Megadrive Man

I reckon he's going to call a General Election in July, just before the local elections in May get underway.

Grim... Defence spending in UK to be put ‘on war footing’, Rishi Sunak says – UK politics latest (theguardian.com) Civil servants must obey ministers if ordered to ignore ECHR injunctions blocking Rwanda flights, Sunak says The FDA, the union which represents senior civil servants, is threatening the Home Office with legal action over new guidance for civil servants which says that, if a minister decides to ignore an injunction from the European court of human rights (ECHR) saying a deportation flight to Rwanda must not go ahead, officials have to do what the minister says and facilitate the flight – even though ignoring an ECHR injunction is in breach of international law. Speaking to reporters on his flight to Poland, Rishi Sunak made it clear that he did not agree with the FDA. Officials must obey ministers if they’re ordered to ignore an ECHR injunction, he said. I’m clearly and firmly of the view that civil servants know that what they’re there to do is support the government, the elected government of the day, and that’s what I’m confident they will do in this instance. That’s why we specifically changed the civil service code, which is one of the steps that we made a little while ago, to make it crystal clear that when it comes to rule 39 decisions [ECHR injunctions], as you know, the bill gives ministers the discretion to decide what to do about those. I wouldn’t have put that power in there if I wasn’t prepared to use it, but our changes to the code make it crystal clear that civil servants will be expected to follow ministerial guidance on that point when we get there or if we get there. In 2022 a flight taking asylum seekers from the UK to Rwanda was cancelled as a result of an ECHR injunction. But Sunak believes there is less chance of that happening again, partly because of reforms to the Rwandan asylum system being implemented under the UK-Rwanda treaty and partly because the ECHR tightened its rules, making injunctions harder to obtain.

Slot turned down Spurs in the summer apparently. I'm not sure a bald Dutch manager that only really knows the Eredivisie is a good idea?

Joyce suggesting that it's Slot.

When I saw that O'Neil was being linked with us, I initially assumed that it was Martin O'Neill!

As good a player as he is, Jota just can't seem to stay fit.

Level 42 The sun goes down

Much like Mourinho he's not the sort of manager FSG would ever go for. They are short term, managers that always fall out with the owners after two to three years. There is a zero per cent chance of FSG appointing Conte or Mourinho.

If we're lucky!

Ljinders would at least offer some level of continuity and stability. We have a talented young squad that seem to like him and respect him. I'd be happy to give it to Ljinders considering some of the other names being bandied about. There's no top class manager's available.

Name 49 better candidates.

At this point Pep Lijnders is my choice.

There is no way in a million years FSG would appoint Jose Mourinho as manager!

At the start of the season I had no expectations of winning the league this year. It's frustrating because we had a chance but we've dropped off at the worst possible time.

In better news United have thrown away a three goal lead to Coventry City. 3-3 now.