.... which must have been decided before yesterday so what the hell were the FA doing messing with YBR's head and upsetting him?

-- Anonymous, October 22, 2000

Answers

It's a farce. Davies said the FA want links with the "top clubs". No doubt they looked at the league table and saw the top four clubs yesterday morning - ManUre, Arse, Newcastle and Leicester. Wenger had already declined, so they went for the other 3 and got unceremoniously bounced by Shep.

What I think is ridiculous is them sayin gthat it is for one match only, with them continuing as part of a "management team" after that. So if Taylor's so good (and I'm not saying he isn't), then why was he sacked from the U21 setup such a short time ago? Was KK against him?

As owd Geordie Shakespeare would have said, Much ado aboot nowt

-- Anonymous, October 22, 2000

Admit to being a tad confused by this one IF the FA wanted a 'youngun' and an older head - surely it could not have been only one match Still have a fealing if YBR had said yes or been allowed to it may have been a case of goodbye, with Peter Taylor taking over long term Managing Newcastle is full time and Bobby is doing it better than anybody Now Freddie - give him the money to buy a centre half

-- Anonymous, October 22, 2000

You're not the only one Pete.
They clearly had to get something in place for the upcoming game with Italy. With their approach for BR to take charge through to the end of the season having failed, and with no one else readily available, the appointment of Taylor/McClaren looks what it is - a one game expedient - hastily cobbled together when their preferred BR/Taylor proposal failed.
If we assume that the proposed appointment of BR was entirely temporary, then everything points towards them having someone lined up to take charge from the end of this season - eg. Goran-Eriksen.
However, from a parochial NUFC standpoint I'm still very concerned that the management situation after the Italy game is still wide open, and I wouldn't rule out yet another approach for Wor Bobby. As long as this issue remains open, the risk of the FA destabilising Bobby's relationship with the Toon Board remains an distinct and unwelcome possibility.

Anyone see Steve Bruce on Sky this afternoon advocating Bobby for a permanent appointment to the job? He reckons ".... the Geordies would understand that England need him!!" Like hell we would - tosser!

-- Anonymous, October 22, 2000

Bruce is trying to create himself an opening. In fairness, an old house mate was a plastic manc and bought their first chamionship video. In the Manure dressing room Bruce would come in after every match (with Bryan robson) to check if the Toon had won.

-- Anonymous, October 22, 2000

The Football Association's chief executive, Adam Crozier, has revealed that a short-list of three candidates for the vacant job of England coach had been drawn up and he would begin approaching those men in the near future.

He said: "We are confident in the three people we have identified and we will be sounding people out in the next three weeks."

Crozier would not be drawn on naming names but Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, Lazio's Sven-Goran Eriksson and former Blackburn manager Roy Hodgson are strongly tipped to be the chosen few.

Crozier said he remained confident the right man would be "signed up" before Christmas, even if they were not free from contractual obligations elsewhere.

In appointing Leicester boss Taylor - who will pick the team for the friendly against Italy in Turin on November 15 - and Manchester United coach McClaren, Crozier stressed that the two were intended to be part of the England coaching set-up for years to come and would have worked with Bobby Robson if that move had not been vetoed by the Newcastle board.

Even the arrival of a new coach and his choice of backroom staff would not prevent Taylor, McClaren and possibly several others from remaining involved with the national team as the FA tries to belatedly copy the French system of having ready made successors on hand to make smooth transitions from one head coach to the next.

"Peter and Steve are part of the job but that does not stop a coach bringing one person with him " Crozier said. "What has become clear is that it's very important we have a team of people working with a head coach".

"We are very clear on the kind of person we want managing England for the next four or five years. We have very carefully constructed the short-list and we have been clear we want Peter and Steve involved helping that person. That's the solution we would stick to. That's the right way to go. It's going back to what Bobby Robson and Ron Greenwood had in the 80s and we may well add another one or two coaches."

Crozier will therefore begin the process of approaching the three names on the FA's short-list and intimated that it will be how they respond to his overtures that will determine the pecking order.

"It's also an opportunity for them," Crozier added. "This is a huge high-profile job and any person that's got any sense taking a job like that would want to know everything about it. We have only asked for Peter to do one game. I don't think we are going to be in a position of not knowing who the person is by Christmas, and have them signed up."

This still doesn't totally add up given the apparent approach for BR to manage the side for seven games, and "methinks white man speak with forked tongue!"

-- Anonymous, October 22, 2000

Clarky what is with the Alcatraz email address? Any reason or just somik to do. I love the place mesell, in fact I am planning on doing the escape from alcatraz triathlon next year.

-- Anonymous, October 23, 2000

Well Syme, I guess it looks better in print that Al K Holic.

-- Anonymous, October 23, 2000

Apparently the Scottish press are hinting that once Crozier makes the England Manager's appointment, he's gonna resign and take over at Ibrox.

Buff/MacBeth - what's the scoop?

-- Anonymous, October 23, 2000

One of the truly nauseating things about this is the number of EPL managers/boards who have had the nerve to suggest that YBR get the job - including Alex Ferguson. Well, Man United, I think you should employ Christian Gross and Ruud Gullit as a double headed management team. It really sticks in the craw to hear people praising Man United for releasing their second coach. I mean, I daresay we'd have released Mick Wadsworth. Whether we EVER get an England game at SJP is now questionable though.

-- Anonymous, October 24, 2000