Coventry Telegraph - Bloggy Oggy Oggy

This Ain't Champ Man!

Sat, 31 Jan 2009 20:18:50 +0000

I'm not a fan of Neil Warnock, however I heard him interviewed not long after he'd guided Sheffield United to the premier league a couple of seasons ago. Clearly relaxed and in a jocular mood the guy was articulate, eloquent and frankly quite likeable, I found myself warming to him. He spoke sensibly and intelligently with regard to football at championship level. The interviewer then asked him what his secret was in getting the blades promotion. Warnock turned to him and said that when he came in as manager he reviewed the playing staff and sat down with the chairman and told him the players that he wanted to bring in and their values. The chairman said they could do it but it would have to be done over years rather than in one or two seasons.

Every Little Helps, but Size Matters

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 11:28:33 +0000

There we were again, mingling with the other glum faced Sky Blue fans milling around Tescos after ten o clock on a wet Wednesday in late January waiting for the orange puffer-jacketed checkout police manning the car park exit to call it a night. I suppose "every little helps" .....For the retail giant that is Tesco. After all they clearly need the money... and the car park spaces. I see their petrol prices are creeping up again despite the price of a barrel of crude falling. I notice that their food prices haven't come down at all since the fuel hike of last year. But I suppose like all of us they are feeling the economic strain, it's the shareholders I feel for the poor darlings having their dividends horribly squeezed. Just like Tesco have squeezed out the competition down the years flexing their High Street muscle to crush the little "corner shop" man. You see despite what you read and hear, size matters.

Gary Mabbutt's Glee

Sun, 25 Jan 2009 21:29:12 +0000

Sunderland or Blackburn away......Sunderland or Blackburn away! Could it be that after all these years our 87 Cup Final hero - Gary Mabbutt - has exacted his revenge? To be honest I thought he'd got us when the Sheffield United away ball came out just before. That would have been bad enough. Dour, surly, ungracious fans, heavy handed treatment from South Yorkshire's finest, cramped squalid away stand at Bramall Lane. Even that now sounds like a positively plum draw compared to Sunderland v Blackburn away. You just knew our ball would squirm its way into the hand of the ex-Spur's centre-half after Gary Pallister had yanked out that stinker. Witness the broad smile that spread over his chops when he realised that he'd set us up with potentially the dullest of dull FA Cup ties.

Helen Chamberlain, Agatha Christie, Fawlty Towers, Peter Cook can you hear me Peter Cook? You boys took one hell of a beating............hopefully

Sun, 04 Jan 2009 17:19:05 +0000

Fingers crossed but the Sky Blues have been given an excellent opportunity to progress in this year's FA Cup Competition. MK Dons boss Roberto Di Mateo hauled ball 31 out of the pot this afternoon granting us a long trip down to the breezy and bracing Devonshire coast to Plainmoor, the homely home of non-league Torquay United conquers of fellow championship makeweights Blackpool in yesterday's third round. Of course the two clubs have crossed paths in the world's greatest cup competition before. The Sky Blues hosted Torquay at Highfield Road when they began their defence of the trophy following the famous victory against Spurs at Wembley the previous season.

Coleman Pours Cold Water on Transfer Hot Gossip as the Sky Blues edge into the Fourth Round.

Sat, 03 Jan 2009 21:44:05 +0000

Rumour, whisper and hot gossip kept the faithful warm at a sparsely populated House of Pain this afternoon as a weakened Sky Blues went through the motions against non-league Kidderminster Harriers in the third round of the FA Cup.

When Saturday Comes

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 13:28:56 +0000

I'm delighted to hear that the final home game of the season against Watford is now back to its rightful and traditional place of Saturday 3pm. Lords knows footy fans are irritated enough by the regular date and time changes enforced on us by a well know Satellite Company without your own club getting in on the act. The Watford switch would just about give me the full set of times for watching football having now witnessed the City play on Saturday lunchtime, Saturday evening, Sunday lunchtime, Sunday evening, Monday night, Tuesday night, Wednesday night, it's no wonder fans won't commit to a season ticket.

Eastwood and Morrison Combine but City only Harvest a point against the Tractor Boys

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 20:31:54 +0000

First of all you hear the roar, a roar that you instantly recognised as a goal celebration. Totally distinctive from a penalty shout, the ooh of a near miss or the baying for the red card, it stops you cold in your tracks.. you've missed a goal. Seconds later the anxiety hits you. Which team has scored it? Hurrying down the canal path - late again - we stop to listen to the stadium announcer. Stuart Linnell's throaty rasp is muffled but the tone is unmistakeable as his excitement rises he finishes with the words ..."Clinton Morrison." Yes. One nil up already, perhaps this week we can lay this home form hoodoo.

You don't have to be on Mastermind to see we are in Transition, but it helps..

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 13:58:35 +0000

Last Friday was a red letter day in my family's history. For, on the day when the city commemorated the anniversary of the blitz my great Aunt, Jean Taylor an octogenarian - and survivor of that night - and a survivor in every sense of the word - appeared on the BBC TV show Mastermind. Striding confidently up to the famous black chair she answered questions on her specialist subject the events of the most infamous night in the history of our beloved City 14th November 1940, her 14th Birthday. My Great Aunt - a former teacher and multi-linguist, who obtained a masters at the age of 74 - was nursing my Granddad who was suffering form shell shock having been injured at Dunkirk.

You know you've had a good night as an away fan...

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 13:58:35 +0000

When with a few minutes left and the game in the bag you gleefully wave away the home fans who are draining out of the ground faster than bath water down a plug hole. The small island of Burnley fans surrounded by an ocean of empty blue seats cavorted in the chill night air while the faithful headed for the sanctuary of a warm pub and a cold pint of harsh reality. Burnley manager Owen Coyle stood on the edge of his technical area glowing like the kid in the Ready Brek adverts warmed by the knowledge that he'd pretty much had the perfect away game as a manager. The introduction of two second half substitutions that proceeded to interchange passes to set up a third wonder was the cherry on this particular away day cake. Job done.

The visitors boss had managed to do a Capello type half-time tweak to his side which ensured that the slight advantage that the sky blues enjoyed at the break was wiped out and for the second time in the space of four days the fans had to endure the site of seeing their side throw away an early advantage to end up pointless.

Andy Blair and the Demented Chicken

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 19:14:55 +0000

The crazy incident at the Watford versus Reading fixture at the weekend reminded me of a similar event which took place at Highfield Road one September afternoon in the 1980/81 season.

Sitting on the thick wooden seats of the Sky Blue stand for the game in question that day I recalled a very open tussle with Crystal Palace in which City - if memory serves - had taken the upper hand and were ahead by the odd goal in three early in the second half. The visitors - attacking the old Kop end - were busting every sinew to equalise when in the 55th minute the referee, a Mr D Webb, awarded a free kick in a dangerous position around our box. Up stepped young striking sensation Clive Allen - the game's first £1 million teenager, and the scorer of The Eagles first goal complete with classic 80's bubble perm - who carefully addressed the ball before taking several strides back. The faithful weren't concerned of course by the award of free-kicks in dangerous situations back then. We were regularly informed by the media that the clumsy, leaden-footed, brick-booted, one dimensional British player simply wasn't capable of "Bending it Like Beckham". Bamboozling "banana" free-kicks as the media christened them was the exclusive preserve of the Brazilians.

The Case for the Defence

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 18:12:18 +0000

Money-bags QPR were the latest side to leave the Ricoh this season with the word nil resounding in their ears, although the second half resembled a siege of Rourke's Drift proportions. Our lads led by Michael Caine - resplendent in a red tunic - screaming "front rank fire, middle rank fire" rebuffed the foreign hordes from the Bush.... Shepherds Bush. What names too? Leigertwood, Buzsaky, Gorkss, and Cerny, these might get you big points if you were playing scrabble in Poland but they won't get you three points at the Ricoh.

Mind you our back four - and of course Kieren Westwood - had to be on their mettle. The midfield had given up so much ground that they played the second half in the car park of the Coach and Horses on Longford Road. Jay Tabb had to be rescued from the canal twice and then pay to get back in. Not before he'd put £10 on his cashless card though so he could buy the forwards a cup of tea each while they watched the game from the QPR half.

Should Ray Ranson have bothered? I wish Steve Spires was here.

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 12:38:19 +0000

"I bet he wishes he hadn't bothered" I said to my missus as I nodded towards the directors' box while listening to the smattering of boos at the final whistle on Saturday. "Yeah. That's gratitude for you" my better half replied.

Up in the posh seats I spied the former Man City full back with a bemused expression on his face possibly musing over the same thoughts as the faithful disappeared down into the bowels of the Ricoh Arena where no doubt the steps were too steep and the concrete floor of the concourse was too hard.

Our Next Caller is John from Wyken.....

Sat, 13 Sep 2008 21:10:48 +0000

I like Preston North End. I like their tradition and history. I like their ground Deepdale with its three- and soon to be added fourth - well appointed stands, it reminds me of Highfield Road. I like the fact that it has the free to enter football museum. I like their home kit. White shirts, navy shorts, white socks. Simple. Solid. Traditional. I like the fact that despite selling a number of decent strikers, Healy, Cresswell, Macken, Fuller, Nugent; and losing a couple of decent managers Moyes, Davies. They've always maintained a challenge at this level.

I like the fact that I once won an argument with a friendly landlord in Preston. He tried to tell me that Preston were a shocking side, much worse than Coventry. I begged to differ. As we left for the ground he bet me a free beer that Preston wouldn't win that day. Imagine his surprise when he found me back in his bar barely 45 minutes later. Demanding my free beer. The half-time score at Deepdale. Preston North End 3 Coventry City 0. Fair play he gave me a free pint for every goal that the Lillywhite's had scored.

Thornton's Selection Dilemma - and I'm not talking Chocolates!

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 20:12:21 +0000

The recent surprise "sale" of Julian Gray prompted Chris Coleman to respond to queries regarding the deadline day deal by commenting that he felt had enough cover down the left hand side listing McKenzie, Tabb and Mifsud as suitable replacements for the now departed former Birmingham and Crystal Palace midfielder. Surprisingly - or worryingly - if you are Kevin Thornton the youngster was not mentioned in this company, giving rise to concerns that the Irish youngster has, at best, slipped down the pecking order, or at worst, disappeared off the Chris Coleman radar altogether in what could very well be his make or break season.

Transfer Deadline Proves to be a Gray Day in a Grey Summer

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 23:03:59 +0000

Has there ever been a more acrimonious transfer period than this summer? Manchester United are blarting at Real Madrid's secret approach for Ronaldo. Madrid themselves are squealing at Chelsea's under hand approach for Robinho who was so traumatised by the whole thing that he spent the entire summer confused and crying, according the Real president, before jumping on a jet late last night and flying to London to sign for a club that plays in Manchester. I'm convinced he still isn't sure who he has signed for. Meanwhile Spurs are squealing over United's approach for Berbatov, while Blackburn protested about old boy Mark Hughes trying to tempt Rocque Santa Cruz to the blue half of Manchester. And as for Gareth Barry don't get me started. Even the sky blues had trouble nailing down deals. The Eastwood, Morrison and Wright deals all dragged on and on.