suewhistle

Already I can't cope with the number of posts on the re-vamped board. Glad I made my disclaimer!;-)

We start football team pre-season training a week today here in the Italian alps. I'm also a skier so you have my sympathies. I must have taken care of myself when I was younger as mine are dodgy but functional, and that's not bad at 53. Did 45 minutes in a game the other day, but can't say I want to do more than come off the bench. As for MS: I don't think people were being negative when they said be realistic about his chances. Some of it was probably on the basis that some people bet against Saints. If we win they're happy but have a consolation if we don't. I think even 1 90 minutes is fantastic and he has my full admiration. Hope he scores his first goal at SMS!:-)

Apologies if this has already been posted. Pretty reasonable report, and somebody seems to have done a bit of homework about Svensson at least. http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/aug/10/championship.cardiffcity

Well, apologies Alpine, you have been reasonably positive on this thread in places. We may well struggle, but speaking as somebody else living in the Alps who hasn't seen any of the 90 minutes played so far this season, I'm not prepared to be so definitive about matters. I have concerns too: I hope the scenario seen in this game doesn't repeat itself too often, but it doesn't 'underline the struggle' at all. We may struggle but that statement is just your habitual delight in looking on the dark side of things, and giving your views in a style that expresses no doubt. Thanks, by the way to those comments from those who were at the game. Certainly sounds better than losing 4-1 at home to Palace!

I'd have a beer with Alpine and slip some Ex-Lax in to his (or Picolax for those medical types who know it's effects!).

Yep Alpine... better stick to your Daily Mail and NOTW.

If they start getting anywhere near a good crowd they'll open those corners so quickly you won't even have time to take a breath.

Sounds promising. Do you reckon this performance will have increased the crowd for the first home game? Have you all told your mates? We may still fall suckers to a simple free kicked lumped into our box, but it would be great to see some good football next visit home.

Well, I'm excited on TWO fronts. My womens' team won a mini-tournament yesterday and we haven't even started team training yet. I played a half in each short game and I may well play this season as we were demoted last season (and they are now desperate enough to sign me!). :-) Plus on the Saints front the reports suggest the team are moving on and off the ball. It's such a basic good footballing habit, at every level, but how much of it have we seen from Saints recently. Not much from the games I've seen on visits home or the odd internet streamed game. Maybe I'll even see a win on my next visit home....