The 60th Super Bowl will be in California between Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots. Donny Trump will not attend as he thinks it is too far away! From his friend Putin? Or maybe from his golf club. Or maybe he knows he will be vilified if he attends. Americans, especially those in California and urban areas are revealing their hatred of him verbally and visibly, and as a narcissistic bully he cannot stand it!
And yes, I may stay up to watch!
FIFA
I am sure FIFA redistributes a lot of cash to less well off football associations around the world, after the suits have lined their own pockets. But integrity and morality are not words associated it. Recent World Cups have been held in Russia and Qatar. The next FIFA World Cup will be held in Mexico, Canada and the USA. It is likely that fans from at least a dozen countries will be banned from entering the USA where 78 of the 104 games will be held. Politics and sport are difficult bedfellows (Apartheid South Africa and cricket, Olympic Games in USA and USSR). So it is highly unlikely that there will be a boycott approved by the suits in various FA’s around the world. However there will be protests – already a petition has nearly 100.000 signatures in the Netherlands. Real fans are already priced out by high ticket prices, but will we hear the voices of those gammons who protested their ire against the banning of Macabi fans from a match at Aston Villa due to previous violence and racism. Not a peep! Is there any morality any more?
Oh for a politician ‘Who gives a fuck’. Has the media brow beaten us into a selfish obsession with our personal wellbeing? Is the cost of living ALL we care about? If so everyone will end up being treated like shit, fed on substandard (cheap) food and society will become more unequal.
FOOTBALL
A strange turn of events – Chelsea and ManU dismiss managers despite being in top 6. It will cost them both a few £million. This follows Wolves(twice) and Forest (twice) and WHU. The last few have not resulted in success. I suspect Chelsea and ManU will need experienced managers – more for handling the boardroom than the training pitch! – neither appear to be ‘happy’ clubs. I wonder who the happy clubs are? I would suggest Brighton, Bournemouth and Brentford (all have had personal upheaval but appear to be doing ok; then Sunderland and Leeds, who after a ropey start have done ok. Arsenal seem settled, and Liverpool and ManC are suffering from expectations resulting from past prizes. Spurs are perennial losers whilst Villa have shone. Who else? CPalace are suffering due to Europe and speculation about key players, Burnley look doomed (lack of ambition?) I think that leaves Everton and Fulham – both mid-table without much going for them (apart from Evertons new stadium).
Predictions – Relegation : Wolves, Burnley, WHU with possibly Forest or Bournemouth in the mix. – Top – Arsenal look good, ManC are good as are Liverpool. Villa are also likely to qualify for Europe. Then it is a lottery! Brentford look good, ManU have the players, Sunderland have the defence – can they sign a striker (every club bar ManC is looking!). Chelsea and Newcastle are also in the mix. Could be a good end to the season.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
I have noticed that many people see things differently, whether it is Aaron who is colour blind or relatives. Take a football match – Chelmsford City played W-s-M and the away team won 2-0. I saw the highlights and thought City were a bit unlucky – someone else said City were “awful”. Footballers are increasingly being measured in many different ways. Mo Salah is castigated after not scoring for a few games. Not everything can be measured – confidence, luck for instance. And this is where my thoughts on AI come in. Many things in life occur due to unforseen circumstances, luck and confidence. Historically I think of Agincourt and the defeat of the Armarda, both relied on the luck of the weather, as have many things in history. AI could now factor in weather forecasts, but in the real world not everything can be assessed and quantified. As a teacher I was very aware of the attempts to set targets and ignore unquantifiable aspects. How did Covid affect students education? No statistical method is foolproof. Mark Twain popularized statistical analysis in his 1907 autobiography, writing that while he found arranging figures difficult, the remark “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics” was often relevant.
So my point (eventually!) is this. AI can only analysise what is there on the worlds computers. Can it identify sarcasm or ‘winding up statements’, Proponents of AI laud the defeat of humans in games with multiple opportunities – but can it cope with infinite opportunities?
SUNDERLAND AFC
I know why I have supported Sunderland or the ‘Black Cats” since I was 10. The team had come third 2 years in a row and I felt sorry for them! I have never been north of Scarborough and have never visited the city. But it was sealed that day. I saw them a couple of times at WHU, including an 8-1 defeat – but that did not deter me. A memorable FA Cup triumph against the mighty Leeds was celebrated at my mates house (Pete C) in Bethnal Green I think! Otherwise it has been a turgid time with with brief glimpses of hope with Niall Quinn and Phillips. Then down with relagtions – but could I change allegiance – of course not! So yesterdays result of a 2-2 draw with Arsenal was momentous. Not a win, but the belief that the ‘Black Cats’ are back to stay; they were tipped for relegation by just about every pundit. Their manager wasappointed despite his last club being relegated from the 1st division in France. Their owner is still only 27 having inherited his fathers passion for football (former owner of Monaco FC). Not Arabian riches – but honest!
So Sunderland have a new footbridge and a team to believe in – hopefully their fans will refrain from voting for Reform. The fans are amazing with their rendition of “Can’t help falling in love” is a tear jerker!. Even in the dark days of lower divisions their support has been amazing with 30000+ crowds at all times. With a team that contains no Englishmen I hope the fans relise the benefits of multiculturalism and kick racism out.
SPORT
Sunderland ‘Away the lads”. Just about favorites for relegation at the start of the season they now find themselves in the top 4. This is unlikely to last, especially as they have had an easish start to the season – but they are getting points when available and look to be a well organised side. The African Nations Cup will decimate their squad so the spell after Christmas could be difficult! I think this season will be very tight with relagation fears affecting not only the promoted clubs, but also WHU, Wolves and possibly a couple of surprises. Teams like Bournemouth, Brighton, Brentford have weathered the loss of key players and are showing resilience. It really could come down to the last match of the season with zero teams already condemned but maybe 7 in the drop zone. At the top Liverpool have got off to a flying start but came a Crocker at CPalace yesterday. ManC and Arsenal look to be the main contenders, whilst Spurs and Chelsea promise more than they deliver. Lower down, Bristol City looked brilliant at the start but have faded. The gasheads maybe in for playoffs at the end whilst Forest Green Rovers are looking good for promotion back to the league after 2 disasterous seasons.
Golf – my grandson loves golf, as do a couple of good friends – but basically it is a rich mans sport? Certainly in America it is a MAGA homeland. And as such they showed their lack of class with boorish behaviour from the start at the Ryder Cup. I cannot help myself from being interested though! At feeling happy that Europe are whipping their arses! It would take the biggest ever comeback for the Youessaye to win today.
Womens rugby – call me sexist but I am really not interested! Yes the UK and England needs good news in these difficult times (created by Reform and Mail/Telegraph/Express). I am not a rugby fan at all. However I am pleased to see womens football getting more popular but I just cannot understand the attraction of rugby!
Athletics – we returned from the World Cup with zero gold medals – but some great performances. Athletics is, together with football a sport easily accessed and one where skill and determination pay dividends. I love the Olympics in athletics – but would question whether sports involving technologically advanced equipment or animals should be allowed to compete! i.e. boats and horses.
Finally, basically most sport is sexist. It is men in their 20’s and 30’s who have time to run around in shorts or shout abuse at matches; women are the ones expected to be at home cooking and cleaning and child minding. Look at any football crowd and this will be true (I hate making claims I cannot substantiate – so this is a guess – over 80% of attendance are male). (I googled it 83+%).
SUNDAY MUSING
Is musing a word? Whatever!
I feel I must start with football – there is so much shit going down in the world that I need to return to te beautiful game. Liverpool and Wolves supporters showed the great humanity that the people on these islands generally have. One Liverpool person is to be prosecuted for racist abuse though. I hope his neighbours and family are ashamed of hime! TBH it is the impact of community that will make a difference, rather than laws. It was good to see that Surrey Police have sent out female joggers and have issued advice and warnings to those morons who bellieve it is acceptable to ‘cat call’ and shout remarks at the women.
Sunderland defied the pundits and in front of a crowd of 46233 won 3-0. They will do well to stay up, but their fans have a week of believing before Burnley away next weekend. I also love the FA Cup which is moving on – my pick, Runcorn Linnets are still going strong with 3 wins, and both Kates and John’s 2nd picks came good.
What to think about Putin and Trump meeting – my brain has gone blank with indifference/boredom/cynicism!
Weather watch – I still think we need a formal delivery of weather items by the PM infront of a pretensious podium flanked with Union Jacks. This week we could have him telling us about thousands dying in floods in Pakistans extreme monsoon, high temperatures at night in Israel and Jordan, Hurricane Erin hitting the Leeward Islands and basically who gives a fuck about the rest of the world. Sorry a bout of cynicism hit me from behind!
And Jenprick still annoys me – representing a failed wing of a once strong party he now calls for strong sentences on Palestine Action supporters. The twat is unbelieviably stupid and attention seeking. Is he really suggesting that we wshould imprison pensioners for saying free Gaza? No wonder many tories with dubious morals are going over to the Reform C***s.
FOOTBALL
I have not mentioned the beautiful game for some time! liverpool have deservedly one the league but now have some key figures to start planning to reolace as they get older. man City are in a similar but worse position. Arsenal should be second but mathematically there are 9 teams who could qualify for Europe. Surprise teams of the year are Nottingham Forest, Fulham, Brighton and Bournemouth; with Crystal Palace and Brentford putting a good show. Disasters are ManU and Spurs and also WHU. The 3 promoted teams last year have gone straight down again, will the same fate await Burnley and Leeds and whoever wins the playoffs.
SOUTHGATE
Well done Gareth Southgate. He did not leave on the highest level but did manage to create a a team worthy of the countries support. He stood up for players taking the knee, and stood firmly against the vile racist abuse that the 3 palyers received after missing penalties against Italy. So for this and the hope, we thank you. You have set the bar high for a follower – anything less than a final win in the World Cup will be seen as abject failure!
I do wonder what happened to the attacking brio that ws manifested by sterling (shame his finishing was not better!). was it the Walker throw in that ended our dreams in frustration? Who will pick up the mantle – apparently the wage is crap, only £5million! However is the press examination of every aspect of their lives worth it? Although as Kate pointed out – it is sort of part-time!
So the front runners are Tuchel, Potter and Howe. Personally I would go for Tuchel as England need the added technical nous that he could bring. Potter was turned down by Leicester and needs to rebuild, whilst Howe maybe priced out as he will be on big money from the Saudi owners of Newcastle (but how secure is his job?). He has done well at Newcastle without setting the world on fire – and that is what the supporters demand! Others like Pochettino and Klopp are probably just fantasy picks?
The potential is there for any new manager, as long as he can maintain the team spirit that Southgate promulgated – Saka, Bellingham, Guehi, Kona, Palmer are a fine start, Rice and Foden will surely come good again. Kane looks to have played his last whilst there are many others who performed well and deserve another chance, and several new players yet to be seen. I am not advocating playing a 16 year old like Yumal did for Spain – but are we too slow at bringing players through? I seem to remember a very young (16 year old) Rooney scoring a scorcher against Arsenal his first league goal? With all the psychologists available I am sure they can work out who is ready for the big game!
And now for the transfer game! Clubs need to sell homegrown players as this balances the books better – e.g. Gray to Chelsea. Personally I think it sad that players are not allowed to show loyalty to their home clubs! And I know they have massive wages but also for young players it must be difficult moving across the country?
Argentina beat Columbia in Copa America, and Canada 4th? Maybe the world will need to realise that the USA league is developing players (and the Canadian League!). I cannot forsee a time when Saudi attracts young upcoming starts like Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal, or Rodri or Pedri or Gavi. Why would they leave the adulation and support to go to a country with a completely different culture!
POSITIVES
What a change we have in the new government. No more scandal of MP’s perverted weekends surfacing in the media, no more harebrained schemes like Rwanda or the Folkstone Harbour debacle, or PPI scandals. Just a few crap stories eminating from the seats opposite with idiots being put in the HoL, Johnson dressing like a dosser for a wedding and Farage going to the USA to avoid Clacton!
We are hearing only good news – or at least policies designed to make things better. Ed Milliband has got off to a flyer with plans for solar and wind generation. We await sensible initiatives regarding, housing, prisons and a host of other complicated issues. But we await them with hope that there will be a solution rather than backhanders for the tory faithful. Temporary visas for asylum applicants would negate the need for small boat crossings and allow them to work in the meantime? For this to be politically acceptable to the racist fringe in Parliament there would need to be an agreement with France on the return of failed applicants – or other destinations agreed!
Then the football – the best team in the tournament won! there will be much discussion of the future for Gareth Southgate – I would not be surprised if he says that enough, is enough. I do not blame the media here – every football fan in the country will have had a voice in saying how he could have done better! History will be kind to him. Yes it is possible that he could have set up the teams in a freer and more attacking style – but the press would have virtually lynched him if that had gone wrong! the players for the future are there, but managing an international team is much more difficult than training a league side 24/7. If Gareth goes, and I believe it should be his decision alone as he has brought the England side so far, there will be much speculation of who would/could take his place. Eddie Howe at Newcastle has done well/OK, and there wll be other English names put forward, but the one which sparked my interest was Klopp – we have had foreign managers before and Klopp did a fantastic job at Liverpool. Of the England squad it might be time to say farewell and bon voyage to Harry Kane? But basically a great squad who would match Spain 3/4 times? I think we can say that we are better than France, Germany, Italy, Portugal? So definitely the ability to mix it withnthe best!