Howard looking forward to Singapore trip

We are pretty poor in the way we recruit, often taking loanees who have half a good season and then locking them in to long contracts, like Barry. He has not reached the heights of that first loan and seems content that he has a good contract that will see him through till he takes his pension in the MLS or in the Middle East.

Howard needs replacing as do Osman, Pienaar and Hibbert. McGeady was a mistake, as was Kone and Mirallas I think has made his mind up his future is elsewhere. I am comfortable keeping Hibbert and Osman on in the academy or some other role but they are no longer EPL standard.

We are no longer complete paupers so we should be at least trying to recruit the next level up. We need at least five quality replacements and to bring on the young guns who deserve a crack. Young players are ready earlier these days and won't wait around for a chance, as in earlier times (eg, Garbutt)

Roll on the new season and get aboard the blue roller-coaster!!!

Preseason in a nutshell for the modern player: "IÂ’ve not been to Singapore before," says T-How. Poor guy! He earns enough though that if he wanted to, he could have gone any time he liked.

I can understand players from the 80s, who didnÂ’t earn millions from the game, treating preseason as a piss-up and a chance to get some extra passport stamps but these modern guys? I feel they are laughing at fans most of the time.

No pressure, no problems, free holidays and massive wages for being Â’eliteÂ’ athletes.

Do one Tim, had enough now thanks.

I donÂ’t like Howard as a goalkeeper or even as a person. I find him painfully arrogant and IÂ’m happy to criticise virtually everything he comes out with. However, even I canÂ’t fathom how you can have a go at the guy for stating that heÂ’s never been to Singapore before.

No, I would prefer him to shut the flip up about Singapore and spend the time practising at / improving at goalkeeping as what do his remarks really add to anything? The square root of fuck all in all honesty.

Practice catching a ball, commanding your box, communicating with defenders...

Sorry I may be on a bit of a rant and I understand not everyoneÂ’s going to see it my way but he just gets my goat and I donÂ’t want to hear anything at all from him to be honest.

"IÂ’m very much looking forward to the trip to Singapore. We have a lot of work to do to make up for a horrible season just gone and I personally need to be much better. The manager has shown incredible belief in me despite a campaign littered with errors and the emergence of an understudy who, frankly, looked ten times the player I am.

"I also want to apologise to the fans for treating them with disdain. We were staring relegation in the face at one point and I arrogantly dismissed the notion as though the fans were stupid to ever fear it. That was wrong of me and IÂ’d like to set that straight. A personal apology should go out to Phil Sammon who seemed to take particular offence to that remark. HeÂ’s a great guy and I wouldnÂ’t wish to cause him distress.

"IÂ’d also like to apologise for my ridiculous facial hair that served only to further the all-out buffoonery going on inside the Everton penalty area all season."

Cheers, Tim, thatÂ’s great to hear. Good luck this coming season.

Club employee contractually obliged to utter not a lot about anything answers banal questions.

Cue outrage!

Yes, itÂ’s obviously a nothing story but thatÂ’s kind of my point. IsnÂ’t the guy contractually obliged to be a Premier League goalkeeper?
IÂ’d rather he concentrated on that rather than making cash for Sodexo or Kitbag as we see flip all from any publicity in revenue terms.
Like I say, IÂ’d rather he said nothing. People say heÂ’s a big draw in the US but what do we get out of it really? Nothing; just Robert Earl and other carpet baggers.

IÂ’d much prefer it if he just practised goalkeeping, leave the PR to the club captain, the manager and the biggest blue, BK.

The quote comes from the club website which is presumably an income stream for the club.

HereÂ’s how it works.

Failed journo who is now responsible for website content sits in the pub thinking, "What the fuck can I write about this week? I know – that Singapore trip will fill a few inches." He writes the article, there is probably some sort of rota thing for players to be quoted. He emails it to said player who says, "Yes, that’s great, leave me alone, I’m on my holidays."

By all means get upset when he fails on the pitch but really... "IÂ’ve never been to SingaporeÂ’?!

Or would that have been his agent..?

He was terrible last season and I can’t see him improving.

If Lukaku or his agent has said anything at all then IÂ’m prepared to be outraged.

There used to be a comment at work when I worked at Rushworth & Dreaper in the 60s: "Just because youÂ’ve got hairs around you face, you donÂ’t have to act like a cunt!"

Although judging by research on the internet (which IÂ’m am forced to do under sufferance.... ho hum!), that comment isnÂ’t relevant anymore!

Kev (#5) – But a least he goes to Singapore for free!