It’s going to get worse for one of us
Friday 30th September 2011, 9:09AM BST.
West Brom blogger Jarrod Hill believes the meeting of two teams off the boil so far this season, the Baggies and Sunderland, could see the winner turn a corner.
I’ve had one of those weeks where I haven’t had chance to do anything other than work.
I have just got in after another hectic day and, having juggled a multitude of things, managed to spend some quality time with my daughter on her eighth birthday.
While running round like a mad man trying to balance work and play, I was flabbergasted to see the events in Munich as Carlos Tevez refused to play for Manchester City.
Words fail me, which is unfortunate for someone who writes a blog. But, no, seriously, I don’t think I can put into words the way this has made me feel.
The guy just doesn’t realise how bloody lucky he is. Firstly to have the talent he has, secondly to be paid a phenomenal amount of money to play a sport he supposedly loves, and thirdly to be at a club who can help you fulfil every single professional ambition.
The balance of power in football has increasingly slipped into the hands or should I say pockets of players, but has this week’s events proved that we are at tipping point?
I don’t particularly feel sorry for Manchester City, if you sell your soul to the devil you can expect to get burnt, I feel sorry for football as a whole.
It has served to highlight everything which is wrong with football today, the pay packets of the players, which helps form their ‘I don’t give a monkeys’ attitude.
But as a wage cap is unworkable due to European employment law, I cannot see an end or solution to it.
Anyway, back at the Hawthorns, chairman Jeremy Peace is trying to buy up more shares in our club. Or is it his club?
Peace owns 60 per cent of the club already and has bid to buy up more of the shares held by smaller shareholders.
It only amounts to an extra five per cent even if everyone decides to sell, which I don’t think they will, but it does provide further evidence that JP wants to own a larger percentage of the club.
Why? The official response is that JP wants to “tidy up” our ownership. But, again, I here you ask why? Here’s my take on it.
Due to the way our shares are currently made up, West Brom do not represent an attractive acquisition to potential buyers.
The multitude of shareholders means that any sale would involve Peace’s shares only and, the bigger his share, the easier they would be to sell.
Irrelevant of the fact we are a well-run club and continue in many aspects to punch above our weight, the make-up of ownership hinders any potential takeover.
I still believe that Peace will continue to grow his amount of shares with the intention of selling in the future. But that’s a story for another day.
Onto tomorrow’s game and, like our own boss, Steve Bruce has come under some early season pressure due to some poor results.
Sunderland have continued to spend big and, having recruited almost a whole new squad during the summer, they may be suffering from a lack of cohesion.
Let’s hope that continues tomorrow as head coach Roy Hodgson desperately needs a positive result and a good performance from his team.
Roy is a lovely fellow and his survival act last season was just what we needed at a crucial time, so I along with many fans entered into this season with high hopes.
Maybe that’s proved to be a bit of a hindrance,and maybe we should all resolve ourselves to the fact that this is going to be another relegation ‘battle royale.’ But hopefully not.
I can’t wait for the game tomorrow, in fact I can’t wait for the weekend full stop, a chance for a break away from work, while three points and a few beers would also go down nicely.
I just hope the boys can go and get the points that can relieve some of the pressure that being in the bottom three brings.
I do get the feeling that if we can put a couple of wins together we will go on to greater things.
One last thing, happy birthday Belle, Daddy loves you.
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Morning Bomber and Happy Birthday to Belle.
I was somewhat surprised to hear Hodgson saying nice words about Bruces situation at Sunderland, a word to the wise Roy , defeat at Sunderland and bad result against the Wolves , you could be looking down the barrel yourself .
Peace is a very astute businessman and i am sure gaining more shares will be good for him but is it good for the Club ??.
Tevez is a disgrace to the game i have always loved and i do wonder if this kind of behaviour alienates further working class people from our national sport ??.
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Some very good points made in the blog. There is no excuse for what Tevez has done and it makes me angry that clubs like West Ham are supposedly offeing him a way out – without obviously paying his wages. It is not good for football what Man City have done but clubs like Man Utd and Chelsea are also the same.
As you have rightly pointed out, the next two games will more than likely have a crucial bearing on Albion’s and Wolves season? With the promoted clubs doing ok, relegation is hard to call and suspect that the following are in the mix – Wigan, Swansea, Norwich, Blackburn, Sunderland, Albion and Wolves?
Just because Sunderland have signed a new team, means nothing. I suspect that if Roy Hodgson makes the right call on formation and personnel, Albion have every chance of getting a positive result!
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A very different blog to your usual one, Bomber. The links and comparisons are first class.
The majority of supporters don’t have a choice to work or not or can afford to spend most of the week on golf courses or play away. The world of football has certainly changed since the wage campaign led by the likes of Jimmy Hill and Co – players like Tevez, as you say, appear to forget how lucky they are.
Football was a working class sport, now it’s big business – supporters are just punters, expected to accept the whims of Chairmen and Boards without question. Johnny Giles has an interesting take on the game.
I’ve tried to post since Sunday but had none shown – bit like sections of our squad. Some of the senior players need to take responsibility for the lack of bottle in the last few games when they turn out tomorrow.
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4 Points from the next 3 games would represent a good return, regardless of how we play. However, I admit I would like us to “click” even if we lose to Sunderland if won’t be a disaster. And Happy birthday to belle as well.
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Morning mate,
Good blog as ever with a few thoughts to ponder.
Man City to me represent all that’s wrong with modern football. It makes a mockery of the whole competition and frankly for the good of football (and that living in Manchester, their fans irritate me), I hope it all goes Pete Tong for them.
Wage cap- you might be right about law, but something along those lines is the only workable solution IMO. How about expenditure as a proportion of turnover i.e. no set ‘cap’ as such?? They do it in rugby league and it’s far more competitive than the PL has ever been.
JP- Not sure of the details. The only objection I’d make is if he’s using the club’s money to purchase any of these shares. But beyond that, it’s a cheeky offer at worst, nobody is obliged to accept it.
I imagine it’s with a view to selling at a higher price at a later date which is the ONLY way JP makes mega££’s out of the Albion, for which a) we have to be doing well for him to make a big profit on his shares; and b) the profit margin would come from the buyer not the club, so I don’t see why so many scream blue murder whenever anything like this occurs.
To the important stuff. I’d fancy us were we playing as were last year. It’s going to click at some point. Roy’s too good and experienced a manager too ignore the disjointed performances we’ve seen. Let’s just hope it’s tomorrow. Sunderland have Bendnter upfront, a big target man, and that may well suit Olsson and McAuley.
Happy birthday to Belle. When I turned 8, I was a regular at the Hawthorns and the Albion were about to embark on an ill-fated relegation campaign. As Belle’s going to visit the Molineux shortly, let’s hope lightning strikes twice……
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must say i fear the worst tomorrow after what they did to stoke,but i shall be at roker park to cheer the lads on no matter what,we just not playing well at all,changes need to be made and quick.
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My prediction for Saturday 6-1 to us, sending Sunderland spiralling into a nightmare season that takes up a relegation spot by early December.
Re: Tevez. If one’s family is unhappy where one is living would one try anything to engineer a move away? This is REALLY hard to believe, but some things are more important than football
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Happy Birthday Belle from the other half of the Black Country !
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Nice blogg,cant really see us getting anything tomorrow the way we are playing,not scoring,leaking in goals,but you never know,as for JP if he takes full control of the club i dont see we have any future because he wont invest in new players.
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sorry happy birthday.
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only chance we stand is if he drops Shorey and brings Cech in.
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Lets hope we can achive what we did over Sunderland last season. St Pete normally has a good day against them so I’m confident.
For me Scharner is a must to start and it would be nice to see Dorrens and Brunt doing what they do best. The defence seems sorted so rarther than thinking we know we will score after they do, hopefully we will be looking to score and score only.
Albion til I die!
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Hi Jarrod,
Obviously I’m hoping the ‘turning point’ goes our way this weekend,if only to lift the mood that seems to have set in here.
I’m sure you’ve noticed that many of the regulars have been pretty quiet lately,and I’m guessing it’s down to maybe three things-
the amount of wolves fans running riot on here last month,
the problem many of us have had getting our posts on here,
and the fact that after just six league games this season,so many Albion ‘fans’ are banging on time and again with nothing but doom and gloom.
I’m pushed for time at the moment,but let’s hope for a shot of positivity around the place,after all,the sun’s shining,and we’re a premiership club,things could br a lot worse.
p.s.- birthday wishes to Belle.
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4
Bit difficult seeing as Cech doesn’t play for us anymore! D’oh!
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Happy Birthday Belle and nice one Malvern.
Blimey, an aggressive Wulfie just shot past my nose….no, it was a wasp dressed up as one!
We need a point tomorrow and I think we’ll get it. But it won’t be easy.
Ay it ‘ot ?
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happy birthday to your daughter.i hope she has a great day.its my son’s 2nd birthday on wednesday,mickey mouse has made a fortune from me!
there will be pressure on both teams tomorrow,but i would think,much more on brucie’s lot due to them being at home.they are a new team really though,they need time to gel.i hope it won’t be tomorrow.roy will get it right.
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Afternoon all, I really do not have a clue about what to predict tomorrow. They are there for taking but so are we! I think from reading between the lines on Roy’s comment on the WBA site yesterday, we are definitely going 4-4-2 as he was referring to the midfielders and said that there are only 4 places up for grabs. I do think that we miss Scharner but he is not mobile enough to play in a 4 man midfield. I am hopeful for tomorrow but not confident but we really could do with three points. And I am one of the ‘glass is half full’ posters!!!
Re Tevez, this is unfortunatley a sign of the times. Should be dropped, suspended and unpaid until January when they can get rid but the world is too soft now and that will not happen. Signifies all that is wrong with the world. But, to some extent Man City deserve everything that they are getting as they are buying mercenaries and not players. Good luck to them but I do not want to go that way.
I’ll stick with my boys, as I have done for the last 40 years, through thick and thin.
Come on you Baggies.
ps Happy Birthday Belle.
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Bromham Baggie
I agree wholeheartedly that some things are more improtant than football.
But in Tevez’s case, he chose to sign the long-term contract with City, so should face the consequences.
From what I understand of the situation, Tevez isn’t with the mother of his child, but he certainly earns enough money to engineer them being closer together, whether that be through playing in Argentina, or funding her and her family/friends to live a comfortable life in another part of the world for a short period of time.
If City release Tevez by paying up his contract or sacking him, then it sort of panders to his demands anyway as he doesn’t want to be there. Caustic as it may sound, I’d quite like to see a real slap in the face for the recent onset of player power and lack of contract significance and for City to leave him with the kids for a few months at least to teach him and others a lesson.
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The two Manchester clubs are what is wrong in football today. United seem to be above the ruling body and exempt from the off side rule (Chelsea match). City seem to be breeding players who think they are bigger than the game itself. Now, I’ve been watching the Rugby Football Union world cup, with ever increasing admiration. The referee and players have a mutual respect for each other, although the players have some right skirmishes. Referees explain to players exactly why they have been penalised, other players keep their noses out or it’s ten minutes in the sin-bin. I see Rugby football over taking football in the near future as it is a family orientated sport, with price of tickets reasonable. Fans of football are now getting cheesed off with the massive slope on the figurative professional football pitch, created by the powers that be. Powers that be, heed this warning. Right Bomber?.
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anyone fancy joining me for a pre match drink will be in the albion bout 1-30,much cheaper than in the ground.
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cant believe how Woy is building sunderland up,he did same to swansea and look what happend there,come on Woy get it together.
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No way am i selling my Baggie shares !!
I keep um well buried at the bottom of the garden where the dog has been taught to ‘go’.
Ive got loads of them. Ill keep em just in case times get really hard and i have to sell them all and buy a can of baked beans with all the proceeds. (Aldi smart price of course)
Wheres Bully ?
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Yes, No 19, a game for men and boys. We are watching the one for boys at the moment and we’re all becoming heartily sick of on-pitch behaviour. When Joey Barton was given a slap earlier this season, for Newcastle, in the Arsenal match, he went down as if he’d been hit by a 20-ton truck. We are all disgusted over the Tevez situation. It does not matter which team you support.
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Lone Wolf – at £1,500 each! You’ve never even seen such money. The last time Wolves shares were available, the whole club was sold for £1 to Jack Hayward.
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jarrod, happy birthday to your daughter. It happens to fall on the same day as my youngest daughter’s, who is 9 today.
we have to hope that Peace will manage things properly in order to keep us with a club to support, let alone anything else. he’s done good by the club so far so let’s hope that continues.
you say you don’t particularly feel sorry for man city at the moment. not too sure about that mate. did their loyal fanbase ask for the soul of their club to be sold to the devil? could somebody come and sell Albion’s soul to the devil any time soon? i hope not!
it could be worse…it could be us!
as for tomorrow, i agree with Warren at 5, i do believe we’ll click soon and hope it’s tomorrow
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20. We are playing AWAY ! Go to the Moulinex, I think they’re at home.
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On another thread Roy is vowing to find a cure to our problems.
Good, and i’m sure he will.
Enter George Thorne me thinks, this lad has to be given a chance in the Premier League, and I believe his introduction will definitely get us going.
Our performances of late have been a little flat, with some of our older pro’s seeming to be just going through the motions, an injection of youthful enthusiasm might just be the answer.
Sunderland may come to soon for him, but it has to happen!
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3 point s tommorrow, come on albion, tevez has awork permit, he’s refused to work, so off with his head, bin his visa?workpermit1 and a trip back to argentina
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I went away to Devon (not Brighton, Rocket but Westward Ho! cue hip hop type jokes.) So have only just caught up with comments on Fulham game. I was actually quite pleased at so many realistic and positive posts in amongst the knee jerkers and wasps in disguise (like that one Cyril.)
Strange day on Saturday. Got to turnstile and Stylecard wouldn’t work. Steward with machine tested it and kindly confirmed that I had paid for it so I said ‘let me in then’ only to be told that I had to go and join the queue at the ticket office to have a new card printed. Forty minutes later and I can now join the long queue to get into the ground.
I get in just in time for the minutes respect to our young player. I then find out that the elderly gentleman that sits two seats away has passed away. He was a real character and although I’ve only known him for three seasons I shall greatly miss his biased, uninformed but funny and totally hearfelt comments. A real old fashioned Baggie and future games for me will be that much poorer without him.
After all of that the poor first half registered but didn’t seem to matter as much as it would have otherwise.
Anyway on the bright side I see that Clacka has invented a new fun game for us called ‘Where’s Wally?’
PS Jarrod.
Two excellent blogs and Happy Birthday Belle.
PPS New Brosely.
I know Mickey wears a Wolverhampton Wanderers watch, is that what you bought off him?
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I am not a great Scharner fan but he probably had his best game for us up there last season. However for him to play we have to go with a 5 man midfield which served us so well last season. Unfortunately our manager seems obsessed at present with shoehorning Long into the team in a 442. I am yet to be convinced that he is anything more than a good Championship player. Still, I hope he proves me wrong tomorrow.
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21 (ashamed of real name?)-
thanks.
I claimed we have too many irritating numpties popping up on here,so you deliver a typical brainless post to prove me right.
Well done.You must be very proud of yourself.
Nice to know you’re doing something useful with your life.
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22 lonely-
so you admit to owning loads of Albion shares?
How long have we been saying you’re a closet Baggie?
I always knew you were too intelligent to be a wulf.
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(20)
Loo Loo,
Where have I heard that before?. If you like I’ll pull the chain and refresh your memory. That will flush away any left over sediment.
BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
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(22)
Odd Fellow,
Why don’t you bury the baked beans instead, by the time you need them they would be well marinated. You talk it so you might as well eat it, agree?.
BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
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18 Warren – I agree with you but it can’t happen for more than this season due to the news finance rules coming in to play next season. Having £40m or whatever he was in the squad but not being used will hurt them greatly. They will have to offload. But who want him? Will have to e a cut price I think
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26 the ALBION is the name of the pub outside sunderland ground and i will be in there,take it none of you attend away games then,just off to catch the coach,im on coach 3.
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36 shirley lulu ‘clacka’-
of course you’re always on coach 3.
That’s the special coach that’s only used for one irritating idiot,to keep him away from all the genuine fans.
I bet you’re now looking around at the other seats to see who he is?
Do you think he hasn’t turned up ?
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i wish i was going, i’ve always enjoyed away days up in the north east. but i’m finding home games hard to afford this season, let alone presenting a realistic challenge to Clacka for the Supporter of the Decade Award
i wonder where he gets his money from? perhaps it’s compensation being paid to him by the surgeon who accidentally removed his brain…
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37, As an employee of west bromwich albion(ticket office) i think you will find the reason Lulu is always on coach 3 is that coaches 1,2, 3 are reserved for genuine WBA fans who attend every game home and away,so im sure Lulu is one of them,hope i have been of some help,Thanks ticket office,
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