Spike

The thing is that with social media it is so easy to 'create' these stories. Set up a few false accounts / have some already in the bank for such things, get a burner phone, tweet the burner number, tweet abuse, bingo - news story I'm not saying it has happened in this case but there are loads of companies who specialise in opinion forming through such tactics

golden, I actually knew his nanny as she is the daughter of someone I work with

Ha ha, indeed

Used to work with his daughter. She was the definition of milf

He'll keep a close watch on you all the time, He'll keep it tight and beat you out on wide At last Glen Johnson's no longer in the side He's just sublime, Nathaniel Clyne

When he started talking about working with a young, up and coming manager, my a*** twitched as much as he does. Then I realised he was probably talking about Ferdinand

Get bacca to where we once belonged

In UKraine, transfer frees you

Go out there and earn your win bonus and we maybe we can get 5th?

What he says and does frames the players perception of him, and how they respond to what he says. Its human nature. If my manager got a nice new contract and I was a key part of that success I'd be miffed if he didn't fight for me to get a payrise or bonus that was reflective of my value to the company. I'd then think f*** it and drop off from that level performance knowing that it would affect him - i'd still do my job but perhaps might also start dropping my CV out. Unprofessional I know but he hasn't fought for me so why should I for him? If my manager kept telling the world how great I was yet he brought in some fat lazy lump on who he never asked to go to big meetings or represent the business, yet he was earning twice my wage I'd be thinking I'm not valued and maybe drop down a level or two in effort. If my manager dumped his missus for a new piece it would be none of my business but I'd sure be thinking of it when it came to him talking about expecting loyalty and commitment from me. It would undermine his word. If my manager created a strategy and business plan that didn't work and then got rid of my immediate line managers and the people who I worked with on a daily basis because we'd had a s*** year I'd question why his head wasn't on the line too, or why he didn't fight - I'd then expect an explanation. Without that I'd be thinking when it would be my turn to be thrown on the sacrificial alter. Granted, my world isn't that of a footballer but I turn up for and work hard for these things - Personal and professional success, money and praise. They are all interlinked and interdependent in determining how happy I am and how arsed I am. So what he says, how he communicates and how he behaves is very much none of my business but it certainly influences how I behave.

f***ing hell, that's brutal.

the other 20% were about his c**k

It is difficult not to judge his character by what he says when so much of what he says disconnects you. Rule 1 if you've got nothing on your trophy list would be to keep your powder dry, be quietly confident, and go and show us f***ers what he's about yet there he was saying how great Borini would be, Joe Allen being the Welsh Xavi. That these players he'd worked with, and developed would give us - us with all of the players we have seen!!! - something to admire and get off our seats for.

Yeah, if you were tasked to go over the top with him, when the whistle went you'd leave it a minute and see how far he got first

None of us know his role in it. However I like to think that him and the team he's worked with for a large part of his management career would have a plan to fix it, and that they would stand by that, and fight based on their footballing principles, plan and ability to work together. To say to FSG, this is what the issues are and this is what needs doing. The fact that Pascoe has gone, and Brendan is still here evidences one of two things a) A large part of our underperformance was down to Pascoe and Marsh - in which case what does Rodgers do within the coaching set up, and why did he not fix this with his coaches by managing them as per his job? b) Brendan is happy to lose his closest ally throughout his career to be replaced by persons unknown as recruited by people with no direct football management experience. He is coming across as either being too lacking fight and principles, or too keen to save his own position that he'll happily nod along and stay in the job working with A.N.Other, as long as the finger of blame wasn't nudging him out of the door. I think most people would have done A, stared down the mexican standoff, and showed their credentials the next season, happy to get the boot if it didn't work out.

Because everything behind his goalscoring stats is completely at odds with how we play? Even Sherwood pointed out that he relies on crosses and we put in amongst the least in the league.

It's a really strange one for me with Rodgers. As i said to a mate who I go the game with, he's so easy to fall out of love with. It's difficult to put my finger on it but I'm left with the impression of someone who values himself more than anything. Now self confidence is no bad thing in a manager but when he has no trophy to his name it just comes across as a bit false with a lot of bravado and bluster, no balls. Throw in the middle management b******s speak and I don't get a sense of who it is I'm meant to be connecting to. The stuff he's said about Southampton (don't know where their plans / ambition are) and Spurs (with £100m you should be winning the league) would have been fine fighting talk but even at the time I got a sense of it coming to bite him on his a*** - and it was slightly embarrassing not least because we shouldn't be picking fights with Spurs and Soton of all clubs. Then there was way he then joked about the impact of that defensive coach he supposedly needed once we started that run around Christmas. To be honest, even when he celebrates I get a sense of 'look what i did' rather than of amazement or joy for the team. He's standing up for his share of the adulation rather than celebrating with us. It's like a death by 1000 cuts with his character, but they're easily overlooked when we are doing well. When we aren't doing well but we're still 'outstanding' and 'working hard' but that we'll regroup, work hard in training, and it may take time - that irks though. I can see things too Brendan, and yes I can understand why you aren't publicly lambasting them but I get the sense that's more to protect yourself from being open to criticism as much as anything else. Not least when after 3 years and more money spent on a back 4 than in our history we still leak goals. How much more hard work does it take before it gets fixed? The system is his when it works, and he's happy to talk about it, but not when it doesn't. Same with the transfer committee - he's happy to insinuate who is his choice and who isn't and generally that is the difference between the good ones and the s*** ones. Perhaps he could explain what the difference is between his input and influence on these outcomes. Maybe he should give the players a rocket up their arses instead of the kind of soft double talk empathically constructive s***e I'd give my staff in an appraisal. Then there's what's happened with his coaches. I'm sorry but I can't divorce this from how he's behaved in his personal life. It shows a character trait of someone who values his own needs above the community he has been with, and grown with from those days when he was coaching kids. To me that sits against the spirit of me, and the lads I watch the game with - the belonging and community. Instead, it's all about Brendan, and I'd have so much more respect for him if he'd fought for Pascoe and told the board that they're a team, and that they'll work hard together to fix it - after all isn't this what he asks of us in his interviews when his team have been woeful at Hull etc? Yes, there was the second place, and it was fantastic but even then, new season, throw those second place medals in the bin and we start again. I want him gone. I don't dislike him and won't speak ill, and I will love what he does at times but I just can't connect to him properly and permanently. I think he's a bit sly and would show his knickers to City etc once it's time for him to upgrade his life again.

f***ing Sky la

I was sent this blog today. A guy starts of with 10 seasons to play on football manager with Bristol City whilst only using a moneyball approach. http://thesetpieces.com/features/football-manager-meets-moneyball-pt-1/ It's a bit of a read but it drew a firm line in how fsg approach things for me. Particularly the wisdom of crowds approach when it comes to identifying players. If only we become as successful as this fictional scenario.

Probably his nails, an aromatic facial, some dermal fillers and maybe strap his 6 pack to some electrodes for a bit of toning

I think it was Josemi Vs Celtic in a preseason game in the states. He absolutely lumped this Celtic player in the air within the first few minutes and I thought we had a hard man, no nonsense defender on our books. Granted, more of a moment than a performance. The performance was on the podium in Istanbul

Surprised that this old forum favourite hasn't reared it's head but... ...SLCDTM The loser gets to man Murph's locker cam for a year

I will leave this here for a year's time Mario for sale or rent, Sturridge, crocked and mates with 50 cent Origi can't settle down, Fabios wife won't let him leave town, But Gerrard's back from LA And Sterling still wants more pay, No good strikers about which to moan because Ings is out on loan.

Don't forget that Aspas and Alberto are on their way back as well