I’ve been following some of the African Nations drama on the box and t’internet over the last week & of course Dexy’s outstanding previews, but I must say I was appalled as the news reports came in on Friday night regarding the devastating machine gun attack on the Togo team bus, resulting in 3 deaths and numerous injuries. The psychological trauma of such an event will give many of the players sleepless nights in the future but the reason I’m writing this rant is the way the Togo team has been treated by the Confederation of African Football.

After the recent success of the 3 Lions qualifiers with 2 games to spare, I’m still going to have a grumble. Believe it not children, England are playing the Ukraine on Saturday. It is a WC qualifier and gives Fabio a chance to work with the squad without the pressure of putting points on the board. My moan is the £4.99 I’ve got to stump up to watch it: that and being told I have to watch it on a computer. Now I’d like to think I’m a dab hand at this PC & Mac marlarky but for the more elder members of England’s supporters, the option of only watching it on a tiny screen streamed over tinternet is an outrage. Half of my mates down the Social club still watch games on old Rumbalows Black & White tv’s.

I hate that I do!

Right, it’s been a while since my last rant so here goes!

How do. A 5-minute mouth off today, a sort of two-parter. Lucky buggers

Psycho Stu Pearce steps up to the plate tonight with the young lions against the impressive host nation Sweden in the semis of the UEFA U21′s. After starting out as 3rd favourites, we have eased into the latter stages after an edgy start against Finland when goalscorer Micheal Mancienne netted 1st and then lost the plot bringing down the Fin Striker. He conceded a penalty and took an early bath, They leveled and we were under the cosh, not an ideal start. Pearce rallied his troops and we found the self-belief to overcome with a Micah Richards header putting us back in the driving seat.

I hate that I do!

Those toffs at the FA had me in a bloody head boiling rage when I read this the other day. They have sent out a warning to their Football Foundation stakeholders of a proposal to cut 20% from their £15m-a-year contribution to the grassroots sport charity.

I hate that I do!

Arsene’s been whinging again, spouting some sphill about the player Fabio calls our most important. The lad Walcott and how he is being overused and will he burn out by next summer. Mmm, let me think, 2 extra England games, is that really gonna push young Theo over the brink, I don’t think so Arsene, or don’t you see it like that?

Say Everton equalized last Saturday and won on pens (They probably did, no one would have seen it if you were watching on ITV with that terrible shadow ruining the picture, go Setanta! they even had Saint & Greavsie presiding in the run-up, proper old-school pundits). Any road, imagine the Toffees sneaked it on pens, Maloudas disallowed (Hursty 66 doppelganger) goal would have been shown time and again and crucially, we may have seen Drog have another hissy fit. Bring on the camera technology I say, there’ more accurate than an old whippet and we’ll be able to shut Fritz up about Sir Geoffs 2nd in 66, it were a mile over the line!

I hate that I do!

The first thing that sprang to mind after watching the Liverpool v Arsenal game the other night was how appalling the defending was. Call that entertainment, I call it a bloody disgrace. Arsenal are not known for their defensive qualities but Liverpool should know better. They are supposed to be a side challenging for the Premier League, yet they have conceded 8 goals in 2 games. Contenders? More like chuffin benders! I’ve got more chance of playing for Doncaster at 62!

I hate that I do!

Its count down time to the semi’s this weekend at Wembley & another perfect example of the FA’s incompetence. Who the hell is in charge at the common sense depo?

Mickey Marbles weekly rant A ref ordered a penalty to be retaken in a Sunday league game last week when a oppo’s player put one down (The blow-off, not the ball!) when it was kicked! not a lie, I tell thee. The Chorlton Villa player (That’s Chorlton, not Trumpton!) got a yellow card for the [...]