Hello There!
Well well well (to quote Duffy!) it's been a strange old season so far hasn't it? A team that has dropped points left right and centre is top of the league (my beloved Reds), managers sacked seemingly every day and Becks is back in England. Those are just the first things to come to mind!
First of all, my condolences go to the family of Richard Butcher, the player who sadly died yesterday at the age of 29. Macclesfield, the town where I was born, have suffered another tragedy within the space of twelve months following the death of their manager Keith Alexander. It's hard to fathom out why these things happen, especially to people who are supposedly in the best of health, so it's very sad when this happens.
It's been pleasing that the Premier League has been so open this year. It's been said to me "where's the excitement when you don't have play-offs?" (alongside the usual daft comment about the game being boring because "it takes too long to score" and "you have 0-0 games" - well 204 countries around the world can't be wrong can they??!!) The Premier League has shown that if teams go in with the right mental attitude they can go to places like Old Trafford, Anfield and get results! They have taken up the mantra "play the game and not the occasion".
The seemingly incessant sacking of managers this year - 42 managers currently plying their trade have been in the job for less than 1 year! - to me gives a very powerful insight into the mindset of the chairmen/owners of teams! By the way, there are 92 teams playing professional football in England and Wales . . . as the Yanks say "Do the Math!"
Consistency is the key to success. Sir Alex Ferguson has proved it at United, recently surpassing Sir Matt Busby as United's longst serving manger ( he's now in his 25th year) . . . Arsene Wenger is in his 15th year at Arsenal. He's not won anything for five years has he??!!! Those two managers prove that given time, success will come.
David's back in England. Training with Tottenham Hotspur. His granddad will be proud at long last, looking down from heaven. He was a Spurs fan you see, that's why I said that, in case you're wondering.
Dave - a question. Why not train with United? If all you wanted to do was train, then come to your spiritual home? Others have done it (Dwight Yorke springs to mind) so why not you? You said you couldn't play for another English team . . . we'll see, wont we?
I see they're thinking of tinkering with the game in Never Never land (FIFA) again. Golden goals may reappear. I'll believe it when I see it. Here's the deal, and I have to thank my wife for this - get rid of points for draws. Let's gid rid of the idea that "we only need a draw" from a particular game - that'll liven things up! Let's bring extra time into league games. On this occasion, the Americans have it right. NO DRAWS! There are times in the past when "a draw has seemed like a fair result" has been fair. Now, let's award points for goals scored.
Talking of FIFA, the recent World Cup hosting "thing" was a load of old tosh, wasn't it? If they wanted to award it to countries who have never hosted it before, then why not say so? The whole thing was a farce from start to finish.
The mess for 2006 still sticks in my mind, with United being asked to go to Brazil for that tournament in 2000, to help with the bidding. It's funny how the FA needs United when it suits them. Yet when a United player gets into trouble ( Rio fined for missing drugs test - 50 grand; City player doing the same thing - big fat nothing) all hell breaks loose! I wonder if the powers that be in English football haven't forgiven us for disobeying them fifty odd years ago and entering the European Cup . . .
Despite all these rants (it's only because I care!) it is still the beautiful game, still the best sport on the planet and the reason why my wife and I get up early on Saturday mornings . . . thankyou ESPN for your coverage, thankyou Fox Soccer Channel for your coverage and thankyou football for providing me with so much enjoyment for nearly forty years now.
Til the next time . . . keep enjoying your football
Eddie
