Now Platini has lost the plot

[Hoboh]

Eliminating the transfer window would benefit the big clubs at the expense of a club like Bolton. Wouldn't our best players get snapped up the second they start producing some good form? Consider last season, we wouldn't have even gotten 5 months of service from Anelka. He'd have been poached the second one of the big 4 had a player out through injury.

He was around the season before, and no bugger bought him last summer.

If players get bought, clubs get money. We'd have had more time to spend the Anelka money, perhaps on a striker, rather than trying to force the issue by arguably offering over the odds. Maybe we wouldn't have had to turn, in desperation, to Rasiak. Maybe we'd've got a better striker in early February. Maybe we'd've bought Elmander in March.

Condensing the transfer activity into one mid-season month leads to fee escalation, bad buys and money wasted. And it also turns what used to be a steady part of the season, where titles were won and lost, into a speculation circus and a frantic if-it-moves-buy-it market. It may make for good 24hr sports TV but it weakens the sport.

Would the club invest in removeable stickers for the backs of shirts for players names? or do a trade in deal on old ones?

And would they give out free training to learn how to sing or say the new players name correctly in time for the next game?

Thought not, sod it, stay as we are.

[Prufrock]

Platini was transferred only twice in his entire career and has never manager a club side. Typical Frenchman, likes the sound of his own voice.

Racism?

the french aren't a race, so no. Xenophobia perhaps, but it's the French who gives a shit, he could have added soap-dodging, sheep-burning, cheese-eating, war-losing, arrogant and garlic-gobbling

[/quote]

"Race. n.
.....
2.A group of people united or classified together on the basis of common history, nationality, or geographic distribution: the German race."

i cant see a difference between an assumption that 'all muslims are shoe bombers' and that all 'french are....blah', or 'all germans are...blah'. Seem to be outnumbered on this one but am taken aback by the hypocrisy of those who condemn the idiots spouting racial abuse against muslims (and if you wanted to be technical it would be this which is not strictly racism, according to the not a race bullshit theory (coz that kind of, you know, makes it allright, since strictly speaking it is only xenophobia)). Michel Platini is not a tosser because he is french, he is a tosser because he is a tosser. Now you can play the PC gone mad card, and say it is only a bit of fun, but then i am afraid you would be starting to sound a little but like Bernard Manning.

[communistworkethic]

Definition: race (n) a human population considered distinct based on physical characteristics.

It is important to note that race is predominantly a social construct - in other words, scientists have discovered that only 2 percent of our genes are ultimately responsible for the visible differences such as skin color. Although it is not an exact science, social groups play a very important role in defining the rules of race. For example, in some cultures a light skin mulatto who is also upper class may be considered White, while in others, this same individual would classify as Black.

[Prufrock]

Definition: race (n) a human population considered distinct based on physical characteristics.

It is important to note that race is predominantly a social construct - in other words, scientists have discovered that only 2 percent of our genes are ultimately responsible for the visible differences such as skin color. Although it is not an exact science, social groups play a very important role in defining the rules of race. For example, in some cultures a light skin mulatto who is also upper class may be considered White, while in others, this same individual would classify as Black.

you have given a different definition of race. As far as i am aware words can mean more than one thing, or more than one variation on a single idea. Your definition, whilst relevant to the word race, doesnt disprove my definition. The French can in my view, and in the view of many others be considered a race. However technicalities are not important to the point i was making. Platini isnt a tosser because he's french, he's a tosser because he's a tosser. Somehow there is a line drawn that means it is wrong to have a go at Muslims, Gays, Women, Black people because of their faith, sexuality, gender, or race (in this case using Commie's definition). Obviously this is a good thing. Yet its ok to assume all French people are 'socialist, cheese eating, smell, wine surrendermonkeys' to name but a few stereotypes. Interestingly, no other nation seems to get it so badly, America aside. For some reason no-body calls Germans jew-bashing Nazis. Or the Italians facist bastards. Why so? The constant abuse of America is starting to get on my tits too. George Bush is a fool, quite a large amount of that population are fools, that doesnt make them all idiots, nor does it mean issues can be dismissed with a hearty wave of the hand and some casual bullshit. If patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel, then the man who resorts to 'coz hes french' is a fool.

[communistworkethic]

careful on your way down...

[Prufrock]

i know ive made a big fuss of it and it probably isnt that important, but i went to an anti BNP rally not that long ago. Amongst all the smugness and backslapping and folk turning to each other saying 'im not a racist you know, are you?....what no? brilliant, let's be friends', the lead singer of Reverend and the Makers John McClure said something that stuck. He said that racism was everywhere, some of it trivial and jokey and seemingly harmless. However we should question any form of racism/discrimination or whatever you want to call it. Sitting back and laughing just perpetuates it, and more importantly leads on to more violent and genuine racsim. it is that jokey racism that allows the crazy right wing nazi bastards to grow, because they capitalise on the crowd mentality and everyone starts getting swept away. How many times has some nobjockey come out with the line 'im not racist, i even have friends that are (insert group he has offended)'?

Dont get me wrong im all for slagging off Platini for the cockend he is, theres enough material without resorting to lazy slurs.

[communistworkethic]

i know ive made a big fuss of it and it probably isnt that important, but i went to an anti BNP rally not that long ago. Amongst all the smugness and backslapping and folk turning to each other saying 'im not a racist you know, are you?....what no? brilliant, let's be friends', the lead singer of Reverend and the Makers John McClure said something that stuck. He said that racism was everywhere, some of it trivial and jokey and seemingly harmless. However we should question any form of racism/discrimination or whatever you want to call it. Sitting back and laughing just perpetuates it, and more importantly leads on to more violent and genuine racsim. it is that jokey racism that allows the crazy right wing nazi bastards to grow, because they capitalise on the crowd mentality and everyone starts getting swept away. How many times has some nobjockey come out with the line 'im not racist, i even have friends that are (insert group he has offended)'?

Dont get me wrong im all for slagging off Platini for the cockend he is, theres enough material without resorting to lazy slurs.

only among the stupid. The inability to laugh at others and ourselves is as destructive. Besides the French are all bath-dodging feck*.

[Prufrock]

i know ive made a big fuss of it and it probably isnt that important, but i went to an anti BNP rally not that long ago. Amongst all the smugness and backslapping and folk turning to each other saying 'im not a racist you know, are you?....what no? brilliant, let's be friends', the lead singer of Reverend and the Makers John McClure said something that stuck. He said that racism was everywhere, some of it trivial and jokey and seemingly harmless. However we should question any form of racism/discrimination or whatever you want to call it. Sitting back and laughing just perpetuates it, and more importantly leads on to more violent and genuine racsim. it is that jokey racism that allows the crazy right wing nazi bastards to grow, because they capitalise on the crowd mentality and everyone starts getting swept away. How many times has some nobjockey come out with the line 'im not racist, i even have friends that are (insert group he has offended)'?

Dont get me wrong im all for slagging off Platini for the cockend he is, theres enough material without resorting to lazy slurs.

only among the stupid. The inability to laugh at others and ourselves is as destructive. Besides the French are all bath-dodging feck.

True enough, but theres plenty of those about.

[fatshaft]

Platini was transferred only twice in his entire career and has never manager a club side. Typical Frenchman, likes the sound of his own voice.