Mick McCarthy not surprised surely?

So Mick McCarthy has been sacked by Sunderland, my only surprise is that it wasn't sooner, or is it? Perhaps they should have kept him to get them back up next season because he certainly knows how to do that. He just hasn't a clue when he comes up against better quality opponents. The Premiership is not the place for Mick McCarthy to be thinking about going back to any time soon, and if Sunderland's new manager has those aspirations, he will have to sell all of Mick's purchases first.

It seems strange that the Sunderland board have stuck with him until now just to sack him at a time when they know they're already down. If the new guy would have half a chance of keeping them up, it would be worth doing, but it makes no sense at this time. A few early season losses in the Championship next year for the new gaffer, and people will be asking questions. Not an ideal situation all round.

Anyway, enjoy your last few games in the big league Sunderland it will be difficult to come straight back next year.

Football Bungs - Mike Newell

The Mike Newell football bung saga continues...
After last weeks developments in the football bungs saga that has erupted since the comments of Luton boss Mike Newell, It has to be said that the lack of support from others within the game is predictable.

Not surprisingly, no one in the game has come out in support of him. There have been lots of comments along the lines of it might have happened, but not to me, I've never taken a bung, nor have I been offered one... Plenty of managers, chairmen, players e.t.c must be sweating a bit.

It also seems that some people in the game admit to knowing what's been going on, but don't want to speak about it.

Macclesfield Town; SOS

Having reported on Macclesfield Town's excellent efforts on the pitch over the Christmas period it is only fair to give mention to the far more serious struggle the club is undergoing off the pitch to try and secure survival at the moment....Blog here
Division Two News

Carling League Cup Semi Final First Leg

Wigan Athletic vArsenal . Jan 10th 2006

First leg ties in a two legged semi's can tend to be cautious affairs, with both sides eager to still have a chance of winning the tie outright in the second leg. This game didn't disappoint on that score, and quite frankly the crowd that turned up deserved nothing less...League Cup