youlots

good questions Val - getting to the nub of it now: though I feel sure that there will have been some discussions going on that we're not privy too that will sort most of that out.

I feel that there is an unhealthy & possibly irrational level of projection developing herein.

so....if I say that some of the posters on here are naive and especially those who take a bit of a spat at the club so personally that it suggests that same are narcissistic - would you feel that, given your previous criticism, that those posters were guilty of similar narcissistic tendencies that you equate Jose as having?

So...in order for me not to incur your disrespect I have to run it by you first? yes? About your career....I think your mistaken are you not? I seem to recall that you initially brought up what your reaction would be if it were you did you not? Something about the boss kissing your arse wasn't it to which I advised that such an attitude may not be such a wise choice future wise. So, to recap: it was you that made it personal initially wasn't it?

If I said to you that you're mistaken in some/many of your views & naive concerning others do you feel that I have shamed you? Do you also think that if I did that, that that would prove that I was a narcissist and/or that others may infer that I have no respect for you? As to you're career why do you infer that I have an interest in same or that I care about you?

BB - yes, but equally you'll know from experience that when you're winded there's not a thing anyone else can do you at the time - you just have to wait it out till normal function returns.

mmmm.....wasn't exactly a 'shaming' was it - so bit of an over-reaction from you there it seems to me. Jose was, I feel, in answering the questions put to him merely questioning the all-out response from the sideline medicos. If you look at the incident involving Hazard objectively I doubt that one could make the case on the visual alone that Hazard was in any way injured. Moreover, there was very little time left in the game & if Hazard has to depart the field then we're down to eight field players to defend etc. It's all very well to state that someone is just 'doing their job' but any part of the management team when performing their respective roles must be able to bring some discretion to their individual tasks. Ultimately, in sports that involves a balancing act in respect to the task in hand in any given context. It also involves the player: I feel that Hazard should of immediately waved the medicos away sooner & got to his feet sooner. It's a team game - everyone involved must pull together - and there is no room for offended sensitivities in professional sports & ultimately one must defer to the Manager. Eva's facebook offering was naively reactive - not so much in the message - but in its timing. As for your reaction - had it been you - well....you strike me as someone who is very young and/or very conceited. That of course is a matter for you but with such an attitude I doubt that your career will blossom. If one can't take criticism in a job & rise above it one doesn't get very far.

^ not at all "bait" - offered in good faith.

mmmm...well on my reading of your joust with jonty I have to say that the latter took your argument apart very adroitly. Now you say that it may not change anybody's opinion, least of all yours etc etc (very debatable) but I think it would be a shame if you learn nothing from the exercise. Your initial bold & rather sterile assertion concerning the worth of the material players was rightfully taken issue with after which you just pushed harder down on a petard of your own making by making further submissions which, in turn, were rather rubbish. If being owned is your idea of "fun" then, of course, that's entirely a matter for you but perhaps in future a concession that you've been thoroughly bested might lead to others losing less respect for your views & method than otherwise may have been the case.

No surprise whatsoever: repeated abuse/binging on alcohol over decades will most likely kill you - whether you happen to be George Best or anyone else. George was a supreme footballer & a lovely fella by all accounts as you point out but unless at some stage & before it's not too late one learns to say no & thereafter abstain for all time, it'll be the death of you & irrespective of who you are. Yeah would've been nice to have him in his prime but then you could say that about a lot of footballers over the years.

^ hehe - takes me back...love that little monkey crowd-surfing up the front too.

hehe...kev...Best hardly 'burnt out' did he - more a case of his (2nd) liver giving out - unless,of course, one is persuaded by the idea that drinking oneself to death over the course of decades of alcoholic abuse is a type of self-immolation which, in Best's case, is a bit of a stretch isn't it? Perhaps George thought that if he drank enough he wouldn't rust up: doesn't say much for his knowledge of free radicals though does it? By the way, are you a Devo fan?

Agreed. However......(and care of Harper's Index): Percentage of Americans who believe that their presence at a sports event influences its outcome: 25 I recall that I read that In Harpers some 30 years ago. It could be even more these days & equally, that quite ridiculous perception/position, is probably similar in most other countries. Some other interesting stats on sports taken from Harper's Index: Chance that a British man admits to fantasizing about his favourite sports team during sex: 1 in 9 Number of U.S. states whose highest paid public employee is a sports coach: 37

deary me......I seem to recall that we won the title last year & by some margin & that we also won the League Cup. So a double. Don't know what your definition of fantastic is but that's pretty fantastic to me & I would imagine a majority of football supporters no matter who they follow. As for 'shameful' in the CL ?!? Topped our Group by some margin & then in the 1st knock-out round lost on away goals to a very good side because of some careless marking in the latter stages of the return leg. How is that exactly shameful? Disappointing perhaps but shameful ?!? With such an attitude as yours, it's difficult to imagine what this club must achieve in any given year so as to satisfy you. I suggest for starters that you acknowledge what this club has achieved in the last 15 years or so. It's pretty remarkable. You might also acknowledge what the owner has contributed over the last 12 or so years to get us to where we are today - among the top clubs of Europe & year in/year out doing nicely in the toughest domestic league in the world. We have a number of competing priorities atm - continuing to balance the books/run at a profit, developing our youth, continuing to develop the brand worldwide & now, a very expensive new stadium to build. All this whilst attempting to stay at the top. It's all a juggling act. But it would seem that the likes of you thinks that the owner should commit even larger sums than he is willing to do at present in order that we can buy more 'star' players. Tell you what - why don't you write him a letter about how unsatisfied you are with his generosity. While you're at it you may want to spare us on here of your breathtaking spoilt naivete.

hehe....kev....some ambivalent sexism/paternalism from you. She has a PhD in human rights & humanitarian law & a career - hardly just a 'housewife' then is she? And she would be intimately aware of the 'history' between her husband & Jose. I doubt that given her credentials that she's some shrinking violet as you would like to think. I'd like to think that as an educated person she understands that if you're going to enter the public domain with throwaways that it is likely that you may get a response. That's what occurred did it not? In all probability she was probably amused by what Jose said in response - I mean after all, her husband has had a bit of a waistline issue for some years has he not? She probably jokes with him about it from time to time. Between you & me: I'd worry a lot less about your lack of humour if I thought you were worrying enough.

maybe your effort may spur madame moi to watch it - she's been very tardy with the films that have been put on her "to watch list" & summer is no excuse. separately (and i can't remember whether we've done this before) maybe we should all name our choices for 5 greatest film soundtracks? I'll get the ball rolling with some of my favourites (there's a lot more but....): The Mission Clockwork Orange Lift to the Scaffold Heat Rumblefish

aw c'mon Jonty...we know that you secretly love him...all that stuff you raise is but a smokescreen to hide your adoration

Saints so we're just as tortured....girlfriend is footscray through & through though. Yep, thank Hitchens for Chels.

nice one skip - few more than what they got down at Etihad last night (26 odd thousand). I was all set up to channel flick between the 2 games but ended up watching the footy for most of it because of the flogging the Hawks had dished out by half time. What an embarrassment of a game for the AFL that was.

hehe kev.....somewhat of a blatant contradiction there wouldn't you agree? wouldn't you also agree that your persistent, indeed obsessive meme, is to find fault with Mourinho? somewhat ironically, Jung may assist you with Mourinho when he stated: "We cannot change anything until we accept it. Condemnation does not liberate it oppresses." & "Every form of addiction is bad, no matter whether the narcotic be alcohol or morphine or idealism"

ah dorset...dreams.....would be lovely of course as you point out but the one who cannot be named is surely not that obtuse - for the present at least. He's going to need as many "diversions" as any other manager at Real probably more so because he's in reality, as we know, not that good (I don't how Real thought that he could be an improvement on Carlo?!?). What better diversion to have than scapegoat players (there seems to be an increasing "sookiness" developing in a growing percentage of the already pandered to/spoilt Real supporters) in circumstances where the team doesn't say perform as expected before Xmas? Still, as you say, we will see just what develops in the first part of the year. With City & Utd shooting there respective loads so to speak in this transfer window, perhaps it's best that we just bide our time. Wonder what he's currently valued at?

If Mikel is not be sold in this window (which now looks increasingly likely) then he will figure in our plans for the coming season - he is & always has been an able back up.

I reckon it would take you 2 hours to watch 60 minutes & even then you probably wouldn't figure any of it out.

well.....I expect you read the club's statement & from this you've assumed that it was a categorical "no" to a sale & from this you've made the further assumption "that he's staying". But as I read our club's statement, I thought the important words therein were "as it stands". The Fenerbahce President's statement in respect to the issue is in any event hyperbole & unhelpful & of course there is plenty of time left in the transfer window. So, what is the sensible position to take from this thus far - probably that the positions of the clubs at the moment is they've made some opening salvos - nothing more, nothing less. We want about 15 mil & they don't want to pay more than say 10 mil - not a lot of difference there. As to the wages position/stance of Mikel I would've thought that his demand of some 100 a week is pretty reasonable for a player of his experience & abilities isn't it? And to ask for a 5 year deal at his age is standard is it not? There yet still may be a deal - both clubs & Mikel are merely planting their initial goalposts in respect to the opening negotiations - that is all. That is how it works. So don't shoot yourself just yet or as we say down here - have a cup of tea, a bex, and a good lay down.

to be fair kev, you don't do yourself any favours & invite a lot of these responses by way of your inflammatory choice of words - 'messiah' or 'fraud' et al. You've been told time & time again that none of us consider Jose to be perfect in every way but you continue to ignore that & continue to latch on to any mistake of his (no matter how small) or the team as an invitation to continue to beat your rather threadbare drum. It just gets so tiresome. To speculate on the amount of 'love' that Jose has for the club based on your armchair psychology is pretty meaningless as well. Can you not see any of this?