Are we an "unprofessional" professional football club?

[Sponge]

Glad to hear you're settling in okay. How is Wales?

Surprising lack of sheep GtE!

All going well. Should get the keys to the villa on Friday, so can start to settle properly. Thought I'd get longer to adjust to the heat, but apart from a few days it is in the 40s already. Humidity still to hit properly I'm told. Will be able to apply for the alcohol license next week - so all will be good

Oh yes it will!

[boltonboris]

Is that to buy or sell alcohol?

I know that may sound daft, but I've no idea with it being a muslim country

[Gary the Enfield]

Especially if she was a devout christian with a no-sex-before-marriage policy...he might have been waiting years to get his end away...maybe chicken was the next best thing?
(Gary?)

Erm,

[ohjimmyjimmy]

Especially if she was a devout christian with a no-sex-before-marriage policy...he might have been waiting years to get his end away...maybe chicken was the next best thing?
(Gary?)

Erm,

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Is that to buy or sell alcohol?

I know that may sound daft, but I've no idea with it being a muslim country

That's to buy. There are ways around it and I do have 3 bottles of malt that I brought with me, but it can save a lot of hassle and a spell in jail by having it. It's damn expensive out here mind. It is only 1 of 2 things I have fond so far that is taxed; pork being the other.

[boltonboris]

So it's basically a foreigner tax?

How do tourists go about it? Or do they have different rules in hotels?

[Wandering Willy]

Out of interest - can I ask where you are AT?

[boltonboris]

Turkmenistan

[Wandering Willy]

Is that near Westhoughton?

[boltonboris]

He tries telling people he's lording it in Dubai to sound glamorous. Don't believe him..

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

So it's basically a foreigner tax?

How do tourists go about it? Or do they have different rules in hotels?

Pretty much an expat tax yes. It is a very grey area like many things here. Technically you must have a license to drink, regardless of resident or tourist. You can't get a license without a residence visa, meaning no alcohol for the tourists. As Dubai sells itself as a major tourism destination, you can see how they might forget about applying the rules for tourists. The general rule of thumb is steer clear of the police when you've had a drink and you'll be ok. I particlarly like the fact it is illegal to be under the influence of alcohol in public (not talking about majorly drunk here either), but how the feck do you get home from the bar/club without 'being in public'?

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Out of interest - can I ask where you are AT?

Don't believe Boris. He had his honeymoon in Turkmenistan and loved it.

I'm in Dubai. The land of the fake everything...

[Armchair Wanderer]

About Ream, Drogba and Anelka weren't given much help when they first arrived in the UK. It's not even limited to this country. We don't know if he was offered any help, we don't know the full story, so I can't be too critical there.

About BSA's huge backroom staff. Around the time he moved wasn't that backroom staff accused of being very expensive. I remember Newcastle saying that he wouldn't be allowed to bring his whole team there, Blackburn too, I think. All I remember from the BSA post-match interviews from the first few years in the EPL was that we needed to play for the whole 90 and not concede late on. Obviously as time went on he and his minions improved it. Maybe it was through training/science or just better players. BSA certainly used tricks such as science/tactics to get the W.

[midlands exile]

About Ream, Drogba and Anelka weren't given much help when they first arrived in the UK. It's not even limited to this country. We don't know if he was offered any help, we don't know the full story, so I can't be too critical there.

About BSA's huge backroom staff. Around the time he moved wasn't that backroom staff accused of being very expensive. I remember Newcastle saying that he wouldn't be allowed to bring his whole team there, Blackburn too, I think. All I remember from the BSA post-match interviews from the first few years in the EPL was that we needed to play for the whole 90 and not concede late on. Obviously as time went on he and his minions improved it. Maybe it was through training/science or just better players. BSA certainly used tricks such as science/tactics to get the W.

Giving the likes of Robbie Blake a contract extension last summer is very expensive.

Having professional back-room staff, perhaps on a combined lower wage than Blake, is good value.

We could hardly manage to play for 60 minutes a match this season, never mind the full 90.

[Bruce Rioja]

Is that to buy or sell alcohol?

I know that may sound daft, but I've no idea with it being a muslim country

That's to buy. There are ways around it and I do have 3 bottles of malt that I brought with me, but it can save a lot of hassle and a spell in jail by having it. It's damn expensive out here mind. It is only 1 of 2 things I have fond so far that is taxed; pork being the other.

Will you have to observe Ramadan, AT? July/August this year isn't it? You'll be gagging for an ale if you do.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Will you have to observe Ramadan, AT? July/August this year isn't it? You'll be gagging for an ale if you do.

It starts July 20th I think. No drinking/eating in public during the day will be tough in the heat. Might have to install a keg at home! I'm looking forward to it though. Big respect to them for doing that for a month. At least I can have a sly drink in the loo or under my desk or summat!

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

my main gripe is not with Tim himself but that people think he was so lost & naive & alone that he was forced, at gunpoint, maybe by people dressed up as chickens, to eat in Nando's, and assuming that he's sat there with gravy down his chin shovelling greasy buckets of chicken down his gob.

Brilliant mental image

[Lord Kangana]

Aye, in my experience the Hotel kitchen will have been given a diet sheet in advance of his stay. Low fat, generally high carb. Happens every other time professional footballers have stayed in any hotel I've worked at. I know some like to stretch the truth, but its just bollox that he was at KFC breakfast, lunch and dinner.

[midlands exile]

Steve Clarke has resigned from Liverpool due to the Dalglish sacking - is there even the slightest chance he'd come to us?!?! Reckon he would be a great improvement in the assistant manager department.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Steve Clarke has resigned from Liverpool due to the Dalglish sacking - is there even the slightest chance he'd come to us?!?! Reckon he would be a great improvement in the assistant manager department.

it'd be nice, I think, as Clarke has an excellent reputation... Let's just assume Liverpool's bad results were King Kenny's fault...