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Listed below are comments made by torontored between Sunday, 29th November 2009 and Friday, 25th December 2009 (2 Hours Ago) .

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Cup of Nations clash creates friction 10:20am on 25 Dec 2009 The timing of this tournament was decided many years ago, long before African players began to play for European clubs. At that time it was perfect, since it did not clash with any other commitments. Now, that is different. Many of the biggest names at the tournament will be leaving their clubs to compete.
Additionally the bi-annual recurrance seems to by at odds with other international tournaments, again stemming form a time when African nations rarely made any impact on World cup tournaments.
There is no reason that this tournament couldnt be rearranged to take place during the summer, and it could then happen every two years between World Cup and Euros, if TV Audience is an issue.
All the talk of managers knowing about this before they sign them, doesnt alter the fact that it is badly timed.
Phil McNulty Q&A blog 10:12pm on 22 Dec 2009 I cant speak for Liverpool fans who adopted the team during the highly successful period of the seventies and eighties. I suppose its the same as all the "new" Man Utd fans. I can tell you that my experience with fans from Liverpool, which is my birth place is they were always much more humble. There is though, a new breed who have only read about the great teams and players we had, who seem a little deluded. Most of them are memeber of the "In Rafa we trust". They dont remember that Liverpool Football Club has always said it was bigger than any player or manager. Shankly was helped out the door after all, and we sold Keegan for Dalglish. Benitez is no special case.
Phil McNulty Q&A blog 6:04pm on 22 Dec 2009 Thanks for the honest and interesting responses to my request about why Liverpool are so widely despised.
I saw a few mentions of how many Spanish players play for Liverpool- "He filled the team with Spaniards". Reina and Torres? Thats two by my count. He has sold three others, and plays Riera sporadically. By the way they are all Spanish Internationals, the current European Champions and world ranked number two.
I am not sure if Rafa is any "louder" than other managers. Certainly his rant about Ferguson was poorly conceived last year, but aside from Man United fans, who does'nt think he was correct about the special treatment Ferguson gets?
Some one mentioned the Heysel Stadium deaths, and the subsequent banning from Europe. Fair enough, but an analysis of the actual events, and some perspective on the punishment, would show that it was ALL English clubs who were punished after many years of English hooliganism, not just Liverpool for one event. You are as well to despise Millwall and Chelsea, not to mention any follower of England abroad, for the ban, as Liverpool.
I am not a fan of Rafa, but I suspect that only one fan was speaking for the many when he admitted that Liverpool, as Manchester United nearest rival and bitterest opponent, become unpopular simply because of this. As many young fans, who dont live close or near to manchester or Liverpool simply adopt the local rivalry, the ranks of Liverpool haters has swelled.
As for Chelsea and Arsenal fans, they are merely jealous of Liverpools trophy record, at least United fans are honest enough to say they look forward to the day the overhaul us.
Phil McNulty Q&A blog 3:06pm on 22 Dec 2009 Hughes- I think its nonsense to act surprised over Hughes. Sixth was never a real goal, and "the trajectory of results", while it might not exactly be plain English, you cant draw every game for two months (exaggerating a little) and not expect the owners to get a little anxious. As for how they treated him, well its hard to fire a manager and only then start talking with potential candidates, so obviously they talked with Mancini before firing Hughes. Phil, your mock outrage is naivete?
McCarthy- Phil you are right to make an issue of what he did. I disagree that he will be judged at the end of the season. The judgment is in, he cheated his fans from a genuine game, and he cheated the rest of the premiership by gifting three points to a team, when those points are supposed to be contested fairly. If United win the league by three or less points, but Wolves stay up does that make McCarthy right? I don't think so.
Phil McNulty Q&A blog 12:50pm on 22 Dec 2009 Good selection of topics, and honest and interest answers. As a Liverpool fan, living abroad, I have noticed a strong hostility, and an enormous amount of gloating from rival fans in the past three months. I don't know why Liverpool seem to be the most hated team, and I am surprised at this. I guess every individual has their own reasons, but when I compare the activities of some other clubs (Fergusons arrogance- or single mindedness depending on your perspective! And Chelseas purchasing of success) its an anathema to me why Liverpool draw such ire.
Reasonable and thought out answers would be appreciated. The mindless wind up drivel I can do without.
Hughes harshly treated by Man City 1:29pm on 20 Dec 2009 First off, I cant understand all the shocked reactions. This is the premier league and managers being sacked is absolutely the norm. It is also normal for them to be backed and supported by the board right up until the moment they are fired. So again, why was the city statement that they were on target to meet goals, anything but normal in these situations? It feels like both Phil and 99% of commentors were born yesterday morning and heard the news in the afternoon!! Come on Phil, you know better surely?
Second, December is a the perfect time to change. There is still more than half the season left, and the transfer window opens in January, so a new manager has time to assess his squad, and time to make some improvements. After that he still has enough games to work with to move the team up. They gave Mark Hughes a good amount of games to show whether he could meet their ambitions, unlike Martin Jol who had six was it?
As for City owners being too ambitious, well if you compare them to Villa and Spurs, who would have said, after the summer signings, and comparing the squads, that both those teams would be looking so much better than City? I think that the ownership might think that in this current Premiership, with teams like (my beloved) Liverpool doing nothing, United dropping points and Arsenal misfiring every other week, City ownerhship may be right to think they should be doing a little better.
The performance, by the way, of Citys defence, is abject. However I dont agree with the castigation of the players, particularly of Lescott and Tours, both outstanding defenders right up until the moment they pulled on the sky blue. With a capable coach, that group of defenders will become outstanding, and perhaps Mancini is that coach. The idea that selling Dunne, with the beautiful benefit of 20/20 hindsight, was a mistep, is flawed logic because he is older and slower than he was, and didnt have a great season last year, so his revival at Villa is for me as much a surprise as Lescotts woes at City.
Mancini, is an unexpected choice, but only because the media have been obsessed with Mourinho and Hiddink so didnt look any further than the and of their noses. Perhaps Mourinho suggested Mancini? As for his not having PL experience as a coach, well Hiddink didnt last year, Ancelotti doesnt this year, and Mourinho didnt when he came. An irrelevant observation by too many.

Who will city buy? Thats a crap shoot, but Italian defenders, maybe an older one who can show some leadership? Are Maldini, or Cannavaro available?
The luck of the draw means Europe's time has come 2:13pm on 07 Dec 2009 Mugs game trying to pick a winner then backing it up with "facts". Anyone outside of Italy pick them for 2006?
I am glad a couple of people have picked up on the poor journalism regarding Chiles climate, (and zero marks for the pun, Phil, also) and "a self fulfilling prophecy".
England get luck of the draw 03:43am on 05 Dec 2009 The USA will be no pushover. They had a great run in the Confederations Cup last year. However, I think it is important that England have at least one game that will provide a genuine test. That said, as we have seen many times before England can make hard work of unfavoured opponents, lets hope Capello can reverse this.
If we make it to the knockout phase, I am confident that any team we face can be beaten. We have some genuine goal threats, and if we can be well organised, and get a little luck, even the likes of Spain and Brazil can be beaten.
I'm not predicting a win, but I see no reason to be afraid of any of the teams. Italy won it four years ago, with frankly, a completely unmemorable campaign and team. England can certainly do it with this very strong and talented squad. Bring on June!!
Spain can end Europe's historical failure 4:27pm on 01 Dec 2009 Spain have a great side, and a great chance. Brazil too. England are not quite at that level, so would need some luck to give them a real chance. However thats why games are played and not just judged on the basis of who we think is the best team.
There is a lot of room for error, good fortune, refereeing mistakes, and a moment of magic. If Brazil or Spain are to make it to the final and win they will hope not to fall foul of those possibilities, and should they do so, then a place in the final will await, or at least to play each other.
Mainly I hope that the best players are fit and in form, because if they are it could be a very good tournament, since most of the favourites have good goalscoring records, and many very talented forwards.
Bring on South Africa!
Spurs show top four style 1:28pm on 29 Nov 2009 As an interested observer (Liverpool fan watching likely our two biggest rivals for the final CL place), I have been far more impressed by Spurs than Villa this season. Spurs have added quality and organisation to their make-up, and Redknapp seems to have them very fired up. They have multiple attacking options, and in Defoe, Keane and Crouch, strikers who have scored everywhere they have played, proving form is temporary but class is permanent- and thats without seeing anything of Pavlyuchenko this season.
Villa seem to have regressed from last year, and perhaps, as seems to have been the norm for O'Neill, they have plateaued and lack the vision to press on. O'Neill has failed to add real quality to his squad, and seems content to buy experienced pros, like Heskey and Harewood, rather than aiming a little higher.
All in all it is great to see some really strong, and exciting to watch, teams outside of the traditional top four. Its a long season, however, so it remains to be seen whether they can continue in this fashion.

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