On the Ball (new Football Focus)

[matthew123]

I wouldn't eat my chips off that rag! ;-)

According to BBC, Gerrard admitted throwing three punches but told the police only one connected - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/8163757.stm

[Sandperson]

Maybe we'll never know the truth.

I know not many of you will join me in this but sad news about G Neville being sent home from pre-season injured. I'm not sure he'll ever get back to where he was.

:(

[Keef]

I don't like Neville out of principle, but he deserved a better end to his career than these last couple of years. Never really got to properly enjoy his captainsy.

[Mick Mac]

CELTIC lead the Wembley Cup.......

Celtic 5 - 0 African Champions

Barca 1 - 1 Spurs

Celtic v Spurs on Sunday - Celtic to beat Spurs for another trophy for the cabinet. No worries.

[matthew123]

How many more Cups do you reckon Celtic can fit into their trophy cabinet? :))

 

[Mick Mac]

I have forgotten what team you support Matt - but I guarantee that whatever trophy is the biggest trophy your team has won to date, you will probably find, we won it first.

[Keef]

At this rate, you'll probably win the Englishi prem first!

[red devil]

Mick, did the new bhoy Fox play tonight, if so did he look promising?..

[Mick Mac]

Well RD - I was still at work, but the reports suggest he played well - he came on in the second half.

I notice thoough that Fortune has not scored yet, so I hope he is not a mistake. After all just because you can score in the English Premiership does not mean you can make the grade for the Bhoys...

[Annasfield]

Mick Mac Wrote:

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> I have forgotten what team you support Matt - but

> I guarantee that whatever trophy is the biggest

> trophy your team has won to date, you will

> probably find, we won it first.

Once.

You comfy on that fence Keef?

[Keef]

How am I on a fence Anna? My loyalties are clear cut. I was making a joke about us taking forever to win the title, and the talk of the old firm joining the league. Sorry if that is some fence sitting betrayal. FFS!

[matthew123]

In April, Fergie said this, "What he [Rafa] said about Everton being a small club just points to his arrogance. They are a big club."

But now 3 months later Fergie feels it's okay saying this about Man City, "They are a small club, with a small mentality."

[Keef]

I guess that does rather smack of double standards, and a bit early for mind games surely.

[matthew123]

He has done a an entertaining interview in the Observer - http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/jul/26/sir-alex-ferguson-manchester-united-interview

Here is an extract: -

Ferguson claims Ben?tez, whom many Premier League managers consider aloof, is obsessed with him rather than the other way round. "I have never said a word about him. The only time I responded was when he made that gesture with Sam Allardyce [the crossing of the hands to suggest that Liverpool's game with Blackburn was won the moment they went two goals up].

"There was no doubt he was doing that. Liverpool were too quick to come out and respond that he was signalling they should take a free-kick a different way. That was bollocks. Absolute bollocks."

[Annasfield]

Beyond the pale.

Matthew - we all know that there's one rule for one and another for everyone else. You don't have to keep bringing it up.

[Sandperson]

Scouse paranoia Anna? What you and Matt never seem to understand (or willfully ignore to suit your own agenda ;-)) about football, football managers and even (shock horror) football fans is they say what suits them at the time.

Fergie says what ever's on his mind at the time. The Allerdyce, Benitez thing was an attempt to wind up Rafa to put pressure on Liverpool, a compliment, backhanded maybe but a compliment none the less. Fergie was worried and maybe he's worried by City, I know I am. Look at what he used to say about Wenger when Arsenal were a threat and look how nice he is to him at the moment when they have struggled to perform in the last few seasons. As I said, don't take it personally take it as a compliment. AS for beyond the pale? Hitting a bloke in the face three times and calling it self defence is beyond the pale, calling your closest (geographical) rivals and the team that's nicked a decent player off you small and arrogant is not, it's brinksmanship.

[Annasfield]

I was taking the piss - "beyond the pale" is exactly what Ferguson said about Rafa.

Yet again, I see you resort to defending your club by slagging off ours. Well done.

[Sandperson]

I was joking too! Where did I slag off your club? Maybe my tongue in cheek paranoia comment was closer to the truth than I thought. :'(

[SeanMacGabhann]

No-one talking about Newcastle fielding a strong team and getting whooped 6-1 by Orient??

Hilarious stuff - and Barton gets into a tussle which ends up with his shirt ripped? This is comedy gold, I'm keeping my eye on this lot

[matthew123]

Annasfield Wrote:

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> Beyond the pale.

>

> Matthew - we all know that there's one rule for

> one and another for everyone else. You don't have

> to keep bringing it up.

It's not me that brought it back up it was Ferguson in today's newspaper - I just felt obliged to slap old red nose back down :))

LOL re: Geordies - it seems their new comedy gold kit matches their namby pamby players

[Sandperson]

Unbelieveable. What was the difference in cost of squads. ?60M for the Geordie squad and tuppence for Leyton? Ashley can't get a buyer either. Seems things might go from bad to worse.

[Mick Mac]

News has spread to France that celtic second string embarrassed spurs today. That should please atila. And another trophy for the bhoys. Ha ha . Premiership teams hold no fears for us.

[Sharon_H]

Hmm, closest (geographical) rivals are Everton , but for different reasons.

Which decent player are you talking about? I didn't realise Liverpool after er ,I assume you Mean Owen.

[Atila Reincarnate]

matthew123 Wrote:

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> In April, Fergie said this, "What he said about

> Everton being a small club just points to his

> arrogance. They are a big club."

>

> But now 3 months later Fergie feels it's okay

> saying this about Man City, "They are a small

> club, with a small mentality."

Good old Fergie, back with a bang on the mind games. I don't think Citeh under Hughes will be the force everybody expects them to be because Hughes isn't a particualry good manager/coach, and his track record isn't that great. Citeh seem to be throwing money all over the place in an attempt at usurping the big boys but I'm not conviced that's the answer nor am I convinced that the squad will gel. We'll see.

[JetSetWilly]

Sandperson Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Maybe we'll never know the truth.

>

> I know not many of you will join me in this but

> sad news about G Neville being sent home from

> pre-season injured. I'm not sure he'll ever get

> back to where he was.

>

> :(

thank god.