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Funny, I'm still watching this thread but I've had no notifications for the last four posts. Same applies to other topics - the opposite of buses, you don't see one for a while but in this case they don't then all come at once.
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Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
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Yes, it comes and goes. You might try logging out and then logging back in. You haven't missed much. Clocks went back.
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Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
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I've been away. What was the Arsenal/Spurs result?
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Mick Harper wrote: | I've been away. What was the Arsenal/Spurs result? |
On this occasion Arsenal turned up, they saw and they Coquelin'ed. Of course, you knew that.
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Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
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Nobody was better pleased than me to see dear old Spurs have their day in the sun but it behoves us aristo's-o'the-north to wish them well. There's no reason why they can't find the winning formula. A decent manager, some good players, a new stadium and you could be in with a shout. The secret is not to despair. Just dig in and hope West Ham don't overhaul you.
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Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
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Why doesn't Chris Hughton get the credit his record deserves? Partly it is his race and this is reasonable since black(ish) players have a terrible collective managerial record. But mostly it is because of his boyish looks. Ya just can't take him seriously even in a gay town like Brighton. Aurelius will correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this affected his playing career as well. He just didn't have the thuggish looks we prize in our full backs. And, to be fair, that afear wingers.
Still, as he grows old this will increasingly count in his favour so he could get the Ireland gig (fifty-three caps thanks to an Irish mum). Not that I'm suggesting Jack Charlton is gay.
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Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
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Dropped in with the Barmy Army and we're all agreed it's time for the Old Guard -- Cook, Root and Stokes -- to go.
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Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
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I am constantly being told 'he didn't try to hit it too hard' and I think I grasp the general concept but it would help if just once I could be given an example of an occasion when he did.
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Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
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Watching David Unsworth I finally understood something about the modern manager. There he was in his jumper and tie, all jowls and thick accent, looking not so much like a pub landlord as the bloke that carries in the barrels. Why is this so important?
The manager's most important task has nothing to do with tactics, team selection, transfer decisions and the rest, it is to be the manager. In other words the bloke everyone says, 'Yes, boss' and means it. In the old days when everyone was a British pro then you could have, as it were, a senior British pro like David Unsworth. The Everton dressing room doesn't have many British pro's. It has people used to saying 'Yes, Boss' to people that don't look or sound anything like David Unsworth. It might be Sam Allardyce (who does) but everyone knows he's got a track record of expecting 'Yes, Boss' and making sure it sticks. Which Unsworth hasn't.
This is why the 'Hughton' factor is so important. It doesn't matter whether 'black' or 'young looking' is or is not a consideration when it comes to tactics, selection, transfers etc. It matters whether a dressing room of football professionals thinks it matters.
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Boreades
In: finity and beyond
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Mick Harper wrote: | The manager's most important task has nothing to do with tactics, team selection, transfer decisions and the rest, it is to be the manager. In other words the bloke everyone says, 'Yes, boss' and means it. In the old days when everyone was a British pro then you could have, as it were, a senior British pro like David Unsworth. The Everton dressing room doesn't have many British pro's. It has people used to saying 'Yes, Boss' to people that don't look or sound anything like David Unsworth. It might be Sam Allardyce (who does) but everyone knows he's got a track record of expecting 'Yes, Boss' and making sure it sticks. Which Unsworth hasn't. |
Or "Yes gaffer".
Here's a couple of documentaries on the relationships between team, manager and chairman (cheque writer)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PPI90yu2OA
and
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCAAuoq7oOo
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Hatty
Site Admin
In: Berkshire
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Sean Dyche, another bloke's bloke, is a surprise success. Burnley should be rated highly but the pundits remain cautious even though some of the players have been tried out for the national team. Dyche might not be the right manager for a big club where, unlike Burnley, most of the players aren't British or white.
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Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
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So you're a third of the way into the season, you've got three wins on the spin, you're playing at home to a team equal on points. What are your odds on winning? Is it 4/7, is it even money, is it 11/8 (to take account of the draw). If you're Sean Dyche against Arsenal on Sunday it's 6-1!
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Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
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June 18th 2018: England open their campaign against Tunisia at Volgograd. More Axis troops surrendered to the English in Tunisia than to the Russians at Volgograd (Stalingrad as it then was). What does it all mean? I will tell you on June 19th. Remind me.
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Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
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Word is out to start clogging Belgians so Watford clog Harry Kane! Who by the way is becoming a right Glenn Hoddle, pinging the ball to all quarters. Then got outjumped at a Watford corner. Get a grip, son.
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Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
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When the new BBC 'goal estimator' says 5-1 but the match result is Arsenal 1 Man Utd 3, there's a good case for the official scoreline to be reversed. We have the technology, why not use it?
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