Category: Football

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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+%).

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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!

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FOOTBALL

Too much hype! The useless naked nationalism seeps out of the putrid sores of their election defeat! Why? Is it a group therapy thing? “If I am seen waving the flag and singing allegency to some toffee nosed twat I will be accepted as a patriot and good person by other twats like me”? I guess it is the fear of being alone, the desire for uniforms (formal and informal), the need to belong maybe a primeval instinct when rejection by the community meant death – maybe in some turgid swamps this is still socially true!

My views on the game – well I hope for a good one. If a 16 year old sets the game alight with magic I will be thrilled. As a teacher what an inspiration he is – he also made a point of refering to his roots as a poor child of immigrants. Also if he combines with Williams, who has a magnificent haircut (not that that is relevant but!) to send the game to a different level I will be happy. Jude and Bukayo and many others in the England squad also deserve support.

Whatever the result we will see the RWP claiming it as a victory or, if a defeat, placing the blame firmly on Labour! For fucks sake just get a grip – it is just a game!

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FOOTBALL FIRST

Then other stuff! So England have ground their way through – nothing particularly wrong with that! However if yhoping for pizzazz and panache, tink again. Bellingham scored a saver in the last minute to take it into extra time, and there are approximately 5 million fans who will say where Southgate has got it wrong! For those old enough, England did not get off to a great start in 1966! But I guess the demand for greater entertainment is higher now? Spain looked to be what England fans wanted to see – attacking football with excitement provided by a schoolboy on one wing and a 21 year old on the other. 31 shots on goal and 4 scored. OK against a low ranked team – but still done!

Italy out and Germany looking good, France with huge potential. Personally I would not write off the Alpine countries yet. Switzerland are well organised as are Austria. The Euro’s have thrown up surprises in the past!

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FOOTBALL

The international gap looms again and I have not related on the season so far. First my teams. Sunderland flatter to deceive with good spells followed by a crushing defeat – playoffs if they are lucky as Leicester, Leeds and Ipswich seem to have te top sown up with Southampton snapping at their heels – it looks like 3 or these 4 should be promoted. Bristol City are doing the normal mid table thing and now have a new manager. Plymouth, as expected are struggling just above the drop zone. Bristol Rovers, also with a new manager are also mid table. Forest Green look like heading out of the league unless there is a turn around in their form. Chelmsford City also blow hot and cold with too many draws (lacking a striker??).

In the Premier it again looks like Manchester City will sweep all before them. possibly moving 3 points clear of arsenal if they beat Chelsea this evening. Spurs and Liverpool look good for next 2 places. ManUtd keep winning (badly) so cannot be dismissed. The other team in the mix for top 6 is Aston Villa who are on a role. Brighton and Brentford look to have exceeded their predictions until recently.

Elsewhere – harry Keen is breaking all scoring records in the Bundesliga whilst Jude Bellingham is starring for Real Madrid. Ajax have moved off the foot of the Eredivisie with 2 wins and a draw in their last 3 games.

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CRAY VALLEY PAPER ,MILLS

The FA Cup throws up some romantic stories at times before the state funded behemoths of Manchester City and Newcastle United enter in the 3rd round.

This week Cray Valley Paper Mills of the Isthmian League – South East Division enter the draw for the 2nd Round of the Emirates FA Cup. The Paper Mills closed in 1981 but the club, founded in 1919 eventually found a new ground which they lease from Dulwich Council in Eltham. The ground, which will host 1946 FA Cup Winners Charlton Athletic, has a capacity of 1200 with a stand of 100. Cove are 117 places below Charlton in league terms.

This cup run should guarantee their finacial situation for a while!

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FOOTBALL

A World Cup Final – well done the ladies. Some great games, goals and fouls! Just as it should be! It will be a while before the fan base fully develops due to the inherent sexism of our society. I would guess that 80-90% of fans at the Premier League this weekend were men? Men, many of whom will stop off at the pub before or after the game, and expect dinner when they get home to be put on the table and small children tired after an entertaining afternoon at the park or whatever! The women’s game will not get that following of women so will rely on the support of men?

I hope this is not too pessimistic of me? The quality is good and will improve with greater support and finance. How long before we see the Woman’s FACup at Wembley.

PS. This blog was initiated by Debs! I hope it is not seen as sexist