jim mk2

So who do we want in the semi-finals ? The preference, of course, is Newcastle, and the chance to wipe the smile off the face of Souness and the legions of Geordie fans. But the cynical view is that the television companies want a United-Arsenal final and the draw will be fixed so that we meet for one of those two. I'll pick United - their pressing attacking style suits the way we play soaking up pressure and hitting teams on the break.

It is why Liverpool are so desperate to play in the CL next season. If they don't it is almost certain Gerrard will leave for Chelsea, contentrating power in the top three even further. For those clubs playing in the Uefa Cup is seen as failure when it used to be a fantastic competition in itself. I used to support all the English teams in Europe. It was a matter a national pride. Not any more: I cheered when Bayern knocked out Arsenal and I laughed when Milan wiped the smile off Fergie's face. Shame about Barcelona and Leverkusen. It shouldn't be like that, but that's the way the Champions League makes me feel.

European Cup. Agree. This knockout stage is how the old European Cup used to be in every round: exciting cup football played by the champion team of each country (not the top 3/4 in each league). European Cup nights were always big nights, eagerly awaited occasions with huge crowds. Now ManU v Juventus or whoever is so commonplace no one cares. A case of familiarity breeding contempt. The Champions League is one of the principal reasons why football is going down the drain. It is responsible for: 1. The reduced status of international football. Top players are knackered at the finals of the World Cup and European Championships resulting in triumphs by well-organised nonentitities such as Greece. In addition, England friendly internationals, hitherto seen as an honour for the players chosen to represent their country, are regarded as "meaningless" because top players are too tired/injured to take part. 2. The reduce status of the great institution of English football, the FA Cup (viz CL teams fielding virtual reserve teams) 3. The reduced status of the Uefa Cup, Europe's No 2 club competition and formerly considered harder to win than the European Cup. 4. The demise of the European Cup Winners Cup, an excellent competition axed to make way for the CL. 5. As Kevin Keegan said, a boring Premiership in which the top 3/4 teams always dominate with the rest seeking to avoid relegation by playing dull safety first football in which the principal object is not to lose and the promoted teams know they are virtually certain to go back down again. 6. As Paul mentioned, the concentration of even more money and power in the hands of Europe's top clubs, leading to the G14 cartel who are virtually running the European game for their own selfish benefits. 7. Boring saturation CL coverage on television, turning fans off football in general. The Champions League is the worst thing to happen to football in the past 50 years, worse even than the abolition of the maximum wage in the early 1960s. It, and television, will ruin the professional game in the long term.

And John Williams - what a great team we have running our club Except when he screws up over tickets.

Goodison Park has been a happy hunting ground for Rovers over the years. I remember us winning there 4-2 and 3-2 in successive seasons in the mid 1960s when Everton really were one of the top clubs in the country. Mind you, we were pretty nifty too with Douglas, Clayton et al in their pomp. Alan Bradshaw scored two goals in one of the victories but failed to achieve much else and left the game to become a schoolteacher. The hard work on the training ground is really starting to show now and confidence is rising as the players start to believe in themselves. Well done Mark Hughes.

Excellent result. Hughes had Everton in a tactical straitjacket. I've never seen a Rovers team work so hard.

Same story in the red tops. Hughes quoted as saying that "they will be discussing his future at the end of the season". Bye bye Matt.

Present it to that nice Mr Williams. I'm sure he'll pay it personally out of his overinflated salary.

When the argument is lost, the inadequate resort to abuse. I wouldn't have expected anything less.

Kindly provide some quotes and a source to go with your nonsensical mutterings. (PS ... at least yeast is a living organism - what remains between your own ears obviously ceased all activity some time ago) On radio 30 minutes ago, talking about the delay in setting the date for the Leicester game, JW said " The delay gives us effectively one day less to sell the tickets. However, we should be able to cope. We have learned from the mistakes when selling the Burnley tickets. We've learned the problems of the ticket office opening hours, the inclement weather [i'm not sure what he means there, maybe the fact that thousands of people had to queue in the freezing cold, or maybe the weather caused technical problems] and this time the season ticket holders will have their own window" So there were mistakes made last time. The biggest one, was putting over 20000 tickets on sale from day one, causing tremendous queues on the phones and at the ticket office. This isn't stamping feet and shouting from the hill tops to complain about the club, simply the recognition that the way it was done last time was unacceptable. Well done JW for recognising that. Can't see where anyone should apologise there. Which is also what he said to me in a telephone conversation yesterday. Nonsensical eh eh ??

Laughable post from the former brewery worker who clearly has yeast between his ears. Williams has admitted that the club made mistakes this week and got it wrong in many aspects of its tickets operation. Hopefully, those mistakes won't happen again ... but on past experience I wouldn't bet on it.

Over the two games both Rovers and Burnley showed themselves to be well-organised teams made up of journeymen players (Pedersen excepted). The difference is that our journeymen are just that bit better than theirs. The "gap" perceived to be closing by Burnlery supporters is in fact as wide as the last time the teams met. Rovers would still beat Burnley nine times out of ten.

The link requires registration. Can you copy and paste ?

I noticed that too. Is it a first for the club ?

A touch generous to Gallagher. He is lacking so many of qualities needed in a modern striker; he does not have the strength or technique to play with his back to goal, he is not a good passer and does not bring his team-mates into play, he does not take defenders on and try to beat them through either skill or pace, he is not a great header of the ball and he is not a deadly finisher in the penalty area. So the question has to be asked: what is Gallagher for ? A career in non-league football with Great Harwood beckons.

You are. Really ? I thought I was complaining about poor service.

Since when has asking staff to man a telephone, take supporters' credit card details and reserve a seat, been a hare-brained scheme ? In the words of Yosser Hughes, "I could do that".

And what happened to your customers who did not receive the service they expected ? Took their custom elsewhere no doubt. Customer/client relationship is hardly the same as the supporter and his football club. Fans will always be loyal but they are not compelled to attend matches, and if there is difficulty obtaining a ticket then in all likelihood they won't bother trying the next time. I doubt if anyone is "shouting from the rooftops". After hanging on the phone for hours they are probably extremely grateful just to speak to a human voice.

Thank you for saying it far more eloquently than I could. Paul, read and inwardly digest. You might learn something.

Why only those limited opening times ? To ensure that every tickets is sold and fans are not on the telephone for hours on end the ticket office should be open 24 hours a day. Pathetic.

Well said. Years ago I saw Jack Marshall sweeping the terraces after a game ! Johnny Carey used to to muck in cleaning the dressing room. Work to be done so the management helps out. If the club asks for criticism it is going to get it, and in this case it deserves it.

Missing the point. Supporters are making legitimate points about the way the club is run. For the price we have to pay it's not good enough and adds an unnecessary sour taste to the enjoyment of the occasion. Ticket problems at Ewood are nothing new - remember the 1960 Cup Final ?

With all due respect you ought to be and so should everyone else. Multi-tasking and a flexible workforce is a manadatory requirement in most work places these days - with a small staff such as the one at Ewood I would have thought it essential. Even Mr Williams might get his hands "dirty" occasionally. All hands to the pumps in the areas of greatest need ! So if needed you can nip down to the printing works and run off 3 million copies of the Sun (or its cousin the tabloid Times) ?? I think not. Multi-tasking and a flexible workforce is a manadatory requirement in most work places these days - with a small staff such as the one at Ewood I would have thought it essential. Read it again before making stupid comments. Another pint of Guinness please.

With all due respect you ought to be and so should everyone else. Multi-tasking and a flexible workforce is a manadatory requirement in most work places these days - with a small staff such as the one at Ewood I would have thought it essential. Even Mr Williams might get his hands "dirty" occasionally. All hands to the pumps in the areas of greatest need !

Good post. Exactly the point I was making earlier. Not exactly "rocket science" is it, but then Williams is paid £400,000 plus a year so he must be good at something.