Biggest laughing stock in football

[BFR]

The off-field antics of football clubs never cease to amaze. In the last few days, two big stories have developed which just make you want to laugh out loud at them for becoming like a circus. Given that Slough Town is a bit of a recurring joke it will be nice to look at others and smile for a while.

 

So the contenders.

 

In the blue corner, we have the Pompey - Redknapp - Southampton menage a trois. Redknapp leaves Pompey claiming he needs a break from football. Two weeks later he joins their bitter rivals. A year on Redknapp announces he made a terrible error in leaving Pompey and wants to leave the Saints. Pompey offer a small amount of compensation. Saints Chairman Rupert Lowe stops mid Duck hunt to say it is not enough. Pompey look elsewhere. Redknapp on gardening leave. Saints likely to give job to a rugby coach. Silly sods.

 

And in the Red corner we have the very high profile non-league side Kettering Town. Paul Gascoigne and Imraan Ladak take over a non-league side with Football league aspirations in a blaze of media attention. Gazza, one of the most gifted (and wasted) talents of his generation gets the job as manager. However, the bookies think it is a disaster waiting to happen and have him odds on to be sacked before the end of the season. 36 days and 8 matches later, conflicting stories emerge in the press that Gascoigne has been relieved of his duties/stitched up by Ladak. Gazza throws toys out of the pram, threatening to turn up at Ketterings next fixture and coach from the sidelines and making all sorts of claims against Ladak. Ladak in turns issues a statement that Gascoigne has been on the sauce while working for Kettering and this was unacceptable behaviour. Gazza responds in turn by giving an interview to Sky Sports, where seemingly drunk as a skunk, goes on about Ladak being a doctor, and saying that he had been drinking but only in moderation. Ladak makes another statement explaining that the had been 37 incidents in 36 days of Gazza not being up to scratch. Later that night Gazza is arrested for allegedly assaulting a journalist. Kettering Town returns to normal and pushes for a place in the Conference National (maybe)

 

So then

[Ian]

The sad thing is that Gazza is seemingly already on the road to following in George Best's footsteps. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

[Guest]

I would take issue with you to some degree on your statement that Gazza was a "wasted talent".

 

I think he had quite a good footballing career.

 

His personal life appears to have been a disaster area but on the field I don't think he could have achieved much more than he did unless he had played for a different English club than that mob from North London who's name escapes me for the moment...think they were big in the 60's...oh what is it...err nope it's gone..but never mind.

 

Had he been at United or Liverpool at that time instead of them he may have obtained more medals but (and this hurts me to say it) he did have some cracking games for them!

 

As with others though, sadly, I do expect to hear of Gazza being found hanging in his garage or some such similar sad end before we are all very much older!

[Ian]

Whilst his career wasn't completely wasted (unlike he was on the Sky interview!) I tend to agree with BFR that he could have achieved more.

 

He lost a significant part of his career when he was in his peak due to the knee injury which was pretty much self-inflicted following his assault on Gary Charles at Wembley. He also got himself de-selected from Hoddle's world cup squad when if he'd have knuckled down he would have been taken.

 

You could argue that you would expect a talent like Gazza's to have resulted in a more trophy littered career than he actually had. I met him a few years ago - a genuinely nice guy and I hope things work out for him.

[A Rebel and a Saint]

harry who? ;P

ah the pure joy of being a southampton fan, nothing has been stable since the day that gordon strachan announced he was going to leave the club, and this latest twist is pure gold in the comedy story.

i found it amazing that harry redknapp was wanted by pompey again when i first heard the story, and have watched the whole thing develop with great interest. i will find it hilarious if pompey choose not to appoint him after all the trouble that has been caused since he admitted that he never should have left in the first place.

i would however like to see the partnership of bassett and wise continue for the foreseeable future, as i think it has great potential.

[Ian]

Quote:

A Rebel and a Saint said:i would however like to see the partnership of bassett and wise continue for the foreseeable future, as i think it has great potential.

Bassett......don't make me laugh! He goes on about how many promotions he's had but what he fails to say is that he's had as many relegations with it. He took Graham Taylor's team at Watford which had finished top half of the old first division and just been in the FA Cup semi-final and got them relegated. I'd appoint Dennis Greene before I appointed Bassett. As for Wise, I can't think of many people more obnoxious than him in the entire football world.

Get the idea I dislike both of them?!

[Woody SUFC]

Do you mean Mike Bassett?! Much better choice than Dave!

[A Rebel and a Saint]

yes i had thought of that one lol.

i feel that putting the bassett-wise system in place could work better than appointing from outside as both have worked well with the players for 6 months or so.

[Woody SUFC]

Correct me if i am wrong but wasn't the manager before Harry an internal appointment?

[A Rebel and a Saint]

true true, but wigley was inexperienced, wise and basset have both taken managers jobs before.

[Roger Rebel]

I agree with Ian, as we say in golf a Dennis Wise ( a nasty little 5 footer)

[Guest]

Excuuuuuuse me....less of the nasty comments about Dennis Wise if you don't mind!

 

He is one of those players who is utterly loathesome......untill he plays for your club, at which point he becomes instantly loveable and you wouldn't swap him for the world! Maybe not as far as the Saints are concerned but he only went there for a giggle anyway!

 

Actually saw him play for Saints at Kilmarnock this pre-season....and he scored the Saints opener...despite being sat amongst the Killie fans I completely forgot myself and jumped up and shouted..."GO ON SKIPPER"

 

Old habits die hard!

[BFR]

The trouble at Saints started before Strachen ARRAS, as Rupert Lowe has no conviction in his decision making. Did he not appoint Stuart Gray for something like 7 matches before deciding that he had to go and brought in Strachen to the great displeasure of the fans?

[A Rebel and a Saint]

yes, but following the appointment of strachan the club went through a stage of great stability - fa cup final, appearance in the uefa cup, top half finish in the league.

technically the day hoddle pissed off to spurs was the day when the long rollercoaster started.

btw under gray we did beat man u and arsenal at home 2 weekends in a row at the end of the dell era i think.

[Guest]

I love Dennis Wise, he's cute, and it always helps to be cute in football

 

Sue

[Ian]

I'm sure his team mate at Leicester wouldn't have described him as cute after Wise left him with a broken jaw!

[Guest]

When Rupert Lowe was interviewed before the Season kicked off he said that the Saints will consolidate their position in the 1st Division ! I thought this was a strange thing to say as surely Southampton with their new stadium should have been Promotion candidates. There again being a Man City supporter Saints fans should be patient, its when you drop another league you have to panic ! Nowadays City are one of the better Premiership clubs so there is always hope for the Saints, but, i feel you need to get rid of the chairman as we did to Franny Lee !

[Burnham Lad]

Quote:

Anonymous said:
When Rupert Lowe was interviewed before the Season kicked off he said that the Saints will consolidate their position in the 1st Division ! I thought this was a strange thing to say as surely Southampton with their new stadium should have been Promotion candidates. There again being a Man City supporter Saints fans should be patient, its when you drop another league you have to panic ! Nowadays City are one of the better Premiership clubs so there is always hope for the Saints, but, i feel you need to get rid of the chairman as we did to Franny Lee !

I always loved that quote from Franny Lee, something on the lines of "I made my fortune out of waste paper, now Man City is trying to reverse the process!"

[A Rebel and a Saint]

well mr redknapp has now buggered off to pompey so the whole ordeal is coming to an end.

yes i would expect the saints to at least be challenging for playoffs at a minimum this season, but after 13 draws im not so sure!!! <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

[Matt]

Anyone mind if I nominate Manchester United as a fourth option? <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />