesterfield Zola was worse. And I like the guy since I admired him as a footballer, but he was terrible for them.

No fan of Pardew but that's bollocks. Not even their worst manager of the past 10 years.

Gazetta claiming Del Bosque will win the managerial one in front of Pep/Mou.

Benítez won't make it to February.

Valencia, Inter, Milan, Copenhagen, OM, Arsenal, Roma, Lyon... some really tough last 16 pairings there.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcelino_Garc%C3%ADa_Toral him? Good call, however unlikely. To be fair Keegan was completely out of the blue too and Kinnear. Lets be honest we could bloody appoint anyone from Dr Carlos Venglos to Ossie Ardilles. Mad times we live in. Talks to take over the Almería post last week broke down because the owner refused to make more funds available for transfer/wages, so...

Should've stayed at Santander for another couple of seasons. Yes, he would have been the first name in the team sheet there and would have developed further and gained experience in a competitive environment (Racing are relegation battlers so he would have learnt to deal with pressure too). There was talk of leaving him one season on loan at Racing but dunno why they rushed his move.

It's like in the movies when you expect somebody to show up with the pardon... but they don't.

Bolton and West Ham linked with Canales in a loan deal. Going to the Premier League would be a worse mistake than going to Real Madrid in the first place. He's very talented but too soft.

Love it how - according to the journal article - an united dressing room willing to play for the gaffer is taken for granted. Usually one of the hardest things to achieve in the ego-driven modern football.

Man, it's in times like this that I thank god for being fan owned and having the chance to vote out shit boards like in 2004. From the outside it just looks like your owner fired Hughton at the first (weak) chance he had to put his casino mate in charge.

wouldnt be like talksport to lie though to get idiots phoning and texting inin now would it. Strange that no other media outlet are so sure like talksport are trying to nake out. Just going by Ashleys previous, no one had a clue about appointments of KK, JFK or shearer. But Golfmag knows and, tbf, he's not been wrong about this situation so far. Alas, I fear he's telling the truth. He'll be the first Toon manager who I despise with an absolute passion. WHY? someone please enlighten me on the pardew hartred He was given free use of Mascherano and Tevez (combined value of £45m?) and managed to make them look s****. Encouraged the claims that they were spoiling the team spirit of his dogshit squad. What more does anyone need to know? He also takes spiritual guidance from Harry Potter books.

Hoodle's academy in Spain is starting to get some results, they even sort of own a 3rd division team now and have taken them to second in the table (he doesn't directly manage them, his academy supplies the players). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerez_Industrial_CF Pretty bizarre to see an Andalusian team made out almost entirely of English players.

This bit doesn't make any sense