MARCHING ON FOREVER
Well, reader, the summer of 2018 has got The Fiver beat. It’s been freakishly hot in England; Gareth Southgate and Bobby M have led teams to World Cup semi-finals; and yesterday a Scottish teenager scored with a magnificent bicycle-kick at Burnley. We haven’t got a Freddy Adu what’s going on. So don’t ask The Fiver how this season’s Championship is going to play out. All we can tell you is that it kicks off on Friday night at the Madejski Stadium, where a former Chelsea great will lead his team into battle against Derby County.
Reading boss Paul Clement won the league and FA Cup double while assistant gaffer at Stamford Bridge in 2010 before securing his place in the Sidekick Hall of Fame by landing trophies at PSG, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. His career as a No 1 has been less successful so far, which is why there is much fascination to see how his team fares today against Derby, who were the first club to give him the best seat in the dugout back in 2015. Coincidentally, Derby will again be led by a rookie, as former TV pundit Frank Lampard has decided to give management a whirl. No doubt the novice kept his ears pricked for any wisdom shared during the pre-game press conference held by his highly decorated counterpart. “Every team wants to do well, that is why the start of the season is so tough,” announced Clement, suggesting there comes a point in the season when teams stop wanting to do well. Unprick those ears, Frank!
When the rest of the Championship clubs get their campaigns under way over the weekend, there will be plenty of other gaffers to keep an eye on. A quarter of the clubs in the division have changed boss since the end of last season. Several have done like Derby and opted for hot young English prospects: Stoke have plumped for Gary Rowett, Swansea have gone for Graham Potter, Ipswich have hired Paul Hurst and audacious QPR have put their faith in Schteve McClaren. But the most intriguing appointment of all has been made by Nasty Leeds, who, in the most surprising development since Big Paper consented to being seen with The Fiver, have only persuaded the Argentinian maestro Marcelo Bielsa to lead their quest for promotion.
Some observers have wondered what convinced a man nicknamed El Loco that he would fit in at Elland Road but The Fiver understands and is more interested in seeing how things pan out from here. Bielsa – hailed as a genius by people such as Pep Guardiola, Mauricio Pochettino and the bloke down the library who gets high on tactics blogs – is expected to introduce a thrilling new style that places exceptionally intense demands on players and, as such, should make for extraordinary hijinks throughout a gruelling 46-game campaign. But the club have made some canny signings – including Barry Douglas, Lewis Baker, Jack Harrison and Patrick Bamford – so, under Bielsa, Nasty Leeds can be confident of marching on together. Until January at least.
LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE!
It’s been at least 37 minutes since the Ethics World Cup finished so, of course, British domestic football has returned quick-style like a nasty rash. Get on the treadmill and follow Reading v Derby, live with Michael Butler at 8pm.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“When I went to Rangers they had just played Motherwell in the cup. I was asked my opinion and it wasn’t pretty. I then said: ‘We’re in a maze and I know the [eff]ing way out. Follow me.’ People were like: ‘Who the [eff] is he?’ You have to earn the stripes, and their trust, to lead” – new Fleetwood boss Joey Barton gets his considerable chat on with Donald McRae.
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FIVER LETTERS
“I think I have spotted a flaw in Peter Davies’ claim that he designed the Wolves club crest as part of a school project (Thursday’s Bits & Bobs). Given that Mr Davies is 70, his claim that he drew the crest in 1979 would mean that he was at school when we was 31. I’ve known a few blokes that were held back a year – but 15 times!” – Paul Dixon.
“Re: Forest Rovers not changing kits for two years [Fiver passim]. That’s great news for fringe players in the squad, isn’t it? I’m sure that Reuben Reid and Haydn Hollis are chuffed that their kits won’t be given to any other player until 2020. Job security, eh – or is that not how this works?” – Mike Wilner.
Send your letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. And if you’ve nothing better to do you can also tweet The Fiver. Today’s winner of our prizeless letter o’the day is … Paul Dixon.
NEWS, BITS & BOBS
Gabriel Jesus has agreed to stay at Manchester City until 2023, Pedro has extended his stay at Chelsea till 2020 and The End will have to wait for James Morrison at West Brom after the Scot signed a new contract.
If Inter want Luka Modric they will have do something very silly. “The only way Modric leaves is if they pay €750m,” honked chief suit Florentino Pérez.
Arturo Vidal has joined Barcelona from Bayern in a £27m deal.
Two men are in hospital after being stabbed in a mass brawl between fans before Rangers’ Europa League clash with the Croatian side Osijek.
If Spurs want proud Irishman Jack Grealish they need to get their skates on, says Aston Villa boss Steve Bruce. “Spurs haven’t got anywhere near what the owners want to even consider, so there’s not a discussion to be had,” yelped Bruce.
Burnley’s European tour starts here, having first needed to negotiate Aberdeen in the Big Vase. “Our fans literally just want to go into Europe, not just Scotland, so we have achieved that,” growled Sean Dyche after his Clarets completed a 4-2 aggregate win.
And Ronaldo Vieira has left Nasty Leeds for Sampdoria in £6.2m move. “Sometimes in life things don’t go as you want them. Sometimes things are out of your control,” tweeted a very possibly reluctant Vieira.
STILL WANT MORE?
“I had to go to the fourth tier of Swedish football, pretty much in the Arctic circle.” Swansea manager Graham Potter gets his chat on with Stuart James.
“Some days you can’t switch off which means giving it every moment of the day and I’m sure [Wee Stevie] will be the same because I know how competitive he is.” Ben Fisher hears from new Derby boss Frank Lampard.
“Most teams have two Ronaldos up front.” Paul MacInnes meets the e-World Cup button-pushers.
The Queen’s Celtic are favourites but the focus is on Wee Stevie, reckons Ewan Murray in his Scottish Premiership preview.
José Mourinho should get a waistcoat, says Jacob Steinberg.
Our Premier League previews rumble on. Fulham and Huddersfield Town get the treatment today.
Oh, and if it’s your thing … you can follow Big Website on Big Social FaceSpace. And INSTACHAT, TOO!
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