St Landrew

A foul is cheating, whether intentionally or unintentionally. The player [who was it, Squarez..?] who handballed, did it instinctively, in my opinion. The header was coming at him from very short range, and quickly too. His teammate tried to handball it, and missed, and he batted it away. Yes, it isn't fair. Ghana should be in the next round. Perhaps, under such circumstances, a red card and a penalty isn't enough, as the handballed header was otherwise a certain goal. And in the 120th minute, as far as Ghana are concerned, a red card is not exactly a massive punishment, except to have one less Uruguayian penalty taker.

No, not really.

I have found that, on the whole, Shell petrol stations are bloody competitive, price wise. Pretty sure I remember an ethical reason for why I shouldn't buy from them, but I don't recall exactly what it is, and I'm not looking to find out either. Shell is £116.9 everywhere in Southampton, where I've been.

Unlike Dune, there are one or two obscure bits on SKY that would interest me, but they wouldn't be football orientated anyhow, and I'll be damned if Rupert Murdoch is getting even a halfpenny directly out of me. EDIT: Forgot to say... watch the viewing figures for Sky Sports News drop dramatically as all the Freeview viewers go off the counter

Well, we haven't had Pardew for one whole year yet. Perhaps it's his style.

Why on earth are you looking at these when you'll be on a flight in a few weeks..? I could point out that statistically, you'e safer in a aeroplane than in your own home; most certainly safer than in a car, and almost as safe as in a train, but I'm sure you won't heed that bit of sensible advice. If I had a penny for every person I've seen gripped by the fear of taking off and landing, I'd have at least 3/6d. If it falls out of the sky, you're probably a goner anyway mate, so you might as well enjoy it. And make sure the Captain flies through some really powerful turbulence too. That's entertaining when the shutters are down so you can't look at the scenery.

Well there you go then. That's the definitive answer.

Got home late this evening, and stepped on the Southampton News Extra, that the Echo insists on dropping through my door. Before I threw it into the recycle bin, I bothered to read Matty's views on the England team and Capello. He was completely baffled by the woeful performances, and was highly critical of the lack of passion and self belief within the team. He also went onto suggest that these players might not be anything like as good as their hype presents them. He also said that although he was unsure whether Capello should be given another chance, he was against a reactionary change of manager, and cited that Capello had never been a National and Tournament manager before, so he was learning too. He didn't think the FA would choose Harry Redknapp as his replacement, in any case. He favoured Roy Hodgson or Stuart Pearce, if there was going to be a change. I know he has always been a bit of a fence sitter on goal-line technology, but the incidences in the World Cup had convinced him it was time to implement it. So there, that's what our illustrious Le God thinks about Team England or whatever they call themselves.

As being the Minister in charge, his voice would have been the official one. Not good when your country is trying to secure the World Cup for 2018. Now was the best time.

This is the kind of thing that really p!sses me off. Not your rumour, but the actuality that these things cause problems amongst footballers. If I went to a boss and said the reason I was drastically underperforming was because I'd done something that was a bit awkward, and I'd been a bit of an idiot, he/she would say, that's your problem, it goes with the territory, sort your life out and perform. We don't have passengers here. But it appears that if you get paid enough, and are in the public eye enough, you make as many mistakes as you like and get away with it. That's the way it seems to work, and it feels very wrong to me.

What a bloody lovely venue. Here's hoping all goes well and that we don't hear reports of players missing their wives. Oops sorry, for a moment I was thinking of the England team.

That was a very entertaining and informative post. It's nice to see a point of view from a completely different perspective. As fans, we can be a little too close to the action to see clearly sometimes.

Yeah, but isn't it a sign of Toyota just maintaining their extremely high standards..? Let's face it, they are either number one or two, along with Honda, as the manufacturer of the most reliable [and hence well designed and manufactured] vehicles, so they'd want to keep up that reputation. Honda, for example have, in the last 9 months, brought out a brand new motorcycle, the VFR1200. It is pretty much a state-of-the-art two-wheeled tourer but, already they have decided to recall a batch of them. It is selling very well indeed, but rather than let those machines get to various service intervals, where they could resolve any potential problems, they have recalled them. Honda engineers from Japan have been sent over to do the checking of every machine, and if they find the tiny issue they are looking for, the entire engine is replaced, along with a full service, to the whole machine, and oil change. If they don't find the issue, the existing engine receives a complete oil change, filter and whole machine service and full diagnostic on the state of the current engine. That's not bad going.

canals

Just like that excellent newspaper article, the other day. Money Has Poisoned English Football Ever since the bigger First Division clubs convinced the smaller clubs and almost unanimously voted to keep the entire gate receipts from Home league matches, football in the UK has been going down a slope to ruin. A few years later those First Division clubs formed the breakaway Premier League and the slope turned into a dive. All my opinion, of course. But one I've held ever since the inception of the Premiership itself. I could be considered a fan who is afraid of change. I'm not. Just change for the bad. Now, someone who could be heard has actually bothered to come out and say it publically. It'll get washed over and forgotten, and then, no doubt, years later, when dozens of clubs have gone out of business, someone will say it again, only this time even the richest clubs will be hurting too, and then they'll listen.

What's this I read about free agents Lee Hendrie and Lee Trundle then..? Apparently, we're a bit interested. Also, we're trying to get Jonjo Shelvey from Liverpool on loan for next season..?

Next week's is about producing a Rolls-Royce turbofan jet engine. that should also be interesting.

To be fair, the political end of the spectrum wasn't part of the programme's remit. It was about the ordinary men and women doing their everyday jobs but producing an extraordinary thing. In that it succeeded, IMO.

Oh I get it, all right. It's the wringing of hands from FIFA, for donkey's years about whether something is going to be worthwhile, stop the flow of the game, etc, etc... that I don't get. The situation has needed sorting ever since the first professional footballer got away with something he shouldn't have, because the referee was unable to see well enough. Video technology could have been in place, quite affordably, bloody years ago. It would have stopped 99% of the squabbles that have grown up since then, and the obvious backing off of trust of referees and officials reputation in that time. Note that before video replays, the reputation of referees at the time was undimmed. As soon as instant replays came in, we knew they were fallible. I'm also quite happy to have the chip in the ball on top of video replay technology. But let's not have nothing instead, if the chip-in-a-ball system doesn't work upto expectations.

Because some people still don't want video technology. I, on the other hand, want all the video technology that a referee can have at his disposal to enhance his capabilities. As for stopping the game - I thought I cited a perfectly good example of where the referee DID stop a game, where there was a questionable decision. There would be no new precedent in stoppping a game. And btw, the ref wouldn't be stopping the game unless the 4th official, watching the video screen, advised to call the game to a halt. You know as well as I do, that the idea that Man U were forming an attack from Carroll within seconds, is neither here nor there. If they are doing if against a background of an incorrect decision then it is unfair, whether intended or otherwise. Mendes scored and that is that. The record books show otherwise.

Indeed, an excellent article. It puts into words all that one feels the Premier League does wrong. The other day I was thinking of Saints being back in the Premier League, and instead it of filling me with expectation, I was filled with dread. But now I realise that Nicola and Markus aren't going to operate in that way. They are aiming to do it the european way, with the best of academies and a scouting and coaching network built on the best of european methods. At least, I bloody well hope so.

Yes..! The referee should stop the game. You're missing the point, mate. The GOAL scored by Mendes would have stopped the game anyhow. The 4th official would have signalled a goal. As we all know, play stops after a goal, and the ball is taken to the centre circle spot, and the teams line up to restart the match. Anything else is wrong, and the team who progress upfield, if the game isn't stopped, would be doing it unfairly. When Geoff Hurst scored his off-the-bar goal against Germany in 1966, the game halted for several seconds while the officials consulted. If today's instant video replay had been available back then, the goal would probably have not stood. But essentially, the correct decision would have been arrived at. Isn't that the most important consideration..? Video replay isn't a fullproof but a further assurance that the correct decision is likely to be arrived at. This is the same for both teams. So, what if Mendes goal, hadn't crossed the line..? The game would have restarted with the ball in the keeper's hands [from where the game would have been stopped] and both teams would have known that a goal hasn't been scored. A relief to one, disappointment to the other. But we do know that the decision has been correct. I still can't see what people are objecting to. Do people like players to get away with cheating for the sake of some mythical flow of the game, or something..? I think football fans are just afraid of change. As to the chip in the ball, how about a post match scenario where it is found to be completely off centre or not functioning at all..? You see..? One can pick holes in any suggestion, yet I know there would be easy ways to overcome that too.

The thing is, you don't limit it to goal line technology, and once FIFA take a look at it, if any of the debating body have any significant IQ level between them, they'll know they can't limit its influence. The simple rule is, the game plays on from the last decision made. The 4th official watching the [large] video screen will radio his doubts over a decision the ref has made, and either overule him or back him, if he agrees. If the ref is honest enough, he'll call for a video confirmation, when he's unsure anyway. It won't lead to every decision being questioned, because eventually referees, linos and 4th officials will find a balance that works. And teams could make say... 3 requests each, when they think there's something wrong, but the officials have previously agreed. When the incidences of incorrect decisions reduce, and the affordable higher technology moves on reliably, then perhaps we can go to something where an instant decision can be made. Of course, that will mean that the game of football will never be so slow and unfair as it is now, because there will be no argument, and players will have no need to get angry. Everybody will calm down and proper football will eventually get played, with hardly any diving, hardly any cheating and very, very few incorrect decisions. And as Jurgen Klinsmann pointed out earlier, we could have a post match trial-by-TV-camera, so that a player doesn't elude justice of some measure, if he's managed to get away with cheating during a match, and especially if he has managed to alter the result by cheating. Imagine if, at a level score, a player handballs the ball to a colleague who scores the winner and the game then ends..? The result could be reversed as a punishment. That would generate snooker player honestly in a flash. No more Hand's of Gaul or God, that's for sure. And anyway, limiting it to goal line technology would let would-be Maradona's score again, which is utterly useless. Frankly, I can't see what all the debate is about. Even simple video replays would save the day and take less time than players arguing at the ref.

Al Green