Davo

Why all this love for Delia? What about Mr Wynn-Jones? Shouldn''t any statue include both of them?I do think we should commemorate our older players and have more awards at the end of the season. The Barry Butler is all well and good but how about some more awards? You could have the "Keelan Punchbowl" given to the player for the most ridiculous sending off. The "Dean Coney''s Ar5e" award for the flukiest goal. There''s the Cureton Barndoor for the worse miss. We could turn the last game of the season in to some ridiculous oscar-style award ceremony.Davo

Congratulations to the US, hopefully we''ll see you there.I do wonder if any US fas actually think this is that much of an accomplishment? I honestly think you should be qualifying with ease given the level of competition you are facing. The US could truly become a team to fear if they ever tap into the football loving Hispanic committees instead of only coaching those kids whose parents can afford to pay for them to be coached.Davo

A good set up picks Beau! I am worried about my pick now being the only person to go for it!On the plus side Russia are already 1-0 up on Luxembourg.Davo

Hi all,This is my first pick in well over a season.I am taking no risks this week so it''s a nice simple Turkey Vs Andorra - Home Win.Davo

I disagree, I think next summer will be bigger for us. Sure the money goes up this season but it''s not like you get paid it all at once. So sure we''ll get a minimum of £60 million for the next season but we haven''t just been handed a £60m cheque. I know it''s common for transfer fess to be paid over the course of a few years but they still require some cash up front. Cash that we don''t currently have. Next summer on the other hand we would of received the full £60m plus over the season and what hasn''t been spent this year will be available next year.Plus there''s always January if the right player is available which they haven''t been so far this summer.Davo

[quote user="Crystal Canary"]What about the fee for Butterfield? Shall we say 2 mill ish? Probably less, but let''s go with that. So that''s a net spend of 14m. My understanding is that the RVW purchase came from last season''s transfer kitty, so actually the money spent this season is 5.4m. Doesn''t seem much, does it? Considering the TV revenue was at 40m plus, where''s the rest of the money gone?[/quote]   We haven''t actually received all the moeny yet so the money hasn''t "gone" anywhere. There are also increased wages to consider. Plus there is also the point that this board won''t waste money so if the right targets aren''t available then they won''t buy.   Davo

Houston and Yankee I think there is a big cultural difference here. In North America you are used to changes to your Franchises you have a history of Franchises moving or being re-branded. In the UK we don''t, history and tradition do matter to us English fans. They do also matter to US fans too. Look at the Winnipeg Jets in 1996 they could no longer afford to support their NHL Franchise due to the difference between the Canadian and the US dollar and rising salary costs so it moved to Phoenix. Fast forward to 2011 and the Atlanta Thrashers are struggling on and off the ice until a new group of business men come together and buy up the Franchise and move it from Atlanta to Winnipeg. Names are of course completely irrelevant but those silly sentimental Canadians decided to use the name Winnipeg Jets. History also doesn''t matter which is why the people in Winnipeg believe that Teemu Selanne''s outstanding Rookie season record of 76 belongs in Winnipeg and not Phoenix. Likewise alot of these fans believe that Brett Hull''s shirt should be retired in Winnipeg and not Phoenix.What you don''t seem to get is that these things do matter, if not then why is there so much resistance to advertising on baseball shirts? How would people feel if the Dallas Cowboys changed their name to the Dallas Rednecks or moved to Seattle? What would happen if the Red Sox decided to play in blue?DavoP.S. The Stanley Cup is not something that''s classed as a World Championship by hockey fans. Even the yearly world championships aren''t classified as that. The one true world title in Ice Hockey is the Olympics where you do get all the worlds best players coming up against each other.

[quote user="Yorkshire Canary"]There is not that much money in Portuguese football at the moment though[/quote]There isn''t much money in the league but Porto and Benfica are by far the two richest clubs in that league. Both clubs make their money by bringing South American players over and then allowing them to showcase their talents in front of the whole world in in the Champions League. Recent players they have sold on include Axel Witsel, Javi Garcia, Fabio Coentrao, Angel Di Maria all who have been sold at a profit.Given the chance to prove themselves on the biggest club stage of all and Benfica''s ability to match a club like us why would a player pick City over Benfica?Davo

Hmmm this post could make me the last person on this board who hasn''t.Davo

As a thought if it is agreed that the money going to a local charity is the best way forward, could we not follow the club and donate the money to who ever is on the shirt for that particular season?Davo

I haven''t posted a nap in ages, I am not sure if it was this season or last that I last posted one. I do feel that the club no longer needs the few hundred pounds that the PUPs raise over the course of a 40 week season. I think the club and the Academy are past the stage where every pound they can get will make a difference. Having achieved the top category for our academy which will be costing hundred of thousands a year if not a million plus a couple of hundred is a drop in the ocean.A local charity on the other hand could benefit from the money that is raised. If the choice is made that we do go down the Charity route I will take partnext season and through a scheme at work I can double any winnings up to a maximum of £400 (£800 goes to the Charity).How you choose a charity is the tough part.Davo

I predict we will get 5 wins in 6. Loosing to Hull. We will be top on 15 points with little comment in the press. Swansea will be two points behind us with the whole world asking "Can Swansalona win the league?" We will end up getting relegated with two games to go.   Davo

I woudl reccomend people use Football Manager if they are going to be claimng knowledge on how good a player is ratehr than Fifa. Lewandowski was a top prospect in that game whilst still playing in Poland. There are otehr cases over the last 20 years where this game has predicted stars. On the other had there are many many more occasions where the game has got it horribly wrong.   For anyone using this game or any game to claim "knowledge" of a particular player is just stupidity.   one player I woudl love us to sign though would be Macnelly Torres, he plays in the hole and would be excellent competition for Hoolahan. He is more of a passer than hoolahan and can provide excellent passes for players to run onto or straight to their feet. From what I have seen watching him play a few times for Columbia he would be worth signing and could come quite cheap as he still plays in Columbia. I heard of this guy first on the World Football Phone-In.   Davo

Wow their cheapest tickets are more expensive than the most expensive tickets at other clubs including recently relegated Wigan and Reading.No wonder they have such a poor turnout each week. Falling attendances coupled with a falling quality of football and higher prices.Davo

[quote user="Jimmy Smith"]Will he ever get a chance to impress at us though?[/quote]   It depends on what happens at Preston and what also happens with Ruddy.   Davo

First time I have seen the guy, looked ok but then this really is like judging Chris Martin on watching his game against Paulton Rovers. It will be interesting to see how he does against Uruguay.Davo

He played really well and took his half chance really well. I honestly feel really sorry for Tahiti. They played quite well and gave a lot of effort. Nigeria had a lot of chances and yet most of the goals were really quite lucky. The first one was a bad couple of deflections, another the keeper sadly spilled and another was an unfortunate own goal.The Tahiti goal though was an excellent header from a really tight angle. Davo

So does this make it 3 down 5 to go then?Davo

He''s fat, He''s round,He bounces on the groundIt''s Robert Fleck It''s Robert FleckDavo

[quote user="lappinitup"]OH, and City1st and Morty and Ginger Pele and Mr Chops and Sports Desk Pete. [:S][/quote]   There''s one you forgot to mention Bly.   Davo

He seems smart enough to know that if he comes to Norwich and performs well he will be better off in the long term than if he had of gone straight to a top side and sat on the bench.Davo

[quote user="6088m canary"]whilst it would be lovely to strengthen all areas of the side.....do we really need to be chucking cash at wingers?! Pilks & Snodgrass have proven themselves.  Bennet and Surman are reasonable back-ups.  Central midfield is the obvious area that needs attention.  If we end up signing Bako, is he an option/squad player/starter?? [/quote]   I disagree with the first part of this and agree totally with the second part. I do think we need another winger, preferably a left footed pacey left winger. Someone who can beat their man and put a cross in. This will give us an option as we are too slow and predictable at times. Not having seen that much I doubt Bakary Sako is the player we are looking for, he''s just been in a team relegated from the championship.   As for the centre of midfield well I do think this is somewhere we need to improve.   Davo

[quote user="chicken"][quote user="TIL 1010"]What about Antoine Sitonhisarski ? Now whatever did happen to him ?[/quote] I think he quit football early due to the death of his teenage daughter. I genuinely thought Sibierski was a good player, just not the sort of player we needed. He wasn''t going to drug the team up and inspire them. Mind you, neither was Roeder.[/quote]   No wonder you think he wasn''t the type of player we needed if you thought the type of player we needed was a drug pusher! Maybe we should go for Charlie Austen after all. He might be able to sniff out a source of supply.   Davo

I was just about to suggest Helveg too.What about Trevor Hockey? He is well before my time but apparently he was well past his best when he joined even if he did have a positive impact.Didn''t we also have David Rocastle on loan in the late 90''s?Davo

I would say yes if the price is right. We could get better but how much more would it cost? It''s our midfiled that needs changing plus an additional centre back if Ayala and Barnett are on their way out.   Davo