One of the pleasing things about Blues unexpected promotion last year was the fact that decent players were prepared to play for us. Some Blues fans on some message boards still haven't worked this out and are forever suggesting we try our luck with some nonentity from the second division who has managed to score half a dozen goals. We don't need to do that, established internationals are more than happy to come to us, and in the case of Savage postively canvass for the move. Now Dugarry has signed, it is even more likely that players of high class will accept that a move to us is in their best interests.

The best example of playing for us being a positive career move is seen in the case of Matthew Upson. He had been kicking around on the fringe of the Arsenal squad for 5 and a half years, not really getting anywhere. Weeks after signing for us, in January, he was named in the England squad, and has stayed there for the upcoming matches.
There is a very good interview with him in todays Times, which is also something of a meditation on the frustrations of being a bit part player at a large club like Arsenal. He seems to have his head screwed on. I reckon Sven has identified him , potentially, as one of his famed "cultural architects", which can only be good news for Blues.

The Times also had a sort of light hearted end of season review; these items caused me to snigger:
Commentary: Half-time in the Champions League, and Big Ron Atkinson was hungry and unaware that he was still live on German TV. “Are there any sandwiches? I’m starving,” he grunted. Atkinson also let slip his admiration for Roma’s front-man: “He’s a little twat, that Totti”

Interview: Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp, mid-sentence during a TV interview at their training ground, is hit smack on the back by a stray ball. “Why the fuck have you kicked that over here? Got some fucking brains, ain’t you?” Redknapp turns to camera. “No wonder he’s in the fucking reserves”

Goal celebration: Pascal Nouma, the Frenchman sacked by Turkish club Besiktas after taking off his shirt and putting his hand down his shorts. “It w>as not against anybody,” he said. “It was a private sign of joy”

Not forgetting our Clinton and his dear old mum. Actually, I wish the ugly chuffer was just a bad memory:
Mum: Angela Morrison, mother of Birmingham’s Clinton, was so enraged by the treatment her son had received at the feet of Rufus Brevett, then of Fulham, that she continued the spat in the players’ lounge after the game. “Your son’s got a big mouth,” Brevett said. Ma Morrison replied: “I know, he gets it from me.” Stewards were called.

Just for Bluetitch: Kittenfilter.

Baghdad in peacetime.

There is a good article in Open Democracy on the philosophy of food. Very good, in fact; very provoking of thought. The Guardian is also getting its middle class nickers in a twist over the global economy of food.
Now, food is a passion for me, and I buy the best and most humanely produced produce I can, but I am starting to get irritated by the food fascists, telling us we can only buy free range this and organically produced that; have these berks seen the price of this stuff?
Perhaps if the owners of big media who run these stories banned the conglomerates from advertising in their papers it would be a start. Think globally, act locally; unless it is inconvenient to me.
Try buying a free range pig in Cwmbran, it can't be done, old cock, unless you are talking about the FFC of course.
These are readily available though.

Hunter S Thompson on Richard Nixon, it puts me in mind of Wee Jimmy Krankie, can't think why.

From The Observer end of season review:

Man of the year: JESUS GIL

Steaming after a fraud conviction in February, 70-year-old Jesus offered to kill his Atlético players ('I mean it, some of the players don't deserve to live'), withdraw their salaries ('and anyone who doesn't like it can die'), and gave the year's best radio interview, days after having a pacemaker fitted. 'There's too many bloody passengers in this team! They're not going to laugh at this shirt any longer! They are not going to make fun of me.... Carreras, Santi and Otero are no good. They can die!' (Interviewer tries to cool things, reminding Gil about his new pacemaker.) Gil: 'I'm sick of people telling me to relax! They can stick my heart up their arses!'

Couldn't let it go award: TAEKO:

A young Japanese woman, telling the Shukan Post about her favourite man: 'I stayed at hotels where Beckham stayed during the World Cup. I checked toilets he might have used, took photographs of them and licked them. I'm definitely going to England. I want to live in Beckham's neighbourhood and go swimming or shopping with him. If I meet his wife Victoria, I will ask her to leave him.'

Coolest mind: MARK BOSNICH :

'I really don't give a toss about football anymore. Fuck football. I really can't be bothered. I want to try and make it as a sports star in America. I don't know what type of sports I would do. But that is what I want.' Runner-up: football's most positive man, Gérard Houllier: 'You call our season a step back. I call it a phase of plateau.'