# SDMB Footie Focus: January 2004 **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 4, 2004, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-january-2004/222562 "2004-01-04T01:41:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-january-2004/222562/1 "2004-01-04T01:41:20Z")
Can I start the ball rolling? 3-0 3-0 3-0 3-0 3-0 3-0 3-0 3-0 Bliss, pure bliss. There is no other word for it. We never even got out of second gear and _still_ humped them. Rangers have now become a team that we don’t even have to play well to beat … like Motherwell or Dundee United. Long may it continue. I’ve been critical of Alan Thompson in the past but on recent form Sven would be an idiot not to call him up… for the next friendly game, _at least_. How did everyone else’s weekend go? ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-january-2004/222562/2 "2004-01-04T01:49:09Z")
HEEE HEEEEE I grinned like a cheshire cat when I saw that score 😃 😃 😃 …and Ipswich are through their 3rd-round challenge, so the finances shouldn’t collapse again just yet… ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-january-2004/222562/3 "2004-01-04T06:50:19Z")
3 - 0 indeed. Zamora came on, Simon Davies came on (both back from injury), Ziegle and Redknapp are around the corner. As is new boy Brown and - I hope with all my heart - so is Andy Reid (everything, absolutely _everything_ I hear about this lad is glowing: Fwiw, I’d be happy with offering Forest £4 million + performance related stuff - and get Robbie Keane on the blower to him to agree terms. I’m happier; we know what we need to do, and we can do it with knobs on. No worries from me, Happy New Year! Europe here we come ! ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-january-2004/222562/4 "2004-01-05T08:21:31Z")
1-1 to bloody Tranmere. The only consolations being we put out a second (third?) team, and also some of the young debuttantes showed a heckuva lot of promise for the future (Ricardo Vaz Te or however you spell it). Bring on Man You!! ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-january-2004/222562/5 "2004-01-05T11:49:35Z")
Well, it’s official. Bolton have signed Javi Moreno on loan until the end of the season (subject to him passing a medical). The word is he’ll be playing against Man Utd on Wednesday. ---
**Author:** ![SentientMeat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SentientMeat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SentientMeat)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-january-2004/222562/6 "2004-01-05T13:25:08Z")
Well, **ruadh** took the initiative this month - you go girl! - but Happy New Year from the Focus team. In a joyous reflection of the season’s sentiment of rebirth and looking to the future, Garth emerged from his pupae on the stroke of midnight on January 1st sporting beautifully iridescent wings several feet in diameter similar, so I’m told by my lepidopterist producer, to those of the Red Admiral butterfly. He has now taken to flitting gaily amongst the studio lights, occasionally extending a long proboscis into the coat pockets of the lighting crew in search of sugary snacks (although after one particularly expensive suede jacket was ruined they have subsequently left a bowl of caster sugar out at night). This glorious epiphany does, however, appear to have robbed Garth of the power of speech. No longer will we hear his dulcet tones over-emphasising some point of minor interest with all the earnest gravity due an impending natural disaster, although his brooding stare is undiminished in its intensity. His principal interview method is now to alight on the subject’s shoulder and emit a kind of keening chirrup, which somehow seems to do the trick. Talking points this month:[ul][_]2004 predictions. Final league positions, Champs League Champs, top goalscorers, whatever. Euro 2004 winners, players to watch, big transfers, managerial carousels, whatever else. What will the footie story of 2004 be?[_]_FA Cup_. Reaction to today’s draw and the weekend’s results. Another Liverpool 4 Newcastle 3 anyone? Which teams will be playing near my house in May?[_]The Bent Dope. His name is Rio and he prances and grandstands, along with his manager. Hopefully to no avail lest practically any ruling by the FA be met with rattle-throwing tantrums and demands that it be overturned.[_]_Spurs spurs spurzzzzz._ Right now the rumours are Otto Hitzfeld, Roberto Mancini and Roy Hogson, tomorrow it might be Jan Molby, Nikolai Tesla and the little fat one from the Rolly Pollies. And does Kanoute deserve to play for his country like anyone else despite Spurs’ moaning: Rob Mali and the Wailers?[_]The Drop.Bottom-at-Christmas Wolves look doomed, but it’s mighty close for the 18th and 19th spots with one win covering 7 teams.[_][_Straight Dope Fantasy League_](http://bbcfootball.fantasyleague.co.uk/friends/friends.asp?pin=339411&refresh=120). Last month’s winner **London\_Calling** accrued an enormous 67 points. Can anyone do better before the month ends on January 11th?[/ul] ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-january-2004/222562/7 "2004-01-05T13:34:17Z")
Well it looks like my re-jig of Gazzgo Rangers did some good, a bit of tweaking to remove upson and johnson and who knows… ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-january-2004/222562/8 "2004-01-06T13:18:43Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by SentientMeat \* \*\* Talking points this month:[ul][li]_2004 predictions_. Final league positions, Champs League Champs, top goalscorers, whatever. Euro 2004 winners, players to watch, big transfers, managerial carousels, whatever else. What will _the_ footie story of 2004 be?[_]FA Cup. Reaction to today’s draw and the weekend’s results. Another Liverpool 4 Newcastle 3 anyone? Which teams will be playing near my house in May?[_]_The Bent Dope_. His name is Rio and he prances and grandstands, along with his manager. Hopefully to no avail lest practically _any_ ruling by the FA be met with rattle-throwing tantrums and demands that it be overturned.[_]Spurs spurs spurzzzzz. Right now the rumours are Otto Hitzfeld, Roberto Mancini and Roy Hogson, tomorrow it might be Jan Molby, Nikolai Tesla and the little fat one from the Rolly Pollies. And does Kanoute deserve to play for his country like anyone else despite Spurs’ moaning: Rob Mali and the Wailers?[_]_The Drop_.Bottom-at-Christmas Wolves look doomed, but it’s mighty close for the 18th and 19th spots with one win covering 7 teams.[_Straight Dope Fantasy League_](http://bbcfootball.fantasyleague.co.uk/friends/friends.asp?pin=339411&refresh=120). Last month’s winner **London\_Calling** accrued an enormous 67 points. Can anyone do better before the month ends on January 11th?[/ul] \*\*[/li][/QUOTE] Here we go then: League of teams that come fourth to be won by Real Madrid. Top three (in Order) MUFC, AFC, CFC. Other champs place - Newcastle (although hopefully someone like Charlton or Fulham). Top goalscorer - Van Nistlehorse. Major football story (domestic) - Leeds Utd going bust (followed by Man City and West Ham into at least administration). Arsenal to give up the ghost on Ashburton Grove and move in at Wembley. Major Football Story - International - england getting thrown out of Euro 2004 for fans behaviour (this is pretty much a given as the Euro powers only ever notice us, never the dutch, poles, germans etc). Rio: Man Utd to stage manage the appeals process so that as much as possible of his ban is served during Euro 2004. Spurs: To be managed by Alan Curbuishley in the summer. To sell Steve Carr to anyone with any money. To buy one quite suprsing player in this transfer window. Bottom three: Wolves, Portsmouth and Spurs ( unless there are MAJOR changes in the next couple of weeks) Mind you a quick look at the fanatsy league shows you all you need to know about my predictive abilities. ---
**Author:** ![SentientMeat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SentientMeat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SentientMeat)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-january-2004/222562/9 "2004-01-06T14:09:43Z")
[Owen moans again.](http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/3371417.stm) Does this kind of thing not stick in the craw of _any_ fan, regardless of their allegiance? A word, Michael: **The reason Liverpool are 20 points adrift is partly YOUR fault.** Here we have a man on an estimated £4M a year whose finishing and interplay have been frankly dismal this year complaining that the team he plays for isn’t doing well enough. The manager has said it. The chairman has said it: Fifth place and they’re _both_ gone. Now go and score some goals you little oik. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-january-2004/222562/10 "2004-01-06T18:21:00Z")
AS a distant, yet enthusiastic, follower of English football, I have a (odd) question: Why is green strip so rare in English football? From the Nationwide up to the Premeir League, approx 100 teams, I can think of two teams that use green…Yeovil and Norwich City. Red, blue, white, black predominate, but there is yellow,orange…claret…why is green so underutilized? My predictions for the Prem… A manager will complain about a spot kick awarded. During a Chelsea game the camera will show Roman Abromovich sitting in his box. Scousers will ask for Houllier’s head. The Sun will demonize Arsenal…a player, players or Wenger or the whole team. Cristiano Ronaldo wil do a step over…and another step over…and get dispossessed. ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-january-2004/222562/11 "2004-01-07T01:48:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gangster Octopus \* > **AS a distant, yet enthusiastic, follower of English football, I have a (odd) question: Why is green strip so rare in English football? From the Nationwide up to the Premeir League, approx 100 teams, I can think of two teams that use green…Yeovil and Norwich City. Red, blue, white, black predominate, but there is yellow,orange…claret…why is green so underutilized?** Because no one likes being mistaken for Plymuff… Predictions: 1 Arse 2 Manure 3 Lokomotiv Kensington or whatever… 4 Charlton Yes, Charlton. Down: Wolves Leeds Bolton Miraculous escape: Wimbledon Surprise receivership: Fulham - forgot the clause in the contract for Spurs to pay sicknotes medical fees. Armley Lags XI Top Scorer: Jody Morris Spurs sign cover for Keller: Pope John-Paul II F.A. Cup Winners: Anyone got a Chinese calendar? The Year of The Cockerel must be soon… I can feel a Chas & Dave Deep house mix coming on… England to win Euro 2004… and after 718 years the Treaty Of Windsor is torn up. France win on the pitch, though… Bill Gates flies in, promising to invest 10 Billion in Spurs… and after one look at the High Road… ah well… there’s always that consortium of window cleaners from Crouch End… ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-january-2004/222562/12 "2004-01-07T08:56:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mascaroni \* > \*\*Down: > Wolves > Leeds > Bolton > > \*\* Not this season. It ain’t gonna happen ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-january-2004/222562/13 "2004-01-07T09:24:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mascaroni \* > \*\*F.A. Cup Winners: Anyone got a Chinese calendar? The Year of The Cockerel must be soon… I can feel a Chas & Dave Deep house mix coming on… > > Bill Gates flies in, promising to invest 10 Billion in Spurs… and after one look at the High Road… ah well… there’s always that consortium of window cleaners from Crouch End… \*\* Spurs Years: League titles and fa Cups - when the year ends in a 0ne (1901, 1921, 1951, 1961, 1981, 1991 and the league cup in 1971, some other buggers won the FA cup that year - and the league) When the year end in a two - 1982 FA cup. Year ends in a three - Cup winners cup 1963 (first british team to win a european trophy) Year ends in four - UEFA Cups - 1974, 1984 Year end in a five - sod all Ditto six. Year ends in seven - FA Cups and relegation - 1967 1977. Eight - Sod all (came third in second division) nine - League cup - 1999. So that’s us stuffed then. Also how can you say that Bill Gates wouldn’t be taken with Tottenham High Rd? Where else can you buy so many second hand washing machines? Or kebabs? ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-january-2004/222562/14 "2004-01-07T10:39:05Z")
\*\*Champs: \*\*ManUre \*\*Relegation: \*\*Wolves, Pompy and either Leicester or Blackburn \*\*Top Scorer: \*\*Whoever gets fewer injuries between Henry and VanNistelroy and whichever team progresses the least in the Champs Leage (VanNis, in partic, would be reased from the prem game prior). \*\*Euro 204 Final: \*\*France vs. England . . . it goes to penalties. \*\*Spurs manager: \*\*Not Curbs, unless he feels he can accept Pleat as a (euro style) ‘Director of Football’. Still got a vibe for the Porto manager. \*\*Footie story of 2004: \*\*Rio caught buying a K of Columbia’s finest from a News of the Screws ‘reporter’. Defence: He forgot it wasn’t legal. p.s. I’ve been hearing Jude Law is a season ticket holder. Wouldn’t know him from Adam, but the birds are all over him, apparently. I know how he feels . . . I’m up at the Lane tonight; Lower West, a bit towards the Park Lane, 37 notes. Hope it doesn’t rain at an angle! Prediction (non-gambling): 2 – 0 (one each from Fredi and Keano) 12 points away from the 4th Champs Leage spot. The bounce back starts now ! Camon you Spurs!! ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-january-2004/222562/15 "2004-01-07T10:54:02Z")
Today’s E’ning Standard ! will apparently say: A Tottenham spokesperson said: “The chairman visited PSV yesterday to look at the coaching structure of that club and how that could be adapted to English football.” van Bommel, Hiddink, neither, both ? ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-january-2004/222562/16 "2004-01-07T11:38:04Z")
I think Mourinho (sp?) is the preferred choice. I saw that about Jude Law too - I’ve never seen him. The only famous people I see at the Lane are Paul Whitehouse and Neil Pearson. (and Hunter Davies but he’s not really that famous is he?). ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-january-2004/222562/17 "2004-01-07T12:44:27Z")
Here’s a thing. The reason that FIFA changed the rules, thereby causing alll this Kanoute kerfuffle is because of the “Singes fromage mangent et toujours surrenderant.” Apparently they got fed up with the frogs getting every promising lad from africa over to Clairfontain and giving them a runout in a youth team, thereby tying them to France forever (eg Viera). This means that lot of African countries were having all their promising players taken away from them, when there was no prospect of then ever playing for the France XI. That’s why FIFA changed the rules to allow those who have played at youth levels to change nationality. Once again - Thank you France. Here’s another strange thing. Rebrov is training with Spurs. I would be up for giving him another chance on a match-by-match basis. After all we’re going to be a striker short soon. ---
**Author:** ![kabbes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e99b99/32.png) [@kabbes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kabbes)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-january-2004/222562/18 "2004-01-07T13:10:48Z")
Man, I can’t believe that I’ve gone all this time without reminding **owl** of his “as good as any strikeforce in the premiership” quote. How’s that working out for you, **owl**? 😃 (Hey! Just kidding!) ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-january-2004/222562/19 "2004-01-07T13:13:53Z")
Well, I know he was seen in the tunnel at the Charlton game. And he washed up at the training ground before that to say hello. I think what’s happening is that he’s on - or been on - the mid season break they have over there. About actually training with the squad, I haven’t heard. But, yes, interesting, no \*very \* interesting - too early to make much of it, I suppose. Didn’t really know about the French thing but it make sense. They obviously changed it for a good reason, maybe that is it. ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-january-2004/222562/20 "2004-01-07T14:15:08Z")
Re “The French Thing” that nice neighbour of ours with the packet of sweets and a cheeky smile said as much in the Telegraph today - and it makes sense, so I assume it’s true. Rebrov has been fucked off by Fehnerbahce, so is a free agent. We may be offering him training facilities as a favour - it’s not uncommon for clubs to do this. However I think he _may_ be in Pleat’s thoughts. After all it was him that signed him and it is a huge black spot on his record, so he may be looking for a way to redeem himself. And we would have one of the best strike forces in the league if they didn’t keep fucking off to two-bob park-football contests. Latest rumour of spurs signing - Owen Hargreaves. I always liked the fact that Rebrov actually looks like one of those little figures of footballers - tiny body and a big head. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-january-2004/222562.md?page=2)