dubai_phil

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha Why oh why does Dubai have so many bars? And asked why does Egypt & Lebanon have Casinos? or why we have Horse Racing? But seriously, not every Arab is a Muslim. And not every Muslim is a gun toting suicide bomber.

Yes.... But would YOU pay 5 pound a pint to watch an England friendly against an Arabic Team in a Bar in an Arabic Country surrounded by drunk Arabs wearing Argentina Shirts? Just wasn't up there on the list of entertaining things to do at 2am in the morning midweek... :mad:

So you saying Crouchie is Papa Waigo in disguise?

Yeah, but other than Crouch & Heskey?

Lol I just get the stream working and inside 2 seconds Crouch scores Then the stream closes as we I have to buy pro version lol

Let me guess... It will be in the agreement they will be forced to sign which will say (in a 200 page contract) something like "We give you the money and your "Golden Share" You do not appeal You get promoted, we'll deduct the parachute payment from the first season's TV revenue - sign here." "No way feck off." "OK byeee"

Weeeelllllll... Wasn't Cappello's #2 at SMS for the Skate game? Worth a shout shame there's not many more friendlies. Being sensible IF he plays the Heskey up front then he should have a cover for Heskey so he doesn't have to change style IF Emile is injured/suspended. Who else in English Football at the moment has the intelligence to play that role?

But seriously, it's nights like this when I'm glad that England games aren't shown down here unless you pay an extra 60 quid a month for a pants Arabic Satellite service

We like Masterchef But The Daily Cooks Challenge is better

Word I just got was only 3,000 left. Jeez

Just been watching Russell Crowe in State of Play on DVD, a good old fashioned Conspiracy Movie which I really enjoyed Then Wow. Now the concepts outlined in GM's thesis here linked to the mindset from that movie sets a different tilt to the sails. Even by the strangest set of stretches of the imagination I don't think I could have ever come up with the crazy thought that now runs through my head. It sparks off the idea for a new Movie script "Unable To Play". Obviously the story would be unrelated to any events or persons down the road. Somebody walks in to a train wreck and calmly moves a few million in the opposite direction. Paul Daniels would have been proud of a trick like that. Then the jigsaw pieces start to drop into place. The fake PR, ignore HMRC, walk into the WUO session on a wing, prayer and a meeting at Dad's house. IF they had been liquidated it could have been the perfect crime. The plan fails so the friendly Administrator walks in. I couldn't have dreamt this up to put it in the old "you couldn't Make it Up thread" All it needs is the way to link in a motive, possibly something based around revenge. Oh Down side is that the Russell Crowe wouldn't be able to play the part of the Washington Globe Reporter. He'd have to be an internet blogger... Oh.... His co-journalist from the movie was the Globe's blogger. Hmmm

Bravado, Barvura and Marketing Although our opinions are naturally biased by the years of "negative waves" emanating from Portsmouth's fans, to us it had seemed firstly "Just Not Cricket" as they began their rise through the leagues. Is it because we were more critical that we looked harder and deeper? Certainly we aren't qualified to judge events, but if this thread shows us one thing, our gut feel about this has been shown to be fairly accurate. Why was it only us? Obviously we had the motivation, nobody else really cared as they were all on board the Gravy Train. Now we look at the situation in the light of the words used in the Court yesterday and we start to feel vindicated. I don't think our only reaction is one of Joy or Gloating at our neighbours plight, but also the communal feeling that maybe we have done a damned good job in reading a situation. We felt something wasn't right and for a Judge to use the term "A Shadow" shows that now the Law feels that something is not right. We FEEL that we know what it is, and the words in Court yesterday showed that the Law feels they know what it is as well. Their choice of "going for the paperwork" gives what they will feel is the best chance of opening Pandora's Box. So why the statements and the business as usual? Why the tactic to keep buying time? Obviously time was the (forlorn) hope that the second hand car with the clocked Speedo could be palmed off by the Used Car Salesman. But time was also about The next TV payment. Most important it was the desperate gamble to reach the 2010/11 season when the TV revenues would increase dramatically. "PL should let us stay up so we get that money to pay our debts" is not far from a viewpoint espoused up the road. So why the speeches? The Judge's comments were a very carefully worded accusation. But Corporate Speak MUST keep pushing out "Motivation" They NEED a full house in the Cup, they need every extra pound, the Club is a cash Junkie, it CANNOT appear to have suffered a scratch let alone a mortal blow. The "Appeal" approach is the same, it is not realistic, but it is about giving HOPE to the fans so that they continue to attend. The drowning man clutches a straw and the club clutch every last one pound to buy that extra day. We will see more speeches, more Bravura, more talk of the appeals, you can be sure that if the PL apply the -9 penalty, the club will appeal to UEFA, FIFA and the CAS all aimed at stopping the one real thing that the club now fears - Despair. Once the fans despair of any hope, once they give up going, once the cash flow drops the Junkie will not get their fix. Admin? Who cares the money is still coming in, we want the money, yes of course Uncle Tom Cobbly & All will continue to be linked, we are a Junkie, keep coming to the games, keep paying us your money. I know nothing of UK Law these days, but I know about "Corporate Speak". Any real fan should have been chilled to the bone yesterday. The Night of the Battering Rams and the Dawn Raids will not be far away now, yesterday was the beginning of this, they may dodge the Heatseeking Missile that was fired at them yesterday, but they'll never see the Torpedoes coming. I think they really are now in very dark days.

Which explains why nobody ever found Al Mirage.... Nice pics how much did the camera cost?

I was talking to a Brum fan on Sunday. Wembley is THEIR big dream, it is THEIR destiny after their seasons of doom and gloom and ups and downs. New owner, sustainable business model, they are one hell of a lot more motivated from Top to Bottom than the mercenaries. They know what it means. It will not be an easy ride for them.

They are in Admin. Whether the Admin will be carried out by Android or Annie Other is a point open for debate. HMRC are not looking to have them unadmin'd. They are looking to ensure there are no Byzantine Business Practices even PERCEIVED to have been possible during Admin. The 9 points rule will be abided by. The only debate now will be whether other "potential" financial irregularities come to light. Chanrai is clearly concerned as to his position and as to who performs the Admin role. If it IS Annie Other then they will still have to reduce the BURN rate of cash by 2 to 3 million a MONTH. Any advance from the PL will go to debt repayment, it won't stop the mortal wounds bleeding them to death. It is true to say that whatever they were BEFORE Admin is Toast. What comes out of it is another matter. Having them bottom of the Pl with the points deduction INCREASES the chances of any one from 6 clubs staying in the PL - The penalty will apply, none of them will vote to let the few stay up as it would need a unanimous vote to change the rules.

Spuds injury crisis And they are asking questions about why Old Twitchy let O'Hara go out on loan http://www.footballfancast.com/football-blogs/tottenham-faux-pas-jamie-ohara

No.... The OP is entitled The Bigger Picture. To see the Bigger Picture you have to look at ALL circumstances. AP starts from what in footballing terms is a Nuclear Wasteland. His and others comments are on record saying what a mess there was. AP is on his own on Day One. He has to recruit a complete staff, he has to sign players with no scouting network. He rebuilds the club from Ground Zero. He had MORE work to do than Wise et al did at Leeds. He has worked a Miracle at our club. The moaners do not see the BIGGER PICTURE of how much he has done. Some moan that it is not fast enough. Some moan that we are not consistent enough. Some moan that some moan. AP has "In The Bigger Picture" pulled this club up by it's braces and given us our most enjoyable season for YEARS. It is a miracle, it is a fantastic effort BECAUSE it is not just that he has rebuilt the side, he brought in Dean Wilkins and rebuilt a scouting network that FOUND Fonte, Puncheon, Barnard, Ostemobor. He has done a Hell of a lot more than pick his best team and get them "gelling together". That is the Big Picture and THAT is what the moaners haven't taken into account. Will we make the playoffs? AP says it will need a lot of hard work and a lot of luck. That is my opnion as well. Great if we do, but if we DON'T at least we now have a REAL football club this season not some stupid ego trip or a skeleton of a failed "Corporate Cost Reduction Exercise"

Did not say Leeds danced down in a conga of joy. Our disarray off the pitch was as large or worse than theirs was. Leeds did not sack anyone who knew about English Football in their demise. Everything surrounding our FOOTBALL operations was raped. AP was on his own and has done an astonishing job of recruiting at every level. It is not "an excuse" it is an understanding that the situation existed. For all we know Rupert himself gave the squad their Summer Break fitness programme based on a book left by SCW. Leeds had a Football Back Office operation when they melted down, we didn't. Want to compare details? What date did Wise have a #2 or a first team coach or a chief scout? So as you choose to label my discussion point Horseh1t, I choose to label you a Lowe apologist as you obviously never understood what had happened to the football side of our club. Was that what YOU meant? Of course not

One of the arguments that was trotted out on here was how Leeds turned around a 15 point penalty to reach the playoffs. What that fails to take into account is the destruction that was caused last season in the abortive attempt to stay in business. When Leeds went down and into meltdown they had not been shredded of every last vestige of footballing processes. We talk about the re-building job, but while we had a group of talented (but shell-shocked) youngsters our operations on the playing side were if not "In the Red" certainly "In the Orange". If Only are the two worst words in the English Language, so we cannot say If Only we had got off to a better start, it's like blaming yourself for NOT putting the right winning numbers on a lottery ticket, we can only say LEARN. Last night was great to listen to and made me wish I was there. But Saturday is very important. It will be a bad pitch, we have played badly on bad pitches. Have we now LEARNT? in which case the bigger picture is rosy or will it be "If Only" in which case we aren't QUITE there yet

For an organisation raking in Billions per year, 32 mil is petty cash. Portsmouth are entitled to the cash over a two year period The PL "Buying Off" HMRC and paying off the Football Creditors with this money will come with very long ropes, not strings. It will also have the effect of telling any dodgy dealer/chancer/self publicist that they will not be able to rape the club for any money. What will be available for sale will be a shell of a club in the CCC with no TRADING debt. The buyer would need to come in with a long term plan. Which means 1) The money stays in "The Game" by placating HMRC it will have a quid pro quo elsewhere with other clubs in trouble 2) The "Owners Debts" are still not paid off - meaning the cost of those debts will be around 50mil 3) The RUNNING costs of the club cannot be subsidised by TV or Parachute money from the PL, but only from revenue in the CCC. They WILL be dependent on Match Day revenues. That would place them in a financial position equal to the likes of Blackpool or Doncaster with the subsequent impact on their playing squad. So a negotiation down from 50 mil to buy them in Admin still have to buy the land and still have to invest in facilities - Training ground, stadium etc Stl have to fund them in the CCC where they could expect a maximum revenue of around 15mil a year... Profit on 15 mil in CCC - lucky if it is 10% - covers the rent on FP. 50 mil to buy them? Return on investment 50 years or more... This could be very good news for those who wish them to survive in their rightful place

Strange that there has been very little reporting/analysis of the Court Hearing in the mainstream press. Most have run with the standard report of the words taken from the news streams but it not one "Analyst" has looked at it and asked the meaning and the implications. Unusual

Ah crap. Next time I recommend somewhere I'll make sure I get a %age first! Am booked for dinner at Jun Takana's place Pearl Restaurant in Holborn even found someone to pay for it! - we watch The Daily Cook's Challenge here and HAD to make a posh weekend of it (sad ain't it!) so will aim for Covent Garden area afters

2am here Going off to zzz one really happy bunny

AP slams Alps for letting Tranmere into the secret of beating us Over water their pitch :-)

we're gonna need a lot of luck to make the playoffs - AP