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I don't think I have anything to say.
I said it all in my previous blog entry.
Hammered 4-1 and our goalkeeper was the team's best player. What an impossible combination - an extremely stubborn manager and Hollywood style players who think the football world should just hand over the Jules Rimet honour. Capello's squad selection seemed flawed and his team selections resulted in four very poor performances. In no way did the players reproduce their Premier League form, either through injury or mental trepidation.
I don't think there is anything we can take from this venture except to rebuild our team, force Blatter and his Luddite followers out of office and request a proper 'football', leaving the Jubilana to Cantona and his beach football variation of our game.
After today's Budget by George Osborne of The Coalition, I noticed this little gem by Anne Redstone, Professor of Law, Kings College, London.
"Among the Budget paperwork is a document reminding us that MPs receive their home-to-work travel tax free, unlike the rest of the population.
If a business pays for an employee's travel to the office, this reimbursement is taxable.
Salt is rubbed in the electorate's already raw wounds by the statement that the government will "continue to reimburse some spouse travel" - also on a tax-free basis.
This Budget would have been a good time to demonstrate that we are all in this together, and put our representatives in the same tax position as everyone else."
After last year's expenses exposure, shouldn't the MPs cease all these petty fiddles?
I must say I admired the energy and athleticism of the Algerian team, especially in the midfield. England's performance was extremely woeful.
The game was lost in midfield. We have too many individuals and not enough team players in this area so we find it difficult to control and monopolise the hub of the game. Gerrard and Lampard may play superbly for their clubs but when brought to together in the national team they just duplicate each other. They huff and puff a lot but neither creates a lot for the attack or the team. One or both need to be dropped.
We do not need flying wingers who's first reaction on receiving the ball is to immediately cut inside every time. What's the point? They just choke up the midfield and the opposing fullback has a rest day.
Fast, raiding fullbacks? Again, what's the point if they are poor defensively, especially on both sides of the field. Leave the raids up the wing to our flying wingers. This does put stress on our central defenders who also look like they should use their bus passes to catch up with any normal paced attackers. Terry just does not adapt to the 'World' game, being so slow every tackle he makes concedes a foul. Goalkeepers, the less said the better. "Calamity" One and Two. Only Joe Hart comes out of this unscathed, yes I appreciate he hasn't been selected yet. I'm not going to bother with the striking duo.
Moving on to the manager/coach - Capello. What happened to his principles, they seem to fall by the wayside day by day. "If you can't prove your fitness you don't go to South Africa." What a load of rubbish that's turned out to be. Ferdinand, King, Barry, A. Cole.
Players who can't make their club's first team? Wright-Phillips chosen ahead of A Johnson who keeps him out of the Man City team. Choosing Heskey ahead of Agbonlahor who keeps him out of Villa's first team. Selecting Carrick who is second choice to reserve Darron Gibson and 'old man' Paul Scholes.
Moving on to the ball. Apparently our team have not practiced with the newly designed ball 'because the consignment went missing.' (Did anybody from the FA check eBay?) Seriously, why did they not order another batch? (They discovered they hadn't received their balls in January).
So it seems the problems are technical and adminstrative management.
Let's hope the lads can do the stuff against Slovenia notwithstanding the management and us armchair critics!
Yes I have not done much riding this year, come to that I have not done much posting either.
Just before Christmas the mother-in-law died, two days short of her 91st birthday. After this sad time more bad news. The wife, Viv, was told she had breast cancer after her routine mammogram. Totally out of the blue. So more tests, an operation and now radiotherapy at Christies. (The famous cancer hospital in Manchester.) The radiotherapy lasts three weeks and presently we are half way through the timetable. A thirty four mile round trip for two minutes treatment every day. Can't complain though, the treatment is good and they don't run late too often. I have noticed, while waiting for Viv, that there is kindness and respect from the staff, and the patients and their friends seem to look on the bright side with smiles and laughter. It's amazing since they are suffering from various stages of cancer.
So you will appreciate I have had to help and support Viv. She appreciates this also and said as soon as her treatment ends I must ride again. So I am looking to be on the road again come July.
Well, the World Cup is off to a start in South Africa and it seems to be shown on all British TV channels.
Three matches per day and so far I've watched them all. There's not a lot to say about the matches, pretty dull and boring except for Germany who have come out of the traps firing on all cylinders. Most of the teams seem to be frightened to lose while the competion is in the league stages. Games will probably improve in the knock out stages when teams have to play to win to advance.
Everywhere here, Macclesfield, is decorated with the flag of St. George and with red and white bunting. The majority of cars are decorated with St. George mini flags on their windows. Why? Don't ask. Since 1966 the English players and management have not been up to standard. I suppose it is in the English nature to support lost causes and the World Cup gives us the opportunity to show this.
I do like the World Cup though as it gives me the opportunity to watch the best players, not all though, and the best teams in the world.
Aw well, suppose I had best give them a shout.
C'mon England!!
Ingerland, Ingerland, Ingerlaaaaaand!!!
