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.