MikeO

Who is this Rolf bloke and why does everyone always spell his name wrong ?

As I've already said we couldn't sell him until the summer even if we wanted to. No word on the OS apart from at the end of DM's opinion on Reading, published at 8.00 this morning... "Everton will be boosted for the game by the return from African Cup of Nations duty of Nigerian pairing Joseph Yobo and Yakubu."

The Kharkiv keeper didn't acknowledge it which was a shame. Maybe not common practise in the Ukraine.

Can't get rid til the summer anyway so it seems a bit of a daft thing for the Mail to say. But bollocks .

Take your point Ian (welcome by the way...nip over to introductions and tell us a bit about yourself ) but as one of the "big five (ManU, Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton and Villa)" we'd be seeded so it wouldn't affect us. Could be rough on some of the smaller teams though .

I see we're on Channel Five again next week <_< . Shame, don't normally have a good word to say about ITV sport but their coverage was way superior in my opinion. Never mind, better than nothing.

Think it worked better the original way myself Bill. Nice one . (that was after I wondered looking at the title why we were looking at another African Centre Back (Mambo...who does he play for ) )

Not at all. We are the chosen ones. As the good book says (Catterick Chapter XI Verse 14)... To the far flung corners of the nation and of the earth our spititual leaders will cast their net even until the one true Moyessiah cometh to banish the red heathens from the land....the righteous shall hear the word of the One True Faith and shall be called blessed.

That's why they'll be sold off as a two game package with the top five clubs seeded. Five venues with two games each means everyone gets one of the big clubs. Theoretically yes but they won't win the bidding. Player safety might just be a small consideration in the process . Everton in Oz might go down well.

The English Premier League is considering playing some matches overseas, BBC Sport has learned. At a meeting in London on Thursday, all 20 clubs agreed to explore a proposal to extend the season to 39 games. Those 10 extra games would be played at venues around the world, with cities bidding for the right to stage them. It is understood the additional fixtures could be determined by a draw but that the top-five teams could be seeded to avoid playing each other. It is unlikely any decision will be taken before the Premier League's annual summer meeting in June, but any changes could come into effect for the 2010/11 season. Points from those extra games would count towards the league table. Should the proposal get the go-ahead, cities in Asia, Middle East and North America are likely to show a strong interest in hosting the extra games. It is believed each venue would host two matches over a weekend. BBC sports editor Mihir Bose says the Premier League's decision to explore such a move is a "logical" one. "The growth of the Premier League has been impressive in the last 15 years thanks to the sale of television rights in this country," he said. "But now the market in the United Kingdom is becoming saturated and it is the overseas market which is now the big target area." The Premier League's income from the sale of overseas TV rights has already increased from £178m in 2001 to £625m for the current deal that runs until 2010. Broadcaster NowTV paid around £100m for the rights to Hong Kong alone. Premier League games are broadcast to over 600m homes in 202 countries worldwide, while an estimated 1bn people watched the Premier League game between Manchester United and Arsenal in November 2007. A number of top-flight clubs already play matches around the world as they seek to capitalise on the huge global interest in the English game. Manchester United are regular visitors to Asia, Middle East and America while other clubs are beginning to follow their lead. "This is a chance for the Premier League to showcase its product around the world," added Bose. "Some fans may feel aggrieved, but their concerns will be outweighed by the financial advantages for the clubs. "Clubs will see this as a chance to make more money so they can invest in new facilities and better players." There is likely to be a big scramble for the right to host the extra games. "It will be like cities bidding for the Olympic Games or the World Cup," explained Bose. The Premier League's proposal mirrors moves in other sports, notably American Football. Miami Dolphins and New York Giants met at Wembley in October, the first competitive NFL game outside the Americas.

Not unless they're going to visit my brother-in-law and his new baby. Seems unlikely .

Pissed off with the Euro exchange rate . Going to Amsterdam in a couple of weeks and the rate's €1.30 at best....got €1.43 when we went to Greece last October <_< .

Bit of a long shot but the Chinese market is certainly a huge potential earner.

Know what you mean Jamie . Listening to the radio or watching Score on the beeb, "And there's been a goal at Goodison Park...." Heart skips beat even though reality this season suggests it's more than likely gone to us. Watching ceefax used to be the worst, I "watched" us beat Wimbledon in that game in '94 on ceefax....staring at little text numbers praying between pacing around the garden when the tension got too much.

There's a daytime TV prog over here currently about families moving Oz-ward. Was distressed to find that once you're over forty-five you're too old....not that I have any particular ambition to move, just the realisation that the world now considers me too ancient to be useful .

Prison Break is classic car crash TV. The worst acting since Crossroads, truly, truly pathetic....but you just have to keep watching ever more ludicrous story lines to see what happens, complete bollocks and I never miss it . Wife watches Come Dine With Me Zed, seen bits when they're slagging each other off in the back of a car....Masterchef man myself....may just enter one year .

Can current-Pats answer as well . Sorry .

No but it's still a tiny bit of justice. An apology would be nice, as would a disrepute charge for Mark Hughes for being such a moron over it. Why couldn't he just say, "We got lucky!" Then football supporters everywhere think he's a top bloke for being honest, instead everyone thinks he's a wanker because we all know what he thinks in private...."We got lucky!" Anyone can make a mistake (although there were three stinkers by Wiley on Saturday which takes a bit of doing!) but pre-meditated bollocks is worse...Hughes has dropped hugely in my estimation which is a shame as he used to be one of us.

Different situation entirely. Talking morons, and being an alcoholic doesn't make you a moron. Think we're quite well off in our squad, don't think DM would sign anyone he thought was going to be that way. Joey Barton....nuff said .

Without a doubt. Wouldn't have been happy taking Thaksin Shinawatra's money like City did (and Liverpool were gong to). Where do you draw the line? You wouldn't turn down money because of who it was linked to so you'd presumably be happy being a money laundering tool for al-Qa'ida? There's any number of despots around the world milking their people for everything they've got and killing them if they complain. How about Mugabe? He must have billions stashed, you wouldn't turn him down because of his name? Nice one, success at any cost eh?

Pure speculation . If Gosling turns out to be another DM gem then it'll be the right decision. You have to accumulate to ameliorate . Anyway, for me...clean sheet...three or four nil. Lescott, Yak x 2 and Ossie. My VDM predictions seem to have passed their sell by date .

1-0 to England in the 20/20's. Dimitri Mascarenhas hit 31 off 14 balls at the end of the innings and took 2-19 with the ball (and a catch). Pleased, always rated him.

Talking of spooky fuckers there was a documantary (two actually, one by Louis Theroux and another by Keith Allen) on these good Christian folk recently. Nice bunch...LINK

Forgot "My Name is Earl." Unforgettable...er...almost .

Just a bit....we'd have to start a 3rd place thread then !