What happened!!!!

Manuel Neuer - Knows it's a goal but

there is no honesty in football

Oh no, this isn't what was meant to happen!

Well there we go, all the hopes and aspirations gone for another four years, no new shirts with an extra gold star to go on sale.

Where was a TV blackout when it was needed to spare us all from seeing something akin to the 5-1 win in Germany all those months - years... - ago. Gone is the beard now, a little show of support that is now consigned to the plug hole, no doubt the same plug hole all the England players skills, and abilities seem to have disappeared down, where was the team from qualifying? Where was Crouch, Rooney was not playing well so how did he stay in the first eleven.

Lots of questions to be answered on the team, myself I have always thought you should have an English manager for an English team - saying that I think Capello has probably been the best of the managers in recent times and it is astounding that this World Cup has been our most dismal in recent times. So lots of work needed, someone needs to light a passion within the team - and make them a team, the skills and abilities are there, but somehow, someone needs to find the gel to bring it together.

As for the woeful decisions made by the referee and his "assistant", you have to say they were as inadequate in this game as England were, but it would be a moot point if Sepp Blatter would come off his high horse and accept that in this day and age technology HAS to play its part. Cricket, Tennis, Rugby have all embraced it and not to the detriment of the game, in some instances it adds a little spice.

The replay that was shown of the Teves offside goal was shown within 30 seconds of it happening, it could probably have been shown within 15 how is that slowing the game.

I think Gary Lineker had a great idea, allow the teams 3 challenges like in the tennis, if it is a good challenge you still have 3 if it is not you lose one. This could probably be used for RED CARD incidents and if someone is found to have "Oscared" the event then the red card is reversed and the actor is sent off - just the threat of that might bring some honesty back to the game!

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Why no loss of picture

Typical of ITV, they insisted on showing every minute of the game tonight, not an interruption or blank screen to save us all from viewing that dismal display.

Come on sort this out please, ensure we see the goals and ensure we don't see the rubbish that was on display tonight.

I don't understand why he wouldn't put Cole on and why he insists on sticking to a formation that is not working - the players though should realise it wasn't working and made the changes on field themselves, they seem to respect Capello but also too scared to put forward their own ideas.

We are under the cosh now, and need an outstanding performance on Wednesday, only a win will do no matter what the other possibilities could be - we need to win, we need to go through on our own merit and not rely on another team doing us a favour.

I have a feeling I will be sans beard come Thursday morning, but am not going to give up all hope, there is always hope.

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Those of you watching in HD...

Luckily this blog is not in HD or on ITV...

Well all the hype and we are left with only seeing a USA goal - What the hell was going on there!!!

"Those of you watching in HD the England goal is just behind this advert..." 

I want to know if this was the same person who ran an advert on the last three laps of the San Marino Grand Prix in 2005 - please, surely not...

Not a great night then of ITV sport coverage, or England goalkeeping prowess, the trouble for a goalie is one mistake is potentially so costly, and yet a striker missing an open goal would not be seen as so damaging.

What next, well a biased opinion myself in that I had Hart in my Fantasy Football team most of last year, give him a chance, there will be way too much pressure and attention on Green, and to be honest he should probably rule himself out of then next game and get his head sorted, he could still come back later.
Lets not take players to the the World Cup and not use them (Walcott in the last one!), so use Hart, keep Calamity for the next game if needed and then maybe Blunder Rob will be ready later... Who knows and Capello is not someone you can read very well.

OH and please at least tell the PLAYERS more than two hours before who is playing, even if you don't announce it, and if one of them Tweets, emails or texts it out there then drop them!





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November 09 - Present

Well I promised to jot down a few highlights of the last six months, as I have been pretty lax in updating this thing.

Not that I seem to remember that much happening...
On the Theatre side of things, completed - along with help from the UK based team - the design, layout and production of the programme for CMTC Spring show Sweet Charity - by all accounts a great show, and I was very pleased with the final copy of the programme. Which I collected a few of after driving up to Brittany - so a sort of courier role played by Mr and Mrs C, and a jolly weekend was had along the way! Best G&T this side of the channel, alhough the supplies of T must be restricted judging by their strength - not that I am complaining!

Work has been manic, with plenty to keep me busy this year, and hopefully all sorted now so a quieter six months for the remainder of the year with any luck.

Have had a few weekends away, one up near Rodez, for the Rallye du Marcillac, which was a great weekend with the Rally team from Beauzelle Renault. Great company, fab food, and plenty of laughs - albeit in French and I was invariably laughing some way behind everyone else, but at least I am getting there in the same evening now!!

Later in the year was a weekend in Nay - maybe where the knights come from... any Monty Python fans...? - this is between Lourdes and Pau, and at the foot of the Pyrenees, for the Rallye Du Bearne - another fab weekend, and also the first chance to see the car with a logo I designed displayed prominently on the side, front and back of the motor.

I still think William was ill advised to take up a new "Navigator" position during the day, and luckily saw sense and left the boot to use the seat up front.

Now I am just waiting for the global take off of the drink and my 25% - although it seems to be less each time I mention it...

A couple of shots here from Parc Ferme and also out on the course.

You don't quite get the sense of speed on these shots, I have some others - on the laptop - that I will add later as they do really give the impression of the speed they are doing.

One thing I have not touched on was the closing of our London Office - this was a complete shock to everyone and totally out of the blue, in fact you could almost say it went against what the bosses had reassured everyone in November on the longevity of their jobs.
Fortunately so far this has not had any direct impact on me - other than not really having a position to return to in the UK... there is now just a small office of 5/6 people and that may be further reduced in the coming weeks.

So keeping my fingers crossed that things don't change to much over here for me... watch this space I guess...



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Two bees or not two bees

Had to just pop a couple of new pictures up. Had the gardeners in today - no not a euphemism - and once the grass was cut the son was showing me where all the orchids were...

So below is a Bee Orchid - only one in the garden as he didn't quite miss the other one, and a Pyramid Orchid dozens in the garden. I don't think I need to explain which one is the Bee Orchid... Do I?

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Mini post

On advice I have updated the name of the blog, not sure yet if this one will stick, maybe I will have to try and be more amusing in my choice.

Was thinking about turning in the "Adult Content" button, as that would surely make more people come and look at it - that and doing some regular updates that have been woefully lacking of late! - again something to ponder, and then what is "Adult Content" exactly where is that line that says ooh you have to warn people they might be offended...

Going to see if I can do some updates through this week to fill in the gaps over the last few months, then will do a regular posting and see how long it lasts... probably longer if I know it is being read, although I think the connection to the FB notes page is dead, so I have added a graffiti RSS connection to my wall, seems to work.



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Spring 2010

A few shots from around the garden. I am going to start doing some writing as well!!!! Have at least three months to catch up on and loads of pictures and events to catalogue... Oh what joy I hear you cry!!

Parents arrived on Thursday, and since then the weather has gone from 26(80) in the shade (40(104) by the pool) to about 19(66) today - ooh is that an omen of the world cup...

So I do promise to make more effort, and do some regular updates.

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