Whitey Grandad

So you should have.

It has been said that my only purpose in life is to act as a warning to others.

So what?

I’m sure they were there earlier. I’ll have a look at it. Hmm. showing on my desktop PC using Chrome but not on my iPad using Safari... I shall keep on looking... Not quite right but if you click on them you'll get some idea. More research needed.

My heart has been doing fine, thanks. Nearly six years since the operation February in Rio is stinking hot. They fry eggs on the pavement just because they can. Except when we're there. Here is the top of the Corcovado: And this was our view from the top of the Sugar Loaf:

This Malcom here? I took this photo at breakfast on Sunday 4th February in our hotel on Copacaban Beach. The man on the left is presumably his agent as later two Italians turned up and joined them. I don't know which Italian club they were from but there was a couple of family groups of them and they were round the pool all day. I have other photos too

Seems genuine. The phone number for the Chinese is my local takeaway in Hursley Road. Or just a clever form of advertising?

Would that be 666 days if we play them on the Sunday? Scary.

Just for you I’ve recovered the recording and looked again. In the camera view across the pitch there is another Saudi player right behind Dyzuba who is almost totally hidden by him. I would describe it as ‘level’ even though there’s not really such a thing.

Too true. If Panama -Tunisia were being played as a knock-out before the final tournament who would bother to watch it? Maybe that's the point. Los Canaleros v. The Eagles of Carthage, not to be missed.

Many thanks.

Indeed. That’s what the qualifying rounds are for.

Is there any possibility that it will be moved to the Monday night? I need to book some ferry crossings.

Yes indeed. The trouble is deciding which are the 5%

Yes, silly me.

Typical crappy Mail journalism: "he is 'on a pre-booked holiday' in Italy - with photographs showing him relaxing on a beach in Formentera"

Why was it a joke? Because you didn’t agree with some of the decisions? It’s not used in every sport. It ruins the vibrancy of the game and kills the spirit and atmosphere. It has ruined rugby and even cricket has been distorted for the worse. English referees are as good as any but the rest of the world has been improving. You can’t imply anything from the fact that none are going to the World Cup.

The standard of refereeing is better that it has ever been. The referees are much fitter and there are regular seminars to encourage more consistency. What has changed is the prevalence of TV pundits who are encouraged to comment on every incident even when they don’t even know the laws of the game. They go out of their way to create some controversy where none exists. TV has far too much influence anyway. They’ve bought the game and now they want to run it.

If you think that VAR is going to improve the game then you're in for a big surprise. It will destroy the whole experience and magic of the beautiful game. Are you still going on about free kicks being taken from the wrong place? The only answer to all these very valid points is to support a club from the lowere leagues. Proper football.

Never mind Karius. How much damage was done to Ramos's elbow?

Who's he signing for?

Whether he was concussed or not the assessment was done at a Boston hospital, one at which John Henry is a trustee. Just saying.... https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/hapless-loris-karius-was-concussed-during-champions-league-final-say-doctors-xjld759q9 (paywall) He was advised by Liverpool to visit specialists Dr Ross Zafonte and Dr Lenore Herget at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston on May 31, when he underwent scans. As well as examining Karius, footage of his clash with Ramos was reviewed. In a statement last night, Dr Zafonte, chief of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Massachusetts General Hospital, said: “After carefully reviewing game film and integrating a detailed history — including his reported present and immediate post-contact subjective symptoms — physical examination and objective metrics, we have concluded that Mr Karius sustained a concussion during the match. “At the time of our evaluation, Mr Karius’s principal residual symptoms and objective signs suggested that visual spatial dysfunction existed and likely occurred immediately following the event. “Additional symptomatic and objectively noted areas of dysfunction also persisted. It could be possible that such deficits would affect performance.” John W Henry, the Liverpool owner, is a trustee of Massachusetts General Hospital.

I agree that they should get their fair share. That would be a lot less than they're getting now.

I’m in row O and I have problems too.

Shibboleth is a perfectly good word, not an insult at all. Unless you’re an Ephraimite and you can’t pronounce it properly. Judges 12:4-6