Counterforce

Agreed. And with all that in mind, I think there's one outstanding candidate: Marcelo Bielsa. Would give the team a clear, non-negotiable sense of identity. Would be really exciting and issues over burn-out in his system would perhaps be less significant in tournament football. Given his nationality, our filthy tabloids would obviously be unbearable if there were difficult moments, given his nationality... But weighing up all that is wrong with the England team, I honestly can't think of a better available coach with top class pedigree.

Blimey. And thanks - will keep an eye out for more. I suppose he'd be leaving on a high after the Super Final victory against San Lorenzo...

My ideal but very unlikely pick would be Jorge Sampaoli, current manager of Chile and another disciple of Bielsa like Poch. Some kind of continuity there, which could be important during a 'transitional' period. Very unlikely though, as I've said. Yakin seems like the most interesting option from the names being touted about.

As in Ramon Diaz of River Plate? And if so, could you provide a source please? Doubly interested in this as my other half is Argentinian and I follow River as a second team...

^ On a related note, MoPo could well manage Argentina one day if he continues on this kind of trajectory (although time in charge of an Argentine club side seems to count for a lot when that job comes up)...

From what I recall (hazily), he was asked about this in one of the many and various features in the press recently... And he said something like "it would be a great honour but I think my Argentine citizenship would be revoked". Nicely done.

My other half is Argentinian and with her family in Buenos Aires right now. Apparently Osvaldo's ex was on all the major gossip shows yesterday spreading all kinds of muck...

5Live were reporting that Barnard is starting up front, ha ha... Now corrected. But they're going crazy about Lambert not starting...

On an Italian tip, Area are pretty amazing... And their vocalist (Demetrio Stratos) is from a different planet. Big influence on everyone from Mike Patton to Yamatsuka Eye to Diamanda Galas. Also - Goblin!!! The soundtracks to 'Suspiria' and 'Profondo Rosso' are some of my all-time favourites. And you can really hear the way they've influenced John Zorn, Secret Chiefs 3 etc. Is Frank Zappa 'prog'?

Try running keywords through JSTOR and Project Muse (which you should have access to?) for up-to-date scholarship. Also, is there a way of checking through back issues of 'The Wire'? They must have published all kinds of 'primers' and quasi-academic stuff on prog over the years. Also, if it's the relationship between prog and *metal* you're focusing on, then that points you in very specific directions (in the sense that prog also crosses over with folk, jazz, avant garde electronica, tribal/traditional musics etc). So thinking along those lines (and outside others) will help to focus it. Turkish prog and psych from the 70s is *incredible* by the way... But that's another story! Hope that's of some use...

^ Apologies for the grammatical errors in the above post... It's been a long day!

My other half is Argentinean and I spend about 1/4 of the year in BsAs... What an amazing and crazy city. Have met a few football aficionados over there who were huge Le Tiss fans. As for following an Argentine team, it's River for me. Don't have much choice due to my wife's family and I've had some great (and dark!) times at el Monumental. It's kind of weird having Saints and River at the top our respective 'B' leagues. I also watch the mighty Colegiales, my wife's real local team - a plucky third division stuff founded by anarchists!

Maradona.

:-)