Alex

You ever catch any of that show that was meant to relaunch Big Ron's media career? Playing golf with his good mate Carlton Palmer and all that type of thing.

I assumed he had aye. When I looked it up it was only in Sacchi's 2nd spell as manager there, rather than his first highly successful spell. Desailly was brilliant in the midfield 'destroyer' role for them like.

Clearly didn't feel the same way about Desailly mind

Was reading up about him when he died last year. Never realised what a good player he was. Aragones, not Tony Cunningham

Was amused to see it crop up in this thread like.

Had a listen on Mixcloud yesterday. Really liked it. Thought it had a bit of a 'Basic Channel' vibe about it, especially the first half.

Was out for a drink with Tooj a few months back. Four young lasses sat at a table nearby and everyone single one of them on their phone. No doubt updating their Facebook status telling everyone what a great night they're having. Not exactly how I remember my youth. They're fucking welcome to it tbh.

Wouldn't that constitute a calculated risk on the part of NUFC?

Some don't though. Plus his attitude problems / reputation. Another calculated risk. Here you go: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/calculated+risk

Unless you want to be an art historian, curator or something like that

Aye. It would annoying as fuck anyway but I can't imagine why anyone would want to view that footage afterwards. As an aside, I remember when was on holiday once and went on a full day tour somewhere. This German bloke spent at least 3/4s of the time filming the day. To me, he basically missed out on the whole experience. Fucking weird behaviour iyam. This was before everyone had mobiles that could take footage so he was looking at the screen on his camcorder the whole time.

I already knew we were shit at the one day game, just not in that much detail. And while I agree T20 has moved the game on we were shit well before that was the case. Last knockout tie we won at a World Cup was in 1992 I think

That's terrible. Can't imagine what his family must be going through.

Canny result, if not that big a shock, for Ireland. Also, read this and weep, England fans: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/31428625

Don't think it would work in practice. There's a vested interest for those making the judgements.

It's depressing if it's representative of a high point.

Milk and one sugar, please.

Think it's fucking depressing how lacking in ambition we are but it must be soul-destroying for the mackems who don't define their lives by derby results (admittedly not that many of them ) how they regularly flirt with / just avoid relegation when they've actually showed some ambition in recent years.

Aye, exactly. Not saying it was a calculated risk (beyond the fact any transfer is), rather challenging the notion the club is always extremely diligent in how it proceeds with signings etc.

You're also entitled to rest players and you have can cite that the players who've replaced them are part of your declared Premier League squad and, therefore, able deputies. Even if it's bollocks, proving it is a different matter. The only people likely to get stung is a 'minnow' who basically plays a load of kids and throws a cup tie. The authorities are shit scared of upsetting Chelsea, Man City and so on.

They take calculated risks with the club all the time. E.g. appointing Carver until the end of the season/letting Pardew go, paying that money for Cabella, signing Ba. Why should De Jong any different?

What you need is some sort of royal commission on the subject, in order to ignore any recommendations based on its findings. Or something.

I think his time here was characterised by having a decent plan a when the players were fit and not really having a back-up when things went a bit tits up. He didn't really need to tinker with things a lot that season.

While I don't think Mbiwa was used correctly (and then when he was, and performed well, he was unfairly dropped) I think both players are better suited to playing in Italy.