If memory serves what he said was that he wouldn't sign any more players after Chelsea leave for their pre-season tour later on this week, clearly intended to send a message to his remaining transfer targets - if they want to get their hands on a fistful of roubles they better get a move on, or words to that effect.

Riiiight. Which of the two following options would have been the more sensible: Option A Bystander: Hello Souey, who's this young trialist who banged a couple in during the friendly the other day? GS: Oh, just some young Italian lad we're looking at, Reg Something. He's only minor league but we thought we'd have a little look at him, you never know do you? Bystander: Right you are then. Option B Bystander: Hello Souey, who's this young trialist who banged a couple in during the friendly the other day? GS: Can't tell you, it's a big old mystery and no mistake. Huge mystery. If you do find out you absolutely have to promise not to tell a living soul, cross your heart and hope to die. Tell you what, let's just call him A. Trialist. That should do the trick. Bystander: Right you are then. Where did I put the number for the Sunday People again?

That may very well be the most ill conceived excuse for a post I have ever read on this board, and there have been a few bad ones in the past (many by myself). I can only assume you were going for the wind-up neophox, in which case it was in staggeringly poor taste. If you were being serious you really need help. Both Yorke and Cole (and Reid and Yeldell for that matter) were bought by Souness, and I'm pretty sure he knew what ethnic group they belonged to before he wrote the cheque. Yorke is leaving because he is a shadow of his former self, Cole in the interests of team morale and the financial wellbeing of the club. Colour has nothing to do with it. The one point I will agree with you on is that name calling isn't neccessary, which is why I will keep my opinions of you to myself.

If Cole is allowed to leave without bringing in a suitable replacement first choice striker it will be an absolute disaster for Rovers (Dickov is NOT that man, he is a squad player, albeit a decent one bought at the right price). Purely considering the number of experienced strikers we would have left: three (including Yorke - who we are actively trying to get rid of, and Jansen, who has yet to recapture his pre-injury form) and two promising youngsters with limited Premiership experience. Even with Yorke and Jansen, one or two unfortunate injuries and that's our season over.

One for the non practicing metal heads (why are so many Rovers fans so beloved of the metal? Almost worthy of it's own thread...) but I have been listening to Susumu Yokota's back catalogue recently and it's the business. If you like your electronica a cut above check him out.

Wasn't having a pop Abbey, but an Englishman is magnanimous in victory and courteous in defeat in my book. I'm as hacked off as you right now, believe me; but like you said, it's the ref you have to criticize, not the Portuguese.

Must say, I have been quietly impressed by the way the Norwegians have played so far...what's that you say? Didn't even qualify? My mistake then. As you were...

(Please don't use that word again) OFF!!! CHEATING HOME TOWN REFS!!!!!!!!IM FUMING!! C'mon Abs, we're all narked off at the moment, but that's no way to talk to a lady. It ain't the Portuguese fault the ref was bent (but if there are any Swiss on the board, be prepared to get an earful)

However angry we are right now, well done to Portugal. Good luck to you, as you are the hosts I will be hoping you win from now on. Now that England are out, at least you don't have to worry about more foreign supporters getting into the stadium than Portuguese fans

In terms of the balance of play, we didn't deserve to win. The painful inevitability of a Portuguese equalizer must have been obvious to every Englishman bar the eleven on the pitch. We defended far too deeply, were sloppy in our ball retention and toothless in attack. That said, there is no disputing the fact that we were robbed of an admittedly undeserved victory by a Swiss grocer who seemed hell-bent on delivering the result the home nation demanded, and was prepared to disallow a perfectly legitimate goal to ensure that result. The agony of going out on penalties (again!) only makes it worse. The better team won, but they shouldn't have done.

Not if you value your good reputation on the board American, at least not yet. Some of us may still be a little sore...

Bugger. French connection united kingdom-ing bugger. Any thoughts on this weeks lottery numbers MC?

@ Andy82 (just to continue your theme) Oh get over yourself. Is the german wine still as sickly sweet even when the grapes are so sour? p.s. As Eddie says, we did invent football (at least the codified version which we recognise as the modern game, through the unification of the "Sheffield" rules and those of the Football Association, formalised in 1882) so if you are going to have a pop, at least check your facts first.

Before the tournament started I had Portugal to beat us in the quarters, but I am quite happy to be proved wrong. As Sydney Rovers says, this game will be won or lost in midfield; If we can cope with the extra man and keep Figo quiet then we have every chance, if not Portugal could do us over good and proper. The sides are too close in terms of overall ability to predict the score with any confidence, but Portugal are by no means unbeatable (then again, the same could be said for us).

Probably looking for lofty's post. Mail tampering is still a crime I believe, or do I misunderstand...

I Think the point that Colin was making is that Italy failed to qualify due to their own ineptitude rather than any Scandanavian conspiracy, and for them to harp on about it now is a bit much. Ever since the tournament started Italy have used every conceivable excuse to apportion blame for this failure to anyone except themselves (the wrong sort of socks? Riiiiight). Rather than hold their hands up and be "man" enough to admit that they simply weren't good enough (to borrow a phrase from that king of whinging Italians, Christian Vieri) the Italians instead chose to blame the officials, their opponents, their footwear, the list is endless. The tournament is better without this set of bleating, unsportsmanlike, sour faced moaners. Good riddance.

Portugal are a better team than people have given them credit for; the first game against Greece was an abberation and since Scolari started putting his faith in youth over experience with Ronaldo and Deco they have been clicking up through the gears quite nicely. Like England they are generally much better in attack than defence, which should make for an exciting quarter final on Thursday. Of all the teams in Euro 2004 I would say that the Portuguese are closest to England in terms of overall team ability. Much will depend on Lampard and Gerrard's ability to combat the extra opponent in midfield, and whether or not we can prevent Figo from pulling the strings. I would wish you good luck Oklahoma and Velvet, but you know I'd be lying...

Thought we played pretty well tonight, and this time the score didn't flatter us at all. For all the stick he gets, Gary Neville has done his job efficiently in every match so far. If anything it is at left back where we have been most suspect - Ashley Cole is great going forwards but by no means the finished article defensively, as his part in Croatia's first goal showed. Gerrard and Lampard worked hard in midfield, Scholes rediscovered his confidence (and more importantly his scoring touch) and Beckham spent most of the match being kicked by a Croatian team who would have been better served concentrating on Rooney. The scouse boy / monster was outstanding once again, he seems to get better with every game. Owen, despite not scoring, was influential in creating at least two of the goals and with a bit of luck might have got on the scoresheet himself. All things considered a good performance; if we could only sort out our defending from dead ball situations who knows how far we could go?

At home. Not as good as watching it at the pub, but better than trying to watch it at work (which is where I have to go as soon as it finishes). Considering how many people at work's noses I put out of joint by booking days / half days off for every England match (and doing it months ago, so they couldn't beat me to it), this had better be worth it.

"Javi the Spanish fella, likes sangria and paella, looks nothing like Paul Weller, won't you score a goal for me?" (sung to the tune of The Addams Family) Is this my coat? Why yes it is. Good night.

The thing that ammused me the most about Bir Robby Sobson's commentry was the little two minute spell when all he could think to say was "Okay, who are you going to pass it to? Okay, now you've got the ball, who are you going to pass it to? Now he's got the ball, who is he going to etc. etc." Until Tyldsley obvoiusly slapped him upside the head in an attempt to unjam the record.

Raul - yes (although apart from one clever flick to set up Morientes he is having a bit of a 'mare at the moment). Morientes - yes, but I'd prefer Rooney right now. Puyol - yes. Casillas - yes. You could probably make a case for Vicente and Joachin (sp?) as well. Raul Bravo wouldn't make my pub team. He was poor when he was at Leeds and now spends most of his time sat on a bench wishing that something bad would happen to Roberto Carlos so he could actually get a game. He has had a mediocre tournament so far and only made the Spanish team by dint of the fact that they have even fewer left backs than we do (oh, and he "plays" for Real, which never hurts). He's still rubbish though.

Right result but 3 - 0 flattered us. Not sure the first yellow card for Haas was entirely justified, and the Swiss only caved once they were down to ten men. Our ball retention was poor, especially in the first half, and too often we looked like we were running out of ideas in midfield. That said, once we were up against ten men (and especially after Vassell came on, big credit to him for the second goal), we never looked like losing. As long as we can get past a very pedestrian looking Croatia we will have to raise our game significantly to progress further in the competition, regardless of who we face in the quater-finals.

As an example of the kind of over the top garbage which has cropped up in the English media on a regular basis since the start of Euro 2004, consider this article in today's Guardian. I'm not trying to defend the actions of those drunken idiots whose behaviour has prompted the piece, but I do think it illustrates the sensationalist mentality currently being exhibited by broad sections of our national press.

Part of it was that we wern't willing to pay the extra that Real wanted. However De Pedro was more than happy with the wages we were prepared to offer, like i said he was only on 4k a week. Again no one seems to be taking me seriously, thinking I'm here to say how crap he is just bitter that we didn't get him. He can be a great player for you, as a lot of us wish he had for us. As for his 'problem' (which you have all picked up on and made it bigger than it is.) I'd love to know what it is, it may be something tiny but Lowe seemed to think it was a big deal. Anyway none of it matters now, let's see how he performs for you! Ah c'mon, I'm sure you can take a bit of good natured banter, and the info is appreciated by some of us. Will let you know if De Pedro is any good or not after he tees up Steadinho for his hat-trick at your place next season... P.S. If he was willing to accept 12k a week it's an even better piece of business by JW and Souey in my book.