Monday 22nd August 2005

I had a feeling it would be a busy news week this week, even by our usual standards, when JJ was sent off after 32 minutes of our opening game at Highbury.  (Article)  At least this time we could rightly point fingers at officials even if it still did sound like the same old excuses we were given last season.  (Article)    However we never got a chance to hear it from the manager himself, following his taking the precautionary move (quite rightly in my opinion) of gagging himself and the team after the match to all media other than the official website (lovingly known by many of you I’m sure as dot.cock).  (Article)  (Article)  Pity he can’t gag the chairman in a similar fashion really.  What did filter out was that Souness’ insistence that JJ was “stronger in the tackle” immediately preceded the red card.  “Blame Me,” says the manager.  (Article)  I get the feeling somehow many already do Mr Souness.

After the immediate appeal and subsequent change of heart by the referee the card was downgraded from red to yellow.  (Article) (Article)  (Article)  There then followed much backslapping and self-congratulation from within FA headquarters about how wonderful the new streamlined appeals system is and “see how quickly we can sort these things out.”  (Article) That’s all well and good but surely you’d not need this sort of hearing if you sorted out the referees in the first place.  Inconsistency and inaccuracy litter refereeing performances at every senior level in this country and its about time it was sorted out!  It’s all very well saying “sorry” after the game.  The game’s gone and any points that may have come our way already been lost.

Meanwhile, the champagne was still settling in their glasses whilst in their infinite wisdom they decided one Barry Knight would be a good candidate for our next game.  And then quickly changed their minds when someone got jumpy when everyone found out and sent Knight to Liverpool instead.  Where he caused more controversy and sent a Mackem off (not necessarily a bad thing, but when Pinocchio Thompson, officially THE most biased summariser in Britain, questions the decision you know something is up (Article))  Trouble is though now they’ve rescinded one red; they’ll all want a go.  The Mackems and West Ham this week and there will be more to follow I’m sure.  No wonder FIFA got more than a little pissed off about the whole developing situation.  (Article)  That said once they start sticking their oar in it’s bound to get messy and I agree with John Gibson when he describes the whole farce as a “sorry mess.”  (Article) 

Bizarrely, the first week of the season brought some international friendlies.  (No, I don’t give a shite either)  You kind of knew something would happen the minute Souness, seconded by his player-coach in his BBC column (Article), expressed his displeasure at the timing of these “Mickey Mouse” games.  (Article) (Article).

Before you could say “accident waiting to happen” Emre limped off after 26 minutes of his game for Turkey with a “slight hamstring tear.”  (Article)  Light blue touch-paper, stand well back.  (Article) (Article) (Article) (Article) You know I wonder what his heart surgeon said after his by-pass operation?   If this is calm, what he was like before must have been interesting to say the least.

Transfer talk this week remains just that, talk.  Anelka had a tantrum (Article) that prompted us to go back in for him (Article).  We were warned eh wouldn’t come cheap (Article) and all was back off again (Article).  Brilliant.  Incisively a striker “remains a priority” apparently.  (Article)  How about another central midfielder instead?  As Sky has us in for some Argentinean at Wolfsburg.  (Article)  At least they’ve bought Marlet now so there’s one we’ve missed out on thank God.  According to some sources we tried to scupper Kanoute’s move to Sevilla.  (Article)  I wonder just how far down the “A” list we are now?  Not far enough it seems as first Sidney Govou (Article) and Robbie Keane get another mention too.  (Article)  Finally, and with a little more potential, Albert Luque was strongly linked this week. (Article) (Article) (Article)  With the potential to rumble into another Emre type “will he won’t he” saga at least we’ll only suffer this for a maximum of 11 days.  Which is how long we have left of the transfer window.  Things look more promising today though with the news that Luque has been left out of the Depor squad to face Marseilles (Article) and negotiations remain “ongoing” (Article). 

Viana meanwhile remains in limbo (Article) and Bowyer is still being linked with Charlton (Article)  Thanks for both of those SBR by the way.  Will they get a mention in your book?  Oh and I can’t finish this bit without an honourable mention to Steven Taylor who has earned a new contract, duly signed this week.  (Article)  Keep up the good work.

And so Saturday brought the opening home game, a match that we “had to win” (Article).  The result? Booed off after an uninspiring scoreless draw (Article).   The comments after from the manager that we need 2 more strikers beggar belief really.  (Article)  Everyone knows we do, and has had the entire close season to work on it, so where the hell are they?  Well Mr Chairman?  It’s all right giving the manager the dreaded “vote of confidence.”  (Article)  Whilst the bookies cut the odds on Souness being the first managerial casualty (Article) (well why break what is becoming an increasingly worrying habit at St James’ as the transfer window closes?) I think the chairman should be wondering what the outcome of a vote of confidence amongst the fans in his work would be.  11 days and counting.  With a trip to Bolton and Man U at home this week 1 point at the end of August looks very likely.  What price on that being one more than the number of managers we have at that time?

More comedy this week from Shola Ameobi who is focussed on a World Cup spot.  (Article)  No laughing at the back please.  I like Shola.  He’s a genuinely nice lad and I would like nowt better than to see him grab the number 9 shirt next season and say “this is mine take it off me.”  I also like players with self-confidence and belief.  But how about concentrating on the cause at NUFC, taking that next step that you have been ready to take for 2 years now by my reckoning.  Time for potential to stop and for something to be realised.  Oh and try sometimes just putting your size 12’s through the back of the ball and into the back of the net occasionally Shola lad!

Kieron Dyer meanwhile is off to see the “alternative” sports doctor, Dr Hans Muller-Wohlfahrt, to see if he can cure his recurring injury problems.  (Article)  This is the bloke who has all kinds of potions and concoctions to try and help sports injuries.  He got Darren Gough bowling well again so I suppose if we’re at the try anything stage it’s worth a go.  Whatever happened to the “magic sponge” is what I want to know?  Sounds a lot better than calves blood injections to me.

Finally for this fun packed week, two articles about football fans.  Either we’re mental (Article) or deserve a place in the boardroom (Article).  You know what the opinion in this corner of the tf bunker is like.  And in a delicious moment of Karma, Mark Hughes went off it at the Welsh FA for returning the Merthyr Mouth back to him injured (Article).  What you mean like you did to us?  Twice?  Aye, different when the shoe’s on the other foot.  I remember something about legal action against the club as well.  What goes round comes round.  Some people deserve everything they get.  Certain individuals at NE1 would do well to remember that.

NM