You know the drill - if you have anything to say on any subject, mail us at theeditor@football365.com
Well, Quite
So stop me if I'm wrong, but a ruling intended to stop football's heavyweights using their financial muscle to poach young talent has just been overturned because, erm, the heavyweight involved paid off the other club?
Charming.
Euan, Hibernian FC, Edinburgh
Laffs
"Wayne is the best left-back in England and the Premier League," said Mancini.
Does anyone else think he's tying that scarf a little too tight? I reckon it's starting to cut of the circulation to his brain.
Thanks F365 for brightening up my morning. That was comedy gold.
Matt (looking forward to the 6-Nations finally starting), Herts.
Frivolity Again
I have already written in once today but felt the need to vent a little more. Rio has appealed against his ban of an extra game for a frivolous appeal. He seems to be pointing to the case of Mascherano against my boys. Now I saw the game and Masch did clout Beckford on the noggin - if he had been pulled up for it and given a ban - fair enough.
I fail to understand how, when there is clear video evidence of violent conduct, an appeal can be anything other than frivolous. What is the appeal panel going to say? Rio, did you elbow Fagan in the head? Yes? Ban. Oh you're now appealing the ban? Did you elbow Fagan in the head? Yes? Ban.
It doesn't matter what has happened to anyone else!
ARGH!
Alex (only leeds fan in old trafford)
...Even as a Man Utd supporter I cannot understand why we are still appealing Rio Ferdinand's punishment. Ferdinand very clearly struck Craig Fagan in the head whilst wrestling with him off the ball. Admittedly, in light of the Mascherano case against Leeds, they may feel they have a case, but in all honesty, the incident very clearly happened. What's more, it's very obvious that the original appeal was frivolous in that it was only made in order to make him available for the City game, and not because we were contesting the charge of violent conduct or of any wrong doing. This, by its very nature, is frivolous.
Ideally I'd like to see Ferdinand get his ban dropped because this would obviously benefit our cause and, as a supporter of the club, this would make me happy. But ultimately I have to do what most football supporters can't, and look beyond the end of my nose. Ferdinand smashed a fellow player round the head and therefore he must be punished. I've no doubt that some fans have argued in favour of this appeal, but there's really nothing to argue. Did he hit him? Yes. Are the club contesting that he hit him? No. Therefore, any appeal is, by default, frivolous.
Harry The Manc.
A Word From Johnny Nobody
If Imran Laher decides to not go to take his seat at Old Trafford, he expects another Johnny Nobody - that probably wouldn't give a damn about the Glaziers {sic} - to go in his stead. This Johnny Nobody can assure him that he's correct. In fact for all but the ropiest midweek fixtures in autumn, the tickets allocated to non-season ticket holders are over-subscribed, and there's a ballot. I happen to have lost out 5 times on the last 6 games I applied for. This is one of the worst runs I've experienced in the 15+ years of the ballot. But it's not so unusual since the number of season tickets were increased to around 55,000 last decade, rewarding committed fans and squeezing the likes of me out.
Looking at the numbers: 78,000 capacity, 55,000 season tickets, 3,000 away seats, [say] 5,000 for comps/sponsors leaves 15,000 seats between the best part of another 100,000 paid-up members. Even if you assume that most are in Asia or even the parts of Surrey without functioning transport, that's plenty of pent-up demand for the seat Mr Laher is so reluctant to abandon. For those unconvinced note that very few United games go on general sale.
Unfortunately for Mr Laher and his cohort, the club and its owners know this all too well. The whole green and gold sideshow could defect to FCUM [ave gate down to 2,000...plenty more room at Gigg Lane] and ManYoo wouldn't even notice because Old Trafford would still be full. ManYoo is not their ball and they can't take it home with them if they storm off in a sulk. They won't get their way now, just like they didn't get their way before; because they're just fans/customers/revenue streams, and were never anything else. We are all just different flavours of Johnny Nobody. And meanwhile the only thing that matters - the team on the pitch - carries on taking care of business.
Gary O'Brien [Johnny Nobody for 20 years and counting]
Collective Mentality?
Just read Winterburn's article about social norms at football matches and have a few comments to make.
First of all, the collective mentality invoked by crowd participation at football matches means that it is unfair or at least difficult to judge where the line should be drawn as regards crowd behaviour. Put simply, it is easier to break social boundaries as a group than as an individual, particularly since the prospects for recrimination are pretty much zero in this situation.
Secondly and simply, most fans are bloody jealous of footballers! Besides earning oodles of cash, they have most football fans' dream job (it's certainly mine), and I believe this makes it that much easier to act in such a derogatory manner towards them, and to take glee in their downfall (see Terry, J., and Cole, A., as well as many others). Our love for our own club manages to keep these feelings towards our own players in check most of the time, but can easily spill over in moments of frustration (Eboue, E.). This brings me on to point 3.
At the end of the day, all football fans want their own club to do as well as possible, and so any little advantage the home fans can give our players, even if it is in a manner which in any other context would be considered vulgar in the extreme.
Nick, (Top journalism Winty, fantastic hook-ability), Gooner, Uppsala, Sweden.
Backing Arsene
Last summer, the predictable biannual roach-like chirping of Gooner fans - "Spend, Spend,Spend"- reached yet another crescendo. At that time , the object of desire was the Brazilian Melo to replace the out of favor Alex Song, for a cool 20 million. "Spend Arsene, Song is s***e" we heard . Well Arsene stood by his player, Juventus bought a now out of favor and regularly booed midfielder and we have a player widely tipped for young player of the year.
The key to spending surely is in buying a better player than you currently have. It is a lesson Rafa could learn from . We may not win the league but at least I know we will again be challenging for , if not winning , major trophies next year. If Liverpool fail to make it to fourth, you will be witness to a harsh lesson in the perils of brainless spending.
And a third paragraph to round it off
Lawrence Knops, US of A
Measuring By Goals
How can you argue someone down about a striker? This has been really contentious recently with the 'should Michael Owen go to the World Cup' and 'is Tevez worth the price City paid?' Sometimes it seems to be harder to agree on what makes a good striker than it is for other positions - but it shouldn't be. Often people make the comment, "he did almost nothing over the 90 mins"....and that is *exactly* the problem. Watching a striker throughout a game can be misleading, especially if they are being played as 6-yard box threat rather than a bullish forward who's there to hold up the ball and bring others into play.
We watch our own players with almost too much care - every touch, movement and pass is analysed, "OMG how can he miss from 6 yards out?" "That was a rubbish tackle...what a c**t" And it becomes depressing when Berbatov is floating around like a lazy deity. But unlike other players, strikers are often measured by one quality only: scoring goals.
We have to throw out our preconceptions of effort and passion - all that matters is the scoring tally. How many goals per game? And this is all because goals are hard to come by. When a game is often won or lost because of one solitary goal, they become precious commodities. And goal-scorers are the high-earners, the talent - the difference between winning and losing.
So how do we measure them? Well, most people consider a ball-park figure of 20 goals a season good form. And over a full season that's about 1 goal every 2 games. Which means there's going to be quite a few games where our top talented messiah is not going to score at all. And get lambasted for being a useless loser. Because that means missed chances, and 90 minutes when they achieve nothing. Not every striker can be Wayne Rooney - that kind of running around is likely to leave him exhausted and/or injured for the World Cup (no matter how unbreakable he seems right now).
So next time the question is asked - how good is Owen now? Looking at the goal ratio............yep still rubbish.
Sye (let's talk about assists next time) Pascoe, London.
It Shall Be So
I had a dream in the wee hours of this morning. Football365 held a poll with the following question: You are stranded in the middle of nowhere on a desolate road, and you see a vehicle approaching. Which Premier League footballer you'd want driving the lone approaching vehicle?
And the winner of this poll was Mr. Dirk Kuyt, by a rather fair margin.
Now dig this; we have a belief in India that dreams seen in the early hours of morning come out to be true. Can F365 help me out here?
Govindraj (Next dream prediction: Valencia to be the ladies' man for companion on a desolate island!), India
BagderBadgerBadgerBadgerBadger...
Dear Mr Compiler
The author William Horwood once wrote a tremendous book called Duncton Wood, a novel depicting the socio-political dynamics of the badger kingdom, with quasi-religious overtones. Bear with me... The book tells us that the best time to attack (another badger...) is to wait until your enemy momentarily relaxes. Keep with me...
... this brings me neatly on to the Greatest Free Kick Routine Ever Devised. Sheff Utd, early 2000s - Stuart McCall and a young Phil Jagielka both 'accidentally' go to take a free-kick in a dangerous area at the same time. They carelessly bump into each other and apologise for their 'poor communication'. The enemy momentarily relaxes. Cue Michael Tongue to come steaming in and absolutely rasp a shot goal-bound. Keeper and wall are caught unawares and unresponsive to MT's piledriver. Goal for Tonguey, BAFTAs for McCall and Jags. Perfect.
Definitely the brainchild of Neil "Sun Tzu" Warnock.
Steven Hughes, MCFC
A Big Up For Cape Town
I'm an Englishman living in Cape Town and i just had to write in to compliment the new Cape Town Stadium. South Africa gets a whole load of bad press regarding its readiness for Fifa 2010 so i just wanted to reassure all England fans (and footy fans in general) that an incredible spectacle awaits.
I've visited the San Siro, Nou Camp and many a stadium following Arsenal throughout the years but i have to say that the new Cape Town stadium where we will be playing Algeria is simply jaw-droppingly incredible. Last night i attended a tv show on the hallowed turf- the stadium and pitch surface are immaculate. The facilities are world class and i'd be shocked if there is a better natural setting for any stadium in the world.
It really hit me last night for the first time and i have to say, England fans, its time to get very excited.
Anyway, i'm off to the beach. See you all in June,
Dan Green, Gooner, Cape Town
Gil Merrick
In a time when footballers appear on the front pages for a plethora of misdemeanours varying from sleeping with geriatric prostitutes to drink driving with no insurance, I would just like to pay my respects to the late great Gil Merrick who died last night.
Gil held the record for the most appearances for Birmingham City, led us to our only piece of major silverware and took us to the first European final for any British club in the Fairs Cup (though I may stand corrected on this).
Blues recently renamed the Railway Stand after Gil and he was our first inductee into our Legends Lounge just a few weeks ago.
I never saw him play but any Birmingham fan knows all about the legend that was Gil Merrick and will feel saddened by his death.
Keep Right On Gil!
Tom Hatton
What Really Happened?
After reading Mancini's ridiculous quote on F365 regarding Wayne Bridge being the best left back in England, it got me thinking. I mean, obviously the statement is untrue, and Mancini blatantly knows this too (would he really not take Mr Evra or Mr Cole as a replacement if the chance arose?). In fact, surely Bridge would feel a little bit embarrassed by Mancini's nonsense, if anything.
Anyway, to instigate a bit of Friday debate, I thought up the following scenario.... You have been given a small sample of truth serum, large enough for 3 doses. It may only be used on footballers or anyone within the footballing sphere, and it will force them to answer a question truthfully. Who would you use it on (could be the separate people) and what would you ask? Over the past few years there have been various cover ups and occasions where us fans know we are being lied to, or a manager's story has changed from week to week but the press lap it all up anyway. Therefore I am sure there are a plenty of options to use the serum on.
A few quick suggestions to get you started are below:
Ferguson/Wenger/Fabregas - Pizzagate 2004
(Fat) Ronaldo - World Cup Final 1998
Wenger/Ferguson - How much money do you really have to spend on players?
Robin, London
