RINSE AND REPEAT?<\/p>\n
Following the conclusion of this weekend\u2019s round of Premier League fixtures, football fans have what promises to be an exceptionally long, uninspiring and largely inconsequential international break to endure. In most parts of the world, various nations have nothing more exciting than friendlies scheduled. In Europe, it\u2019s the return of the Nations League. A competition apparently conceived for no other reason than to allow Cristiano Ronaldo to spuriously claim he has won two major international trophies, this Uefa wheeze is about to kick off for the fifth time. Almost unique among tournaments that have enjoyed such longevity, its format remains fairly baffling to many of those who will actually be playing in it and all but the keenest students of the game. In truth, hardly anyone cares about the Nations League and quite literally nobody gives two hoots about its opening games.<\/p>\n
As is customary in the absence of anything more interesting to report on, hacks will be keeping their ears cupped towards the continent in the hope that some loose-lipped South American Premier League star cuts a promo about a perceived dissatisfaction with their lot. Otherwise, the first top-flight head coach whose club is deemed to be \u201cin crisis\u201d will be lined up in the collective media crosshairs and, as things stand, it is Michael Carrick who is in the box seat.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnder pressure?\u201d he replied to assorted reporters in the wake of Manchester United\u2019s dismal capitulation<\/a> after going 2-0 up against Brighton in the Milk Cup. \u201cThat doesn\u2019t bother me one bit.\u201d As words of defiance go<\/a>, they may have sounded more convincing if they hadn\u2019t been uttered by a man who appears to have aged 20 years across his first six games in proper charge, only two of which have been won. \u201cI understand what goes on and how the world works,\u201d he added with a sigh.<\/p>\n In recent years there has been a recurring rinse-and-repeat cycle as far as what goes on and how the world works at United. Specifically one involving the dismissal of head coaches following widespread media speculation regarding their abilities to paper over the giant chasms caused by boardroom penny-pinching, dismal player recruitment and ongoing fan dissatisfaction, for which somebody \u2013 anybody but the owners and their besuited yes-men \u2013 must carry the can. Whether it\u2019s Ole, Erik, Ruben, or the new incumbent, the story only ever seems to end one way, and just six games into the new season, it already seems the die has been cast for the cycle to begin again. Outwitted by Fabian H\u00fcrzeler, while his players were torn apart out on the field, Carrick can\u2019t be absolved of all blame for United\u2019s many shortcomings on and off the field. Anything but a win in Sunday\u2019s crisis klaxon derby at Fulham and his future, or lack of one at Old Trafford, will be a tedious but unavoidable talking point for what promise to be 16 already very long days.<\/p>\n LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE<\/p>\n Join Michael Butler from 7.30pm for hot Milk Cup minute-by-minute updates from Manchester City 3-1 Norwich, while Scott Murray will be your guide at 8pm for the night\u2019s Bigger Vase action in his clockwatch, featuring Real Sociedad 1-1 Bournemouth, plus Crystal Palace 1-0 Lech Poznan.<\/p>\n QUOTE OF THE DAY<\/p>\n \u201cYou can try to kill me here. But it\u2019s my scar, it\u2019s not your scar. No one is more hurt than me, no one wanted it more. They can endlessly torture you and think: \u2018If I had done different substitutions, then we would have won the match.\u2019 You just don\u2019t know it\u201d \u2013 Thomas Tuchel stands by his heavily criticised defensive regression<\/a> during the Geopolitics World Cup semi-final defeat by Argentina, adding that the opposition tactics forced his hand: \u201cSorry for the language, [they played eff]-it football: \u2018We have nothing to lose. Let\u2019s [eff] it.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Thomas Tuchel on the celebrity beat earlier this week. Photograph: Alberto Pezzali\/AP<\/p>\n double quotation markI met Ludek Miklosko<\/a> once. In fact, shaking my hand was one of the first things he had to endure after signing for West Ham in the summer of 1990. (The history books say he signed earlier, but he wasn\u2019t officially unveiled until the summer.) I was working in the club shop at Upton Park (a cabin by the gates). He seemed baffled that now he was finally here and had escaped the communist regime, he was being introduced to a child as \u2018our new goalkeeper\u2019. He was very nice about it, though; I showed him the new kit, and he went on to meet the groundsman and have a look at the pitch. My lasting memory was of his truly massive hands. Lovely fella\u201d \u2013 Jimmy O\u2019Brien.<\/p>\n double quotation markI was struck by the phrase that Madrid\u2019s Carlos Esp\u00ed \u2018dug his side out of a hole\u2019 (yesterday\u2019s Football Daily<\/a>). Surely, one cannot dig oneself out of a hole? Digging, by definition, takes you further into the ground. Unless the goal was to arrive in China, climbing out of a hole would be more appropriate\u201d \u2013 Christopher D\u2019Cruz.<\/p>\n double quotation markAmalgamating the themes of yesterday\u2019s three letters<\/a>, Spurs fans can at least be hopeful about one thing. Since a player who spends much of the time rolling around knacked near the corner flag can\u2019t be interfering with play, then at least none of their forward line will be caught offside much this year\u201d \u2013 Jon Millard.<\/p>\n If you have any, please send letters to the.boss@theguardian.com<\/a>. Today\u2019s prizeless letter o\u2019 the day goes to \u2026 Jimmy O\u2019Brien. Terms and conditions for our competitions, when we run them, are here<\/a>.\u200a<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"RINSE AND REPEAT? 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