Roeder Comes Up Smelling of Canaries

I can scarcely believe that Norwich City have been stupid enough to appoint Glen Roeder as their new manager. In all the managerial jobs he has had he has failed - Watford, Gillingham, West Ham, Newcastle. Can any one explain to me why he, and Gary Megson for that matter, seem to constantly come up smelling of roses? They must give bloody good interviews, is all I can say.

I shall never forgive Roeder for his insulting behaviour towards West Ham fans when he was at Upton Park last year with Newcastle. His hand gestures towards us were a disgrace and he nearly caused a riot. And we were the ones who were at one with him over his illness. What a way to repay our loyalty.

Having spent many years of my life in Norwich and Norfolk I feel so sorry for the Canaries. I have spent many a happy hour at Carrow Road. However, I can do my little bit to puncture Roeder’s balloon as I have a fortnightly column in the Eastern Daily Press, in which I often write about football as well as politics.

Norwich City know not what they have done.

UPDATE: Apparently my comments above have upset a few people in Norfolk. Indeed, one person has written to the editor of the EDP claiming I have a vendetta against Glen Roeder and urging him to suitable edit my comments about Norwich’s new manager, should I write about him. In more than a year, not a word of my column has been edited out. That’s not what writing a column is about. A columnist is employed to write (sometimes) provocatively. I write as I find. If I think a politician is crap I’ll say so. Why should it be any different for football managers. Sadly my next column isn’t until Saturday week. Let me make it clear. I have no vendetta against Roeder. But I do think he behaved badly at Upton Park and that he wasn’t a very good manager. And I shall feel free to say so in my column.

Advert: Jonny Wilkinson Limited Edition Caricatures

Now you know that I am not a rugby fan, but even I watched the game on Saturday night - ok, ok, it was on in the background over dinner. Anyway, Jonny and the England rugby team certainly did the country proud at the weekend. Although it may be early to think of Xmas pressies just now, England rugby fans could do worse than visit www.notjustagame.co.uk where personally signed Jonny Wilkinson limited edition prints are still available. The images are by the caricaturist John Ireland and all the official prints come with a photo of Jonny signing his prints. HERE’S a direct link to the Jonny print.

Sunderland Match Report

What an odd game. We looked great in parts and awful in others. I thought some of our passing in the first half was excellent, but the one goal lead never looked enough. Sunderland are not a pretty team, but are effective in stopping others playing. Their centre forward Kenwe Jones gave Upson a hell of a roasting for the whole game.

In some ways you’d have to admit that a 3-1 win did not reflect the ebb and flow of the game. As Kieron Dyer said on SKY, many of us may have settled for a draw after 60 minutes.

It was the substitution which changed things. I had to laugh when the crowd chanted : “you don’t know what you’re doing”. A minute later we scored. Maybe the crowd should have then chanted: “we don’t know what we’re saying”! Mind you, quite what Curbishley thought he ws doing subbing Noble is anyone’e guess.

George McCartney had a stormer today. I thought he was head and shoulders above anyone else. Carlton Cole also did well. As I said in the previous piece, it was an important game for him today and he came through it well. Bowyer has a good first half and Bellamy was all over the pitch. And Robert Green. well, what can one say? His save from Leadbitter was the turning point. If that had gone in, that would have been curtains.

Green 8 Superb
Gabbidon 6 Steady
Upson 4 Jones had him
McCartney 9 Awesome
Neill 6 Anonymous
Noble 7 A couple of bad passes but gave his all
Mullins 6 Average
Bowyer 7 Good first half
Cole 7 Good in the air. Great goal
Bellamy 8 Buzzing

Sunderland Preview

I don’t know why, but I have a feeling of foreboding about this afternoon’s game. I can’t rationalise why, but although it is a game we need to win, something tells me it is not going to go to plan.

It will be good to see Craig Bellamy back, but what a shame it won’t be alongside Dean Ashton. I imagine Carlton Cole will get a runout again and he certainly has something to prove. Maybe that will spur him on, but he certainly seems to be a player who doesn’t react well to pressure. I’m assuming Freddie Ljungberg will be missing, having not appeared for Sweden during the week. Presumably Bowyer will play on the right, or maybe we’ll see Solano make his debut. Here’s the team I’m expecting…

Green, Ferdinand, Upson, McCartney, Neill, Noble, Mullins, Bowyer, Etherington, Bellamy, Cole.

Interview with Barry Davies

I normally only do political interviews but today I had the pleasure of talking to veteran football commentator Barry Davies for half an hour on my BROUGHT TO BOOK show. Click HERE to watch it.

And if you enjoyed that, you may like another 30 minute interview I did a week or two ago with former FA Executive Director David Davies. Click HERE.

Arsenal Can **** Right Off

The Sun reports this morning that Arsenal want to sign Robert Green and will offer £6 million. They allege that Green is unsettled because he has failed to get back into the England squad and that he thinks a move to a top 4 club would secure that place. I can see why Arsenal need a new goalkeeper, but they can keep their thieving hands off. Mind you, their need is not as great as that of Spurs….

Ashton Out Until Late November

Dean Ashton will be out of action for six weeks with knee ligament damage, according to reports today. However, there is better news on the Craig Bellamy front. He is back in training after a groin operation and may play for Wales next Wednesday. I doubt whether Alan Curbishley will be very pleased about that.

Where are they now? John McDowell

John McDowell is possibly best known for his frizzy haircut, but he was a classy fullback who played nearly 300 games for the Hammers between 1970 and 1979. Anyone know what he is up to now?

Where’s Nobes?

The team for Villa has just been announced. No place for Mark Noble! WTF!? Mullins and Bowyer in the centre. I don’t know the subs yet. The only explanation can be he has picked up a knock. Surely there’s no way Curbishley would drop him? He’s been our star player in more or less every game so far.

Aston Villa Match Preview: Making Plans for Nigel

I suspect Nigel Reo Coker may come in for some stick from the West Ham away fans today. He deserves it. He was an intermittently great player for us, but last year his mind seemed to be all over the place. It was a shame as there’s no doubt he is a huge talent. I don’t mind admitting, I would have relished this season with him and Mark Noble in the centre of midfield.

It seems Anton Ferdinand is out of the game today, having gone off last Saturday with a groin strain. Bellamy is still out too, as our injury list grows by the week. I hope Curbishley plays a wider midfield today. Last Saturday it just did not work playing Bowyer and Freddie wide. I don’t know what the situation is with Matty Etherington but he wasn’t even on the bench last week. Let’s hope he returns today. Scott Parker is also out so I would expect either Bowyer or Mullins to replace him - probably Mullins.

I would expect the team to look something like this: Green, Neill, McCartney, Collins, Upson, Noble, Mullins, Etherington, Ljungberg, Ashton, Camara. Subs: Wright, Spector, Gabbidon, Cole, Bowyer

Just When You Thought It Was Safe…

…I’m back. There hasn’t been an awful lot to get Hammers’ juices flowing lately. Since I last posted properly we beat Plymouth in one of the most stultifyingly boring games I have seen, and then failed to get our just desserts from the Arsenal game. Some of the one touch football we played in that game was superb and boded well for the future. Robert Green is in simply awesome form. How he is not in the England team simply baggars belief. Paul Robinson’s credibility is shot to pieces. How many more stupid goals does he have to let in before McClaren sees what the rest of us see?

I’m delighted for Dean Ashton that he is back in the England fold. It surely can’t be too long before Mark Noble joins him there.

Anyway, after my hectic last three weeks I can promise you much more regualr posting from now on. I’m back. With a vengeance.

Apology

I really must apologise to those of you who have become regular reasons over the summer. Work commitments have prevented me from doing my normal daily posts in the last couple of weeks. However, normal service will be resumed later this week once I have left the hell-hole that calls itself Blackpool…