Grapeviney

The League Cup Final was a cracking game, shame the Saints couldn't get the chocolates.

No it's not. Nothing referred to in your post qualifies as genocide. I don't really want to get involved in these political discussions but it irks me to see words like genocide and nazi (in the other thread) thrown around so cheaply. Nazi is not a synonym for a bad person, and not every act of war is genocide. It's not only incorrect, it's intellectually lazy.

I wish it was closed, permanently. I know some want to maintain the rage, but, thanks to the endless appeals, we've had this saga shoved down our throats for too long now. Whats left to discuss? Who cares where Jobe's medal is? Let's assume he still has it, what value does it have - it's not like he can pawn it on the black market, or even show it to anyone. It's a medal of shame. I don't care if it's sitting in his sock drawer. I know I don't have to read it, but I'm sick of even seeing it as the next unread thread, just like I'm sick of seeing it in the media. If I was a Bomber supporter and I came on here and saw that everyone's knickers were still in a twist about it, I'd laugh my head off. It does nothing except perpetuate the us-against-them mentality they so desperately want to foster with their solidarity walks or whatever they called. At what point do we say enough is enough?

BeIN have started showing a series of football rivalry documentaries taking in some of the game's great grudge matches. Each hour-long episode focusses on two derbies. So far they've shown Celtic-Rangers + Slavia-Sparta, Ajax-Feyenoord + Flamengo-Fluminense, and Real-Barca + Olympiakos-Panathanaikos. Some are better than others but, for the most part, there's lots of good footage, great goals, riots, historical info and interviews. Fla-Flu once played in front of 194,000 people at the Maracana! Imagine there'll be plenty more in the series and they'll be repeated over the next few weeks with so little football being played.

This is one to put on the watch-list. Won the B&F this year for the Mandurah Mustangs in WA a few weeks ago - in their Year 8 team. Don't know too much else about him at this stage... except that he happens to be the son of the Wizard. Wish we had a pic of him like we did of a very young Billy Stretch, but this will have to do for the time being. http://i.imgur.com/bKAya7F.png Updated Photos: http://resources2.news.com.au/images/2011/05/21/1226060/175382-cloudstreet-jeff-farmer.jpg

You're a pretty hard taskmaster, Adam, although to be fair I've only seen them in action once this year.

Yep, a pretty good start to the season for the Reds, Macca, considering their tough draw, with wins away to Chelsea and Arsenal, the Foxes at home and a point at White Hart Lane. Klopp would be pretty happy with that return.

Is this a cut-and-paste job or are you typing these responses out individually?

Pretty good game at Old Trafford once Mourinho's men actually got going, by which time they were already 2-0 down. Ibrahimovic will be ruing what should have been an absolute gimme for his second right on half time, but didn't realise how much time and space he had for the shot. As it is, his goal means he has now scored in a string of top European derbies, including for Barca against both Real and Espanyol, the Milan derby for both Inter and AC, the Italia derby between Inter and Juve, for Ajax against Feyenoord and for Paris Saint Germaine v Marseilles. Elsewhere, Liverpool and Spurs both won big while Gunners needed a last-minute winner to get past the Saints at home. Your boys continued their inauspicious start to the season, Macca, succumbing to Watford after being two goals to the good.

Please leave the Facebook / Big Footy rumours where you found them. I've removed all posts relating to it.

...AND WE'RE BACK>>>>> Season kicks off tomorrow night but it looks like I'm stuck with the SBS coverage of just one match per week. Have spent half my day trying to work out the Optus subscription, only to be told I have 2 options - watch it via an interrupted / lagging stream on TV, or watch it on my phone (yeh, cos watching sport on a tiny screen is just awesome..) My phone's with Optus, so I'm eligible for it, but my internet service is with Telstra, and it's unreliable and prone to hiccups. Was prepared to switch to Optus internet, but apparently they can't offer a reliable connection - even via satellite - because I live in an apartment! Go figure. Anyone else having similar issues? Anyway, here's this week's line-up, with SBS broadcasting Hull v Leicester @ 9pm on Saturday night. Saturday Hull v Leicester Burnley v Swansea Crystal Palace v West Bromwich Everton v Tottenham Middlesborough v Stoke Southampton v Watford Man City v Sunderland Sunday Bournemouth v Man U Arsenal v Liverpool Monday Chelsea v West Ham Edit: Here's a tip Optus - don't buy the f...ing rights if you can't offer a quality product..

Worked his backside off all night and finished with 20 disposals 12 marks 5 tackles 9 score involvements 4 goals 2 behinds - couldn't ask for a more well-rounded game from a CHF.

Looks like everyone's getting in on the Leicester celebrations..

OK, it's time to preserve what's left of this once-great thread and resurrect the good vibes that permeated it at the beginning. All contract talk should go in the Jesse Hogan Panic Room, a new thread where you can convince yourself and others that's he's staying or going based on facial expressions, astrology & tarot card readings, conversations with taxi drivers and media beat-ups. Please leave this thread for footy talk and all non-contract-related discussion.

^^^ Thanks for the link, Macca, hadn't seen that. The dollars involved are just staggering, and it's easy to see how players in other top European leagues will be lured to the EPL if salaries jump commensurately to the value of the broadcast deal. Not sure what UEFA can do about it though..?

I'm partly to blame. For the 3rd time this season, I've tuned in late during a Spurs game only to see them concede a goal and either lose or draw. Woke at about 6.30am today, checked the score on my mobile, and debated whether I should watch the closing stages - sure enough, Hazard scored about 30 seconds after I turned on the telly. I only saw the end of the game but Spurs were playing feral football and there was a dust-up in the tunnel as the teams left the pitch. Well done to the Foxes - they are deserving winners after a very consistent season. City host Arsenal next weekend as the fight for Champions League spots continues, bearing in mind they also play Real on Thursday in the return match at the Bernabeu.

Some good news for soccer supporters with Foxtel set to launch 3 new channels from BeIN Sports in the next few weeks as part of the sports pack. That means we get Euro 2016, Champions, Europa, some Brazilian football and all the best European leagues aside from the EPL. Given that BeIN has previously only been available as an ad-on that costs extra, this would suggest a lot of people were threatening to cancel Foxtel after they lost the rights to the Premier League.

Tottenham continue to keep the pressure on Leicester, thrashing Stoke 4-0 overnight, with Harry Kane kicking a ripping goal similar to the one he scored against Arsenal a couple of months ago. But with Spurs scheduled to play on Monday nights in all but the last of their remaining games, the Foxes have the psychological advantage of playing first and being masters of their own destiny.

As in the other Jesse thread, I've edited some posts to remove personal / family information. Please respect the sensitivities around this. Thanks

And win they did, Macca. Still a nervous few weeks ahead in the East Midlands but the Foxes are almost over the line now, needing no more than 12 points from their remaining six matches: @ Sunderland; Hammers; Swansea; @ United; Everton; @ Chelsea. Gunners have a game in hand but like Spurs, they can't afford to drop a point going forward and even that might not be enough to spoil Ranieri's party. A Leicester premiership really would be the stuff of dreams, and the best thing about it - for us as MFC supporters anyway - is that it shows sporting miracles can happen!

Tottenham's first half - admittedly against weak opposition - was as good as I've seen them play, the type of football you expect from champion teams, and Harry Kane is in white-hot form. The Manchester derby was underwhelming, and neither City nor United seem capable of catching the Foxes, although both (along with Arsenal and West Ham) have an extra game in hand. It will all be academic if Leicester can keep winning.

Had a wedding in Sydney last night so only just caught up with the action now, after avoiding the scores all day. Given the circumstances, Arsenal will be relieved while Spurs will see it as a golden opportunity that got away. Kane's goal was a beauty, and with momentum on their side, Tottenham really should have gone on with it from there. Looks like it was a cracking finish from your boys at Goodison Park, Macca.

Massive week coming up, with Leicester in the box seat to maintain top spot and even increase their lead over their challengers. City (@Liverpool) and Tottenham (@West Ham) both have tough midweek matches, with Spurs then hosting Arsenal on the weekend, while the Foxes would be expecting to win against both West Bromwich and Watford. City took out the first piece of silverware for the year, beating Liverpool on penalties in the League Cup final.

He won't just start in the centre square, he'll get the first clearance.

Incidentally, the Herald Sun follow-up story to the Age article quotes the Melbourne-based rep from his management agency and has a more pro-MFC spin to it, for those reading the tea leaves.