OSG Championship: Whelan Charged By FA Over Racist Comments

((HT: SkySports/Beanyman Sports))

Not that this is a surprise...

But ever since Wigan chairman Dave Whelan hired Malky Mackay as his new manager to stop the hemorrhaging of the Latics. Currently, they're next-to-last in the table with only 18 points on the season so far- clearly, nine points above Blackpool but in the logjam in the relegation zone.

So, Whelan hires Mackay who is under investigation for sending racist and anti-Semitic text messages in his time as manager at Cardiff City last season. Then, Whelan says on the record to The Guardian newspaper: "I think Jewish people do chase money more than everybody else."

Whelan also said he did not view the word 'chink' as offensive. It was the term by which Mackay allegedly referred to Cardiff owner Vincent Tan in one of the text messages under review.

From the Guardian newspaper and David Conn at the time:

Asked whether he did not think what Mackay said was offensive, because the claim Jews “love money” has been used as a negative stereotype, Whelan said: “Do you think Jewish people chase money a little bit more than we do? I think they are very shrewd people.”

Asked if he himself believed that, Whelan, the 77-year-old multimillionaire and former owner of JJB Sports, said: “I think Jewish people do chase money more than everybody else. I don’t think that’s offensive at all.”

He then apologized...


The FA said in response: "It is alleged the Wigan Athletic chairman breached FA Rule E3[1] in that his comments were abusive and/or insulting and/or constitute improper conduct and/or bring the game into disrepute.

"It is further alleged that this is an 'Aggravated Breach' as defined by FA Rule E3[2] as it included a reference to ethnic origin and/or race and/or nationality and/or religion or belief."

Whelan said he will quit if found guilty by the FA. He has until December 5th to respond to the charge.

The HQ didn't think the season could have gotten any worse for the Latics, but we think it will.

An Odd Day For Blackpool...

((HT: ant_b11 Instagram/youtube))

The HQ will admit that protesting in the English soccer leagues takes on a life of its own...

For Blackburn Rovers, as an example, the fans have taken to releasing live chickens onto the pitch as a protest of the Venky's chain of poultry producers for their lack of interest in making the team competitive.

For Blackpool, it has taken just as interesting a turn...
The team is known for their tangerine-colored kits. So the fans did this in their most recent contest against Burnley to protest their owner Karl Oyston whom they believe is just using the team to be a cash cow...


Tangerines and tennis balls...

Player-manager Barry Ferguson, who would kick and throw balls back, said after the game: "The fans have got every right to demonstrate if they don't like the chairman or the board.

"I would just rather they do it before the game or after the game. At that stage, we were on top of (Burnley)."

Blackpool is dangerously close to being relegated again from the Championship...

It got worse...

People even ran onto the pitch to protest...


And there was a confrontation between coach Bob Malcolm and substitute Stephen Dobbie in the dugout...

The HQ is of the thought that Blackpool is in serious trouble

Poyet Confirms Taking Brighton To Court Over Firing

Or "sacking" as they call it overseas...

Gus Poyet has confirmed he's taking his old club, Brighton and Hove Albion, to court...

Poyet was suspended after their play-off semi-final defeat to Crystal Palace before being sacked for gross misconduct in June. BHA chairman Tony Bloom claimed Poyet informed him back in March that he wanted to leave the club at the end of last season- even as Poyet was under contract until 2016.

Poyet said: "There are several reasons but unfortunately this will probably go to court. Because I totally disagree with every allegation and accusation the club has put on me. I will take action because I think it's important for me. I'm quite confident and relaxed but I hope we will go to court because it is the best way for the truth to come out.

"But I think I deserve better respect and the way they sacked me when I was on TV was disrespectful and unfair."

See for yourself...
((HT: BBC3))


It'll be interesting to see just how this plays out...

Football Manager Finds Out He's Fired On Live TV

((HT: BBC/Youtube))

Gus Poyet's term as manager at Brighton and Hove Albion ended on not-so-good terms in the Championship...

Poyet led Brighton to the playoffs last season but, following their semi-final loss to Crystal Palace, Poyet, his assistant Mauricio Taricco, and coach Charlie Oatway were all suspended.

And the HQ, along with everyone else, really doesn't know why... could be something to do with a bizarre incident in his locker room where someone spread crap on the walls of the Crystal Palace dressing room they were housed in... and the HQ means "literally smeared crap..."

Taricco's suspension was eventually lifted, but Poyet failed to appear at a disciplinary hearing last week- although he did attend a subsequent hearing Thursday.

Thing is... Poyet didn't know he was fired until, as a color commentator for BBC's coverage of Confederations Cup, his host told him...

Here's the announcement as it went down...


Nothing like finding out from someone not your boss...

The League Managers Association (the British version of the coach's union) is backing Poyet in his appeal...
Appeal for what... we dunno...

But it could be all a load of crap...

MONDAY UPDATE: Brighton disagree with Poyet (of course)

"In relation to comments made by Gus Poyet, the club would like to point out that its disciplinary panel considered the matter on the afternoon of Friday June 21 and for most of Saturday June 22.

"The club spent much of Sunday June 23 in discussion with Gus and his representatives.

"For legal reasons we cannot say anything about the content of those discussions but Gus was well aware, before he appeared on the BBC last evening, that his dismissal was pending.

"Given Gus has a right to appeal the decision to dismiss him, the club will not be making any further comment on this matter at this time."

OSG Prem: The Richest Game In England

((HT: Sky Sports))

And a lot of people think it's the richest game in the world...

Winner take all... for, about, 120-million pounds...

It's the nPower Championship play-in game that would decide the third member of the league to be promoted to the Premier League between Crystal Palace and Watford.

And, while the game won't go down in history as one of the most exciting play-in games ever in the history of... ever...

Here's your winner...


Palace manager Ian Holloway told Sky Sports: "I am so proud of these [players]. I am so proud of the club. We are in the Premier League, so God help us." The Eagles return to the top flight after an 8-year hiatus.

Watford boss Gianfranco Zola said in return: "They had a player like Zaha, who was on a different level and made the difference."
It will be interesting to see how Palace responds to the loss of Zaha to Manchester United. And what the opening odds are to see the three promoted stay up...

Now, This Is How To Keep Your Season Alive...

((HT: Sky Sports))

Take you to the nPower Championships playoffs... Watford and Leicester City...

Anthony Knockaert has a penalty to ensure that his team makes it to the final at Wembley...
But... and this is the biggest of buts...


Troy Deeney's header sends them to the finals and the HQ wonders if Watford manager Gianfranco Zola has, in fact, recovered...


"I can't imagine a worse way to lose," Leicester manager Nigel Pearson said afterwards. "When you get a penalty you just hope he scores it - then what happened after that compounds the misery.

"Anthony is distraught as you would expect. I'm the first to admit it was a generous penalty decision. But to concede off the resulting penalty save is very hard to take.

"Unfortunately that's the nature of the beast."

Sky Sports gets all the credit in the world for the headline: "Knockaert Blow"

And Sky Sports News has this awesome program called "Soccer Saturday" which has a whip-around of all the action from all the games in all of the classifications as soon as they kick off...

Here was the reaction of their on-site guy, Johnny Phillips, as he had to recap the whole thing...


Watford now plays the winner of Brighton and Crystal Palace for the third promotion spot

OSG Prem: Hull City Promoted, Dancing In The Dressing Room...

((HT: TheBeanyMan62))

This is the beauty of the Premier League and the Football League structure overseas...

You win and keep winning, you can improve your standing... you lose and don't prove your worth, you get demoted...
If you win enough and get promoted to the Premier League... it could improve your team's lifestyle by, around, $100-million.

Cardiff City had aleady punched their ticket last week. Hull City could go with a win or a draw and some help. As it turns out, it had to be the latter, which put the team on eggshells until a half-hour after their own game finished...


"The 10, 12 minutes was just ridiculous and having to wait. We've seen people in tunnels, people walking in corridors, people hiding in toilets, it was just really incredible," Hull manager Steve Bruce said afterwards.

"And for Leeds to score, it was just remarkable and just shows you how difficult a league this is.

"I don't think I've ever been supporting Leeds but wow - for Leeds United to do it for me is remarkable."

Oh, just so you know... those dancing skills were put forth by midfielder Ahmed Elmohamedy- on loan from Sunderland- who, probably, could have used him this season.

How To Go From Losing To Champs In One Easy Kick

((HT: Sky Sports))

And for that, the HQ takes you to League One for the season-ender between Doncaster Rovers and Brentford...

Brentford had a chance to make sure they were promoted outright and didn't have to go through the League One elimination playoffs to worry about it. Clayton Donaldson was taken down in the box, and that left it all up to on-loan Fulham striker Marcello Trotta to mail in the penalty shot.



Billy Paynter gets the credit for heading all the way down to the other end and pass to James Coppinger for the game winner for Doncaster in the 6th minute of stoppage time.

Apparently, it was the first time that Rovers broke out the green kit...
The HQ guesses it won't be the last...

Here's how Sky News covered it...


I don't believe what I just saw... with all apologies to Jack Buck...

Return Of The Chicken At Blackburn

((HT: Brooks Peck/Dirty Tackle @Yahoo!))

The HQ has chronicled the saga over at Blackburn Rovers where the fans absolutely have no positive regard for the team's owners- Venky's, the chicken magnates. Last year, during the team's relegation battle things got so bad, and the team's absolute dislike for Manager Steve Kean that a chicken got out onto the pitch in the game against Wigan...
((HT: SkySports))


Rovers were relegated and are spending the year in the Championship...
The situation hasn't improved...

Today, in the game at Ewood Park against Burnley, it happened again...


Blackburn still have a 34-year win streak over the Clarets with the 1-1 draw, but Rovers are still in a relegation battle as they're only four points out of danger.