In 10 years time do you think English football and it's pyramid system will be a thing of the past as they price themselves out of the market? Apart from "the gifted few",of course!
Could we sell Sissoko and Jansen to United and pay Harry more? Poch to United next?We seem to be United's breeding club. Being a poor person myself,what's the difference between being paid 60 thou and 90 thou.What do you do with this money for Christ's sake? Sorry vicar!
McDonnell lost the fight. But when you leave these decisions to the discretion of judges, we get these absurdities. I remember watching the Irish boxer Michael Conlan lose a fight he'd clearly won at the Olympics. Lost interest in the rest of the boxing after that.
According to the latest Football Manager that figure is false, as he's on £80k p/w. For comparison's sake, that puts him on the same wages as Toby and Lamela, but less than Hugo or Son.
Conlan won, but there were actually worse fights at that Olympics. It was ridiculous. Tishchenko v Levit was so bad that the Russian's coach apologised afterwards. "What can I say, we all saw who won the fight. I am always for fair judging and I want the work of coaches and boxers to be assessed fairly... such situations in the boxing ring do not present out sport in a good light. "Unfortunately, this is not the only such fight in the Olympics, it has rather become a tendency. Our boxer came out to fight and wanted to win, and it is not his fault that his arm was raised. But, unfortunately for boxing fans, we got what we got." They've done a great job of cleaning it up, though. Can't find the fight anywhere!
Well, it's not the fault of the US this time. If it were, the announcer would have explained that McDonnell won even though the judges decided he'd lost.
Do you remember Cassius Clay coming to London in the 60's to fight Henry Cooper? Well,"our 'enery" had a secret weapon.....an upper cut."Enery's 'ammer"! Well Clay was very mouthy(!) and full of himself and,obviously winning,got too close to Henry and received the 'ammer which knocked him out.I can see Clay(Ali) flat out on the ropes with eyes open looking into space.Before he was counted out the bell rang and they carried Clay to his corner where they conveniently cut his glove so his gloves had to be replaced.I think this may have taken about 15 minutes that gave Clay time to recover. Not being such an idiot again,Clay stayed away from Henry and with his long reach opened up Henry's skin around his eyes and the fight was stopped......and thanks to the cut glove Clay became a legend........... History is a funny thing sometimes,isn't it. Some say crooked!
And our 'Enry would never have been seen as the plucky British nearly man. A career guesting on light entertainment shows and advertising Brut would have been ruined. We don't like a winner, do we? Know what I mean?
The fight against Clay was non title. Cooper was plucky but limited, he'd never have beaten Liston, Patterson, Foreman or Frazier. A life as a plucky loser would have still beckoned.
Blimey.Suddenly Brian London comes in my mind.Another plucky loser.Weren't brian's family in the ring at one fight having an all out punch up?...and the southpaw with the squashed nose.......and young Billy.....come in Barrington-Dalby. Oh those nights listening to the radio........
I really enjoyed that story. My favorite boxers were the ones who were underappreciated and underrated, not quite the very top level but right below. Rocky Lockridge was one. He gave up a promising career as a jazz drummer and overcame a fluke knockout loss (one of the few uttterly fluky KOs I've ever seen) to win a title. His last fight he very respectably went the distance with Julio Cesar Chavez.
I can remember the time Danny Blanchflower ticked off tv and Eamon Andrews.They arranged for Danny to be on This Is Your Life starring Danny,until he found out about it.He wanted nothing to do with that.He was a private person.In fact,he really wasn't "one of the boys" at Spurs. Some people like glamour,some don't. In those days if you scored a goal it was handshakes all round.Today there's kissing,hugging,sliding on grass,Ronaldo and players praying or crossing themselves. I've never quite understood the latter.Does it mean if you pray or cross yourself before the game you're on a winner?
During the 50's Spurs staged a behind closed doors international trial.Can't remember much about it now but.....I and some mates got to watch it. At the front of the ground they used to have a five a side tarmac court.As it was dark,we climbed up the wall and into the ground.Didn't call me "Dennis the Menace" for nothing. Wonder if you can do that today?
Yeah, except that if you've broadcast your trespassing to the world, you're unclear on the concept of trespassing.
Just so everyone knows, I was unaffected by the Great Redhill Jizz Shower of 2016 http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/sainsburys-redhill-car-covered-greasy-12187525
