I hear on the news this morning that Manchester City have apologised after some of their fans disrupted the minute's silence at Wembley in memory of the Hillsborough 97. As well as being a moronic thing to do from the point of view of basic decency, that was probably the single easiest way that those fans could choose to galvanise the opposing team to play better against theirs. Not unexpectedly, a team with no history at the level they now find themselves, and who have not earned their current influence but simply bought it, have a number of fans who have no respect and no class. I'm more glad they were knocked out of the Cup now than I was yesterday.
Qatar have admitted that 3 of the 6,000 migrant workers who died building the stadiums died due to "work-related issues". It's not clear what the issues were, but 69% of the deaths were due to "natural causes" according to Gianni Infantino. A "natural causes" diagnosis absolves employers from paying compensation. Infantino told the EU Parliament that reports linking the deaths to preparations for the W/C were "simply not true". Infantino, who earned more than £3m in 2019 now lives in Doha with 2 children at school there.
Whitewashing and corruption, plain and simple. Our leaders condemn the cheapness of life in under some repressive regimes, but those who run our sporting authorities are willing to turn a blind eye to human rights abuses - and even collaborate in covering up the crimes they commit - where our own interests are seen to be involved. Buying more Saudi oil is bad enough. But unfortunately that oil is essential to the way our industries and economy works. There is nothing essential about our football team representing us in Qatar, in a tournament procured by corruption and built on the corpses of thousands of migrant workers denied basic rights and protections. The double standards of our FA are sickening, as is the evasion and ambiguity of our national team manager and players, when called out. All the more so because they elevate themselves as morally enlightened with their gestures towards race equality, and dismiss as 'uneducated' anybody who does follow their policies on that matter. Where is their love of educated views when it comes to the abuses in Qatar? Buried under their own lust for glory and prestige. It is clear that to them, migrant workers' lives don't matter.
Just seen on CL we are releasing Watson, Gunter and Souare. Frankly. I'd forgotten Souare was still on the books. Good luck guys, it's been emotional. edited - don't know who VL is!!
I know its easy with hindsight, but keeping Watson was the wrong call. Not JJ's of course. Adkins presumably. We should have kept Pratley.
Didn't Watson have the right to activate the extension on his contract? Souare and Castillo- 2 left wing-backs we've signed who've each been handed one start then discarded. Our recruitment is an embarrassment.
Either that or we have no patience with new signings. It's asking a lot of a new recruit to hit the ground running, and Souare was coming back from injury. You'd think we were used to that situation by now
I hear on the news that Roman Abramovich wants his £1.6 billion loans to Chelski back. Tough titty Roman. You're sanctioned. You don't get one penny. And if you won't 'sell' Chelsea by the end of May the Government should pull the plug. Let's remember, Chelsea should have been shut down on the day that Roman was sanctioned back in March. They have only carried on playing (trading, in effect) because the UK Government gave them special dispensation as a 'cultural asset'. If Abramovich wants to withdraw his cooperation, then no way should he be allowed to hold the Government and UK tax payers to ransom. Chelsea should not be allowed to continue to function indefinitely, plugged into the Government for life support. And if Roman says no and CFC is wound up, it won't be the Government's fault. It will be Roman's fault. Either way, he gets nothing. But he has the power to decide whether the Club he says he loves so much continues to exist and remember him fondly - or goes to the wall. That's the price of being an Oligarch and friend of Putin, who crossed the line with his War in Ukraine.
The oligarchs are all criminals, the lot of them,with Putin the head gangster. Putin's always had one foot in the criminal world, now he's a war criminal too, he's got both feet in it.
Abramovich must not be allowed to be the tail that wags the dog regarding Chelsea. The Government must not be arm-twisted into extending its life-support for Chelsea FC beyond the end of May. That would be the same as Roman holding Chelsea hostage, and our Government surrendering to his tactics. Either the Club is sold to new investors & RA gets nothing, or Chelsea is closed down & RA gets nothing. Does he love CFC? Or has it all been empty words down the years.
Poor old Pep Guardiola Tactical genius? Best manager in the world? City went from 0-1 up to 3-1 down in the space of about 10 minutes. Proof (if any were needed) that there are still some things money can't buy.
Politics and football being forced together again. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61492696 Players told to take the knee. Now (again) players told to wear emblems on their shirts. I don't care whether it's a red poppy or a rainbow. Nobody should be compelled to wear something that represents a belief in or support for something they do not agree with. Or punished when they refuse. That is just another form of intolerance - intolerance sanctioned by authority. Cut politics right out of football.
A mass pitch invasion at Goodison Park yesterday to celebrate... avoiding relegation. Everton fans are easily pleased it seems And Frank Lampard described it as "a special night in the Club's history" If Charlton had stayed up on the last day (instead of around the end of March) would our fans have invaded the pitch like that? I think not. Well, maybe one or two
If we did it by coming from 2-0 down to beat Palace 3-2 there may have been a slight feeling of bonhomie.
None of note. Mansur bought another Prem title, so he'll be happy. The army of money-worshipping toadies who think Man City are to be admired for some reason are happy too. I wish City and the other traitors would just go and play in their Super League and let the rest of us enjoy our football. Roman still owns Chelski as far as I know. England are still going to Qatar, but if you're a female fan or a Jewish or gay fan it's tough luck - they don't want you there. Never mind. Just wear a rainbow on your shirt and all's right with the world.
