Maple Lions

The scheduling boffins at Canada’s self-proclaimed “Sports Leader” somehow decided that viewers would prefer to see two of the biggest football matches of the year — Liverpool-Benfica and Chelsea-Barcelona — in the soothing calm of late night viewing slots, long after the dry results are up on the web. In their infinite wisdom, they are treating us to, respectively, a Russia-USA Olympic men’s hockey match and the rock ‘em sock ‘em action of Canada vs. USA in Olympic men’s curling.

But they’re sports experts, right? After all, they published on their home page today this scintillating bit of analysis from the coach of the Canadian Olympic women’s hockey team:

‘’These women wear the Canadian flag in every part of their bodies and everybody has to be proud of them and nobody should question them,'’ head coach Mel Davidson said.

Mel Davidson is a Great Canadianâ„¢.

Paul Canniff

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The worst-kept secret in English football is finally exposed. And now the mess is going to the solicitors.

Meanwhile, here’s something to warm our hearts:

Paul Canniff

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Here is some word of a worthwhile project that honours a football hero and supports a good cause:

I’m Pete Robinson of Manchester based band, Cracked Flag.  We’re raising money for The Foundation for Liver Research - George Best Appeal, by selling a CD single of a tribute song we wrote to the great man called “Goodbye to the Belfast Boy”.  We’re booked to play the song live at the opening of the memorial dinner for George at OT on 16th March. 

At the moment the CD is available via the internet at www.goodbyebelfastboy.com and at a growing number of pubs, clubs and shops in Salford.  All profits from sales go to George’s charity - we’re not making a penny out of it!  (In fact we’re about £1K out of pocket at the moment).

I’m hoping you can help us to raise awareness of the song in the Man U community.  Any help at all would be greatly appreciated.  I think the United faithful will like the song - its not a lament - its an upbeat celebration of his life.

If you want more info just give me a call on 0044 7946 533824 or Paul Johnston on 0044 7710 406036 or e-mail us through the web site. 

H/T to Michael Singer of MUSCC.

Paul Canniff 

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The quarter-finals have been announced.

It’s going to be an all-Premiership battle in the final stretch, so no newcomers this year upon whom we can wager our four hundred kwatloos. Still, credit is certainly due to the League sides who made it to the fifth round and showed that it’s not just a game for the big boys.

Paul Canniff

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Maple Lions welcomes aboard our newest contributor from among the Canadian supporters clubs,  Dara Mottahed of the Liverpool FC Official Canadian Supporters Club.

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We are striving to make Maple Lions the online hub for English football in Canada. So we welcome the participation of the official Canadian supporters clubs for English teams.

Maple Lions is thus pleased to welcome aboard as regular contributors Nick Bentham and David Coleman from the Manchester United Supporters Club Canada.

We play no favourites here. If your official club would like to have a rep post here, just email me and I’ll make it happen.

Paul Canniff

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Despite a shaky performance by the Mags’ back 4 - according to the BBC, anyway - Newcastle beat Southampton to secure a place in the FA Cup quarter-finals. Charlton and Liverpool are also through, while Bolton and West Ham will need a replay. A question: we have 4 English-language all-sports cable channels in this country, so why aren’t any of them showing the FA Cup matches this year?

Another question: at what point do the suddenly-hot Mags forget about searching for a new manager and just let Glenn Roeder keep the job permanently? (By “permanently”, of course, I man “until Shearer decides he wants to manage.”) Maybe it’s just relief at getting rid of Souness and Shearer finally breaking the club scoring record, but Roeder must be doing something right.

Damian P.

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According to the Daily Telegraph, elbows are flying at the FA when it comes to the manager selection process.

The Tely also broke the news that Guus Hiddink will become the manager of the Russian National Team.

Paul Canniff

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In a poll of 1,000 Britons commissioned by BBC Radio Five Live, Martin O’Neill was the most popular choice for England Manager, just ahead of Stuart Pearce and Big Sam.

Well, that’s what the Beeb headline claims.  O’Neill leads with a whopping 18%, ahead of Pearce at 16% and Big Sam at 13%.  While 50% of those polled thought the FA should consider non-English candidates, a mere 3% of all surveyed ranked Guus Hiddink — one of the three most technically qualified of the entire candidate pool — as their choice for manager.

Martin O’Neill could win a seat in Parliament with these numbers.  But can anyone say with a straight face that any consensus exists when the top three choices constitute less than two thirds of the critical mass in a poll?

Once again, the wisdom of John G. Diefenbaker prevails.

Paul Canniff 

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Thanks primarily to a man who’d be just another footballer if he hadn’t married the third-most attractive Spice Girl, Real Madrid has overtaken Man U to become the richest club on Earth:

The David Beckham effect helped Real Madrid to overtake Manchester United as the richest club in the world last season.

Just two years after his £22 million transfer from Old Trafford to the Bernabeu, Real have surged ahead of United thanks to a massive increase in commercial income generated by the England captain.

According to the annual Football Money League produced by business advisers Deloitte, Real’s turnover was £186.2 million last season - £20 million more than United.

It is the first time since the report was introduced eight years ago that United have not finished top of the game’s ‘rich list’.

Damian P.

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