General Football Thread - Any other business

Michael O'Neil has taken the Blackburn job part time. As a Blackburn fan I'm happy with this appointment

 

🚨 EXCL: Kristjaan Speakman leavs Sunderland. #SAFC decision to move forward without sporting director. DoF Ghisolfi led football set-up since July; central to building current team & operation. Club feel organic end to transition, not start @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/PogheUjcvH

— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) February 13, 2026

🚨 Tottenham Hotspur reach verbal agreement with Igor Tudor to become interim head coach. 47yo Croatian set to join #THFC on contract to end of season; no permanent option. Arrives with big-club experience. Process led by Venkatesham & Lange @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/mhne30c4jU

— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) February 13, 2026

 

Tudor hasn't held down a job for 12 months since his first spell in management 13 years ago. Appointing him as interim manager just saves some paperwork down the line

 

Whatever people’s views are on the Ratcliffe comments, the reaction to it has been laughable in terms of the sheer scale of hypocrisy.

This is a sport that allows owners who commit war crimes, genocides, beheadings of journalists into it, but a few comments from a likely senile old man is where the line is drawn.

Fans are also just as bad. They will regularly cheer for these same owners, as well as players and managers who do some awful things off the pitch, but lose their heads over this.

Labour and the FA’s response puts down to a tee the way the ruling classes and institutions of this country operate in 2026. They couldn’t care less about Ratcliffe’s comments but the reason they are baring their teeth is because Ratcliffe is an easy target, as soon as they come across someone more powerful they wimp away.

 

Phil Jones linking up at Blackburn. good for him, continuing to dip his toe in.

as for thisTudor appointment, his win rate is not too shabby. seems a shrewd appointment if you look into the details.

 

🚨 Tottenham Hotspur rebuffed enquiries from rivals for Lucas Bergvall in January. Chelsea + Aston Villa made contact to check situation while looking to strengthen midfield & amid 20yo’s reduced role but #THFC clear no plan to consider exit @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/3MnA0IqpSK

— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) February 14, 2026

 

Enzo Maresca remains the leading candidate to replace Pep Guardiola when he eventually leaves Manchester City and has not held talks with Tottenham over their permanent manager's job following Thomas Frank's departure. (Fabrizio Romano)

 

4-0 after 30 minutes.

Wigan are getting absolutely pumped here.

 

Referees' chief Howard Webb has been told it is time to go by former Premier League referee Mark Halsey after the latest set of blunders in the FA Cup. (Daily Mail)

 

I am so sick of the Wrexham story. The most jarring element of it is the way it has been portrayed as an authentic rise and a feel good story, when in reality they have just outspent everyone to get to where they are. I fully respect Wrexham fans and the club as it has always existed, but it’s a tiny football club that continues to receive a ridiculously disproportionate amount of coverage relative to its size and importance to the wider football ecosystem.

 

Could be the end for psg and Enrique

 

They shouldn't even be in the English leagues

 

Spoke to Soon. Psg will probably win the champions league after what I've said

 

There's a Welsh guy I work with who's a staunch Wrexham fan and watches every minute of every game.

Then some other guy I spoke to (who's known him for years) was getting confused, "I thought he supported Liverpool didn't he?" he said to me...

 

They all support man utd or Liverpool for some reason just because giggs Hughes Ian rush played for them. The Welsh bug the hell out of me

 

Yeah, Liverpool, Man Utd, Real Madrid and now Wrexham...

 

Rigging the World Cup for Argentina of all nations was yet another own goal by FIFA.

It’s also why I don’t look back on that tournament with any regret. There was no way we would’ve been allowed to win it by the powers that be regardless of performance.

 

They wanted a France Argentina final. That's why the ref gave us absolutely nothing in that game. He was a disgrace. Even the obvious push on mount for the penalty, the ref ummmed and aaard. They wanted an mbappe Messi final

 

Yep, foul in the build up to their first goal as well.

 

The over praising of Messi’s performances at the World Cup is very galling. I can’t say I’ve ever been impressed by him in any World Cup match yet he has two player of the tournaments!