# UK football, season 2008/09, forecasts **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 7, 2008, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-football-season-2008-09-forecasts/459150 "2008-08-07T12:09:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 27
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-football-season-2008-09-forecasts/459150/521 "2009-01-21T17:25:23Z")
> [@chowder](#): > > **Robinho** > > What the fuck is going on here then? He’s a man-child with an enormous sense of Entitlement and no sense of discipline and if he’s not a Chelsea player by the end of the month it will only be because they have a limited budget until the end of the season. Hughes, clueless man manager that he is, will levy a huge fine triggering a sulking slump in form that will last until he goes to a club more ‘worthy’ of him in the summer. Unless Hughes is sacked before then, which is probably pretty likely. I hope not, because he’s so talented but I’m realist enough to know that Hughes’ Old School approach doesn’t go down too well with pampered multi-millionaires. Unlike his mentor Hughes’ has no track record of success to earn him some slack. I hope we stick with Hughes and build a great team from players who want to play for us but the owners clearly want to go the Instant Superstar route. ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-football-season-2008-09-forecasts/459150/522 "2009-01-21T17:31:33Z")
> [@tagos](#): > > I hope we stick with Hughes and build a great team from players who want to play for us. Wouldn’t that require starting the game with fewer than 11 men? About 9 or 10 fewer? ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-football-season-2008-09-forecasts/459150/523 "2009-01-21T17:37:06Z")
> [@tagos](#): > > With all due respect; which is somewhat less than yesterday; cut the ‘Get Off My Lawn’ Senior modding. I’m sorry, I’ll go sit in the corner and weep;) **villa** That was nasty ---
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-football-season-2008-09-forecasts/459150/524 "2009-01-21T17:50:02Z")
A couple of Everton websites were linking us with a loan move for arch waster and salary thief Jo, currently plying his trade at Barnum and Bailey’s FC. We’re been linked with all types of out of sorts strikers at the moment, so I’d be surprised if it came off. Still, it could be a great addition for us. If Moyes can get Yakubu to move, and even occasionally run, I reckon he’d get Jo to put in a shift no problem. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-football-season-2008-09-forecasts/459150/525 "2009-01-21T18:23:45Z")
Do they still throw Everton mints to the crowd like they did when I was a sprog ---
**Author:** ![Discordia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Discordia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Discordia)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-football-season-2008-09-forecasts/459150/526 "2009-01-21T19:11:01Z")
> [@tagos](#): > > I hope not, because he’s so talented but I’m realist enough to know that Hughes’ Old School approach doesn’t go down too well with pampered multi-millionaires. Unlike his mentor Hughes’ has no track record of success to earn him some slack. > > I hope we stick with Hughes and build a great team from players who want to play for us but the owners clearly want to go the Instant Superstar route. I don’t think it’s fair to call him a pampered millionaire because he doesn’t like Hughes’ approach. Everyone has a different approach that works for them. Personally if I was as successful as Robinho, you’d better be someone I have _loads_ of respect for if I’m going to be convinced to change how I do things. I can’t fathom why Hughes can’t be flexible, and let the Brazilians be so long as they perform. He doesn’t have much ammunition to get Robinho to change much of anything when a) he’s a nobody in managerial terms and b) Robinho is banging them in at will. My impression is Hughes is a control freak who cannot abide people not doing things as he wants them. That’s not a recipe for managerial success when you’re a newbie. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-football-season-2008-09-forecasts/459150/527 "2009-01-21T19:36:55Z")
> [@Discordia](#): > > My impression is Hughes is a control freak who cannot abide people not doing things as he wants them. That’s not a recipe for managerial success when you’re a newbie. My impression also ---
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-football-season-2008-09-forecasts/459150/528 "2009-01-21T19:46:31Z")
> [@chowder](#): > > Do they still throw Everton mints to the crowd like they did when I was a sprog I believe they do, the toffee lady is a venerable tradition at Goodison although it’s a while since I’ve seen her myself. I just go to a couple of Everton games a season nowadays, mainly aways as it’s easier to meet up with mates as we’re all dotted around the UK now. Usually go to Goodison at Christmas with my Dad if I can. The Old Lady is looking like she’ll get a prolonged lease of life - article in the Guardian today reckoned the Kirkby move was on the ropes. I wouldn’t object to a ground share meself with the RS - let the rift be healed! ---
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-football-season-2008-09-forecasts/459150/529 "2009-01-21T20:07:18Z")
> [@Discordia](#): > > I don’t think it’s fair to call him a pampered millionaire because he doesn’t like Hughes’ approach. Everyone has a different approach that works for them. Personally if I was as successful as Robinho, you’d better be someone I have _loads_ of respect for if I’m going to be convinced to change how I do things. I can’t fathom why Hughes can’t be flexible, and let the Brazilians be so long as they perform. He doesn’t have much ammunition to get Robinho to change much of anything when a) he’s a nobody in managerial terms and b) Robinho is banging them in at will. > > My impression is Hughes is a control freak who cannot abide people not doing things as he wants them. That’s not a recipe for managerial success when you’re a newbie. There’s been flexible and there’s being made the object of ridicule. Robinho having a diva moment and very publicly flouncing back to Brazil from a training session puts Hughes, and the club, in an impossible position. The Man City chief exec may be an arsehole of the first water, but he is dead right in saying that no man is bigger than the club. Besides, Robinho is indeed banging them in and looking like a class player - but he’s hardly the epitome of success. He’s a chronic underachiever with an attitude problem who was run out on a rail from Real. Hughes isn’t completely without ammunition here - he should hit him with a stupendous fine and if Robinho doesn’t like it he can sit in the stands. Bellamy will get enough goals to keep the up and Hughes will be gone in the summer in any case. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-football-season-2008-09-forecasts/459150/530 "2009-01-21T20:14:50Z")
> [@Discordia](#): > > Bellamy, granted, is a decent player. I mostly called him trash because he is trash as a human being, and has a reputation for being a human wrecking ball on dressing rooms. For a dressing room with issues already, it seems a daft signing. Same here. I think Bellamy is a complete arse, but he’s supposed to get on well with Hughes, and is gobby and energetic enough to shame or berate others into performing. He’s not likely to be City’s Cantona, but if Hughes gets the best out of him, he’ll be an asset. ---
**Author:** ![Discordia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Discordia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Discordia)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-football-season-2008-09-forecasts/459150/531 "2009-01-21T20:29:48Z")
> [@Busy\_Scissors](#): > > There’s been flexible and there’s being made the object of ridicule. Robinho having a diva moment and very publicly flouncing back to Brazil from a training session puts Hughes, and the club, in an impossible position. The Man City chief exec may be an arsehole of the first water, but he is dead right in saying that no man is bigger than the club. He had a diva moment? Everything I’ve seen has been Robinho sounding as conciliatory as possible. Maybe he actually had a family matter to attend to as he said, and mistakenly didn’t get permission. Pretty minor offence. > [@](#): > > Besides, Robinho is indeed banging them in and looking like a class player - but he’s hardly the epitome of success. He’s a chronic underachiever with an attitude problem who was run out on a rail from Real. Hughes isn’t completely without ammunition here - he should hit him with a stupendous fine and if Robinho doesn’t like it he can sit in the stands. Bellamy will get enough goals to keep the up and Hughes will be gone in the summer in any case. I don’t think he’s underachieved considering he was playing for a circus club. Run out on a rail? Don’t you mean ran like hell from a racist club that not coincidentally imploded after he left? Hughes is without ammunition because a) Robinho is playing well. Hard to convince someone to change their ways when they’re performing and b) Hughes garners no respect, he’s a newbie. Fining people when you aren’t respected is simply a good way to alienate someone. Hitting him with a stupendous fine and putting him in the stands for attending to a family matter simply means he’ll be at Chelsea next season for sure. Couldn’t blame him either. If some muppet manager fined me over some non-issue I’d tell him to fuck off too. ---
**Author:** ![Theodore\_Striker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@Theodore\_Striker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Theodore_Striker)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-football-season-2008-09-forecasts/459150/532 "2009-01-21T20:56:17Z")
It sounds like there is a good bit of confusion regarding this. At first we heard that Robinho through a fit and left because of the Kaka mess, and then it was an approved time off to get family stuff in order. I’m guessing this was a PR move to make Robbie look a little less like a diva… Anyway, Bellamy is a good signing for City, I’m happy with him. He’ll bring a bit of edge to an attack that is silky otherwise. DeJong is another solid signing for the team, and gives a bit more quality depth, which is something City have needed for a few years now. ---
**Author:** ![Discordia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Discordia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Discordia)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-football-season-2008-09-forecasts/459150/533 "2009-01-21T21:59:58Z")
Haha spurs about to be humiliated. ---
**Author:** ![Discordia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Discordia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Discordia)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-football-season-2008-09-forecasts/459150/534 "2009-01-21T22:14:02Z")
_cries_ ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-football-season-2008-09-forecasts/459150/535 "2009-01-21T23:57:40Z")
i’m obviously not a Burnley fan but I feel absolutely gutted. God knows how they feel right now. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-football-season-2008-09-forecasts/459150/536 "2009-01-22T08:29:12Z")
> [@garius](#): > > i’m obviously not a Burnley fan but I feel absolutely gutted. > > God knows how they feel right now. ☹ Nor me but FFS 2 mins to go and “wallop”☹ I’d have much preferred 2 North West clubs to contest the final even if one of them were the rags ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-football-season-2008-09-forecasts/459150/537 "2009-01-22T13:41:48Z")
I was down the pub playing darts and the game was on in the background. When the first goal went in, a vague cheer went up and that was about it (Arsenal boozer so that was always likely). When the second went in, everyone was stunned and people (including ourselves) started to drift over to watch. By the end of the game pretty much everyone was watching and when the third goal went in the whole fucking place erupted. Not just because it was Tottenham (althouth that obviously helped) but because Burnley were laying their heart and soul out on that pitch and deserved to win it. As extra time started, _everyone_ stopped to watch - including the pub’s pool team and their league opponents. You could have cut the atmosphere after Spurs scored with a knife… ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-football-season-2008-09-forecasts/459150/538 "2009-01-22T15:45:43Z")
> [@garius](#): > > I was down the pub playing darts and the game was on in the background. > > When the first goal went in, a vague cheer went up and that was about it (Arsenal boozer so that was always likely). > > When the second went in, everyone was stunned and people (including ourselves) started to drift over to watch. > > By the end of the game pretty much everyone was watching and when the third goal went in the whole fucking place erupted. Not just because it was Tottenham (althouth that obviously helped) but because Burnley were laying their heart and soul out on that pitch and deserved to win it. > > As extra time started, _everyone_ stopped to watch - including the pub’s pool team and their league opponents. > > You could have cut the atmosphere after Spurs scored with a knife… _That’s_ what football is all about! ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-football-season-2008-09-forecasts/459150/539 "2009-01-22T17:17:16Z")
All in all, its good Spurs won. They’ll get stuffed in the final, and its another game to risk injury/take their minds off the league. Which can only increase their chances of getting relegation. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-football-season-2008-09-forecasts/459150/540 "2009-01-22T18:43:09Z")
> [@villa](#): > > All in all, its good Spurs won. They’ll get stuffed in the final, and its another game to risk injury/take their minds off the league. Which can only increase their chances of getting relegation. On the face of it they’ll well and truly get hammered. But this is a final and they can be so unpredictable [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-football-season-2008-09-forecasts/459150.md?page=26) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-football-season-2008-09-forecasts/459150.md?page=28)