PaddockLad

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2003/feb/01/featuresreviews.guardianreview24

As a rule of thumb anything by Simon Kuper about football is well worth reading. Hugh Macilvaney's collection of articles from his columns in the Times and the Observer is also worth a look. Bobby Charlton's (auto)biographies by Matt Lawton are surprisingly good, very detailed.

Names on the cup

Daniel Levy statement: Harry can become the new England manager only if he can write his own resignation letter

Cappello's planned this I reckon, used the Terry thing to avoid taking a squad of under motivated millionaire wankers to a tournament they've no chance of winning and getting a second bucket load of shit tipped over him in 2 years by the media. If I had half an idea that I had to try and get some team spirit going in a squad that contains John Terry then I think I'd run a mille in the opposite direction too. 6 months left on a contract worth 6 million isn't going to upset his accountant too much either. Pearce as caretaker for the warm up next month, Harry takes over for the Poland gig. Steve Bruce to Spurs :

With UK forces heavily comitted elsewhere and no aircraft carrier for at least 10 years am wondering if the Argies really do fancy a punch up over this? They'd never be able to defend them in the long term but I don't know anything about this doris in charge over there now, is she actually mad or just trying it on a bit?

They have decided mate he's not guilty according to them. I don't think there was enough evidence to convict him, just his word v HMRC. Nothing substantial.

No real evidence against him as far as I could make out. Hugely suspicious why anyone would want a bank account in Monte Carlo, but that doesn't make him guilty.

I've got a VHS of the Leverkusen game, am on it in the crowd celebrating after Shola ( yes children, almost unbeleiveably Tynesides chief purveyor of headwear has scored in the group stages of the champions league ) We missed Luas opener as were being half chewed to death by the alsatians belonging to MP's of the British army of the Rhine who had "welcomed" us latecomers outside the ground. After drinking for hours with the locals near the ground after the game we ended up in Cologne in the only gay/lesbian/transgender nightclub open on a Tuesday night. This ended up with 50 or so Geordies on the dancefloor singing their own version of "hey Jude", accompanied by the in house band. We still talk about that night quite often when I run into some of the old crowd now, truly brilliant times.

Great idea, let's offer Colo £100k p/w then what if BA,Cabaye,Tiote etc want the same? It sets a precedence and can easily run out of control. I think he should be right at the top of our basic pay scale with enhancements for clean sheets and appearances. It takes 11 players to keep a clean sheet. That sort of bonus has never worked becuase of the team ethic of football. Same for goals for a striker. Am only suggesting it for Colo as he's 29 and vital to the team. The rest will be sold to clubs who will pay them what they are worth. Thats what we're doing and where we're going as a club. We'll see what happens, if we can push on as Spurs have (this season).

I'm pretty sure he's not going to sign a new deal here. This is where Ashley's "brave new world" that a lot of folks on here (mosrtly me included, certainly when I'm watching the team) are enjoying this season falls down. Why not reward Colocini for his efforts since relegation? Make him an offer he cant turn down to stay? If anyone thinks Graham Carr is going to keep uncovering gems for next to fuck all (and pay them comparative peanuts) that may "take us to the next level" then I'd suggest a lie down in a darkened room for them. That will work at Lyon in France as I've mentioned before, but it's unlikely to work long term in this country where wages are a lot higher. He deserves top wack if you ask me, but we won't pay it.

It seemingly hasnt dawned on Dalglish that Terry has been charged and has to appear in front of magistrates for exactly the same thing that Suarez did. Rightly or wrongly its a criminal offence to racially abuse someone in the UK.To be fair to Suarez his admission of the offence may have kept the police out of it. Parker man of the match?...he's stopped doing his little pirouettes in midfiled as much but apart from that he's an above average midield grafter. Same as he was here. Dawson was the best player on the park last night. That lads come on a lot. If the Terry situation deteriotes and he ends up not going to Poland then he's a good a "stopper" as anyone iyam.

Yeah but would it not been more accurate to mention Newcastle as the team they would get closest to tonight? He maybe was referring to the champs league place but we are seen asa bit of an irrelevance despite what the league table says. Lawrenson said we won't finish in the top 7 on saturday in his column in the mirror even though we've not been out the top 6 hardly all season.

Gary Neville casually mentions that a win for Liverpool "will get them closer to Chelsea", conveniently forgetting the two sides placed between Liverpool and Chelsea in the table. We're still a nothing club watched by two men and a dog in a primative northern backwater out there in media land. Suits me fine at the moment.

His mate died in the crash somewhere in Italy during the world cup there in 1990. Redknapp was quite badly injured as a result of the crash too.

Hobby spotted in the Black Bull as we speak drinking coffee...sadly it seems he's left his trumpet at home....

He got off the plane and went straight to the ground. He also had a nice glass of red with lunch before KK asked him if he wanted to be in the bench.

Going on what Pardew said in the presser he reckons they'll be quick on the break today.Can't see them countering too quickly without Agbonlahor who is doubtful for this apparently. Bent needs someone to get it into the box for him where he is quality. Concentrate on stopping the supply to him and I think we'll have too much for them of our own at the other end. I enjoyed last season's game at SJP almost as much as twatting the mackems a couple of months later. It's difficult to genaralise about fans but I'll make an exception for these cunts after the relegation game. Highlight of their decade judging by their reaction

He played 2 years too long, but yeah that's a great compilation, the semi final goal v spurs is my favourite

I think it's dawned on them that he's a cunt If the FA and most of all Capello couldnt see the dangers in re appointing him after he did the dirty on a teamate last time then they're not fit to be in charge of the game in this country. What the fuck were they thinking?

Aye, I hear Radio 4 are interested..."a book at bedtime with LeazesMag" :/

How much did Ashley throw at the academy during the Wise/Vetere/Jiminez era, and how many have come through? Vukic? Will Joe Joyce be in charge still? How does he feel about the err "changes"?

Is this the first time we've released some young players deemed not good enough by the club? Its certainly the first time its been spun like that...id be ashamed to put my name to that drivel.

Sorry to hear that Davide....thought you were ok where you were? Out North Shields way wasn't it?

people would be complaining if we'd paid over the odds for Mariappa though which we wisely refused to do. Colocinni getting a new contract now is a must in the next month or so, Ba and Cisse back in the side will be a big boost, can see the system of late staying the same with them replacing Best and Shola respectively but the increase in quality of those two positions will be immense and will have an effect on the rest of the team Colo isnt signing a new deal, if he wanted to stay he'd have signed by now. He's aiming for the same as Enrique, but may be sold before his contract is allowed to run down completely. Ba scored 2 belters v Norwich and it still wasnt enough because we were shite at the back. Simpson was beaten all ends up by a divi 2 journeyman on Saturday which led to their winner. Santon looked awful v both Fulham and Brighton. I realise it's not as bad as I've painted it, but it's yet another roll of the dice by Ashley when we should be in a posistion of strength and be seen as a good option for any half decent young player as I'm sure Mariappa is thinking as we speak. Don't know if he'd have been any good or not but we've been left short in a vital posistion and there is really no need for it.