He Is Our Sunshine

Oh my!

What a day.

My emotions are in shreds.

Work did not present anything out of the ordinary.

My lover and I continue to live together in hippy paradise.

So why the trauma?

Well it started at about 7.50am when I heard on the radio that Gareth Southgate had been sacked last night.

I text my lover to tell him.

Just a bit of football gossip at that stage.

But then it all went horribly wrong when the reply text from my lover indicated that NIGEL PEARSON was rumoured to be a strong contender to replace Southgate.

That would be our NIGEL PEARSON.

The man who has lifted our drooping Fox tails and turned them into proud bushes.

The man who has the capacity to take us into the Premiership, if not this year then next.

I had this sort of sick feeling in my stomach as I read it.

"Noooooooooooooo!", I wanted to scream out loud.

I've been trying to keep an eye on the news all day to see if there was any relief or reassurance.

None came directly, although it has to be said that the news that we are trying to sign Edgar Davids is exciting and a sign that the club is building in confidence and self belief.

So Middlesborough - if you have any heart, listen to this girl's plea.

Please don't take our sunshine away.

What If?

My lover and I have a game we like to play.

Well a number actually. But the one I am going to tell you about is a football game.

It's called "What might they have been".

So take for example football managers. What would they have been if they had not gone into football.

Here are some of our answers:

Arsene Wenger - Choreographer, a dance genius
Sir Alex - Pub Landlord, of a thriving local with an international reputation
Gary Megson - Travelling Salesman, struggling
Scolari - Coach Driver, the sort you all have a whip round to raise a collection for
Benitez - Pork Butcher, with a sharp eye for detail
Gareth Southgate - Supply Teacher, its the fear in his eyes
Roy Hodgson - Undertaker, with a soft heart
Big Sam - Pieman, of course

Why don't you play too?

Cursed?

I think I can can confidently say that most if not all football fans who follow the game more widely know that when chairman and assistant managers start coming out in support of a manager means they are in trouble.

So if we have worked that out - how come the clubs haven't?

What they need is a cuter strategy.

After all, that is precisely how managers such as Alex Ferguson operate.

In any walk of life, people who have sustained success exude confidence and self-belief.

It's not arrogance. And it has to be real.

You have to convince your audience to trust you and to achieve that you have to trust yourself.

Gareth Southgate - step up and meet your public head on. And show them what you are made of.

Star Struck

Ah bless!

David Wheater (who bizarrely looks as if he could be Ian Dowie's son) has been called up for the England squad. The Middlesbrough player is said to be delighted at his selection and has promised to take his autograph book to get David Beckham's signature.

According to teammate George Boating he is renowned for being a bit star-struck;

"He comes in with these autograph books and asks players to sign. I say 'Go away, I'm your colleague now'".

And his manager Gareth Southgate fears it may all go to his head;

"He deserves it. I haven't seen him yet - I think he is on an open-top bus in Redcar."

My lover and I have got a little bit of "I wanna be famous" going on. Not masses - just a bit. In fact tonight we have been to find out about broadcasting a radio show on our local community radio, which has just got a licence.

We will be developing ideas for a show over the next couple of days so if you have any suggestions we would love to hear them. Of course I will ensure that Leicester City get the odd mention. It might even present an opportunity to convert some more girls to the beautiful game.

Don't worry though. I promise not to stop 'blogging' even if I get famous. How else could you keep up to date with the whirlwind that is football?