# SDMB FOOTIE FOCUS: September **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 1, 2003, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-september/198942 "2003-09-01T09:30:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**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:** [September 22, 2003, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-september/198942/181 "2003-09-22T13:54:41Z")
So, I suppose, I feel a mixture of sadness and relief - uncomfortable when the flaws of a boyhood hero become so exposed. But it’s true that great footballers do not usually good managers make. Or even good man-managers. That unavoidable fact of life hadn’t really mattered in this case because Glenn’s appointment was born of an emotional bond rather than sound reasoning, and because of the emotional bond we chose, collectively, to characterise his appointment as a “logical” or “natural”. Bah. It’s over and I hope he can open his mind to the reasons why. But I doubt he can. Some of the names coming up for the job are amusingl; - Wilkinson and Cottrell – about as likely as Morecambe and Wise (only one of whom is alive. Although no one’s entirely sure about the other) - Carlton Palmer – was his sacking a mere coincidence 😃 - “ . . . and former fans favourite David Ginola, who has said he would welcome the chance to restore the club’s fortunes.” :eek: - Harry Redknapp – happy in his twilight, and his Bournemouth pipe-and-slippers home - The name ‘John Gregory’ made me think for a moment . . . . - I’ve always thought O’Neill going to ManUre at he end of this season was a 100% done deal ? **Owl** – I very much doubt Souness would be interested for several reasons. This Ruddy Antics looks like a live chance, and being a long-standing friend of our caretaker kerb crawler might help. I think I supposed to have a favourite but I just don’t at this point. I think I’d like Curbishley but we’re back to the old ‘skill set’ question; he’s proved he can do great things on very limited resources with unsung players and kids but Spurs is a very different gig . . . I’m still thinking this over. Might be an idea if the Board invited me along for the interview process ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-september/198942/182 "2003-09-22T13:59:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by London\_Calling \* > **So, I suppose, I feel a mixture of sadness and relief - uncomfortable when the flaws of a boyhood hero become so exposed.** I know [sub]Kenny[/sub] exactly how [sub]Dalglish[/sub] you feel LC. > [@](#): > > I’ve always thought O’Neill going to ManUre at he end of this season was a 100% done deal ? No, I think he’s more likely to end up at Anfield actually. And well before the end of the season, at that. ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-september/198942/183 "2003-09-22T14:10:23Z")
Harry (“buy me a present”) Redknapp and Gregory are out, because they’re crooks, and Sugar is still a major player and would never counternance another shyster. Souness and O’neil were approached in the summer (along with Van Gall) and said no, but both asked to be considered if things changed. O’Neil is desperate to get out of Scotland (natch), but he should wait for the Liverpool job. Owl’s interview questions: 1. do you have the faintest idea who John White is? 2. Do you understand why this matters? 3. do you understand why this makes sense: White/Blanchflower; Greaves/McKay; Hoddle/Roberts; Ardilles/Naylor. So fill in the gap: Keane/??? Pretty much everything that matters follows from here. ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-september/198942/184 "2003-09-22T18:31:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by owlstretchingtime \* > \*\* > > Owl’s interview questions: > > 1. do you have the faintest idea who John White is? > > 2. Do you understand why this matters? > > 3. do you understand why this makes sense: White/Blanchflower; Greaves/McKay; Hoddle/Roberts; Ardilles/Naylor. So fill in the gap: Keane/??? > > Pretty much everything that matters follows from here. \*\* 1. Head of a Shoe company from Rushden. 2)Because if his golf shoes had rubber soles they would be insulated against large electric currents. (It’s a long time since I did physics at school, so thats’s probably bollocks). 1. Dream on… We’ll never get _that_ Keane. Have to say I agree with **Bark’s Dog Food** ; what Sol Campbell, Freddie Ljungeberg and Roberto di Matteo do in their private life is their own business… they ought to give Morley and Bishop an invite though… Glenn Hoddle becomes once again… My Favourite Player Ever… I’ve forgotten his management career already. ---
**Author:** ![Barks\_dog\_food](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c68b51/32.png) [@Barks\_dog\_food](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barks_dog_food)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-september/198942/185 "2003-09-23T00:30:06Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by owlstretchingtime_ > \*\* Bark’s dog food: Have you ever been to a football match? If not; I really wouldn’t go if you don’t like this level of banter. I am not anti-gay (some of my best friends and all that) but I am happy to use it a a stick to beat Campbell with. You are aware that Ian Wright has a big fat wife? That Posh spice takes it up the arse? That Penant’s mum is a tart? That Georgie Graham’s mother is a whoooor? No doubt that is unacceptably non-pc too. Perhaps you could have a word with the million plus people who watch football in England every week?\*\* I have been to football matches and I am sure this isn’t one. If something is accepted at a football game doesn’t mean it’s accepted at SMDB. I don’t care what “the million plus people” do as long as they don’t come to the SDMB to write their anti-gay opinions in football threads. And while it’s nice to hear that you aren’t anti-gay that’s not the impression I get when I read your posts. If you haven’t got anything against homosexuals it would hardly be a stick to beat Campell with. And while I have heard some rumours that’s no reason for me to post them here. Whatever rumours or opinions you hear or have about what players do in private doesn’t add anything to the discussion here and you probarbly drive other people away from this thread. So could you please stop this? ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-september/198942/186 "2003-09-23T09:33:45Z")
So what you are saying is you want to talk about football without using any of the language or topics that actual football-attending supporters (not Murdoch’s couch manyoo legions) actually use? And believe me; this is also absolutely the language that footballers themselves use when talking about the likes of Campbell; Ljunberg; Scholes etc. And they do discuss this sort of thing, at length. Oh well. I wouldn’t want to upset the offenderati. It’ll all be a bit prawn sandwiches though. Also what players do in private doesn’t matter? Yeah it does. I can think of at least two senior pros with serious coke habits, another couple with a drink problem and a couple of others with serious involvement with criminal gangs. Doesn’t this matter? (Not that I’m comparing being a closet homosexual with being a criminal - before that gets jumped on). Where would you stand on the Pennant’s mum is a tart thing? (She is - it’s a matter of fact). Surely that’s worse, but tarts don’t have a vocal lobby group. If you are a regular attendee at footie you will know that most teams have a player or two who’s private life will be commented on whether real (Campbell), rumoured, or imagined (Le Saux). Plus the wenger/kiddie fiddling thing. I think that people who object to this sort of thing actually object to the working class. (And I am not Julie Burchill on my day off). In other news today’s runners and riders for the top job in football include: O’Neil, Curbuishley and today’s wild card that Toploader bloke from Germany with the porno hair. ---
**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:** [September 23, 2003, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-september/198942/187 "2003-09-23T09:36:57Z")
Breaking Snooze 1 . . . Spurs Board confirm the appointment of Glenn Roeder . . . Breaking Snooze 2 . . . CIA experts are questioning the veracity of a video supposedly just released by Saddam in which he denounces the US and proves he is still alive by mentioning events of the day, in particular by deriding the current performances of Tottenham. The CIA say the video could have been filmed anytime in the past decade . . . . Breaking Snooze 3 . . . A budget conscious Tony Blair appoints Glenn Hoddle to succeed the sacked Geoff Hoon as Secretary of Defence. Blair says “ We need to make savings and no one has been keener to spend less on defence than Glenn . . . . ” Yep, **ruadh** , I guess Dalglish is a good comparison. I feel . . melancholy . . **Owl** – I agree with your sentiment, takes me back . . Naylor, Roberts . . . what happened to that type of English player . . . On the succession, I always look for smokescreens in this situation but it’s difficult with Levy being on Honeymoon . . . . thus, Hoddle’s not the only one he’s fucked this week . . . I’m starting to firm up now (Matron). The only wholly acceptable British-born manager would be Curbishley, no one else approaches hitting the right note. My guess is he’s just under 50-50 at he moment – btw, my pal the Charlton season ticket holder was saying that, for the first time in the decade he’s been in charge, last month Curbishley hinted at the possibility of moving on. Re non-Brits, I’d put O’Neill top of my wish list followed by anyone with all of the following; (a) proven success (b) over a period of some time (of) © managing a multi-nationality team (d) in European competition – anyone with those credentials will do for me. Not that there are many. That’s me, O’Neill top of the list with Curbishley and appropriate Europeans (with the above credentials) in equal second, and an equal gamble – if I was O’Neill I’d wait for Liverpool (surely not long to wait) or ManUre. I could be tempted by the porno hair, though. BTW, [BetFair](http://www.betfair.com/)have taken £141,731 so far. Great odds: R. Antic – 2.9/1 A. Curbishley – 8/1 B. G. Megson – 11/1 M. O’Neill – 13/1 D. Pleat – 15.5/1 K.Toppmoller – 16/1 J. Kinnear – 22/1 G. Souness – 26/1 P. Taylor - 36/1 H. Redknapp – 40/1 ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-september/198942/188 "2003-09-23T09:44:01Z")
Curbuishley 8/1 you say. Thats worth a bullseye. _buggers off to betfair_ ---
**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:** [September 23, 2003, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-september/198942/189 "2003-09-23T09:50:19Z")
Ouch, it’s a fast-moving market. The two firming up this morning are: Curbs 6.2/1 (from 8’s) O’Neill 12.5/1 (from 13’s) - Curbs the big move today . . . Hope you got some of the 8’s Owl . . . ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-september/198942/190 "2003-09-23T09:59:06Z")
yup, a hundred of them. Best not start spending my winnings yet - but this will pay for the season ticket if it comes through. (If it doesn’t the kids will have to eat dog biscuits for a few weeks) Any thoughts on the Arse/Man Yoonichs fracas? All jolly good fun for the dispassionate spectator. ---
**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:** [September 23, 2003, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-september/198942/191 "2003-09-23T10:13:08Z")
Jesus, Curbs down to 4.5/1 from 8/1 in 40 minutes . . . . ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-september/198942/192 "2003-09-23T10:36:49Z")
If you fancy a flutter Hill’s have us at evens against coventry. That’s EVENS against COVENTRY. I will have to raid the wife’s purse again. ---
**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:** [September 23, 2003, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-september/198942/193 "2003-09-23T10:44:23Z")
Goodness, I didn’t think . . . won’t gamble on Spurs though. It’s enough grief as it is . . . The Tote have Spurs at 6/5. You might know this site - very good for your conventional bookies, but not patch on BetFair’s odds: [http://www.oddschecker.com/](http://www.oddschecker.com/) ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-september/198942/194 "2003-09-23T16:30:30Z")
You’re not having O’Neill. Owl, it matters not wether Sol Campbell takes it up the arse or not. His sexuality is very unlikely to affect his on pitch performance. It was once acceptable to shout monkey chants at black players. Is that acceptable anymore? Berate the player for what he does on the pitch. ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-september/198942/195 "2003-09-23T16:50:30Z")
O’Neil has said yes - but not until January and/or CFC getting turfed out of the Euro pot. Sorry and all that. We are now having to think about whether we can hang on that long with the Kerb Crawler in charge. If we decide we can’t it’s going to be Curbuishley (at least according to my pal who knows this stuff pretty well, hence my bet). I hate; loathe; despise and generally don’t much like Campbell, and frankly sod all of it has got to do with his sexuality (it never bothered me when he played for us). However… I know for a fact that he is very unhappy with his sexuality (this is to do with his very close relationship with his mum who is an old-school church-going west indian woman, and would be devastated); hence all the Max Clifford articles in the red tops showing him with a MAW beard. So I would suggest that he has the problem. Also; it was NEVER acceptable to monkey chant/bananas etc. It didn’t happen everywhere - just the same low-life places that it still does. ---
**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:** [September 23, 2003, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-september/198942/196 "2003-09-23T17:00:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by owlstretchingtime \* > O’Neil has said yes - but not until January and/or CFC getting turfed out of the Euro pot. How do you know this **Owl**? How reliable ? ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-september/198942/197 "2003-09-23T17:25:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by London\_Calling \* > \*\*How do you know this **Owl**? How reliable ? \*\* Very reliable - from a club insider (FOF - but has always been very reliable in the past). The decision will be made on Levy’s return from his honeymoon (subject to them being able to sort out money etc). If we wait until January we have to pay considerably less compo. I am also told that Levy doesn’t have too much faith in Pleat, so isn’t that keen to have him in charge until the new year (by which time we could be in all sorts of trouble). They also don’t want to take on a manager after the transfer window, I think it would only be a quick fix solution - he would only see WHL as a bridge to Old Trafford or possibly Anfield, and we’d be looking for another manager in a couple of season’s time. My money is still (literally and figuratively) on Curbuishley. It;'s a logical step, he’s reacted well to being tapped up (not that this sort of thing goes on you understand), and he’s on crap money at CAFC, and we pay megasponds. ---
**Author:** ![Barks\_dog\_food](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c68b51/32.png) [@Barks\_dog\_food](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barks_dog_food)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-september/198942/198 "2003-09-23T19:48:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by owlstretchingtime \* > \*\*So what you are saying is you want to talk about football without using any of the language or topics that actual football-attending supporters (not Murdoch’s couch manyoo legions) actually use? And believe me; this is also absolutely the language that footballers themselves use when talking about the likes of Campbell; Ljunberg; Scholes etc. And they do discuss this sort of thing, at length. > > Oh well. I wouldn’t want to upset the offenderati. It’ll all be a bit prawn sandwiches though. > \*\* I don’t care what fans or footballers discuss. They are not on the SMBD. I want to dicuss football. If you want to dicuss players private lives then start your own thread. > [@](#): > > \*\* > Also what players do in private doesn’t matter? Yeah it does. I can think of at least two senior pros with serious coke habits, another couple with a drink problem and a couple of others with serious involvement with criminal gangs. Doesn’t this matter? (Not that I’m comparing being a closet homosexual with being a criminal - before that gets jumped on). \*\* When I said private lives that obviously didn’t include crimminal activity. If you can’t see the difference between commenting on sexuality and criminal behaviour, I don’t know what to do. So if you could give us some cites about the crimminals we can discuss it. > [@](#): > > \*\* > Where would you stand on the Pennant’s mum is a tart thing? (She is - it’s a matter of fact). Surely that’s worse, but tarts don’t have a vocal lobby group. If you are a regular attendee at footie you will know that most teams have a player or two who’s private life will be commented on whether real (Campbell), rumoured, or imagined (Le Saux). [snip a rumour that shouldn’t be mentioned] \*\* Pennants mum? Haven’t you read my posts? It’s a rumour about the private life of the mum of a player, how can that possebly be relevant? Do I really have to ask you to stop every kind of irrelevant rumour you post. I’ll make it clear: Please stop talking about Pennants mum and her private life as it has nothing to do with this discussion. I do (obviously) not attend PL matches reguarly, though I go to Norwegian games, I watch them at the pub. And when I talk to people at the games and the pub we discuss football and not the private lives of players. I don’t know a single rumour about the players in Norway, you see Norwegian fans care only about football which, acording to you, sets them apart from English fans. > [@](#): > > \*\* > I think that people who object to this sort of thing actually object to the working class. (And I am not Julie Burchill on my day off). > \*\* I don’t care about the working class. I care about the footie thead at SDMB is ruined by a single poster who insists on bringing up irrelevant rumours. ---
**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:** [September 23, 2003, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-september/198942/199 "2003-09-23T20:43:33Z")
On the O’Neil link: I don’t know who the journo is (Alan Dixon) but it’s a well thought through piece: [http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/scotland/story.jsp?story=446415](http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/scotland/story.jsp?story=446415) “Martin O’Neill has a fortnight to decide whether to leave Celtic and become the manager of Tottenham Hotspur following Glenn Hoddle’s dismissal at the weekend. The Ulsterman with the reputation for protracted managerial moves is the first choice of Tottenham’s chairman, Daniel Levy, but an appointment has been put on hold for a couple of weeks. O’Neill is attracted to the White Hart Lane post and the potential of rousing a sleeping giant, but leaving Celtic in the middle of a Champions’ League campaign - and other issues in Glasgow - makes it a difficult decision. \ Tottenham are prepared to wait as they believe O’Neill is interested. His family live outside London and he is attracted by the prospect of returning to the English Premiership.” Well, stand by your beds . . . who knows . . . ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-september/198942/200 "2003-09-24T06:50:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by owlstretchingtime \* > \*\*O’Neil has said yes - but not until January and/or CFC getting turfed out of the Euro pot. > > Sorry and all that.\*\* No need to apologise - we all know he’s offski before the season’s out. And I’d rather he went to WHL than Anfield. What is depressing me, profoundly, is thinking what kind of a loser we’ll end up with. I mean who would agree to come to a club that made a UEFA Cup Final and then wasn’t given any money for players? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-september/198942.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-footie-focus-september/198942.md?page=11)