Step back in time
Tue Apr 29 08:57AM
The City of Manchester Stadium has sprung more leaks than the poop deck on the Poseidon, with no fewer than three club "sources" spilling the beans on Sven-Goran Eriksson's falling-out with Frank Shinawatra and imminent exit from Manchester City.
The Express and the Sun spent the day chatting with various shadowy insiders, while the Mirror, Mail, Guardian, Telegraph and even the Star carried the same story but obviously couldn't be bothered to get a quote from any of Sven's associates.
Only the Times goes for the official line - the indication from Eriksson's agent and City themselves that he is staying put.
INSIDER ONE: "Sven pulled out of a big-money transfer today and has explained that everything is on hold at the club, and he meant everything. The owner's money is frozen, and he doesn't know if he will be around next season."
INSIDER TWO: "Sven does not think he will stay. He's resigned to going. The owner is unhappy with results, and Sven knows he is on his way."
INSIDER THREE: "Shinawatra expects the manager to do what he says, no questions asked, and if he decides a player should be in the team the boss should just accept it. But Sven won't agree with that. How many top managers would?"
Despite the club's protestations, Sven is clearly a rich man walking and will be on his merry way to another top European destination before you can say "smorgasbord".
It is well known that Thaksin wants Big Phil Scolari to take over, but Early Doors suspects history might be about to repeat itself in agonising fashion for City fans.
England, led by blundering Brian Barwick, pursued Scolari as Sven's replacement in 2006.
Unhappy at the media attention (Barwick may have been unaware Portugal had a World Cup to play before Scolari could leave them), Big Phil told the FA to stuff off.
Scolari is his own man, and Early Doors can't see him putting up with Thaksin's more control-freak tendencies, or the possibility he could get clapped in jail - or worse - at any time.
So with the Brazilian set to turn City down, they need to find an unattached manager with international experience, knowledge of English football and a grasp of the language, yet someone spineless enough to do whatever the man in charge tells him to.
Step forward Steve McClaren.
Like England and quarter-final exits from major tournaments, City fans may soon be looking back at slightly underwhelming ninth-place finishes in an altogether more positive light.
- - -
BOING BOING OF THE DAY: Barring the 'mathematical miracle' of cliche, West Bromwich Albion will be playing top-flight football next season. Early Doors likes the look of Tony Mowbray's side, particularly 70s prog rock escapee Jonathan Greening. Here's hoping they're better than Derby.
FLAT-TRACK BULLY OF THE DAY: Emmanuel Adebayor, who helped himself to a second-half hat-trick at Derby and proved classless enough to taunt the Rams after his first goal.
Yet despite his 24 league goals, many Gooners reckon he should be sold as he cannot cut it against top teams.
(Bear in mind this is a club whose fans demand artistic perfection, as ED regular barny1158 demonstrates: "Not wishing to disrespect Derby, but the scoreline should have been about 8-0 ... in a way I am happy for Derby that it wasn't a cricket score.")
Adebayor went on to complete a thoroughly obnoxious display by performing the "only good enough for third" jig with Emmanuel Eboue after rounding off his hat-trick.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: "We are sitting here now with two games left. A semi-final tomorrow, a home game on Saturday and a game against Wigan away. Disaster!" Fergie puts on his 'relaxed' face and makes light of United's recent slump.
TALKING POINT SPECIAL (or, Early Doors has run out of things to say):
The fallout from Mowergate continues to rumble on (can fallout rumble?), but Early Doors has nothing more to add after yesterday's marathon blog entry. So here is a selection of views from the punters:
eliotot: "Footballers are a well behaved lot really. What with Ronaldo's arrogant smirk stitched across his face...and he hasn't seen a knuckle or a knee joint close up yet. Try that dumb smirk in Australia mate!"
chrisnewman950: "Let's face facts, the 'Battle of Stamford Bridge' was absolutely hilarious. Even funnier has been the outrage of the pundits. Both 606 & TalkSport went to town on the so called disgraceful scenes and the consensus seemed to be that Evra et al should all be banned for life/locked up in the tower/forced to walk the streets in sackcloth and ashes. Surely being forced to watch the endless replays of their playground fighting is punishment enough"
'Raging' samuelbanks: "How pathetic was the handbags between Drogba and B*ll*ck. It seems the Ivorian striker is a thoroughly repulsive human being. He thinks he is a God at chelsea. If you're listening Drogs - you have been utter s*** this season - so get over yourself."
andywalker269: "Made my day to see Fergie going ballistic about the penalty...yeh, you have a perfect right to complain as you get penalties awarded against you every week don't you! Er, no actually, it was your first of the season. If you listen to Fergie Man U have never given away a legitimate penalty in their whole history, yet are disgracefully denied at least 3 every match. Get a life Ferguson. And send Evra to some self-defence classes..."
bkm265: "Someone enlighten me, if it's so important which way the grass is mowed, why not mark direction lanes on the pitch so that the bloody players don't run willy nilly during games like they have over past century or so."
mattlyell: "It seems that ED doesn't mind the occasional swipe at the working class 'Frenchmen', first Patrice [Evra] then ZZ. I wonder would they be so swift to make such remarks in their presence?"
Well, obviously not, because Early Doors is a coward. But it takes exception to accusations of being anti-French on the same day it references Albert Camus in one of its 'jokes'.
Today - Predictions for Manchester United v Barcelona and Chelsea v Liverpool? Oh, and if you want to cuss ED for suggesting Arsenal fans don't like Adebayor, knock yourselves out.
COMING UP: United v Barça gets the full live treatment from 7.45pm, plus all the usual preview guff throughout the day.
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IM this storyIs City England in disguise?
From alihatefi on Tue Apr 29 05:00PMWell done to Arsenal for putting 6 past Derby.But Derby deserve even more praise for putting 2 past Arsenal.Im amazed that Derby have not been beaten by ten or eleven this season.I thought it was going to happen last night. Considering how bad Derby have been..they've done quite well to keep their scores to a minimum.(Which is 5 or 6 mind).How many have they conceded now-pass me a calculator-a big one.
From samuelbanks on Tue Apr 29 06:42PMwhy do I feel that who you support, who actually plays well and lets face it who's strip is not red, black and white etc no longer matter
COME ON CHELSEA
From mitch2002 on Tue Apr 29 06:55PMMan U 3 -Barca 1-sure of it.I would put my house on it.Goals from Ronaldo, Tevez and Carrick.He'll make up for his error on saturday.Thats the way it always happens.Got this feeling though that Ronaldo is going to pick up a serious injury.Just got a horrible feeling.Got a feeling Evra will pick up an injury aswell-i think he's going to trip over his tongue and break his leg.
From samuelbanks on Tue Apr 29 07:28PMI've read thrpough all of this. Barny, this is isn't the first time you've taken an indefensible position and spent a day trying to bluster out of it. Great sportsmen are seldom people you want toi get stuck in a lift with. And if they play for your team you enjoy rubbing salt in your opponents' wounds. You won't find many Utd fans crying "Shame, shame!" at Ronaldo. I never did get the the "Henry' arrogance charge - aloof maybe, but he seldom showboated. If you try and turn every footballer into 'Roy of the Rovers' what you get is a stifling of talent and perhaps genius. The only thing I hate is disgusting displays of petulance which end with innocent spectators getting hurt. If a bit of showing-off burns off potential violence then I say go for it, Ronaldo, Adebayor, Rooney and the rest of you.
From james_ssmith on Tue Apr 29 07:36PMJames.
I take your point completely. Whatever I have said today is just my views and you and anybody have the right to disagree. Differences of opinion make the world a more interesting place. I am not averse to players showboating, and I don't think that trait alone makes me think Ronaldo is arrogant. Sorry footie is on....catch up later.
From barny1158 on Tue Apr 29 07:50PMWay to go James. Barney is the Delia of ED - too nice for anyone's good. What's wrong with showboating, rubbing your nose in it, tricks, etc. It's about competitiveness, passion and a will to do more than just win (or take part which seems to be Arsenal's credo). Come on Chelsea. Break a few legs Man U. Arsenal and Barca!
From michelangeloindeed on Tue Apr 29 08:30PMComparisons to Delia? You are quite fickle Michelangelo, a mistake a few weeks ago had you baying for my blood, and me apologising non stop. Now I am too nice? Can't win whatever . I've re-read through my post again to see just what the fuss is about, but hey perhaps you can enlighten me.. Oh well can't please some people, Congrats to Man U on getting to the final...
Sorry lads is that being too nice?From barny1158 on Tue Apr 29 09:43PMMmm, Barny, but let's face it, Delia is a bit rubbish now, what with all the "add white sauce from Sainsbury#s or Tesco instead of making your own"...plus she mouths off at half-time after too many sherries...
Well done Sam, am I right in thinking that's not the first time you lost your house on a "dead cert"...?
From garethcoletranslations on Tue Apr 29 10:02PMnice 1 united but how lucky can u get chelsea 0-1 liverpool torres 88'???
From greglfc on Tue Apr 29 10:05PMCongratulations to Man Utd but you always expected them to win. Barcelona have forgotten how to play constructive football and with a Dean Gaffney lookalike at right back showed that they're more at home in an East End League then the Champions League.
From jjss.rm on Tue Apr 29 10:09PMjust finished watching the game, well done to United, i think the deserved to go to the final coz they have had over all a good season. Ronaldo on the other hand not only is he the biggest diver, and this was in a game with some of the biggest divers in the game, but i dont think that anyone can still say that he is the best in the world. Is he the best in the english league, yes, but when it comes to these big games he just doesnt show up. Messi this year, and Kaka last, made him look like a very normal player. Ronaldo just runs around fall over and looks at Fergie as if to say "didnt you tell them to give me a foul whenever someone comes near me because i'm so good." In the second half Zambarotta just didnt let Ronaldo play, and this is what players like Messi and Kaka have to face every week. In Spain and Italy all the defenders have played against players who can dribble so they know how to take them out but here in England the defenders just get tangled up making players like Ronaldo look like Magicians.
From karim_eldib on Tue Apr 29 10:25PMPeople! The match was not about Ronaldo. It was about Man United showing they can handle Barcelona's firepower. Yes, Ronaldo doesn't show his true colours in "big" games, but I'd rather he played terribly and United won than otherwise. Maybe if Ronaldo wasn't who he is, he wouldn't have 2-3 players around him all the time...maybe if he didn't have such cover, Scholes wouldn't have had the space he did (cos one of those defenders would have been covering him) and that he wouldn't have scored! Just maybe...
I understand rival fans trying to look for negatives in this match, but trust me...NOBODY CARES! It's my time that's going to be in the final May 21st. Not yours.Ronaldo played badly this game, but taking into account the work he's put in all season...taking into account where AC Milan are today with their Kaka and Barcelona with their Messi, I'd rather have a dribbling, arrogant and diving Ronaldo wearing the Black, Red and White..than be in your shoes tonight.
Follow, follow, follow! Man United are going to Moscow!
From tosinsbox on Tue Apr 29 11:52PMCorrection: it's my TEAM that's going to be in the final May 21st.
Not Yours.From tosinsbox on Wed Apr 30 12:06AMAhh.... 1-0 to ManU and 2-1 to Chelsea
From davidlim.arsenal on Wed Apr 30 03:16AMIsn't Ronaldo like, the top-scorer in the UCL? Unless all his champions league games have come against English sides, then I guess karim_eldib and all Ronaldo-haters should shut up.
From tlamzi on Wed Apr 30 03:33AMI think that Utd will win 1-0, Scholes in the 14'.
Right now thats out of the way on to tomorrow nights prediction, lets hope I right about that one as well...here goes...0-1 to Liverpool!
From ginafox on Wed Apr 30 07:20AM
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