Football

Looked like an accident and his arm was down by his side. Shouldn't have stood but...
I'm not so sure. Given the current state of the handball rule, it looked to me like Sturridge was moving his arm into his body rather than toward the ball, and as such it isn't a deliberate handball and therefore a perfectly legitimate goal.

Promoted teams often have a good run at the start of the campaign. The side is used to winning and some of the payers give that little more now they are on a bigger stage. It's hard to maintain, I'd expect them both to be in the relegation mix at the end of the season. Hull with the better recent top flight experience prob the most likely to survive.

Otherwise, won't shed a tear to see the back of Stoke, Sunderland or Newcastle. West Ham won't go down, it's not that point in their cycle, that'll happen next season.

I'm not so sure. Given the current state of the handball rule, it looked to me like Sturridge was moving his arm into his body rather than toward the ball, and as such it isn't a deliberate handball and therefore a perfectly legitimate goal.

I just figured that fucking beachball has undone us there before... it all evens out

McLaren has been handed a two and a half year contract.

Get the fuck in!!!
Yes!!!!

He's a hard man to like.

If his last spell at Twente is anything to go by I might consider selling branded ostrich pillows outside Pride Park.

McLaren has been handed a two and a half year contract.

It's McClaren btw.

Formula 1 thread >>>>>>

Even after being Boro's most successful manager of all time, no one liked him. Thats a real achievement.

Is he confirmed as manager or just head coach?

Last time he was with us he seemed to be the tactical genius using Jim Smith's bargain basement finds to great effect. He then went to Salford and they went on to win the treble while we slid from 4th to 8th in the prem that season and slipped further back ever since.

His managerial record is littered with poor signings, so hopefully he won't have much say when it comes to transfers and therefore undoing all the hard work put into restructuring the clubs finances.

He won the league for the very first time at Twente and left as a legend. Came back as the messiah and utterly failed. They respect him but don't particularly like him.
Expect lots of dull interviews mentioning the importance of keeping a clean sheet.

You never listened to a Nigel Clough interview then. Always bemoaning the players for not keeping a clean sheet.

Is he confirmed as manager or just head coach?

Last time he was with us he seemed to be the tactical genius using Jim Smith's bargain basement finds to great effect.

His managerial record is littered with poor signings, so hopefully he won't have much say when it comes to transfers and therefore undoing all the hard work put into restructuring the clubs finances.

Bang on. The amount of guff that he brought in is unbelievable. It's for a reason that he gets on well with 'Arry.

Don't. Listen. To. The. Interviews

My attention span doesn't reach the lower echelons of football, for that I am truly sorry.
I guess missing out on Nigel's interviews makes more than up for that.

He's an excellent coach who can improve players and teams. Whether he can make a decent signing, man manage a player or do anything competently away from the training field is another question.

With the right responsibilities and the right people above him he'll do well. Do Derby have the right people above him?

Our Chief Exec mentioned yesterday that we would be bringing in a Head Coach and Director of Football. Stevie Mac will be the coach, just waiting on the the Director of Football. Is Pleat available?

We're not based near Peartree anymore. Why would he come to us?

Newsflow is saying manager but the talk at the weekend was of introducing a european style setup with the manager being head coach only. As for boring interviews, some of you should try sitting through ten minutes of narcolepsy nigel before dissing our man steve.

Is it too soon to be talking about the playoffs or even an automatic promotion spot?

Oh, he won't be in place for the midweek game against the tractor boys though, that is for the academy coach to supervise.

Too much Derby talk on here lately.Can someone get back to baiting the faux scousers please?

Why? They're above you in the table so what is there to bait them with?

He won the league for the very first time at Twente and left as a legend. Came back as the messiah and utterly failed.

Sounds stylishly familiar....

So at a guess, McClaren will manage the coaches, pick the team, set the coaching and someone else will bring in players, do contracts, other off field stuff ect ect.

Sounds OK to me.

Sounds like a Champions League Title waiting to be collected.

So, not this year (spurs), not next year (liverpool), but next year?
Brilliant.