tonygoodson

Scholesy's Man United XI

Oh Lordy, my number one distraction.  All time football teams!!  Damn you Paul Scholes and The Guardian for publishing another All Time Team, Man United.  Because it distracts my thoughts.  So, Scholesy's team.

Schmeichel, Neville, Brown! Ferdinand, Irwin, Keane, Robson, Beckham Giggs, Van Nistelrooy, Sheringham.

No Ronaldo, Cantona, Vidic, Stam, Rooney.

I think it's crucial to know who a player like Scholes picks, because it tells you who he likes playing alongside, and who he doesn't like playing against, which I think is the key to picking a team.  Who would I like to play alongside, and who would be a nightmare to play against.  So it's interesting that Scholes likes Ferdinand and Brown behind him and not playing against him.  He likes playing with Sheringham.  It's made me consider my all time Man United team again, and a New Fergie team.

All Time Manchester United Team (from the players I've seen play) .  No question Peter Schmeichel.  Dennis Irwin is right footed. Play him at right back!  And he can take free-kicks and penalty shoot-outs.  Buchan, I think is still the fastest defender I've seen.  Vidic or Stam? Evra if he maintains his form.  Robson and Keane (Scholes has confirmed what I thought).  Now it gets difficult.  On last year's form I'd have Ronaldo, but on this year's form he's out, so it's George Best, who I might have in anyway. Van Nistelrooy or Dennis Law?  I go Van Nistelrooy. Definitely Bobby Charlton for more goalscoring ability.  And the most difficult final one, Cantona, or Rooney, or Sheringham, or Cole, or Yorke! (excellent goals to games ratio), or Hughes, or Tevez, or Ronaldo, or Solskjaer. For the last year, I've gone from Cantona to Rooney, now let's take Scholes's advice and go Sheringham, although Bobby Charlton might play that Sheringham role.  Not Giggs or Beckham for me.

Schmeichel Irwin Buchan Vidic Evra Keane Robson Best Charlton Van Nistelrooy Sheringham

Fergie XI from the Fergie era; Stam for Buchan, I used to have Stam and Buchan together but I think it's time for Vidic.  I do like some of the centreback pairings, Bruce and Pallister, Ferdinand and Vidic, even Moran and McGrath, and Berg and Johnsen! I'm not sure Robson was at his best under Fergie, but let's have him anyway.  Ronaldo is better than Beckham and almost as good as Georgie Best.  if I keep the team balanced then it's Giggs, but he is very one-footed and not the best crosser.  Van Nistelrooy and.....I've changed my mind, by reading the comments and I'll go for Cantona!

Schmeichel Irwin Stam Vidic Evra Keane Robson Ronaldo Giggs Cantona Van Nistelrooy

And if that wasn't enough, there's All Time Teams at Four Four Two, Perfect XI

Artist’s Way part V

So for the fifth time I’m going to do the Artist’s Way.  One of my favourite books, and great for getting your creativity flowing.  It means doing “Morning Pages” which means getting up early to write 3 pages of handwritten streaming consciousness, or whatever you can muster early in the morning.

12 Chapters, so that’s 3 written pages a day, 7 days a week for 12 weeks.  If you didn’t think you’re capable of writing a book, you have 252 pages handwritten if you do your morning pages every day.  That’s impressive.  Plus weekly homework and Artist exercises.  It’s mostly a lot of fun, and I highly recommend it, as do many people.

Daryl Cook is doing the Artist’s Way, so I’ve joined him.  Let’s see who cracks first.

Street Biker

I’m a very proud Dad tonight.  Just got my 5 year old son riding on his bike without trainers/stabilisers, and he’s only had the bike for 4 weeks.  I put the stabilisers back on my daughter’s old bike, Jay took to the bike, and I asked him tonight if he wanted to try without stabilisers, and he just took off on 2 wheels.

The way I’ve got them up so quickly on their bikes, not that they’re that young compared with many kids, is to ride up and down the street, with them on their bikes and me on their scooter.  Remember as kids when we played on the street?  When did kids stop playing on the streets?  It’s not just here in Australia that kids don’t play on the streets anymore?  It’s worldwide isn’t it?  Why?  Is it anymore dangerous now?

I grew up playing football on the streets, “Jumpers for Goalposts”.  We met on the streets.  We rode and raced our bikes on the streets.  Showing off your new birthday present.  See how far you could slam the tennis ball down the street.  Water fights.  Trikes then Bikes then Racers.  We were streetwise much younger as kids then, crossing roads, being out on the road.  Mind you, is it my imagination or do I remember more broken arms and legs back then!!

Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus

I just saw a mid 60s clip of the Rolling Stones, on TV, and I was wondering about Brian Jones and the Rolling Stones, when did he join, when did he die.  And his last formal appearance was in the Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus, a film the Stones wouldn’t release for 28 years until ‘96.

It’s an amazing film, really well shot with modern camera angles and production, you wouldn’t believe it’s 60s which usually has too many and too long close-ups.  And it has John Lennon with Mick, The Who, Jethro Tull, Eric Clapton, all doing excellent performances, including The Stones, who I’m not a big fan of, but they’re really good in this, even though they didn’t think so.

And as for Brian Jones, well, I don’t see the rest of the group acknowledging him on stage, but wouldn’t you be pissed off if another band member had run off with your girlfriend of 2 years!!

And does Mick Jagger have tattoos because he certainly does in part 6 of the YouTube clips.  Are they temporary for the film, because if not, that would be quite a shocking thing for the 60s, but very David Beckham nowadays!

I take it all back.  I thought the filming looked familiar. The Beatles did it first with All You Need is Love, and look, there’s Mick Jagger in the audience in ‘67.