BBC Blog Network

User Profile

Things were better under Harold Wilson

Listed below are comments made by Things were better under Harold Wilson between Monday, 11th May 2009 and Monday, 21st September 2009.

«Newer
Older»

Ferguson revels in classic win 08:58am on 21 Sep 2009 I thought Man City - without probably two of their best players in Robinho and Adebeyor - played extremely well, showed great resilience and were desperately unlucky at the end when the ref seemed to be waiting for a break in play to blow which just didn't come. Let's remember, they were away from home and lost by the narrowest squeak. Tevez - not a player I have ever really rated as elite - played as well as I have ever seen him play, despite the fickle ManU fans barracking him.

I think City are definitely top four. As a Spurs fan, I just wish I could say the same about our lads after two really disappointing shows.
Boxing needs a Bolt 12:04pm on 16 Sep 2009 I think Usain Bolt has had the huge impact because of the nature of his sport. It is the times - not the constant winning - that make us all gasp. The simple act of covering the 100 metres at such a speed is awesome. Boxing is hampered, here. Boxers can only beat who is in front of them and if who is in front of them isn't that great then the achievement is diminished. Most outsiders wouldn't care if a great heavyweight came along and cleaned up the Klitschkos, Valuev, Haye, whoever any more than most boxing fans would care about a great squash player beating all-comers.

I think, rather than hoping for a Messiah figure, boxing should be looking at, say, cricket, where declines in popularity have been met with changes in thye format and presentation of the game, ie the emergence of the one day game, twenty-twenty and the current debates about a world Test championship.

With the demise of Ricky Hatton and Joe Calzaghe going on (gulp) Strictly Come Dancing, I must say my enthusiasm is dwindling and I've been a fan since the Rumble in the jungle.

These are worrying times for the sweet sport.
Brits in pieces 11:20am on 25 Jun 2009 Laura Robson desrved a wild card because she's very good and was unlucky to lose - aftyer a line call that upset her in the second set - to a very good player.

She'll be back
Brits in pieces 11:16am on 25 Jun 2009 You might think I'm being harsh but I think we need to line all these also-rans up in front of someone like Paul Robinson (the goalkeeper, not that bloke from Neighbours) and he can give them all an almighty kick up the backside. Hard enough to kick them into the nearest strawberry stand.

----------------

He'd miss
Milan to Madrid via Manchester 12:57pm on 09 Jun 2009 It is interesting to see players who are basically leaving because of the money spend so much time trying to look good with the fans of the club they are leaving behind - witness Gareth Barry's letter to the Evening Mail about his move to Man City.

I think it's a good thing. The cynical may say they are protecting their 'brand' but in both cases - Kaka and Barry - they spent a lot of time with their clubs and probably feel they owe a debt that goes beyond the cash they have brought in. I remember reading that Cantona's move to Man U was bumpy because Eric wanted control over the message to Leeds fans.

Footballers are human beings; some are decent, some are Adebeyor
Brilliant Barcelona outclass Man Utd 10:27am on 28 May 2009 Fantastic display from Barcelona last night; at times I thought it was the Harlem Globetrotters out there; the way they dangled the ball in front of their lumpen opponents and took it away again. the vast majority of football fans in this country will be glad the 'English' team lost, which, I think, speaks volumes about how disconnected these debt-fuelled, foreign-owned leviathans at the top of the Premier league are from ordinary fans.

Manchester United are an unlovely side led by an unlovely manager. In the big 'one-on-one' games this season, they have been found wanting. Everton, Liverpool and now Barcelona have shown the weakness of the their first eleven. The fact they won the league is testament to power and depth of their squad, which, in turn, reflects their economic position. Man U's second team can beat most premier league teams. This is not because they are a great team or Ferguson is a fantastic tactician - it is because they have deficit-spent to the tune of £700 million - dwarfing even Chelsea - and the way the PL is set up, success breeds success.

There is something very, very wrong when a team like Manchester United is lauded for its achievements; achievements that have no more merit than a rich man buying a Ferrari and crowing when he beats a Ford Focus at the traffic lights.

Barcelona did us all a solid.
Benitez must blank out Ferguson 3:20pm on 18 May 2009 As a Spurs fan - and a neutral - I'd say two things.

One - why should Benitez be a hypocrite and praise Ferguson, the biggest sixty-something baby in football. (Still not talking to the BBC....how mature.)

Two - United had a very ordinary record against the other 'big four' clubs this season. They won the league because they had the strongest squad; assembled over years with tens of millions. Their B team could get past most teams. When the first elevens clashed,they got stuffed 4-1 at home by Liverpool. That's hardly an argument for 'best team.'

(Not to mention an appalling refereeing decision to get past us.)

Periods of domination in football happen. The fear is - with the changes in football finance with the Prem league and the super-sizing of the European Cup - the advantages given to Man U have become institutionalised and the whole game atrophied.

Next year I hope Liverpool (or Tottenham) win the league and Aston Villa or Everton (or Tottenham) break this 'top four' nonsense. This will, of course, be difficult when players float on a crest of debt-fuelled cash to the 'big' clubs and 'my only chance to play Champions League.'
Brave Shearer gives Newcastle hope 09:47am on 12 May 2009 There's a lot of people implying that Utd will put out a weakened side and that Hull have a good chance of getting something from their game against them on the last day of the season. I personally think that any Utd side will comfortably beat Hull.

Pulpgrape

---------------------------------------------------------------

Couldn't agree more. I can't see Hull getting another point. The comments from Andy Dawson - explaining why the team had rejected the idea of the manager to go to the horses prior to the Stoke game - though tactful and ostensibly supportive, demonstrated clearly what disarray Hull are in.
Brave Shearer gives Newcastle hope 09:22am on 12 May 2009 Decent article, Phil. I have noticed a lot of 'just a novice manager' jibes being directed against Shearer in the football comment pages lately and I think it is right to give him credit for decisions that turn games.

The truth is that Newcastle should not go down; a team which can field players like Viduka, Owen, Martins, Nicky Butt - veteran campaigners all - should not miss out to teams like Stoke and Hull. I think they will escape now, really because of Hull's astonishing slide. If they do, I hope Shearer stays there. I've nothing against him as a pundit, but the game needs more young English managers and his reputation - and achievement at keeping Newcastle up - should buy him time to rebuild.

I feel sorry for 'Boro - Uefa Cup final to this - but some of the purchases - notably Alves - were wrong. Same for Southgate as for Shearer - hope he stays; we need English managers who can create teams that are more than 'committed' and 'organised.'
Honourable no more? 11:50am on 11 May 2009 I had a row with my wife a few weeks ago saying that in my limited experience - as someone who worked in local government - MPs were not venal and utterly flawed. Today I had to say that she was right and I was wrong.

Nothing short of mass resignations is going to go any way to restoring public confidence; no MP who 'switched' the designation of 'second home' to get more public money for re-furbishments and can remain. None of them. Only MPs with a 'clean' expenses history can go forward.

Why this has to happen was clear to me when I read The Guardian this morning, where MPs like Vaz and ministers like Blears were quoted, and it occurred to me that I did not trust a single thing they said, nor felt they had the moral authority necessary to be part of government.

We need to purge Parliament. God only knows where this might end, but our elected representatives only have themselves to blame.

«Newer
Older»

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites