Well in less than a weeks time, the World Cup kicks off and I for one am so bloody bored without footy, I cannot wait! Ask the missus and she will just raise her eyes to the sky and tut!! The thought of me doing sweet FA for 4 weeks is, to her, slightly more annoying than me walking into her best friends house on Christmas day and pissing all over the prezzies!!
Already the transfer window has been utilised by various other clubs. I cannot believe Chelski are paying United more than the owning club for Jon Obi Mikel! Who are we to ask questions? Arsenal are in the shit for some relations with a little known Beligian club. Lets be honest, it is not really going to effect them much seen as Emanuelle Eboue is the only thing from them (and along with chocolates, the only thing Belgium has given us is Mark ‘bloody’ Bosman!)
Now back to business, Yesterday the reds re-submitted the work permit application for Mark Gonzalez. So fingers crossed but they reckon it will be a few weeks. Mind you based on the Home Office’s recent cock ups, we could probably get Osama Bin Laden playing for us without much hassle. Daniel Alves is still up in the air with the asking price of around £12 million making Rafa ‘barf’ up his paella. It looks as though Cisse (and maybe Traore) will be on their way out finally for a combined fee of around £11 million (I’d have taken £3 and a bag of Jelly Babies!). We face the embarrassment of seeing our beloved team being joined at pre-season by Bruno Cheyrou and Salif Diao (Oops!). At least in the coming season we may see a little more of Daniel Aggar who is coming on well by all accounts.
Having attended the FA Youth Cup Final (both legs) we have another decent centre back in the form of Godwin Anti. Imagine the negative image of Sami Hyypia and you are almost there! He was really good. So there is one to come through from the youth side. I didn’t think too much of Jack Hobbs but reports advise to the contrary so I will reserve judgement on that one. The young lad from Catalonia, Miki Roque looks in my opinion a good prospect.
I also must admit to losing my footballing conscience for the FA Cup final. I had decided although I could get a ticket no problem, I would not go as I do not go to the match regularly enough any more. However on the Thursday before my brother surprised me with one as I have helped him out this year for various things. He rightly pointed out, as did my missus, when I had my season ticket did anyone give a toss about me not being able to get one? Nope, so for that day I lost my conscience.
Now, our striking dilemma looks set to rumble on throughout the summer. With Cisse on his way out and Crouch not a natural goal scorer, we will need to add to the strikeforce (obviously!). It is good to know that Pongolle has been told he does figure in next seasons plans. However the only target I wish to see us go for is Jermaine Defoe. Forget Bellamy, he is a loose cannon and seems to me just like a Welsh Cisse. Defoe is quick, has ability and can score goals regularly when he is given a run. For me, he should be our main aim. If we manage to get him and Alves and Mark gets his work permit, then for me that’s a pretty decent summer.
I am sure Rafa has a few more in mind (lest not forget Paco Herrera needs replacing. This will not be easy. Good luck back home Paco and thanks for all you have helped do with the reds) and based on his acquisitions to date (even Josemi gave 100%) I am confident he will spend wisely. (I wonder how Jose would manage with only £20-30 million to spend?).
So it is upon us anyway this 世界杯, Wereld Kop, Tase Du Monde, Weltschale, Tazza Del Mondo, 월드컵, Copo Do Mondo, кубока мира, World Cup and the reds have a decent contingent playing. The usual suspect in Stevie G and the ever relaibale Jamie Carragher. It looks as though Crouch will start against Paraguay thanks to his ‘dubious’ hat trick! (Nice that his England goals are as hotly debated as his Liverpool ones!) and little lucky Scott Carson. Whilst Scott and Jamie I doubt will play too much of a part in it (How the hell they thing Neville is better than Jamie C I don’t know!), The big man and hard man no doubt will so good luck to them.
Other than the English lads, lest we not forget the legends that are Garcia, Pepe and Xabi for Spain. Harry for the Socceroo’s and even Djibril for France (C’mon lad have a brilliant world cup, the more we get for you the better and I do wish you luck sincerely whilst you still a red!)
So good luck to all of you.
It is adios to Nando and good luck to you lad. I wish you luck on the grounds that the rumours you were slagging Rafa for not having confidence in you were untrue. You were and still are a class player, just not a physical one which was your Premiership downfall. Luis is nifty so he can dodge the odd challenges. I sincerely hope you get your form back in La Liga.
So anyway that’s about all from me for now other than a few footy book recommendations as I have been reading a lot lately so here goes…..
Fowler by Robbie Fowler – Available now in paperback, not sure if it has anything extra from my hardback edition but a bloody good read, funny and insightful and seems from the heart. (£4 in hardback still in Asda and I think around the same for paperback)
A Season On The Brink by Guilem Balague – A bloody great read from start to finish, the inside track on the Champions League from the Spanish sports journalist who is well respected and ‘knows his onions!’ (£17 hardback from most decent bookshops)
Who’s The Bastard In The Black by Jeff Winter – A great read from the former ref who spills the beans on the cliques of refs and remembers his early days as a Middlesborough bad boy on the terraces. (£18 hardback from most decent bookshops)
The Saint by Ian St John – The former reds legend spills it all from his early days working in the steel works for a pittance during the day then playing football of a night. His love of Shankly, his dislike of Shankly and the inside track on why he did not get on with Houllier (£13 hardback from most decent bookshops)
El Diego by Diego Maradona – I have not got right through this yet but suffice to say it starts from his childhood playing for Argentinos and his double bluff to try and get to play for his beloved Boca Juniors, right up to his last ever competitive game. So far, brilliant (£3 in paper back at HMV)
Get some of these books, they will fill the gap between the end of the World Cup and the start of the 2006/7 season.
Enjoy your hollybobs people.
Pidge
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