Born Offside - Latest Comments

Re: The Summer & Season Ahead for Hartlepool United

Terry Nutkins — Mon, 12 Aug 2013 11:47:47 -0000

Probably the worst article I've ever read

Re: Exposing The Myth Of Harry Redknapp

disqus_9IW9Vn44JD — Wed, 07 Aug 2013 17:12:21 -0000

If a club is successful it is down to the players. If a club fails it is the fault of the manager. Well QPR have 3 managers in the Premier - bit of a coincidence that they all failed.

Re: Barcelona Players That Must Step Up

antoni — Sun, 04 Aug 2013 07:40:29 -0000

I think this article precisely analyze what's needed from each of the aforementioned players this season, but suspiciously overlooks the biggest problem the team faced last season; incompetent coach. Under Tito the entire team experienced a significant decline and you couldn't mention even one player that improved under this watch: Villa, Pedro, Sanchez, Theo and Cesc, otherwise world class players had their worst season under his helm, but he insisted on staying on. When Croyfe suggested he should step down, all sport reporters jumped all over him, once again looking to be politically correct. Even at the first half of the season I watched several games Barcelona won that could easily have gone the other way. The one thing that happened that I can't get over is the very suspicious saga with Thiago Alcantara. In fact, if this type of a transaction took place in a different field, the world would scream shame. You mean to say that Tito didn't know that he must play Thiago a certain amount of time, or his price tag gets significantly reduced? You mean to say that Tito couldn't or shouldn't have told Pep to stay away once he discovered he screwed-up? Only a month later, it's clear Thiago would have easily commended a $50m price tag and was sold for half that amount; why? I believe that any experience coach would do 10 times better than Tito did and so will all the players.

Re: Lower League Summer – League Two

David Stringer — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 13:51:26 -0000

Hi Roger,

It's pretty normal for L2 sides not to pay any transfer fees - in any season its normal that between half and three quarters of teams won't pay a fee. While I didn't directly say that I meant wages, I thought it was implicit.
While I haven't seen the wage slips, I'm confident that Ferry, Devera, Sullivan (and possibly Ertl and Craddock) will be on high wages by L2 standards.
While it's hard to be completely sure, I'm confident in saying Fleetwood and Portsmouth will have the highest wage bills.

You're right about Rocha, but all the coverage I'd read was saying that it was merely a formality that he hadn't signed on for the next season yet, and it would be sorted out in a matter of days.
As the Portsmouth section was one of the first I wrote (around Sunday or Monday, I think) I made the decision that it would have been confirmed by the time the piece went live. In fact the news he wouldn't be staying on only seems to have broken just before midnight, after the article was edited.
I probably should have gone back before submission and made clear that his signing appeared to be imminent, but it seemed a relatively small difference at the time.

As for the stadium, I was merely highlighting a difficulty the PST face because of the neglect of previous owners, that hasn't been that widely covered.

Re: Lower League Summer – League Two

David Stringer — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 11:55:56 -0000

Hi Roger
Thank you for your feedback, we welcome any and all comments. Our apologies, David has made an error and Ricardo Rocha does seem to have left the club.
I would point out that David didn't say anywhere the capacity reduction was for a full season, and indeed he said it 'could' happen rather than it 'would' happen, and the article he links to says the exact same thing, with quotes.
Also, consider big spending doesn't have to involve transfer fees. What about wages, or signing on fees? Particularly if there isn't a fee, these costs do tend to be higher.
Happy to discuss this further with you, and I know David will welcome any debate.
Thanks,
Dave McFarlane (Editor)

Re: Lower League Summer – League Two

Guest — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 11:54:27 -0000

Re: Lower League Summer – League Two

Roger Simmonds — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 11:20:58 -0000

What a poorly researched article. Regarding my own club, Portsmouth basic errors like Ricardo Rocha signing on for this season - WRONG, he has left the club.
"Alongside Portsmouth, League Two’s other big spenders are Fleetwood" - WRONG again, Pompey have not spent anything in transfer fees so how does big spending come into it.
The reduction in capacity is only for a few weeks and may only be for a couple of home matches, not all season as the article suggests.

Re: Hung Out To Dry

Matthew Rowley — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 11:23:42 -0000

John Sitton is a prime example of how media influence can scar a man for life.

Re: Hung Out To Dry

Tony Davies — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 09:42:28 -0000

Thanks for the comments Vernon and having pre-ordered John's book already, I am looking forward to a very interesting read. It is a genuine shame that John's knowledge and influence is not being utilised. I do wonder how different the English game might be had the media not had such a large influence - particularly their role in the FA's treatment of Venables and Hoddle in the 90s

Re: Hung Out To Dry

David Stringer — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 09:26:07 -0000

A good read. While it's easy to think that the actions of Laws and Ferguson belong to another age (it seems to have been heavily repeated that Fergie's mellowed in the last decade) it seems that Tony Pulis headbutted one of his employees, and that just a decade ago Fergie threw a boot, almost catching someone in the eye.

Because there were no cameras around though, both of those incidents are deniable...

Re: Hung Out To Dry

Vernon — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 09:00:22 -0000

Well said. I could not agree more with what you say. And that comes from someone who has worked in the sports media since 1978. John Sitton sets the record straight in his book and deserves the right of reply, all these years on. A signed copy of Sitts book can be ordered via www.wordofsport.blogspot.com

Re: Football Rivalries – By The Numbers

Obaidullah Ayubi — Tue, 28 May 2013 05:07:47 -0000

Inter Vs Ac Milan

Re: Football Rivalries – By The Numbers

Squad — Sat, 25 May 2013 09:53:38 -0000

Now that is rather lovely

Re: AFC Ajax – The Academy Everyone Aspires To Have

Rich — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:01:43 -0000

Chris mats den lives in paphos had many a drunken chat to him about saints time in bar street

Re: Moyes’ Rebuilding Project

Whiteside — Sun, 12 May 2013 06:52:52 -0000

I'd like Fellaini, Alex Sandro, Di Maria and Matic arriving, with Rooney, Anderson and Young heading out please Mr.Moyes. Not to much to ask surely?!!

Re: Blackburn Rovers – Now What?

Aaron Dawson — Sat, 11 May 2013 17:34:53 -0000

On the subject of this isn't it abit late now for this article to be floating about since the season is over now?.

Re: Blackburn Rovers – Now What?

Aaron Dawson — Sat, 11 May 2013 17:32:37 -0000

Oh by the way get your lovers name right its kean ;)

Re: Blackburn Rovers – Now What?

Aaron Dawson — Sat, 11 May 2013 17:31:42 -0000

All these kean topic with blackburn should be taken off because he isn't their anymore and yes he got everything he deserved all i can say is stick him in your team you support then you will be screaming the same in a matter of weeks sanity just a thought maybe you should change your name to deluded clause

Re: The Lower League Week – Preparing for The Showdown

David Stringer — Fri, 10 May 2013 12:35:42 -0000

True, it's one of those cases where there isn't really a clear-cut 'right' answer, particularly with the fact their problems come from being run by leeches, rather than just having 'chased the dream'.

I think I'm just annoyed that they've been able to write off so many non-football debts, with the typical victims like local businesses not getting money for their services rendered (some of them still owed money from the first CVA years back). Meanwhile, Portsmouth will probably have the biggest League 2 budget next year. (Depending on whether Bradford go up.)

You definitely make a good case though!

Re: Exposing The Myth Of Harry Redknapp

Adembalendro — Fri, 10 May 2013 10:13:17 -0000

Harry Redknapp himself says that a Manager's role in the performance of a club is overplayed in the media, I don't think he considers himself a master of management, but he has got a lot of high profile friends in The Sun, friends with Ferguson and Mourinho, he's part of a football Dynasty that includes the Frank Lampards, his son Jamie and he's been in the game longer than most. I can see why he's popular, but it's not really connected to his record, it's more about his character. As a Spurs fan it was great to see our players express their inherent talent on a loose counter-attacking shape, but as soon as we stopped surprising teams and became established as a genuine contender, we needed a plan B. Redknapp's football looked prettier than AVBs, but it was unsustainable. It was a step in the right direction and it gave players an important belief and confidence. Now it's time for a real tactician. I have a lot of hope for AVB.

Re: The Lower League Week – Preparing for The Showdown

ck — Fri, 10 May 2013 08:22:11 -0000

Yeah, I know where you're coming from - but the trouble with trying to pick and choose when to apply the punishment to be most inconvenient is that it doesn't take into account what happens if the club isn't pushing for promotion or scrapping against relegation.

If Portsmouth had finished in mid-table, what then? A ten point deduction doesn't matter much if it drops them from say 10th to 14th. Do the FL choose to apply the punishment next year instead? Do they keep it in hand and wait long enough to apply it until it relegates them or stops promotion?

Given this problem, I think that the best that they can do (which they did do) is to just set out when the penalty is to be applied, regardless of league position, and then stick to it.

In effect the penalty probably did cost them their League 1 status - the 23 game winless run would surely have been cut shorter without it - motivation must be at such a low when the 10pt deduction is hanging over the club, surely a few players would have been thinking 'oh well, we're down anyway with the 10 points coming'. Similarly, how many players were put off joining as a result of the impending deduction?

Re: The Lower League Week – Preparing for The Showdown

David Stringer — Fri, 10 May 2013 07:36:28 -0000

True, and I get that what they've done makes sense in an administrative sense. But in terms of justice, I'd argue that if they decide it's worthy of punishment, it should be applied in a way that actually inconveniences the club in some way.

Leeds were given a larger points deduction essentially for going into admin at a time when the punishment had no practical effect, deliberately subverting the intent of the rules.

Re: Exposing The Myth Of Harry Redknapp

Whiteside — Fri, 10 May 2013 07:26:59 -0000

seen and portrayed as a genius in the media, when the reality is so different. Not a slight on Spurs at all, I'm happy to criticise him for what he did 15 years ago as well!!

Re: Exposing The Myth Of Harry Redknapp

Whiteside — Fri, 10 May 2013 07:24:18 -0000

I think the reason people want to knock him is because they are sick of how he is

Re: Exposing The Myth Of Harry Redknapp

Stuart — Fri, 10 May 2013 06:43:31 -0000

Not being funny, but we knew exactly what we were getting when we employed him, and yes the press seemed to love him and gloss over the history of relegation and over-spending, but actually it was quite nice to have them on our side for a change, and I think that was a by-product of having him as a manager. No denying that there were occasions I just wanted him to shut the hell up, mind.

I must confess that while he is very much a 'marmite' person, it does make me laugh that people still feel the need to knock him as a Spurs manager - he's no longer our problem, so I do wonder why we keep seeing these articles - focus on AVB and the current squad!

COYS!!