Whitey Grandad

I'm fairly certain that there were technology trials at Staplewood a few years ago. Does anybody know anything about what the conclusions were?

Yes, a good article. So what do they suggest we do? Change the manager and only pick players from the Championship?

Certainly not. Embrace the world around you and learn to appreciate its beauty and infinite variety. A world without birds would be a very sad place. Besides, that UFO might come back and shoot you because it thinks you're a pesky nuisance.

Nope, nope of those apply. If anything the road has been improved with a separate footbridge for cyclists and pedestrians over the railway line.

Ok, I was referring to the speed limits and not the cameras. Of course, once a camera has been installed the number of serious accidents falls and then 'they' will argue that this is because of the camera whereas it is often just 'regression to the mean'.

Most of our local ones are set by Councillors who pester the 'experts'.

I have some sympathy for you. These mobile camera units are only positioned where they catch the biggest number of 'speeders'. Most sensible drivers go at a speed which reflects the prevailing road conditions and environment, we dont go counting the distance between street lights. I defy anyone to tell me that the 30mph limit at the top of the dual carriageway on Bitterne hill is there for safety reasons. There's sometimes a mobile unit near me on Baddesley Road which was a 40 limit for over 30 years after we moved in. Then they made in a 30 limit, took away all the repeater signs and set up a cash register on the grass verge. If that road was deemed safe at 40 for over 30 years, why is it not safe now?

Good point! Then we need a wall of something, spikes would do, plasticine would not be so good in my opinion. This would also have the beneficial effect of more goals being scored. Of course, if there were a row of spikes on the ground it is less likely that any player would tyry to clear the ball. This microchip thing was trialled a few years ago by the FA down at Staplewood but nothing ever came of it.

In Victorian times the terms Britain and England were used interchangeably. I think it's down to the rise in scottish (and welsh) nationalism.

That's because there are lots of Londons in North America, just as you can find Athens and Berlin and Paris. Driving along Cape Cod is weird with towns called Harwich, Ipswich, Chatham, Orleans, Falmouth together with american names like 'Mashpee'. Taunton, Weymouth, Plymouth, Bristol are all close by. There's also a Barnstable (sic) which the locals presume is a mis-spelling of Barnstaple but is actually the name for a region of south Essex (in England, Britain). So you can hear them refer to 'London, England' which distinguishes it from 'London, Ontario' and all the others.

We don't need technology for goal decisions. Just dig a trench behind the goal line one ball's width behind the back edge of the painted line. Then the ball would not bounce back into play. Squash courts have a strip of 'tin' at the bottom of the wall, long-jump pits have plasticine where the foot lands. Mind you, a row of steel spikes would do the same job. Whatever method is chosen, there will come a point where the ball is on the edge of a hairline decision, and somebody will have to make a choice.

Spot on. Lampard aims a free kick straight at their (4-man) wall and Barry clubs the rebound straight to the other team who run down our end and score, and you could never describe Rooney's ball control as 'silky'.

I hope not. Blind faith in modern technology is very disturbing and we saw the miscarriage in the England's Rugby match. Television has far too much influence on football already. An extra official on each goal line would be sufficient. All we need are footballers who can hit the net instead of the woodwork. If this had been a German 'goal' nobody would have mentioned it.

The more we hear about the training camp the more it sounds like a prison regime. Now we're even talking about 'conjugal rights' visits.

Martin Samuel in the Mail today: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/worldcup2010/article-1290396/MARTIN-SAMUEL-There-thing-tired-England--excuses.html Carlos Tevez 40 games Gareth Barry 43 Dirk Kuyt 53 Steven Gerrard 49 Nigel de jong 42 Javier Mascherano 45 Glen Johnson 34 And some of these had long flights for qualifying tournaments.

Wasn't there something in the charter about having first claim on your 'own' seat.

I'm self-employed. There is no such thing as sick-leave for me.

If this is the golden generation I'd hate to see the silver or bronze.

The Burton money was all spent on Capello.

I tend to agree with you, Alps. On the whole I prefer lower ticket prices, 3pm kick-offs, and winning most of our games. I wouldn't mind getting promoted to the Championship though.

This is turning into Viz's Top Tips for football coaches.

Capello is paid a fortune, he has to take responsibility.

That was the problem today. They are all a load of thickos, there's not a spark of life or character in any of them.

An extra official on each goal line, as in the Europa League, would have been enough.

Let me see.... Fly back tomorrow, meeting on Tuesday, statement Tuesday afternoon at 15:52. You read it here first.