CliftonCliff

Strong stuff. Would seem this story has a long way to run yet.

I think one has to draw a clear distinction between sentiment on the one hand and the hard reality of the business legalities on the other. They are quite separate things and it doesn’t seem appropriate to me to criticise Nantes on moral grounds for simply requesting payment of fees due to them. As someone has said, media reports using the term “demand “ in this context will tend to have a distorting effect on how this issue is perceived, which isn’t helpful. This has been a terrible tragedy and just like everyone else on OTIB I feel very sad about it, but if, as seems overwhelmingly likely, Sala was legally Cardiff’s asset at the time of his death (again, please forgive the terminology) then they must pay any money owing. People at Nantes have been just as devastated on a human level as everyone has and I’d be very surprised if their handling of the business details was not conducted in a sensitive way, as opposed to the aggressive stance implied by press reports.

Makes you sick doesn't it? I bet the sod was good lucking and got all the girls, too. The bloke I know is a bit like that. Small guy, quietly spoken, modest, unassuming and very level-headed, but he's done all this really impressive stuff. I suppose when you've accomplished all that you don't need to big yourself up - your achievements speak for themselves. You would trust him though: if you do have to jet halfway round the world at 30,000 feet and eye-watering speed in a glorified tin can, he's just the sort of bloke you'd want flying it. Not fair to draw unfavourable comparisons with the guy piloting the lost plane without knowing the full facts, of course, but you do wonder...

Thanks for posting that. Disturbingly relevant, as you say. The particularly unnerving thing about it was his reference to the ten or a dozen experienced small aircraft pilots known to him personally who have died as a result of baffling and inexplicable errors. Statistically rare, I know, but still doesn't fill you with confidence. I know next to nothing about commercial flying and am happy to be corrected by anybody who is better informed, but common sense tells you that in this situation you are in the hands of a single individual, not a Captain and First Officer/Flight Engineer or whatever, so if he makes an error, falls ill (been known), or something similar, there is no back up, no one to take over, spot the problem early or rectify it, and much more limited equipment, compared with the highly computerised systems on modern passenger planes, to assist when technical problems occur or a mistake is made. As it happens, I have a near neighbour who happens to be a BA captain on long-haul routes and by a coincidence my wife and I are seeing him and his misses later for a drink. Like a lot of them, he is ex-RAF (fast jets), so there isn't much he hasn't experienced when it comes to flying. I'll be very interested to get his take on what's happened here.

I haven’t read everything that’s been written on this aspect of the story, so apologies if this has already been covered, but I’m not clear whether this was a flight being provided by a properly registered and regulated commercial operator, albeit on a private charter basis, or just an arrangement with some bloke with a private pilot’s licence and a single engined plane. If it’s the latter then I agree it does seem a strange thing to do. Experienced pilot or not, I’m pretty sure air accident statistics would show you are safer flying with a commercial operator. I have been on short flights in light aircraft on numerous occasions just for fun, and enjoyed it, but I’m buggered if I’d undertake something like this. You just feel so sorry for the poor sod: like others I have been surprised at my own reactions and just how upsetting I’ve found it. Very, very sad.

So in summary, they’ve had, as you say, three shots at tier two, in the fifties, seventies and nineties, staying for nine, seven and three years, respectively, and haven’t been higher than tier three for a quarter of a century (but have paid visits to tiers four and five in that time. Blimey, that’s even worse than I’d thought.

There’s been a running debate nearly all season as to which three you pick when all of Pisano, Wright, Flint and Baker are available. Bailey is making the decision easier for LJ with every game he plays at the moment. Having been as solid as a rock for so long, he has looked uncharacteristically shaky in recent weeks - and lucky to be still on the field today, by the sound of it.

That’s probably our strongest available eleven, provided none of them are too fatigued. Bench looks a fraction more reassuring as well. Still think we’ll shade this one - just.

Thanks Havana. Seasonal lurgy in my case. Lot of it about, as they say. At least I’ll be fit for the Man C rematch. Hope you enjoy yourself while you’re in town and the boys give you something to cheer about today. Give ‘em a shout for me.

Less fortunate than Havana in that I have not recovered from illness in time to attend. Intensely frustrating, but will have to rely on you guys and the customary lifeless commentary from RB. Have a feeling it could be a scrappy affair today, but that we might scrape a tense 1-0 win from a poor match. Hope I’m wrong about the quality and right about the result. Enjoy, all you lucky enough to be in attendance.

Not doing too badly for a bloke with no end product is he?

Thanks for that Noggers. Your memory seems to have remained more intact than mine with the passing years. Don't recall any of the controversy, but I suppose as I was living in Brixton at the time the aftermath would have passed me by. I can remember that I was alongside the pitch rather than behind the goal, and consequently not in the midst of the majority of City fans. Let's hope there is nothing like that to spoil the occasion tonight.

Only been to one game at the Cottage, but it was a good one to remember. Late seventies, living in London at the time, City's promotion season when Alan Dicks's side went up to the old First Division. Can't recall the score, but I distinctly remember Tom Richie scoring and I believe we went on to win convincingly. A repeat tonight would do nicely,

Yes. Knee - in training.

Don't see why, necessarily. That's pretty negative before a ball's even been kicked.

The injury to Pisano is unfortunate, but what little I've seen of Vyner doesn't suggest he's about to let anyone down. Flint needs no motivating anyway, but imagine he'll be even more fired up than usual. I'm OK with that back line in the circumstances. All three orthodox wingers are in the squad - COD, Leko & Eliasson - so plenty of pace if we're forced to chase the game late on, as seems likely. It could be worse.

Fair enough and point taken, but I suppose what I'm trying to say is you can be young or experienced, but you can't be both. Or to put it another way., how tactically astute were Harry and Colin at 36 (or whatever age LJ currently is)? Were they even in management at that age, for that matter? (You could add to that another question, too - what would they cost you at today's salaries?) If you want stability, continuity and long-term development, you can hardly appoint an old man of seventy. Even Ferguson couldn't maintain it much beyond that age. And if you invest in youth, you must be prepared for uneven progress. You can't have it all ways (though that won't stop OTIB members demanding precisely that).

People would do well to remember that the two managers you mention are as near as dammit to double LJ's age and have been in the game all their working lives. Older hands than Lee have been outmanoeuvred by Harry and Colin and there is a reason the former was once a strong candidate for the England job. It's frustrating to lose a game we should have taken something from, but both players and coach are still learning. One can envy the canny ways of a Redknapp or a Warnock, but I'm not sure I'd want a 70 year-old in charge at AG.

Could be worse. There's a fair few Mike Hunts about. Ask Mike Hunt-Hertz on here.

According to the local rag he has recovered from illness, so unless that information is incorrect you wonder if LJ has finally had it with him, international call-up or no international call-up. He certainly made no bones about what he though of him being out of shape at the start of the season. It's very disappointing, as there's clearly a good player in there (LJ has also made that clear), but if he can't be depended upon to get himself fit and stay fit, he might as well not be here. I don't want to condemn him until the full facts are known, but we are over half way through November, about a third of the way through the season, and his contribution so far has been negligible. As I understand it, he is on loan for the duration, no recall, which may or may not mean we can't send him back, but you begin to understand why he wound up training with the U-21s at Sunderland. If this does really all come down to a lack of professionalism (and I stress the "if") then he's a waste of space and the sooner we off-load him in favour of someone who actually want to be a pro footballer, with all that entails, the better.

Same here. Prefer two sitting, but I also like Bobby and am so pleased by his progress under LJ. It's a dilemma, but the man in charge appears to know what he's doing. Just as well it's not you or me picking the team!

Not at all. I was thinking the same thing when you posted the first time and almost responded then. It's a valid question but Reid's growing propensity to get goals from midfield makes it a real teaser. Have to say on balance that LJ has made the right call on this issue thus far.

Just keeps getting better!

2-0 delighted for Freeman.

I don't know either, but Bob Taylor might be a fair shout.