Ken

So you were a telephonist then. I was right.

Did you not talk to customers/clients for a living on the phone?

As do the telephonists. Minor part of the world. Very minor. Most of them are in India. But you are a part of it. So be grateful.

This is excellent news. I will frequent this forum more often now. I was sick of reading the fantasy football shite some were coming up with. The old rubbish have gone, by and large. We can look forward to something different. Whether you like him or not Steve McLaren will provide that. Sounds like he has been given the go ahead to start from scratch. This is his forte.

Richie Benaud's wife has asked for a quiet funeral; He was offered a state funeral by Premier and PM. My summers as a child, to an adolescent, growing to full muturity, had always involved Richie. Gone but never to be forgotten.

Agreed. It was a bit of a fizzer from a neutrals stand point but that's cricket sometimes. To be fair to the Kiwis they played their final against the South Africans, that would have taken a lot out of them mentally whereas Australia built themselves up and peaked in the final. I personally never gave the Kiwis a chance before the tournament started but the performances they strung together were class. They are a very good team. But a fitting end for an Australian side who had been a rabble not too long ago and the perfect farewell for a captain who has served and seen out the bad times this team has had to go through over the years and come out the other side with the Cup. So all that's left is to retain the Ashes now. I really hope England can at least be competitive although there isn't much time to regroup.

Well, let me assure you, you pale faced, sex deprived, blazer wearing dweeb, that I will be here to ensure it does.

Anything other than an Australian victory is unthinkable. Even when I attempt to be unbiased I can't see it any other way. Look, I'm a fair man, if we lose, which is extremely unlikely, almost impossible, I will come here afterwards to make a fair comment about it and not refer to Bangladesh, OK?

Let's see if this same kind of smugness/reassurance you present is still active in 5 months time, eh?

Cool climate merlots are more my go these days.

Interesting that David O'Leary was at the game. Interesting indeed.

Yes, let's all dance in unison while under the influence of THC and MDMA and think all will be right in the world in the end.

Not with nukes. The US would need to do it the diplomatic way and send in a few thousand tanks to line the border of the Czechs and Poles against the Russians.

I thought the Kiwis had their backs against the wall after the Duckworth revision/calculation. The fact that they won is like winning the WC itself. Unfortunately now, they have to travel to the mega cauldron that is the MCG and try and put up a fight. A worthy final, NZ have earned it.

England aren't a power in this world anymore, agreed, but they need a deterrent. Why? Because they have the ultimate one, and the world view can change quite quickly. How they go about deploying this deterrent is something else. Just leave the Greens out of the debate.

Sorry to read that, Stevie.

What a sly, vindictive bastard if that is true. Look, I have no idea who this Moores bloke is but it is quite clear that he hasn't done the job well.

Bangladesh, eh? This is a new low.

Well then, you are a fool. We only gauge our success against England when we are pitted against you one on one. Eurovision... for fucks sake man...

Yes it does, and the sinking feeling after they were named hosts I've never experienced before as a football supporter. Arabs are not culured enough, sporting wise is what I'm referring to, to ever be taken seriously so to have the rest of the world stop for them for this event is the biggest joke I think I've ever witnessed. Blatter needs a bullet between his eyes and FIFA needs a massive overhaul.

Do you really think so? I don't.

Interesting tournament my poor, pale, pommy friends, and other ultra left-wing cowardly compatriots. Interesting indeed.

If I had access to her cunt I would kick it. Hardcore.