Angry Fans
COME here to me Liam. Are you heartily sick of the hype and propaganda being spewed out by the Dublin media over the start of the English soccer season? I mean, like, how many players from the world champions Italy are playing there? None! It’s third rate.
Why don’t these hype merchants report on the wonderful GAA championships, which have just come to a glorious, colourful climax? The average GAA player is a noble Corinthian with deep roots in his local community playing for the love of his parish and county. Marrying a local girl and passing on his skills and passion to the local youngsters.
While over in England their soccer players are only interested in filthy lucre. Living in soulless mansions. When their career is over what can they look forward to? Well, if they are lucky, a spot on Celebrity Love Island, and if they are very lucky, a bit of slap and tickle with a bottle blonde slapper from Emmerdale Farm in the Love Shack.
: Good man, Stan. A glorious, colourful climax indeed. Or, as the new celebrity show might have it, “I’m a Mayo man, get me out of here.” By the way, would a pre-West Ham Carlos Tevez have qualified as “a noble Cortinthian”?
WHY are skillful midfielders like Stephen McPhail and Liam Miller playing in the championship while very limited footballers like Lee Carsley and Robbie Savage are playing in the Premiership? Is it because most managers in the British game would rather have workhorses in midfield, players who chase after the ball for 90 minutes and just hoof it away as soon as they get it.
If McPhail and Miller were Spanish their talent would be encouraged and they would be the ones playing in La Liga and Robbie Savage would be a bullfighter.
: Or perhaps a bull. I can get a bit sick myself of the endless veneration of the ‘box to box, great engine’ model of the ‘classic’ British midfielder. On the other hand, Mike, given Liam Miller’s underwhelming performance for Sunderland on Saturday, your letter might have been better-timed.
SO Colin Montgomerie has suggested that Mourinho be invited to Ireland to help Ian Woosnam to bond his talented individuals into a winning European team. Tiger Woods was at Stamford Bridge on Sunday so perhaps the Yanks have got in first.
: Wrong end of the stick Charlie. Chelsea have actually bought Woodsy to prevent him playing for the US. He will, of course, only be on the bench for Europe.
WHEN Thom Yorke of Radiohead saw Canary Wharf he wrote ‘Fake Plastic Trees’.
When Carlos Tevez of West Ham saw it, he went nuts. I know which short, deformed ugly chap I think will have a longer lasting impact on popular culture.
: Enlightened criticism, I think we can all agree. As far as unlikely transfers go, I could have hardly have been more astonished if the boy Yorkie had ended up at Upton Park. Then we’d have seen some sulks.
REALITY check for Fergie and co after Sunday. The signs of weakness were there against Celtic and were even more obvious against Arsenal who ran us ragged at times. Carrick may be a good player, but he’s not a dominant midfielder . . . and where are the rest of the reinforcements? We hear that United’s “experts” did not think Javier Mascherano worth a punt; Senna did not arrive from Spain; there’s a lot of blather about the return of Scholes and Solskjaer being like signing “two new players.”
Meanwhile it’s taken one injury to Park Si-Jung to emphasise just how thin the United squad is.
: And maybe Keano was right about Roo too? Speaking of which...
ANYONE been listening to what his Corkness has been saying in his interviews since becoming manager of Sunderland? I’ve not heard so much common sense in such a short period of time for many years.
His comments about United at the weekend were spot on, particularly pointing out that Wayne Rooney is an over-eulogised player who hasn’t scored either for England or in the Champions League for a long time.
Then there were his comments on Keano being too critical of foreign players such as Ronaldo and Veron. Finally he states what many people are reluctant to acknowledge — Mourinho is an outstanding manager who has got Chelsea supremely well-organised.
Strong on insight, tact and diplomacy. Plus early results on the field. It’s been an impressive debut for Keano the manager, and Roy the Pundit.
: Your name is Jose Mourinho and I claim my five million roubles.
ANY chance of The Sun repeating their gimmick of last season when Chelsea were rampant and putting up £10,000 for the first player to score against Portsmouth?
I SAW one national newspaper on Sunday which couldn’t just preview the Liverpool game . . . it had to include a column on the “top 10 Chelsea whingers” Ashley Cole; David Mellor; Mourinho; Kenyon; Ballack; Gallas; Crespo; Bosnich; Abramovich; Bogarde.
So by way of balance here’s my list of the top 10 whingers ABOUT Chelsea: James Lawton (Independent and Gooner flag waver); Steven Howard (Sun); Mick Dennis (Daily Diana); Jeff Powell (Daily Mail); Liam Brady/Johnny Giles/Eamon Dunphy (I view all of these as one person really); Patrick Collins (Mail on Sunday); Simon Hattenstone, Nicky Campbell and Richard Williams (the Guardian, another combined award); Steve Curry (Daily Mail . . . is there a bit of a pattern here do you think?); Andy Gray (Sky); Mike Parry (TalkSport).
I can honestly say that the spiteful vindictiveness in the English press stands alone. There’s some serious hatred masquerading as “cleverness” out there.
How lucky we are Liam, to have someone like you to bring some humour and balance to the rest of the madness.
: Thanks, Cork Blue. Have your usual red card for the transparent brown-nosing. And not since Joe McCarthy was on the case Stateside, have I read a more detailed dossier on meeja the enemy within, names and all. Still, I’d expect they’d argue that it’s better to be read than blue.
IF Rafa Benitez really does know his best team then he’s doing a very good job of disguising it. Steven Gerrard on the left side of midfield? Do me a favour.
: Agreed, Rafa needs to settle on his first eleven. But, then again, if Gerrard had used poise rather than power on Sunday, you might be singing a slightly different tune.
CAN’T wait for the BBC documentary into the corruption in English football.
Here’s my bet . . . it will be a series of unsubstantiated allegations, rumour and speculation; denials, counter denials and legal threats. And nothing will come of it. Same for the Stevens inquiry. Richard Scudamore is looking very relaxed, even prophesying that the next big wave of foreign investment is going to be from . . . China.
: For saving us all the bother of staying in tonight, have our Letter of the Week prize, Dennis, as well as a media job in which you can combine the role of tv critic with that of astrologer. Of course, in the unlikely event of there being a wave of dawn arrests of gaffers, agents and the like tomorrow morning, you’ll have to send the gong back.
