suewhistle

Femminile Alba - WUM, didn't phone us and 3 hours in the mini-bus and called off for a wimpy bit of snow. Cuorgne - ex-manager and story-telling girlfriend plays for them.

Good, I'd imagine but it's not the odds I'd be worrying about...

Good idea! I tended to go then when I lived in the UK as it's cheaper and the snow tends to be Ok. Even if the natural snow hasn't been too good at least in January they can use the snow-making blowers, unlike late season. Some people complain about the shorter days, but they tended to be those who didn't actually ski much. If you ski hard you'll still feel tired by the end of the day and that first post-ski drink is wooonderful! January can be cold though, so listen to people's advice, and you've now got a ready made Christmas list! Remember layers work, and things like long johns, base layers and fleeces can all be used in other circumstances. Don't worry about all the top brands: there's so much more decent stuff around these days. After the zip went on my best jacket last season I'm till wearing my spare cheapo Aldi one bought many years ago in the UK, and I have to say I've been impressed. As for where - well, as you'd expect I'm biased but on my side of the border we are cheaper than France.. can't comment on Austria these days. You'd have a good time at any of Pila, La Thuile, Courmayeur, Cervinia/Valtournanche, Champoluc and the Gressoneys. Good skiing and the scenery cannot be beaten, and the food is Italian with a robust mountain influence. Local wine, a couple of local breweries too and try the Genepy! Unfortunately we're on our football winter break then, so no footie to watch down in the valley.:-) Yep, and 4 lessons instead of two would really help...

Taking 80yr old mum back to Milan airport off I hack down the motorway and forget to take the fork that leads towards Milan. So instead of doing one leg of a triangle I had to do two very long legs at, for my little old car, a speed it hadn't done before or since. Mum bless her, said nothing... Just made it too, courtesy of a nice customer service lady.

Half right then.

Yes, it doesn't help blood pressure and sstress levels. Still, I'm sure we'll have learnt from that, including our new defenders. Think I'd prefer Cork in MF though.

Whew. chianti and Barbera time...

Bloomin 'eck, which one worked?

Well, the lucky self-abuse session didn't work (well at least not in footballing terms..); now on the lucky cuppa.

Ta! Another teacher there? Time for a lucky pot of tea, I feel.

Once again another Saturday afternoon with me getting nothing done. Currently updating CV and investigating all schools in the areas as I've been a victim of the cuts here.. Will obviously be getting more skiing in!!

Kept in reserve as impact subs..

Why am I so nervous?

Girls football doesn't seem to suffer that particular problem; seems to be more bad backs, knees and ankles from our hip/knee structures, so perhaps it's a male growing/muscular-skeleto thing. Your sessions sound like ours basically but how are they trained in the sessions you don't control? Last week we had 5 sessions (including 2 friendlies) and this week we'll have 3 plus our first game, but we always warm up well and gradually before stretching and the intensity of the sessions varies. I took a swipe at an inviting ball early monday night and got told off by one of the other players! I suppose at fiftycough I should know better..

Di niente. Nice prize! It's embarassing that I'm an hour and a half from torino and have never been to the stadium(s). Saints and my women's side keep me busy (5 pre-season sessions last week!)...[if it came to supporting a local team it would have to be Toro: Juve are all plastics..] Turin's an easy day's journey (1.50hmm single 10€ or 1.03 €32 frecciaRossa) and the centre is attractive: see where the Italian Job was made! Good food and wine in Piemonte and to the North you can see the mountains where I live.

..and something for the girlfriend.. http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2010/mar/19/milan-design-week-city-guide

OK, tickets. Had a quick search so here you are: http://www.acmilan.com/it/tickets/outlets Bottom of the page, tifosi stranieri for pre-sales [http://www.bestticket.it/newbt/default.asp?shop_id=MILANENG] but no info there, so try one of the banks at the top of that page when you get there or try the foreign page later on.

Well, I live in Italy but don't bother with Milan: Turin is much nicer. But the trains are cheap: this is a useful web-site: http://www.trenitalia.com/ Milan is probably the most expensive city in Italy and it's residents have a terrible reputation elewhere for rudeness and arrogance. After San Siro head towards the mountains: gorgeous. I'd like to go to La Scala but the season isn't open yet, worth it if you are there then.

Well, it's a fairly critical question, I'd have thought. I'm surprised you aren't more worried...

Yes, I was just about to mention that: without checking but I think it was on the OS. Like you I'm not sure, but NA sees them in training...

They have expressed my opinion of the point-scoring and childishness of some of the posters here which seems to have continued since I last had a quick read. HTH.

I'm with Adriansfc on this and the rest of his post. I think having an external stimulus helps: a group to run with, a reason to get fit (another sport for example) and for some people the gym might do this job. I'm (well) the wrong side of 50 but I've done 3 football training sessions this week and 2 pre-season friendlies. I don't expect to play much but being in a team has a social side and trying to at least get 25 minutes off the bench occasionally all give me the exercise I need. Ski season will start in a couple of months so that's another reason to keep up my fitness. Another friendly tomorrow night, fortunately on an all weather pitch as it's hissing down here. I suppose foul weather is one reason for a gym occasionally but you don't _really_ need to go to one.

Yes, dear.

Jeez, it's like primary school in here except with extra testosterone...

Only just seen this resurrected thread. The story I heard was that Rupert asked the goal-keeping scout/coach to go and check up on him. The scout immediately replied "he's crap" [or words to that effect]. Rupert said "but how do you know?" to which the scout replied "it's my job"... And we still took him.