Football

[AlterEgo]

I'd be inclined to disagree. Pitch was presumably only ever marginal at best, but a reasonable decision nevertheless to give the match a go, and then stop proceedings shortly thereafter when it was quickly established that it was actually "no go". No harm done!

What about the people that travelled to watch the game? What a waste of their time!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

What about the people that travelled to watch the game? What a waste of their time!

Ideally, it's called off early morning or even the day before, but someone (presumably either a local ref or the actual match ref) must have thought it had a chance of going ahead otherwise the fixture would have been called off and wouldn't have been allowed to start in the first place. Damned if you do, damned if you don't!

 

[DarloRich]

Apparently, just down the road, Banbury vs Darlington was called off at 2.30 after two refs had earlier passed the pitch fit. Darlington must have been gutted.

i was stood outside the gerund at 1430! My Saturday was a trip to Banbury station car park and a walk around an industrial estate! See above about claims made by home fans that Alun Armstrong has the power to have games called off! As if we want the chew of going back to Banbury on a Tuesday night ffs.

 

[Ascotroyal]

I wish our game had been called off on Saturday. Losing 4-0 at Stoke. Absolutely woeful performance. We’re still doing better than most Reading fans and pundits thought we would though.

 

[Peterthegreat]

Scottish Cup Fourth Round.

Darvel 1 Aberdeen 0
Probably the biggest upset in Scottish football for over 60 years.

 

[VauxhallandI]

Scottish Cup Fourth Round.

Darvel 1 Aberdeen 0
Probably the biggest upset in Scottish football for over 60 years.

My brother had a tenner on it at 33/1

 

[GS250]

National League clubs seem to be struggling with the concept of early postponements due to frozen pitches. Quite a few have been P-P'd close to kick off the last week or so. Infuriating travelling fans and obviously causing the host club to have to cough up. Maybe some of them have the complex that they are still a big EFL team and that even contemplating an inspection is beneath them.

We are supposed to be playing Yeovil away tonight but at least they have arranged a 1pm inspection.

 

[450.emu]

Frank Lampard withdrawn from service at Everton, moved to sidings...

 

[150249]

Frank Lampard withdrawn from service at Everton, moved to sidings...

Almost crashed into Gerrard on the way

 

[REVUpminster]

Great players often don't make the best managers. Bobby Moore springs to mind. I am sure there are others. Billy Bonds was another. I think they expect players to be as good as they were.

 

[AlterEgo]

Great players often don't make the best managers. Bobby Moore springs to mind. I am sure there are others. Billy Bonds was another. I think they expect players to be as good as they were.

Nobody expects great players to be great managers any more. But there is a cultural hangover where often people think great players deserve to still be around the game in their 40s and therefore should be managers. Everton flirting with appointing Rooney is a great example.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Nobody expects great players to be great managers any more. But there is a cultural hangover where often people think great players deserve to still be around the game in their 40s and therefore should be managers. Everton flirting with appointing Rooney is a great example.

These days a job as a TV football panel pundit seem to pay well, keeps them in good profile and have none of the real responsibility that successful top managers seem to possess.

 

[DarloRich]

Nobody expects great players to be great managers any more. But there is a cultural hangover where often people think great players deserve to still be around the game in their 40s and therefore should be managers. Everton flirting with appointing Rooney is a great example.

They should get Dyche. They wont obviously.

 

[GS250]

Almost crashed into Gerrard on the way

What's a real shame about this is that we need young English managers to succeed. Gives me no pleasure at all to see a young English manager fail yet again.

Why are they so apparently sub standard? Even decent Scottish managers, once almost over represented at the top level appear to have dried up.

I think it does partially explain though why our better players often failed when it really mattered with England. That extra mental edge simply wasn't there. This edge is the difference between being a good and an average manager.

 

[Darandio]

What's a real shame about this is that we need young English managers to succeed. Gives me no pleasure at all to see a young English manager fail yet again.

Why are they so apparently sub standard? Even decent Scottish managers, once almost over represented at the top level appear to have dried up.

I think it does partially explain though why our better players often failed when it really mattered with England. That extra mental edge simply wasn't there. This edge is the difference between being a good and an average manager.

I'm not even sure Lampard is a sub-standard manager.

I thought he did a fairly decent job at Derby. His first season at Chelsea was quite impressive considering the transfer embargo, finished 4th and FA Cup finalists. Obviously the second season didn't go that well but it became clear he was having little say in transfers, it's still happening now.

Then Everton is a poison chalice, impossible job even. Toxic at every level, i'm not sure many would succeed there.

 

[SuspectUsual]

I thought he did a fairly decent job at Derby

He inherited a team that had finished 6th the previous season, spent a lot of money by championship standards…….and finished 6th

 

[Haywain]

He inherited a team that had finished 6th the previous season, spent a lot of money by championship standards…….and finished 6th

Well, it clearly impressed Chelsea!

 

[AlterEgo]

These days a job as a TV football panel pundit seem to pay well, keeps them in good profile and have none of the real responsibility that successful top managers seem to possess.

True, although vacancies are limited!

 

[Darandio]

He inherited a team that had finished 6th the previous season, spent a lot of money by championship standards…….and finished 6th

As a rookie manager in arguably one of the toughest leagues in Europe. Yes, did a decent job.

 

[GS250]

Well, it clearly impressed Chelsea!

Poor decision to employ him based on sentimental values. The fans got what they wanted though....

 

[Old Yard Dog]

National League clubs seem to be struggling with the concept of early postponements due to frozen pitches. Quite a few have been P-P'd close to kick off the last week or so. Infuriating travelling fans and obviously causing the host club to have to cough up. Maybe some of them have the complex that they are still a big EFL team and that even contemplating an inspection is beneath them.

We are supposed to be playing Yeovil away tonight but at least they have arranged a 1pm inspection.

I wonder how many late postponements are due, in part at least, to inaccurate weather forecasts? Clubs expecting temperatures to rise and frost to clear on Saturday morning - and then finding it doesn't happen.

One interesting thought is how often might a referee delay or suspend a game to see if conditions, e.g. fog, improve rather than postpone or abandon it? Many years ago, I remember the ref taking the players off for a few minutes just before half time during a game at Portsmouth. The winds got so high during a short hailstorm that the ball wouldn't stay still for long enough to allow goal kicks etc to be taken. But it was obvious that the storm wouldn't last and play resumed shortly afterwards.

One of the more notorious cases of a game being suspended was when Bradford City played Leeds at Bradford Northern's Odsal Stadium in the 1980s. It was announced that the game had been abandoned in the 88th minute after Leeds fans overturned a chip van which subsequently burst into flames. But the authorities were telling porkies. Once the crowd was cleared, the game resumed behind closed doors.

 

[GS250]

I wonder how many late postponements are due, in part at least, to inaccurate weather forecasts? Clubs expecting temperatures to rise and frost to clear on Saturday morning - and then finding it doesn't happen.

One interesting thought is how often might a referee delay or suspend a game to see if conditions, e.g. fog, improve rather than postpone or abandon it? Many years ago, I remember the ref taking the players off for a few minutes just before half time during a game at Portsmouth. The winds got so high during a short hailstorm that the ball wouldn't stay still for long enough to allow goal kicks etc to be taken. But it was obvious that the storm wouldn't last and play resumed shortly afterwards.

One of the more notorious cases of a game being suspended was when Bradford City played Leeds at Bradford Northern's Odsal Stadium in the 1980s. It was announced that the game had been abandoned in the 88th minute after Leeds fans overturned a chip van which subsequently burst into flames. But the authorities were telling porkies. Once the crowd was cleared, the game resumed behind closed doors.

Yes there is that. 4-5 days before our trip to Halifax the weather looked ok. Was supposed to be sunny and 5C on Friday, sunny and 7C on the Saturday. So I took a chance and booked a weekend away. Yet with each passing day the forecast dropped and by Thursday the forecast was to be barely above freezing on both days. However a great weekend was had anyway with some brilliant pubs, the KWVR, the set from Emmerdale pleasing the GF and Halifax Town Centre of which is well worth a visit.

Halifax was actually the highlight of last season too as far as away trips go.

 

[450.emu]

Almost crashed into Gerrard on the way

Sean Dyche taken out of warm store and returned to traffic (Everton)

 

[150249]

Sean Dyche taken out of warm store and returned to traffic (Everton)

He occasionally made a public appearance out in the sidings (this is getting out of hand)

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Has Granit Xhaka been sanctioned for his embarrassing behaviour when a fan tried to kick Aaron Ramsdale? Disgusting action by the fan and I’m delighted he’s banned from Spurs for life, but the way Xhaka handled himself was immature and pathetic, like how a teen in a secondary school gang might square up to someone who’s insulted “hiz crew/mandem/breverend.”

 

[gnolife]

Scottish Cup Fourth Round.

Darvel 1 Aberdeen 0
Probably the biggest upset in Scottish football for over 60 years.

And they bounced back with a 6-0 defeat to an similarly poor Hibs. Jim Goodwin sacked about 20 minutes after full time

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Northern Premier League...Premier Division

Guiseley 2 ... Hyde United 3

Not an easy match for Hyde to travel to, as Guiseley are a good mid-table side capable of shock results. having beaten South Shields 1-0 recently. Guiseley scored in the 20th minute, but Hyde scored twice before half time in the 30th and 41st minute, the second one being a penalty after a Guiseley player received a straight red card. Hyde increased their lead further in the 73rd minute and Guiseley scored near the final whistle. Good attendance of 803 there. Hyde still top on goal difference but South Shields have quite a number of games in hand, most of them being away fixtures.

 

[SuspectUsual]

Fulham 1-1 Sunderland

One of the best games I’ve ever been to in 45 years of watching football. Relentless attacking from both teams, despite being in different divisions, an absolute joy to watch

 

[Jimini]

Fulham 1-1 Sunderland

One of the best games I’ve ever been to in 45 years of watching football. Relentless attacking from both teams, despite being in different divisions, an absolute joy to watch

Absolute cracker, wasn't it. Neither team wanted a replay and just went for it. When that 15-year-old lad put the ball in the back of the net just before 90 mins I thought that might just be the most 'Fulhamish' thing we'd ever do. Thankfully the other player was offside in the build up!

 

[Cheshire Scot]

Jim Goodwin sacked about 20 minutes after full time

And not before time, he should have gone after Darvel.

Quite amazing that as a former central defender not only did he fail to recognise his sides defensive weaknesses but central defence was the one area of his squad with absolutely no cover (other than the U18 side) beyond the regular starters - his only two centre backs have accumulated 4 redcards between them since mid September! All 6 goals today were down to sloppy defending.

A tough assignment for whoever comes next.