Vedder

A coach that has a very good reputation in Holland you mean? Both points are valid.

Poland's big chance of showcasing itself the world is now ruined by all these racist acts going on. Think it media hype has put it to the forefront of peoples minds and makes these idiots much more likely to do it. Such a shame because I've been there many times, I'm part Polish, and I've never been aware of any problems of this kind at all. I am aware that these neo-nazi groups do exist in Poland, which I find quite baffling considering its history and what my grandfather fought against. Just hope people don't stereotype all Polish people as being racists.

He'll be linking up with blaszczykowski who plays with him at Dortmund. Both of them are Poland's most important players. It's difficult to gauge how well Poland will do given that they haven't played a competitive game for so long. Some of the friendly results look good, only lost two in their last nineteen games, although most of them have been at home and they've had a lot of draws. think they'll get through the groups but then germany or holland await.

Thursday 21st June, National Stadium, Warsaw. I can feel it!

I've been to Poland a fair bit and would imagine the host cities; Warsaw, Poznan, Gdansk and Wroclaw will all be great. I heard that Warsaw will have the largest ever fan zone and can imagine the atmosphere will be unreal. Gdansk and Wroclaw are both beautiful cities and are usually buzzing in the summer anyway. And I was in Krakow in 2008 when the last Euros and the atmosphere was great then. They had an outdoor area with a large screen and stands built up, loads of different nationalities enjoying the games together. Plus the centre of Krakow is all geared up for tourists these days. I can't afford to make it over this year, but if you do go you will have an amazing time and most people are surprised how nice the country is.

Still buzzing from last night. My facebook page has exploded about Cisse, even from fans of other teams. And how good is our goal of the season poll going to be!?

Love how they make such a big deal about the airport. Can't ever remember having to revert to the 'well we've got an airport' line during football banter. Their inferiority complex holds no bounds!

Redknapp, openly gutted about not getting the job! http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17893116 That picture they've used at the top of the article, sums up the article so well

Weren't we linked with Redknapp at the same time as Fat Sam though? I know who'd I'd rather have.

Do we know what the likely quarter final will be at SJP?

Yeah, he started mate.

41.1% we're catching up, swietnie!

Not Lee Dixon surely. His 'analysis' of games usually revolves around 'he gets the ball in midfield, plays it out wide. The winger runs with the ball down the wing, crossed it in and the striker is there to put it in the net'. Yeah, thanks for that Lee, you are aware that you are on TV and we can see what's just happened! Used to love the commentator for Serie A when it was on channel 4, he was on MOTD for a bit too. Must have replaced him with that woman commentator

Exactly, in an ideal world I'd imagine he'd have loved to stay at Inter (a massive club in his home country, playing in Champions League regularly etc) and has moved to us to get out of a bit of a rut that he was suffering under his old management. But he's here now and I'm sure once he starts playing, and hopefully we're doing well, then he'll settle in fine.

Don't think people are talking about his pace, more the reading of game, which is hard for some foreign players as the game moves much faster. That said, I'd still start him, he'll have to get used to it at some point!

And the same picture is used for both auctions. Crazy people.

It's the type of signing a newly promoted club would make. But Sunderland are supposedly establishing themselves as a good Premier League club, so I'd have thought they'd be signing players for the future. Unless their future is a 35 year old Wes Brown!

Decent signings, but not enough to justify the major wank fest they are currently having. That said, if they get Zog and possibly one other good quality player, then they'll have a good mix of solid and attacking players. So far, nothing to be scared of, just they've bought more players with PL experience which might settle better in time for the derby. Fucking hate sunderland.

that got them relegated More like stopped them getting relegated sooner. Aye, there's fuck all they could do playing alongside Phil Stamp, Curtis Fleming and Steve Vickers

Yeah, not sure if I have my anti-mackem glasses on still but I'm not sure what they're get so excited about. I can't say I've ever thought 'oh shit, we're up against Gardner and Larsson this week'. They'll be weaker this season than last (if you include the loan players going back as well as the loss of Bent and Henderson). Still can't believe the bastards got Wickham tho, the girlfirend's family will be full of their usual pre-season bullshit when I see them at the weekend.

Not necessarily, if you play 4-4-2 you would have the two strikers and two wingers as being primarily attacking players and could still accomodate a box to box midfielder. It depends if the 3 attacking mids were all given free roles or if they are expected to put a shift in going backwards as well.

Yeah, it's not just respect for their football knowledge/integrity either. As soon as the Man Utd shirt comes out I can't help but think complete w*****! Rarely do I stand corrected tho

I thought the same. I was getting annoyed that he was starting to drift infield a lot in the second half, then when he made that mistake I said to my mate "get him off now". Got a bit of stick off him once the red card was shown like!

Ranger really needs to work on his running off the ball. He holds it up well but once he lays it off he doesn't know where to run and often ends up just getting in the way. Also, probs been monetioned already but Pardew should get Kuqi on a bit earlier, looked like the new Sibierski today!

Mine was Feb 1990 FA Cup game against Man Utd (lost 3-2). Was only 5 but can remember being moved from the Milburn Paddock to the Leazes (or the other way round?) becuase of over crowding. Second and third games were both 1-0 home defeats to Millwall and Brighton, at least things got a bit better over the next few years!