Well spotted Mr Mince Pie.
What first attracted you to the multi squillionaire Qatar Mr Blatter?
Not to mention the gangster paradise elsewhere.
Surely it's time for Europe to pull out  of the proceedings. If that Blattter one wants to expand the World Cup to far away lands, of which we know very little, then let those teams compete.

I wonder how Qatar will deal with this. Taken from Wiki:
The laws of Qatar tolerate alcohol to a certain extent. However, the few bars and nightclubs in Qatar operate only in expensive hotels and clubs, much Distribution Company, the only importer and retailer for alcohol in Qatar. Under Qatar's Sharia, it is illegal to show alcohol or be drunk in public.

Well forget funding in stadiums then... start investing in more prison cells.

Thats if anyone goes of course... its bloody expensive.

The hookers must be good though.

Bet they don't come cheap... probably knocking around the price Rooney paid, it wouldnt be called kamikaze spending out there

If what I saw in Hannover continues throughout the competitions then I am able to confirm that the hookers are top notch wherever the gentlemen of FIFA lay their hat.

As in the UK..you aren't allowed to be drunk (and disorderly)in public and can't have drink on the streets.

I'm thinking there aren't many beer gardens in Qatar... So the fanzones should be interesting.

Im still wondering who these two voters were that changed their mind...

Round 1: Netherlands/Belgium got 4 votes
Round 2: Netherlands/Belgium got 2 votes

Basically, 2 voters mysteriously chaged their mind in the middle of the process in a matter of minutes and both switched to Russia despite the Netherlands/Belgium bid still being left in.

None of the papers seem to have taken notice to it either

Anyone know if they usually reveal who voted for who?

I've just been looking at the German press. They describe the Qatar vote as "absurd" and are accusing Blatter of having sold the world cup.

Jesus christ


Got a text off my brother who went to watch training at carrington this morning, apparently it was all kicking off between the players... just what we need, more ammunition for the media.

The Premier League fixture between Blackpool and Manchester United has been postponed due to a frozen pitch.

The decision was taken on Friday afternoon after referee Peter Walton expressed concern that parts of the playing surface would not thaw in time.

Bloomfield Road does not have under-soil heating, and large hot-air blowers had been used in an attempt to ensure the pitch was playable.

No new date has been set for the fixture.

Gutted! 

Interesting... Should be a good game tomorrow...

Coyle and Elmander win Manager/Player of the month respectively.

So, that's a 4-0 defeat and Elmander breaking his leg tomorrow then...

Didnt take long for the papers to report on it either...

I recon it will be a close game tomorrow, can't see Mancini playing an attacking side judging by Boltons recent form. Also be interesting to see the reception Petrov recieves. I get the feeling it will be boo's.

I see Holloway and Roy Keane feel the need to rant about f*ck all again Holloway complaining about players wearing gloves and Keane saying "We didnt get the world cup... get over it".

Of course Keane with a bold salute to climate change can jet off to wherever he likes. But if he thinks the fact that the next world cups are in Brazil, Russia, and Qatar, is appropriate the he's an even bigger cock than I thought.

Glad our games on today... not so keen on sunday games.

None of our fellow Europeans are happy from what I've read so far. The English, German, Italian, and Spanish, in particular, and several other European Leagues are the Football powerhouse. They generate all the cash for FIFA and it's controversial directorate to spend on expanding the game. Time to leave and let them get on with it.

Can't really complain about that result... Tevez again. He always scores.

1-0 FT

Dominated start to finish, Balotelli, Y.Toure and De Jong stand out players. Unlucky to have only scored one, it was shot after shot off the bar and the post. Could also question a hand ball and a perfectly good goal we had disallowed.

Balotelli looked top, not sure show boating on the half way line at 1-0 is helping our cause though Joe Hart nearly had a howler... De Jong defused the situation though. Another poor performance from the ref aswell. Card after card for nothing and now we are without Tevez & Kolarov next week. Im glad its only West Ham next week.


Also, just seen on SSN... 7 mins added time at Stamford Bridge?

Think Chelsea may be lucky to get away with that... Anelka seemed to just jump into Howard

Eh? What has it got to do with him? He's Irish. Your point below about 7 mins extra time was for Cech he got a bad facial injury but I guess you've just seen that.

We were lucky not to lose.

Nasri is on top form at the moment

Newcastle United are officially the stupidest football club in the world (as if there was ever much doubt)...

They've sacked Hughton.

Can't believe what Newcastle have done sacking Chris Hughton!  Yes, they did not play well yesterday (we were not wonderful TBH), but took our chances and Peter Odemwingie just gets better and better!, but to sack him is totally a knee jerk reaction.

Do they honestly think that a bigger name manager automatically brings results?  Very, very short sighted view IMO, but I have a feeling despite the board saying that they want a big name manager, this is just an excuse to have Shearer as their manager. 

The usual suspects have all been named as an replacement manager, Curbishley, O'Neill etc, but one name missing so far has been a certain Gary Megson (!)

Anyway, good luck Chris, you come across as being a genuinely nice man and a fans favourite and I wish you luck wherever you manage next.  Hopefully you will be more appreciated by the board of your next club.

ION, 8th in the league just before Christmas!!  Pinch me I'm dreaming!!  Sir Roberto of Di Mat has given us Baggie fans the BEST early Christmas pressie we could have, now wins against Villa (sorry Maggie) and the Wolves would make Christmas perfect!

Bit of a piss take sacking him... they went down into the championship and he turned it all around. I recon they already have someone ready to take on the job, sounds like they were waiting for an opportunity to get rid of him and what better than a 3-1 loss against WBA.

Alan Pardew is 4/7

I'm really saddened (sp) tonight   he took us up for gawd sake! and was creating a bit of stability  On the other hand.........maybe he's better off out of it

PB, if Megson gets in i swear that's it for me being a Toon supporter

Sprout, don't start me about Megson!  I hate the man with a passion.  I will add here for fairness, I do appreciate what he did for my club (keeping us from League 1 and the promotion to the Premier League), but as a person and a manager, frankly I think he is dreadful.  I really, really hope Newcastle do not have him as manager as I feel you will go backwards.

The reaction from Newcastle fans on SSN has been basically WTF!!!!  As Mr Meat says, I feel the board have just been waiting for a reason to sack him and the result on Sunday was the excuse they needed.  Good luck to him wherever he goes, he seems to be a nice man, perhaps too nice for football management.  I still feel that Shearer will become manager.

Bad luck Villa tonight, suppose this means you will beat us at the weekend, two local derbies for us in the next two weeks.

It looks like Sol had decided to be player's spokesperson, and why not? There's nothing Ashley can do to him. The players are obviously annoyed, although there has been a severe dip in form.

I see Ian Wright mensioned in his column this morning that he has been banned by Manchester City. Serves the pr*ck right... I feel sorry for Shaun really, his dad is a complete arsehole and his anti City drivel is borderline breakdown material.

They inhabit a different world don't they? You would think that they would keep these obscene sums of money a secret. If my son was getting 60/70 kilopoond for not doing very much I would probably sit at the back of the class and say nothing. I doubt that getting banned from City is much of a hardship though and at least it gives him something to write about.

Poor old Chris Hughton - Ashley winges that the fans want to lynch him and then he pulls this carp. Yet another example of the PL and the FA not taking action to stop these meglamaniac owners using clubs as their own private plaything.


5live were reporting last night that Martin Jol has left Ajax so speculation is rife that he's the new man in Toonland

It looks like it will be Pardew who gets it and I don't really understand that. His last job was Southampton in League 1, and he got the sack. He also seemed to be a bit of a Megson judging by the comments of the Southampton fans, poor man management, falling out with everybody etc, etc...

Do I win Five Pounds?

Spartak Moscow forced a 15 minute delay in their match against Zilina in Slovakia by throwing flares onto the pitch.

Nice... roll on the World Cup