Friday Thoughts From The Editor

I’ll begin with the obvious. Why the hell is the African Cup of Nations only available via pay-per-view on my computer?! This tournament will offer some fantastic matches and plenty of free-flowing, dramatic, innovative soccer. But I won’t see it. Sorry, but I can’t sit at a computer and watch a match. Call me a luddite if you must. But I need a television. So it’s no Ghana, no Ivory Coast, no Cameroon. It’s a damn shame.

What’s also a damn shame is this clown Lassana Diarra. He bails on Chelsea because he’s not getting enough playing time. So where does he go? Arsenal. Funny, but he doesn’t break into their midfield either. So, in search of first team soccer, he leaves for Pompey. And then proceeds to tell everyone that it is only a stepping stone move and as soon as a “big club” comes asking he’ll move on. What an ass.

I’m going to see some jazz tomorrow night so I won’t be watching the USA/Sweden match. It’s all MLS and Northern Europe guys and it would be nice to see some of the new faces in action. But it’s not really terribly important so it’s fine to give it a miss. Perhaps I’ll enjoy it on the DVR Sunday.

It was sad to see Cookie resign from Real Sociedad. I like the guy, and hoped that he would lead them back to La Liga and be a savior and all of that. Not to be. Any club in England that needs somebody would be a fool not to snatch him up. What he did at Fulham was remarkable. If he were still in charge they wouldn’t be in the drop zone.

And speaking of saviors, welcome back Kevin Keegan. I have no doubt he’ll turn things around at Newcastle in the short term. I do doubt that he’ll be able to do any better than Sir Bobby or Souness in the long-term. Whatever he does, he’ll be entertaining and the side will be a lot more fun to watch. Geordies have to be excited about that. Until next week -- Sanford