The French media build-up to tomorrow’s game, England v France, has dwelt on England’s great capacity to disappoint in high competition, the injuries and disruptions to Roy Hodgson’s squad and the confidence derived from a long unbeaten run and some striking French form in the last few friendlies.
With all the news of crisis in the financial institutions of the Eurozone, Pete Sixsmith’s anticipation of football’s equivalent matches …
Drawing us away from the shores (and laboured irony) of Northern Ireland – and thank heavens for that – John McCormick assesses the appointment of Chris Hughton as Norwich City manager …
I’ve just heard that Chris Hughton has been appointed manager of Norwich and I have to ask, how long will he last?
There is a good little debate in progress at this site on the rights, as I see it, and wrongs, as supporters of the Northern Ireland team have argued, of James McClean choosing to play senior international football for the Republic of Ireland.
The original article can be seen at this link: https://safc.blog/2012/06/shades-of-green-northern-ireland-should-respect-mccleans-republic-of-ireland-choice/
The people of Northern Ireland, in my own long experience, take unkindly to advice from outside This Wee Country Of Theirs.
In the Daily Mail, it was a tale of two Matts, one (Lawton) starting his ‘story’ about Jordan Henderson’s call-up with the insulting words ‘Liverpool flop’ and the other (Barlow) praising his essential virtues – energy and quality delivery from wide areas – while, fairly, questioning whether these were suited to a deep-lying England role. Stephen Goldsmith – on Twitter @goldys_logic – admits to partisan pride but also sees Henderson’s involvement as a part of a commonsense blueprint for a brighter future …
Stephen Goldsmith* appeals for something, anything, even Euro 2012 to stop the nonsense of transfer speculation unsettling his summer …
The Daily Mail football writer Matt Lawton began his report on Jordan Henderson’s call-up to the England squad for Euro 2012 with these words:
Salut! Sunderland is pleased that Titus Bramble has been cleared of sexual assault. He was utterly wrong to be out on the toot after the debacle at Carrow Road but was punished by the club for that and it is right that we should record today’s Not Guilty verdicts in passing. However, Monsieur Salut – having already seen tweets that could easily get the tweeters into bother – will be extremely cautious in deciding whether to permit readers’ comments …
Pete Sixsmith gets perilously close to causing another internal spat at Salut! Sunderland with passing thoughts on the waffle, rumour and lies that pass for football transfer news at this time of the year. But first he examines the annual Conn report on the good, bad and ugly of Premier League finances …