broadsword

A few years ago, these sort of quotes would've wound me right up. But now it's so laughable, that, as long as Hughes stands up to him, I really don't care. Hughes' words were measured and spot-on, and I think Ferguson has been shown up as a man who's steadily losing his grip (and has been for a number of years). He simply is the worst loser in football. Loser being teh operative word, since his club is in a right pickle.

Wouldn't touch him with mine! You have him Den!

Have to say, I find Jan's post disturbing, she genuinely seems to be unhinged on this topic. Surprising for someone on a 6 figure salary blah-de-blah. Anyone wishing ill on Graeme obviously has a very distorted, warped outlook on life. Mind you, living in newcastle, that might be understandable.

Why has Pearce not got it tactically? Is this something to do with his hardman reputation? And why would Curbishley be the choice of the Press? Notwithstanding teh fact that I've seen no championing of him in the 'papers, he's signed some very ordinary players, sometimes for silly money. For example, Jason Euell for 4.5 million. No thanks. Not that I'd go a ton on Mclaren either. Although I'm not sure about Big Sam - how would someone like Beckham or Owen take to being coached by a guy who's managed in the lower leagues and taken Bolton into the top flight, and been a largely anonymous central defender as a player? There's no stand-out candidate for me.

Just seen a picture of Norman Kember on BBC. He does not look very well. How can anyone kidnap and threaten to behead a 74-year old peace worker is just beyond me. There's plenty of wrong-doing going on in Iraq, but that really takes the effing biscuit!

Sorry badge placement is part of teh design?

I can't remember the last time I was so hopping mad about a game (probably the last time we played United). The difference between the Newcastle game and Weds was that we profited from one bad decision. Man Utd had things go their way all night. To turn down that penalty appeal was outrageous - he had a better view of it than the Man Utd pen, it was blatant and right in front of his nose. Normally I can accept a loss in a good-tempered way, but I was absolutely seething Weds, grrrrr ...

A certain manager is sticking out like a sore thumb. But I don't expect him to put his hand up. ;-)

Surely he's just waiting for his whacking great pay-off now. That club is in one hell of a mess.

If that's true Phil, I got at least 2 out of 3 correct, and I'm pretty confident on club three!

Anyone watching this up old London town in a suitable pub?

Will pop down the bookies in a bit to stick a bet on - probably for 2-1 to us, but I fancy teh odds may be crap. Pedersen to score the last goal maybe?

Why does Sven have to tout himself around anyway? It's absurd. If he won the World Cup then he could have any job he likes and could write his own salary cheque. All he has to do is concentrate on the job in hand. So, either he has no faith that he can steer one of the most talented England teams in recent times to the WC Final, or he can't resist talking money. Either way he's making t1ts of us all. if he was English he'd have had it on his toes by now. But because he's a foreign Svengali he's taking the mickey. Infuriating.

I've got a key fob that opens bottles - I find that quite useful, but I idn't have to pay a ridiculous amount of money for it. And it actually serves a purpose. You keep on mentioning the word "useful", but I don't detect any reasoning as to why this is, or why it's a justification for it.

Long past caring now.

If you could offer compelling evidence that there is a genuine need for them, Eddie; and that this government, which likes to come out with directives, prosposals etc, but which couldn't execute a 3-point turn, will implement them properly, then maybe I'd be in favour. But as it stands, I don't think they'd do any good as a counter-terrorism measure, and the govt will of course make a complete balls-up of the whole thing. All these civil servants my tax money pays for and they couldn't manage to slap each other arses without some diagrams. I also resent being tracked on databases, which is why I don't have loyalty cards and try to pay cash when I can - maybe I'm just being narky. Glenn mentioned Air Traffic Control and "disaster waiting to happen" in one post (shudder). The bloody morons used a hard-to-read font on the ATC screens, so that sometimes ATC's have directed aircraft towards each other. This govt really does need a health warning. The only thing they are good at is spending tax-payers' money.

He was the author of his own misfortune. We all have out aberrative moments of misjudgement, but then we all have to live with them. I mean how many people, sportsmen or not, would think riding a moped in Rome would be a quality idea?!

It was very odd when he got subbed. He wanted to come on before the guy coming off had even started to walk off. Over-keen or have his faculties completely gone?

The ref bottled sending off that O'Brien geezer because of the grief he got when he (rightly) sent off Hong Kong Phooey (aka the Green Hornet). If he hadn't have sent off Nakata then the dude would've done someone's ankles for sure. What the hell was Reidy booked for?

I might be wrong, but didn't he spend more time with us post-Rome injury than pre-Rome injury? Why the hell did we keep him so long? After Rome he had two mangers at the Rovers and has impressed neither. He has a contract at Bolton until the end of the season, and I'd be surprised if he stays in the Premiership beyond that. Glad he has finally gone, although he was one of my favourites in his pomp. But I was getting sick and tired of it all. Sorry.

Todd just seemed to give up on the chase for Saha's goal. Don't think it was especially good defending.

Was going to stick a fiver on us winning 4-0, but forgot about it. Guaranteed to come in now.

I'm just wondering how many people (Janice Two-Brains-One-Large-Ego aside) were slating Graeme Souness when he took us up, gave us a League Cup and into Europe twice in a row? Yes, his spell here ended in failure (not unusual for a mangerial reign); but he enjoyed considerable success too. For me it was like two separate reigns. The first where he could do no wrong, moulded a brilliant, entertaining team, every signing he made was quality. Then after the Duff sale, his evil Burnley-supporting twin took over and narked it all up. Graeme's currently sunning himself somewhere with Dale, while his twin shags up Noocassel. So to start claiming he is a complete buffoon who's never done any right is to take the partisanship fans are known for to the extreme. A bit sad, really. And I'll think you'll find that Saunders and Wright were two of his best signings for Liverpool. He definitely likes spending other people's money, and like every other manager, has a chequered transfer record. Istvan Kozma, though! Ouch!

If the point is that Jansen wasn't sacked after riding a moped in Rome, because the club is presumably soft; how does Tugay being allowed to ride a bike without a helmet negate that point in any way?

Do you really expect anything less?