Open Thread, Footie Special

 Ho, hum.  Even more politico-sociological potential than usual.  Have at it!

 ND 

 

PS: was it a particularly eye-catching streaker that the TV wouldn't show or talk about?  Or something political?  (Or both?)

If nobody actually knows, we can have a compo and guess ...

The Political response to David Moyes departure.

Tony Blair: {former Labour party now Republican}
Well, I'd say don't worry about it. I mean, getting pushed out a job in a field you've been in for a while isn't the end of the world. every cloud has a silver lining. Or in my case a platinum one. See what lies ahead. This may be the best thing that has ever happened to you.

David Cameron: Tory
 I think its a bit harsh to punish a chap just because he didn't come first. Its a very difficult competition with two or three very tough teams. Coming top isn't essential. And Mr Moyes has had to contend with a resurgence on the right of Manorchester, at Manorchester City, eating into his core support as they adopt the short sighted populist policies of signing star players and winning matches. So bravo to David Moyes, a thoroughly good effort and one that should have let him keep his job for another go again next time.

Ed Miliband: Labour
 I believe that it is very short sighted to sack a manager just because he is incapable of getting his team to perform at the level expected. I think that Manchester United should have looked to their history and seen that sometimes a new manager, especially one who had lacked top flight experience, should be given ten or even twenty years to fully bed in and demonstrate to the players that his totally new approach to winning matches by doing as little as  possible and conserving energy was the right course.

Alex Salmond: SNP
Its typical English bigotry that says that a Scottish manager must be sacked in case the 'No' vote doesn't go their way. I believe that an independent Scotland would have seen Mr Moyes returning instantly to his Glasgow homeland, and that's why he was given the push. Its a disgrace

Natalie Bennett: Green Party
I think it was inevitable and right. The only green thing about Man Utd is the pitch. Just look at that 20,000 space car park! Not even an electric car only car park. All that diesel puffing into the atmosphere. And fans traveling from and to all of Europe to watch this silly game. And meat pies and burgers! I hope the new manager will have an ethical 'no flights' policy to his campaigns.

Nick Clegg: Liberal Democrats
Some say David Moyes won only 52% of his matches. I'd disagree with that figure and say it was more like 99%. There are a lot of scare stories going around and we must be careful not to fall for propaganda. But what is crystal clear is that if the UK left the EU, then all British clubs would be barred from the Europa league, the Champions league and the European cup tournament. its the EUROPEAN Cup! The clue is in the title! So stick with the EU.

Nigel Farage: UKIP
Well who could be surprised. A British manager is sacked and his replacement is going to be a Louis van Gaal or a Jürgen Klopp. A Dutchie or a Hun!
 A Goldmember or a Sauerkraut Pickelhaube. Another British job lost to a foreign worker thanks to this ridiculous open door immigration policy. 

Leanne Wood: Plaid
Well this is fantastic news. Ryan Giggs, the most briliantest football man in the world has been appointed as temporary coach. I expect that once he knocks the ball on the training ground his total lack of management experience, club leadership or the necessary coaching qualifications will be forgotten and he will be confirmed manager for life.
PS - Send money!

Gordon Brown: Labour
I wish Mr Moyes, a erm..a ..erm...mmmm..m..m a fellow Scot..a...erm.. every success in his new role as mur...manager of Manchester Wednesday and look forward to seeing him at the Emirates stadium performing successfully for many years.

Barmy Army Goes Cultural in Ukraine

You couldn't really make this up: but someone having done so, it certainly sets the mind racing.

Yes, on its rest days the Barmy Army pays a cultural visit to ... Chernobyl. 

'Tourists have to sign lengthy disclaimer forms and guides who show them around the area are only permitted to work for two weeks at a time before having to leave the area. Trips on the days England are not playing are booked solid with supporters keen to explore one of the most notorious tourist destinations in the world ... “England fans have perhaps got an unfair reputation because of the past and people think we just get drunk when we go to matches overseas. But there are thousands of football supporters who take a real interest in the countries they visit".'

Well indeed.  It keeps them off the streets and, truth be told, what you might pick up at Chernobyl could be a sight less problematic than from some of the dodgier venues in downtown Kiev.  I am told that during the Beijing Olympics, tourists were taken on tours of reeking open-cast neodymium mines; and when South Africa hosted the World Cup they offered evening pedestrian excursions to Soweto that proved very popular.

Question is - what shall we offer our own international guests when July comes around ?  The Shale Gas Earthquakes of Blackpool ?  The Victorian Sewers of old Soho ?

Suggestions ?

ND 

Your guide to the Euro zone 2012 game

 For our readers who haven't been following the latest Euro 2012 game, here is a guide.

We've helpfully predicted the near future so you don't have to keep following it on Newsnight.

 

 

 Eu 2012 Groups & Schedule

 Group A

Country	W	D	L	GD	Pts
Russia	2	1	0	3	6
Czech Rep.	1	1	1	-2	4
Poland	0	3	0	0	3
Greece	0	1	2	-1	1

Greece, as expected, go out of the group early with a -77 billion goal difference

Czech Republic does well and decides to join the 'New EU' euro currency in 2014

 Poland decides to keep the Zloty, so goes out early.

Russia couldn't care less about the Euro yet goes through to influence. Hikes the price of gas.

Group B

Country	W	D	L	GD	Pts
Germany	3	0	0	850	9
Denmark	2	0	1	4	6
Netherlands	1	0	2	-1	3
Portugal	0	0	3	-1	0

Portugal leaves the Euro directly behind Greece once they see the Drachma take off

Netherlands misses budget target and fails to get through. The shock result of the tournament.

Denmark coattails Germany and slips into 'New Eurozone'

Germany tops the group and goes on to win mastery of the entire New EU' finances and budgets

 Group C

Country	W	D	L	GD	Pts
Croatia	1	2	0	2	5
Spain	0	3	0	0	3
Italy	0	3	0	0	3
R. of Ireland	0	2	1	-2	2

Croatia scheduled to enter in 2013 anyway, just joins the 'New Eu and New Euro-Xtra currency'

Italy limp into the next round after some incredibly fortuitous refereeing decisions & the largest bailout in history

Spain just keeps drawing {bailouts} and finally falls out of the EU over the Bankia crisis 

Ireland originally got through, but were ordered by Brussels to play their matches again until they lost. Fails to enter New EU

Group D

Country	W	D	L	GD	Pts
Ukraine	1	1	1	1	4
England	1	2	0	0	5
France	2	1	0	0	7
Sweden	0	0	3	-1	0

France gratefully goes through to the New EU finals

England despite team UK's best efforts, also goes through, hoping to be kicked out soon

Sweden and Ukraine go home but weren't Euro currencies anyway, so  just continue to make unhelpful comments from the sidelines.

The EU in favour of a free market shock

If this decision, to deny SKY the right to stop pubs using foreign decoders is held up then it is quite momentous. I have to say I kind of agree with the Premier League that this sort of decision should really be taken by the European Parliament; but nonetheless it is a potential big step forward for the free market.

If we have to have the European Union then it s a good idea to have as free a market as is possible in order to generate the maximum wealth benefits.

When the case comes up again I still think it will get struck down, but if it does not then it will more more than just the lawyers who are happy (though they will be ecstatic of course).

The price of executive reward

So last night Fabio Capello, having coached an England win with some new stars, manages to ruin all his good work by sacking David Beckham in passing. The guy is really not with it at the moment, still lost in a post World Cup dystopia.

However, much worse are the FA of England. I was at Wmbely last night, one of the big things I noticed was the fact the match sponsorship was only Mars, the rest was FA.com advertising. This is not a good sign, the FA have no big sponsor after backing England to do well in the world cup and not signing up with Nationwide (I think Mr Drew would take issue with their risk analysis on that one, given how poorly England perform at World Cups).

Then the main issue, which is the media and the players have given up on Fabio Capello. But he is locked into a pay scheme of £6 million a year which can't be broken. If I was paid that money I would not walk either!

The wider point here is executive reward, giving contracts is daft when you could employ people on normal rolling terms, or better on rolling one year contracts - certainly ones open to annual review. This problem plagues British business which incur high costs to lose incompetent staff.

Given Martin O'Neil's position the FA must be cursing themselves today that they are stuck with a canny Italian negotiator....