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Ithakos

Listed below are comments made by Ithakos between Wednesday, 14th May 2008 and Monday, 20th April 2009.

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Pitch imperfect 2:51pm on 20 Apr 2009 Everyone is saying Hiddink didn't criticise the pitch, but saying 'there are worse pitches in some parts of Europe and in Africa' - isn't that a complete backhander? Eastern Europe is full of pitches I wouldn't walk my dog on, most of the Russian teams don't even bother trying to grow real grass and use astro instead because it's so bloody cold there, and if you watched the African Nations, half the pitches there looked like Fellaini's head painted green and the other half had less grass than the Sahara desert.

Better than them is not nearly good enough - that the grass at the home of football and the national stadium of the country with the supposed best league in the world is even being compared with those pitches is a massive failure on the part of the FA.
Why there may be no more Machedas 8:34pm on 08 Apr 2009 "So, its ok if your name is Arsene Wenger and can take Aaron Ramsey, a promising 17 year old from Cardiff is it? Lazio got ?35,000 for a teenager, his father was given a job by Manchester United. If they didn't pay for his fathers services, then its slavery, but since they do, it isn't thus not breaking any rules. All because he scored a crucial goal in the EPL, everyone is crying foul and saying that he was pinched."

Ramsey was paid for, Macheda wasn't. Not that I disagree - United had every right to offer Macheda terms, and that he decided he would rather go to Manchester than stay in Rome was his (and his family's) decision entirely and fairly done.

As far as poaching foreign teens go - if they want to move, then fair play to them; actually I think a lot of young English players should think about being a bit more adventurous and moving to foreign leagues - they'd probably become better footballers learning in the technical Dutch academies and getting serious pitch time than they would by staying at the academies of most hoof-it-and-hope English teams before graduating to the bench, making a dozen sub appearances over a few years and finally dropping down a league or two to get some pitch time, never having fulfilled their potential.
Come in number one 1:58pm on 13 Feb 2009 Surprising that nobody has drawn attention to how good Rob Green is at saving penalties - given England's recent history and how the consensus here seems to be that we have quite a few decent keepers, but none who are outstanding, I would have to say his penalty record should edge it in his favour.
Come in number one 11:32am on 13 Feb 2009 "Rumour has it Manuel Almunia is soon to be eligible for a British Passport, and I believe he commented once how he'd love to play for his adopted country. Top end premier league goalie, with agility, and high level (if not itnernational) experience. Perhaps not a dominant enough personality to control Terry and other headstrong and arrogant defenders, but I'm sure he'd relish the opportunity."

England and the other home nations have a 'gentleman's agreement' not to field naturalised citizens with no real link to the country (parent/grandparent, grew up here etc), hence we have avoided the somewhat pathetic practice of a number of European countries of fielding a brazilian - see for example Eduardo da Silva of Croatia, Roger Guerreiro of Poland, Mehmet (Marco) Aurelio of Turkey etc.

Almunia could acquire citizenship but he wouldn't be selected, and personally I don't think he would merit a selection anyway. Very solid all round keeper, rarely makes mistakes, but never exceptional. He's a safe pair of hands but quite far from being one of the best keepers in the Premier League.
MOTD viewing figures on the up 03:59am on 14 May 2008 Well if you wanted to raise the MotD(1) ratings even more (or at least the quality), you could ditch the two Alans who despite having been great footballers in their time couldn't come up with something insightful to save their lives, and bump up Gavin Peacock and Lee Dixon who can actually analyse a game rather than just saying 'great goal' and 'that was never a pen'. If I wanted to hear the kind of boring rubbish Shearer and Hansen spout I'd just go down the pub.

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