Anyone thinking I am suggesting people should be more reserved for England, or that if you support England more you're not as good a Roveers fan etc is entirely missing the point. What everyone does is entirely up to them. I was merely observing the level to which people seem to have got frothed up compared to club football. I am fascinated by Johnny H's academic explanation. Must just be me then. Nothing would possess me to purchase an England rugby shirt, and sit in the pub watching the rugby world cup because I DON'T LIKE RUGBY. All power to those that do though. Simple as that. Patriotism doesn't even come into it.

That's me told. A+

Greetings orcan, I agree with you, things are looking up for england. So they should with a forward line of Owen and Rooney. How did this season go for Genscher? Hope you're looking after that Rovers shirt!

Good move. Hopefully we see a few less of those lacklustre performances in "low key" games we 've suffered at Ewood over the last 2 seasons.

Well as you rightly say you wouldn't be overly bothered aout rovers as you've only been to one game in the last five years.

So the fact that attendances at Ewood are on the decline whilst interest in football in general is rising is pointless?

Bryan, calm down dear, read your signature. When I said "disturbing phenomenon" tongue was very much in cheek. (Although I personally would take Rovers winning the FA Cup this season over England winning Euro 2004 anytime.) What I still don't understand is why these people can suddenly turn from apparently not being interested in football to foaming at the mouth fanatics. To me either you're interested in football or you're not. While there's always some element of people jumping on the "cool to be an England fan" bandwagon once every 2 years, I've never noticed it to this such an extent as with this tournament.

Not knocking enthusiasm for the England football team but why are people who show no apparent interest in domestic football and more particularly in brfc so lathered up about england? And how can that interest be tapped? I'm sure they're not all closet ManUre fans?

Don't know if anyone else agrees but one thing I've noticed during the recent run of England Euro games is the level and intensity of support for England compared to Rovers. At the Pub where I've watched it, it's been packed to the rafters. Lots of people ( loads of young ladies in particular) who you thought had no interest whatsoever in footie wearing England shirts. People going mental at every minor decision. I'm completely different, stood there thinking "Calm down it's only England" Conversely on the occasions I watch an away Rovers game on Sky, I'm the only one doing my nut and the place is invariably half empty. How can we tap into this unprecedented surge of "footyitis" for Rovers benefit?

Spilt milk and all that but if we're analysing the incident correctly with the benefit of several slow mo replays a Portugese defender actually pushes Terry in front of the keeper thereby blocking off the keepers route to the ball. Not a foul under any sensible interpretation.

Up to this tournament I'd have been in total agreement with you, but I've actually been quite impressed with the way Sven has got us performing this tournament. It was only gritty resolve that kept us in it on an off day tonight, and even then we'd have won but for a dodgy ref. I think if you said his substitutions cost us dearly (Rooney v France) (Scholes and Gerraerd tonight) that might have more merit.

C'mon Abs poor old Sven only earns £4m p.a. You don't expect him to encourage them as well for that do you? That would cost at least £8m p.a. Seriously though don't think anyone can question the character of the side after the disallowed goal debacle and coming back from a goal down in extra time.

Portugal were the better side but in Souness parlance we were "mugged" by a very poor decision from a referee who gave us absolutely nothing over the game. And the once influential Beckham capped off a woeful tournament by missing his second vital penalty. I look forward to a lengthy AESF rant later on.

If only. Phil I know you have always insisted this was the case, but don't know where you dreamt up this notion.

Don't want to put the mockers on anything by saying we're going to win it but we've been more impressive than at any tournament I can recall since 1970. Were it not for a mad three minutes in injury time v France we'd have had 9 points. Too tight to call with any great confidence tonight, but no reason why we can't sneak it and go on to win the tournament. Need more from former goldenboys Beckham and Owen though.

P.S. If there is any truth in the Duff + Parker + £20m for Gerrard rumours, good though Gerrard is, it represents the best deal ever for Liverpool and would turn them into a real force. Sadly.

Can't agree there Paul. We sell Dunn and Duff for £22.5m. The money comes in over the life of the contracts, say 4 years, at £5.5m per year. We purchase Gresko, Amoruso, Reid, Emerton, and Ferguson for £14m on similar terms costing £3.5m per year. In the meantime we finish 9 places down the Premiership table losing £4.5m. Net loss over the year = £2.5m In addition to that we will be paying considerably more out in wages for the five new players than for Dunn ansd Duff. Possibly an extra £40kp.w.? Loss over the year now = £4.5m

I've not seen him play so I'll reserve judgement. However for a free he could be a very good signing and a two year deal isn't excessive given his age. Weren't we quoted £1.5 or £2m for him in the January window? Without getting into the "have we any money" debate if there were no major departures and if we could hypothetically offload Flitcroft and bring in Butt we might have the makings of a top 6 side once again. Also agree with the new poster who said we need a centre half and decent right back. Mills and Matteo on reduced wages would do nicely. Where are Newcastle waving £3m at us for Neill when you need them?

So should they have come clean after this "huge surge" IMO IF there's no money, the club should stay stchum and just get on with it. Other than the timing of the announcement in s/t renewal week there is of course the question of why comments like this are coming out from the manager a week or two after the chief executive said there was £4m in the summer kitty. a)How many people buy the Telegraph? b)Can the Telegraph be believed or have they printed the quotes out of context in order to increase their sales? Just a couple of thoughts Rev a) In global terms not huge numbers, but I would think the vast majority of our ST holders buy it. b ) Quite possible. Extremely unhelpful nonetheless. As I say there's an article effectively saying "Dont bother buying a season ticket - it won't be worth it" fuelled by quotes from the manager directly above an ad we will have paid for imploring people to buy season tickets!

So should they have come clean after this "huge surge" IMO IF there's no money, the club should stay stchum and just get on with it. Other than the timing of the announcement in s/t renewal week there is of course the question of why comments like this are coming out from the manager a week or two after the chief executive said there was £4m in the summer kitty.

The point is I would have expected a huge surge to renew before Saturday's initial S/T deadline. This article will have a major detrimental effect IMO. It won't affect me renewing but not everyone is as dedicated as Jordan. It's naive to think otherwise.

No just direct quotes from Souness. As soon as it's up on the LET perhaps someone could post the link, I haven't got the hang of that yet.

It's not just the "have we/haven't we got any money" argument. I simply can't believe such a negative story has come out with probably 80% of S/T holders preparing to renew by Saturday. On the front page there's a big picture of Souey looking glum with the headline "Souey: No money for new players". On the back page a huge headline "I've no cash to spend. - Souey frustrated by lack of funds" Underneath that story is no doubt an extremely expensive ad trying to persuade people to buy a season ticket! I really could weep sometimes.

Front and back page headlines of today's LET. Not on their website yet. The gist of it is that GS has now been told he has no money to spend. We might be able to take one or two players on free transfers but that's going to be it. Pederson too expensive for us and the Matteo deal similarly likely to fail through lack of spending power. What on earth are the club playing at? As if sales weren't likely to be bad enough before Saturday's initial S/T deadline we now get a story like this. Talk about shooting yourselves in the foot. The old chestnut about losing £1m on the last day of the season is wheeled out again. Don't remember us having a huge transfer budget as a result of shooting three or four places up the League on the last day in the last two seasons though. Seems it only works one way. So in the last two close seasons we have spent £3m and netted £7m, a total gain of £4m yet there's no money. A very shortsighted lack of ambition which can only end up with us in division one in the medium term.

I hope that is a joke. I doubt it, you see, Souness said David James was a great keeper, and Souey and Rev, well I think they'd manage to disagree if one of them said water was wet. No, it's not a joke - I wouldn't have said it otherwise would I? He's capable of pulling off great saves but just isn't reliable. If Souness thinks he's a "great" keeper we'll have to beg to differ on that. Friedel (Souness signing) has turned into a great keeper.