jim mk2

Yes it does. If I were Lampard I'd be shamed to show my face in public after the embarrassing way he performed in Germany, never mind having the gall to criticise the manager. Even Ferdinand, one of the few to play reasonably, admitted to being nervous venturing out of the house when he returned form the World Cup. Erikkson was an overpaid plonker but so were the so-called world class "stars" he picked.

It's the beginning of the end. HUGHES OUT.

No it wouldn't. This weather's a nightmare. Roll on winter.

Bingo, Bryan. It's about fighting the unseen enemy.

Like Superman Returns, Deliverance is an allegory. You're a grammar school lad who can think "outside the box" (to use horrible modern parlance), so what's the hidden meaning behind Deliverance ?

Reasonable for Kermode to suggest that Superman Returns might be an allegory about the state of anxiety in the US post 9/11. Similarly, only the uneducated might think that Deliverance is about a confrontation between backwoodsmen and city types.

You didn't mention the football which by and large was awful.

I wouldn't hold your breath. Gerrard is a possible future England captain so will not want to upset the FA, ditto Lampard who will be keen to retain his England place while Rooney is unlikely to court controversy in a book at this early stage of his career. The only player who might have "lifted the lid" is Beckham, but he was very much an Eriksson man. Far more likely is that stories similar to Owen's (extremely mild) criticism will emerge via the press over the next few weeks/months.

Unlikely. Most football books "written" by current players are suitable only as bedtime reading for insomniacs. Why should they bite the hands that feed them ?

Revert to 16 teams as the tournament used to be before 1982. Four groups of four, the top two in each qualifying for the quarter-finals. All over in three weeks, the best teams in the world only, not Fifa's all-inclusive holiday. Won't happen though.

The World Cup was a triumph for the coaches but football was the loser. Years ago they killed off wingers and now forwards/strikers are an endangered species. Another tournament decided on penalties because neither coach dared to win. A poor tournament got the poor final it deserved.

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By all accounts Germany have been fantastic hosts but on the field I have no hesitation in saying it has been the WORST WORLD CUP EVER. In fact, after the highs of 1970-82 each successive World Cup has got worse. The tournament in its present format and lasting one whole month is Far too long (it should be three weeks maximum) because there too many teams taking part. This has led to Too many poor matches. Too many average players. No outstanding performers (be honest, who would you pay hard-earned money to watch ?) In addition, it has been spoilt by Too many poor refereering decisions and dismissals and yellow cards (not the referees' fauly, blame Fifa directives) Too many players feigning injury. Too many players cheating. In short, Fifa, because of a combination of incompetance and greed in mis-managing its over-inflated, over-hyped tournament, has managed to turn what used to be a festival of magical football into a bore.

Ten days ago everyone in the day room agreed that this is the worst Italy team we have ever seen. Which just goes to show. Time for a nap.

And I'd merely like England to reach a final before I die, and I ain't got long left. This should have been the year England reached the final but they didn't and as always the buck stops with the manager. Since the 1966 World Cup Germany have gone farther than England in every single tournament. Lesson: we need a German manager, but not Bertie Vogts.

Assuming he is still at ManU next season: Memo to Wayne Rooney: on behalf of all England football fans please stamp on his testicles in the first United training session. And after you have done that, stamp on his head. Memo to Gary Neville and Rio Ferdinand: give him a wink as he is carted off to the hospital. Memo to all Premiership full backs: please cause this horrible little gobshite a serious injury. Memo to Sir Alex Ferguson: negotiate his transfer as from England as possible.

LUCAS NEILL ........ I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU XXXXXXXXXXX MEMO TO MARK HUGHES: GIVE LUCAS A TEN-YEAR CONTRACT AND MY UNDYING THANKS

I just said that Simon. see above.

My great grandson has an Italy shirt which I'm wearing in their honour tonight. Forza Italia !

Going back 40 to 50 years, sendings-off in football were extremely rare and always headline news on the few occasions they occured. To be sent off a player had to commit a serious offence, such as striking an opponent. In the 1960s I can recall only one Rovers player, Mike Ferguson, being sent off at Ewood, and that was for elbowing an opponent in the face ! Now sendings-off are commonplace and players are booked for innocuous challenges that years ago would not have merited even a free kick. Football is a contact game and it seems to me common sense has gone out of window. The number of bookings/sendings-off is already a record in this World Cup and it is spoiling the tournament. Nothing to do with the media lad. If the FA had waited until after the World Cup to make an appointment, they would probably have got Scolari. He was placed in the untenable position of having to accept the job knowing that his present and future employers might meet in the World Cup. And now they have !

Superb game ? Playacting; feigning injury to get other players booked/sent off; yellow and red cards dished out like confetti; poor refereering; I thought it was a disgraceful exhibition by both teams and a terrible advert for football. Portugal (and Figo in particular) were by far the worse culprits and it is high time Fifa punished teams who behave in this fashion. Saturday is very much a case of Eriksson v Scolari. Big Phil's team have knocked England out in the quarter-finals of the past two major tournaments and he will fancy his chances of completing the hat-trick on Saturday. Plus of course there is the added frisson that Scolari turned down the FA when they approached him to replace Eriksson after the Wolrd Cup. Scolari gave a coaching masterclass against Holland, having to reorganise his team three times owing to the sendings-off but always his players knew exactly what he wanted and what they were supposed to do. Can anyone imagine Eriksson in the same situation ? The passionless Swede would have rooted to his seat in the dugout, giving no clear leadership. Even with two of his best players suspended on Saturday, Scolari have his team set up and organised properly to beat England's confused and bewildered team. Scolari would have been a fantastic manager for England but the FA bungled it by insisting that they had to make an appointment before the World Cup. Instead, we will have Steve McClaren. England won't win this World Cup nor the next or the one after that. England have had the players to have won tournaments since 1966 but have always been badly managed. Nothing changes it seems.

Too much talk of systems and which players should play where. England's team look like 11 apprehensive individuals who do not believe in the manager or his methods.

Terry and Lampard were awful (again). Unbelieveably, Terry was named man of the match by the sponsors.

Showing your true colours by supporting England. Jolly good show Donald.