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Tuumble

Listed below are comments made by Tuumble between Friday, 26th September 2008 and Monday, 15th June 2009.

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Secrets of the fixture computer 09:24am on 15 Jun 2009 My team is Lincoln City and every year for years it was a pilgrimage for us to go to Sincil Bank on Boxing Day. I remember the first time they down to played away on that day as being quite a shock. On the otherside of the coin, my local team Peterborough United were almost always away from home on Boxing day.

The Imps seemed to have it easy but invariably it ended in a 1-1 draw and a mid-table finish.
Hiddink a hard act to follow 00:24am on 31 May 2009 I could never see Moyes as Chelsea boss as the moment things start to go wrong the players would be saying "Who the hell are you anyway?". He may have played for Celtic but his playing career is fairly non-descript and he hasn't won anything of real note.

Now don't get me wrong that doesn't mean I don't think he's a great manager because clearly he his but until he proves himself with silverware I don't see him getting the full respect of the players.
Europa League has its merits 12:58pm on 21 May 2009 Someone mentioned about the demise of the Cup Winners Cup. Well, you only have to look at who has won the FA Cup in England and Scotland over the last 15 years to see that they had already qualified for the Champions League. That's the point. Give out all the extra places to the CL, they get the cash so the rest can't compete so the same old, same old win everything. I'm sure UEFA would've loved to keep three tournaments but they realised you can't award it to a losing semi-finalist.

The good old days will never return but UEFA only have themselves to blame. Once they inviting in runners-up in it started a slow death and by going down to fourth place makes the UEFA Cup/Europa League virtually pointless. Winning that competition once meant something. It put you up with the elite but now it includes teams dismissed in the CL group stage so therefore not in the top 16 in Europe.

Let's face it we've had Man City in with a shout this year and Middlesborough even made the final. The only way to give it any credibility is to award the winner a Champions League spot otherwise, what's the point?
Bill Frindall (1939-2009) 10:31pm on 30 Jan 2009 I hadn't heard this news today until a few minutes ago. The strange thing was was that I was doing a search for "Bearders #186" as I knew another was due and of course it wasn't there. I then saw the headlines - I couldn't believe it.

I hope with the aid of cricket archives on the net fans can keep something along the 'Stump the Bearded Wonder' line alive in his honour.

Rest Easy Bill
Ince forced out by fear factor 5:35pm on 16 Dec 2008 I wanted Ince to do well at Blackburn because of what he achieved at Macclesfield and MK Dons. It was interesting how much of a dip Macc took once he went though MK seem to be doing alright without him.

I think he was worth a chance but with the window looming I guess Blackburn felt they had no choice. Relegation must be terrifying for all Premier League clubs these days.

Personally I would probably have given him the Stoke game to see what happened there as a win could have made a difference.

I never really liked Ince as a player even when he was with us at Liverpool because he strikes me a United red through and through. That didn't stop me wanting him to be a success here as he was prepared to get his hands dirty.
Beckham gambling in Milan 11:45am on 23 Oct 2008 A player is a long time retired and Beckham is living all our dreams, you have to admit that. Once he retires there's no-way back - if he can continue to 2010 for one last hurrah who can blame him?

You only have to look at someone like Gazza to see how difficult it is for a star to be out of the game. While Beckham is still in the frame he has every right to continue - no-one is forcing Capello to pick him so fair play.

Let's face it, he doesn't need the money so the football is clearly important to him or else he wouldn't be going to all this trouble. Maybe he does have one eye on the business side of things but isn't that just sensible?
Beckham gambling in Milan 10:22am on 23 Oct 2008 Who in their right mind would pass up the chance of playing for Milan? It would look great on the CV to have United, Real and AC on it but there is a chance it may backfire if he doesn't get to play. He's 33 now so don't expect him to be playing every game

Pompey would be better as he'd be guaranteed matches and would be under Capello's nose but I suspect the glamour (and the will of Victoria) will see a switch to the San Siro.
39th game to take back seat - for now 5:35pm on 08 Oct 2008 Rather than a 39th game I'd like to see the Premier League have a separate competition whereby the PL teams are split into four groups of five using regular league fixtures for its matches.

The winners of each group would go into a four team competition with semi-finals and final over 5 days in a replacement of FA Community Shield called the Premier League Community Cup.

The proceeds of the semi-finals and 3rd/4th place play-off will be split between charities the FA and host nation with a winner takes all prize pot in the final.

Using the normal league fixtures means there would be no extra games but would add extra spice to what could be otherwise dead matches. Imagine the excitement for a team in mid-table if they have chance to qualify for a money spinning event overseas.

The four groups would be randomly drawn rather than seeded so everyone gets a fair chance.
Poland and Ukraine escape with a telling off 5:22pm on 26 Sep 2008 If Ukraine can't make it could Germany not step in by offering Berlin and Leipzig as alternative venues? They're both close to the Polish border and will have been modified for the recent 2006 World Cup.

A bit dodgy politically but maybe Poland could host the majority of games and Germany take the slack.

You could even still allow Ukraine to be a co-host but with only a couple of stadiums. The question then becomes whether to allow Germany in as a full host or whether they'd just act as a stager of matches.
Poland and Ukraine wait on Uefa report 10:04am on 26 Sep 2008 This whole 24 team thing I think will have a detrimental effect long-term. It means only half of teams will be eliminated in 15 months of qualifying and in that bunch you'll have the likes of the Faroes, Andorra and San Marino.

The tournaments will be unnecessarily longer with complicated qualifying from the groups with best 3rd placed teams and means that fewer will have the chance to host.

While part of me would like a Celtic bid to host 2012 sneak in through the back door, I think it would be a great shame if Poland and Ukraine miss out.

We've seen the problems if decisions haven't been thought through with the Tevez, Hammers/Blades thing and I can see Poland and Ukraine consulting legal people if it's taken away.

You have to deliver on your promises but if they go to 24 teams and these countries aren't able to make 2012, they will have effectively spent billions of Euros for no reason.

Sixteen teams works and until 2016 at least, it should stay that way. Postpone a 24 team event until 2020 because that will give some breathing space for Poland and Ukraine to do 2016 if they clearly can't make the deadline.

Spain are champions and haven't held it since 1964. It seems the sensible move to give it to them so everyone gets what they want.

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