I'm going to support the manager whomever it is, but I just can't seem to get past Wales 2 - 2 Northern Ireland. Hopefully he has a good eye for talent and can unearth some gems. Hopefully he has good assistants who can get the most out of said gems.

Twas an insurance scam.

Been listening to some old Maiden. Ahh, those were the days. Was big into Maiden, Priest, Ozzy, Sabbath (without Ozzy - remeber the song "Trashed"?), Dio, etc.

I'm happy with my defenders, have one 1790 TSI 17yo I will be selling who is Excellent defensively, and another who is Excellent with a TSI of about 810. Definitely getting saleable resources, but I'm looking to at least compete for a couple seasons. Right now I've been relying on my youth squad for my "good buys" throwing in a couple of other players I can find on the cheap when I'm bored. I'd say my average age is about 20 or 21. Have one player who is 29, but the rest are all 23 or under. Am happy with the training, but I think my 5-4-1 might be killing me tacticly, as Sam was saying. I even had a midfielder who I stuck at defense for a friendly, just to have a warm body there, and his defending moved up to passable. Next week should be a good test of my progress. I plan to play my best players in a 4-4-2 against the top of the table and see how well I do.

Very well written and insightful post. Who are you and what have you done with Shillito?

Allardyce?

What about training defenders but playing 4-4-2 for league matches? Sam, what formation do you play? I don't want to have to pull my wingers more to the inside, as they are the strength of my squad. Also, I think I bought 2 really good strikers this morning, but Hattrick says nothing about it on my team pages, or on the transfer pages. When you go to the players' pages, it does say I was the winning bidder. Hopefully all will be sorted out by tonight. The only reason I bid on the second was that it wasn't showing me as the winning bidder on the first on my bid page. Twas quite annoyed.

I took a bit of a beating when I suggested that first point of yours. Just change the first 'people' word with 'foreigners' and thats basically what I said. What you said and what he said are COMPLETELY different things. He pointed out people who repeat what has been heard, but not seen (no matter where they live), while you said people aren't real fans if they don't live in Blackburn and can't comment on the match, even if they saw it on television (done before you started commenting on the Arsenal match you weren't at). When we watch the match, we aren't repeating other people's opinions. Some of the people you were complaining about usually don't comment on matches they haven't seen on TV. 92er never said anything about being a better fan because he goes to matches.

Lost to the number 4. I'm thinking of switching divisions next season, as the top 4 of us (3 will be left) all get over 25 stars per match nowadays. My defense played well, but I need a better striker for my 5-4-1. Am thinking about training strikers during the offseason for a few weeks, then back to defenders when the new season begins.

I wouldn't say he's failed at wales at all. He has done the best he can with a crop of prem and div 1 players! Can't be expected to win tournaments, and he did get them to the playoffs for euro 04! The wales fans love him for doing such a good job and are not calling for his head at teh 2 draws so he can't be doing that badly eh? He isn't proven as a manager by any means but he is up & coming, gives the club alot of power in the transfer market. He would be a big plus all round. NORTHERN Ireland. 2 Goals. 'Nuff said. I won't be too upset by anyone chosen. I have faith in Williams and will wait until things go sour to criticize. The only reason I'd be against Houllier is that he plays a boring style and his transfer record isn't the greatest. My choice would be Dowie, though.

roll the joints for the next hour you mean?

I'm assuming he's reffed more than 4 or 5 matches for us?

Apparently Jim would have hated Souness if he stayed or left. Just can't win with you, can he?

Funny that this week Gally is injured while previously he was being frozen out...

So, I'm sitting around the living room last night with a book. The wife walks by and I try to grope her. She turned and yelled at me: READ. Therefore, I believe Peter Reid is already the choice. (My 3: Dowie, Strachan and Hoddle - why is he considered a dreamer yet BFS is considered a risk taker?)

Never has in the Prem, though.

For once, I agree with you wholeheartedly.

THAT'S how we got the other clubs to let us get them!

He has one match under his belt. Sounds like experience to me.

It means you do the same whining and moaning about the cups (which he took so lightly we one won - more than Sir Bobby can say) and taking his words about our ambitions out of context (FIRST AND FOREMOST, then worry about positioning - what he really said was that he hoped safety was achieved by Christmas and we could push upwards from there).

Hello T4E

"Oh, what a feeling... to be living on the cieling..."

Glenda is definitely one with ambition, too. Might have been part of his downfall at Spurs and what made him a laughing stock, like when he tried to land Morientes.

Supposedly Hughes talks that way about every vacancy he's linked with. As for "applications" I wonder how many of those are the agent calling up and saying his client is interested?