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Well that de-escalated quickly. It took seven minutes for Ollie Watkins to score England’s opening goal in Greece on Thursday night, prompting those who had savaged Lee Carsley for having the effrontery to pick a prolific goalscorer in a relatively unimportant game to be confronted with the confusing thought that their pre-match keyboard posturing may not have been entirely proportionate. The Watkins volte-face, although we should really call it a volte-farce given the buffoonery of the more extreme protagonists, symbolised another peculiar night in Carsley’s interim reign. He’ll go down in history as England’s BFG: their Bald Fraud/Genius, with one of the nouns to be deleted depending on what has happened in the last 60 seconds and which way your knee is jerking at the time. The bald bit is non-negotiable.

I’m obliged to you for drawing my attention to the sad passing of John Dempsey (yesterday’s Football Daily, full email edition). As my own London-based mob were in the lower divisions, I would take advantage of the local transport and watch Division One (as was) outfits when we were away from the Den on a Saturday, and saw him play a number of times. Many years later I managed a day centre and, as the only sports fan in the staff group, would turn out in competitions with other day centres for people with learning disabilities, joined by one staff member per team. When an opposing side called my opposite number ‘Dempsey’, it was clear to me who he was. As tempting as it was for each staff member to become Brian Glover in Kes for the day, it was clear ‘Dempsey’ was naturally committed to coaching, encouraging and including people to enjoy participating and competing. While many of his contemporaries were off running pubs, there he was quietly ‘putting back into the game’ in a gloriously understated way. A fine player, a lovely man for sure” – Michael Lloyd.

Re: Ric Arthur’s complaints about ‘the door marked Do One’ (yesterday’s Football Daily letters). Let me join 1,056 others to note that if they’re vexed by Football Daily using expressions that are ‘overused’, ‘trite’ and ‘tedious’, he can’t be very familiar with your back catalogue” – Richard Stirzaker (and 1,056 others).

Internet browsing today, I found this wonderful series of photos from a different age (I know the Glenn Hoddle one has been referenced here before, quite a bit). I am concerned, though, that Phil Neal took the time to get the right clobber but no one showed him how to set the balls up in the right place” – Andy Morrison.

Re: yesterday’s News, Bits and Bobs (full email edition). As much as I respect Diego Forlán for changing sport, you’d think he’d be good at tennis, given he spent much of his time at Manchester United putting the ball over the net at speed?” – Kev McCready.

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