Prescience is a wonderful thing!
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Funnily enough I thought of your post when I saw that announced! "Full backing" seems to be a precursor to an imminent sacking. If you look at the list of longest serving managers[^], I'm surprised to see our Steve Coppell (Reading) at number 7. If you only include Premier League clubs he's at number 4! He's only been with us for about four years. We're just about having to look at rebuilding the team. This squad has done incredibly well - about 80% of our history has been at third tier or lower, in the late 80s we had a couple of seasons in the second tier and four in the mid-90s, but it's only under Alan Pardew and Coppell in the last 8 years that we've had a consistent push for promotion, first out of the third tier and then out of the Championship. It's been variable - before Pardew, we had Tommy Burns (now touted for Scotland manager) who frankly wasted a lot of the chairman's money on some pretty mediocre signings, although a lot of them did get injured very quickly. (This explains £700,000 for Graeme Murty, a record not broken that often even now, and that he took a good couple of years to break properly into the first team squad.) The problem for new signings is breaking into the team - over a sequence of five or so league games we played the same team, all of whom had been at the club in 2005/6, and with only two changes from what we'd have considered the first team - Gunnarsson in for Sidwell (gone to Chelsea) and Hunt for Little (long-term achilles injury). Only Gunnarsson's red card against West Ham (stupid two-footed challenge) stopped this run continuing. Then we had to play a new player as we only had three recognised central midfielders in the Championship year. Our chairman's pretty patient - he took over in 1990 - so even though we're not performing as well as last year, I think Coppell's pretty safe for now (he's got a lot of credit for just being up here). He is a bit tight though - he's said that Murty might not get a testimonial simply because he's been paid pretty well over the last ten years. (Edit: delete errant apostrophe. Longest serving manager's what?)
DoEvents: Generating unexpected recursion since 1991
modified on Thursday, January 10, 2008 9:01:04 AM
When it comes to team with problems think of poor old Luton. We have no Board, No money, No owner, no Points (well a lot deducted for going into administration), and still hold Liverpool! (I Actually think we played a lot better than the Scousers last Sunday). There is talk of a fan led buy out, I do hope so, otherwise we will be gonners! :( Still, a replay at Anfield will bring Lots of Dosh! :-D
------------------------------------ I try to appear cooler, by calling him Euler.
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Funnily enough I thought of your post when I saw that announced! "Full backing" seems to be a precursor to an imminent sacking. If you look at the list of longest serving managers[^], I'm surprised to see our Steve Coppell (Reading) at number 7. If you only include Premier League clubs he's at number 4! He's only been with us for about four years. We're just about having to look at rebuilding the team. This squad has done incredibly well - about 80% of our history has been at third tier or lower, in the late 80s we had a couple of seasons in the second tier and four in the mid-90s, but it's only under Alan Pardew and Coppell in the last 8 years that we've had a consistent push for promotion, first out of the third tier and then out of the Championship. It's been variable - before Pardew, we had Tommy Burns (now touted for Scotland manager) who frankly wasted a lot of the chairman's money on some pretty mediocre signings, although a lot of them did get injured very quickly. (This explains £700,000 for Graeme Murty, a record not broken that often even now, and that he took a good couple of years to break properly into the first team squad.) The problem for new signings is breaking into the team - over a sequence of five or so league games we played the same team, all of whom had been at the club in 2005/6, and with only two changes from what we'd have considered the first team - Gunnarsson in for Sidwell (gone to Chelsea) and Hunt for Little (long-term achilles injury). Only Gunnarsson's red card against West Ham (stupid two-footed challenge) stopped this run continuing. Then we had to play a new player as we only had three recognised central midfielders in the Championship year. Our chairman's pretty patient - he took over in 1990 - so even though we're not performing as well as last year, I think Coppell's pretty safe for now (he's got a lot of credit for just being up here). He is a bit tight though - he's said that Murty might not get a testimonial simply because he's been paid pretty well over the last ten years. (Edit: delete errant apostrophe. Longest serving manager's what?)
DoEvents: Generating unexpected recursion since 1991
modified on Thursday, January 10, 2008 9:01:04 AM
Mike Dimmick wrote:
Funnily enough I thought of your post when I saw that announced! "Full backing" seems to be a precursor to an imminent sacking.
I wonder if IT management or any management would use a term like 'Full Backing' before giving you the boot. 'You want to do what??' ... 'Sounds like a great idea, you have my full backing.'
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Last Thursday I made a comment on here that since the Chairman and Board of Newcastle United had given "Big" Sam Allardyce it's full backing and commitment, he would be clearing his desk pretty quickly. He was fired Last Night! 10 Managers in 10 years is not an enviable record for any football club, but one as big as the Magpies ought to do better! Still, nice to see my prophesy come true :) hawaay the toon!
------------------------------------ I try to appear cooler, by calling him Euler.
...been at the Spice Melange again?
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...been at the Spice Melange again?
martin_hughes wrote:
...been at the Spice Melange again?
"I'm not a number. I'm a fremen."
Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.
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martin_hughes wrote:
...been at the Spice Melange again?
"I'm not a number. I'm a fremen."
Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.
"We foresee a slight problem. The Duke's son. We want him killed. I did not say this. I am not here."
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Last Thursday I made a comment on here that since the Chairman and Board of Newcastle United had given "Big" Sam Allardyce it's full backing and commitment, he would be clearing his desk pretty quickly. He was fired Last Night! 10 Managers in 10 years is not an enviable record for any football club, but one as big as the Magpies ought to do better! Still, nice to see my prophesy come true :) hawaay the toon!
------------------------------------ I try to appear cooler, by calling him Euler.
I don't follow soccer* much but does Newcastle have any English players? * I even call it soccer which proves a point
regards, Paul Watson Ireland & South Africa
Andy Brummer wrote:
Watson's law: As an online discussion of cars grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving the Bugatti Veyron approaches one.
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martin_hughes wrote:
...been at the Spice Melange again?
"I'm not a number. I'm a fremen."
Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.
GROAN!!! (and 5 :) )
------------------------------------ I try to appear cooler, by calling him Euler.
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I don't follow soccer* much but does Newcastle have any English players? * I even call it soccer which proves a point
regards, Paul Watson Ireland & South Africa
Andy Brummer wrote:
Watson's law: As an online discussion of cars grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving the Bugatti Veyron approaches one.
Is that because it is "The English Game"? My grandfather came from Waterford, and had to keep his "Soccer" playing very discreet! He was told to play hurling, but prefered soccer, ended up playing for the Schoolboy internationsals back in the 30's!
------------------------------------ I try to appear cooler, by calling him Euler.
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Is that because it is "The English Game"? My grandfather came from Waterford, and had to keep his "Soccer" playing very discreet! He was told to play hurling, but prefered soccer, ended up playing for the Schoolboy internationsals back in the 30's!
------------------------------------ I try to appear cooler, by calling him Euler.
I am a South African, we call it soccer down there, like the Yanks do. And times have changed in Waterford. They still love their hurling but they all have their favourite English soccer side. There is the Waterford FC too, doesn't do very well but they have a pitch, stand and club.
regards, Paul Watson Ireland & South Africa
Andy Brummer wrote:
Watson's law: As an online discussion of cars grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving the Bugatti Veyron approaches one.
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Last Thursday I made a comment on here that since the Chairman and Board of Newcastle United had given "Big" Sam Allardyce it's full backing and commitment, he would be clearing his desk pretty quickly. He was fired Last Night! 10 Managers in 10 years is not an enviable record for any football club, but one as big as the Magpies ought to do better! Still, nice to see my prophesy come true :) hawaay the toon!
------------------------------------ I try to appear cooler, by calling him Euler.
All Hail Paul Mua'dib!
¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! Real Mentats use only 100% pure, unfooled around with Sapho Juice(tm)! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned Save an Orange - Use the VCF! VCF Blog
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I don't follow soccer* much but does Newcastle have any English players? * I even call it soccer which proves a point
regards, Paul Watson Ireland & South Africa
Andy Brummer wrote:
Watson's law: As an online discussion of cars grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving the Bugatti Veyron approaches one.
Joey Barton, Michael Owen, Steve Harper, James Milner, Alan Smith, Nicky Butt, Shola Ameobi[*], Ben Tozer, Peter Ramage, Steven Taylor, plus of course a few Academy graduates who've done well enough to get a first-team squad number but not to really have an impact or recognition from a fan of another club. Ameobi was born in Nigeria but moved to the Newcastle area when young (joining their academy at 14) and has played for England Under-21, so is counted as English. Source[^]. I'm going by the flags next to their names, but players qualify to play for other nations through their heritage or through long-term residency in another countries. My club, Reading, have seven players in or around the first team who qualify to play for England (plus many with official squad numbers - we splash them around more than some). We also have a 'Welshman' and a 'Scot' who were both born in England, though, and have used their heritage to get into these other international teams in the past. Inevitably the smaller nations claim players who are good, but (allegedly) not good enough for England. One of our Englishmen was actually born in the Democratic Republic of Congo (or Zaire, at the time), and another turned down the chance to play for Ireland. One of the three players who's gone to the African Cup of Nations tournament plays for the Ivory Coast but was born and brought up in France. For added confusion, there are currently calls for Arsenal's goalkeeper, Manuel Almunia, to be called up for England, because he has been resident for five years (qualifying him for British citizenship) and has never played at international level.
DoEvents: Generating unexpected recursion since 1991
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I am a South African, we call it soccer down there, like the Yanks do. And times have changed in Waterford. They still love their hurling but they all have their favourite English soccer side. There is the Waterford FC too, doesn't do very well but they have a pitch, stand and club.
regards, Paul Watson Ireland & South Africa
Andy Brummer wrote:
Watson's law: As an online discussion of cars grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving the Bugatti Veyron approaches one.
Paul Watson wrote:
but they all have their favourite English soccer side
I'm guessing Sunderland and Reading are near the top of those lists? Quite a few Irish lads in both those sides, and Sunderland have Irish owners and an Irish manager too. One of our lads swapped hurling for football only at about age 14, and became the first person to play both hurling and international football at Croke Park last year. I thought one of them was from Waterford but it looks like I was wrong.
DoEvents: Generating unexpected recursion since 1991
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Paul Watson wrote:
but they all have their favourite English soccer side
I'm guessing Sunderland and Reading are near the top of those lists? Quite a few Irish lads in both those sides, and Sunderland have Irish owners and an Irish manager too. One of our lads swapped hurling for football only at about age 14, and became the first person to play both hurling and international football at Croke Park last year. I thought one of them was from Waterford but it looks like I was wrong.
DoEvents: Generating unexpected recursion since 1991
Well, the Irish will support anything Keano does even if it is crap, so yes to Sunderland. Don't know any Reading supporters. But mainly the big English sides like Man U, Liverpool, Chelsea etc. One lad supports Leeds but... well, he is depressed about it. Plenty of Man U and Chelsea bumper stickers around Waterford.
regards, Paul Watson Ireland & South Africa
Andy Brummer wrote:
Watson's law: As an online discussion of cars grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving the Bugatti Veyron approaches one.
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Well, the Irish will support anything Keano does even if it is crap, so yes to Sunderland. Don't know any Reading supporters. But mainly the big English sides like Man U, Liverpool, Chelsea etc. One lad supports Leeds but... well, he is depressed about it. Plenty of Man U and Chelsea bumper stickers around Waterford.
regards, Paul Watson Ireland & South Africa
Andy Brummer wrote:
Watson's law: As an online discussion of cars grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving the Bugatti Veyron approaches one.
There's a Sunderland/Reading/Waterford connection going on right now: Stephen Hunt was born in County Laois but brought up in Waterford (I knew it was one of them but didn't read far enough down the bio), currently plays for Reading, Sunderland keep making outrageous offers (hit £4.5m earlier in the day) and Reading keep turning it down. Long may it continue. Turning down the offers, that is. Right now we're a little (indeed, a Little[^]) short-handed in that department anyway, and we're having enough trouble attracting players as it is. We do not need another problem area to fill in this ridiculous 30 day sales rush.
DoEvents: Generating unexpected recursion since 1991
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When it comes to team with problems think of poor old Luton. We have no Board, No money, No owner, no Points (well a lot deducted for going into administration), and still hold Liverpool! (I Actually think we played a lot better than the Scousers last Sunday). There is talk of a fan led buy out, I do hope so, otherwise we will be gonners! :( Still, a replay at Anfield will bring Lots of Dosh! :-D
------------------------------------ I try to appear cooler, by calling him Euler.
Dalek Dave wrote:
I Actually think we played a lot better than the Scousers last Sunday
Not difficult - we were appalling. OK, we were missing Stevie, Nando and Pepe, but the 11 we put out should (with all due respect) have managed a win...
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When it comes to team with problems think of poor old Luton. We have no Board, No money, No owner, no Points (well a lot deducted for going into administration), and still hold Liverpool! (I Actually think we played a lot better than the Scousers last Sunday). There is talk of a fan led buy out, I do hope so, otherwise we will be gonners! :( Still, a replay at Anfield will bring Lots of Dosh! :-D
------------------------------------ I try to appear cooler, by calling him Euler.
Oh dear. Blackwell resigns.[^] Shame. I don't know much about how 'no money' happened although we went through some tough times in the 80s (er, reportedly - I don't come from a football family and really only started following football at all and Reading in particular in the late 90s). Bloody Robert Maxwell wanted to merge us with Oxford and move to Didcot as 'Thames Valley Royals'. The bloke that took over after him ran out of money and as Madejski took over, the attendances were pretty low (apparently 1,934 at home to Bradford towards the end of the 1990-91 season was the lowest home league attendance at Elm Park). Of course there were highlights and we still get a lot of people reminiscing about beating, um, you in a Wembley final (Simod Cup 1987/88) in one of our brief visits to the second division (we also got relegated that year - a cup run isn't much consolation apparently). I'd say 'see you in the 5th round' but we've got to beat Spurs in the replay then Man United at their place before we can get that far.
DoEvents: Generating unexpected recursion since 1991
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Oh dear. Blackwell resigns.[^] Shame. I don't know much about how 'no money' happened although we went through some tough times in the 80s (er, reportedly - I don't come from a football family and really only started following football at all and Reading in particular in the late 90s). Bloody Robert Maxwell wanted to merge us with Oxford and move to Didcot as 'Thames Valley Royals'. The bloke that took over after him ran out of money and as Madejski took over, the attendances were pretty low (apparently 1,934 at home to Bradford towards the end of the 1990-91 season was the lowest home league attendance at Elm Park). Of course there were highlights and we still get a lot of people reminiscing about beating, um, you in a Wembley final (Simod Cup 1987/88) in one of our brief visits to the second division (we also got relegated that year - a cup run isn't much consolation apparently). I'd say 'see you in the 5th round' but we've got to beat Spurs in the replay then Man United at their place before we can get that far.
DoEvents: Generating unexpected recursion since 1991
Fat chance of seeing the 5th round! Lucky to see the Replay at this rate. :(
------------------------------------ I try to appear cooler, by calling him Euler.