The Road To Recovery

These last few days have been a time to remember - not just for me but for those around me.

My dad had his triple heart bypass operation yesterday. I heard this morning that after a night of being sedated they were bringing him round and he had started responding. A major trauma for the body in any event but for a man with a chronic renal condition and carrying too much weight, nothing short of life threatening.

It's not all plain sailing yet and I'm sure we will have more challenges to face.Hopefully though this signals his first steps on the road to recovery and an improved quality of life.

And while all this was going on, my friend David, who is in his early 50s, has been riding solo through Welsh mountains on his bike to raise money for my charity. His latest post shows what a personal challenge his adventure has been, testing him to his limits and requiring him to draw on his strength of spirit.

I have no doubt he is looking forward to a few less taxing days now to allow his body to recuperate.

With all this in my head, I was therefore very struck upon reading an interview with Foxes' defender Chris Powell. It is clear that at long last we have someone managing the club who recognises that things have been sick at Leicester for a number of years and that as with any serious illness it takes time, effort and commitment to bring about healing.

Lets hope 2009 continues to offer a pathway to recovery for such things dear to my heart.

What A Prat!

A world record has been broken today.

David Pratt, striker with non-league Chippenham, has got the record for the fastest sending off ever in the world. 3 seconds!

What a plonker!

And what about that idiot Ricardo Fuller - another striker? Slapping his own captain in the face!

I mean - what??!!

As for today's top story - well I'm obviously not going to comment directly on the incident which is subject to Criminal Justice process, but I would certainly suggest that anyone who is a friend of Saint Stevie of Me might have a word in his ear about how sensible it is to be out at 2.30 in the morning in a place where he is at the very least vulnerable to drunken trouble.

Let's hope he proves not to be involved.

Otherwise he will have to leave Liverpool and join the other fallen angels.

Hidden Treasure

A weird thing happened to me today.

As you may know, the manner by which Leicester City became the love of my life was somewhat unusual compared to the usual routes people follow to become a supporter of their team.

One of the reasons I chose them was a slightly distant family link. My paternal grandmother was from the area and my father's cousin lived there until her death a year or so ago.

When I was at the hospital today visiting my dad, his sister and her husband were there too.

And yes you've guessed it - I managed to turn the conversation to football.

We talked about my cousin being a Stoke and Liverpool fan. He and my uncle went to the Britannia on Christmas Day to see Stoke play the ManUre (having queued for about 4 hours for tickets!).

When I mentioned that I support Leicester City, my aunt told a story about how Gary Lineker used to live next to my dad's cousin as a boy. He apparently regularly kicked his ball into their garden and on occasions her husband kept it.

Sadly none of these balls has yet made an appearance in the collection of family heirlooms but you never know do you?

Well Slap My Thigh!

You'll be pleased to know that I managed to follow the games as they happened yesterday, by fair means and foul. I even got to watch MOTD!

Oh no you didn't!

Oh yes I did!

Hooray for Robbie Keane! Lets hope this really is the end of his Liverpool goal drought.

Boo to you Arsene Wenger - you are a great manager so just stop whingeing! It is very undignified.

Drat drat and double drat those pantomime villains who scrambled a last minute equaliser against us.

Anyway I'm off to my Mum's house now.

Where is it?

Well behind you of course!

So this is your pantomime dame signing off for tonight.

Bye bye girls and boys.

Foray Into Football Wilderness

My son loved his Arsenal shirt. Of course.

He in turn bought me a book called "1001 Football Moments", a great gift for a girl trying to backfill years in her football knowledge.

Today brings a day with my lover's family in Bath. The biggest day in the footballing calender. Every league team in action.

Unfortunately, no-one else in the family is really into football.

So in amongst the laughter, presents and music I'm going to have to find surreptitious ways to track the action.

A pocket radio and frequent trips to the loo (better they think I have a weak bladder than I am being antisocial). A walk down the street to see if any curtains have been left open displaying footballing action on the TV screen.

Oh and one member of the family is a part-time Barnsley fan. A few kind comments about pies might persuade him to let me take a peek at the live scores on his computer.

Other than that I might have to rely on telepathy.

So if you start feeling sorry for yourself at any point during the day, just remember - there is always someone worse off.

Georgina is in football wilderness.

Seasonal Greetings

Merry Christmas!

Are we all feeling Christmassy?

Enjoying the season of goodwill to all men - and women (apart from Leeds United fans of course)?

Me too.

Lets hope all our footballers have got over their Christmas parties and are concentrating on preparing for tomorrow's fixtures.

It's been quite a year in the beautiful game hasn't it?

I can't wait for the next one.

I'm off now to grab a crab, nibble a lobster and lick a langoustine.

Yum yum!

Look At The Muck In Here

Hey! Sorry for not posting yesterday. Bad headache.

But here I am back tonight.

And feeling excited.

"Because it's Christmas?" I hear you ask.

Well yes of course I'm looking forward to that.

My dad's coming out of hospital for the day (he is still waiting for his op).

We are having a quiet Christmas at home my lover and I. Lobster, crab, scallops and prawns for lunch followed by Christmas Pud and clotted cream.

Then my children over in the evening for home cooked ham and other goodies.

All good stuff.

But what I'm really excited about is our fixture on Boxing Day.

How fitting that to celebrate this Christian festival, the forces of good will be taking on the forces of evil.

Personally I think their new manager should have stuck to his stage act.

Oh and the best Christmas present ever. Matty Fryatt has renewed his contract.

Tony Adams Exposes Himself

Am I alone in thinking Tony Adams is a little - well - unusual?

Whenever I seem him interviewed on the telly I want to yell at him to take 6 months off and rest. He looks like a man who has not had a day's leave in 20 years.

The worries of the world on his shoulders.

According to someone on Talk Sport yesterday, his wife has a 'grudge' book, in which she writes the name of anyone who says anything negative about her man.

I'm not sure if she has dolls she sticks pins in too. Either way I'm probably courting danger with the title of this post.

I know he has had a personal and very public journey to get where he is today which can't have been easy. But it's almost like he is inside out, his inner feelings and vulnerability exposed for all to see.

Question is can he somehow turn this into a strength or is he simply the wrong man in the wrong job?

No doubt time will tell.

Ouch!!

I think my doll just got a pin in it's bottom.

Leicester 'Til I Die

This is my 600th post.

You may have noticed earlier this week I had to put a new hit counter on. My old one proved too small and reaching the 100,000 mark returned to 0. As you can see this one is bigger.

So since I started blogging on 7th March 2007, this site has had over 100,000 hits. How amazing is that?!

So many girls learning about football with me - and a few boys too!

All sharing the joy and the grief of the beautiful game.

Some joining in the debate.

Others content to sit and watch from the sideline.

So would I stop posting if people stopped reading the blog?

Possibly.

Would I stop following football?

No chance!

I'm Leicester 'til I die remember.

If Only

Today I'm loving Craig Morgan, Matty Fryatt, Andy King and Steve Howard!

4 -0 to the Foxes.

Wish I had been there.

I could have got up and sung with the crowd to this 4 times.

I could have rolled up in my Parka and Leicester City scarf, with a radio earpiece in one of my ears to listen to the BBC Leicestershire commentary. I could have had a slightly dodgy veggie pasty at half time. And chanted abusive songs at The Posh fans.

I'd have had a fry up on the way at the little roadside cafe we visit when we go up the Fosse way.

And I'd have smiled all the way home.

Missing You!

Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Yes - HE's back.

Having a little poke.

And a smile as he relishes the fixture ahead.

Come back to us! You belong in the Prem.

Today's The Day

Mystery of the day: What's going on at Arsenal?

Best quote of the day: "I wouldn't sell them a virus"

Boast of the day: I'm the man

Surprising geographical change of the day: Norwich, it would seem, is now in Scotland

Consolation of the day: My lover couldn't answer any more questions than me of this quiz - i.e. nul points!

Highlight of the day: Georgina Best sang a solo in Gloucester Cathedral.

True Or False?

In difficult times we all need something to bring a smile to our faces don't we?

True or false?

So Macho

I'm sad to say my dad is in hospital at the moment.

He was admitted last week following a suspected heart attack and we have been told today that he needs a triple heart bypass within the next couple of weeks.

Hard to find much cheer in such circumstances but there was a small incident last week that brought a smile to my face.

When I was on my way to visit my dad I decided to get him something to read. My lover suggested a rugby magazine, which given my father's love of the egg chasers seemed a good idea. After carefully checking no one I knew could observe me overcoming my feelings of distaste, being the ardent fan I am of the only beautiful game, I acquiesced.

And what an eye opener it proved to be.

Used to the somewhat 'boysey ' style of my favourite publication, Four Four Two, with its action shots of great strikes, and grinding tackles, I was shocked to see the photos in what in the egg chasing world is known as a rugby magazine but to the rest of us is strikingly more like a soft porn magazine.

Rippling pecs barely concealed beneath the skimpiest of Lycra. Poses worthy of any male model.

And done in a way more likely to appeal to other boys rather than girls I would suggest.

Nothing wrong with that of course, but I did have a wry smile to myself when I remembered how my father is always lampooning "cissy footballers who get carried off on a stretcher if they so much as break an eyelash".

I guess it just goes to show there is more than one sort of macho.

Open And Shut Case

As Mother Superior said in The Sound of Music, when one door closes another one opens.

Something along those lines anyway. Just before she sings this if my memory serves me correctly.

Anyway to more important things.

Today's closing door was in the face of Paul Ince.

Not entirely unexpected.

I'm not quite sure how I feel about it though. On the one hand I am not sure he was really cutting it. On the other hand I can't help noting that the Blackburn Board knew he did not have management experience in the Premiership when they appointed him. It might be argued that they should have expected to give him more support and more time before calling time.

The opening door sees the return of Eduardo, who is playing tonight in the reserve team against Portsmouth.

I'm delighted to see him back. How timely that I just happen to have purchased for my son an Arsenal home shirt with Eduardo and the number 9 on it for Christmas.

Merry Christmas son.

Of Elders And Betters

One of the things I really love about my job is that I work with older people.

I've only been in the field for about 3 years, having previously worked within the Criminal Justice System. Amongst the many things it has brought me is a deep appreciation of older people and the contribution they have made and still make to our society.

In a fickle world that makes someone a celebrity one minute, only to shoot them down the next and which celebrates youth and beauty above all other things, I have learned to admire and respect our 'elders'.

What delight then to see Sir Bobby Charlton given a lifetime achievement award at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony last night.

Older people are so often invisible nowadays.

But imagine a world without them.

Red Faces, Blue Glory

Whose got a red face this weekend then?

Well Portsmouth for a start. West Brom. Blackburn Rovers for definite. But Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Man U to some extent too.

11 games without a win for Blackburn. I think perhaps we had a lucky escape back in the summer. It is certainly starting to look bleaker for Mr Ince. Firmly ensconced in the relegation zone with 5 points to even catch the team above (who are also in the relegation zone!).

Then there is West Brom who have only managed 3 wins all season. Even though there is quite a way to go before the end of the season, it is hard to imagine they are going to be able to pull themselves out of the mire and avoid relegation.

Still you know what they say. You have to have losers to have winnners.

Not that losing is really a word in the Foxes' vocabaulary at the moment (smiles!)

Do I think we might see at least one manager go before Christmas?

I think there is a good chance.

Don't you?

Have You Heard The One About .........

It's dark. It's cold. And it's wet.

The weather I mean.

And it's a slow football news day.

So why not have a laugh instead.

Here's something to whet your appetite;

Football: A game consisting of 22 skilled players, one impartial referee, two eagle eyed referee's assistants and one stupid ball.

Teammate: Another person that you have to dribble around

Fans: Two sets of abusive referees

Offside: The Bermuda Triangle area of the pitch where "innocent" players are drawn towards.

Scoring: When 11 men spontaneously start dancing and kissing, regardless of any injuries, whilst 11 others droop like wallflowers

Striker: Faultless, overpaid, box hogging layabout who only misses the goal when he is fed a bad ball

Defender: Player who's function is to commit fouls just outside of the penalty area

Ball: Round object used by referees to entice players into committing fouls

Find more here.

Misunderstanding

Sir Alex Ferguson to Wayne Rooney;

"I said he's got champ on his vest you idiot. Not stamp on his chest!"

A Man For Two Seasons

I work in the world of social care.

I attended an event today which was focussed upon the changes that are coming about in the world of social care.

Put in a nutshell, the emphasis will shift away from providing a range of services which you then slot people into according to their needs, to the whole process being driven with the individual where they get allocated a budget according to their assessed need but can then use it pretty much as they want to buy the care and support they need.

Anyway, as part of this, we were given the example of where the approach has been used in an area piloting the scheme. A man who became severely disabled and needed a high level of care provided by his partner chose to spend his allocated budget on two season tickets for his football club. One for him and one for his neighbour.

This might seem bizarre to start with but it meant he could do something he really loved (i.e. watch live football), cared for by his neighbour, who's reward was seeing the football too. His partner in the meantime regularly got an afternoon off, providing her with valuable respite from his full-time care.

Clever huh!

Anyway, I overheard a conversation about this case during the lunch break. A small group were discussing the pros and cons of the approach.

I leaned forward and said " It strikes me that there is one critical question to ask here to determine if this use of public money is reasonable. Which team does the man support?"

They looked at me then someone said " It's Rotherham".

"Then I think it is OK", I said.

Needless to say my view might have been different had he been a Leeds United fan.

Sum Things Don't Add Up

Today's lesson girls is Maths.

Football Maths.

The important thing about Football Maths is that unlike ordinary Maths, the rules of logic do not necessarily apply.

For example, what do you think you get if you add a good player to a good team?

Your answer is probably "a better team".

Not unreasonable and in some circumstances correct.

But not all.

Lets try another.

This time we will make it a bit more complicated and include negative values.

If Z = success then -Z = failure

With me so far?

So if M = a successful manager and T = a successful team then T x -M= -T

Quite straightforward isn't it.

OK - here's another.

If you add a lost match to a grumpy hotheaded goalie what do you get?

Answer - Trouble.

For homework, I'd like you to work out how many more points Leicester City have than Swindon.

My Little Black Book

I received my first Christmas present today.

I was delighted.

Well to start with.

It was a little book entitled "What Girls Know About Football"

Black with pink writing about the size of a small diary.

With it a short note.

"Georgie.
Everything that you know about football is contained in this book.
Happy Christmas.
Derek
x"

How lovely I thought.

What a kind gesture.

On the first page a picture of a green teddy holding a sign saying "A Happy Christmas To Some".

The second page was blank.

And the third.

And the fourth.

In fact they were all blank.

Derek - just remember, like all good football fans I have a very very long memory.

Oh and I shall spend the year filling my book with all the things I know about football ready to return to you next Christmas.

In the meantime you may want to reflect on this.

Merry Christmas!

Football Made The Radio Star

As you know, my lover and I have a radio show on our local radio.

Our show is called "Peeky Blinders" and we chat and talk about football and other stuff and then more football.

We do 3 hours every other Saturday.

Yesterday was one of those Saturdays.

We talked about our two local teams, Cheltenham and Forest Green Rovers.We talked about the Premiership matches on during the afternoon and about the performance of the teams more generally. We talked about Roy Keane and who his successor might be. And we talked about the January transfer window.

And because we are the local radio equivalents of football pundits, we say things like "Paul Jewell's Derby are coming to play Forest Green Rovers in the 3rd Round of the FA Cup" and "Phil Brown's Hull have done it again".

I pop in and out of the recording studio to check the latest scores and read them out, introduced by high pitched beeps from my lover - a creditable simulation of sporting tension.

It's a small first step but you would have to say Georgina is on the road to football fame and fortune.

Da Da Da Da Da Da Matty Fryatt

Da da da da da da Matty Fryatt. Da da da da da da Matty Fryatt.

Another hat trick.

The worry of course is that one of the bigger teams will make him an offer he can't refuse.

In the meantime though we'll just enjoy the success he is bringing us.

We love you Matty we do
We love you Matty we do
We love you Matty we do
Oh Matty we love you

I'm A Football Manager Get Me Out Of Here

Roy Keane - Man of Honour or Spineless Wimp?

Is his decision to quit Sunderland evidence that he has put the interests of the club before his own or is he simply running away?

His critics will say;

• He's like Keegan - a great player but no good as a manager
• He's never had any bottle - running out again just like he did to the Ireland team in 2002
• He's too much of a maverick to be a consistent manager

His supporters will say;

• He recognised he had taken the team as far as he could and left in the best interests of the club
• He has left enough time for another manager to be found and make best use of the transfer window
• It takes courage to know when to walk away

What do you think?

Is Roy Keane a man of honour or a spineless wimp?
	He's a man of honour
	He's a spineless wimp
	If you're that good looking who gives a s**t
View Results

Watch With Georgie

Today children we are going to look through ......... the transfer window.

The January 2009 transfer window to be exact.

It's always a time of increasing speculation in the run up, false stories, double bluffs and brinkmanship and a last minute flurry of activity before it closes.

This time will see the added dimension of the "Abu Dhabi" phenomenon.

Of course these are business men so they are not going to squander their money without thought.

By the same token though they have already demonstrated they are quite happy to raise the stakes.

If you believe the rumours, almost anything goes.

So children- teddies at ready!

PS My lover knows the man (a Crystal Palace fan!) who wrote the theme tune for Play School. A pretty good claim to fame I'd say. Unless you have a better one of course.......................

Free The Liverpool One!

Back in 2005 this travelling Liverpool football fan was convicted of the attempted murder of a Bulgarian barman.

This man confessed to the assault soon after the incident, but the trial and conviction of Michael Sheilds continued.

He remains in prison to date.

His friends and family have never ceased their campaign to clear his name and get him freed. Last week his mother took a petition to 10 Downing Street.

As a mother, the thought of one of my children getting locked away for something they had not done breaks my heart.

If he really is innocent (and there really is strong evidence to suggest this, or that at the very least the conviction is unsound), then like many others who have heard Michael's story, I wish him swift justice and hope he will somehow find a way not to let this overshadow the rest of his life.

So Jack Straw if you are listening - free the Liverpool One!

Tough Decisions

Sometimes when considering what to post about it is difficult to find a story that inspires my creative muse (how pretentious does that sound?!).

On other occasions, such as today, its like being in the shop at the Walkers Stadium.You know - looking at lots of wonderful things to buy (how do you choose between a Leicester City hat and a set of blue and white fluffy dice?). Spoilt for choice.

Should I take pleasure in Ronaldo's spectacular sending off? Celebrate the fact the Wenger has actually admitted to seeing that one of Van Persie's goals was offside?

Shall I marvel at the magic of the FA cup as Histon gave Leeds the biggest red face in their history (proof that good always triumphs over evil)? Or delight that the Foxes are through to the third round of the FA Cup?

I could recount the conversation of our supper guests on Saturday about parent's behaviour on the touchline in youth football. The one where we all expressed disgust at the bad conduct of some, but then proceeded to admit that when we watch our own children playing, the opposition cease to be their peers and become objects to be hacked down or anything else required to ensure you child's team wins.

I just can't decide.

A Word In Your Ear

Oh dear, oh dear!

Have you heard?

Things are looking just a little bit worrying at Sunderland.

What's going on I wonder?

They're in the drop zone you know.

Who would have thought it?

Mosher will be happy.

How are they going to turn it around?

And who will mop poor Roy Keane's tears?

Disneyland

Who would ever have thought that the world of football could be likened to Disneyland?

Well Joe Kinnear for a start.

So if Mickey Mouse is a metaphor for referee Martin Atkinson, what other characters might we identify?

Who, for example, might Sam Allardyce be?

Arsene Wenger?

Roy Keane?

Ian Dowie?

And who would I be?

Who else?

Not A Lot Of People Know That

Did you know..............

Ronaldo is the 9th most fouled player in the Premiership, despite being injured for the first month of the season

Kevin Davis of Bolton has the current record (serves him right for playing for Bolton I say).

Nicholas Anelka is the highest scorer in the Prem this season

Kevin Nolan of Bolton has had the most red cards in the Prem (see what I mean?)

Well now you do.

Fair Play

Things I like about Wayne Rooney are:

• His work rate on the pitch
• His total commitment to his team when he plays
• The way he looks to Fergie like he's his Daddy (very endearing!)
• He looks a bit like my step-son
• He's a great footballer
  

Things I don't like about Wayne Rooney are:

• He's hot tempered
• He sets a bad example to young fans on occasions

But I do like the fact that he has owned up to diving.

Not because I think diving is a good thing to do.

He could have simply said nothing though.

I know what you cynics are saying; it was blatant, they had not choice but to say something.

You may be right. But I can think of a few managers who would not have spoken out.

A few who might not even have seen it......................

Too busy appointing a new captain probably.

He's The Man

Listen carefully.

I've got something important to tell you.

There's something exciting going on in the Hornet's nest.

My girl's intuition tells me that Mr Brendan Rodgers is a bit of a dude.

True he has not managed a football team before.

But he's knows a man or two who has.

During his time as coach for the reserves at Chel$ea, I'm sure he learnt a thing or two.

And he has brought a bit of wisdom into his team in the form of Frank Lampard Snr.

What impresses me most though is his air of quiet humility.

His description of his new colleague FLS offered a dignified respect;

"He is a football man, an honest man and a loyal man and those are the key qualities you want in someone as a mentor."

I'm telling you - he's the man.

You heard it here first.

Incy Wincy Doubts

I don't know about you but I'm starting to have one or two 'incy' doubts about the Blackburn manager.

It's not just the team's plunging form. It's just hard to feel confident he is on top of the job.

Take this weekend for instance. Apparently he was involved in a bit of half-time argy-bargy in the tunnel with 'Arry's number two.

He's quick to criticize other managers too.

You might argue with a name like Paul Emerson Herbert Carlyle Ince he has always been destined for great things.

I'm just not sure. Something does not feel quite right.

Two things are certain though.

One is he is unlikely to make quiz champion of the year.

The other is he will never be manager of West Ham.

I Should Be So Lucky, Lucky, Lucky, Lucky

Do you have a pre-match ritual you undertake to try to create good luck for your team?

According to a new study, almost 2 million of us do in this country.

The most popular ritual, indulged by 35 per cent of superstitious fans, is having a lucky pre-match drink (like we need an excuse). Lucky clothing is the next most popular, including certain socks or pants. Others include using the same parking spot every time, praying and even having sex.

I'm not particularly superstitious I have to say but isn't there a bit in all of us that thinks "Well what have I got to lose"?.

So I think I might try a few of these out before our home match against Crewe on Tuesday. Just in case.

I'll leave you to imagine which ones I choose.

Lady Lumps, Testicles And Crocodile Penis

Well it's been a busy and interesting day in the Football League.

A win for the Foxes. A shocking defeat for the Arse. Chelsea held to a draw at home by Newcastle and the come back kids Hull holding Pompey to a draw.

The thrills and spills of the football world never stop do they. Especially for those directly involved

Unless of course you are a WAG who chooses to opt out of mainstream society for a bit and go into the jungle.

Have you been watching "I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here"?

I have to say reality TV is not really my thing usually. But against my better judgment I have been drawn into the fascinating dynamics of this series.

Carly Zucker (wife of Chel$ea player Joe Cole) and Nicola McLean (fiancee of the Posh's Tom Williams) have been strutting their stuff. Carly has made less of an impression but Ms McLean has shown herself to be quite a woman. In more ways than one.

She is clearly gutsy and determined. And has the most amazing pair of - as they like to call them on Talk Sport - "lady lumps" (no jealousy there of course).

So while her lover's team was winning 2 -1 against Colchester, she was far more interested in just how much juice does spurt out when you bite into a whichetty bug.

Those things they eat............... Crocodile penis. Fish eyes. Kangaroo testicles.

Please remind me if ever I get famous not, under any circumstances, to be tempted to go on that or any other such show.

Behind The Scenes

So Mr Gallas has lost his captaincy and place in the team as a result of telling tales out of school.

Good decision I would say.

Despite the fact that, if we are honest, most of us are probably secretly fascinated with knowing what goes on behind closed doors, our sense of moral reasoning usually tells us that we all have a right to a degree of privacy.

Breaching that right is only really justified in a whistle-blowing situation in my humble opinion. And this was not that. If I was Wenger and the other Arsenal players I would feel very betrayed by Gallas' actions.

Of course none of this applies to a behind-the-scenes peek at Leicester City FC ..............

Le Football - Ce N'est Pas Pour Les Wimps

Sulky pants Gallas has got himself in the news again.

This time he is criticising his younger team mates for being - well essentially wimps.

Apparently he is fed up of taking the blame just because he is captain and so has decided it is time to speak out.

This the man who had a major strop at the end of the fateful match with Birmingham last season when Eduardo was injured.

Why has he spoken out now? Well a more cynical person might suggest it is because he has a biography being published in France tomorrow.

I have spoken to my reporter in the field (i.e. my Gooner son) who agrees with me.

Gallas needs a slap.

And Arsenal need a new captain.

Opportunity Knocks

One pearl of wisdom I gleaned from my management course is that every threat is also an opportunity.

Of course a cynic might argue it's a head game to get you to face horrible things.

I guess you'll have to make your own mind up about that.

Applying this theory to England's friendly international against Germany this evening, the lack of Gerrard, Ferdinand, Rooney, Heskey, Walcott et al should be seen as an absolute gift from God (God not having far to send that gift at the moment as he is in Scotland).

All those little wannabes - pretenders to the throne - finally getting their chance.

And Papa Cappello watching on.

Opportunity Knocks!

All A Question Of Perception

It's a rare thing to be in the presence of a deity.

Which perhaps makes it all the more surprising that Terry Butcher has refused to shake Maradonna's hand - or indeed touch any other part of his body.

Clearly a man who bears a grudge.

And after all, as the holy one explained, whats a little bending of the rules between friend?

It's all a question of perception.

For example what about poor misunderstood Drogba? Given a 3 match ban for throwing a few coins into the crowd.

And Ramos, a man of few words, whose quiet brooding manner was interpreted as not grasping the English language or forming any sort of relationship with his players.

It's a tough old world when people don't understand you.

Musings On This And That

I was very sad to learn that Geoff Horsfield, who played for The Foxes for a while on loan last year, has been diagnosed with testicular cancer. At 35 he has been told his career is at an end and he has to have an operation.

Brave of him to come out in public and tell people in advance of that in my humble opinion. Dealing with an illness such as cancer is a very personal matter and I do admire people in the public eye who use their experience to try to provide hope and comfort to others.

Talking of comfort, it seems some have very little. For example, Tony Adams is already having a paddy. It's not so much he is stating his position - it's just that I don't see how doing it publicly helps with internal relations. I should have thought criticizing your Board was something you only did out loud as a last resort. At the end of the day they are the ones with the power to sack you.

Somehow I don't expect him to last to the end of the season.

Nor Mark Hughes.

Not so Nigel Pearson though who does seem to have a sense of what needs to happen to ensure we resume our rightful place in the Championship next season. His dignified comments make a refreshing change from Hollow Way's empty chatter.

Which reminds me - apparently HW is hot favourite to become Swindon manager.

All I can say is, after nicking 2 points from us on Saturday, they probably deserve each other.

Nasty Rough Boys

Football can be a dangerous game as we know, whether injuries are caused accidentally or deliberately.

Of course it is not always possible to distinguish between the two. When does firm tackling become reckless? When does assertive play become aggression?

There has been a debate raging all week in about the head injury sustained by former Foxes star Iain Hume. Whilst I am sure Chris Morgan did not have the intention to break Hume's skull, it sounds as if his behaviour was slipping beyond the acceptable even before the incident.

It's not always such a grey area of course. Sometime physical contact is a deliberate attack.

I wonder if girl footballers are this much trouble.

Wot No Pies?

Today was a stark reminder of the joys of playing in League 1.

Looking around me I came to one conclusion. The County Ground ain't The Walkers Stadium. Not by a long way!

As usual we took a good contingent of away fans - so many they had to spread us between part of one of the stands and the open section (where my lover and I were).

After fantasizing about having a nice pie to warm me up when we arrived, I was pretty gutted to discover they had nothing for vegetarians. The veggie somosas and veggie burgers were out of stock. Can you believe it? I did get a small cupful of chips but its not the same.

First half was really scrappy. The wind was against us and we didn't really string much together. They managed to scare us a couple of times, including a disallowed goal, but we did look slightly the better team.

The second half was much more entertaining and the goals from Oakley and Fryatt a delight. How disappointing then that in the last 15 minutes or so they managed to score twice. Not helped, in my view, by a degree of complacency once we were 2-0 up.

After the elation of being in front, the shock of having it snatched away has left me a bit deflated. But a draw is a draw as they say. And we are back on the top of the league.

Even if I didn't get my pie.

Not Just Hot Air

Today marks 50 years in football for Sir Alex.

50 golden years in the beautiful game.

I've posted before about the key part chewing gum has played in him managing his stress.

Mind you, I do think he is a little obsessive about it.

I wonder if he has any regrets.

His split with Becks maybe?

His infamous 'hairdryer'?

More to relish than regret though I suspect.

Happy Anniversary Fergie.

Doing It In Style

Psst!

Have you heard the rumour that the Special One might be coming back to England?

It seems he has fallen out of love with the Italian press - or rather they have fallen out of love with him - despite his team being top of Serie A.

Anyway, the gossip is he will come back to manage Manchester City.

Although Mark Hughes seems very unsure about that.

Hard to imagine anyone falling out of love with Mourhino really.
"But what about your lover?" I hear you say.

Well fortunately I have been researching some Mourhino style tips for him.

It might be a challenge though for a man who has vowed never to wear a tie again for the rest of his life.

Every Silver Lining Has A Cloud

It's a shameful thing to admit, but I haven't been to a Leicester match yet this season.

The good news, though, is that I have just purchased my tickets for Saturday's match against Swindon (away).

When I rang to order the tickets I was delighted to learn that they only cost fifteen pounds each.

"Bargain", I thought. "There are some advantages to being in League 1".

My pleasure was short lived, however, when the woman who sold me the tickets added "They're not under cover".

I'm not put off going by this of course. I am a proper football fan after all.

But I can't help hoping that there will be a good supply of hot chocolate and pies to keep me warm as I watch the Foxes stuff the home team.

Velvet Fist In A Velvet Glove

Big match for the Foxes tonight. At home.

We are playing Yeovil in the League and having one game in hand, if we win we go top of the table.

How good would that feel?

So what is the quality of the opposition?

I think this will tell you all you need to know.

Lest We Forget

As I was driving home this evening, I listened to a debate on "Talk Sport".

They were talking about an incident at the weekend. Apparently at virtually all the football matches at the weekend a two minute silence was observed.

The exceptions, apparently, were Aldershot, who forgot all together (shocking for a town so central to the Armed Forces!), and Celtic.

According to the report Celtic had 2 minutes applause, for fear the silence would be disrespected. And a small group of fans walked out (or at least threatened to) in protest that the moment was being acknowledged at all.

The tenor of the discussion was that this minority were behaving outrageously and in a racist manner.

It made me thoughtful.

There is no doubt that the Irish (who of course were the original Celtic fans) have had raw deal from the English over the years. Indeed they have at times been oppressed and persecuted by us.

The question is how do you balance moving forward and healing old wounds, with ensuring things don't get forgotten?

It reminded me of the DVD I watched with my lover last night (free with the Sunday Telgraph). It contained graphic scenes from World War 2 and a vivid reminder of the atrocities that occurred during that period.

Is it right to continue to hold German people accountable? By the same token, is there a danger that by not revisiting awful memories we will forget, or worse still repeat the same mistakes again?

We will have a black man in the Whitehouse very soon. Does that mean the era when white people enslaved black people is now at an end and we should simply draw a line under it as an episode in history?

I don't claim to have the answers. Just some measure of the complexities involved.

I am a great believer, though, that we should always seek to make good come from terrible events. Find a way to learn from it for the betterment of mankind.

And never forget.

Saint Stevie Of Me

I don't know if I have mentioned it before but my lover and I have a show on a local community radio station. We broadcast every other week and the show is two hours of music and chat.

It probably won't surprise you to know that lots of the chat is about football. We try to find out about local sporting events but also chat about the latest stories in the wider footballing world.

Anyway yesterday I took great delight in putting my lover on the spot on air.

I said to him "Put your hand on your heart"

After a bit of moaning he did.

"Now look me in the eye and tell me Steven Gerrard didn't dive" (referring to the so called penalty earlier in the week against Atletico Madrid).

It was one of those rare moments when my lover is lost for words.

It was a shocking display though wasn't it.

Gerrard - or "Saint Stevie of Me" as he is known in our household - is on record as criticizing players who dive. Ruining the game and all that.

Hard to credit someone can be that hypocritical.

Maybe it's called something else when he does it.

For Girls What Can't Do Scottish Football

I've had a bit of a nagging feeling for a while now.

A sort of slightly guilty feeling in the back of my mind.

Why? Well I am conscious that my footballing education to date has taken almost no account of Scottish football.

I have of course dabbled around the edges. When Glasgow Rangers 'came to town' in May for example. And the occasional "faux pas".

A couple of things this week though have inspired me to start looking a little deeper. One is that we have a new guy working in the office at the moment. He is a Hearts fan and I have had several conversations with him.

The other is coming across this blog, the author of which is, spookily, also a Hearts fan.

Should I read something into this strange coincidence? Is someone telling me I need to add another team to my watching brief as a way to keep in touch with the Scottish Prem?

Maybe I should just in case.

So what of all my boys this weekend so far then?

Leicester an excellent 3 - 0 win over Stevenage (YIPPEE!)
The Arse triumphant over the ManUre (HOORAY!)
Reading a 3 - 0 thrashing of Derby (WELL DONE!)
Luton only managed a 0 - 0 draw, but hey at least they didn't lose.

And Hearts?

A 1 - 0 away win over St Mirran.

That'll do for me.

They are now officially on my tacking radar.

See ye later!