Rob Ridgway's "Rat Pack"

[tenthreeleader]

Rob isn't ... and hopefully Kate isn't either ..

___

Friday, September 5

Newcastle

The northeast has a reputation for poor weather – in fact, vast swaths of England have that reputation – but today’s travel was good even if the day started a bit sadly.

I saw Patty off to Heathrow this morning for her trip back to Venice before catching a puddle-jumper for Newcastle myself.

She isn’t thrilled about going – and I’m not thrilled about her going by herself – but she needs to make the trip as much for her own peace of mind as anything else. So she left early, to stay with friends for a weekend away from new pressures at home.

I saw Patty to the jetway and as I headed back, I saw Kate and her husband walking in the opposite direction. Evidently Patty and Peter McGuire were on the same flight. I should have figured on that.

I did a 180-degree turn and beat both of them to the ticket counter. I spoke to the employee there and asked if she could tell me where people were sitting on the plane.

“I don’t want my wife sitting near a man named Peter McGuire,” I said. “They are traveling for a trial and they are involved on opposite sides. I didn’t know they were on the same flight and this needs to happen. Can you do this?”

“I don’t know,” she said, which worried me. “The seats are reserved.” She checked her manifest.

“They aren’t next to each other,” she said.

“How close?” I asked.

“A few rows,” the woman answered, as Kate and McGuire arrived behind me.

“Thank you,” I said, and turned directly into them.

“I see they’ll serve anybody at these counters,” McGuire said bitterly. “Stand aside.”

“When I’m damn good and ready,” I snarled, to Kate’s growing expression of horror. “I’m sure you’ve figured out that Patty’s on that plane too and I expect you to stay away from her.”

“I’m not going anywhere near her,” he replied.

“That’s true,” Kate added, now joining the conversation. “You aren’t.”

# # #

I did stand aside, of course, and he boarded the flight. I sent Patty a quick text message in warning. Her two-word reply – “Oh, s**t” – didn’t make me feel any better.

McGuire barely made the flight. The plane rose into the air and I was left to go to the opposite end of the airport to await my flight to Newcastle. I stood next to Kate.

“Sorry you had to see that,” I said, picking up my own carry bags. “I’m due on a flight to Newcastle now so please excuse me.”

“May I walk with you?” she asked. “I think it’s time we talked about a few things.”

“Suit yourself,” I said. “I just need a few answers.”

So off we walked. “You did give him quite a bit of trouble, you know,” she said.

“I’d expect you to defend your husband,” I answered. “Yet, when the police asked me who knew my private e-mail address and could have given it to Paul Marsley, and since he had bragged about knowing your husband to my face in Padua, it really wasn’t a difficult connection to make. He is now going to Venice to explain himself and quite frankly I think he ought to explain himself. I’d be interested to read his testimony.”

“But Rob, don’t you think it’s time to stop all the bickering?” she asked.

“Sure,” I replied. “But you might remember that I didn’t start it. He wrote that first silly, juvenile letter to me last year all but accusing me of trying to get you into bed. He was the one who sent me the pictures from your home using an anonymous return address. He was the aggressor, Kate. And I plan to be the one who finishes this argument. When he wants to come to me and admit he was wrong to start it, I’ll listen.”

“You just want him to surrender.”

I stopped walking and looked at her. “Yes, Kate, I do. That’s exactly what I want. I didn’t do anything to deserve being treated in the way he treated me, I had no plans to entertain the kind of relationship with you that he had with my wife, and above all I didn’t go around handing out your personal contact information for the purposes of criminal harassment!”

“Rob, he didn’t do that!” she said, now speaking sharply. “And you know it!”

“Kate, I know no such thing,” I answered. “And believe me, I would much rather not have to speak to you in this manner. But I know no such thing! I have your word on it, which I would love to trust, and I have his word. Unfortunately, your husband has proven to me that I can’t trust him any further than I can throw him. You know what I mean?”

“I asked you to call off the dogs on him,” she said. “Right now, things are strained, I have three kids to look after and the last thing I need is you putting even more strain on my marriage.”

“Kate, the strain on your marriage is not my fault,” I said, as we resumed walking. “But you did say in one of your notes that if I ever loved you I should call off the dogs. I will tell you this – I did love you deeply the last time I lived here. Part of me still does and part of me always will. But I have an obligation to tell the truth when the police ask me to tell it. If that means it makes trouble for your husband, that’s what it means.”

I turned onto a different concourse and she followed me. “Patty and I are victims, Kate,” I added. “She damned nearly died from this, and I wound up with some nutcase waving a knife at me trying to settle a score because Patty didn’t die. I won’t tolerate that. I can’t tolerate that. If they ask me for the truth, I have to tell them what I know.”

Now she reached out and grabbed my arm, squeezing it tightly.

“I am telling you,” she said. “He didn’t do it. And I’m telling you this as someone who loved you. I want you to get some peace too, so you can live your life. I want you to be happy.”

Her voice trailed off, and then she looked straight into my eyes.

“And, I want you to be able to trust me again.”

# # #

[Marchie]

Dramatic.... Let's hope nothing bad happen again.

[copperhorse21]

And let's hope nothing stops him from getting to Croft Park. I need him to give me his advice...

[tenthreeleader]

Copper, my friend, as they say, be careful what you wish for! Marchie, thanks as always for your comments ... they are always appreciated!

___

I pulled the rental car into the visitors’ parking area at Croft Park, just a couple of miles off the water northeast of Newcastle. After a bit of travel, I was a bit thirsty and decided to relax with a beverage while adjusting to my new surroundings.

The “Social Club” is a focal point for all things Blyth Spartans, so I figured it would be a good place to patronize even though I entered wearing Reading colors. Hopeful that the relations between fans on Tyneside and in Berkshire weren’t horrible, I seated myself and a comely young thing approached to take my drink order.

“Newcastle would be lovely,” I smiled, and after a moment of surprise as she recognized my club logo, she complied with my request.

She appeared with the ale, and I leaned back in my chair, closing my eyes for a moment. I then got the feeling that I wasn’t alone.

I opened my eyes to see that my hunch was correct. A man had seated himself opposite me at the table and, like my waitress, made a careful inspection of the logo on the jacket I now thought might be a bit too conspicuous.

“You’re a long way from home,” the man said.

“As a matter of fact, yes,” I said disarmingly, realizing that he had neither asked to be seated nor inquired if I minded some company. “I’m Rob Ridgway, Reading’s manager. I’m in town to see Copper Horse. Do you know if he’d be in the offices yet today?”

“I know who you are,” he said. “Thanks to the television, the whole bloody country knows who you are. As for Horse, I don’t know why you’d bother,” he said. “He’s made a proper balls-up of this club.”

“That’s a bit steep,” I said.

“It’s true,” he answered. “I know first hand.”

He stuck out his hand. “But I’ve lost my manners. Fenton’s my name,” he said. “Graham Fenton.”

# # #

He offered to tell me his story, and realizing that I couldn’t cut him loose from the conversation without causing offense, I listened.

“I was assistant manager when Harry Dunn ran the club,” he said, pulling from a pint as he spoke. “Legend. Then he’s gone and that sod took over. We didn’t see eye to eye – I wanted to run a football club and he wanted to throw tantrums when we lost – which was all the time.”

“I heard results didn’t go so well at first,” I said.

He leaned forward. “It was a bloody miracle we missed the drop and I tell you, it wasn’t due to his brilliance.”

Unfortunately, my waitress then arrived with a second Newcastle that I hadn’t ordered, and the conversation continued. “Cheers,” he said, indicating that he had paid for it.

He went on. “Did anybody tell you about the time he snuck into Croft Park and destroyed his own technical area with his bare hands? I tell you, that bugger’s a lunatic.”

“Managers have odd ways of dealing with stress,” I admitted.

“Look, I know you’re a Yank and you’re going to defend him because he’s a Yank too,” he said. If the word he used for my nationality didn’t start with a “Y”, I expect he’d have spit out the word. “But he’s been horrible for this club and when you stack Blyth up against other clubs our size, we just shouldn’t be where we are.”

“Haven’t you been getting better lately?” I asked.

"Should have happened long, long ago."

I had heard people like Fenton spouting off before, in changing rooms all over England, Scotland, parts of Europe and the United States. In football, as in life, disaffected people never seem to go away. They just get more and more bitter.

“And the senior squad,” he moaned. “Good Lord, what he did to that. He cut £300,000 right off the top of the wage bill. And he didn’t cut dead wood, either – he sacked veteran players with a history at the club and in the community. For what? More bloody lost matches? And now he’s bringing in Scottish coaches. Maybe because no one on our side of the border will have the first thing to do with him.”

“Look, I understand you’re upset,” I began. Suddenly I simply wanted to leave.

“I’m not upset, I’m angry,” he said. “I can’t wait to see him fall because it’s going to happen as sure as you and I are sitting here.”

“It happens to all managers,” I said. “As sure as you and I are sitting here.”

“I love Blyth Spartans,” he said. “At least you spent some time playing for the club you manage, so you know what I’m talking about. He didn’t. I’ll have my day. That I promise.”

I drained my ale and stood up, putting more money down on the table. “Thank you for the conversation,” I said. “But I’m due at the club offices.”

“Do me a favor,” he said, and at that point I’d have done just about anything he asked just to get away from the table. “Tell him what I told you just now. Word for word.”

# # #

[tenthreeleader]

Finally, the logo on my jacket was put to more positive use as I entered the club offices of Blyth Spartans AFC.

"Hello, you must be Rob Ridgway," the vivacious lady behind the reception desk said as I entered. She stood to greet me and we shook hands.

"That news seems to be getting around town," I smiled. "Glad to meet you."

"I'm Robin, Copper's wife," she said. "And, less importantly, I’m also his personal assistant, so I get to be the first to welcome you to Blyth."

"I wish I could say you were the first," I said. "I got accosted in the Social Club when I stopped for refreshment. I guess I should have come here first."

"Let me guess. Fenton," she sighed.

"You guessed it," I said. "I'm not going to ask whether you know him, I know you do."

"Better than either Copper or I would like," she said. "Anyway, that doesn't matter now. I'll let him know you're here." She disappeared into the office area and moments later returned alongside her husband.

“Rob, great to have you here – let me officially welcome you to Blyth," he said, as we shook hands. "Come on back to the office. Let's talk."

I thanked Robin again for her kindness and retreated to Copper's inner sanctum. I saw an actual copper horse mounted as his nameplate on the office wall and he caught me looking at it.

"That was a gift from my Chairman," he said. "Isn't it awesome?"

I agreed, and accepted the offered chair across from his desk. "Well, what did Fenton say to you?" he asked.

"I don't think it's a good idea to repeat it," I said.

"Let me guess," my host offered. "I'm a horrible manager who's running the club into the ground. Did you know we went twenty matches without a win?"

I nodded. "I didn't care to hear it all," I said.

"Well, he's made it real clear to me what he thinks about me after every match we haven't won," he said. "Among other things I've learned, I guess."

"He said for me to tell you that he can't wait to see you fall because he'll be there to pick up the pieces," I said.

"He's been saying that since the day I threw him out of this room, right past where you're sitting," he said. "I have more important things to worry about than him."

I couldn't resist. "Well, then why did you ask?" I said.

"Morbid curiosity," he grinned. "But I did invite you here for a much better reason."

"Do tell."

"I hoped you might share with me some of your philosophies that helped get you to the top flight – both as a player and a manager." he said. "I believe we're turning things around here but I could use your perspective too. I'm a collaborator by nature. I just need to trust the person with whom I collaborate. You're not directly involved, you're an American, and you've successfully achieved what I hope I can do as a manager some day in the future. Would you mind?"

"Of course not," I answered. "But you know what they say about opinions and what they're like. Everybody has one."

"Well, I think all of us could benefit from your opinion," he said. "And if you don't mind, I'd be especially happy if you'd speak to the players before our match."

I hadn't planned on that. "They're your players, Copper," I said. "They need to listen to you a lot more than they would ever need to listen to me."

"I'll still do my teamtalk, but sometimes young players need to dream a little bit,” he answered. “Having a Premiership manager talk to them pre-game might make it more real for them. You know, sort of like all teams dream of playing at Wembley?"

I thought it through. "Only if I'm not in the way," I said. "If your media gets word of it, and you don't win, it'd just cause trouble."

"I've already made plenty of mistakes. I'm willing to risk another. Besides, I have faith that our players will respond well," he said simply. "Unlike some people."

# # #

My phone rang as I lay in bed in my Newcastle hotel. Patty was checking in.

“How was your flight, honey?” I asked.

“Well, he kept his distance,” she reported. “I just don’t understand what some people are thinking, though – why would he be on the same flight as me with the known history we have?”

“I’m just glad he didn’t approach you,” I said.

“Well, he passed me a few times on his way to the restroom,” she said. “I wondered why he kept doing that, but each time he passed he’d give me a dirty look.”

“You know why he was doing it,” I said. “You know it as well as I do.”

She mulled over my words for a minute. “Well, I’m with friends here in Venice and he doesn’t know where to find me,” she said.

“Can you check with the court to make sure you aren’t on the same flight home?” I asked.

“I’ll try,” she said. “I just don’t want anything to do with him, Rob. You know that.”

# # #

[Goofus]

Nice one putting Fenton and Copper in. Its little things like these that make these stories great.

[Spav]

Just a note to thank you for continuing to provide us with this excellent reading material (no pun intended).

[O\'Hara_fan]

This has basically got two of my favourite stories combined. Brilliant sir, really brilliant. Great reading updates after me being ill earlier this week.

Oh, and you could have just asked me, I could have kept a spare bed, wouldn't have to pay for a hotel

[tenthreeleader]

Gentlemen, thank you for your kindness. I should say this - all the dialogue between Copper Horse and Rob was approved by Copperhorse21. The idea for this originated in the initial posting of Calcio on the old message board where I mentioned Rob being the first American to manage in Europe. That drew a reply on the board from Copper, who mentioned tongue-in-cheek (and also correctly) that chronologically he was first. So I wrote the "e-mail" exchange from Rob to Copper into Calcio and that got the writers to talking. Copper has been a great sport about it and we both decided a little mixing of characters might be fun. It was fun for me to write a Graham Fenton segment and hopefully add a little bit to "Pilgrimage" -- a story that I, like many on these boards, admire greatly.

___

Saturday, September 6

Blyth

This may have been just what the doctor ordered. Today was a fun day, for a variety of reasons.

Copper had told me to show up at his house for breakfast instead of eating the hotel’s continental version. Not wishing to be unsociable, I did, arriving at 7:45.

When I got to their place, I soon found out why Copper had been so insistent. Robin had prepared a magnificent breakfast that proved beyond a shadow of a doubt why he was right to have said it was a better idea.

We spent an unhurried hour talking about our situations and lives in general. They’ve been through quite a bit to give Copper his chance to manage and made sacrifices for each other that Patty and I could only imagine.

I spent my time growing in admiration for their willingness to simply do what is necessary – which too many people won’t do nowadays, instead preferring to have their lives gifted to them. I also marveled at Robin’s obvious devotion to, and partnership with, her husband.

“She’s not afraid to get in there and tell me what she thinks,” Copper observed, as I stuffed a forkful into my mouth.

“Or tell you what you ought to think,” she teased.

“Do you talk about football like that?” I asked.

“Sometimes,” Robin said. “Match items I of course leave to Copper but sometimes he needs a little help reading people. I’m good at that so I help him.”

“What about Patty?” Copper asked. “Is she like that for you?”

“Occasionally,” I said. “Patty keeps her own counsel most of the time, though. There are times when she’s really helped me but I think part of her doesn’t want me to think she’s interfering.”

“For someone who loves her husband, it’s not interfering,” Robin explained. “You’re a team just like we are. Well, for a team to work as intended, sometimes the captain has to speak plainly to the manager.”

I thought her words through carefully even as we shared a smile. Is Patty my true “captain”? I quickly realized that in many ways, she is.

# # #

“All right, fellows, let me have your attention.”

Copper stood in the center of his changing room at Croft Park, every inch the man in charge. Things have been going better for his team of late and that does tend to transform a senior squad.

“I thought it might be fun for you to hear from someone different today,” he said. “Everyone in this room wants to be better. We want promotion, and we want the better things the game has to offer. We want these things for ourselves and for our club. Lately, we’ve done many of the things we need to do improve. I keep telling you that no one is going to hand you anything, and you’ve listened.”

“Today,” he went on, “I want you to meet someone who has done those things, and he’s done it without the handouts some people seem to demand nowadays. He’s the only American manager in the Premiership and he’s got his team in third place in the top flight. He knows a little bit about how to get to the top and I’ve asked him to talk with you before the match. Rob Ridgway is here now to speak to you. Rob?”

I had been waiting in the hallway and on Copper’s introduction, entered his changing room. The eyes of all the young players gravitated toward me immediately, and the veterans tried their best to look nonplussed.

“Good morning, fellows,” I began. “Thanks to Copper for his introduction and for the invitation to visit you today. I’m looking forward to seeing what you can do.”

At that, the young players puffed up a little bit, and I could see it. I saw several players who I knew to have been scouted by Reading so I had to be extremely careful what I said. They looked back at me intently, knowing full well who I was and what I represented. I knew for a certainty that Gareth Southgate would surely learn of the talk so I had to go out of my way to avoid saying anything that would open me up to a tampering charge.

“I’ve learned a few things in sixteen years as an active player and during my time in management,” I said. “One of those things is that you can’t ever be afraid to chase a dream. You wouldn’t be in this room today if you didn’t think there was better out there for yourselves, and you deserve all the credit in the world for chasing after that end goal.”

I then started to slowly walk back and forth across the front of the room, warming up to my words. “Yet, another thing I’ve learned is that no matter how much you may want something for yourself in this game, it’s hard to find those things unless you’re willing to work as a single eleven-man unit. I have yet to come across a player who has been able to win a match all by himself – Ronaldo included. So, how you handle your drive for success is absolutely vital.”

“Copper will tell you, and I’m sure he probably already has, that team success leads to individual success rather than the other way around. I know it for a certainty. My team in Italy won a double last season by believing in that concept and I have one of three unbeaten sides in the Premiership at present because we at Reading believe the same thing.”

“You don’t know what colors you’ll be wearing next season. You don’t know what colors you’ll be wearing tomorrow,” I said. “So as you play today, remember that the way you play today will determine where and how you play tomorrow. Play the game the right way, play the way your coaches have instructed you to play, and work hard for each other. If you do that, your club will succeed and in the end, so will you.”

“I never played at Wembley,” I said. “I never played at the Millenium Stadium. We all want to go there – you and me both. For me to get there, I have to live the same words I am telling you now and I have to put them into practice. I’ve found, though, that life in this game is a lot easier when you do the important things first and the smaller things second. The smaller things may be more fun, but vital tasks are vital tasks for a reason. They drive everything else. In this case, the important things are team-oriented. The smaller things are for yourselves.”

“I tell my players to ‘make it happen’. That’s what I’ll tell you today as well. Make it happen for your club and for yourselves. If you do, the next time we talk will hopefully be in the Premiership. Best of luck today, and don’t be afraid to dream.”

# # #

[copperhorse21]

Damn, this is a good team talk! I know I've approved this message, but still, I've got to hand it to you and take my hat off with respect. Your kind words in italics at the top of the post as well as the stuff in the dressing room make for great inspiration. It's no wonder Ridgway's living the dream in the Premiership. Up Reading! Huzzah!

[Goofus]

Hah. Great words from the man himself.

Now if they were any Asians Managers...or shall i be the first?

[Polar Bear]

This is great, it's like a Marvel Comics team-up! Imagine the trouble Fenton and Peter could cause if they hooked up with each other...

[SCIAG]

Hah. Great words from the man himself.

Now if they were any Asians Managers...or shall i be the first?

Avram Grant.

[tenthreeleader]

Thank you, fellows ... Polar Bear, don't whisper that sort of stuff too loud. You'll make Rob break out in hives.

___

I then retired to the stands where a cozy gathering of 819 fans had gathered to watch Copper’s Spartans take on Workington.

I’m not going to spoil the outcome of Copper’s match – it’s his story to tell and I think he’d throttle me if I did it for him. I will say this, though - watching Blyth, I saw everything Fenton had intimated I wouldn’t. I saw a well-drilled, well-organized side that certainly knew its business. It was fun to watch a match where I didn’t have to look like I was a neutral.

As I leaned back in my seat with a very nice cup of coffee in my hand, I looked around the place to enjoy the view.

The water was just a few short miles away but the breeze was from the landward side so it was quite comfortable. Every so often, a fan would walk up, sit with me for a few minutes, chat me up as to what I was doing so far from home, and we’d enjoy the match together.

Before half, I had about a dozen supporters seated around me and I was having a wonderful time. Finally, I got around to asking them what they thought of their own club.

An older gentleman spoke. “I’ve seen a few Blyth teams, good and bad,” he said. “This ‘un is on the right track. Horse brought in some decent players and they’re showing they know what they’re about.”

I looked behind the Blyth goal, where I saw the solitary figure of Fenton pacing back and forth. He was outside the stadium. I wondered aloud.

“What do you suppose his motivation is?” I asked, pointing to my unplanned companion of yesterday.

“Graham? Just wants to manage,” the man replied. “He’s harmless.”

“Not according to Copper,” I answered.

“He would think that, now, wouldn’t he?” the man answered. “The two were at each other’s throats at the end of last season and it was right ugly.”

I thought back to some of the smaller club politics I had seen last season and remarked at how ugly life could actually be sometimes.

“But how do you like Copper?” I persisted.

“He works very hard,” another man said. “We can see that. We don’t always win but when we don’t win we always know it wasn’t for lack of effort.”

With that, the teams took the pitch for the second half and one of the group returned to our little conclave with a pie for me to snack on.

“Let me get that,” I said, reaching for my wallet.

“No need,” he responded. “We just like talking about football.”

In the second half, I wondered what all the fuss had been about. Blyth is going to be just fine. When the match ended, I looked down to the Blyth technical area, where Copper was having an animated conversation with his staff. He nodded to me, and I waved back in response. In contrast to too many people associated with him in the past, I used all my fingers.

# # #

[tenthreeleader]

Sunday, September 7

Reading

I’m home tonight, after spending a fun evening celebrating a great weekend with Copper, his staff, and Robin.

I think I’m much better for having gone to watch the match, even though the phone call I got this afternoon made me a little nervous.

Gareth Southgate didn’t take long to warm my phone line, calling right at noon as I got back from the airport.

“So, Rob, how did my boys look?” he asked. “Get an eyeful?”

I smiled. “Gareth, I didn’t go there to scout players, I went to support Copper and see a match,” I answered. “And I give you my word, I didn’t speak directly with anyone under contract to you. Our chairmen would have talked by now if I had and we both know it.”

“I know,” he answered. “Tom Craddock told me everything and I’ve spoken with Copper directly. But seriously, Rob, how did they look?”

“Your players all looked good,” I answered. “Especially Craddock. I think you’d be well pleased with how he played and I assume his overall development has been equally good. Copper is committed to giving his loan players central roles and they all did very well.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Southgate replied. “Right now, good news is a bit hard to come by.”

He wasn’t complaining, but after winning his first two matches and speculating openly about rival Newcastle’s ability to survive this season, he’s now dropped four on the spin and is just three places ahead of the Toon in the table. This game can turn on you in a real hurry and no one is more keenly aware of it at the moment than Gareth Southgate.

“Well, I don’t know how much good news I can offer in the league, but the youth looks like it’s being well served,” I said.

I wished him the best of success this weekend – he said he’d have asked my thoughts on Everton, who he plays next Saturday but we haven’t played them yet either – and we hung up. I wondered whether he really believed me when I said I hadn’t tapped up any of his players.

Yet I wouldn’t have thought of it. The penalties would be simply too severe.

# # #

Patty is lonely. I could tell from her voice when I called her this evening.

I don’t like that feeling – and I don’t like her being so far from me at such a traumatic time for her. Paul Marsley is now a very bad memory for me so I can only imagine what sort of memory he is for my wife.

She’s staying with friends from the Consulate in Venice but that benefit only goes so far. What she needs is something only her husband can provide.

“I just don’t want to go near him,” she said. “After what happened at Christmas, I just don’t want anything to do with Paul Marsley.”

A few unpleasant memories of our meeting at Padua’s “Q” restaurant streamed back into my mind – I can only imagine how unpleasant those thoughts must have been for her.

I also don’t like the idea of being so far away from her as she is in the same room with him – however briefly – to give her testimony. She needs me and I’m not there. That’s the worst feeling I can have.

She read my mind. “I wish you were here,” she said wistfully. “I think back to how badly I had treated you and what he did to try to make me forget you.”

“Well, it couldn’t have been that bad, could it?” I said, trying to elicit a smile from her.

She didn’t answer.

“Patty … honey … what happened?”

She paused. “Let’s not go there, Rob,” she said. “I’m your wife now, I am going to stay your wife, and it’s just best that we not dredge up those sorts of things.”

She really should have known better. “You know I’m not going to buy that,” I said. “What did he do?”

“He tried, Rob,” she finally said. “He tried very hard. When I went out to dinner with him before I met you in Padua, he basically threw himself at me.”

“I guess I don’t blame him for that,” I said. “If it had been me and I had the opportunity, I’d have tried hard too.”

“He tried too hard,” she said, and suddenly I got her inference.

“He didn’t…”

“Not that, though he sure wanted to,” she said. “He kept telling me he’d make me forget you one way or the other.”

My ire started to grow as I thought about all the things that could have happened. “Rob, I promise you with all my heart that nothing physical happened between us,” she said. “But I knew I had to get away and the harder he tried, the more I wanted to just find you. In a way, he’s responsible for the feelings I got back for you right after Christmas.”

She was parsing her words. “There had to have been a better way to do it than that,” I said. “There just had to be.”

Suddenly, I felt just as lonely as she did.

# # #

[Kewell08]

Just gets better and better... Keep it up!

[Goofus]

Avram Grant.

He's Israeli. Last i heard, Israel was in Europe!

[nette000]

Footballwise, Israel belongs to the UEFA, but geographically it is as Asian as Lebanon and Syria.

But back to topic: another great post. Any story in which the last post makes you yearn for more is a good one.

[tenthreeleader]

Gentlemen, thank you very much as always ... I'm out of town this weekend and posting remotely so it'll be a bit of a slow weekend from my point of view.

___

Monday, September 8

My senior squad was a bit threadbare today as we started basic preparations for Sunday’s match with Aston Villa.

I have no England internationals on this squad, though I hope to change that someday as circumstances permit. Still, I have plenty of players who are actively involved in the midweek World Cup qualifiers which meant the morning video session was about half as busy as it usually was.

We have four players in the team of the week, including Lobont, Bikey, Kitson and Ferreira, who is really playing brilliantly for us. He is very much “as-advertised” since coming from Chelsea and even though he’s with Portugal this week I took a few minutes during my briefing to talk about the veteran.

“He’s given us a real veteran presence and frankly I’m delighted with him,” I said. “He’s found his form quickly with us and he’s a big reason why we’ve had the start we have. I’ve been very impressed with his professionalism, his willingness to do what is required, and the attitude he brings to the pitch. He’s a winner, pure and simple. Clubs need winners.”

The rest of my players, on the other hand, deserved some kind words for the manner in which they dismissed Spurs before the break. Without the Premier League last weekend to sate their appetite for news, the press was looking for all the copy it could find today.

I found the atmosphere much more relaxed than it ever was at Padova, and I can’t even describe how refreshing that is. Perhaps it’s because we’re off to a strong start. Perhaps it’s because everyone in the training area was credentialed by the club and as a result was known to be a professional.

Or perhaps it’s both. Yet as I talked with the press about the terrific performance that generated our last victory, my thoughts were quite a long ways away.

# # #

“I don’t have anything against you.”

“That’s fine, Peter,” Patty said. “I’m glad you feel that way. Now please excuse me.”

My wife shouldered her way past her antagonist, to sit in the first row of the same courtroom in Venice where her assailants had been tried earlier this spring. McGuire, on the other hand, only seemed interested in talking with his former paramour.

He followed her. “I’ve been thinking about that a lot,” he said, and the look she gave him in reply would have peeled paint off the wall.

“Really.”

“Yes. I know I was awful to you and I want to make amends.” Patty could hardly believe her ears.

“Really.”

“I realize it’s hard to believe,” he began, but Patty cut him off.

“The only way I could think about believing you is if I cared,” she said. “Which I don’t.”

She held up her left hand. “Do you see this, Peter? It’s a wedding ring, given to me by my husband. And I can tell you this: my wedding ring means a lot more to me than yours seemed to mean to you when you knew me. I have absolutely no intention of entertaining your desire to make up, or anything else you may have on your mind. Now go away.”

His face flushed a bright red. “The nerve,” he said.

“The nerve of who? Of me? Don’t make me laugh. Now if you don’t go away I’ll call the bailiff and he’ll make you.” She physically turned away from him and couldn’t wait for the proceedings to begin.

# # #

Patty saw him walk into the room, escorted by police. She couldn’t look at him and he didn’t try to make eye contact.

The public prosecutor arrived and finally, the magistrate entered the court. He seated the gathering and opened the session.

He invited the prosecutor to make his opening statement and Patty smiled as Agostino Orsini rose to make his speech. He had prosecuted the two goons who had run her car into that bridge on the way to Venice and even though he hadn’t gotten all the convictions we were hoping for, he had impressed us as a tough, no-nonsense prosecutor with a touch of the gentleman to those whose causes he championed.

He faced the bench and spoke. “This honorable court is in session to determine the guilt or innocence of the defendant, an employee of the United States Consulate in Venice,” he began. “Over the last several months, this court has been called into numerous sessions to expose the details of a plot against two individuals, one of which is sitting in this courtroom today.”

He then faced the defendant. “Learning the truth about this plot has been a slow and occasionally painful process. Witnesses have not always been forthcoming. Defendants have changed stories. People have been sentenced to prison. However, we are not through with this process and the people will not rest until we have found everyone involved. Mr. Paul Marsley, seated before you, is one of those people.”

He was warming up. “We will show that Mr. Marsley took it upon himself to divulge personal information about two individuals which led to a physical assault upon one and threatening messages being sent to the other. Such conduct has no place in civilized society and the people are determined to prove the guilt of this defendant, as it has proven the guilt of all others associated with the activity in question.”

# # #

Patty was called to the stand. Finally, she made eye contact with him, and to Patty it appeared as though her would-be suitor had the look of a hunted animal. Not that she minded.

She was sworn, and sat down to receive questioning from Orsini. “Please state your name for the record,” he said.

Slowly, she answered. “My name is Patricia Myers Ridgway.” At that, Marsley cringed, and Patty happened to catch the eye of McGuire two rows behind her seat. He gave her a look of utter disgust.

“Do you recognize the defendant?”

Patty nodded. “Over there. Paul Marsley,” she said.

“Please state your relationship with the defendant,” Orsini said.

“We dated for about six weeks off and on last spring,” she answered. “Other than that, there wasn’t a relationship.”

“Did the defendant ever indicate to you that he wanted a deeper relationship?”

“Yes, he did.”

“Please elaborate for the court.”

“Paul wanted to marry me,” Patty said. “He wanted it a lot.”

“And what was the result of this effort on the defendant’s part?”

“Well, I didn’t marry him,” Patty answered. “This ring on my hand isn’t his.”

“Please describe for the court the lengths to which Mr. Marsley went to change your mind about marrying him.”

“He wanted to give me an engagement ring that was far beyond his means,” she replied. “He made all sorts of wild promises. He said he had money that I didn’t know about and that he’d spend it all on me.”

“When did this happen?”

“January 27,” Patty replied. “The next night I met my future husband for dinner. We were separated at the time and I and told him that I wanted to restore our old relationship.”

“Was there any indication to you at that time that the defendant had spoken with anyone about your personal life?”

Patty’s smile was thin as she zeroed in. “Yes,” she answered. “He said he had talked with an old friend of mine who said I was too good for Rob Ridgway.”

“Who was that individual?”

“Peter McGuire,” Patty replied.

# # #

[SCIAG]

He's Israeli. Last i heard, Israel was in Europe!

Israel is 100% in Asia. Just the Asians refuse to play against them, so we have to let them in UEFA.

[tenthreeleader]

I leaned back in my chair to take in what I was viewing. Martin O’Neill’s Villa are going to be a handful.

They are seventh in the league, with three wins and a draw from five matches and they are getting good play from all over the park. Ashley Young is in a rich vein of early season form and we’ll need to get him under control. They play with pace and fire, and watching their August 31 dismissal of Blackburn in which Young scored a brace, I saw nothing to dissuade me from my earlier thoughts.

I wrote down a few notes on my laptop and saved them to a file on our mainframe system. I kept a lot of electronic notes last season at Padova but lived in mortal fear of losing my data for whatever reason. Now, I’m in the Premiership, I’m backing up data just about anywhere and everywhere I can, with a personal assistant to help me transfer certain key information I compiled last season into our new system.

Yet my mind wasn’t fully on my work. I thought of Patty and wondered how she was doing. I closed my eyes for a minute and tried not to imagine the worst.

As I tried to clear my head, I quickly realized that such happy thoughts weren’t going to help much. Patty would again have to recount things she would rather not remember – and that is never easy.

# # #

“Signora Ridgway, did you ever love Paul Marsley?”

The first question in Patty’s cross-examination gave some idea of what her next few minutes would be like. Orsini did not object to the question so she answered it.

“I thought so,” she said.

“Did he ever, at any time, indicate to you that he ever wished to hurt either you or your husband?"

“No.”

“Did he ever indicate to you, at any time, that his intentions regarding you were other than honorable?”

“I don’t understand the question,” she said.

“Please allow me to rephrase the question. Did he ever threaten you?”

“Not to my face.”

“You never heard him threaten you in any way?”

“No.”

“Describe your feelings for Mr. Marsley during the time you were separated from Mr. Ridgway.”

“He was there for me,” Patty answered. “I saw him a few times and I was quite needful at that time. I realized I had made a mistake in leaving Rob and I was looking for a friend.”

“And the defendant was that friend.”

“Until he started talking about marriage, yes,” Patty answered.

“Describe your relationship with Mr. Marsley prior to your breakup with Mr. Ridgway.”

“He was a friend, who wanted to be more than friends,” Patty said. “We talked about it but by that time I was seeing Rob and I really didn’t have any desire to end that relationship.”

“Yet you loved him.”

“For a time, I suppose I did. I certainly won’t lie about that.”

Further questions followed that clearly established the defense’s notion that anything that might have happened to Patty couldn’t be due to the actions of her loving, caring, concerned friend, Paul Marsley. Crimes of passion can sometimes be justified in certain ways and there was little doubt that this was where the line of questioning was headed.

It hurt her. She had no special desire to see Marsley put away – she did care for him at one point – but most of all she was simply not interested in dredging up all the same old things that had haunted her during her time in the hospital and during her recovery. That was her mindset anyway, and as the questioning continued, she simply wanted it to end.

# # #

Felipão was a bit surprised to hear me speaking Spanish.

He called this afternoon for my thoughts on Ferreira, who he was considering in his starting XI for Portugal’s World Cup qualifier. We had a free, easy conversation and I was honest with Ferreira’s national coach.

“You did the right thing by calling him back into your squad,” I said. “He’s been immense for us and I’d have no hesitation in playing him.”

We talked about Paolo’s form as well as nuances about his play. Positionally, Ferreira has been superb and I can’t stress that highly enough. His skill has done the rest, but I have been able to simply not worry about his side of the pitch during our last few matches. He deserves the chance he has received.

# # #

“I did not have involvement in this plot.”

“Mr. McGuire, that was not the question you were asked,” Orsini said. “I asked you, and will ask again, if you ever facilitated Paul Marsley in learning the whereabouts of Signora Ridgway.”

“I did not have involvement in this plot, so no,” he said. He was really squirming.

“Typical,” Patty thought to herself, as she watched from the gallery. “Always covering his own rear end.”

# # #

[tenthreeleader]

Tuesday, September 9

I was even more impressed by Ferreira today than I was yesterday, and he isn’t even in the same country I’m in.

Published reports out of Portugal have Ferreira glowing about my praise, but what impressed me the most was his answer to the quotes that have been attributed to me in the Portuguese press.

“I do believe I am playing very well and moving to Reading was a rejuvenation for me,” he was quoted as saying. “Yet, I do feel that there is better football still in me, and I can still do better. I will rededicate myself to finding this form to reward my manager for the faith he has shown in me.”

I was very well pleased with Ferreira’s answer.

# # #

After I hung up with Portugal’s manager, my phone rang again. This time it was Orsini, calling during a recess in the trial.

“You may need to be deposed by video,” he advised me. “Today’s testimony has centered around various aspects of the plot. Our goal is not to have to ask you to travel due to your job needs but right at the moment your testimony might be needed.”

I had figured something like this might happen but to have it confirmed was actually a relief of sorts. “How did Patty do?” I asked. “She called me last night but really didn’t want to say much.”

“She did as well as she could,” the public prosecutor said. “Numerous questions came up about her prior relationship with the defendant and as your wife is quite a private person, I am certain she had no wish to recount intimate details.”

“No, I don’t suppose she did,” I answered. “I trust there was not too much intimate detail brought into open court.”

“The nature of their relationship was discussed,” he admitted. “However, you have my word as a gentleman that she said nothing which could compromise your marriage or anything that would compromise her own integrity.”

# # #

Wednesday, September 10

Patty arrived back in London today and I couldn’t be happier to have her home.

This morning, when I arrived at Heathrow to pick her up, McGuire and Kate were nowhere to be seen. I won’t say I mind that either – Kate was pretty erratic in her behavior last week and it’s a distraction I really do not need.

She looked tired, and her expression as she met me coming out of the jetway said everything that needed to be said. People in the concourse quickly recognized her and we were in a hurry to get out of the airport as a result.

Most people gave her a respectful distance. Still, between the baggage claim and the parking lot a few press photographers and cameramen who were looking for their daily dose of paparazzi managed to pick us up as we walked.

We picked up our pace a bit to try to get away, but soon gave it up as a bad job. So instead, we just talked.

“No need to rush,” she said with a smile. “I’ll take whatever time I can get with you after these last couple of days.”

“How was McGuire to you?” I asked quietly.

“Better save that for the car,” she advised. I quickly realized she was right.

# # #

I dropped Patty off at her office this morning on my way into the ground. Obviously, with so much of the senior squad gone it was a slow morning and Dillon would have things well in hand. So I was able to stop off this morning to see how things were going for her at work.

Things are a little better for her there. People are at least human enough to see that she is going through a difficult time with the trial, even if they don’t all know about McGuire and the damage that he did to her. And in that case, what her co-workers don’t know definitely won’t hurt them.

There is still a larger issue for her, though. People who are looking for the same break Patty got still seem jealous that she seems to have been “handed” her recent success. Neither she nor I would characterize it like that and a small army of doctors in Italy probably wouldn’t either.

She has done a great job decorating her office space and I was tickled to see a poster with the Reading fixture list above her desk, with a club screensaver on her computer.

“No pictures of the manager,” I teased, as a slide show scrolled past.

“Not my fault,” she said. “You should talk with your media department about that.”

“I need a better personal representative,” I smiled. “Care to help?”

“Only after hours,” she grinned. She gave me a kiss goodbye and I got to work.

# # #

We watched England kick off its World Cup qualifying campaign this evening and we saw a significant event that will affect at least the foreseeable future of the Premiership campaign.

Wayne Rooney was terrific for Steve McClaren’s England tonight in Bakú, scoring picture goals on either side of the interval as the visitors coasted to a 2-0 victory over Azerbaijan.

Yet, with three minutes to play in a match very comfortably won, it happened. There was Steven Gerrard, Liverpool’s captain and talisman, rolling on the ground in agony holding his right ankle.

Jamie Carragher, who won the World Footballer of the Year award last season for his role in getting Rafa Benitez over the top, was powerless to help as his even more inspirational club teammate was stretchered off under a blanket.

Out of substitutions, McClaren had to finish the match with ten men but afterwards the talk was all about Gerrard and the extent of his injury, which is still unknown.

The BBC’s presentation team waxed philosophic as Gary Lineker and his buddies speculated about what it might all mean. It took a post-match phone caller to put it all in perspective. From an England standpoint it was a heavy blow, but to Gerrard’s club it was a lot worse.

The caller made his point in one sentence. “I imagine Rafaél Benitez is now the unhappiest Spaniard to come to England since the Duke of Medina,” he said, to ironic laughter from the panel.

I certainly saw no reason to dispute the caller. I sat all evening by my phone, hoping it wouldn’t ring with news of similar misfortune for my team. Patty and I sat on the couch, watching England and willing my mobile to stay silent.

Thankfully, it did.

# # #

[tenthreeleader]

Thursday, September 11

I had most of my squad back this afternoon. We made it through the international break without any serious injuries, so we started full-bore, full squad preparations for the trip to Villa on Sunday.

The news was dominated by the fallout from Gerrard’s injury, which was fine with me. We have an important match coming up against a very well managed side and I’d prefer to avoid the distractions Benitez now surely has.

The news was further dominated by the fact that Liverpool just happens to be playing at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, minus their most talented player. The Blues are above us on goal difference, and obviously getting to face Liverpool without Gerrard will suit Avram Grant just fine, thank you very much.

He said all the right things to the media from what I could tell, but the story was that Gerrard’s injury is not as bad as initially feared. It’s a sprain and he’ll miss 4-5 weeks, but it could have been a lot worse.

That was part of my media questioning as well, which I found mildly surprising. “They have a great side with or without Steven Gerrard,” I observed. “Obviously having him out will hurt Rafa but they have players who are looking for a chance to play. I wouldn’t expect Liverpool to throw in the towel just yet.”

But back to my team. The mood of my squad was very good, with most of my players having been reasonably successful in their time away from Berkshire. We’re ready to head to the West Midlands and make some noise.

I plan no changes from the successful tactic employed against Spurs. Frankly after the way we played in that match if I changed anything I’d be an idiot.

We are full to the brim with confidence and we can’t wait to get started. Except for me, because I’ll be going in the opposite direction of my team on Saturday.

While they travel to Birmingham to prepare for the match, I’m off to the northwest to take a look at our next opponents. Everton, who we play next, hosts Southgate’s Boro at Goodison Park and I plan to be in the stands. I’ll catch up with the squad after the match and be with them in our hotel at mid-afternoon since the match has an early kickoff. I’m looking forward to the trip and to getting a look at a couple of clubs I haven’t yet seen.

# # #

However, being away from Patty this weekend isn’t going to be easy. The papers in Venice were making some pretty extraordinary claims in this morning’s editions and naturally they have come back to us for comment.

One reported that Patty had been seen out partying with other men on Monday night after her testimony, a report that had my wife … well, seeing red.

I returned home from training to find my redheaded bride in a blue funk. “I just cannot believe those people,” she spat, in response to my ‘what’s wrong’ query. “I’m so glad we’re out of that place!”

Not wanting to pry, I instead waited for her to throw a printed sheet of paper at me that explained her anger. I read, and raised my eyebrows.

I fought down my usual urge to say something that would make her smack me and took the only road I could take. “Honey, I know you didn’t do this,” I said. “Really, you should just let it roll. I’m sure you went out with friends and relaxed. I would have done that if I could have if I was in your situation, and I had a great time relaxing with Copper and his wife in Newcastle myself. So really, there’s nothing to worry about.”

“There’s more to it than that, she said. “The London papers will pick it up, the tabloids will pick it up and there’s no telling the damage they might do!”

“I’ve read worse about me,” I said. “Honestly, honey. And believe me, you know how I am about media interference. I know how to deal with it even if I don’t always like it.”

“I don’t like my name – and yours – being dragged through the mud!” she exclaimed. “Don’t you find this reprehensible?”

I now advanced to Patty and took her in my arms. “Of course I do,” I said. “And I know you didn’t have anything to do with this. It’s a simple matter of perserverance.”

# # #

[tenthreeleader]

Friday, September 12

I heard from Copper today. It seems as though my visit to the Northeast made a bit of a splash.

With two Premiership clubs within stone’s throwing distance of Croft Park (and it would be three had Sunderland not been relegated last year) it was the American visitor from Berkshire who was actually the first top-flight manager to make a visit to Croft Park in many a year.

“Some of the locals are pretty surprised,” Copper admitted when we spoke by phone this afternoon.

“They ought to be paying attention to your Spartans,” I smiled. “You’re playing better and they ought to be paying to see you play now. How’s our friend Fenton doing?”

“Spending more time in the bar than he is around the stadium,” he replied. “On the whole I can’t say I mind that.”

# # #

Today was the only day of hard training for my full squad in preparation for Villa. It was a busy day and as a result I asked for – and got – total concentration from my players.

I am of the opinion that the strike force we’ll see on Sunday of Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor might be the quickest we’ll see all season. Some teams – ourselves included – prefer the classic “big-little” striker setup but O’Neill seems to prefer “quick-quicker”. They’re real athletes and we’ll have to account for them.

Perhaps my most excited player is Maloney, who will get a crack at his old mates for the first time. He would prefer to forget his time at Villa after they purchased him from Celtic, and I think I heard about a dozen times today how much he appreciates being here at Reading. Of course, a couple of goals in the early going isn’t hurting Shaun’s mood, and I am doing nothing to discourage his good spirits.

He is settling in well, but the thing that has me the most pleased is a virtual quantum leap from Kalou over the last week to ten days. He also played for Ivory Coast at midweek but he is showing signs of becoming “scary good” for us. His natural skill is incredible and if he hits a run of form he is going to be positively frightening to most teams we play.

Watching him battle Ferreira one-on-one in individual drills was really a treat. Paolo is at the top of his form and Kalou is arguably the most prodigious talent this club has ever employed. I was quite pleased that both the ex-Chelsea men will suit up for me on Sunday.

# # #

Today’s media focused one hundred percent on the Villans and I’m fully into match mode now. I gave my interview for the club website and the questioning was quite refreshing.

Last season I would have been asked if I was nuts to think we could maintain good form. This season I’m being asked how long I think we can keep it up. The difference is not terribly subtle and it’s a heck of a lot more positive.

Jill Weatherby cornered me after the main media session and asked me a question that Stefano Emiliani wouldn’t have asked if he were being boiled in oil.

“When are you going to make a mistake, Rob?” she asked.

“Don’t even go there, Jill,” I warned. “That sort of thing jinxes a club.”

“I’m serious,” she said. “Tactically, you’ve been spot on. The new signings are doing well and the fans’ favorite isn’t even playing because he’s in the reserves.” She was speaking of Cathcart.

“How long can you keep this up?” she continued.

“As long as the players believe in what they’re being told and as long as they work the plan they are given, we’ve got a chance,” I said. “Right now we are all on song, the coaches understand the plan and Kevin and I happen to be working very well together at the moment. He was the architect of the quick start against Spurs, not me, and it might not have happened if I hadn’t listened to him. We are thinking alike and the players are very well prepared as a result.”

“Reading were in this position last season,” she reminded me. “Do you feel there is anything different about this club that might allow them to stay at the top for a longer period of time than last season?”

“I love the talent we have here,” I answered. “The reason the ‘big four’ tend to outlast everyone else is squad depth that the others in the league don’t have. We’ll look to build that kind of depth and hopefully contend for honors on a regular basis. This is a growing club. We have to be mindful of that.”

“So you are lowering expectations?” she asked, starting to write furiously.

“No,” I answered. “I expect our players to be a credit to their club each time they step onto the pitch. What I’m saying is that a prolonged spell of success – which I define as over a period of years – will take some time because the squad still needs to be larger to sustain regular challenges. Are we working on that? Of course we are. In the meantime, let’s enjoy a club that is playing well and working hard for the supporters.”

# # #

[tenthreeleader]

Saturday, September 13

Lots of travel time today, and I am now in Birmingham with the senior squad after a quick trip to Goodison Park this afternoon.

I didn’t see anything I didn’t already know as Everton dismantled Southgate’s Boro in a match that wasn’t nearly as close as the score.

Joleon Lescott scored both the Toffees’ goals with cloned set-piece plays. Both times, on ten and 69 minutes, he scored off corners from Andy van der Meyde.

Obviously he’s a goal-scoring threat from set pieces and when we play them, we’ll need to account for him whenever the ball is dead. When it’s live, he’s one of the league’s better straight-up defenders, so I got a real eyeful of him scoring goals as well as shutting down whatever chances Boro could muster.

What surprised me more was how poor Boro was in general and how far they’ve fallen off their early season form. Watching from a seat behind the benches, I saw a side that is in serious danger of losing its way. Southgate, for his part, knew the direction his players ought to be taking, but his players were surely guilty of tentative play. As a result they hardly bothered Everton’s half of the pitch.

I took a few notes as I watched the match but overall, I saw little that made a new or different impression. I think that was good, but it does leave the more paranoid part of me wondering what David Moyes may have up his sleeve to try to deal with us.

With about ten minutes left in the match, I got a text from Patty, who was watching the match on television.

“You look great. You also look like you’re doing a great job trying to stay interested.”

That made my chuckle and I texted her something along the lines of hoping to keep her interested when I return to Berkshire tomorrow night. It was the best I could think of on short notice.

# # #

The big match today came out all square.

Chelsea took the lead at the Bridge behind a fifth-minute goal from John Terry and held the lead all the way to two minutes from time before Peter Crouch earned champions Liverpool a split in the points. I would have felt sorry for Chelsea were it not for the way they did almost exactly the same thing to us in the first match of the season.

Now, though, comes our opportunity. If we can do the business tomorrow against Villa, we’ll leapfrog Chelsea and into second place.

We won’t be catching Arsenal anytime soon, though. They made it look easy at the Emirates today, picking up gals from Maxi Rodriguez, Emanuel Adebayor and Aliaksandr Hleb to dismiss Blackburn 3-0. And it really was as easy as it looked.

Pardew’s Charlton continue to play better football. Luke Varney got them on the board six minutes into their match with Birmingham at The Valley and the ever-present Zárate doubled their lead before the first half hour was up. Garry O’Connor, the hero of Scotland’s famous Euro 2008 qualifying win over Italy, netted for the visitors before half but just like that, the scorers conked out and the Addicks held on for a 2-1 win.

Manchester United took out some frustration today and West Brom happened to be in the way. Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring at Old Trafford on the half hour before Roberto Colautti had the temerity to answer back for the Baggies on 66 minutes. Playing in a 1-1 tie, Coppell’s United finally found their high gear with Carlos Tévez and the ageless Paul Scholes both netting in a six-minute span to send United home and dry as 3-1 winners.

West Ham continues to surprise as well. Dean Ashton, who all the papers say is getting serious consideration for the next round of England matches, scored an impressive brace at Fratton Park, with my friend Roland Nilsson only able to reply through Jermain Defoe’s injury-time goal in the second half.

Bolton and Man City managed to bore the Reebok to death with Yuri Andranik’s goal eleven minutes into the match the only excitement in a dire 1-0 contest.

And in the clash of the titans, 19th placed Derby picked up its first win in 14 matches dating back to last season thanks to Kenny Miller’s 43rd minute strike to sink 20th placed Cardiff City. The Bluebirds now hold up the Premiership and Dave Jones has a job on to save them.

Yet my focus must of course be on my team, and we held a brief senior squad meeting this evening to remind everyone of where their priorities ought to lie.

“Don’t lose your focus tomorrow,” I told them. “We have had a great couple of weeks around here and we’re optimistic about making Villa play our game tomorrow. All well and good but let’s not forget we have responsibilities, especially when we are playing away. Be mindful of those responsibilities and let’s get a result out of here tomorrow.”

# # #

[SCIAG]

Watching him battle Ferreira one-on-one in individual drills was really a treat. Paolo is at the top of his form and Kalou is arguably the most prodigious talent this club has ever employed.

You ever heard of Robin Friday, 10-3?

[tenthreeleader]

SCIAG, I did say "arguably" .... I have indeed heard of the Reading legend known as Robin Friday. And so has Rob, who knows exactly what he's doing by saying this ...

____

Sunday, September 14

Reading (4-2-0, 3rd place) v Aston Villa (3-1-1, 7th place) – EPL Match Day #7

Villa Park is one of the grandest venues of the English game. My first look at the inside of the place made me smile.

The stadium has been home to the Villans since 1897. It’s the only ground in England to have hosted international football in three different centuries and hosted three matches in the 1966 World Cup. It’s also a traditional home for one of the FA Cup semifinal matches, having hosted one of the penultimate matches in the oldest Cup competition on the planet on 55 occasions. It will also host matches for the 2012 Olympic Games.

While the players prepared for the match, I took a quick run down the players’ tunnel to look at the pitch. One of the very best parts of this experience for me has been the chance to explore some of the history of the game in the places we visit.

With the stadium yawning empty in front of me, I walked down the touchline in front of the Trinity Road Stand and stood in what would soon be my technical area. The place was quiet for now. I knew that my next trip to this space would be much different.

# # #

Toning down excited players can sometimes be a surprisingly difficult part of management. I had eighteen live wires in my changing room today as we prepared to face Villa and as part of my pre-match team talk, I made one more effort to rein in my charges.

“I love the attitude I’m seeing from you and I am positive you can come out of here with a result but you have to play under control,” I told them. “I don’t want you bouncing off the walls when you‘re out there because if you do, you’re going to get smacked around. Let’s concentrate on healthy, positive play within our scheme and let’s get the result. Play hard for each other.”

With that, I stepped into the hallway so Dillon could handle the rest of the staff comments to the players. I felt confident and generally pleased at the demeanor of the squad – but football has a strange way of biting you sometimes.

I stood in the hallway outside my changing room and caught O’Neill’s eye as he left the Villa rooms down the hallway. I nodded to him and he approached.

“Rob, welcome,” he said, extending his hand. “Nice to finally meet you.”

“Likewise, I’m sure,” I said, as we shook hands and talked for a moment. “I should thank you for selling Maloney to me.”

At that, he laughed. “Shaun’s a good lad,” he said. “But there was no room for him once we got Scott Brown. Fair play to him, he’s doing well for you and I’m glad to see that. Just as long as he’s not too good today.”

We talked about events in general, agreed that everyone will have a job on to catch Arsenal, and then he paid me a compliment.

“I saw your video against Spurs,” he said. “You were comprehensive. Nicely done.”

“Thank you,” I answered. “The players are confident now.”

Just then, the teams emerged from the changing rooms and prepared to take the pitch. We shook hands again.

“All the best, Martin,” I said.

“To you as well, Rob,” he said. “Join me for a glass after the match if you like.”

# # #

Once the match started, I thought I might have to drink for a different reason. We were absolutely awful. The players’ overabundance of energy was working against us, we weren’t staying in our positions and they repeatedly beat us for pace back up the field when we lost the ball in the attacking third.

We looked like eleven kids stuck on a merry-go-round in the opening minutes before midfielder Steven Defour made us pay for it. They earned a free kick about twenty-five yards from goal to Lobont’s left and after we lined up our wall, Young simply passed around it. He squared the ball for Defour and his bullet cleanly beat Lobont to his top left corner to get them off to a flying start.

Most of the 42,270 in attendance at Villa Park made us feel their thunder after a goal in the first ten minutes, and I trusted that early shock would give us the kick up the back side we needed.

Alas, that wasn’t going to happen. We again started to frolic forward with not much thought to our defensive responsibilities. It didn’t help matters that three minutes after the goal, Kitson was limping toward the touchline with a dead leg. Long started to warm up to play the “big” role opposite Dagoberto and two minutes later he was in the match.

He arrived just in time to see Lobont make a simply tremendous save on Agbonlahor, diving at full stretch to palm a low drive around his left post. He rose from the ground screaming at all four of his defenders, none of whom were anywhere near the pacy forward when he burst through the middle thanks to Brown’s quick and accurate through ball.

I could perhaps have forgiven Pogatetz and Ferreira for not being in the middle of the pitch, but the Austrian showed me his head simply wasn’t in the game a few minutes later. He intercepted a long pass from Brown, turned to his left while still in our area, and simply stopped. I had no idea what he was thinking and by the time Emanuel figured it out himself, Young had stripped him. He squared for Brown, standing right on the penalty spot, and Lobont had no chance sixteen minutes into the match – and just two minutes after my keeper had robbed Agbonlahor.

It was two-nil, it could easily have been more, and I was fuming. Absolutely basic defensive errors had cost us two goals and we were on the verge of sinking without a trace.

I yelled for Bikey, and the central defender came to the touchline at a run on the way back to the kickoff.

“Would you guys mind a little man-marking?” I snapped, and his look of penitence told me he knew how poorly we was playing. “Get some idea of where your men are at out there! Slow it down and let’s get some good possession.”

He relayed my message to the players and we proceeded to settle down a bit. Villa were in a commanding position and were unafraid to show it through aggressive and somewhat physical defense.

We made it through the next few minutes without a goal and suddenly we appeared reasonably confident in our game again. Dagoberto’s drive was tipped over the bar by a suddenly active Thomas Sorensen on 23 minutes and the Brazilian was again making things happen a few moments later.

This time Dagoberto took a very nice ball from Pazienza, worked his way between Gary Cahill and Curtis Davies in the heart of the Villa defense, spun, and shot – cranking a powerful drive squarely off Sorensen’s crossbar. The rebound spun crazily back into play and the first one to it was the substitute, Long.

With Cahill draped all over him, the Irishman toe-poked home on 27 minutes to get us a desperately needed stabilizing goal. We were still white around the gills but at least we had some life, and the substitute had provided it.

Trying not to look self-satisfied, Long celebrated his goal. He also knew that if he had made too big a deal out of cutting our arrears by fifty percent his manager would have wrung his neck. So there was that to consider.

After Long’s goal, we settled in nicely. We got to halftime down by the 2-1 score, which meant a talking-to for the players in the changing room but not of the variety I might have had to employ. Still, though, I had a few things to say.

# # #

[salkster2102]

Looks like your managerial skills are about to be tested.

KUTGW

[tenthreeleader]

Thanks, Salkster .... we'll see how the players respond!

___

The player I needed to talk with the most was Pogatetz, who may have been feeling the effects of Rosenior’s excellent start against Spurs in his position. I had opted to restore Pogatetz to the eleven and after one half, it appeared I had made a serious error in judgment.

“I need to see better from you,” I said plainly on my way out the door for the second half. “Show me why we brought you here.”

He nodded. “I really don’t know what I was thinking on that goal,” he said, but I waved him off.

“Quit thinking about it,” I said. “I want you thinking about what you’ll do to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

He nodded and we returned to the pitch for the second half. We started brightly, with Maloney putting Dagoberto through five minutes after the restart. The Brazilian moved in sharply on Sorensen and was ready to shoot when he disappeared in a tangle of legs with Cahill. Referee Rob Styles approached, blowing his whistle and reaching for his pocket.

“Good,” I said quietly, watching him open the book. Then I saw him point to Dagoberto.

“Not good,” I said, much less quietly, as he booked my striker for diving and gave Villa the free kick. I proceeded to remonstrate with the fourth official, but the look of bemusement he gave me in return showed I was either on poor ground or there was no way he could argue with me. I love it when officials say what’s on their minds, and it didn’t happen here.

My mood didn’t improve over the next few minutes. Ferreira conceded a corner on 56 minutes and I watched in horror as nobody marked Young on Ryan Taylor’s perfectly taken inswinger. The striker’s free header marked our third horrific goal conceded on the afternoon and again we trailed by two.

Lobont had a look of utter frustration on his face as it quite simply appeared that his defenders had forgotten their purpose. He waved his arms at them again and the Villa crowd was again showing its joy.

Screaming wouldn’t have done any good at this point – the black cloud over my head told the players what they needed to know. What I was looking for was a player who would do something about it.

We kicked off. The ball wound up at the feet of Pazienza who immediately looked up, looked to his left, and put the ball into space where Kalou could run onto it. And he did.

Salomon saw Taylor moving toward him and immediately proceeded to skin him with a tremendous move to the inside. From outside the area to Sorensen’s right, he proceeded to launch a curving drive that started off looking like it would go wide, but swerved around the keeper’s reach and into the upper left corner of his net.

It was a fantastic goal, a great effort by our most skilled player, and Kalou had dragged us right back into the match. Our traveling support went wild and for the first time in the match our bench was up and into things as well.

From that point we were energized in a real and profound way. Villa packed men behind the ball, but for me the question was whether they were going into a shell too early, with half an hour still to play.

Young and Agbonlahor were still giving us fits up front, so I considered it a plus that they were in a counter game with so much of the match still to play. We held possession for longer and longer stretches of the match and I could see nothing but good coming from it.

We began to put sustained pressure on Sorensen and the shift in momentum was palpable. Long barely missed his brace on 73 minutes before Bikey headed the ensuing corner just over the top.

Our midfield was starting to assert itself. Eleven minutes from time, Maloney and Dagoberto worked a wall pass to perfection with the midfielder strolling past Enzo Maresca like he wasn’t even there. From fifteen yards, he stroked a perfectly placed shot past Sorensen to the keeper’s right to get us level, shocking the crowd into silence.

That is, except for the blue-and-white hooped traveling support, going nuts over the third goal of the season from the fellow who once wore green and white hoops. Maloney had struck paydirt against his old club and he enjoyed celebrating it. Once again, he held his badge up – but this time to the visiting fans as a rub-it-in gesture to the Villa supporters, who whistled at him loudly once they found their voices.

We were level. The players were full of fire, having rallied from 2-0 and 3-1 down. Moments later, Maloney returned the favor he had received from our Brazilian dynamo.

He sent Dagoberto away right through the middle of the Villa defense. The striker wound up and struck yet another bullet – and for the second time in the match, found Sorensen’s crossbar instead of the back of the net. Maresca bombed the ball into touch and I stood on the touchline with my arms wrapped around my head in disbelief.

I wasn’t as thunderstruck as Dagoberto, though, who was wondering how he had managed to peel paint off the crossbars at each end of Villa Park without finding the net.

Eight minutes later, it was all over. I shared another handshake with O’Neill, who repeated his invitation for a post-game glass, and I went off to face the media.

On my way to the rooms, I bumped into Aston Villa’s owner. Randy Lerner is arguably the best of the “American wave” of buyers into the Premiership and he has built a solid relationship with his supporters backed by common-sense approaches to running the club.

“Hey, it’s another trailblazer,” he said with a smile, and I shook his hand.

“You’ve done well here,” I said. “That’s quite a club we just played.”

“I can say the same for you,” he said, on his way to talk with his manager. “Great job today. Best of luck.”

Aston Villa 3 (Steven Defour 1st, 9; Scott Brown 2nd, 16; Ashley Young 3rd, 56)

Reading 3 (Long 1st, 27; Kalou 3rd, 58; Maloney 3rd, 79)

A – 42,270, Villa Park, Birmingham

Man of the Match – Ashley Young, Aston Villa

# # #

It could have been worse. In looking at the statistics after the match I quickly realized that if we had bothered to show up and play our system from the beginning, we might have won at a canter.

They had 18 attempts at goal – we had 17. They had eleven shots on target – we had seven. We had a 56-44 edge in possession, which we rarely win, because for the last seventy minutes of the match we were able to get the ball down, keep the ball down, and play it. I was very pleased with that aspect of our play.

“I have to keep reminding myself that we got a point today,” I told Sky Sports after the match. “I won’t say we should have won, but due to the way we played most of this match today I must say that a draw was at least fair to us.”

“What has Kalou done for you?”

“Besides score huge goals?” I smiled, and my interviewer grinned in reply. “He’s given us some dash, flair, and incredible skill. I’m delighted with him.”

“We were impressed with Bikey today, even though you conceded three goals.”

I shrugged. “André has been big for us, no doubt,” I said. “I was sorely disappointed in our marking today, especially in the first twenty minutes. Yet, I have to keep reminding myself that we went to a big stadium and came out with a point today. It’s time to smile about that.”

“The match commentators were harsh on Emanuel Pogatetz and some of your support didn’t appear happy with him,” I was told.

“Emanuel didn’t have a good game today, that is true,” I said. “But it should be pointed out that he was coming back into the eleven today, he’s still adjusting a bit and even though he had some rough going today I have every confidence that he will turn into an excellent player for this club.”

“The result today drops you to fourth,” I was informed. “Your thoughts?”

“When we’re still three points off the lead, fourth place isn’t terrible,” I said. “If we had been at home today I’d be more disappointed with this result. There’s a long way to go yet, we’ve played seven matches, and we’ll see where all this leads.”

# # #

[SCIAG]

Forgot a certain Best as well... though I can forgive you that

[tenthreeleader]

That's good news, SCIAG

___

Monday, September 15

The fallout from yesterday’s match has been good, but despite our result, Spurs leapfrogged us in the table.

As a result, the pressure is really starting to build on Sam Allardyce, as the ten-man Toon dropped yet another home match, this time 2-0 to the North Londoners. Alan Smith got his walking papers on 32 minutes and Spurs responded with goals from Nic Anelka in first half injury time and Darren Bent seven minutes after the restart. Newcastle is now in the relegation zone, sitting 18th before over 44,000 very unhappy fans.

The match had implications for us as well, since Spurs now are on 16 points, one ahead of both ourselves and Chelsea, which still has us by the throat on goal difference. Arsenal still leads with 18 points from seven matches and looks frighteningly good. Manchester United also lurks just behind us on 13 points, but with a match in hand. We have every reason to believe it’s going to be quite a race. Hopefully we’ll stay in it.

With the squad on an off day today after travel, I had a chance to catch up on the headlines.

The Post had a picture of Kalou’s wonder strike at Villa Park on the front page under the headline “Salomon’s Temple”, and a generally neutral reaction to the match by Weatherby.

She did mention that we were pants for the first twenty minutes of the match, though, and I certainly couldn’t argue with that. Despite it all, though, she showed a remarkably mature approach to the match and the fact that we had indeed gained a point from it all. In that respect she had reacted as well as I had – in fact, maybe even a little better.

“Despite looking like a Sunday league team for the first twenty minutes, the Royals rebounded well and showed a resiliency that was most gratifying to see for the rest of Sunday’s 3-3 draw at Villa Park.

Pre-match preparation has been largely excellent for the Royals this season so to see the Villans take the match by the throat was a surprise. However, Rob Ridgway’s charges didn’t disappoint in the second half and would have stolen the points were it not for Thomas Sorensen’s crossbar.”

“Reading are in roughly the same position they occupied at this time last season – contending but on the fringes of the top spots in the competition. Surely with seven matches unbeaten to start the season no one will harshly judge Ridgway, but even he must surely be aware by now of the special effort it will take to break into the elite spots in the Premiership.”

I turned to Patty at the breakfast table and showed her the article. “I think I’ll send a copy of this to Emiliani so he can see how a real football writer works,” I grinned.

“Don’t,” she said. “Jill doesn’t need his kind of trouble.”

“You really don’t like him,” I observed.

“Not at all,” she answered. “Of course because of what he did to you last season, but also for what he might have done to me.”

“I don’t follow you.”

“Rob, who do you think might have thought to have someone watch me in Venice?” she asked. “I was there for the trial, yes, but really, who would have known where to find me when I was out with my friends?”

“Honey, it could have been anyone,” I said. “You know how paparazzi are.”

“I do, but I have my suspicions,” she said. “I don’t like him.”

# # #

[font=Courier New]
| Pos | Team | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1st | Arsenal | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 4 | +10 | 18 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2nd | Tottenham | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 7 | +9 | 16 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 3rd | Chelsea | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 3 | +11 | 15 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
[b]| 4th | Reading | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 7 | +6 | 15 | [/b]
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 5th | Man Utd | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 4 | +7 | 13 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 6th | Bolton | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 6 | +5 | 12 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 7th | Liverpool | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 5 | +6 | 11 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 8th | Aston Villa | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 6 | +4 | 11 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 9th | Everton | 7 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 5 | +3 | 10 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 10th | Portsmouth | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 14 | 12 | +2 | 9 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 11th | Blackburn | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 13 | -6 | 9 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 12th | West Ham | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 18 | -8 | 9 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 13th | Man City | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 6 | -1 | 7 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 14th | West Brom | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 12 | 15 | -3 | 7 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 15th | Charlton | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 17 | -9 | 7 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 16th | Birmingham | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 12 | -5 | 6 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 17th | Middlesbrough | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 15 | -6 | 6 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 18th | Newcastle | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 12 | -6 | 4 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 19th | Derby | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 11 | -8 | 4 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 20th | Cardiff | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 15 | -11 | 2 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
[/font]

[copperhorse21]

What is it about teams from the Northeast struggling against relegation? I think it's a programming bias on SI's part...(wink wink with a tongue in cheek remark)

[masta p]

4th place is really good imo. And the story is great as always

I just have one question. How do you make these tables - with your position in the league, with your players etc.

[tenthreeleader]

Copper, I'm not sure ... wonder why that is? Masta, I insert the "print screen" generated text table into the window, change the font to Courier New, bold up the line where my club sits and put the whole table inside the "code" command. Seems to work well!

___

Tuesday, September 16

I am starting to look ahead to the next few weeks. Sunday’s match against Everton starts a very important spell for the club.

Our training today was naturally one hundred percent Toffee-based, but it’s what’s after Sunday’s match that has the pundits wondering how we’ll last the pace.

One week from tomorrow we’ll host Championship side Southampton in the Third Round of the Carling Cup but then a week from Sunday we are home to Manchester United. One week later, we’re at the Emirates against league leaders Arsenal.

The conventional wisdom would be that we’ll simply field a second eleven against Southampton and play for United and Arsenal, who most sane people would not care to face in back-to-back matches. However, the board has set an expectation of the Fourth Round in the Carling Cup so it just got more complicated.

Still, though, I’d have to have my head examined if I started a full strength side against Southampton and left a depleted squad for United next weekend. I’ve got some serious thinking to do which of course can’t detract from our preparation for Everton.

# # #

I received notice this afternoon that I am to be deposed, via video, in Marsley’s trial. I spoke with my attorney after training today and don’t expect it to be a huge deal.

Since Patty testified, the early stages of the trial have been establishing Marsley’s relationships, with a break on Thursday and Friday because the defendant fell ill. So, there has been a bit of a breather and along the way things quieted down for Patty in terms of the media’s interest in the trial. She just wants to have everything over with.

I can’t blame her, as now my own story will be told. I expect a fair bit of distraction on this front as well, which isn’t good considering what will happen to us next week with United coming to town.

I spoke also with Freddie Eaton, taking a bit of my lunchtime to have a discussion on personal media relations. “Don’t worry, Rob, we’ll handle the press on the trial,” he said. “You have a job to do and all you need do is refer any call you get to your advisors. We will speak for you.”

“What will you say?”

“Whatever you tell us to say. That’s why you’re paying us,” he laughed. “What tack would you like to take?”

“Privacy,” I said, in a one-word answer that spoke volumes from my point of view.

“Then that is what we’ll do our best to find for you,” he said. “Concentrate on the results you need to get and keep our club at the top of the table, all right?”

# # #

Today’s training focused on set pieces. Everton are frighteningly good at them, especially corners. I saw that first hand as they beat Boro essentially from the corner flag. In open play against them I think we will be all right, but they are dead ball specialists and we’ll have to be mindful.

The midfielders are brimming over with confidence – especially Kalou and Maloney who have been red-hot in recent matches. Our offensive drills are showing the skills of two players in top form with Maloney especially enjoying a renaissance.

Meanwhile, Dagoberto was a bit frustrated today. He knows that if he had gotten a break on either of his chances off the bar yesterday we’d have gone home winners. For him, confidence is everything and I spent a bit of time before training simply sounding him out.

“You can do it,” I reminded him. “Sometimes things just don’t go as you like in this game.”

“We should have won,” he insisted. “I should have scored.”

“Don’t let it get you down,” I said. “It’s over now, we got a point and now it’s time to concentrate on Everton. Make up for it against them and show them you mean business.”

# # #

I sat with Patty tonight watching the Champions League on television and I got a first-hand look at how tough Liverpool is going to be to beat.

Celtic were the visitors and by the time 35 minutes were played the home team already led 3-0. It wound up a 4-0 hiding achieved despite the dismissal of World Footballer of the Year Jamie Carragher on 81 minutes. I watched the red tide overwhelm the SPL champions and could only shake my head in admiration.

“That can’t be good,” she said, as I watched Peter Crouch celebrating his scoring of the home team’s third goal.

“Not from my point of view,” I admitted. “They’re a handful.”

She smiled at me and crossed over to my easy chair, sitting in my lap. “Let me see if I can shift you from that mood you’re in,” she giggled.

“I’m not in a bad mood,” I said, but she hushed me with a kiss.

“I know you aren’t,” she answered. “But I want you in a great mood. What’s so wrong with that?”

# # #

[tenthreeleader]

Wednesday, September 17

The headlines this morning weren’t so much about Liverpool’s success as they were about a perceived failure from Manchester United, which needed Louis Saha’s 53rd minute goal to earn a 1-1 draw at Legia Warsaw.

I don’t mind seeing them in relatively poor form as our match approaches, but I do plan to keep a keen eye on Everton’s UEFA Cup qualifying round match at Goodison Park against FK Sarajevo. I don’t expect them to match up well against David Moyes’ men but I do expect the Toffees to field a strong side. Hopefully the match will prove instructive.

Our match plan against Everton will be a sort of “best-of-three” approach with our midfield. We haven’t lost with the variation to our tactic yet, but it does seem to be a bit dangerous to use away from home. Throwing too many men forward left us vulnerable against Villa when those forwards neglected their marking responsibilities.

I’d like to see how this works out as a home tactic for us, though, since we’re expected to be more aggressive there. I don’t care to ship three goals a match for obvious reasons and in a league where goal difference may well prove vital, I should think discretion is the better part of valor in this instance.

Today’s news concerned the request from three different clubs to loan one of my players of the future, Scotland u-19 midfielder James Henry. Swansea, Chesterfield and Shrewsbury Town have all made offers and I’d like the player to get as much first team experience as possible. However, I also don’t want to limit his choices, so I met with the boy today to talk about his future.

“I want you to know I rate you,” I told him, to a smile of relief. “Still, I think the best thing for your development at this point is to let you get first team loan experience instead of sitting in the reserves waiting for a game. We have too many players down there at the moment and I think this will be good for you.”

“Okay,” he answered. “How long?”

“Three months,” I said. “I’d like you back here at the New Year anyway, and I do believe you have a future here if you continue to apply yourself.”

“That’s what I want to hear,” he admitted. “The team’s playing well at the moment and I’d like to be in it sometime soon.”

“And that’s what I like to hear,” I said, rising from my chair to end our brief meeting. “Keep working hard and developing and we’ll see how it goes.”

Half an hour later, Henry had decided on Chesterfield. He wants to play and that was his best opportunity.

# # #

Orsini formally deposed me today after the training session and my goal was to make sure it was done as quietly as possible. A video camera was set up in my office after training and the questioning was done in privacy.

This was done with the full knowledge of my board and chairman. I rang Mr. Madejski just before everything was to start to let him know the score.

“I know we discussed this topic before I was hired,” I said. “I do believe that this will be the end of the public part of my misfortunes from last year.”

“The process should be allowed to work,” my chairman replied. “Naturally we don’t hold that against you. After all, you were a victim. I’d rather discuss the play of Pogatetz, which hasn’t been any great shakes, has it?”

“Not lately,” I admitted. “I do believe he’ll come around, though. He’s an experienced international defender just like Ferreira, and given time I believe he’ll become a fixture for us.”

I noted how smoothly he had changed the subject. Between Pogatetz and Guti, I am being reminded how fickle the world of transfers can be. We’ll also get our first in-person look at Raúl when Everton comes to town – the Real Madrid transaction that actually worked out.

# # #

Tonight’s surprise was what will be perceived as failure on the part of our current league leaders.

Arsenal were reduced to ten men in Bucharest tonight against Rapid, when Emanuel Adebayor was sent off for his second bookable offense 22 minutes from time. Gaël Clichy then was stretchered off with a sprained ankle and the Gunners could only manage a 2-2 draw. Between them and Manchester United, our forthcoming opponents may be hitting a blip in form. I can only hope.

Chelsea carried the Premiership’s banner with some pride tonight, winning 2-1 in Lisbon against Sporting to vault to the top of their qualifying group. And it was another long night for Scotland, as Juventus did to Rangers what Liverpool did to Celtic last night, winning with nearly embarrassing ease in a 3-0 canter.

# # #

Patty had a nice surprise for me tonight when I arrived at home. She showed me the initial edit of her commercial and to say she looks terrific is an understatement.

Naturally, my opinion is somewhat biased since we are related by marriage, but she looks happy, confident and completely natural on screen to my admittedly unprofessional eye. It’s only thirty seconds, but there’s no doubt that she’s the star, and the effect created by the music is evidently just what the producers want.

The commercial will debut at the end of October, and it will mean her face will be in the public spotlight again whether we like it or not. I think she likes it a lot more than I do.

# # #

If I didn’t have anything to do tomorrow night, now I do.

Being a Premiership manager has its advantages, as this afternoon Eaton called with a business proposal that for once was not for my wife.

“Setanta Sports would like to know if you are interested in a one-off commentary tomorrow night on their UEFA Cup coverage,” he said. “They want you to talk about Everton with Angus Scott.”

The Toffees are the only English UEFA Cup entrant playing at home tomorrow night, so Setanta's choice of match seems a fairly simple one. Aston Villa plays at Romanian side Gaz Metan, Spurs are in Belgium to play Germinal Beerschot and Bolton are in Finland to play HJK.

“I have no problem with it if my management doesn’t,” I said. “Run it past our powers that be, if you please. And if they please, let me know where to be and when to be there. I think I’d like to take Patty to London for an evening anyway. Might as well have a little fun along the way.”

# # #

[O\'Hara_fan]

Rob Ridgway, manager, witness and pundit. Getting quite a career aren't ya.

[Wegason]

Finally caught up with Rat Pack, and it's just as good as Calcio. Looking forward to more, though I've never known a manager's wife to do photoshoots and the like!

Also... "World Footballer of the Year Jamie Carragher" had me laughing, like that would ever happen!

[tenthreeleader]

Well, O'Hara, all I can say is that Rob is "flavor of the month" as long as he keeps winning .... Wegason, thanks for your kindness as always. I guess it could be fairly said that Patty is a "flavor of the month" as well. And as for Carragher, I don't rate 'em ... I just write 'em

___

Thursday, September 18

If there’s one thing I can say about Kate McGuire, it’s that she’s consistent.

One year ago, my former flame chose this day to get in touch with me. It’s her birthday today and at this time last year she sent me a note that was frankly just a little bit odd.

The last time I saw her, we were arguing our way through Heathrow, with our spouses having just been placed on the same plane heading toward Italy. It seems she felt bad about how that conversation went, so she wrote me an olive branch of sorts today.

My dear Rob:

Just thought I would drop you a note to express my sorrow for how things went between us the last time we talked. As you might imagine I’ve been under a bit of stress lately, which I am sure you can understand in your job.

I was at the Spurs match – the team looks wonderful and I happen to know why. They’re adapting well to you and the fresh approach is doing wonders! Of course I’m just an average supporter but I guess you could also call me a satisfied customer, if you will.

I was feeling a little wistful this morning because it is the day that you know. So I thought I’d write to let you know I was thinking of happier times. I really would like to meet you for a business lunch sometime – Patty is more than welcome to attend. I’d just like to make this all up to you somehow, if you will allow me the opportunity.

The kids are well. I don’t expect you care much about how Peter is doing so I shan’t bother you with it. Oh, and I’m doing passably as well!

Hope to hear from you soon!

With love,

Kate

Patty looked at me. “You know, Rob, if I didn’t know you better I’d think you were leading her on somehow.”

My eyes grew wide as saucers. “Patty!” I exclaimed. “How could you?”

“I’m teasing, of course,” she said, hugging me tight. “But it does sort of bother me how she ends every letter to you with love.”

“I try not to worry about it and I absolutely don't encourage it,” I said. “She was everything to me once. Not now. So if you want to come out and have lunch sometime at the training ground that would be great. If it would stop Kate asking, I think I’d be interested in doing that.”

“I’ll think about it,” she promised. Her trust in me seems firm, which is good, because I can’t afford worries of that sort.

# # #

I arrived at the Setanta Sports studios in London at 4:00 this afternoon. Everton was scheduled to kick off at 7:00 against FK Sarajevo and I wanted a little time to acclimate myself to the world of television.

“If only Emiliani could see me now,” I smiled to myself as I checked in at the front desk. “I’m covering European football as media and he’s sitting someplace writing something vile about Padova. Life is good.”

True to the Setanta tradition, dress was informal, so I was right at home in a blazer and dress shirt with no tie. I was shown to the set area where the on-air crew was waiting.

It was all so refreshing. There was no criticism, no questions about my personal life or publicly expressed doubts about my priorities. My presence was valued and I was treated as a guest – something I rarely felt in Italy.

As a result, when a catered dinner was served, we had a terrific talk about football for over an hour. Finally, though, Scott sensed something wasn’t quite right.

“I’m just not used to this, Angus,” I said. “I’ll get over it, I’m sure, but I’m used to people wanting me to leave rather than wanting my opinion about football.”

“What a shame,” he said. “A manager’s job is hard enough without that sort of rot.”

“Tell me about it,” I answered. “So I’m really enjoying my time here tonight.”

# # #

“Joining us on the broadcast this evening is Reading manager Rob Ridgway. Rob, great to have you here.”

I smiled, and thanked Scott for his kindness. “Great to be here,” I said. “I’m looking forward to an entertaining evening.”

“Tell us about Everton,” Scott said, leading me into a brief commentary.

“Well, I’m sure you know as much as I do,” I began, but my host just smiled.

“I should hope not,” he laughed, and that loosened me up just fine.

“Structurally a very solid side,” I said. “I’ve seen David’s preliminary team sheet and I expect them to play a solid match against a decent side from Sarajevo. I don’t see a lot standing in Everton’s way tonight, though, and I think that should bode well for the home team.”

“You play Everton this weekend,” he reminded me. “What special challenges do they provide?”

“They’re a bit unique in that they have a major goal-scoring threat on their backline,” I said, and the director rolled video of Lescott. “An opposing team has to figure out how to get Joleon Lescott marked because if they don’t, especially when the ball is dead, he can find a way to really mess up your day. He’s a fine player and Sarajevo has a job on to stop him.”

They showed video of both Lescott’s goals against Boro and I was asked to comment on them. There really wasn’t much I could say.

“They’re working on getting a body on him but he’s just too big and too strong here,” I opined. “He has a way of finding the ball in positions where it really hurts the opposition. He’s quite a player, as I’ve mentioned before.”

With that, we sat back to watch the match.

# # #

The match kicked off at Goodison Park and Moyes had started a fairly strong squad. It was certainly enough to do this job.

Fifteen minutes into the match, the Toffees had cracked the scoreboard. Andy Johnson did the damage with a sharply angled shot from about fifteen yards that found the top corner of the goal.

Had this been a bigger match it would have been an effort worthy of a huge response, but Goodison was just over half full, so thousands of fans missed a good goal in person. However, if they were watching on television they had a chance to see it over and over again, so perhaps it wasn’t all bad.

Everton was in complete control of the match from that point forward and I’m sure all Moyes was hoping was not to concede an away goal. Such was Everton’s dominance that at times it seemed they could name their score.

The score they chose was two, with Johnson completing his brace just after the interval so Moyes could simply concentrate on keeping the clean sheet every home team demands.

They did this with considerable ease and as a result left me little to talk about in the post-match summation – with one notable exception.

Lescott took a very heavy fall when going up for a header ten minutes from time and had to be helped off the pitch. He looked for a time like he wasn’t sure where he was and I looked on with rapt attention.

Mikael Arteta, their midfield maestro, is already out injured with a sprained ankle – to be without Lescott as well would put them at a significant disadvantage this weekend.

The end of the match was quiet, though, and I actually preferred it that way, to be honest. The worst things that could have happened from my point of view would have been either a huge, momentum-building victory or a loss that would leave them fired up for the weekend.

This was nice and quiet. It was also entirely expected, so my hope is that they will come to the Madejski Stadium fat and ready to be surprised.

“Rob, do you think Everton were in need of a win with only two from seven matches in the Premiership so far?” Scott asked in the post-match wrapup.

“You always need wins,” I answered as diplomatically as I could. “Let’s not forget Everton has only one loss from seven as well, so they are in the top half and that means we have to be prepared for a good match on Sunday. No two ways about it.”

The lights went out at the end of the broadcast and the presenter extended his hand. “Well done, Rob,” he said. “You said nothing that could have gotten you in trouble and you added to the broadcast. Sure you don’t want a future in the media business?”

“If results go south, I’ll send my résumé,” I said. “In the meantime, I think I’ll leave the media work to my wife.”

# # #

All the Premiership teams won tonight. Aston Villa picked up three away goals at Gaz Metan of Romania, Spurs defeated Germinal Beerschot 2-0 away and Bolton’s long road trip to Finland resulted in a 2-0 victory over HJK.

The Scottish teams didn’t fare so well. Both of them lost – Aberdeen fell 2-0 at Pittodrie to Bayer Leverkusen and Villareal cruised to a 3-0 home win over Hibs, putting both the clubs from north of the border up against it in their return legs.

But as I drove back to Berkshire, I couldn’t get my mind off Kate’s e-mail. What does she really want?

# # #

[salkster2102]

What does she really want?

Isn't it obvious

[tenthreeleader]

Possibly ... possibly not

___

Friday, September 19

I sat down with Waters today for my interview for the club website as well as for the match program.

Last season at Padova I wrote my own match notes. Here, in the Premiership, Waters does it for me. I would love to have the time to do it myself but here there seems to never be enough time for anything once the 48-hour countdown to the match begins.

I spent the first part of the morning workout going over video from Everton’s match last night with the players. Having seen it myself on live television, and expecting that any of my players who wanted to play on Sunday would have done the same, the session was good.

There’s a fair amount of speculation as to whether Lescott will be able to answer the bell on Sunday. I don’t like the idea of the other team’s best players missing through injury – despite appearances, I am fairly sporting that way – because for one thing, the speculation isn’t healthy.

I can’t count on Lescott being out, so I have to plan for him. Yet Everton are a different team when he’s not in the eleven. It’s just another variable in the planning and when time is getting short, it’s just one more thing to think about.

Today’s drills were light and quick, emphasizing the short passing game. Frankly I’ve been quite pleased with the possession we’ve had in the last couple of matches and some positive reinforcement for the players is certainly in order.

The drills were “opposed” – which is to say, our defenders were actively involved as well – because I’m a bit concerned at how we played defensively at Villa. We’ve done all right when the other team has had the ball for most of the season, but at times we were frankly shocking last weekend. I can’t let that sort of play continue, so I wanted my highly confident midfielders to face my defenders who need a bit of a boost.

We started to play better as a unit during the morning and when I released the players to lunch I was able to get my mind cleared for a bit. It’s starting to race a bit as the match gets closer and I was also able to keep Kate out of my mind for more than a couple of hours due to the intensity of the training session.

I don’t like so much of my thoughts being dedicated to someone who isn’t my wife, that much is certain. And I realize that stopping this is really up to me.

I called Patty on my lunch today and thankfully caught her at her desk.

“How about you and I just get lost in each other tonight?” I asked. “Got any plans?”

“None that don’t involve you,” she said. “I really want to talk with you about Kate. I know you aren’t driving this but I’m really uncomfortable.”

“So am I,” I said. “So let’s get this out in the open. I have nothing to hide and I know you don’t either.”

# # #

[tenthreeleader]

Saturday, September 20

Patty and I stayed up late last night talking about Kate, so I was a bit bleary-eyed when I reported to the training center this morning. We made it abundantly clear to each other that neither of us were interested in re-opening old wounds and since I share personal e-mail with Patty now she can read everything I write.

“You do know I don’t blame you,” she said, as she snuggled close to me in bed.

“I do need to hear that from time to time,” I said. “She’s initiating all this contact and it doesn’t make me feel very good.”

“You’re mine,” she giggled, as she traced the line of my jaw with an index finger.

# # #

During the first half of the league matches this weekend, we got a favor from Alan Pardew’s Charlton.

The Addicks went to Anfield and got a 1-1 draw with the Gerrard-less Liverpool. That was the match I watched this afternoon on television after a full squad meeting to finalize the match plan for tomorrow’s clash.

Obviously, Liverpool looks a bit different without their talisman, but still went ahead on 29 minutes through Andrei Voronin. However, they lacked the killer instinct we’re used to seeing from them, and the visitors eventually put sustained pressure on the Liverpool goal in the last half hour of the match. To see Sisi scoring on 79 minutes, then, wasn’t entirely surprising as the home fans howled with disappointment.

It means Liverpool stays sixth in the table which gives me a bit of breathing room for tomorrow’s match with their great rivals. I’d like to see us rebound strongly from the poor start we had at Villa and I can’t think of a better way than through a home match in front of a loud crowd.

# # #

It’s early days yet but it really looks like Cardiff City will have a hard time staying up.

They were scoreless with 21 minutes to play at Ewood Park this afternoon against Blackburn. Then goals from Marco Rigters, Roque Santa Cruz, Matt Derbyshire and Santa Cruz again in injury time left them a smoking wreck, victims of a late 4-0 thrashing.

Dave Jones’ team was one we handled easily in the last friendly at the Madejski Stadium and with the Bluebirds now well adrift at the foot of the table, they have some decisions to make. They elected not to spend heavily on new players after promotion last season and they may well have to decide how much staying in the Premiership is worth to them. The answer ought to be, quite a lot.

Sylvain Distin scored for Manchester City this afternoon – which was a bit of a shame since he’s of course now playing for Portsmouth. The former City captain scored an own goal on 67 minutes to level that match after Pompey’s Arnold Mvuemba had opened the scoring just before halftime.

The end of the match was quite tense as well, as onetime Royal Nicky Shorey fired Portsmouth into the lead on 73 minutes only to see a joyous Rolando Bianchi net the equalizer for City with two minutes of normal time left, earning a 2-2 draw.

And Newcastle finally found someone they could beat. It was Derby, it was at home, and it was epic, as there were four goals in the last sixteen minutes at St. James’ Park. Rob Earnshaw’s goal tied the game 2-2 before former Royal Steve Sidwell netted for the Magpies nine minutes from time to make it 3-2. No sooner had the fans finished celebrating than Kenny Miller made it 3-3 for Derby before José Enrique got the points for the Toon with seventy seconds of normal time left.

As exciting as the end was, the beginning was just as good, with Christopher Samba and Mark Viduka also scoring for Newcastle sandwiched around Nené’s penalty conversion for the Rams.

So it was a fun day to watch football. The previews on the networks were mostly about the second-third clash tomorrow at White Hart Lane between Spurs and Chelsea. Leaders Arsenal are at the Riverside tomorrow looking to heap more misery upon my friend Gareth Southgate and Boro. Manchester United is at West Ham, which is starting to become a bit of a trouble team for them. If we can do the business at home against Everton we will leapfrog either Spurs or Chelsea for certain.

The Press Association reports that striker James McFadden and Mikael Arteta will miss for Everton tomorrow, but said that Lescott is expected to play. All well and good – our plan is based on the idea that he will be in the eleven.

There was also an interesting report about Bolton’s El-Hadji Diouf. Despite netting six times in eight matches to lead Wanderers’ goal-scoring charts – perhaps because of it, in fact – he felt he really didn’t need to show up for training today. Sammy Lee had no official comment and I wouldn’t have either. Nothing I would have said would have been printable so I can certainly understand why Sammy is keeping quiet.

As for me, I kept things pretty low-key with the squad today. We’ve done well to get to fourth place, obviously, and staying positive is the best way to get a result tomorrow. I haven’t even spoken with the squad yet about Wednesday’s Carling Cup match against Southampton but the squad players have a good idea they will be called upon. There’s an air of expectation there that is both good and bad.

I like the idea of competition for places, but with United coming up a week from today, the squad players know they’ll get a game at midweek and I can’t do much to stop that supposition. A culture of entitlement is death to most squads and I have to be careful of it.

In meeting with Dillon after the abbreviated training session, though, we knew there was no sense in sweeping the team selection under the rug.

“They know,” he told me. “The squad isn’t big enough yet to really force that kind of keen competition we need.”

“I know,” I answered. “We are a fair ways off from that at the moment. We could make some noise in January but I don’t like the idea of paying mid-year prices for people we can target in the full close season.”

We talked about Pazienza and the influence he’s having on the holding position. We’re both pleased with the loanee, but the current nuance to our tactic really makes him a central midfielder, which isn’t his natural position. My personal thought is that the anchor midfielder, especially when we play away from home, needs to be deeper in support of the back line. The tactic is a great idea and everyone wants to be aggressive, but that aggressiveness needs to be tempered by a bit of common sense. This league is too good to simply play the sort of “hair on fire” defense that Kevin Keegan made famous at Newcastle.

So it’s an evolving process. I’m going to stand pat tomorrow since we’re at home, but I have my eye on how things are going, especially on our defense.

# # #

[bobatwal]

wow great story, Could you give me an insight to your youth team do you have any talents coming though?

[O\'Hara_fan]

I would thought being a rich Reading manager you would be able to have two different e-mail accounts

Still fantastic though!

[tenthreeleader]

bobatwal, thanks for the post. As regards my youth team, "dreck" is probably the best word I can use. I inherited 18 players on that squad, eight of which are strikers, and I kid you not. Youth reinvestment will be a primary goal for this club over the coming seasons because the cupboard is bare. O'Hara, thanks as always - sometimes it's just fun for a husband and wife to read each other's e-mail

___

Sunday, September 21

Reading (4-3-0, 4th place) v Everton (2-4-1, 10th place) – EPL Match Day #8

The weather is starting to slide a bit, which is unfortunate. It’s the last day of summer today and it felt very much like fall as I woke up.

A chilly rain beat against the windows as I got out of bed – not enough to force a postponement but enough to make it darned uncomfortable for players and fans alike at the ground.

“This isn’t what I had hoped for,” I mused to Patty as I got out of bed. “We want to run today.”

“The rain will slow them down too,” she observed, which immediately made her more competent than some football pundits I could name.

“I was hoping for a faster track today,” I admitted. “I’ve got players who want to be aggressive and run at Everton. Now I don’t know if we can.”

Yet, in this business you adopt, adapt and improve. How to do those things was the foremost thought on my mind as Patty and I drove to the ground.

# # #

I had a talk with Pogatetz when I arrived in the changing room. He’s going through a run of poor form and for the first time the supporters are starting to tell him that he isn’t their flavor of the month.

I want him to keep his chin up. He’s a quality player and since I spent £6 million for him I would just love it if he picked up his play. Rosenior has been excellent when I’ve called on him – especially in the Spurs match – but really what I need is for the best left back in the squad to start playing like it.

I was gentle with him in the conversation but I mentioned that I needed to see better. He nodded his head.

“That is what I’m trying to give you,” he said. “It’s been a bit of a rough patch but I know I can do it.”

“I know you can too,” I said. “I just want you to know I haven’t lost faith in you. Now go out and get us a good result today, all right?”

He nodded, smiled, and pulled on his uniform top. The rest was up to him.

# # #

Waters is taking an active role in selecting our “theme” music. As we stepped out of the tunnel to the Premier League anthem, I listened to hear his choice for the day.

The song he picked was Don Henley’s “How Bad Do You Want It”, and I thought it was quite apropos. It was also unusually optimistic, given the fact that our visitors are in Europe and we aren’t.

The media was correct – Lescott lined up in central defense next to partner Joseph Yobo – and the match kicked off. The rain came in fits and starts, but Everton was much more consistent than the spotty showers.

They surged forward, realizing that the best way to counter our aggressive intent was to keep the ball in our half of the pitch. They did this with considerable ease, with Andy van der Meyde, Leon Osman and Tim Cahill causing us no end of trouble in keeping possession.

Osman had the first good chance of the match, stinging Lobont’s hands with a well-struck drive from twenty yards after just seven minutes. They were playing an ordinary 4-4-2 but were having a disturbingly easy time dealing with both our attacking intent as well as our attempts at possession.

Johnson was busy too, with a series of industrious runs that kept Bikey busy while Sonko handled the challenge of Raúl. I was starting to like that matchup after a short time, with my defender starting to wear down the legendary striker on his forays into our area.

However, my most valuable player in the early going wasn’t either of my defenders. Unfortunately, it was my goalkeeper. Lobont produced three stunning saves in a six-minute span right after Osman’s drive, denying Johnson, van der Meyde and Derek Boateng in quick succession before van der Meyde went down under Faé’s strong challenge on 23 minutes.

That gave us a chance to catch our breath a bit. Lobont carefully set up his wall and allowed our defense to get its collective feet under it at the same time.

Lescott appeared to fancy the free kick, and took it himself. At that point, all the careful rehabilitation of the defense went down the chute as Lescott scored, with a perfectly placed effort high to my keeper’s right.

I couldn’t even be angry. Sometimes the other fellow just beats you, and this time Lescott had done it with his feet instead of his head. My concern was in the fact that so far we had done a sum total of nothing to impose ourselves on the match.

And by that, I mean nothing. Not a shot, not an attempt, not anything, in the first 23 minutes. That was something I could be angry about, but I really didn’t have to say much. The players saw me doing a slow boil on the touchline and they could tell without me having to open my mouth.

Things got marginally better after that, as Everton relaxed slightly due to having the lead. Our first chance came on the stroke of the half hour as Dagoberto played in Kitson with a perfectly weighted ball at the top of the area, but there was the matter of Tim Howard in the Toffees goal. Kitson’s shot was easily smothered by my country’s number one, and that was that.

We showed some signs of life through the rest of the half but went to halftime still down a goal. I sat the players down while they got their energy drinks and fruit while searching for the right thing to say.

I’m not sure I came up with it, but at least it was honest. “This is what happens when we don’t think in terms of playing on the entire pitch,” I said. “We’re all forward and everyone’s thinking of how they’re going to score. This is making us a team of individuals and that’s not acceptable. We’re going back to the standard formation in the second half, until I see that you guys are ready to give me the kind of responsible play this tactic demands.”

# # #

[copperhorse21]

Throwing down the threats...I'm liking the emotional side of Rob Ridgway...

[tenthreeleader]

Thankee kindly, my friend ...

___

We went out for the second half, and were immediately better. The players seemed shocked into a sense of responsibility for their play and we started to create chances. However, precious few of them were winding up on target, with Everton starting to close us down more aggressively to protect their lead. They pressured us with a high defensive line, which I thought was risky given the blazing pace of both Dagoberto and Kalou. I tried to get us to deliver the ball over the top and play my high-fliers into space, but when we moved forward, they parried.

The minutes passed by, and ten minutes from time, I made a double substitution. I wasn’t displeased with either of my strikers, and Pogatetz had had a decent game. I pulled him off to preserve his confidence and brought Rosenior and his better pace on in his place. Pazienza had also had enough and off he came for Harper, who has better passing skills. It was time to push forward.

I moved us to 4-3-3 at that time, with Kalou and Dagoberto flanking Kitson at the top of the alignment. We really started to hum at that time, maintaining pressure in Everton’s half.

Yet, we weren’t generating attempts on goal and four minutes from time I pulled Faé off in place of Oster, with an instruction to get forward and make something happen.

He didn’t, but Dagoberto did. In the dying seconds, he burst free down the right and took the ball toward the byline, cutting the ball back sharply as he neared it. In front of goal, Kitson had shaken free of Lescott and was played onside by Yobo. He took Dagoberto’s pullback first-time and beat Howard to his near post on the left to get us level in the 89th minute.

The place went nuts and Kitson embarked on a long, triumphant run to the corner flag. All four of the Everton defenders had their hands up for offside, including Yobo, who really should have known better after playing Kitson onside himself.

Moments later, it was over, and we had stolen two points from our visitors. Moyes looked fit to be tied as I approached him for a handshake, and I couldn’t blame him. I had felt the same against Chelsea.

“Well played,” I told him, and he nodded, curtly wishing us good luck. Yet, a draw wasn’t what we really needed.

Reading 1 (Kitson 2nd, 89)

Everton 1 (Lescott 4th, 23)

A – 24,136, Madejski Stadium, Reading

Man of the Match – Bogdan Lobont, Reading (1)

# # #

“I really don’t know how it could have been missed, but it was offside and it cost us three points today,” Moyes told the post-match media gathering. “We surely don’t begrudge them trying to equalize but to say it was rough justice would be kind. We were the better side for ninety minutes today, and we should have gotten the points.”

He was just finishing his comments and after having seen the replays, I was morally certain that David was wrong. So when my turn came and I stepped in front of the cameras, I spoke my mind.

“About the equalizer,” I was asked.

“Yobo played him onside and in fairness I think when David sees the video he’ll have to agree,” I said. “The referee got it right this time.”

“What of the rest of the match?” I was asked.

“Well, we didn’t start well out of the chute,” I admitted. “They jumped on us and took control from the start of the match. Tactically I think we got it right in the second half and we came back on them pretty well. I do think we deserved to equalize because we were better in the second half, and especially so in the last twenty minutes. We keep finding a way to get points and that’s all that matters.”

“A break for you in the League Cup at midweek.”

“We don’t see it as a break,” I said. “Southampton can come here and do some damage if we aren’t careful. We have people we want to get into match situations, yes, but it’s still a cup tie and we have to be careful. It’s not a walkover. Few cup matches are.”

# # #

The draw didn’t hurt us and didn’t help us either. Spurs and Chelsea battled to a goalless draw at White Hart Lane today so both clubs held their positions and we stayed fourth. Arsenal was the only club in the top four to win today, doing what was required at Boro.

Jonathan Woodgate opened the scoring for Boro in the second minute, only to see Robert Huth’s 16th minute own goal equalize for the Gunners. Woodgate stormed right back down the field to score his brace on 21 minutes, but second half goals from Robin van Persie and Emanuel Adebayor overcame stubborn Middlesbrough resistance. The Gunners are starting to pull away.

United threw away a huge opportunity in East London today, failing to take advantage of Wayne Rooney’s 35th minute opener against West Ham. James Collins tied the score for the Hammers in first half injury time and United then succumbed to goals from Dean Ashton and Craig Bellamy in the last ten minutes to fall 3-1 – and lose again to their “trouble team”. So, they’ll be in a terrific mood when they come to the Madejski on Saturday.

Villa quickly returned to form after their draw with us, getting goals from their usual duo of Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ashley Young to subdue stubborn West Brom at the Hawthorns in a West Midlands derby. They move to sixth in the table now and are breathing down our necks.

And Birmingham couldn’t take advantage of Panagiotis Lagos’ sixth-minute opener, falling to Bolton thanks to Tranquillo Barnetta’s goal from the spot and Theo Walcott’s powerful strike late in the first half.

So we’re still fourth, with four wins and four draws. Four seems to be our lucky number at the moment.

# # #

| Pos   | Team          | Pld   | Won   | Drn   | Lst   | For   | Ag    | G.D.  | Pts   | 
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 1st   | Arsenal       | 8     | 7     | 0     | 1     | 17    | 6     | +11   | 21    | 
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 2nd   | Tottenham     | 8     | 5     | 2     | 1     | 16    | 7     | +9    | 17    | 
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 3rd   | Chelsea       | 8     | 4     | 4     | 0     | 14    | 3     | +11   | 16    | 
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
[b]| 4th   | Reading       | 8     | 4     | 4     | 0     | 14    | 8     | +6    | 16    |[/b] 
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 5th   | Bolton        | 8     | 5     | 0     | 3     | 13    | 7     | +6    | 15    | 
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 6th   | Aston Villa   | 7     | 4     | 2     | 1     | 12    | 6     | +6    | 14    | 
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 7th   | Man Utd       | 7     | 4     | 1     | 2     | 12    | 7     | +5    | 13    | 
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 8th   | Liverpool     | 7     | 3     | 3     | 1     | 12    | 6     | +6    | 12    | 
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 9th   | Blackburn     | 8     | 4     | 0     | 4     | 11    | 13    | -2    | 12    | 
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 10th  | West Ham      | 8     | 4     | 0     | 4     | 13    | 19    | -6    | 12    | 
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 11th  | Everton       | 8     | 2     | 5     | 1     | 9     | 6     | +3    | 11    | 
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 12th  | Portsmouth    | 8     | 2     | 4     | 2     | 16    | 14    | +2    | 10    | 
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 13th  | Man City      | 7     | 2     | 2     | 3     | 7     | 8     | -1    | 8     | 
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 14th  | Charlton      | 8     | 2     | 2     | 4     | 9     | 18    | -9    | 8     | 
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 15th  | West Brom     | 8     | 2     | 1     | 5     | 12    | 17    | -5    | 7     | 
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 16th  | Newcastle     | 8     | 2     | 1     | 5     | 10    | 15    | -5    | 7     | 
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 17th  | Birmingham    | 8     | 2     | 0     | 6     | 8     | 14    | -6    | 6     | 
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 18th  | Middlesbrough | 8     | 2     | 0     | 6     | 11    | 18    | -7    | 6     | 
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 19th  | Derby         | 8     | 1     | 1     | 6     | 6     | 15    | -9    | 4     | 
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 20th  | Cardiff       | 8     | 0     | 2     | 6     | 4     | 19    | -15   | 2     | 
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 

[tenthreeleader]

Monday, September 22

I’m not the most popular guy in the world this morning, at least in the eyes of two of my compatriots.

Moyes is angry with me, telling the Liverpool Echo that, in essence, I don’t understand the offside law. And today, Mick McCarthy of Southampton all but promised that the 13th placed team in the Championship would deliver the goods on our turf in 48 hours.

Not surprisingly, I’m not thrilled with either one of them. After our workout this morning I was confronted with Moyes’ quote in the Echo that suggested I should re-read Law 11.

“I really don’t know where he (Ridgway) gets the notion that the goal was good,” he said. “I did see the replay and it wasn’t onside. I always thought there had to be a defender involved someplace and there wasn’t one here. I thought Ridgway was better than to stand for a cheap goal.”

That rankled me. “I guess Yobo took his invisible pills on Everton’s copy of the video,” I retorted. “It was pretty obvious to me. I’m not going to hold that against David, though, because he’s defending his team. But being obtuse doesn’t earn him any extra points in the table.”

As for McCarthy, the former Sunderland and Republic of Ireland manager may have been simply trying to boost his team’s morale in preparation for his midweek visit, but I’m not sure it came out that way.

“Of course I think we can do it,” he told the BBC. “We’re playing better football now and what will be standing in our way are a group of squad players and a manager who is new to the Cup. I think we can do the business.”

That was pretty bald-faced too, and I avoided sounding like McCarthy's "old friend", Roy Keane, when I dismissed his comments. “I’d be pretty poor if I didn’t say I thought we ought to advance,” I said. “Mick knows he can kick-start his season by taking a Premiership scalp and he’s gunning for ours. Fair play to him but my job is to put him out of the competition. And I intend to do so.”

# # #

I’d prefer not to be that way. In Italy last season I didn’t actively look for confrontation with my fellow managers and I’m trying quite hard not to do that here. Frankly, I don’t have the time for it.

Reading’s archrivals aren’t in the Premiership, so I have that advantage in terms of fighting with the other men who are running nearby clubs. West Ham is a rival due to what happened with Pardew, but other than that, we don’t have any natural enemies in our league.

Over time, though, I hope to make a few. There are clubs near us who we wouldn’t mind annoying on the pitch – of course they’re in London and two of them are wildly successful. We aren’t at that point yet but if we keep working, someday we might get there.

Of course, the biggest clubs take care of business against clubs they are fancied to beat. Given the difference in divisions, we should logically be figured to win on Wednesday. So I really don’t have much choice but to respond when my club is slagged off in such a public fashion. The best way to do that is of course on the pitch, so from this point forward I’m letting the team do the talking.

# # #

For our part, we were understandably panned in the home papers for our performance yesterday. But even now, the criticism isn’t nearly as strident as it would have been last season.

“For the second straight match, Reading started slowly,” Weatherby wrote. “The dash of the early moments of the Spurs match appears to be gone, replaced by a more tentative start even as the players pile forward in search of early goals. When early success is achieved – such as against Spurs – Reading look like a special team. When it’s not, they look quite ordinary.”

In that regard, Weatherby was prescient. I have to do something about it – and I will.

# # #

[copperhorse21]

Keep up the riveting work. Mind-games with the mighty....oh how I wish I were there. However, I am in spirit. Go Reading! Smack McCarthy and straighten out that nose of his in the process...

[Wegason]

Lol, McCarthy's nose, possibly one of the most annoying things in football!

[tenthreeleader]

He has Brian Williams Nose. Watch NBC Nightly News some night and you'll see what I mean. The guy can smell around corners.

___

Tuesday, September 23

A much different Reading squad will take the pitch tomorrow against the Saints.

McCarthy was right in one respect – there are going to be squad players in the eleven. Federici will start in goal with Halls getting a recall at right back. Cathcart is up from the reserves to play center-half alongside Ingimarsson, and Glen Little is going to get the start on the right side of midfield.

Oster will start in the raider position and I expect to field an extremely strong bench in the event we need help for any reason. The rest of the eleven will be senior squad players, so we’re going to put a reasonable team out there tomorrow night.

We’re confident, but Sunday’s match will have hopefully provided a bit of a wake-up call. Obviously, those who are getting starting places will get a chance to impress, which will hopefully lead to avoiding the kind of trouble we’ve been flirting with the last two matches.

Most of the players who went 90 minutes on Sunday got their wake-up calls a bit early today by starting preparation for Manchester United with video.

Of course, that match will mark Steve Coppell’s return to Berkshire and the media are already starting their preview pieces. He’s done pretty well there – they have a match in hand on us and would take fourth place from us on goal difference if they win it – but obviously he’s not at United to finish fourth.

Having Coppell come back is going to be distraction enough for most of my players, who obviously know him better than they know me, but it may well provide motivation for some who came here as his purchases only to be left behind when Steve took the United job.

Dagoberto is one of those players. I told him this morning that he won’t be in the squad tomorrow night because I’ll be pairing him with Kitson at the weekend.

He’s also ready to face Coppell – but quietly. He knows I’ve used him well and he’s happy with his role, but part of his pride as a player is geared to showing the old boss what he lef behind. I’ve no problem with that. I’d expect some of my old players to show the same attitude to me if I ever managed against them.

So while he was locked in on video of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, the rest of the squad players were getting ready to make Mick McCarthy eat his words.

# # #

Kate:

I’ve had the chance to talk things over with Patty. The two of us would like to meet you for lunch next week, after the United match.

Frankly, we’re wondering what’s going on. We too would like to make sure the air is clear between us – and that includes Peter if he is willing. Your note was appreciated but we think it’s best if we talk face to face. If you’d like, feel free to call the club offices to set up a time.

Our best wishes,

Rob and Patty

# # #