Abramovitch Revolves The Door Again
Roman Abramovitch has sacked another manager at Chelsea. What a way to run a football club? Especially, as it seems to be generally accepted that stability in football leads to success.
I suppose the only winner is Roberto di Matteo, as he’ll probably be well paid.
But it doesn’t alter the fact that Chelsea are rapidly becoming a joke in the mind of many!
Some of the statements on the BBC’s web site get straight to the point.
Colin Bundred has said “How is it possible to be Champions of Europe and the joke of the football world at the same time? Sad really.”
And then Post and In give it the treatment.
I wonder if Roman Abramovitch is going to sue everybody who is criticising him on Twitter. If he is, every lawyer in the UK, will be rubbing their hands. I suspect the Americans will lend us a few lawyers if we need help.
The Worst Football Match I’ve Seen In Years
I went to Leicester yesterday to see Ipswich play.
What a waste of time and money!
I’ve not seen my team play so badly, since in the 1960s, when I saw Spurs lose 5-1 at Manchester United. But that was worse as I was standing by myself in the pouring rain on an open terrace.
Ipswich yesterday seemed to throw the match away.
If they want to go down, they can go down without me.
Football Grounds Of Clubs Who’ve Won A European Or UEFA Cup
This is another idea, that might be easier. Only clubs, that have won the European Cup, Champions League, Cup Winners Cup or UEFA Cup qualify.
Aberdeen
Amsterdam – Ajax
Anderlecht
Barcelona
Belgrade – Red Star
birmingham – Aston Villa
Bremen – Werder
Bratislava – Slovan
Bucharest – Steaua
Donetsk – Shaktar
Dortmund – Borussia
Eindhoven – PSV
Florence – Fiorentina
Frankfurt – Eintract
Gelsenkirchen – Schalke
Genoa – Sampdoria
Glasgow – Celtic and Rangers
Gottenburg
Hamburg
Ipswich
Istanbul – Galatasary
Kiev – Dynamo
Leverkusen – Bayer
Lisbon – Benfica and Sporting
Liverpool – Everton and Liverpool
London – Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United
Madrid – Athletico and Real Madrid
Magdeburg
Manchester – City and United
Marseille
Mechelen
Milan – AC and Internazionale
Monchengladbach – Borussia
Moscow – CSKA
Munich – Bayern
Naples – Napoli
Notts Forest
Oporto – Porto
Paris – PSG
Parma
Rome – Lazio
Rotterdam – Feyenoord
St. Petersburg – Zenit
Seville
Stuttgart
Tbilisi
Turin – Juventus
Villarreal
Valencia
Zragoza – Real
I got all of these from this list in Wikipedia.
An Open Letter From The Leader Of Blackpool Council
This letter written by the leader of Blackpool Council and published in the Blackpool Gazette has been discussed on the BBC.
I couldn’t resist penning a reply.
In 2011, to raise money for Cancer Research after the death of my wife and son from the disease, i visited all 92 Football and Premier League clubs alphabetically by public transport.
Of all the towns and cities I visited Blackpool was the worst and most visitor-unfriendly. Turn up at any station and try to get a bus to Bloomfield Road or even find a map. Compare the town to Bournemouth, where the public transport is easily understandable.
But after my experience of Blackpool, I kept asking people I met, within day trip distance, if they ever went to the town. A plumber from Wigan said that he never went although he had many times until a few years ago. But now if he wants a day by the sea, he’ll go to Liverpool or Southport.
Blackpool needs a real change of attitude and must look at everything it does to make sure that it does the best for everybody and every business in the town.
Incidentally, I’m an Ipswich Town supporter and travel to a lot of away games from London where I live. I’ve done Blackpool twice, but I suspect never again, when I can enjoy the friendly atmosphere in places like Barnsley, Burnley, Derby, Hull and Nottingham.
I’m also a coeliac, which means I must have gluten-free food. Last time in the town, all I found was a banana and a coffee. Compare this to the lovely meal I had in that noted holiday resort called Crewe.
As it is I think I kept it quite mild!
Ipswich Finally Get A Win
I was there on Saturday, when at St. Andrews in Birmingham, Ipswich finally got a win.
What a relief!
A Pedestrian Crossing From Hell
I could have labelled this crossing between Bordesley station and Birmingham City’s ground of St. Andrews, the worst I’d seen, but the pictures didn’t do it justice.
A Pedestrian Crossing From Hell
They don’t show how there was no signs, lights or a policeman on a road, where cars took the junction at well over the legal limit. Two cars actually touched as I waited to cross.
But nothing will be done, as a proper solution would slow the cars. And cars are of course kings in Birmingham, with only losers using public transport.
One day, there’ll be a serious accident.
No Football Today
Ipswich are at home and there’s rail replacement buses both way. I’ve normally nothing against buses, but rail replacement ones generally have a standard that leaves a lot to be desired and given the weather they’ll probably be icy.
More Football Travel Problems To Ipswich
Sometimes to get back from Ipswich after a match, a friend drops me at Newbury Park tube station.
But not for the next few days, as the line is closed from today until November the 4th, according to this on the TfL website. Explaining the need for the closure, they said this.
By closing the line for a longer period (instead of multiple weekend works) the overall time needed for the work will be cut from 19 to 12 days and will save more than £2.
It seems a lot of hassle for a saving of just £2.
I’m Watching Celtic
As it’s a choice between Chelsea, Manchester United and Celtic, it’s a bit of a no-brainer really. Especially, as the two English clubs are losing.
FIFA Sees Sense On Goal-Line Technology
At last! It’s all here about how the old farts have caved in to technology!
I’ll believe it when I see it in action.
The Anonymous Widower 