Gribz

This is the main game for me today. Gutted I couldnt make the trip over to Wembley due to other commitments to see The Hammers at Wembley for the first time. Strangely Id rather be playing Blackpool than Birmingham but Blackpool are a bag or revels. They could win 6-3 out get pumped 5-0. Still, I fancy Allardyce will raly the troops and West Ham have the stronger side. 4-2 West Ham! Holloway is one guy I quite admire for his straight talk and if he loses this I can see him land the West Brom job. Come on you IRONS...

Like the Scottish cup I fancied Bayern around October to win the CL but I did back them, so well hoping Zee Germans win this. Id be wanting Munich to win anyway even if I didnt back them. Home advantage gives Munich a lift but puts bit more pressure on them. Cant see them slipping up though with the class they have. Robben, Muller, Ribery, Schweinstieger etc...all at their peak against an ageing Chelsea team. C'mon Zee Germans!

Should be a good day out for the fans today and as good as an atmosphere Hampden gets bar an OF game. Shame the teams on the pitch are well below average. I think Hearts could wrap this up early and win it about 3-0. Kinda hoping Hibs win though as I didnt back Hearts in November when I fancied them for the Cup. Crazy odds at the time as they had to go to St Mirren in a replay and winners faced Celtic. Think they were 16/1 at one point.

I thought Craig would be jetting in from Bermuda in his private jet .....with the possibility of a last minute bid

I'll settle for the SPL. Im hoping we dont take part in the cups.

Yes agreed. It will only be portrayed as bad for the club. The media will love it and manipulate it against us to the highest heights possible.

Yeah....but I think he is by far a better club team manager and he will be working with mix foreigners.....the problem he had with England was they were all English :grin: I personally think they will go for Didier Deschamps. Taking Dalglish was a morale booster only. I wonder how Hodgson would have eventually done there.

Its all very well hoping for the experience guys to stay but they go back up to 100% of their wage from June and I wonder if they are going to be affordable. I think we could let Whittaker and Edu go from the squad in opening post. Would like to see Hemmings get over his injuries. Dont want him to turn into another Fleck with a lot of hope.

His signings have been awful and he well over paid for them. Saurez excluded. The 2 surprise candidates could be Mourinho or Davie Moyes. Liverpool have potential and that might suit Jose although he is probably holding out for the Man Utd job but he needs to fill his time until that one comes up. Moyes would be a great pick for them. Would stir up a lot but so be it. Capello is probably another in the running. Would be surprised to see them go for Lambert or Martinez, I think they will go for someone with a track record of a high level.

I dont think it would be fair to judge him on last season when clearly his hands were tied. I agree with Gav that he shouldnt simply be the manager of Rangers because he is a player legend. He's got to be judged as a manager and I think he did enough last season (in what was the most difficult situations a manager can have) to stay on. You have to remember Ally will also become a stronger person on the lack of the last few months. He has to be given the chance with a full set of tools and rules and a board who is backing him! If the dodgy performances and selections are still appearing then we can start to claim he isnt the right man. But Id say there was enough performances especially away from home last season in the early parts to say he might not be far away from being a good manager. But I still think a more experienced head is needed in his back room staff.

It could be a paper spinning so there is more ammunition for the transfer ban to remain.

Yeah just go with Wales only. I think the issue now is that there will be 24 clubs at the next Euros (ruining it IMO, means more boring games) therefore the number of stadia needed has increased. We'd need Murrayfield, Ibrox, Hampden, Parkhead, New Aberdeen, Redeveloped Tynecastle and Easter Road. Throw in the 3 Welsh grounds thats 10 and I think 12 stadiums is required. Id rather opt for St James' Park and Stadium of Light than jump across the water to another country. I always thought the Euro's was a more interesting competition than the WC, its always the best countries from Europe involved rather than having 32 nations with some of them not too great, but obviously the WC gives the fans Argentina and Brazil to admire. But just looking at the groups for next month is mouthwatering - England v France / Germany v Holland in the group stages - thats what it should be all about. Extending to 24 it will become more like the WC with games like Germany v Albania starting to prop up.

I thought Championship sides relegated from EPL got the payments for 2-4 years, but if they are repromoted the next season I wonder if they lose that.

Im petrifed about the World Cup qualifying campaign with this joker in charge. There is 1 or 2 decent players in the squad and with the right manager in place (Bring back Walter) we'd qualify for the WC as Croatia and Serbia are the 2 top seeds who are beatable.

Yip they just did today. Hull job is available, thats were McLeish could go....in saying that West Brom is available also LOL.

Just a thought, wouldnt the winner of this game lose parachute payments? Wonder how much that it.

Good post Zappa. Pretty much agree with all you have put down there. But would also think Ortiz would be one away for sure.

Nothing but admire what McCoist has done, shown his qualitites as a man in the last few months. Results wise has been wierd, some good results and some poor ones. I still think he has suffered due to not having a good No.2. Think he more than deserves a full crack at it again though. But Im wary about some of his tactical faults....Bring in Ray Wilkins as No.2 and I think it would work wonders.

Wonder what game is worth more value wise: Blackpool v West Ham or Munich v Chelsea. I'll be backing a West Ham and Bayern double anyway. And I'll throw Hertz into the mix in the SFA cup final seen as I was due to back them in october!

Id have Rino miles ahead of the likes of Ferguson coming back, now that would be a bad move. I think Ness and Hutton would benefit hugely with someone of the calibre of Gattuso. But as Gav says all will depend on the transfer ban.

Only says he's in talks with the board. He could be next up at Wolves

Do you think this would have been the same for any preferred bidder? Bill Ng said today 'an observer' has told him for his own sanity to stay away. You wonder which side these comments are coming from.

Im considering it also, bit of a long trek for me but West Ham dont get to Wembley often so have a few people looking for tickets...if I successful Im on a flight!

As Frankie has said Ng has never pulled out but any deal has to be realistic. He first backed away due to administrators moving the goalposts too often during negotiations. He is still in the hunt however his bid is now 50% less than previous. Initial offer was 20m, since Miller pulled out and Duff and Phelps have said they are willing to talk to Ng with less than the 11.6M Miller offered. From the man himself:

Of the high earners Id let Whittaker, Edu and possibly Davis away. Davis blows hot and cold. On his day he is class but he doesnt perform on that level enough. I liked Papac but Wallace should fit into the LB slot. Healy should have been released in January. Building a new team around Perry, Little, McCabe, Hutton, Ness and Fleck isnt too bad when fitting them in with Bocanegra, Goian, McGregor, Wallace, Naismith and Aluko. We'd soon make up any 10 pt deduction on most SPL clubs.