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Listed below are comments made by SA-EAGLE between Monday, 11th August 2008 and Friday, 13th March 2009.

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The lure of great stadiums 11:44am on 13 Mar 2009 Gavin, yet another great blog. Very interesting to hear peoples views on Stadia and their athmosphere. I have been to plenty in Europe and almost all Premiership Grounds and Championship grounds in England.
However, that said the best athmosphere EVER was at the Old Wembley Euro '96 prior to the Semi With the German's - Nearly had tears in my eyes when the whole crowd was singing that ol' famous tune "Football is coming home" - Even the Germans were joining in - Simple Fantastic.
That said in terms of athmosphere at Club grounds, in the UK and Europe Celtic Park is truly amazing, but I have to give Anfield the top spot in Britain, and in Europe it has to be Stadio Olympico in Rome (Roma vs Lazio) and Camp Neu in Barcelona (Barcelona vs Real Madrid) - Does not come much better. I would like to know what the buzz as a player must feel like at any of the mentioned grounds - WOW!
Warming the bench is a pain in the backside! 12:41pm on 06 Mar 2009 Great Blog Gav as always. I enjoy reading your blogs mate! - Nice one!

You were saying you would like to hear other super-subs stories wel here I go.

I was playing in the UK a boarding scholl, although I was a day pupil and we were not exactly preferred to The Manager/Housemasters at the school, but nonetheless I was in the squad week in week out.

One match I remember clearly and we had to win we were losing 1-0 with 15 mins to go and was awarded a penalty. No-one wanted to take it so "the boss" put me on and I slotted it in nicely. I got another 2 and my hat-trick and we won 3-1. Happy days.

However, again the following week and many after that still on the bench so his preferred boarders could start instead.

I went on to score 32 that season and yet one of the boarders were awarded the top goal scorer!!! Beats me but he only scored 21....laugh about it today though. HIlarious!

Take care!
Improving football for kids 12:02pm on 27 Feb 2009 Nice blog Gavin! As a youngster (now many years ago) I started as a goal-keeper, which I really enjoyed. However a time came when we ended up playing as U12's on a full size pitch against a team that only turned up with 9 boys (poor them). We routed them 21-0 and I scored 4 as a GK..not bad eh?
From that day my coach obviously saw something and put me up front and I went on from there, bagging in those goals (big-headed sorry but I was only 12/13).
I then "moved" to a professional club and to my dis-belief they put me at right back!!
However, it made me a better player for sure.
My point (sorry took while) as having also coached, is quite simple. Kids are kids and the enjoyment should take priority. Play on smaller pitches until the age of 14/15 and then move on to full size.
You will still get kids the "shine" and are easily "above" the rest and they will get picked out. However, all the other kids will get better physically, mentally and skill wise as well I have no doubt.
To have U11 playing on a full-size pitch is totally ludicrus and causes early exhaustion and early injuries in kids. The sooner this is realised the better. LET THEM ENJOY IT AND PARTICIPATE until they are READY!
Superstitious tales of beans, socks and and dead skin 10:18am on 19 Feb 2009 Nice post really enjoyed reading it. I had my own little rituals as a youngster, such as being the last one to leave the changing room needing to pee before a game hehe.
It seemed to work but as I got older I soon realised it was not really the case, but it worked for a time....
Now in Africa and here you cannot believe what players do from their little funny things right down to witch docters and all....hilarious!! Good luck with your continued recovery/return to form.
Money talks in Super Bowl 10:55am on 03 Feb 2009 #34 I agree 100%. Salary caps in football (The real one) would have to be done by FIFA/UEFA and across ALL leagues. I think it would be a good thing, but hey with the salaries where they are at now 200K+ a week where would you set it? I for one think it is getting crazy, but on the other hand guys careers are getting shorter and shorter and if Ronaldo broke his leg in 28 places and could never play again and he did not have his salary what would he do then?
As for the article itself totally pointless to compare the two!? That said they can both learn certain aspects from one another perhaps? Money talks ANYWHERE! It may not buy you happiness, but it sure does help?
Let's be fair though, the American Pro's also get paid fortunes, make fortunes on ads etc, so I guess there is not much difference there then??
Experiencing boutique football at QPR 11:14am on 22 Dec 2008 Very nice blog. As a Palace fan I see what has happened at QPR as a good thing for the club and good on them. However, the ticket price issue is something that is neverending unfortunately. We have seen it at Palace as well. However, I do believe that tickets will continue to increase, although what SJ did at Palace some years ago was great (reduced season tickets by a lot) and helped to generate an athmosphere. That said, everywhere now seems to turning for the worse?!
Whatever happened? Not sure but the REAL fans seems to find the money always and as that trend continues then no wonder these big guns keeps adding and adding?
Good Luck to QPR and we will see you at the play-off final I hope??? :-)
Big Sam is back 2:09pm on 18 Dec 2008 There seems to be a whole bunch of people thinking Big Sam is a bad manager, but let's face it. He did great at Bolton (very limited resources) and he went to Newcastle and I think he was not given the chance and as for Mr Ashley I think they did not get along at all.
Anyway, I for one believe that Big Sam is a great choice for Blackburn and he will work wonders there....so what if it is not attractive as long as they stay up???
As for Ragnarok comments 22, it is not about loyalty, it is about a job! So what if he was at Bolton, let's face it he could always now gift them a few points to help them stay up :-)
I am sure Blackburn will stay up under the guidance of SA and SA will revive his career.
Good Luck to Rovers and Big Sam!
Could Wenger shape new England? 07:15am on 14 Nov 2008 Phil - One of your best blogs to date :-) - THANKS!
I think the young gunners were totally amazing and deserve all the credit. Some truly great displays. I think one key point is the best managers in the business (O'Neill, Arsene, Ferguson etc.) are all very clever at getting people out to thr right clubs on loan.
Being a Palace fan I saw Ash Cole in his early days at Selhurst and to be honest he was a different class!
Now, Arsene come up with guys like Wilshere, Vela and it must be said Arsenal must have totally the right set-up in terms of scouting and nuturing of talent. Whilst other clubs have the same i.e. Spurs, Villa I don't think anyone at this moment comes close to Arsenal?
It was simply just magic to watch these guys play with such ease, control and confidence. I think they could have beat ANYONE anywhere playing like that. Had it not been for Kirkland it could have been 10!
Well done Arsenal youngsters and I look forward to the future!
Result of the weekend in the Football League? 11:54am on 11 Aug 2008 Fletch - Docaster is for sure a great result, but I tend to agree that PNE beating The Tractor Boys away from home is class. Unfortunately my team are going there next week, but I hope we can show PNE and bring them back down!!!!???
As for L1onheart - Brilliant story that made me laugh!! - Thank mate! P.S. How can I get to listen to matches from here in South Africa??
Ferguson set to solve striking dilemma 11:30am on 11 Aug 2008 The striker situation is not that bad for Utd in my opinion. Yes they do need something, but not really that urgent. Berb would be an excellent choice and Sir Alex will soon enough take his attitude and bury it deep deep down!!
"The Hunter" would also be class, although, I think it is high time Utd show their youth and Campbell fits that bill. Although he may not be the top striker in the world, he can with the guys around only succeed???
Henry to Utd (I may be proved wrong) will NEVER happen in my opinion, as he has always said a return to the Prem would only be with the arse and no-one else and anyway, he is not at his best by far!
If they were to buy a striker I would go for Eto or here is a mere new suggestion (Niclas Bendtner) as they need a bit of height??? The saga continues but I still think they will come good at the end of the season. Great to see Neville back, but the new guy (Rafael da Silva) will soon take over!?
Utd need a striler yes, but not for over-the-top money as they are not that desperate, but they are unfortunately Utd.

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