Maple Lions

Sheffield United is cockily building on their latest push out of the drop zone by putting £10M at Neil Warnock’s disposal for the coming transfer window.

After a considerable boost in their form recently, the Blades may end up putting our poll to shame as they wave goodbye not only to the Hornets but possibly the Laticks and the Toon as well.

Paul Canniff

Update:

The Toon surprisingly climb above the Blades in the table after a 3-2 win over high-flying newcomers Reading.

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The Curse of Curbs lingers on as Ian Dowie departs the gaffer’s post at Charlton.

The Beeb report notes he is the first Premiership manager to be sacked this season. And you know he won’t be the last.

Roeder? Anyone? Roeder?

Paul Canniff 

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• Dietmar Hamann is leaving Anfield for the Reebok Stadium.
• Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink heads down to the Valley.
• Liverpool keeper Chris Kirkland goes on loan to Wigan.

Update: Bolton claims their bid for Hamann is off, with Man City now a potential suitor.

Paul Canniff

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Charlton will be on the hunt for a new gaffer.

And no, Curbs, Brian Barwick will not be calling you shortly.  One step off a high cliff in one week ought to be enough.

Paul Canniff

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The footballing establishment finally catches up with reality:

Charlton boss Alan Curbishley is downbeat over his chances of succeeding Sven-Goran Eriksson as England manager.

The Football Association is reported to have interviewed the leading candidates for a second time earlier in the week but Curbishley was not among them.

Well, what is to be expected when one of your rivals is the manager who gets his side to the UEFA Cup semi-finals, gives your squad a right thrashing to advance to the FA Cup semi-finals and is within reach of passing you in the EPL table?

Paul Canniff

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Steve McClaren adds some polish to his resume with a stunning comeback for Boro that takes them to the semis of the UEFA Cup against Schalke 04.  Meanwhile, Big Sam parts with some of his own silver, as he gets dunned £2000 by the FA for publicly criticizing referee Mike Riley.

Despite Bolton’s superior place in the EPL tables over Boro, Allardyce will undoubtedly find it now an uphill battle to woo the FA search committee, while McClaren produces some remarkable international results.

And in another development in the spreading strange new respect for Alan Curbishley, one of his own players claims Curb’s lack of Euro experience should be no hindrance.  The early brown-nose always gets the insincere compliment.

Paul Canniff 

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So the Beeb tells us the blunt facts:

• The Blues and the Reds face off in the Octagon
• West Ham takes on whoever straggles out of the Boros/Addicks slapfest on April 12

But give credit to the Telly to show us what it all really means in the bigger picture.

Paul Canniff

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Two go in.  One comes out.  Nobody cares.

I hope for a Boro victory only because it might help stem the ceaseless tide of baseless claims of near-godlike powers attributed to Alan Curbishley.

UPDATE

Drawn 0-0, there will be a replay on April 12.  At least tomorrow we learn who the winner will face in the semis. No word yet as to why, at the close of play, Curbs did not subsequently circle the planet fast enough to reverse time and help Darren Bent slide that hook in past Mark Schwarzer.

Paul Canniff 

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So Alan Curbishley is courteously downplaying reports that he’s the done deal to replace Sven.

Good, because one would surmise he had a lock on it due to his winning ways in Europe: wait, that would have been Big Sam or Steve McClaren. Or maybe it was his Cinderella-like debut season: mm, that’s more a Stuart Pearce thing. Well, it had to be his apprenticeship under Cloughie. No, Martin O’Neill would have something to say about that.

Well, I’m stumped. After all, his claims couldn’t be the result of Curbs being nothing better than a self-promoting middling journeyman, could they?

But Curbs has said otherwise;

And Curbs is an honourable man.

Paul Canniff

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