dubai_phil

The Falcon is a simple of the UAE... Sultan Bin Trump

OK. So the UK is politically correct these days Yes or No? So, if everyone is subject to the same laws rules and regulations, can ANYBODY explain to me why this Mr Choudray has not been arrested on charges of inciting racial hatred? Free speech is one thing, but I am sure that if I used the same comments and arguments from a White Western Male mouth about organising a March in Bradford I would have been arrested by now. You guys live in one seriously f8cked up country

he he he You obviously have no IT skills or knowledge do you Nick. Do you have ANY idea how hard it is to put a cobweb into a PDF file?

Through my work I was lucky enough to watch a Test Match Pak V Eng in Lahore about 8 years ago. Got to meet all of the Sky team at the time and even had the honour of sitting at the back of the box for one session (there were only about 6 England fans in the ground so wasn't THAT difficult to blag) David Lloyd is really Bumble in real life, have told the story before of his shock when he found out how you could get beer in Pakistan. Mark Nicholas being "upper class Mark", Ian Botham resetting Bumbles mobile to Polish Language (lol and yes we did help him sort it out) Boycott was exactly what you'd expect, Mr Yorkshire (He got his bottle of Malt nicked at Lahore customs as did I) :mad: Shame he "had a little bother" and tends to be on foreign tv these days (he's on our TV doing the Eng SA test ATM) And Aggers, met him at the airport and sat next to him on the flight back to Dubai. You can almost just picture him asking the flying mattress (oops sorry air hostess) for a nice glass of Chardonnay rather than the Champagne in Business Class. Thing was the cricket guys in real life are just like their personas when they commentate. In football, loved Coleman & never understood why Barry Davies wasn't a National Institution, hated Motson. These days we just get "The Premier League TV" commentators, some like Ian Darke are good but some are awful. The best still alive? Richie Benaud (check out the Twelfth Man) Before him? Jim Laker. Best presenter, our local hero Rob McAffrey. You guys will never know it but he has done an amazing job down here for the past 4 years with Showtime, he changed the face and shape of our TV football (thank fook) we'll miss him when Abu Dhabi TV take over

It's a really tough call between FF & myself as to who really knew that first. I think he wins for the Thailand link, but boy it's been fun:) Keep warm WS, hope to get back to see you again soon

As an expert on the Middle East I would recommend staying away from Egypt. Sharm is quirky but it is Arabic. Your fun centres around your hotel and a couple of bars or restaurants. This means you are at a complete lottery to the whims of your package tour operator & his selection of hotels. The most fun (even with a better half) is Thailand and Phuket is wonderful. But that will take you forever to get there and the flights will be too much. (For a REAL romantic get away with a beach check out Centara Villas on Latestays.com) Stunning. I once suggested to a mate to do a tour of Syria, he thought I was mad but went. Damascus, 3 nights, Lattakia (Med beach) 3 nights & Alleppo 1 night. He has never been anywhere else on vacation since But for cheap breaks in Feb look for deals in my whacky town, They are struggling with hotel bookings at the moment. The beach Hotels offer cheap rates but the booze is extrotionate. However you are allowed to get a case of beer at Duty Free for the price of 2 pints and a bottle of Stolichnaya for the price of a single shot and can have a great time. In Feb we'll have Golf & Tennis. Although you have to take a 1 hour coach trip from Abu Dhabi, Etihad will offer good deals as will Royal Brunei. PM if you want help

The only good thing about Leeds used to be The Leeds Hilton which did special rates at the weekend and their Casino where I won 150 quid one night. I'll never forget the League Cup Semi when a (ha ha) mate got me a ticket in the Leeds end and I was surrounded by Neanderthals in -12C wearing no shirts hitting their own fans because they thought they weren't singing loudly enough. They wore white but there was always something not clean about the team of Madeley Reaney Bremner et al. Maybe their reputation is undeserved, but to me they never seemed to try and play football "the beautiful way". Compare their methods and style with that of the Gooners today, or us under LM. Perhaps those early Revie days set the scene for their overspending and demise, who knows? In his later years, my Brother met Don Revie & his family in Spain. I never forget his comment - he was a really nice bloke. So odd that would be the description compared to what he was like as a manager and the teams he put out. Secretly I think Branfoot wanted to be a Revie.

Once upon a time Cyprus Airways did a "Valentines special" 2 tickets to the UK via Cyprus for 300 quid total. In those days that was a bargain. Anyway I found a female who wanted to go back to the UK that the (at the time) wife approved of so we bought the tickets, showed a 5 quid plastic engagement ring and got the tickets. Airline was like utterly average but it transferred through Cyprus in 1 hour and got back to blighty she went to mum in Dublin. We had different flights back but the deal meant we had a 20 hour stop over in Cyprus. I found a 15 quid a night dive and checked in for my big night out in Larnaca. So my strong advice for an interesting short winter break with some sun is to go to Malta, Madeira anywhere except Larnaca. HTH

No that only allegedly works if you happen to be best friends with Mr Gerald Krasner. Now I know allegedly not many people think much of Mr K but I would find it hard to think that he would want the business world to know he was best friends with the gaychaps. Mind you that assumes he gets the job, could always go to Mr Fry, now that could be funny. Southend's finest meets... nah not even Mr allegedly corporate box at West Ham could allegedly even begin to think of pulling that one surely

Meanwhile, the world's tallest building has just been declared open here in Dubai. In a simple but stunning opening ceremony, the Tower was renamed the Burj Khalifa in honour of the President of the UAE (and the fact he bunged the local boys 10 bil to get out of hock) A stunning firework display was preceded by two parachutists jumping safely off the top of the 828 metre tall building. Local sources have denied reports that the parachute of a third jumper, rumoured to be a local reality show TV celebrity failed to open. The offical news agency commented that it was rubbish and libellous to begin to believe that the local parachute packing company could be blamed for a mechanical failure. It was more likely that the parachute would not fit over his head. It should also be noted that there is absolutely no truth whatsoever in the allegations that there is a Saints shirt buried in the foundations. Honest

That should be pasted to every available wall outside the PL offices. FAPP yeah well done chaps

Well, just for once, maybe there is a chance that the Blue Few could do something that WOULD make their club memorable and cast them in a league above the rest of the fan base. After all it is their club, so maybe they could do something. It is without doubt, clear that they have been owned by a series of unsavoury characters. It is clear that the FAPP test is beyond a joke. The PL don't care WHO owns a club as long as they bring MONEY. The same FAPP who approved the Gaydamark ownership, approved Al Fahim & Al Faraj. Who approved the Munto Finance takeover of Notts County Who approved Thaksin at Man City Who (although he's now seen as a demi-god) approved Abramovich In fact the same people who approved Al Fahim & Al Faraj even recommended one of them to the club as an owner. The Few should start their protests, start their "riots" and boycotts and pickets by sending Westwood to stand outside PL HQ and ring his bell all day and every day with a placard saying greedy crooks apply here. And when he gets carried awy the remaining 8,000 or so can take over. Their plight won't be the last while the lunatics run the asylum

Couldn't help thinking that they should never have got to 150 yesterday either. The New Ball is the danger, dropping Smith allowed him to take the worst of it and leave it open for Kallis & Steyn to nurdle onwards. This morning we just saw how one sided the new ball is Still, wouldn't be England if it wasn't painful

Thanks Gemmel.. As I mentioned, I would imagine that anything that shows links between Israel & the Saudi Ministry of Defence would be in the brown trousers land of bad news for the Keepers of The Holy Sites. If I may also attempt to translate the rest of the article, Al Faraj seems to be a dodgy deal doer or broker who is involved in numerous deals with no great speciality. He joins a long list then, Tony Lynam, Whacko, Sultan Bin Trump

What was even more strange was a comment in one paper over the weekend that Al Faraj is supposedly linked to some Saudi based "Ministry of Defence" related industry. If that is the case then I am amazed that some journalists have not started to follow that up and dig deeper. That allegation (and no I cannot remember where the heck I saw it) is political dynamite. But have only been online since Saturday lunchtime so not that old. A Saudi national dealing with Jews is one thing but with all the possible links into the arms business from before.... That one is potentially as big a story as the BAe dodgy commissions story. The sort of thing that conspiracy theorists or extremists could use to attack the Saudi Government.

OK some figures. http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/jan/03/portsmouth-debts-transfer-embargo They owe 10 million quid to other English Clubs They owe Lens how much? Remember if they enter Admin, in order to regain their "playing licence/golden share" etc, then Football Debts MUST be met in full. Next is the HMRC, now we estimate they owe about 1.8mil a month, but they were in arrears to what 4 or 5 mil? As of today they owe their staff around 1.5mil in salaries that need a loan to be paid IF they go into admin, then ALL of those bills have to met by whoever buys the club. Yet the club will have NO stadium, NO training ground. So what ASSETS exactly is a magical investor BUYING? In admin, the club will never recover the 9 point deduction to stay in the PL, so there is only the parachute payments - oh wait, those have been promised to someone else. They owe 15 mil to this mysterious Hong Kong based busienssman secured against 7mil of tv revenue from Sky. You can bet your mortgage that somebody will have signed a contract that commmits the TV, transfer OR Parachute money to pay some of these bills - How ELSE could they have borrowed teh cash to pay the last few months. They owe Gayadmark 26.8mil But here you go Mr big money man - we got 11,000 at say 25 quid each on Saturday which is about 275,000 quid, oh yeah I know that 45% goes to Coventry & 10% to the FA but it's OK it's all in cash mate. So the massive support of the fans on Saturday gave them an income of 110k. Wow, maybe paid two players wages for that.... There is no Sky money left for them. Unless the owners start shooting each other, there is really nothing left in the club at all. The ONLY people left in that game are the ones with the best lawyers and the toughest bonds/guarantees etc. Debts like that - you can bet the 18mil is at about 20% interest.... And yet the fans comments = we don't understand, we didn't see it coming....

The difference is that our Stadium Debt was "professionally" established as a long term secured Mortgage. AND we could afford it, even with relegation, the annual mortgage payment was not "crippling" at the time. The Stadium did not make us go bust, insane cash flow and Op Ex management did that. We had one transfer window of "going wild" and then 1.5 years of destroying the revenue from the fans with utter garbage and idiotic politics. When we went pop for the princely sum of 4 Grand, our football debts were manageable, our HMRC was all but up to date, and we only had a 4mil bank overdraft. Giving a few pence in the pound to Barclays and Aviva was simple, giving a few pence in the pound to Lens, Chelsea Watford et al simply cannot happen as it is against the rules. The problem with the few is that their football debts are huge and HAVE to paid in full if they are to be able to continue. On top of that, the stadium is "mortgaged" to a property speculator NOT a professional PLC who have to worry about their public image as much as Shareholder interests. Who knows what they may decide to do with the shed if they don't get their 9mil back in Jan and the rest in 2010. The nature of debts, assets and opportunities are the problem for the Few.

Like it or not, if any of these "extremist Islamists" tried to march against the war in Afghanistan in their OWN country of origin, they would spend a long time behind bars being regulalry beaten. In fact the reason that most of them or their parents or leaders are IN Britain is because extremist states like Saudi and Yemen kicked them all out during the 70's and 80's as being TOO radical. Britain has a very dirty part in the current terror organisations growing around the world. They let them fester because of respect for the human rights of the "oppressed" who claimed asylum seeking religious freedoms. Then you idiots paid them their social and let them build their Mosques and allowed them to raise funds to send their brain washed kids to the Madras (sic) schools. They have a right to protest? Oh brilliant, you can bet that every editor of every extremist web site in the world will be laughing their t*ts off at the sheer idiocy. Extremists do not have any interest in Human Rights for ANY group or religion. So why the F*CK should British people show any respect for THEIR Human Rights. Why on earth are Muslim countries quietly supporting the war in Afghanistan? Why the heck are the Saudi's fighting the insurgents in North Yemen. The Muslim Nations get it, why the hell don't the woolly eyed liberal morons in the UK PC Thought Police?

OK let me get this straight, just been out to the supermarket and the skates have signed Jonathon Ross on a salary of 6mil a year. Isn't he a bit old to be starting a PL career?

http://www.tribalfootball.com/players-fear-portsmouth-will-go-freefall-547831 I think that has to contain THE single most stupid suggestion to solve their problems that I have read so far... "A senior source in the dressing room" no-one should be sold, need more players ROFL

Weather improving, hope that dropped catch isn't as damaging as I am worrying it could be.

Somebody should give the Glazers the phone number for Dubai World. They know all about Bonds

He he he. Just caught a bit on the telly. Nice way to start the day

When oh when will those idiots at the PL get their heads out of the sand and sit down and have an "emergency meeting" to start to sort out English Football. Journalists and bloggers have been saying since Lehman that football will have problems, and here we are transfer embargoes all over the place, screwing the fans for advance ST purchases, reliance on promises of "dodgy" overseas finance, and even debt for equity swaps. Michel Platini got it very right, something needs to be done, it's all very funny watching the Blue Few suffer, and nobody really has a soft spot for Cardiff, but FFS we're now (allegedly) very secure financially, so we need SOMEBODY to survive if we are to have games to watch/listen to each week. But no doubt the World Cup bid optimism will kick in and everything will be alright on the night attitude will prevail. Uttaka on 80k a WEEK? If that isn't a sign of serious sickness in English football then nothing is. Wake up & smell the coffee FA & FL. Points deductions aren't the answer, football needs radical surgery and fast

Tricky game, motivated opposition. We won. I understand the moaners saying they are worried we are not playing well, BUT, earlier in the season we played some wonderful football and won many but not all. Heck we even had a thread about winning ugly. One thing that GOOD teams can do is to scrape out dodgy 1-0 wins when they are off form. I'm actually happy that we are now able to do this. Football IS a results game, we got a result, we're in the next round. Now, as for the reasons we aren't firing, from where I sat in fornt of my speakers, a midfield of Papa - Morgan - Hammond - Antonio never seemed to have the strength to cope with a well motivated opposition, sure it looked great from an attacking perspective on paper but it was lightweight. I LIKE the fact that Papa & Antonio are cover for each other, but we still really need that other midfielder, whether it is at DM or LW is up to AP, but we are short there. As for Lloyd James, again I go back to the games I have seen and there is a really simple answer, all his crosses (and our long throws) are LOOPED into the box. He simply seems unable to "Whip the ball" into the box. No idea how it looks from the left side, but until James puts pace on the ball, hoofing it in from the right touchline near the halfway line simply relies on luck. Watch Rory Delaps' long throws versus Antonio's, watch a video of MLT's crosses vs James. James is a competent squad player, AP has a problem in RB, does he wait for Murty to get fit? does he buy another "Mr Versatile" or does he get a proper experienced RB who can cross the ball? Lambert is priceless in this league, but is Patterson yet ready to cover for him? Connolly is not the same type of player so if we do need to rest Rickie or he picks up a knock then we have to change our system. I enjoyed the commentary, we clearly didn't play well in the second half, but, at the end of the day it was an old fashioned banana skin cup tie. We're in the hat for the 4th round. Many a year we didn't even make it this far. Well played to Luton. They scared the krap out of us, yeah sure they could have won. but they didn't.