speeeeeeedie

Me either. I think it has been on the cards since he arrived at Derby though. He was a wonderful player but doesn't strike me as the manager type. I think it would be really hard for someone with his talent and natural footballing ability to be able to transfer that knowledge and expertise to others. Years ago I was on a coaching course. One of the instructors told a story that trying to explain a concept to Rooney was pointless. He couldn't figure it out. However, if you drew it for him he'd light up and get it straight away.

I too missed the first but agree with you on the others. Maguire needs a rest. He's had a rough few months. He's a shadow of his Leicester self.

Yes. He allegedly told pals via WhatsApp that he was going to Atletico Madrid before it was public knowledge. Said pals allegedly then placed bets on where Trippier would end up and cashed in.

The Manageress? Ex US women's boss Jill Ellis allegedly on shortlist for DC Utd job in MLS. My money is on a publicity stunt here. It's one thing to manage a country with the largest and best selection of women's talent in the world over a tournament. It's another to jump into the grind of a pro job.

I noticed it and it should be a non-starter. Along with the voting changes, and the playoff format changes. Although the CL clubs will always have a much larger revenue the relatively even distribution of TV money keeps it somewhat straight. Grealish would not have signed a new Villa contract without it.

Gartside died a few years ago. He was the one spouting for a 2 tier no relegation Premier League, including Bolton of course. Irony still exists. There has been talk of a European super league for decades. I don't think that it will ever happen. The Champs League is close, and the revenue generated from it suits those involved.

I thought about them but my memory of Euro 2016 - aside from England's Iceland disaster - had France been odds on favourites. They were at home and were firing on all cylinders. Germany were reigning world champs but they weren't the same side. They got lucky against Italy in the quarters. Zaza's penalty in the shootout is one of the worst I've ever seen.

There are many reasons to not like the Daily Mail. Their website is one of those. Too many pop ups, adverts, and pictures ruin the read. As to the proposal. I'm not against the first 6 listed. 7,8 and 9 are a definite no. 10 should make sense but fair play is a joke. 11 is a cynical ploy for more pre season "tournaments".

Next years Euros (hopefully it goes ahead) is wide open. Any of the teams you listed can win it, as well as England. In tournaments past there has been a clear favourite, although they didn't always end up winning it. For me since 2000 it's been France, Spain, then France again. In the 90's it was Germany (how they lost in 92 was a feat). Pickford is almost universally disliked on here. He hasn't put a foot wrong for England though. He may at some point but Southgate likes him. If Ancelotti can get him wired right his club errors will reduce too. I think that Gomez is a tremendous player. He is understated playing next to van Dijk, but he can do it all. He was woeful against Villa, but they all were. He was the best player on the park the week before against Arsenal. Klopp will straighten him out. If Mourinho sees Dier as a central defender and plays him there every game he too will improve. He's another who is much maligned but has tournament experience and isn't that old. England have some real attacking talent. As someone said maybe go for the win 5-4 approach. I would play 4 at the back. 3 and wing backs looks disjointed.

Dean Henderson was another. He hasn't played yet but he looks a talent. It also had Harry Chapman and Adam Armstrong. 2014 was awful, but 4 years later England got to the semi final so progress was made. I think the talent pool is larger now than it has been for a while, yet needs a strong central defender, and the same in central midfield. Find those and England will have a chance to win something.

I've listened to a few of those after it was posted on here. I like it too. Over here in the USA I get the two Robbie's. Mustoe and Earl. They dumb it down a bit for the US audience but aren't awful. Tim Howard is a new edition this season. Champs League has moved channels to CBS half way through last season's campaign. They had to act in a hurry but signed up Carragher, Micah Richards, and a few others. I don't know if they will be back this season.

Gav, rather than hate focus your energy on the positive that 8 years after he left Rovers - 2nd in the table at the time - he's not come within a country mile of becoming a manager, assistant, coach, or even ball boy at any English club. As every day goes by his chances of a return diminish even further. New blood comes through, old names retire, and contacts are lost. That in itself should give you solace that the wider world of English football knows what his character is.

Take money out of it and I'd sign Jones in a heartbeat. Injuries and gurning aside he is still a prem level player who would improve the side. As I and others have said he should have gone to Liverpool. He would have been a much better player because of it. Yet he went chasing trophies at Man U and got there just after the bus had left.

Is anyone following Luis Suarez's latest situation; Suarez Italian citizenship under scrutiny It looks like the citizenship test he took was a fix. Barcelona want rid but don't seem very helpful in trying to offload him.

I used to love Four Four Two. I still read it now and again. A mate used to get WSC so I'd read his cast off's now and again. I always preferred Four Four Two though. I'll never forget a WSC front page "offer"; "Free inside! A Mickey Thomas tenner!"

He might be. He certainly dropped some clangers last season. Yet he is a rare breed in that he plays better for England than his club side. I've not seen much of Henderson but he certainly is one to watch, especially if he ousts De Gea. Pope is a very solid keeper. I think that Southgate likes the fact that of the 3 Pickford is the best with the ball at his feet. Perverse I know but it's how I see it.

He is a good player. He gets flak as he makes the odd minor mistake. It gets magnified as he plays next to van Dijk who is peerless at the moment. He's only 23 too. I reckon that Southgate would have played him ahead of Kyle Walker in 2018 had he been fit.

I could live with that line up. Positionally it makes a lot more sense than last night. It does lend itself to players being able to plug in. Maddison/Barkley/Mount for Foden Rashford for any of the front 3 etc.

Decidedly average from what was an experimental England. Was Southgate looking at the defence? 3 central defenders doesn't look right. It takes away a midfielder. I'm glad that Grealish got a game. He offers something different. Mount looked lively when he came on. Nothing wrong with Philips either.

The final certainly wasn't a classic. Bayern were the better team but PSG had some decent chances. Neymar was very quiet. There was about 5 minutes in the second half where he had the ball close to the touch line near the centre circle and dribbled out of play 3 times in a row. I think he knew that the game was up. Bayern had too much, underlined when they brought on Perisic and Coutinho to PSG's ex Stoke winger Choupo-Moting. It was an admirable effort to put on the tournament but it certainly lacked the excitement of 2018-19, which I thought was brilliant. 2 legged knock out ties do add interest. The collective failure of the English teams wasn't good either. Although both made it out of their groups Spurs and Chelsea weren't champs league quality. Both were easily dispatched by German teams. Liverpool conceding in Madrid cost them, and Guardiola's baffling decision to play a different system against Lyon denied what would have been a heavyweight semi final against Bayern. They were much better than Lyon but weren't themselves.

If PSG are going to win it then this is the year for them. They only played one 2 legged knock out tie and the teams they faced in the last 2 rounds were both without their top goalscorer. They have some talent. Neymar is class and Mbappe is a handful. He seems to stay on the periphery and let Neymar get all the attention which makes him very dangerous. PSG were the better team last night. Leipzig aren't the same side now that Werner has left. What didn't help at all is the Leipzig keeper giving a goal away. That put the tie to bed. Plenty on here complain about playing out from the back, when it goes wrong, it badly goes wrong. I'd like a Bayern-PSG final. They are the best 2 teams left. Neither are worth cheering for but I think that it will be the better game.

The weekend's games were all pretty good. Bayern tubbing Barcelona was the spectacle. Barcelona's average age was almost 30. They are going to have to either spend a lot of money or hope that their famed academy has 4 or 5 ready to play. Suarez, Pique, Busquets, Alba, Vidal, Ratikic, and even Messi are all at the end or perilously close to it. They are all players who have won everything, replacing them will not be easy. Guardiola is going through his own personal torment and is now trying too hard. Setting up a defence has never been his strong point, he proved it again on Saturday. City easily dispatched the champions of Spain but come unstuck against what is inferior opposition. He didn't need to change the defence but he did and it cost him. Sterlings' miss and Ederson's howler didn't help, but by then the damage was done. As to Man U's exit, they should have easily won but Seville are the kings of the Europa League. Fernandes can play, Pogba on the other hand.....

I think that it's cultural. Over here in the USA I'd say that 90%+ find out before the birth. Gender reveal parties, however annoying, are now commonplace. I'm a practical type so was always ready to find out what I was having. What about names? Of those on here with kids did you have names picked out ready? If so did you let people know? Or did you decide once you laid eyes on the little wonder?

Atalanta were unlucky. PSG were on their way to another defeat. The game changed when Mbappe came on. He is some player. Gomez went off injured too. Neymar annoys me to no end too. An exceptional talent, but also a diva of the highest order. Leipzig beat Atletico 2-1. A late deflected goal put them through. They were the better side. I admire how Simeone sets up a team but despise the antics that he and his players constantly do. Liverpool should have put them out but blew it badly.

Me too. He's rejuvenated his reputation at Ewood. Look at it from the outside. He took over a Championship team in freefall after the disaster that was Owen Coyle and although suffered relegation he did so on goal difference with a points total that would have kept the team up every other year. He bounced straight back up via automatic promotion, and has improved from 15th to 11th in his 2 seasons back in Championship. All this whilst the club is owned by Venkys. Plenty of clubs would take him.