Josef Svejk

Bell, Collingwood, Trott: gulp!

I'd rather United have a "crisis" after the transfer window closes...

I didn't have a problem with his attitude today, but I have a major problem with his complete inability to control a ball and pass it along the ground. Benayoun is a much better player.

Spot on.

We can put a man on the moon? Could, Neil, could...

Spot the defender competition:

Well, he's hardly going to catch you, is he? The cunt.

My point was going to be about Beckham's ability to spread swine flu. But then I decided he's a cunt.

Hermaphrodite?

No, just 20-20. And under-19s... for South Africa.

... from reading the Guardian website last night? England drop Ravi Bopara and bring in Jonathan Trott for Ashes finale | Sport | The Guardian

He'll be back in 12 months. They always are.

One month ago... Landon Donovan takes a swipe at David Beckham for snubbing LA Galaxy guardian.co.uk, Thursday 2 July 2009 02.09 BST David Beckham has been fiercely criticised by his LA Galaxy team-mate Landon Donovan, who has called into question the former England captain's commitment to the American club. Donovan, the Galaxy's leading scorer last season, feels Beckham should be left out of the side when he returns this month after a loan spell at Milan. Beckham took the armband at the Major League Soccer club from Donovan when he signed amid much fanfare in 2007 but missed the start of this season to stay in Serie A. "All that we care about at a minimum is that he committed himself to us," Donovan said. "As time has gone on, that has not proven to be the case in many ways – on the field, off the field. "Does the fact that he earns that much money come into it? Yeah. If someone's paying you more than anybody in the league, more than double anybody in the league, the least we expect is that you show up to every game, whether you're suspended or not. "Show up and train hard. Show up and play hard. Maybe he's not a leader, maybe he's not a captain. Fair enough. But at a minimum you should bust your ass every day. That hasn't happened. And I don't think that's too much for us to expect. Especially when he's brought all this on us. "I can't even say he's a good team-mate any more. He's not shown that. I can't think of another guy where I'd say he wasn't a good team-mate, he didn't give everything through all this, he didn't still care. "But with Beckham, I'd say no, he wasn't committed. Let's say he does stay here three more years. I'm not going to spend the next three years of my life doing it this way ... I don't want to have soccer be this way. I've got to confront it somehow. If that's the way he's going to be, fine, then hold him accountable. Bench him. Just say, 'We're not going to play you, we don't think you're committed'." Donovan's comments - part of a new book 'The Beckham Experiment' by Grant Wahl published in Sports Illustrated - come as Beckham received a warning from the president of the United States Soccer Federation, Sunil Gulati, to expect a hostile reception from fans when he returns to Galaxy. Donovan added: "When David first came, I believed he was committed to what he was doing. But somewhere along the way – and in my mind it coincides with Ruud Gullit being let go as coach last season – he just flipped a switch and said 'Uh-uh, I'm not doing it any more'. My sense is that David thinks it's a joke." Then... Beckham: Landon Donovan 'unprofessional' in his criticism Updated 7/12/2009 2:02 AM David Beckham took exception to L.A. Galaxy teammate Landon Donovan's comments in a new book about the England captain's first two years in MLS. By Billy Witz, Special for USA TODAY EL SEGUNDO, Calif. It appears that a book has done what Los Angeles Galaxy teammates, coaches and executives could not do last year – light a fire under David Beckham. Beckham, returning from a loan stint to A.C. Milan, responded sharply Saturday to criticism of his leadership, his effort and the meddling of his management team that were leveled in The Beckham Experiment, a book by Sports Illustrated writer Grant Wahl that chronicled Beckham's first two seasons in Major League Soccer. In his first public comments since excerpts of the book were published last week in Sports Illustrated, some of Beckham's strongest criticisms were directed toward fellow Galaxy star Landon Donovan. In the book, Donovan said Beckham, having become frustrated and unhappy with the level of play, had checked out on his teammates. Donovan apologized earlier this week for not expressing his feelings to Beckham, but said he stood by his comments. "It's unprofessional in my eyes," Beckham said, speaking after a youth clinic he participated in with former Real Madrid teammate Zinedine Zidane. "In soccer players' eyes throughout the world, it would be unprofessional to speak out about your teammates, especially in the press and not to your face. For 17 years, I've played for the biggest teams in the world, I've played with the biggest players and icons of our sport and icons of our time, and the strongest managers in soccer and not once in 17 years have I been criticized for my professionalism. So for me, that says it all." Now... DONOVAN SUFFERING WITH SWINE FLU Posted 14/08/09 21:27 David Beckham's Los Angeles Galaxy team-mate Landon Donovan has been diagnosed with swine flu. The 27-year-old is being monitored by the club's medical staff, but could still feature against Seattle Sounders this weekend. "He has a mild case of swine flu," said an LA Galaxy spokesman. "The medical staff are monitoring his situation. "He started feeling ill on Sunday." The forward has had no contact with Beckham since contracting the virus as both players were on international duty in mid-week - Donovan playing for the USA against Mexico and the former Manchester United man for England against Holland - and so were given the day off from training on Friday. Galaxy coach Bruce Arena played down concerns over Donovan's condition. "My understanding is that this is a mild strain of a flu, which, when you do contract it, you have a period of 48 hours where it could be infectious to others," Arena said in the Los Angeles Times. "Landon is not infectious. He has a slight strain of the flu and he's at the tail end of it. There's no need for alarm." Donovan, capped more than 100 times by the USA, had a spell on loan at Bayern Munich at the start of the year, while Beckham was with AC Milan. The two became embroiled in a war of words last month when Donovan questioned Beckham's commitment to the Galaxy and also the Major Soccer League. Beckham responded by calling Donovan's conduct "unprofessional", but the disagreement has now be resolved. My point being...

I'd feel a lot better if we were playing Birmingham at home. As it is, I agree with the sentiment expressed above: I think it's come a little early for us...

Hadn't heard this (very odd) version before: [YOUTUBE] [/YOUTUBE]

But the original is still best: [YOUTUBE] [/YOUTUBE]

I used to love this version, in my punky youth: [YOUTUBE] [/YOUTUBE]

And, just because I'm sentimental about the '80s, I'll stick this Simon and Garfunkel cover in here: [YOUTUBE] [/YOUTUBE]

Anyways, they deserve another one: [YOUTUBE] [/YOUTUBE]

And while I'm on the subject... [YOUTUBE] [/YOUTUBE]

As good as Simon and Garfunkel are, the Everly Brothers deserve massive respect for their influence: [YOUTUBE] [/YOUTUBE]

Lord Gaga is hideous without makeup...

Ireland is competing with Italy in a group that also includes Bulgaria. While most of their players prepare for Premiership action this weekend. Much as they'd like to do battle with the Cook Islands and challenge for honours in Turkey... Serioudsly, though, it's a very useful Aussie side...

Johnson worries me. Greatly.