Off Topic Thread: Hey lurkers, post ffs!!

[fmFutbolManager]

I can't spell it so you will have to check my thread out .

Interesting challenge. Will stop by from time to time.

[McGougan33]

Right boys, help me explain ab crunches to Jake - When im doing them, just gentle ones, my head doesnt come more than 2-3 inches off the ground, and i let my stomach muscles pull me up, but i focus on the one spot on the roof, with my eyes maybe wandering an inch forward off that.

Anyone do it differently? Just remember these are beginner crunches for him.

[Ty]

I do various intense sit ups and crunches My routine would make the boy cry!

Have you explained the basics?

Lesson 1. Although sounding similar; Will not help you get abs NF. In fact, it would have the complete opposite affect.

[McGougan33]

Your routine is probably more intense than mine, given football and such like, I havent explained it in great detail, Just that the fat at the front of your stomach is from sugar etc, and how crunches work more of your muscles intensely.

P90x that **** up!

I`m going to buy a kettlebell to help with my balance as i do the side to side sit up crunches!

[SRL88]

I am officially a qualified teacher .

[Dark Demon]

I am officially a qualified teacher .

Congrats, what do you teach?

[SRL88]

Congrats, what do you teach?

PE, although I am not employed yet. I have had a couple of interviews though.

[McGougan33]

Prison Education, Nice, exactly what our youth need!

[SRL88]

And someone from Scotland seems like the perfect candidate to teach them .

[tomtuck01]

Not another Jimmy.

[SRL88]

Bit harsh on McGougan.

[Cleon]

Gerard Deulofeu has signed a new four-year deal with FC Barcelona including a buyout clause worth €35m. Big season for him next year imo.

Him, Messi and Neymar next year then. That front line is scary.

Anyone who can't get their head around the Falcao to Monaco deal should have a read of this, explains it perfect;

http://www.reddit.com/r/soccer/comments/1e8ncw/explaining_the_falcao_move_to_monaco/

[Cleon]

Not another Jimmy.

Nah he's another Paul. Funny how SRL also had laptop trouble and needed a new one....

[SRL88]

Nah he's another Paul. Funny how SRL also had laptop trouble and needed a new one....

If you weren't a mod you would be on a years break

[McGougan33]

And someone from Scotland seems like the perfect candidate to teach them .

I`m a waiter mate, i only hand out lollipops..... Thought id beat tucker to that one!

[tomtuck01]

Nah he's another Paul. Funny how SRL also had laptop trouble and needed a new one....

Going to get arrested soon enough. They said they were "waiting on a part", which was clearly code for "we've found some indecent images and sent it off to the police".

Enjoy prison SRL, don't bend over in the showers.

[SRL88]

Disgusting Thomas, disgusting.

[tomtuck01]

Accurate Steven, accurate.

[RTHerringbone]

City certainly put the "jerk" in "kneejerk".

I've never rated Mancini but feel a tiny bit sorry for him.

If you look at City's performances, a lot of big name players have a lot to answer for.

Egos galore in that dressing room.

[tomtuck01]

The problem in the dressing room was Mancini. And I know that for a fact.

[Animosama]

The problem in the dressing room was Mancini. And I know that for a fact.

How do you know that ? Are you a man city player ?

[RTHerringbone]

The problem in the dressing room was Mancini. And I know that for a fact.

I guess he came across as petulant and a bit emotional.

The various Balotelli incidents and the way he directly criticised his own players in the press (Nasri for one), will have ruffled a few feathers.

[Cleon]

How do you know that ? Are you a man city player ?

No but one of his best friends is

[SRL88]

Could you have been awake any earlier Cleon?

[Cleon]

Could you have been awake any earlier Cleon?

Been up since half 1

[SRL88]

I don't know how you function on such little sleep pretty much every day.

[Cleon]

I don't know how you function on such little sleep pretty much every day.

I don't, well not really. A lot of days I have a constant really bad headache. No energy and rather lethargic a lot of days. I guess you learn to cope with it after a while though. But it is really ******.

[tomtuck01]

How do you know that ? Are you a man city player ?

What Cleon said, clever cloggs.

[SRL88]

I don't, well not really. A lot of days I have a constant really bad headache. No energy and rather lethargic a lot of days. I guess you learn to cope with it after a while though. But it is really ******.

Yeah I get that you get used to a sleep pattern, but you don't sleep .

[Cleon]

I tend to do a lot of reading or writing when I'm awake. I find that is good for relaxing me. Although I started writing the other night and really wish I'd not because its becoming far too big and what was initially going to be a 3 part mini series (FM related) as now turned into an 8 article project of kinds and I'm still not finished ffs.

[RTHerringbone]

What keeps you up Cleon (lack of sleep-wise, not sexually)?

Tom - any name dropping likely for your "Football Friend"?

First teamer or squad player?

[Cleon]

What keeps you up Cleon (lack of sleep-wise, not sexually)?

Tom - any name dropping likely for your "Football Friend"?

First teamer or squad player?

Toms modest so I'll name drop for him James Milner

As for why I don't sleep, I've had issues sleeping since I turned about 24. After an hours sleep (maybe 2 and a half on a really good day) I'll wake up and not be able to go to sleep again until the next day. Even sleeping tablets don't work. Had loads of tests done etc but its something that can't be fixed

[RTHerringbone]

Toms modest so I'll name drop for him James Milner

As for why I don't sleep, I've had issues sleeping since I turned about 24. After an hours sleep (maybe 2 and a half on a really good day) I'll wake up and not be able to go to sleep again until the next day. Even sleeping tablets don't work. Had loads of tests done etc but its something that can't be fixed

Interesting about Tom's mate.

Milner is one of a few at City (including Hart, Kompany and Zabaleta) who I think actually care and put in appropriate effort.

That sleeping issue sounds cack.

My posting times reveal that I'm up at funky o'clock with our new baby at the moment, but that's just one hour in the middle of the night.

That still leaves me a bit off the pace, so you must feel pretty ropey, can't be nice

[Cleon]

Interesting about Tom's mate.

Milner is one of a few at City (including Hart, Kompany and Zabaleta) who I think actually care and put in appropriate effort.

That sleeping issue sounds cack.

My posting times reveal that I'm up at funky o'clock with our new baby at the moment, but that's just one hour in the middle of the night.

That still leaves me a bit off the pace, so you must feel pretty ropey, can't be nice

She still getting you up then? Won't be long though before you get her into a proper routine will it?

[SRL88]

As for why I don't sleep, I've had issues sleeping since I turned about 24.

I didn't know you had the problem for 20 odd years

[Cleon]

I didn't know you had the problem for 20 odd years

I'm not 44 you cheeky ****er!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[RTHerringbone]

She still getting you up then? Won't be long though before you get her into a proper routine will it?

She's 5 weeks old, so just the year or so to go until I get a proper night's sleep!

To be fair she's great so far. I usually get up at 1-2am, and my wife at 4-5am.

Last night for some reason I had to do both sessions, haven't quite worked that out yet.....

[fmFutbolManager]

Mancini going was no surprise at all. He never controlled the dressing room. It was only a matter of time. I don't think winning the FA Cup would have saved him either, to be honest.

Twitter has erupted and City fans seem to be outraged at the decision of the board (judging by SSN interviews and twitter). But I feel like over at Chelsea, the fans would rather the billionaire owners stay and do what they like with the managers.

As for why I don't sleep, I've had issues sleeping since I turned about 24. After an hours sleep (maybe 2 and a half on a really good day) I'll wake up and not be able to go to sleep again until the next day. Even sleeping tablets don't work. Had loads of tests done etc but its something that can't be fixed

Have you ever been tested for vitamin D deficiency?

[RTHerringbone]

It would be enormously funny if City somehow swiped Mourinho from under the noses of Chelsea.

I know it won't happen, but it would be so, so funny.

I heard somewhere rumours of Fabregas to United? Anything in that?

[Cleon]

Mancini going was no surprise at all. He never controlled the dressing room. It was only a matter of time. I don't think winning the FA Cup would have saved him either, to be honest.

Twitter has erupted and City fans seem to be outraged at the decision of the board (judging by SSN interviews and twitter). But I feel like over at Chelsea, the fans would rather the billionaire owners stay and do what they like with the managers.

Have you ever been tested for vitamin D deficiency?

Aye its not that though

If Roberto Martinez leaves Wigan at the end of the season, Alan Pardew will be the 3rd longest serving manager in the PL on 2 yrs, 155 days.

[Cleon]

It would be enormously funny if City somehow swiped Mourinho from under the noses of Chelsea.

I know it won't happen, but it would be so, so funny.

I heard somewhere rumours of Fabregas to United? Anything in that?

I think the Barca fans have turned on him from what I've read.

[SRL88]

i'm not 44 you cheeky ****er!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:) .

[tomtuck01]

Mancini going was no surprise at all. He never controlled the dressing room.

How do you mean?

[fmFutbolManager]

How do you mean?

Just a few examples: Bringing Tevez and Balotelli back after stating they would never play for the club again. Shows a lack of authority. His own players publicly criticizing his tactics, more recently his insistence to swap to a back three. I believe it was Kompany that was questioning it. His often criticized authoritarian management style. How everything is out in the open, his criticizing of players, and the players criticising of the manager. Nothing was kept behind closed doors and handled properly, e.g., criticizing Nasri and claiming he wanted to punch him or the public spat via interviews between him and Hart after the Madrid defeat.

These are just a few things that are reported by ex-players and/or seen via interviews with current players and him, which would lead me to conclude he doesn't control the dressing room, despite his best efforts.

Would you agree?

[tomtuck01]

Well, no. You said he never controlled the dressing room yet only name instancees from the past 18 months. Whatabout the previous two years?

Also bringing Tevez and Balotelli back are actually signs of good management as he identified the fact that he made a mistake in the moment by saying what he did.

[Cleon]

I think it was the owners who brought Tevez back as it was a bad investment for them if they were to ever get any money back for him. Or to stop the club looking like a laughing stock. Although I did see quotes from Mancini saying if the player apologised he could return and it all be forgotten about. I think that shows actual strength as a manager because he is commanding respect from the player and able to show forgiveness.

[RTHerringbone]

I think interpretations of Mancini's tenure are generally fairly subjective, unless you have sufficient sneaky inside info.....

What is without question is that City, under Mancini's stewardship, spent a load and reaped the rewards with two major trophies.

What is also arguably without question is that internal politics at City regularly spilled over into the public eye.

Some of that I personally feel was directly as a result of Mancini's demeanour (public brawl with Balotelli for one), and could/should have been avoided.

Clearly the two Spanish guys at City have a lot of power and it's quite a ruthless performance appraisal from them.

It is all well and good setting targets, but particularly in sporting environments it's a bit simplistic to track achievements in this way.

Ultimately I feel it was the Champions League performance, albeit it in a very hard group, that sealed Mancini's fate.

The Premier League is a tough league too, but I think City expected to see signs of progress in Europe, and they didn't.

[fmFutbolManager]

Well, no. You said he never controlled the dressing room yet only name instancees from the past 18 months. Whatabout the previous two years?

Also bringing Tevez and Balotelli back are actually signs of good management as he identified the fact that he made a mistake in the moment by saying what he did.

I expected your reply would be to the contrary of anything I said, but some would argue that it sends the wrong message to the players. From personal experience, if an authoritative figure set an example of what is and isn't acceptable within the workplace, only to go back on the punishment, it shows there's a lack of discipline and that there's room to maneuver within the rules set.

However, with this being said I'm just a football fan. I'm not a manager, a professional player or anyone that claims to have any in-depth knowledge of the insides of football. It's purely my opinion based on what I've seen on the TV, interviews with players and ex-players and reports from those inside the game.

Each to their own.

[tomtuck01]

Still haven't come up any instances of him "not controlling the dressing room" from his first two years at the club.........

On another point, what exactly did Carlos Tevez do? Please, I'm dying to hear this.

[Cleon]

The Balotelli incident wasn't public was it? I thought it happened in a closed training session but someone from the media somehow got in and took pictures? Then they made it public.

I think Mancini's downfall was he never really had the backing of the board, every season it felt like he would get sacked if they had bad results. You never got the feeling his job was secure and someone was always linked. Guardiola, Capello, Mourinho all last season linked with the job even though he won the league. Plus despite what others have claimed in this thread, he is tactically inept and can't turn games around because he has no plan b. This is why he was sacked. Oh and the fact they lost De Jong and never replaced him was a massive error by whoever made that decision. Everything is fine when your front 3 are on fire and can't stop scoring. When they have bad patches though results suffer and this is how a real manager is judged, how he turns it around and gets goals from other areas. Something all the top level managers can do.

I think Mancini is good though he's just not suited to England. He is better suited to Italy where he is loved and adored.