LGB – 1. Any chance you are going to be able to leave NA and go see some Euro matches?
2. Have you been to any Cup Finals? Worked any?
3. You see what’s going on with Liverpool how often do you think this happens in boardrooms(in the background that is)?
4. If you could do your own short list for PFA player of the year, who would be on that list?
5. You said last week that United's system of attacking is a variation of the Dutch system using fewer players. Has Ferguson reinvented himself with this approach? I don't remember the high-flying United teams earlier in this decade using this type of attack.
6. Speaking of the Ferguson's, I read the article on Darren. Have you seen any of Peterborough's games? Is he worth all the press?
7. Finally...has anyone offered you a bribe to pump up their team on the FSR?

Bobby – 1. No chance whatsoever.

2. I’m assuming you mean FA Cup Finals? – No.

3.  I think you would find this sort of thing at lower levels but not at the top flight. You are dealing with multi million pound budgets and usually that brings with it some sober second thought. You don’t call for the CEO’s resignation knowing that you don’t have the votes to achieve it without it being part of a longer term objective. What’s his longer term objective? I can only guess the purpose it to continue to poison the atmosphere to the extent that Gillett bales or the other directors will pay a healthy premium to get rid of Hicks.

4. Ronaldo, Torres and four others.

5. United has help true to attacking football right from the Busby era. It is part of the culture to go out and entertain – that was why I questioned the fielding of two defensive midfield players at the start of the season. Ferguson from his days at St. Mirren (perhaps even East Stiringshire!) and Aberdeen has been a manager who likes to go forward and take the play to the opposition. I think the only thing that is different this season is how fluid their play is and that comes down to the players he has.

6. Really don’t know anything about Posh (the team not the “singer”) apart from the owner Barry Fry. The press are taking an interest because of the family but also at this time you will see a few articles about younger managers pushing for promotion spots in the lower leagues. Paul Ince got some attention after MK Dons won at Wembley and Swansea’s Spanish manger Roberto Martinez has also received some coverage. 

7. Yes it happens on a fairly regular basis and I have even been threatened.


Matt_Johnston - I know this is a common question, but in light of the attention paid to the Champions League has the domestic cup challenges become something of an after thought for the top clubs in any league, whether it is the EPL, SPL, La Liga, Serie A, League 1, etc? As you mention Cardiff and Queen of the South (what a story there) getting to their respective finals, but it goes even deeper than that. In Scotland, Rangers, Celtic, et al and in the FA Cup, every one of the big four teams was gone by the semi-finals if not before.

Bobby – First of all I think you have to consider that some countries don’t have a deep Cup tradition – Italy is good example of that. What I find strange is that it was my sense that more teams took the FA Cup “seriously” this season than in previous years and we got the wackiest results in a couple of lifetimes.

The format  of single game cup ties lend themselves to surprises so maybe what we are seeing is that trend being reestablished and making up for some predictable finalists over the last decade or so. 

Ranges and Celtic have dominated Scottish football to a large extent for over one hundred years but they have contested 14 finals out of a total of 122. You would need to do a bit more analysis to find out how many times one of the Old Firm has knocked the other out before the final but even so it shows that there is a good chance that at least one finalist in Scotland will not come from the Old Firm.

footie_fan - Bummed you won't be on tonight. Could you give us your views on the two games you watched? Thanks.

Bobby – United and Arsenal game was cracking match. Arsenal had the chances to win the game in the first half but allowed United back into it and United did not pass up the opportunity. United went for the throat – Arsenal didn’t.

TFC and Galaxy was a horrible game but three needed points for Toronto. Like Arsenal, the Galaxy failed to take their chances (Landon Donovan take a bow) and paid the price. I don’t know it was just me but the playing surface at the Home Depot looked to be playing very poorly. The ball seemed to bump along rather than rolling with any consistency.


Dasayev - And speaking of wacky coaching transitions, what about Klinsmann's impending takeover of Bayern? Of course he did a great job at the world Cup but he has no managerial experience at club level and will take over a Bundesliga champion team headed for the CL. And on Bayern, did you catch that finish with Getafe? Between that and Liverpool-Arsenal, it was two of the great finishes in a matter of days...

Bobby – If you get a chance there is a very good article about the Klinsmann appointment in the March issue of World Soccer by Nick Bidwell.

Albertagooner - I caught Inter-Fiorentina and was hugely impressed by Mario Balotelli, a 17-year-old who showed a lot more composure in front of the net than either Adebayor or Wayne Rooney for that matter. Apparently he's hopped ahead of Hernan Crespo in the pecking order, which is why the former Chelsea man will move to Juventus this summer.

Bobby – One of the regular posters was talking Balotelli up earlier this season.

MasMaz - I hope this isn't a trend, all the shows besides Monday and Friday can get a little slow.

Bobby – I try to keep Mondays and Fridays but sometimes it just doesn’t work out.

Craigy_f -1. Isn’t it normal protocol for the referee to flip the coin at the beginning of the match?
2. What three things stand out for you in all the football you’ve seen this weekend?
3. To what do you attribute the MLS’s inability to get its best teams into the final of the CONCACAF Champions League. Two wins and one final appearance from ‘97 through 2000 and then nothing? The MLS Cup holders were stifled at home and outplayed comprehensively by a team from Costa Rica and the Supporters’ Shield Holders had a dreadful away leg and didn’t take the opportunities to make the home leg their own.
4. Peter Couch has been rated at 10M GBP and 6M GBP this week, which valuation do you think is closer to the fee he would actually be sold for?
5. Why do we not see ‘three at the back’ formations in the PL?
6. Can you see any of the three promoted Championship teams not going straight back down?
7. Next Jan/Feb there will be no ACoN. Do you see this having any effect on the transfer targets of PL managers (or other big euro league managers) this off season. (Of course it’ll be on in 2010 – football does have a short memory though doesn’t it)
8. Do you think the title race is over?

Bobby – 1. From what I know there is not a rule about who flips the coin. All the rule states is that a coin is tossed and the winner chooses the way to play. The loser gets kick off. I experienced referee’s flipping the coin, and have also seen referees ask one of the two captain’s to flip and the other to call.

2. Hargreaves’ free kick and a great example to a poster of sometime ago of what happens when a wall doesn’t jump. Evra and Clichy putting on a fantastic display of how to play full back. Some great sot blocking from Greg Sutton for Toronto.

3. Not good enough at that stage in the season.

4. Based on transfer inflation at least 10M – is he worth it? I’ll let you decide.

5. Three at the back especially when played at a high temp allows forwards too much space to make runs into. It puts the defenders under lots of pressure and in turn it takes away the option of building through wide positions. It also creates a bit of space for midfielders to attack if the forwards pull the markers wide. Dominant teams can get away with it but a lot of coaches believe that the formation lacks balance.

6. It will be very tough on them. I would hope that West Brom might give it a real shot given Tony Mowbray’s commitment to attack and trying to play from back to front. I’ve mentioned it a number of times that there are a lot of poor teams in the Premiership this season and it is likely that there will be a good number next season as well.

7. It’s been shown that the human brain is more likely to discount the long term in exchange for short term gratification.  I can only assume that managers’ brains are wired in a similar way.

8. Two wins and a draw wins the title for United – one win and a draw if the win comes against Chelsea. It is now a Willie Waddell.  

Thierry_Henry - Just a personal question if you don’t mind.
If you were to compare yourself at FSC with managerial job, which one would mostly be the closest:

-Benitez at Liverpool
-Wenger at Arsenal
-Mancini at Inter
-SAF at UTD
-Rijkaard at Barcelona
-Ancelotti at Milan
- Ramos at Tottenham

Bobby – Alex Rae at Dundee.

Jahmikes - With Ronaldhino pretty much on his way to Milan, what do you think of my Gunners acquiring the services of Seedorf? , He seems to be unhappy with his new role, since the introduction of Pato, I think the price would be right, we would have an experienced player who has won on all levels, and he would provide good leadership for at least three yrs.

Bobby – Not going to happen.


Seanhipworth - How many of Cristiano Ronaldo's goals (in the Premiership) are from the penalty spot? I cannot seem to find this statistic anywhere, (even on ESPN's stats-loaded website). Are these things only Americans care about?
Secondly, I assume it's not illegal but it should be: why are players allowed to pause their approach run when taking a penalty? It's hard enough for a keeper to stop it, why does the kicker get to try and fake him out in such a way? I think it's a tasteless way to take a penalty, results aside.

Bobby – From what I gather Ronaldo has scored three goals from the penalty spot in the Premiership. Louis Saha has a couple. In terms of the penalty kick you have to consider that not so many years ago the goalkeeper was not allowed to move at all until the ball was struck. There is nothing within the Rules of the Game but the following appears as part of “Additional Instructions and Guidelines to Referees”.  

 "Feinting to take a penalty kick to confuse opponents is permitted as part of football. However, if in the opinion of the referee the feinting is considered an act of unsporting behaviour, the player shall be cautioned."


Neophyte - Where would you put the signing of Luca Toni on the scale of successful signings?
Is it just the proximity of the stands to the pitch or are the fields smaller in Germany (dimension wise) than you see in England? (It could be my TV...they just look more compact)

Bobby – Toni - very much a success. I doubt very much that fields on average are that much smaller in Germany than England. It is more likely caused  by camera angles…..or your set.

Neophyte - I just read a comment on FSC site from Cruyff about Man Utd. being an "English" side that plays the long ball. It seems that stereotypes can blind even some of the most respected soccer minds (talents). It is a good thing that Frank R. is not being advised by Mr. Cruyff....he would have Frank preparing for a different team. What's your prediction for the CL's semis? (any comment on Cruyff's statements?)

Bobby – I’m guessing that Cruyff comments may not have been accurately reported for no other reason than if true it provides greater motivation to United. United to beat Barcelona and I have yet to decide on the other tie.

Aldoray - Which do u think is the lesser of two evils Hicks or Gillete. And why?
And have u known of any previous examples in the Prem where 2 people have equal ownership in a club and run it successfully?

Bobby – Gillett has been given – and taken – the better PR advice. They are both experienced and largely successful businessmen but as we have seen on many occasions that does not bring with it a guarantee when owning a football team in Europe. I don’t think either got into this understanding the culture of Liverpool FC and their fans. What’s more it would appear that the previous shareholders were seduced by the money on offer and did not represent the true nature of the purchase offer to the fans.

After stating that they were not offering a Glazer-type leverage buy-out deal it is clear that is exactly what they were intending to do. In that circumstance you cannot separate the two. I think the remark was attributed to Roman Abramovich but I am sure it was not an original – “a hamster is just a rat with with better PR.” That probably sums it up.

It you consider success in the Premiership as winning the League title then you are limited to Manchester United, Arsenal, Blackburn and Chelsea and none of these clubs had a 50/50 shared ownership.


Finally perhaps I should I clarify my answer to LGB way back at the beginning of the responses. The bribes and threats come from the Old Timers team who offer to waive the price of a post match bru or if that doesn’t work to post slanderous remarks on the blog about my on field performances!