chinapig

Take a look at the accounts, their legacy is still very evident and will be for some time to come. It's going to take at least as long to fix the damage as it took to create it, whoever the manager is.

Don't know, they're not on any comparison sites.?

Yep. Caveat Emptor and all that.

Kieran Maguire mentions on today's PoF podcast with more details to come on Thursday's pod. He seemed to suggest the regulator might be appointed imminently though it would be odd in advance of the White Paper becoming a Bill and subsequently law.

Launch Roll it to the big man!

Apparently they stopped showing him on the stadium screens precisely because he was booed when they did before.

Plus with Ronaldo out they can actually play at a high tempo.

Bring him on with 2 minutes to go and see if he refuses!

Possibly, though Frasers' latest statement is pretty vague and general and doesn't resolve things. Still amounts to 'sign the revised licence to be allowed to play there': https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/dec/05/mike-ashley-frasers-groups-serves-coventry-city-fc-eviction-notice-stadium Frasers Group said it wanted to work with the club to secure its future at the stadium. “Frasers has, throughout all its involvement with the stadium, been supportive of securing the long-term future of CCFC playing its games at the stadium. This position remains unchanged,” it said. “Prior to acquiring the stadium, Frasers issued a new licence mirroring the terms CCFC had agreed with the previous owners. However, CCFC chose not to sign it at that time. “A revised proposal, together with a new licence, has been issued to CCFC and will secure the immediate future of CCFC at the stadium. “Signing the licence would allow for more detailed discussions to take place about CCFC’s long-term arrangements at the stadium, including to accommodate a number of requests which were raised by CCFC. Frasers looks forward to working with the club to host the upcoming games.”

To be a proper agricultural shot in cricket it surely has to go to cow corner??

Why on earth do players do it when they know they will be booked?

I love the country having worked all around Wales for a few years. Full of beautiful places, lots of friendly people. Given the option and the money I would choose to live on the Gower coast. But I am heartily sick of the constant romanticising and if I was Welsh I would be embarrassed by now. For God's sake make it stop!

Judging from what Rashford said Southgate told them at half time that they weren't moving the ball fast enough so it seems unlikely he sent them out at the start to do otherwise. We'll see how he sets up from now on but Germany eventually showed against Spain for instance that it's best to press the good teams high rather than sit back. I hope we continue that but time will tell. I loved the media narrative about Iran btw which went: •Good side, England will struggle to beat them. •England only beat Iran because they're crap. •Wales couldn't be expected to beat a side as good as Iran. Agenda or what??

I agreed with the thrust of your original post but I think the point applies more to the likes of Denmark, Netherlands, Poland and Germany, even Portugal. Even Deschamps is regarded in France as too pragmatic. It's worth noting also that Tite spent time in Germany and, I think, Spain studying European tactics because he wanted Brazil to play in a more European way. For all their galaxy of talent who did he replace the injured Neymar with? Fred! So the implication that Southgate is somehow particularly negative doesn't stand up for me, especially as his team has 9 goals, more then any previous England side in the group stage. I'd add that against Wales 2 goals came from Foden and Rashford running at defenders and the other from Rashford pressing Davies and nicking the ball off him to set up Kane for the cross. Indeed the high press was excellent all round, especially in the second half. Not particularly shackled perhaps?

Exactly my thoughts but would his ego accept that I wonder? And he should get rid of the ridiculous hair and embrace his encroaching baldness!

Yes. See also the one Ronaldo was given in Portugal's first game and the identical, though much clearer, one not given to Qatar in their second game. Note also that a member of FIFA's technical committee praised Ronaldo for being so clever in winning his penalty.

I agree there are pros and cons but my concern, apart from the fact that Bale can't put in anything like a 90 minute shift, is that younger players might feel they have to defer to him. Their natural game might be inhibited if they are thinking they have to give the ball to Bale all the time in the hope he might do something special. By way of comparison, Marcus Smith at no.10 for the England Rugby Union team is inhibited by having Owen Farrell next to him dictating what he does. The only time he expressed himself was against New Zealand when Farrell was playing with an injury and Smith took control. Bale may be able to make a difference in qualifying games if he is still capable of moments but I'd grasp the nettle asap. Looks like he will dictate when he retires rather than the manager though so it's a bit academic.

• Scott (2026) ?

I'm always sceptical of this argument. Southgate had the sense and the nerve to drop Rooney and rebuild from there with younger players. Rooney would have been a drag on progress not an inspiration. For Rooney read Bale.

I saw the late great Dr John live and his version included both the drowning and morphine references. Multiple artists have recorded the song so versions inevitably vary widely.

Van Gaal didn't take kindly to Dutch journalists saying how boring his team are but they have looked pretty pedestrian. Luckily for them Gakpo is in great form. Imagine the response though if England only beat Qatar 2-0. Instead this is the first England team to score 9 goals in the group stage. Southgate out!?

Were there another 5 locked outside or have they reduced their capacity again?

And Roger Hunt. And playing without wingers. And drawing the first game 0-0. And not celebrating England's 4th goal in the final. And trying to talk posh.?

A memory* of the painful variety. Imagine the stick Sir Alf would have got on social media for the subs he made that day. And he didn't even have Foden in the squad! *Though I do sometimes post something then wonder if it really happened. Old age never comes alone.?

Norman came on as a sub in the fateful defeat to W Germany in 1970 didn't he?