Rangers in a Pickle
Glasgow Rangers went into administration yesterday and it looks more than your average mess, if you read this article on the BBC.
If you read the comments in the BBC article, they are blaming everybody.
I suppose that as it’s the HMRC that has caused the club to go into aministration, then the UK government will get the blame.
Is the Glasgow Premier League Going to Get Smaller?
It has been reported this afternoon that Glasgow Rangers may be going into Administration, so if they did, it would affectively leave Glasgow Celtic as the only major club in Glasgow.
So does this mean the end for Rangers?
The major creditor is reported to be HMRC, who lately have demanded their money.
But whatever happens they’ll get a ten-point deduction, just as Portsmouth will in England, who’ve also gone into administration.
It is also been reported that Celtic’s Chief Executive is not worried if Rangers folds. That in my view is not a very charitable altitude.
The BBC’s North-Western Bias
I listened to all of the BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast Show this morning. Only one of the Premier League matches was mentioned; Manchester United v Liverpool.
You’d have thought no other matches were being played!
The only other match mentioned was Crystal Palace v Doncaster because it had been called off.
So let’s hope no north-western team wins anything this year!
This Awful Cold Weather
Yesterday and Wednesday as well, I hardly left the house, as it was so cold. Today, it’s no better with -1 at 06:00 and -3 at 09:00 forecast for tomorrow. And that -3 comes with fog. At least it gets sunny in the afternoonafternoon, but temperatures are just hovering above freezing. Ipswich isn’t any better with temperatures a couple of degrees colder. So I suspect that I’ll stay in bed as long as I can.
I remember a similar day some years ago, when C had plenty of work to do and wanted to get rid of me for the afternoon, so she found two pairs of thick tights and I wore those under my trousers.
I just about survived.
It’s funny how attitudes to practical transvestism have changed. A man would have never done this in the sixties, but now if needs must, men do.
In fact in the 1960s, Bobby Moore tried to sell Man-Tights and I can remember the adverts for them on trains on the London Underground.
I also remember a story from a friend, who was a very keen caver, who told me to keep warm, they generally wear several layers of tights. Once in the 1970s, a friend broke a leg badly. whilst caving in France and they had to carry him out all the way. But the worst bit, was removing his tights, as he didn’t want to go to a French hospital wearing them.
I have no choice today, as I live alone.
So it’s either go and freeze or stay at home and keep warm.
I think I’ll do the latter!
You really do miss your late partner for the smallest and silliest reasons!
Everything Comes To Him Who Waits
In all this fuss about the new England manager, nothing has been heard from Stuart Pearce. Although, Harry Redknapp has almost ruled himself out. As have a few other candidates like Alan Pardew.
So does this leave the field clear for Stuart Pearce to be caretaker manager for the match against the Netherlands. We might find out in a few minutes. I suspect we will hear he’s got the job, as who else knows their way around the FA offices, boardroom and politics? If they pick somone for one match, even if he was of the status of say Arsene Wenger, he would be unable to do anything in a couple of weeks.
So could the reason, Pearce has been quiet, is that he knows more than anybody else and doesn’t want to overturn the pile of unstable bricks? Remember as assistant coach to the England team, he will have detailed dossiers on all the England players and because of his job as Under-21 coach, he’ll know the players coming through.
The pundits all say we won’t win Euro-2012 or the football at the Olympics, so if he performs well in the Netherlands game, his coaching team could be given the responsibility for Euro-2012 in addition to the Olympics. In fact, as the Olympics tournament is not many games, handling two teams might not be much more difficult, especially as he’ll probably have Beckham in the Olympic team, to help and act as a conduit for the media.
The permutations are endless.
They have just announced Stuart Pearce will be manager for the match against the Netherlands.
Do I think they’ll take it away from him for Euro-2012? No! Unless we get beaten seriously by The Netherlands. After all he’d be some elephant to have in the room next door.
The Wisdom of Stuart Pearce
Ask a tabloid journalist and they’ll tell you that Stuart Pearce’s philosophy is summed up by his nickname; Psycho.
But look him up on Brainy Quote and you get a totally different view.
Here’s a couple of examples of quotes from Stuart Pearce.
But to me the bottom line is the more education you can give yourself, and the more preparation you can do, the less chance of failing.
I am one of those people who quite enjoys responsibility.
If my results are not good I will lose my job.
There are no quotes of any sort for Harry Redknapp.
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.
The Anonymous Widower 