SchalkeUK

I have been here for more years than I care to think about, but this thread is probably the silliest and, at the same time, one of the most interesting considering the difference in beliefs. I would - in view of some of the above ideas and comments - just ask if it would be possible to conduct a Post Mortem in the Veltins next week? I would be very interested to read the results.

Just seen the Scottish Labour leader talking about his efforts to sort things out - great advert for sense and a new form of politics - need to keep an eye on this guy!

Problem continues - the BBC spending time giving McClusky airspace before any other Labour genuinely elected spokespersons - that and copying the latest Corbyn statement will probably turn off another few thousand!

Rando makes a few good points, but here in West Yorkshire I am constantly being told that if Starmer cannot demonstrate that he will tell the un-elected Union gobbies to shut it, he will not regain old Labour voters - most have had enough of their interference in the Labour way of trying to fight Johnson's inability to tell the truth whilst still being beholden to the old guard of Trade Union 'bosses'. I used to work for Wakefield Council when they were 63-2 Labour controlled and look at them now! That alone should be a warning with guys like Box running the show. It will be interested to see if, in an old-fashioned Labour area, even Tracy can get elected as mayor against some really poor quality opponents. If nothing else, this week will focus minds on serious efforts to sort things out before the 2022 elections.

Oh dear! Here we go again. This is planning for 2021/2 and not beyond. A team of old men who will just about last one season and keep the kids out - they will need the experience of playing regularly but then if the old guys get us back up we will do a 'Hamburg' and go back down again as the upstairs guys have no idea that 2023 is going to happen. Short term planning is what Sheffield Utd have done last and this year, Fulham and West Brom look similar and Tommy knows that Dusseldorf did the same recently. As the song says - 'all in all just another brick in the wall' which will fall down with the slightest push and the kids will have graduated to France, Spain, Turkey, Liverpool or anywhere that wants them - as opposed to the guys upstairs in the Veltins who seem not to care!

Not sure if this has been discussed on any thread, but at the moment there is an argument concerning Covid/Vaccine passports. Most of us 'wrinklies' have gone through periods where we had to have Visas - I had one for Martial Law in Thailand in the 50's, a US Visa almost permanently and regularly renewed, a Visa to visit Canada and China in the 90s and Russia in the 70's - a V Form to be allowed to take money on Holiday in the 60s and lots of Yellow Fever and other vaccine passports. None of those were mandatory - you chose to have them to be able to do what you wanted or go where you wished to travel. I now have a card confirming my 2 jabs and if necessary I am happy to use it to stop having to sign in or borrow a phone (I don't have one or want one) to be able to go out for a drink! If I want to go to Greece there is a possibility that I might need something to prove that I have done as asked re the Virus, and that would be my choice - to go or not and therefore to do as asked. You can persuade Boris and gang not to issue such a card/document but he does not make the rules in Greece, Spain, Portugal or anywhere else if we wish to go there. So make the offer of a document/passport/visa whatever type of thing available to all who want it and within their own jurisdiction/country make it obligatory - not mandatory. Then those of us who have one and want one will be able to travel to the game in Germany when Angela decides that the nasty British Variant has to be addressed - in other words my and your choice. Let's not let the 'Little Britainers' and the protective 'human rights' gangs dictate to us all - after all human rights in itself an expression of total choice. The 70 or so MPs who are objecting to the idea are dictating to those who want the choice. If that is in line with 'human rights', then I am totally bewildered - again! A second 'rave' To all my friends from the different ethnic groups who are being challenged re the taking of the Vaccine - most of those giving out the incorrect advice are probably from the Ultras or The KKK or whatever - their idea is that if they persuade as many coloured people to avoid the Vaccine they will simply get the virus and die and the problem will be solved - please, please stop listening to them!

Easy to remember Manuel's b'day (on Munchen thread) but should not forget Matija is 28 today (28th). Not had his best season, but still one of us!! Hope the day goes well.

I think they dug it out a long time ago before even containers had been invented - we had boats then and now we have ships and although many young people used the boats carelessly, now we have older idiots in charge - and that's not even thinking about politics! ! was 2 days into my square bashing in 1956 when an idiot named Eden decided to invade Egypt and block the Canal but he had to sink boats 'cos there were not any big enough to block it - we were woken up at 2am and told we were going to Egypt that week! Not true, but the smell of poo was awful!

Thanks both of you - nice thing about today is that it's International weekend and we have no reason to get sad and upset 'cos our lot will be sitting at home and not making us weep again for another week! Wales today, England and Germany tomorrow - too much excitement for an old man in one weekend! Take care you two - it will soon be all over!

It's that day again - one which three of us share - Manuel, Atsuto and me - used to have fun - and we are all still going well despite the nastiness! Happy B'day my young pupil P M Neuer! Must not forget Haji - it's his day too!

Now the Vultures are circling again - young Matthew is the target and no bets offered on who gets him but 04 would not be in the list of contenders!

If there is anything to feel good about this it will be the fact that Herr Gross will be one of the few Managers who can honestly say that "Since I took over - they got slowly and slowly worse week by week". Now that's an achievement to savour! Summed up by bringing on Bentleb and Schopf as the best subs he had - in his opinion! One other thing to ponder - Just think what would be happening at this moment in Gelsenkirchen if the Virus had not kept everyone at home - Jan 6 in Washington would have been fun compared to that!

Glad you said it Tommy - it would have been too obvious for me to post that! One disaster after another and two more out again this week due to a unfortunate rib and a very very stupid piece of Gross Negligence!

Oh Captain, My Captain. This weekend we would be celebrating - or not - the birthday of a man who should never have left the Club - particularly at the present time of distress. I say 'or not' because young Benny is still only 8 years old in some eyes - he was born on the 29th and we never knew if 28th or 1st of March counted, but again this year there ain't no 29th. Happy whichever day Benny - the memory is still very much alive and Grossly missed!

Tut tut Stan - and I thought you were better than that - at least is shows that the comments were not originated in Rotherham

I am keeping out of the Schalke comments for the moment, although this may be the first of a bucketful of folk leaving in the Summer - as along as he takes Gross with him - anyone who can re-instate Bentaleb after his antics with the management - but mainly his supposed colleagues on the field - should be impeached! Likely he'll also get away with it - so what's new? The praise he is being given for walking around last week for almost 80 of the 90 minutes sums it up really! Maybe I watched a different game, but did have S04 on the score card ay the top of the screen! - which wasn't bothered at all! One final thought! Will the idiots stop drawing attention to young Matthew - he is trying hard with zilch support from mid-field but still manages to show up well - so much so that already there are signs that UK clubs are looking on with interest. As the Spanish sometimes say - Ole

Here's something for the experts to comment on - and hope for others. After having discovered that all 3 of us in the family have had the virus and never knew it, my recent CT scan has revealed a 'nodule' on the right lung. Maybe there for a while, or affected by the virus it is causing so much concern to the specialist that he has booked me in for another scan - on January 12th 2022. Maybe long covid has its weaknesses.

After all these years the word I would never have associated with Herr TN is 'cynical'! Can only put it down to the virus and lockdown.

There are many different opinions of Joel's style of play, but here's some food for thought! How many centre backs - particularly experienced ones - do you see regularly playing the ball sideways and backwards when they are under pressure. How many seem lost as to know what to do with the ball or where to send it. Now watch Joel and see how many times he looks forward and actually finds a team-mate to advance the attack or even with the help of young Trent who then stays back to let him take it forward himself. His biggest arguments used to be with young Draxler who sometimes seemed to forget which way he was actually playing - still does sometimes - but often the German kids used his first name to describe his game - 'Job done'! I know Virgil changed that to 'Matop' which he liked - particularly as it came from a man for whom he has the greatest respect after Kloppy aka Kloppo. I'm sure he still has the same sense of dry humour which he developed with Benny Howedes and sometimes they would let a ball through after one or the other had said something which left each unable to concentrate from laughing together but he was always the tallest on the pitch and hated by other defences - particularly from corners. If you are on the other side just beware when his lowers his head and smiles at you - it's his version of the Rocky theme - the smile and the eye of the tiger! Great guy and still has lots to offer!

Of one thing you can be sure - if he fails it will not be through any lack of trying to sort it on his part!

He was one of the most respectful kids in skool when he was younger - despite the decision by mum to send him to 'council' school and his bro to a private one. Never a moments problem and was always ready to listen - sure that made him a real mate to the other kids in the team and later with S04. I was told that his best time so far was being in Brazil when he was one of 5 from the same school and 4 of them played in the Cup winning side - that has to be a record which no other school will ever beat!

Spoke with his sister yesterday and he is not going to be available for the rest of this season but no way wants to leave Kloppy and will try his damndest to get fit asap. I know some think he is not the best in the world, but no one ever doubted his respect and effort to do what he was asked - one of the reasons why JK went for him in the first place.

I have a feeling that Kabak will work brilliantly with young Trent - the way he has brought on another youngster - Becker - in the past few games has tightened up out right side - our serious fault is Left Centre Back where the old guy is well past it and Sead K is starting to sort that too! We will miss Kabak!

Saturday showed that both teams have the potential to be good enough, even at this late stage, to avoid the drop - your position is better with a guy in charge who seems to know what he is doing which is the difference at the moment. Not sure if Gross could even list the players on the books from memory and as for their individual abilities he is a few years behind the present situation and still believes that former good players are still up to BL standard - unless he realises that soon, it will be too late to avoid the inevitable. No such problem in Bremen - you just need to get them all fit to play and out of the medical room!

Yep natch!