Turnip For The Books
‘IT would good to say that Real Madrid’s defeat in the semi-finals of the Champions’ League is good for football competitiveness.
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| He’s even got the shirt on the wrong way round |
No-one, save fans of the winning club, likes to see the same victors year on year.
But, as the Times reports, the Madrilenos lost to Juventus, themselves one of the richest teams around.
That 4-3 aggregate victory for the Old Lady of European football sets up an all-Italian final with AC Milan at Old Trafford.
This, or course, was not how it was supposed to be. And while we look to next year and hope that a British team can go all the way in the continent’s premier contest, we hear news of Aston Villa.
Villa are about as far removed as you can get from winning the Champions’ League, especially since they are now without a manager.
Yes, folks, Graham Taylor has left the Birmingham club – and he’s got a few words to say.
Asked if changes were necessary at the club he has now managed for two spells, Taylor told the Independent: ”I believe so. The structure has to be looked at on and off the field, people have to be able to look at themselves and say it’s time for a change.”
Without naming names, that sounds like a dig at the Villa chairman, Doug Ellis. And that’s a cue for the Indy to list the 11 men who have taken charge of Deadly Doug’s club.
As it is, few Villa fans will lament the loss of so dull a manager as Taylor, whose way with words could turn the most beautiful poetry into a work of plodding tripe.
A bit of hype doesn’t hurt the morale of the man in the stands.
And so we turn to the Telegraph and news that Tony Blair is ready to support a British bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games.
London is tipped to get the Government’s nod to start preparations for a bid.
And the news is that we’ll be up against the French, as President Jacques Chirac puts his weight behind Paris.
The only downside is that Londoners will have to pay for the honour of having their city overrun by even more tourists, as a ”special” tax prepares to take hold.
But since we are unlikely to win the race, Londoners can spend their cash on something else – like a one-way ticket out of here.
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Posted: 15th, May 2003 | In: Back pages Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
