TheBear

If they're not in the top 5 at Christmas (which I suspect they won't) then Rodgers will be gone. Horrendous fixtures at the beginning.

Con, stop talking rubbish.

9/1 for a 1-0 Utd win. Not great is it.

The Europa league is poison which is a pity really because it used to be a very good, well respected competition.

So I'm doomed to getting their Broadband in order to see the CL matches in two years time? Great.

I'm actually gutted that Stephen Ireland's name is not on that squad list. How sad is that!

You've read the stats then when he missed those 57+ games for us? We'll finish 6th if we're lucky.

I just hope they have us playing better football. I have never in my life been so underwhelmed by an Ireland team. I actually dread our games.

Whilst the first part is true the second part is wildly inaccurate and shows how the media have ignored the spending of Liverpool. Net spend last 3 seasons combined Liverpool: £91.6m Spurs £8.6m Arsenal: -17.6m Safe to say their lack of performance across the last 2 seasons really is a large failure! Spurs last trophy? Arsenals last trophy? Ah it's only money.

As Dunphy said yesterday, this has the potential to be a total train wreck. The off-field antics may be more exciting than the on-field but I'm excited nonetheless.

His tenure can be broken into 2 parts. The first part he did very well. His remit was to qualify us for Euro 2012 and he did that. It's at that point that he should have gone. Everyone knew it except the FAI. His best players either retired after Euro2012 or they were over the hill. However, in John Delaney's wisdom, Trap was given a new contract and he persisted with the old and had to be coerced into bringing in the new. He did it reluctantly and he made them play like dinosaurs. That's the 2nd part. In doing so, he has not only wasted our world cup qualifying campaign but he has set the development of the next generation of Irish players back 2 years. The damage he has done over the past year has created a resentment towards him that is unfortunate given the way he could have walked away a year ago. His team selections, his substitutions and his tactics have absolutely baffled everyone. He only started GOING TO ACTUAL PREMIER LEAGUE GAMES a year ago when he was shamed into doing so by the media. This for a man earning €2m a year in wages?!?!?! His heart wasn't in it and as my mate said yesterday - "We basically paid him £8m to learn the English language.". Couldn't have put it better myself BOF. I'd love Martin O'Neill to get the job by the way. I think he'd be perfect for it.

Watching Ireland these is literally like watching the grass grow. Maybe it's for the best we don't qualify so we don't have to travel 5700 miles to make an absolute show of ourselves. There's players in the League Of Ireland for Pats and Dundalk that I'd have in before some of the dross in our starting 11.

All the best to Stan Petrov, a very humble and decent fella who doesn't deserve this pain and suffering, especially at such a young age, no one does. I think his presence will give Villa a big lift against Chelsea. Safety assured.

And then Benitez tried to sign the thug a couple of seasons later.

Back in the early years BOF he used to drive me mad, that was only because he was a) very young and b.) played out of position (RB). When he moved to the centre he became a totally different player and in my opinion, one of the best CB's in the league (why else would I put him in my FF team all those years). I'm genuinely gutted because he's actually a very nice fella and he's also got at least another season left in him. He's held in high regard at Liverpool because of his commitment, his fist pumps at Goodison and (mainly) extra time in Istanbul. He's not every non-LFC's fan cup of tea but I think he deserves every accolade he gets because he never shirked his responsibilty on the pitch. You can't ask for more than that. Neville and Carra nailed on for a pundit partnership next season