How long does McParland have to make Notts County an unstoppable team? The answer
is probably not very long. For all the activity around county with rich investors, Sven, Sol
and even Lee Hughes it was expected that County would run away with Div 2. After a
brilliant start it’s fell a little flat recently and some criticism could be pointed at the
manager for not making this work.
With stories already doing the rounds that Roberto Carlos is the next big name to move to
Nottingham, it seems only a matter of weeks before Sven moves to the bench or he brings
in one of his old buddies to run the team.
The smart money is on Sven taking over in the coach’s job and spending fairly big in the
next transfer window. County need to come up this season, and with one or two more
signings they will easily have the best side in the league. It would not be any shock to
anyone if Sven can pull of a coup and bring a player like Ljungberg to county to add to
the experienced core.
I give McParland 3 weeks tops, and if they lose the next match against Northampton I
think he’ll go then.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Did the Premiership miss out ?
As the transfer deadline drew to a close it seems French Side Monaco may have stolen the show with the move of the summer. While the big money moved the likes of Robben, CR7 and Kaka, it was the shock signing of Icelander Eidur Gudjohnsen for a measly amount of 2M Euros that may turn out to be the biggest return on investment
Yes 2M Euros, it’s not a lot of money for a player of this pedigree. When you look at the 6.5M Pounds Wolves spent of Doyle, you really have to wonder why everyone missed out on this striker. Eidur has bags of experience from his time in England with Bolton and Chelsea. He also did a decent job playing in Spain for Barcelona.
1998-2000 Bolton 55app 18gls
2000-2006 Chelsea 182app 54gls
2006-2009 Barcelona 72app 10gls
apps (10gls)
The two teams that stand out for me that really missed the boat are Blackburn and Liverpool
Blackburn needs a good striker, and it would make sense for Big Sam to get back with his former star striker. They have money from the Santa Cruz sale and for the tiny cost it’s not much of a gamble. With Eidur they would have a starter every week up front.
Liverpool is in dire need of a 2nd striker to play along side or as a stand in for Torres. They have nothing at all worth mentioning on the bench. They also missed out on Tuncay from Middlesbrough and of course Owen. I really fear for Liverpool if they have an injury to either Torres or Gerrard.
I could have it all wrong but I see Eidur banging in 15-20 goals this season in France and he could easily have done the same numbers in the EPL this season.
Who do you think was the biggest value for money signing this summer?
Yes 2M Euros, it’s not a lot of money for a player of this pedigree. When you look at the 6.5M Pounds Wolves spent of Doyle, you really have to wonder why everyone missed out on this striker. Eidur has bags of experience from his time in England with Bolton and Chelsea. He also did a decent job playing in Spain for Barcelona.
1998-2000 Bolton 55app 18gls
2000-2006 Chelsea 182app 54gls
2006-2009 Barcelona 72app 10gls
apps (10gls)
The two teams that stand out for me that really missed the boat are Blackburn and Liverpool
Blackburn needs a good striker, and it would make sense for Big Sam to get back with his former star striker. They have money from the Santa Cruz sale and for the tiny cost it’s not much of a gamble. With Eidur they would have a starter every week up front.
Liverpool is in dire need of a 2nd striker to play along side or as a stand in for Torres. They have nothing at all worth mentioning on the bench. They also missed out on Tuncay from Middlesbrough and of course Owen. I really fear for Liverpool if they have an injury to either Torres or Gerrard.
I could have it all wrong but I see Eidur banging in 15-20 goals this season in France and he could easily have done the same numbers in the EPL this season.
Who do you think was the biggest value for money signing this summer?
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
One game makes you
Gordon Strachan had a great record of winning trophies, and producing in Europe but the Celtic supports never warmed to him. It all really started to go downhill for him on 28 Jul 2005. In the first competitive game of the new season, Celtic was drawn against minnows Artmedia Bratislava, when the dust settled the Scottish giants were 5-0 down after the first leg. Strachan never recovered from this throughout his career at Celtic.
It seems strange but one game is all it takes to make or break someone in the beautiful game. Today new Celtic Manager Tony Mowbray faced a similar fate to that of his predecessor. Already one nil down from the home leg, Celtic faced elimination from the lucrative Champions League with a very difficult away trip to Russian. A Late goal into injury time secured a 2-nil victory for the Glasgow Giant. A huge victory for Celtic that moves them into the next round of the competition but maybe more important is the fans are fully behind the new manager, and hopefully for the first time since Martin O’Neill was at the club the fans will now have a new leader to follow.
It seems strange but one game is all it takes to make or break someone in the beautiful game. Today new Celtic Manager Tony Mowbray faced a similar fate to that of his predecessor. Already one nil down from the home leg, Celtic faced elimination from the lucrative Champions League with a very difficult away trip to Russian. A Late goal into injury time secured a 2-nil victory for the Glasgow Giant. A huge victory for Celtic that moves them into the next round of the competition but maybe more important is the fans are fully behind the new manager, and hopefully for the first time since Martin O’Neill was at the club the fans will now have a new leader to follow.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
What the toon needs
I've put a lot of thought into this and it seems pretty clear to me that Newcastle don't need Shearer. They need a manager who has experience dealing with a rough crowd, dealing with the pressures of managing a high profile club, and most of all having experience running a club with little to no funds.
That man of course is Gordon Strachan. This a manager who did a decent job over the years in England with a limited budget. He then did a great job ( although the fans won't agree) in Scotland with Celtic. With little money he won trophy after trophy and even got to the last 16 of the CL.
This is a move the makes sense. This man has lived through hell at Celtic, he could walk into this job easily, clear out the deadwood and rebuild without blowing the bank.
If given the chance he'll get them up again, and once up he will build them back to the top 8 of the EPL.
That man of course is Gordon Strachan. This a manager who did a decent job over the years in England with a limited budget. He then did a great job ( although the fans won't agree) in Scotland with Celtic. With little money he won trophy after trophy and even got to the last 16 of the CL.
This is a move the makes sense. This man has lived through hell at Celtic, he could walk into this job easily, clear out the deadwood and rebuild without blowing the bank.
If given the chance he'll get them up again, and once up he will build them back to the top 8 of the EPL.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Sad Day
Today was tough for me in many ways. My mother who still lives back in Scotland has been suffering for a few weeks now with stomach pains. After the usual wait for the NHS to bring her in for tests it was decide by her doctor that she should be admitted straight in and no more waiting around. After several days in the hospital and many test, she was informed she has a lump on her pancreas. At this stage its still unknown what the lump is and more tests are being done but fear I think grips us all when we hear news like that. Cancer seems to touch so many lives nowadays, my fingers are crossed it does not touch mine for sometime and that this is only a cyst or something else no cancerous.
So after a very poor nights sleep thinking about what I'd just been told and to be honest fearing the worst, I heard the sad news about the passing of Sir Bobby Robson. This final battle was his 5th with Cancer. Sir Bobby was a true gentlemen, and a real insight into this is from my own perspective. As a member of the tartan army I love to dislike England managers. That however can't be said for Robson. He always came across as someone you'd like to spend time with, like a old uncle. A great manager who work his magic throughout Europe at the club level and of course with England.
Today the football world lost a true great. May he be looking down on from the great stadium in the sky along side Shanks, Busby and Stein.
So after a very poor nights sleep thinking about what I'd just been told and to be honest fearing the worst, I heard the sad news about the passing of Sir Bobby Robson. This final battle was his 5th with Cancer. Sir Bobby was a true gentlemen, and a real insight into this is from my own perspective. As a member of the tartan army I love to dislike England managers. That however can't be said for Robson. He always came across as someone you'd like to spend time with, like a old uncle. A great manager who work his magic throughout Europe at the club level and of course with England.
Today the football world lost a true great. May he be looking down on from the great stadium in the sky along side Shanks, Busby and Stein.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Inter the lucky team
This weekend was a complete nightmare for me and my hopes of a blog. We had a one year old's birthday party that my wonderful wife planned and did all of the decorating for and she made cupcakes and the little lads cakes. I spent my Friday evening making fondant for the cake and my Saturday and Sunday in set up and tear down mode. None of this was help by the BC weather which was hot hot hot and after an amazing storm on Saturday night it was muggy as hell on Sunday am.
So I'm trying to catch up tonight, it's close to 10pm and I'm sitting outside in the heat. I'm sure a sleepless night awaits me. Big blog planned for midweek as a catch up but for now I need to talk about Inters amazing move.
If Barca had paid 40M for Ibrahimovic I think it would have been suitable based on the current going rate, but include in the Eto'o and a years load of Helb probably means he's worth 70M. Firstly it's great business by Inter. Really the big Swede scores goals, and looks stunning on the field but when it comes to those big games he's more a turnip than a swede. Also how will this change the Barca play? Last season they attacked with speed and it worked. Now they will have a big hold up man. For me this does not work, unless Pep can get something out of the Swede that no other manager had done and that is to play for the team, and to play when your back is against the wall. So far it's been a task too big even for the great one. Lets see if Pep can make it happen.
So I'm trying to catch up tonight, it's close to 10pm and I'm sitting outside in the heat. I'm sure a sleepless night awaits me. Big blog planned for midweek as a catch up but for now I need to talk about Inters amazing move.
If Barca had paid 40M for Ibrahimovic I think it would have been suitable based on the current going rate, but include in the Eto'o and a years load of Helb probably means he's worth 70M. Firstly it's great business by Inter. Really the big Swede scores goals, and looks stunning on the field but when it comes to those big games he's more a turnip than a swede. Also how will this change the Barca play? Last season they attacked with speed and it worked. Now they will have a big hold up man. For me this does not work, unless Pep can get something out of the Swede that no other manager had done and that is to play for the team, and to play when your back is against the wall. So far it's been a task too big even for the great one. Lets see if Pep can make it happen.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Up Pompey
Just a short blast but I've been expecting the Argentinian FA to see that Diego was rubbish and look to oust the former star. I was so shocked to here that he might quit the national teams job to take a role with Portsmouth.
AFA just dodged a bullet on this one. let him go now, take him to the airport. It just adds more fuel to the fire that Portsmouth are for the drop this season along with Hull and Wigan.
big weekend special planned if i get away from parties.
Add me on Twitter @TheGreatSwami
AFA just dodged a bullet on this one. let him go now, take him to the airport. It just adds more fuel to the fire that Portsmouth are for the drop this season along with Hull and Wigan.
big weekend special planned if i get away from parties.
Add me on Twitter @TheGreatSwami
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