Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[tikay]

Compare the cutting but dry wit of Brian Clough with the much more pedestrian utterings of the now beleagured England Manager, Steve McLaren, who said this when reminded England need a miracle to qualify for Euro 2008.

"We won't give up, we are in a results orientated business".

Stunningly insightful.

I actually feel a little sorry for any England Football Manager, trying to compete against gifted teams with our inferior players, it's hardly the England Manager's fault that the FA don't give a toss about our basic skill deficiency. Instead, they donk off £800 million (half of it lottery money, ffs), on a Stadium which could not have been worse sited if they ever gave consideration to fan's tryng to travel to the place which has the worst local road network in th UK, just a mile off the ever-jammed North Circular. It is not rocket-science to think "hey, this is for ALL England fans, not just those in London, so let's sight it Centrally, & where the Motorway network & trains can better serve everybody". Meanwhile, a much-needed England National Youth Academy got binned for want of a mere £4 million.

Meanwhile, the RFU get it right again, self-financed, a wonderful National Stadium, & successive World Cup Finals.

Football will, I fancy, never learn from the wonderful example set by the RFU.

[kinboshi]

Slightly different circumstances in rugby union and football though in terms of who the players play for and who they're contracted to.

Also, don't feel sorry for the England manager.  He gets paid enough to pick the same old players time after time, after time.

[tikay]

Actually said in the past sense......
I read his auto biog a few years back, great book, great man.

Totally agree. And WHAT a record he had, as a Player & a manager.

Has anyone ever matched his "goals to matches" ratio as a player?

His CV as a Manager was not bad, either, what he did at Derby & Forest remains, to me, the greatest miracle of modern football. His Teams were a model of "the whole is greater than the sum of the parts" syndrome, he seemed to be able to make workaday players into something special. Except, of course, at Leeds, where the prima donnas were having none of his brusque style. And, to be fair, Leeds of course went on to become Football's ultimate  riches to rags phenomonen. Karma eventully settled the debt Revie's Leeds owed to football

[AndrewT]

Football will, I fancy, never learn from the wonderful example set by the RFU.

Of course, the RFU can do this because the rugby clubs are relatively poor and rely on trickle down money generated by the England team. Same with cricket - the ECB can decide which county games the England players can take part in and the counties have no say. Football clubs in this country have so much money that the FA can't really say boo to them. If the Premiership clubs would rather fill their teams with foreign players (to the detriment of English players) there's nothing the FA can do about it.

Though that doesn't change the fact that the FA is run by idiots.

[tikay]

Football will, I fancy, never learn from the wonderful example set by the RFU.

Of course, the RFU can do this because the rugby clubs are relatively poor and rely on trickle down money generated by the England team. Same with cricket - the ECB can decide which county games the England players can take part in and the counties have no say. Football clubs in this country have so much money that the FA can't really say boo to them. If the Premiership clubs would rather fill their teams with foreign players (to the detriment of English players) there's nothing the FA can do about it.

Though that doesn't change the fact that the FA is run by idiots.

Well yes, but it's wider than that, in so many ways - financial mangement for one - the Wembley Fiasco is a prime example, but think about the empowerment referees in RFU have, compared to in Football, where Refs get abused & chased round the pitch - you'll never see THAT in Rugby! Could the FA change that? If they had any brains, balls, or sense they could.

[ifm]

my pal watched England v Estonia? (whomever they played before russia) and said it was the best stadium he had ever seen bar non, anywhere in the world and he has traveled some.
From Brum to wembley and back without delay of any sorts, i agree it should be in the midlands but it does look like they have improved everything.

btw i think we have players comparable to any other top nation, just crap politically appointed managers

[kinboshi]

my pal watched England v Estonia? (whomever they played before russia) and said it was the best stadium he had ever seen bar non, anywhere in the world and he has traveled some.
From Brum to wembley and back without delay of any sorts, i agree it should be in the midlands but it does look like they have improved everything.

The stadium is magnificent, and a huge improvement on the previous one which had become very dated.  But then again, it should be for the money it cost and the time it took to build.  But when the original Wembley was built, the industrial estates that now surround it weren't there, and the road system in to Wembley is terrible - and hasn't been improved with the new stadium.

btw i think we have players comparable to any other top nation, just crap politically appointed managers

[julian]

happy memories & very kind words tony...tyvm.
i'd forgotten about that three way pot when jon chucked the 5k chip in by mistake...fantastic times, & yeah he took it real good...class

[wormster]

Apropos nothing in particular, I was reminded yesterday of a quote by the late Brian Clough. Mourinho & Ferguson have nothing on this man when it comes to soundbites - for me, Shankly & Clough were streets ahead of anyone we've seen before or since.

"I certainly would not say I'm the best manager in the business, but I'm in the top one".

Reminds me of a story a mate of mine told me once. He's a life long Forest fan & when he was about 8yo he was standing outside the Forest ground waiting for his heroes to walk past him to get an autograph of his fave player (John Robertson I think he said) before he got on the bus. To his dismay, his outstretched arm, with pen & notebook, went unoticed by his hero and, as an 8yo can do, he started to cry. At this point Brian Clough walks past.. "What's the matter young man?"  asked the great one. "He won't sign my autograph book" sobbed my mate. With that, Cloughie walks on to the bus and say "Right you lot, everyone off the bus & sign this lad's book. Not one of you is going home until you do!"

My mate loves telling that story & how could he not remain a Forest fan after that?

[Laxie]

Awwwwwwwwwww....that is such a sweet story!  Nice start to me day...cheers!!!

[bobby1]

Apropos nothing in particular, I was reminded yesterday of a quote by the late Brian Clough. Mourinho & Ferguson have nothing on this man when it comes to soundbites - for me, Shankly & Clough were streets ahead of anyone we've seen before or since.

"I certainly would not say I'm the best manager in the business, but I'm in the top one".

Loving the diary Tony.

[tikay]

Apropos nothing in particular, I was reminded yesterday of a quote by the late Brian Clough. Mourinho & Ferguson have nothing on this man when it comes to soundbites - for me, Shankly & Clough were streets ahead of anyone we've seen before or since.

"I certainly would not say I'm the best manager in the business, but I'm in the top one".

Loving the diary Tony.

Thanks Phil. I've been knocked a bit sideways by time-pressures the last few days, but I'll be catching up very soon, my work-diary thins out for the next few weeks, (after Wednesday) so expect plenty of my ramblings, I've got a lot of catching up to do.

[tikay]

Apropos nothing in particular, I was reminded yesterday of a quote by the late Brian Clough. Mourinho & Ferguson have nothing on this man when it comes to soundbites - for me, Shankly & Clough were streets ahead of anyone we've seen before or since.

"I certainly would not say I'm the best manager in the business, but I'm in the top one".

Loving the diary Tony.

How is the Baby Thing Phil?

[bobby1]

Apropos nothing in particular, I was reminded yesterday of a quote by the late Brian Clough. Mourinho & Ferguson have nothing on this man when it comes to soundbites - for me, Shankly & Clough were streets ahead of anyone we've seen before or since.

"I certainly would not say I'm the best manager in the business, but I'm in the top one".

Loving the diary Tony.

How is the Baby Thing Phil?

He is great thanks, putting on plenty of weight now and blossoming. Had his jabs last Friday so he has been a bit off over the weekend but he will come around again. We thought it was about time he went racing so trotted off to Wetherby last Weds but he backed 3 losers so was grounded at the weekend, given a second chance we took him to Pontefract yesterday where again backed 3 losers. He deffo grounded again now..

[tikay]

Apropos nothing in particular, I was reminded yesterday of a quote by the late Brian Clough. Mourinho & Ferguson have nothing on this man when it comes to soundbites - for me, Shankly & Clough were streets ahead of anyone we've seen before or since.

"I certainly would not say I'm the best manager in the business, but I'm in the top one".

Loving the diary Tony.

How is the Baby Thing Phil?

He is great thanks, putting on plenty of weight now and blossoming. Had his jabs last Friday so he has been a bit off over the weekend but he will come around again. We thought it was about time he went racing so trotted off to Wetherby last Weds but he backed 3 losers so was grounded at the weekend, given a second chance we took him to Pontefract yesterday where again backed 3 losers. He deffo grounded again now..

Seems like he takes after his Dad at backing Horses - hopeless.

We need a picture of him. Please.