Happy New Year, Harry Rednapp & Losing a Finger

So it's been a while then.... Happy New Year - here's Harry and the finger..

We'll get to Harry in a while. The finger was a classic 8:45am New Year's Day disaster. Lost the top of my right index making thank you cards for people who gave the kids presents. I mean, come on... Next year I either send a chinzy email to thank people or wear an 'ove-glove' for additional protection. Ironically, the glove is $19:99 plus shipping and handling - so I wonder if employees shipping the glove actually wear one to reduce the work related injuries that plague the packing industry. Who knows. I know I had to ask Jill to find the top of my finger before the kids used it to make a bedazzled bracelet of some kind using yet another Xmas present masking itself as 'arts and craft' style activities. At this point I'd like to state that at the end of this blog I shall write 'please excuse and typos - I am writing this with a substantial part of my favorite 'pointing at crap referees' finger missing'. Thats for all you iphone folks out there today who like to make me feel better about below average typing on the fly.

  

The 'ove-glove' (right). I use it when I make shakes with the bullet or pull a perfectly roasted tur-dunk-en from the oven 'Paula Dean' style. Shame Robert Green wasn't given a pair last year - might have kept the boys in the Premier League - and I am sure that Bruce Grobbelaar wasn't wearing them as he caught-then-dropped the ball in the net each week for twenty quid. Funny how taking bribes does that to you. As for the Liverpool supporters et al are concerned, I was surprised to see the Hillsborough blog generated so much interest. Read over 600 times. I need to follow up with a summary, from my perspective, of the Heysel Stadium Disaster. Another very dark moment in soccer history. Might liven it up, however, with some tales of Hammer fans on tour in Northern Spain and Ohio, USA.


OK - Harry.


The BBC recently posted this article: 'An Englishman to Manage England'  It was an interesting insight to Rednapp's opinions, experiences and advice on coaching and managing at both club and country level. I agree with much he says. Of course, I am bias, but having disagreed with an old friend over the source of Rednapp's footballing knowledge (I put it down to playing days in the Academy and West Ham - not Bournemouth) I do feel the combination of his talent and attributes have been groomed by years at the 'Academy'.





I suspect part of his success is his natural talent to handle the modern and over paid professional footballer, as well as a tactical astuteness that is rarely matched. Is he the right man for England come post Euro 2012? I suspect not. For me it doesn't matter who gets the job - the issue is not who should lead the squad but resolving the stranglehold that club soccer has on players in England. Winning a major tournament as a country is so difficult. Why devote such time and energy to it. The Carling Cup is far easier and more fun as you get a free beer after the game - even if it is a poor quality beer and only a slither better than lite beer (which in itself is an entire 'volume' of blogs on why lite beer is to drinking what a kick in the nuts is to IVF).  Analogies. Never my strong point. 


Well, Harry has done a fine job of finally getting the Spurs winning week in week out. I suspect a big reason is Scott Parker. He was practically man of the match for an entire season at Upton Park. Modric - talented, Bale, talented despite being Welsh (sorry about that one). Defoe - ah, as a Hammers fan I should refrain from expressing an opinion without issuing a public safety warning. King - sick note Anderton reincarnated. 


Enough for now  - thanks for reading this 'return to blogging blog'


2012 will be back on track and include:


The Heysel Stadium Disaster
Summaries of West Ham United International Academy Camps - and upcoming dates.
Coaching input and 'Academy of Football' slant
Potentially humorous stories of other seasonal limb losses. 

Final thought: Bournemouth (right). I went there once. In order of events I shall summarize:


1) Woke the morning of the trip with awful ear-ache 
2) Travelled in a car with no seat belts and felt sick on the way
3) Tried to do a front somersault off the sea wall onto the beach - failed and ate sand with winded guts
4) Got the Mumps
5) Travelled with family whose mum was sand-phobic.
(sorry mum - wasn't your fault....)