Angry fans
This week Liam comes to the defence of Robbie Keane, gives his take on the rumours of Liverpool’s high jinks, says that Sparky Hughes can look after himself, warns Manchester United to wait until Easter before counting chickens and speculates about Spurs’ chances for the FA Cup.
THE criticism Damien Duff and Robbie Keane are getting at the moment is a little unfair. Maybe the reason they’re struggling is something to do with the lack of invention in midfield. There was a time when we could get Keane in to a game by hitting the occasional long ball to Niall Quinn.That option is no longer there. The ball has to come through midfield and that’s why it’s vital Andy Reid is back for the big games in Croke Park.
CAN anyone explain to me why Robbie Keane doesn’t score goals for Ireland like he did for Spurs on Sunday? Instinctive, shoot-on-sight, strikes. How long since we have seen him do that in the Green? Five years I would say. World Cup 2002 in Japan and Korea.
Well, just for the record, Tony, he did get a hat-trick against San Marino. But maybe, for Ireland, Keane needs to be unburdened of the captaincy and allowed to do what, as the goals against Fulham showed, he still does best.
I DON’T know what the FAI committee were thinking when they appointed Steven Staunton as the Ireland manager. I couldn’t watch the San Marino match because it was a embarrassment. I mean, if Germany can kill them 13-0, surely we can beat them easily but we nearly lost our dignity that night.
Now I’m a GAA man and I don’t follow soccer much but I know we should have hammered them. It’s the sign of a very poor team and a even poorer manager. I mean, he was a brilliant player but I don’t think he’s up for the job at all!
Controversial stuff, Brian.
FERGIE? Got just what he deserved by fielding a weaker team against Reading. And so did Wenger. You pick the team to beat the opposition, not the team you think you can get away with.
I happen to agree with you Patrick but, never mind Wenger and Fergie, try telling this to Steve Coppell.
YET again while reading the paper I have become enraged at Cristiano Ronaldo. It is reported that he is going to leave unless he receives €240,000 a week. I think that his current form is almost worth it but I do not think he will be able to sustain it into next year. If he was sold they could bring in Quaresma or Joaquin or even Vicente but United shouldn’t be held to ransom by a boy. If he was a man he would speak publicly about his desire to leave instead of through his agent.
“Talking through his agent.” I think you might have just added a pithy new phrase to the footballers’ lexicon, Daniel.
ARSENAL should pick their strongest team to play Chelsea in the Carling Cup Final next Sunday, not leave out Henry and Gallas. That’s what Arsenal supporters want. Sure, the second tier might beat Chelsea and that would be a great result. But can you see Chelsea leaving out Terry and Cech because they didn’t play in the earlier rounds. Of course not. A trophy’s a trophy.
Surely a much bigger issue for football is the practice of playing over strength teams in reserve football. How come none of our fans get angry about this?
I’LL BET that when Liverpool supporters were thinking of all the players they could sign with their Confederate dollars that the name “Voronin” wasn’t the first one, or even the last one, that came to mind. Still, I suppose “Villa” starts with the same letter of the alphabet.
BARCELONA against Liverpool on Wednesday. Is this a tie to find out which is the most disunited club in Europe at this particular moment. Why not just put Bellamy and Eto’o into the ring to slug it out with each other for first go on the karaoke machine?
THE Liverpool scandal is but the latest in a long line. For Craig Bellamy swinging a golf club simply substitute Joey Barton and a cigar, or Dennis Wise punching a fellow player’s lights out. Team bonding? You can’t beat it can you? Bet the new American owners loved that story. Brand damaging or what?
Never mind brain-damaging; I can’t get the image of Craig Bellamy swinging a cigar-smoking Joey Barton out of my head.
I NOTICE Glenn Roeder didn’t pick Jonny Wilkinson for Newcastle’s midweek UEFA Cup game. I really hope he wasn’t resting him for the Croke Park match next Saturday.
No worries, Eddie will stick the Duffer on the wing.
CAN’T wait for Sunderland to be promoted so that Keano can line up against Ferguson, Wenger, Mourinho and Benitez. I wonder which one of those is going to make his sparks fly the most.
Winner of our Letter of the Week award for services to appetite-whetting.
JEEZUS. That wasn’t the best FA Cup TV debut for George O’Callaghan was it? Should have stuck with Cork City.
The endless sympathy of the Angry Fans never ceases to amaze me.
LIAM, can you explain exactly what is happening with the eircom League, in one paragraph, in words that we can all understand? And tell us, also, why Shelbourne are being given special treatment.
Mick, I could more easily distil the Bible into one par than tell you all you need to know about the eircom League. As they say, watch this space.
ASHLEY Cole had words to say about the younger players at Arsenal such as Senderos and Fabregas and their attitude to the game and older professionals. After Fibreglass’s disgraceful comments to Mark Hughes it seems that “Cashley” may just have had a point. Innit?
I think Sparky is well able to defend himself (as lip readers may have noticed on Saturday).
WITH the league already wrapped up, Manchester United must be serious contenders for the Champions League. An easy fixture against Lille coupled with the decline of a number of big European teams gives United their best opportunity of winning the competition in a long time. One of the main reasons for their remarkable turnaround was the decision by Sir Alex to weed out the trouble makers who were having a disruptive influence on the squad, ie. Keane and Van Nistelrooy.
I think we should just wait for the Easter programme before hanging out the victory bunting Peter.
OH my aching sides. I’ve just read the story that José Mourinho is to be replaced by Martin Jol at the end of the season. Just where do journalists get their stories from? You couldn’t make them up. Or could you?
Red card for even suggesting such a thing.
CHELSEA away in the Cup? Argggh. Still, I suppose we have to beat Top Four sides to win the thing. Maybe it will be their turn for the dodgy lasagne.
But there isn’t a “1” in the year Pat, or whatever it was that Chas and Dave used to waffle on about.
