Football farce

Just what is happening down at Southampton?

Poor Paul Sturrock, well you say 'poor' but some might say that he's better off out of it. The poor man has been in the job about 6 months, 13 games. And gets the push 2 games into the season, 1 of those was a win.

Mr Sturrock was an up and coming manager, his record spoke for itself, he took Plymouth Argyle from the depths of the old 3rd Division to within touching distance of promotion from the old 2nd. In the midst of massive development work within Home Park.

He was then approached by Southampton to become their manager and 6 months later we are at this farce.

There were rumours of player unrest, unhappiness at training methods. Well I'm sorry boys but you know, he's the manager, you're being paid a lot of money. What he says generally goes.

There were rumours that players were also unhappy with the demeanour of Sturrock, that he didnt dress properly, or trendy enough. The very thought is contemptible. Not worthy of comment.

Then there's Rupert Lowe, hangman extraordinaire. A man who only saw his first game of football 6 months before he bought Southampton, now he's just recruited his 9th manager in 9 years. There were rumblings that Mr Lowe wanted to get too involved in team selection.

Its the Southampton supporters I feel sorry for. Firstly for having that shower of so-called footballers representing their good football team and secondly for having Mr Lowe in charge sullying the very name of Southampton by pure implication.

Its a football farce.

Ashes to Ashes

I was waiting for it. I knew it was on the horizon.

The first murmurings of Englands potential to beat the Aussies in the Ashes next year have started. Every time we win a few tests then the question is posed: 'can England win the Ashes?'.

England are a very good team, of that there is no doubt, and they are doing very well. The level of opposition can be questioned but you can only beat whats put in front of you. But Australia are a different matter entirely, they attack you on so many different levels: psychologically, physically, etc. You have to have your wits about you and be totally on top of your game to just escape with a thrashing. It's no time for specualting.

The Aussies were probably waiting for the Poms rhetoric about beating them and are no doubt sat at home cracking open a few tinnies, having a good old laugh about it and waiting for the opportunity to make us eat our words. Cobber.

JImmy Idiot

Who's Jimmy Hill trying to kid?

Does he think that we think that his Sunday supplement show is atually filmed in his own kitchen?

On a weekly basis he and his hareem moan and groan about the state of football at the moment, about the levels of money changing hands and the behaviour of the top footballers. They conveniently forgetting that Jimmy himself is mainly responsible for the extragant wages and lifestyles that the current crop of players currently enjoy.

It was Jimmy who was the main advocate for the abolotion of the footballers minimum wages way back when he was actually respected in the game.