football update

A bit late this posting following last night’s strangely muted affair at the Nou Camp. Man U come away with a 0-0 draw which is ok I guess. Ronaldo missed a penalty and had another valid claim (in my view) denied. It could have been 2-0 away and tie over but that would have been more than unfair. Man U were pretty horrible to watch last night. And as for Barca they played some really attractive approach play – Deco was particularly effective – but they only created a few chances themselves. 0-0 seemed fair even if it was less than decent fayre on display.

I thought Man U looked all out of shape. Rooney was out wide and ineffective, Tevez played too deep, Hargreaves wasted at right back – he was desperately needed in midfield, Carrick totally ineffective, Ronaldo tied up down the middle, Park did his headless chicken stuff once again. It looked like a team designed to stifle Barca, which to be fair it largely did, rather than a team sent out to frighten the life out of a Barcelona side playing with little confidence. As such it had all the hallmarks of a Carlos Quieroz-inspired team selection; highly tactical but less than impressive. Let’s hope it’s back to normal at Old Trafford. Too much respect guys.

So I hear that the prick McClaren is to be paid handsomely to be a BBC media pundit at Euro 2008. He completely f*cks up our chances of qualifying from a relatively straightforward Group, gets sacked from his job for delivering not just failure but abject football and incomprehensible selection criteria, receives a king’s ransom pay-off of £2.5m for doing so and is now to be appointed by our national broadcaster to offer informed comment on the players and teams he was unable to beat with a golden generation of England players. Is it just me? 

I forecast that this prick would end up a media johnny at the BBC just like that other useless prat Graham Taylor. What on earth did these guys ever do to justify ponticating to us on how things should be? I read more intelligent and insightful opinion on blogsites every single day. Hey BBC check out some of this fan commentary sometime and maybe just one day we’ll get an objective, genuine and passionate view on our great game for a change.

I’ve nothing against Mc Quiff earning a living but just think he should try and redeem his reputation in a football context (ha!). I read that the best and most under-rated England manager of the last 10 years or so (granted it was mostly, but not exclusively at u21 level), Peter Taylor, is working hard at Stevenage B at the moment. Good on yer PT. Never mind all this ‘oh I could only do it at Premiership level with a chairman who is as progressive as me’ bullshit, here’s a guy who’s done really great work at lower level clubs and doesn’t mind getting down where it hurts. Watch and learn McQuiff.

Finally I hear that Cesare Prandelli, manager of Italian club Fiorentina, has been complaining about the state of the Rangers pitch in advance of tonight’s EUFA cup match. I’m sure this is the guy who wears the most inappropriately tight-fitting puffa jackets like the one below. He’s 51 and wears stuff more suited to 14 year-old girls. I just think the Rangers fans should know….  

Football eh…bloody hell!

pp 

ps I watched the match over here. It was as grim as the night’s before action but did you see Cesare in his jacket? He looks like Frank Worthington trying to dress like Danny Zuccho. Give it up Ches…

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