PHILINFRANCE

I was surprised to see in which League Waterford actually play, I always used to think they were one of Ireland's top teams. I looked it up and found 'League of Ireland First Division', but that doesn't appear to be Ireland's top League, rather it seems to be their equivalent of our Championship. Is LB really only playing in Ireland's 'Second' League?

No wonder we are looking so lethargic up front.

Unless you are driving to the afore-mentioned Wigan, when you are likely to end up at the Rugby League Club. Very frustrating when, having parked the car, enjoyed a few pints and walked the remaining few yards to the stadium, you find you are virtually alone and have arrived at the wrong ground, meaning a mad dash to make kick-off.

If there is to be any chance of a revolution from below, i.e. from the people, then yet another sporting frustration after losing the Champions League Final, the Grand Prix and now, potentially, the possibility of competing in the World Cup can only help. And, for goodness sake, whilst recognising their may be some Russian athletes who don’t use PEDs, let’s bring an end to this farce of letting Russia compete as ROC.

Tavernier also takes a very good free kick.

I have just realise that I was giving up on QUORDLE, without realising I didn't actually understand the rules! I have now read the instructions and completerd my first one ?.

His daughter and son-in-law both - their 'PR/Business Improvement' company, Maytrix, is questionable as well, repeated delays in submitting accounts and threatened with enforced closure on more than one occasion.

Ever optimistic, I always start with SMILE, and when, quite frequently, this fails to show a letter, I try ABORT. I have twice succeeded with my second word. I have NEVER succeeded with QUORDLE! ?.

Just like our old Nativity set.

It's funny how memories differ, although age does play tricks with the best of us. My first recollection of Gerry Gow was in that wonderful John Sillett youth side that reached the semi-finals of the 1970 Youth Cup. I was a mere schoolboy back then, and I honestly can't remember whether I actually saw GG make his First Team debut, although I certainly did see him in his early games. My recollection is not that he was a 'clogger', although I do remember some boos at some of his passes. Again, I don't remember them as 'bad passes', rather that his teammates were unable to read them. Incidentally, whilst I never had the pleasure of meeting Gerry Gow, I did meet both Johnny Quigley (we actually played in the same team for a few months) and Bobby Kellard. My recollection of Bobby Kellard is that he was a very warm, down to earth man, whereas the less said about JQ, the better.

I was surprised he wasn't appointed when they were looking for a new manager only a few months ago. He was born in Carlisle, played for Carlisle and subsequently managed Carlisle out of the Conference League and then in to League One when he was last there ten years or so ago.

Well, Yes, I agree about Beckham, but I was just linking Simeone, who was able to give a comforting, 'sporting' pat to Valverde, who had just deprivedhis team of a winning goal, saying 'Don't worry about it mate, I would have done the same thing for the good of the team', as, in fact, he had done a similar thing some years previously.

I understand perfectly that 'taking one for the team' is not very sporting, cheating even, but sometimes needs must. These are all professional players, and I would suggest, to a man, they all understand what is happening, and why. It happens at the highest levels (remember the Saurez handball against Ghana, the save that prevented Ghana being the first African team to reach a World Cup semi final?). The record books show that it was Uruguay who won the match (on penalties ?) and advanced. A more relevant example, i.e. concerning a foul, concerns Real Madrid's Valverde in the Spanish Super Cup final against Atletico Madrid. Quite correctly, Valverde received a red card, but when he left the pitch he received a sympathetic pat from Atletic's Manager, Diego Simeone. Diego Simeone is no stranger to controversy himself, of course, and many may recall his involvement in a World Cup red card during the 1998 World Cup. It is easy to criticise from the armchair, but, like it or not, sometimes a player needs to take one for the team.

So, a sort of blanket ban, then ?.

One can only wonder how and why such a small country with no football history was awarded such a prestigious, global competition I am sure M. Platini, who was called into discuss France’s hoped for trading partner by then President M. Sarkozi, would be able to explain, although I believe he did indicate at the time that his vote for Qatar was based on expanding the good name of football throughout the world. Oui, Monsieur.

For the record, I was never over keen on LJ as City’s manager. I am sure he is a very good coach, especially with the younger players, but I didn’t like his jargon or excuses, both pre and post match, and I used to wince when he would criticise publicly and even blame some of his younger players for defeats: we have all seen the match, witnessed the mistakes so there is absolutely no need to shame a teenager in public to absolve yourself from blame! Nevertheless, his record whilst our manager speaks for itself for, notwithstanding the funds he had available to him, his league positions were impressive and, of course, there was that wonderful League Cup run. I don’t think anybody could justifiably say he left Sunderland in a poor position - their results since he left suggest he must have been doing something right - so I would suggest that, amongst his fellow professionals his stock is high; not, necessarily, to be considered for a higher end Championship role, but certainly lower end or League One. Why, then, would he consider dropping to League Two, especially when, notwithstanding the fact Bradford were in the Premier League not so long ago, they do not appear to be realistic promotion candidates this season? You know as well as I do that the betting odds are a joke at League One and Two level, and I really don’t think that LJ was linked realistically with Bradford, rather that somebody placed a speculative £10 bet and he immediately became favourite for the job. We shall see what transpires in the next few weeks, but I don’t foresee LJ managing in League Two any time soon.

I love reading these sort of arguments, Please keep it up. Before your next post, though, just consider these unfortunate ‘pearls of wisdom’, or ‘crap’ as you like to describe it. Your adversary didn’t state that LJ wasn’t sacked, rather that he wasn’t sacked in six months: LJ joined Sunderland in December 2020 and was sacked in January 2022, i.e. 13 months (not 6) later. During his time at Sunderland, LJ managed them to an EFL Cup win and oversaw their best ever spell at that level; quite an impressive record by any account, so I would suggest he has some stock in the game.

I have only been following this vaguely, but was amused by Rory McIlroy's recent comment when interviewed as to how he felt about Phil Mickelson's involvement. Asked about Mickelson's comments, McIlroy added: "I don't want to kick someone while he's down obviously, but I thought they were naive, selfish, egotistical, ignorant. "It was just very surprising and disappointing, sad. I'm sure he's sitting at home sort of rethinking his position and where he goes from here."

Now Gordon Parr was a player who knew how to make a ‘hard tackle’, both on and off the ball.

OK, that would makes sense - the clapping hands being sarcastic and pointing at Sunderland's decision to sack LJ.

Is this just ‘banter’ because BT is a Newcastle fan, or was there some animosity between him and LJ?

This one is working fine for me: https://www.vipbox.lc/amir-khan-vs-kell-brook-1-live

Caul was mentioned on this thread yesterday. I would be very interested to hear from anybody who knows, whether it is still readily available or even if is legal today.

I am ‘glad’ you recall the Sheffield United ‘hatchet incident’. My recollection is that it happened just before kickoff in the East End, when a City fan was screaming that he had been hit on the head with an axe. Whilst I witnessed the almighty fight, I didn’t see the actual incident itself, although I saw the immediate aftermath. What I do recall is nobody believing me after when I told them what had happened. A very similar incident occurred a few seasons later after an evening match against Portsmouth. There was a big fight in the road crossing over to where Portsmouth’s coaches were parked and, again, a City fan was screaming he had been hit with an axe.