Legod Third Coming

We don't, but the pattern is the same. Relegation followed by a decision to back and support the manager who failed. Followed soon after by a decision to fire him... usually just after a transfer window has closed. If you wrote a book on performance management, this approach would be listed under 'bonkers'.

But how is that possible without a friendly relationship with the local rag... ?

If a local paper has any sense, they cosy up with their football team, bring you exclusives from the club and generally support the team. They might only 'turn' when speaking on behalf of the fans against a regime. Noone really wants to buy a paper that bashes their club, do they? Fans don't want 'independent reporting' in the same way they don't want independent commentary. If a newspaper is too daft to see this they only have themselves to blame, especially when the team is doing well. After a thumping win, I want to pick up a paper and read a glowing report that makes me relive each goal and brings a smile to my face. Football fans are pretty simple souls like that.

They may well have been promoted under Southgate this season... The pattern here is so common that football chairmen should be taken away to a reverse-labotomy clinic. Support new/young manager with cash, watch him fail. Agree to support him still, see an improvement, fire him. What is wrong with football Chairmen??

The truth is no one buys newspapers any more, or if they do it won't be for long.

And a happy ending?

Pressure only takes over if you aren't mentally strong though. Monty's nerve is suspect - you can tell that by the way he reacts to the crowd. Federer must have been under more pressure than any tennis player/sportsman in history but he thrives on it. I think I agree with you that you cannot train this mental strength - either you have it and you're a winner or you don't. However, one of the things that contributes greatly to confidence is the ability to do something and achieve the same result over and over and over again.

They clearly didn't. Waddle lent back and committed the cardinal sin of kicking the ball - lean back and the ball goes up... And Pearce blasted the ball rather than placed it. Missing penalties is a cardinal sin unless the goalkeeper pulls off a sensational stop, in which case fair play. Too many English players think it's about emotional state. It's not. It's about practicing, over and over and over again, so that in any given situation you know exactly what you are going to do to the extent that the situation is almost immaterial. The failure to master pressure is normally the result of lack of confidence, and this can and is built by practice.

Tell me this: When did Tiger's golf coach win a major? When did Federer's tennis coach win Wimbledon? And so on... You can teach/coach technical ability. You can manage pressure. Ultimately, winners are focused enough not to feck up on the big stage - but they need technique first and foremost. There is no doubt that Le Tiss could offer advice on technique. Anyone who does not respect the opinion of someone who has excelled in something, is a bit of a berk really. You don't read Gerald Ratner's rules of business and Eddie the Eagle's advice on achieving sporting greatness do you...

Pressure can be coached. There is a reason Tiger can sink a putt in major after major. It's because he could sink it with his eyes shut whether he was playing me for fun or you for the Open... Get the technique right, then get your mind right. How else do you train a soldier to react under fire? Practice makes perfect. Matt could train striking technique, a decent coach can train mental stength.

Well, if my bet for us to win the league comes off I'll buy you a pint - mind you we'll all be in clover if that happens!!!

No, but there were some idiots expecting us to win every game without that talent... Personally, I feel vindicated. I felt Pardew was doing the right things and the right results would come. They have. In my book that makes me a football genuis. Don't shatter my illusions... We always agreed DD that we would make the play-offs, but I bet I am the only one of the two of us holding betting slips to that effect!!

We were playing ok but without the talent we needed. If you look back, we started adding players after Pardew arrived. No surprise to me that we started winning when the transfer window closed... Just take a look at the early season team sheets. It's frightening.

Many were not rightly stating we need to get our act together, they were prematurely criticising a rebuilding job. They were stood while MichaelAngelo was mixing his paint telling him the chapel ceiling looked a bit plain... Anyone could see what Pardew was doing - laying foundations, rebuilding a club - but some lack patience and perspective. To be fair to them, we had been through so much crap it was easy to lose faith. But the evidence was there from day one that Pardew was doing the right things and changing where change was needed. They don't say patience is a virtue for nothing

Good managers do not become bad overnight and vice versa. I notice it took Strachan five games (again) before his first win... When you consider what Pardew inherited and the fact that we only use three outfield players regularly who were here when he arrived, you understand the scale of rebuilding job he has undertaken. Really, the turnaround is remarkably short. Many managers might have made a more instant impact but would they have been able to sustain it? Pardew, on the other hand has identified all our weaknesses and is working to address them. Yes, we're still a work in progress.

£8400 but as I said above the chances of us winning the league are now very very slim. So I hope to collect £900 for promotion which would give me a profit of two season tickets!

Beating Leeds 3-1 will help

It is highly unlikely. My better bets are: 6/1 Denman for the Gold Cup 14/1 Zaynar for the Champion Hurdle 25/1 Forpaddydeplasterer for the Queen Mum (although I think Master Minded will win) I also have us at 13/2 to with the JPT.

£50 on each.

I think it requires more than luck, but your good wishes are noted! Thank you.

After nine games I backed us at 18/1 for promotion and 150/1 to win the league. In my book both results are still possible, albeit Charlton and Leeds have to wobble like a Jelly with springs for feet...

Some of you are very unambitious. We made up two points on Leeds today.

whereas it wasn't after the Brighton game...????

I don't do the prediction league but anyone who does and didn't select 1-3 is a berk

I told you, we're going up...