Psycho or Harry?
At present they are the only two candidates for the job of England coach, if you assume that the coach must be English; Stuart Pearce and Harry Redknapp.
For Euro-2012, both would have other duties, with Harry at Tottenham and Pearce involved with Team GB at the Olympics.
So if one of them get the England job part-time, it wouldn’t be good for England in Euro-2012.
In my view, Pearce is better qualified, as the England team for the next few years, will be players he’s brought through the Under-21s. He also knows the various factions in the FA and how they operate. He would have handled the Terry situation very differently to Capello.
Also read, Pearce’s biography in Wikipedia. He’s made the odd mistake, but he’s never been involved in any scandal. And he learns from his mistakes. Does Harry?
But don’t forget that Pearce was playing on the day of the Hillsborough tragedy and I suspect, that deep down he wants to avenge it. He will some way some time, even if he doesn’t get the England job.
Also what happens, if he’s caretaker manager for the Holland match, sends out his team, and wins handsomely. Could he be overlooked for England manager? If he doesn’t win, looking as his record, he would probably put up a good showing at the Olympics.
Ariverderci Fabio
I don’t think anybody in England will miss you, except possibly your favourite restaurant.
Let’s hope the FA take their lead from the RFU, who chose Stuart Lancaster from within.
Step forward Psycho!
More On The Scouser Mouser
There are some good pictures and video of the cat at Liverpool last night, that some of the Press are now calling the Scouser Mouser.
Just type Liverpool Cat into Google. There was this report with a video from the Telegraph. Obviously, cats sell newspapers to those who live in Tunbridge Wells. The Sun also has a nice graphic entitled, Move of the Match, showing where the cat went.
Rumour has it that Millwall fans have rung up the London Zoo to enquire about borrowing a lion.
Liverpool Bring On A Cat Against Spurs
After a few minutes tonight, a cat managed to get on the pitch at Anfield. It’s part in the game is summed up in this text commentary from the Guardian.
16 mins: “Would it be unfair to say that the stray cat has already shown more awareness in the penalty area than Andy Carroll?” asks Michael McCarthy, not alone in comparing the two. It showed a good turn of pace and its movement was decent if unconventional, but it also showed a very limited grasp of the offside law and offered limited aerial ability. I’m giving Carroll the nod here.
13 mins: The cat has now been removed, quite gently, by a burly steward. Carroll celebrates this with a couple of tasty touches.
11 mins: There’s a cat on the pitch. It’s currently settled in Tottenham’s penalty area. Not a fox in the box, but not too far off.
I can’t ever remember seeing a cat on the pitch before, although a fox did sneak into the Oval.
Do We Get A Bonus for Losing?
The caption is on a cartoon in the Sunday Times, showing two Scottish rugby players, leaving the field in their RBS jerseys, with a banner saying RBS 6 Nations in the background.
Fred must be laughing into his Shreddies.
Forget the Superbowl! The Biggest Game Tonight Will be the Battle of Rosario
Last time there was a small skirmish in the South Atlantic, we had just a few dozen marines on the Falklands and South Georgia. This time, I hope we’re better prepared militarily, with HMS Dauntless, probably a submarine, several advanced fighters and quite a few ground troops.
I suspect though that the troops won’t be watching the Superbowl, as at the same time the opening salvo in the next skirmish in the South Atlantic will be taking place in Rosario. This time, though it will be eleven brave women, armed just with sticks, taking on Argentina in the final of the Champions Trophy, after beating the other old enemy, Germany, in the semi-final, yesterday, as is reported here.
I suspect the Duke of Cambridge wishes he could take a few people to the match in his Sea King.
It’s Snowing in Manchester for a Change
Normally, it rains in Manchester, but tonight as I’m watching Manchester City play Fulham, it’s snowing.
Another disappointment for the Arabs, but at least it’s preferable to play in snow, than in forty degree heat, when they play the World Cup in Qatar.
The Correct Term is a Light Engine
When you have just a railway engine travelling by itself, it is called a light engine!
One has caused chaos on the West Coast Main Line by getting itself derailed at Bletchley, as reported here on the BBC. But few reports have called it a light engine, most have called it a freight train, as it is owned by a company called Freightliner, although it is at present leased to Virgin Trains. So at least they can read, even if they don’t know the correct railway term.
The BBC report says this.
A spokesman for Network Rail said the Freightliner locomotive appeared to have approached a set of points at Bletchley south junction too fast.
This caused the tracks to buckle, damaged wooden sleepers and brought down some overhead cables.
There is as yet “no estimate for the completion of repairs and therefore it is not yet known whether services will continue to be affected on Sunday”, according to the National Rail Enquiries website.
As no-one seems to have been seriously hurt, but many have been seriously delayed and inconvenienced, this will turn out to be one of those stories that will run and run all the way to the Supreme Court. After all the engine wasn’t owned by Virgin Trains, but it was being run on their behalf.
So will Virgin Trains be suing themselves for all the compensation, they’ve paid out to passengers?
Incidentally, I usually go to see Ipswich at Coventry, but won’t be going today. I was going to go and get in by buying a ticket on the gate. But because of this light engine crash, I wouldn’t have been able to get to Coventry.
So should I add my case for compensation to the rest?
No! But, if I’d bought a ticket you could be rest ensured, I wouldn’t be a happy bunny, aif I’d been unable to get to Coventry!
What Do Fred Goodwin and Manchester City Have In Common?
They’ve both lost their title in the last couple of weeks.
When Was The Last Time the Met Police Commissioner Patrolled on a Horse?
At Tuesday night’s football at White Hart Lane, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Bernard Hogan-Howe was part of the mounted force policing the match. It’s here in the Metro.
It’s not the first time though that Hogan-Howe has been at a high-profile event on a horse in uniform. This is an extract from a report in the Guardian.
One of Bernard Hogan-Howe’s greatest pleasures as chief constable of Merseyside police was riding through the crowds on horseback at the Grand National. It gave him the chance to pursue his passion for horse-riding while also soaking up the very particular atmosphere of Aintree.
I’ve always felt that horses are an interesting part of a Police Force’s tools. If of course they are used properly.
But I do wonder who was the previous high-ranking Police Officer who patrolled on horse in London?
The Anonymous Widower 