The Page Which Only Celebrates St Georges Day
Thursday March 17 2005
How Things Change
January 28 - Robbie Savage explains who got him through the Birmingham-Blackburn move:
"One of the nicest phone calls I received at the time was from John Toshack. He told me the best thing I could do was to keep my head up, and it meant a lot to me that he took the time to get in touch when I was feeling low."
Robbies Double Face
In the latest chapter of this rather tedious row, Robbie Savage, speaking on Sky Sports, accused Toshack of cutting off his "nose to spite his face."
Which sounds rather similar to the actions of a certain midfielder who has just retired from international football as a mark of his 'hurt' at being dropped.
Unpleasant Headline Of The Day
From Teamtalk: 'Sturrock sweats on Lee'
Poor Lee.
Will Brazil Do It?
It was this time last year that an exasperated Kelvin MacKenzie, the TalkNONSENSE boss, sacked Alan Brazil when the great man failed to return from the Cheltenham Festival to fulfil his duties as the stations morning talkshow host.
Having been given three days leave this year by MacKenzie to attend the horse racing extravaganza, Brazil is due to return to work for Friday mornings shift, kicking off at the rather unsociable hour of 6am. Place some emphasis on due. One bookmaker is offering 2/1 on Brazil going AWOL again and collecting his P45.
Judging by his comments to The Guardian uttered, apparently, 'with a glass in his hands', and possibly from the Guinness village where he has been holding court, they may be generous odds.
"I love the social side of it, the fact there are so many friends and old faces that you see in the Arkle Bar, the Guinness bar and the rest of it," he said. "The only problem is I have to go to about 20 different boxes to meet people."
"Last year I was bang out of order and I held my hand up," he said. "This year? Well, I am due in on Friday...whether I'll be there or not I don't know. I have to go home Thursday because it's my wife's birthday but I might be back here Friday. We'll see."
We will indeed...
Not Quite Gone
"The very suggestion that Raúl, the European Cup's joint all-time top scorer, could ever leave would until recently have appeared utterly laughable,' reports The Guardian. 'But after two poor seasons, a survey in the sports daily AS suggested that over 20% of fans thought he should go.'
Which, to put it another way, would suggest that four in five fans want him to stay.
Going Cheap
From our friends at ATL World Soccernews:
'Czech international playmaker Tomas Rosicky, contracted until June 2008, is expected to be one big name departure with Borussia looking for a two-figure sum for the playmaker.'
Mediawatch starts the bidding with a crisp tenner.
Rodney Reincarnated
It's almost as if Rodney Marsh was still playing.
From the online diary of Chicago Fire Forward Will John...
"With not much to do besides play soccer and get rest in between practices or games, DVDs were a huge asset to our entertainment. I must have seen over 20 movies while I was there. I also contributed to two of three puzzles the team put together while in Guadalajara. The puzzles would sit outside next to the courtyard and there was constantly someone trying put the pieces together. We finished each of the puzzles and left them there on display once they were finished. "
Headline Of The Day
'Two-Faced Reds Are Not Up Four It' The Daily Mirror
Rumour Of The Day
'Steve Bruce visited prison for bizarre transfer talks with Arsenal on-loan player Jermaine Pennant, who is serving three months for motoring offences' The Sun
Runner-Up
'West Ham will today discuss Alan Pardew's future at a board meeting and decide whether to continue to stand by their manager after a 1-1 draw at home to Crewe Alexandra' The Guardian
Thanks to today's Mediawatch spotters: Matt Fagan-Curry, Daryl Grove, Clay Callaway.
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