Welcome Roberto Di Matteo and Steve Clarke

[robbo1874]

"filho/filha do/da puta" is a general expletive in the Portuguese language, a bit like FFS or son of a bitch is in ours. I don't think she was wrong to take offence though.

A 'general' expletive? Calling one's mother a whore? Really?

I will let Rudy comment on the Portuguese but in French calling someone a 'fils/fille de pute" is almost as bad as calling someone  a 'c***' in English.

Yes really. You can stub your toe alone and say filho da puta. It doesn't necessarily have to be directed at a person..

True but when it is you can hardly complain if you get punched in the face. It really depends how it's said. Even said jokingly amongst friends you're on wobbly ground. It's far more offensive than 'son of a bitch', as BE said, it's more 'son of a prostitute/whore'. As the Portuguese love their mothers so much, it's pretty much the most offensive thing you can say to somebody.

disagree a bit with this. It's the British way to greet friends or close acquantancies offensively. I used to work in hackney at the council and there was a lad there, villa fan from Northampton, who used to cheerily greet me of a morning: alright you ******? Here in aus, the locals don't get it so much, but the poms are very forthcoming with 'friendly' insults. It doesn't bother me and never will. Can see how some may be offended though.

[Stirchley Villain]

There's a good article about our new goalkeeping coach from a few years back in the Guardian. Gives an idea on how he likes his keepers to be aggressive in dominating the box


I think that's been a massive weakness with us, keepers not commanding and communicating enough

See also:

- throw-ins

- movement off the ball at set pieces

On the ball at set pieces too.

[Ads]

Throw ins has been an issue, Steve Sidwell ball boy aside for what seems like the past 20 years!

[Chris Jameson]

Throw ins has been an issue, Steve Sidwell ball boy aside for what seems like the past 20 years!

Under Lambert I saw for the first time in my lifetime of watching football two foul throw ins from the same team when we played Hull City at the KC.

[Clampy]

Throw ins has been an issue, Steve Sidwell ball boy aside for what seems like the past 20 years!

Under Lambert I saw for the first time in my lifetime of watching football two foul throw ins from the same team when we played Hull City at the KC.

Was that the last game before he got the boot?

[Chris Jameson]

Throw ins has been an issue, Steve Sidwell ball boy aside for what seems like the past 20 years!

Under Lambert I saw for the first time in my lifetime of watching football two foul throw ins from the same team when we played Hull City at the KC.

Was that the last game before he got the boot?

No, think it was 2013-14 season.

[peter w]

To be fair if you watch any game - especially the top flight - you will find foul throws in every single game. not just minor infringements either but really poor shoddy foul throws that the referees or linesmen just let go. Annoys me no end.

[old man villa fan]

Does no one find it strange that there hasn't been an interview with the new manager yet?

Not really, it'll probably be a joint press conference with the new owner once takeover is clarified.

That has been my presumption too. But I'm getting a trifle impatient.

I would love to know, in the eventuality (however small a chance) he doesnt pass the fit and proper test, does Di Matteo and team stay? If the arrangement is that they do, Why hold off with an interview? even a telephone interview or press release on the official site would help whet the appetite and maybe coax in some more ST sales.

Seems an awful waste of potential positive PR for a negative/beaten down fanbase...

It would be a very guarded interview, to the point of not be able to answer any questions.

[mike]

Going back to the issue of us thinking Culverhouse and Karsa would be a good backroom team, I re-read an old article which made a big deal of Gabby and others not liking their training methods. Now, I'd find it hard to believe they got sacked for asking him to do a bit of training and cut down on the pies, as I suspect they would have gone to a tribunal (or whatever recourse they had). However, it makes you realise there may have been a bit more of two sides to the story than we thought. As far as I'm aware, it's never really been disclosed what went on.

[ChicagoLion]

Going back to the issue of us thinking Culverhouse and Karsa would be a good backroom team, I re-read an old article which made a big deal of Gabby and others not liking their training methods. Now, I'd find it hard to believe they got sacked for asking him to do a bit of training and cut down on the pies, as I suspect they would have gone to a tribunal (or whatever recourse they had). However, it makes you realise there may have been a bit more of two sides to the story than we thought. As far as I'm aware, it's never really been disclosed what went on.

the fact they were suspended then fired without compensation is a clue though.

[Malandro]

Going back to the issue of us thinking Culverhouse and Karsa would be a good backroom team, I re-read an old article which made a big deal of Gabby and others not liking their training methods. Now, I'd find it hard to believe they got sacked for asking him to do a bit of training and cut down on the pies, as I suspect they would have gone to a tribunal (or whatever recourse they had). However, it makes you realise there may have been a bit more of two sides to the story than we thought. As far as I'm aware, it's never really been disclosed what went on.

the fact they were suspended then fired without compensation is a clue though.

I'd hate to imagine what a BBC employee would need to do to get that treatment

[brian green]

Saying he liked football on Radio 3 would probably do it.

[Percy McCarthy]

Going back to the issue of us thinking Culverhouse and Karsa would be a good backroom team, I re-read an old article which made a big deal of Gabby and others not liking their training methods. Now, I'd find it hard to believe they got sacked for asking him to do a bit of training and cut down on the pies, as I suspect they would have gone to a tribunal (or whatever recourse they had). However, it makes you realise there may have been a bit more of two sides to the story than we thought. As far as I'm aware, it's never really been disclosed what went on.

the fact they were suspended then fired without compensation is a clue though.

I'd hate to imagine what a BBC employee would need to do to get that treatment

Post an attractive picture of Birmingham on their website.

[Villa in Denmark]

Going back to the issue of us thinking Culverhouse and Karsa would be a good backroom team, I re-read an old article which made a big deal of Gabby and others not liking their training methods. Now, I'd find it hard to believe they got sacked for asking him to do a bit of training and cut down on the pies, as I suspect they would have gone to a tribunal (or whatever recourse they had). However, it makes you realise there may have been a bit more of two sides to the story than we thought. As far as I'm aware, it's never really been disclosed what went on.

the fact they were suspended then fired without compensation is a clue though.

I'd hate to imagine what a BBC employee would need to do to get that treatment

Post an attractive picture of Birmingham on their website.

Only if not accompanied by a none too subtle, sarcastic "yes but it's still Birmingham which is obviously shit" kind of commentary.

[mike]

Going back to the issue of us thinking Culverhouse and Karsa would be a good backroom team, I re-read an old article which made a big deal of Gabby and others not liking their training methods. Now, I'd find it hard to believe they got sacked for asking him to do a bit of training and cut down on the pies, as I suspect they would have gone to a tribunal (or whatever recourse they had). However, it makes you realise there may have been a bit more of two sides to the story than we thought. As far as I'm aware, it's never really been disclosed what went on.

the fact they were suspended then fired without compensation is a clue though.

Which is sort of what I said in my original post. But, to mangle the relevance of a quotation, history is written by the victors. I'm sure they did something 'wrong', but how much was it all exacerbated by working with a bunch of lazy, arrogant twats. Or maybe Gabby was the good guy in all of this.