Ledley - he's out of our league

One of the nationals claim Celtic have offered him in excess of £20k weekly. That's about the minimum I expected bearing in mind they get him for free. It's still a bargain package.


However, as I suspected, he's not rushing any decision and is apparently going on holidays to Portugal for a while anyway. He may yet also visit clubs in Greece (Panathanaikos) and Turkey (Galatasary and Fenerbache) as well as Rangers having also been to Roma in Italy. He's either collecting AirMiles or getting as many bargain flights with Ryanair as possible!


It's interesting that with so many Premier League clubs reportedly interested, none seem to be making any move so far while this is going on.


Personally, as much as I'd love Joe to stay, I don't believe we could or should compete with those sort of wages and I suspect Joe is just not willing to spend another year in the Championship, he's ready to push on now.


I just hope he makes the right football choice, not the richest money choice and, of course, I do hope he goes tro the Prem and Cardiff City get some benefit from it too.

Turkish Delight

Not even Jerry Springer or Jeremy Kyle get this happening

Europe's Toughest Corner Kicks Number 1 of 1

Euro 2008 quarter-final line-up

The Group games are ended but starting form tonight, Euro'2008 swings straight into the quarter-finals with one game each night. Every game looks fascinating with the line up as follows;

Euro 2008 quarter-final line-up

Tonight - Germany v Portugal

Friday - Croatia v Turkey

Saturday - Netherlands v Russia

Sunday - Spain v Italy

EURO'2008 GAMES 17 & 18: GROUP A TURKEY 3 CZECH REPUBLIC 2, PORTUGAL 0 SWITZERLAND 2

The final games in each group are played simultaneously so with Portugal already through and Switzerland already out, their clash was relegated to ITV4.

Unsurprisingly in that encounter, Portugal rested 8 players but still looked the likelier to win until Swiss hero Hakin Yakin entered the scene with a double, one smart finish and a late penalty, to send the co-hosts home happy. The main entertainment on ITV1 however was more dramatic than any Sunday Night film and with a script that would have been rejkected as too far fetched.

The Czech Republic and Turkey knew it was a winner take all clash with victors in the quarter-finals and losers heading home. With identical records, a draw at 90 mionutes would have meant a unique penalty shoot-out to separate the sides.

The Czechs looked the better side for long periods, The Turks played a negative game suggesting they were happy to take the draw and the lottery until Lurch aka Jan Koller nutted home a trademark header from a cross in the first period. Turkey woke up after the interval but looked vulnerable on the counter-attack and were duly caught out with 25 minutes remaining as The Czechs doubled their lead through Plasil, Turkey furious as they were down to 10 men through an injury and unable to bring a sub on.

That should have been it but a turning point came when the Czechs hit a post to be denied a 3-0 lead and Turkey grabbed a lifeline through Turan with 15 to go.

Czech Republic seemed to be coping with few problems dealing with any late Turkey onslaught but then came the real drama. Peter Cech, who has looked dodgy throughout the finals, made perhaps the biggest gaffe of his career in dropping a routine corss onto the feet of grateful Turkish skipper Nihat to equalise with just 3 minutes left and a penalty shoot out looked odds on.

But more incredible late drama as Turkey swept forward, a Czech defender was too slow out and Nihat was played in onside to finish brilliantly in the final minute, his cross shot form the edge of the box crashing in off the bar.

Four minutes added time and even more amazing scenes as Turkey keeper Demirel was beaten to a late ball, a header just going wide but he pushed Koller in the chest and got red carded. With all subs used, Middlesbrough's Tuncay had to play the final 2 minutes but the ball was kept away from his goal. What an incredible turnaround.

Turkey, minus a couple of suspended players, have to face Croatia in the quarter-finals. The Czech Republic will probably spend the rest of june trying to figure out how it wasn't them instead but they only have themselves to blame for that.

EURO'2008 GAME 10: GROUP A - SWITZERLAND 1 TURKEY 2

That's not yodelling you cow bells you can hear in the Swiss Alps tonight, it's howls of despair as one of the co-hosts are out just 5 days and 2 games into the Finals in a game both sides needed to win but Turkey deserved to scrape home in dramatic style with an injury time winner.

This was one of the best contests so far but possibly watched by the lowest UK audience as Beeb pushed in onto BBC2 so the rest of the nation could watch the Final of The Apprentice.

For the first 20 minutes, even those more interested in the final were probably preparing to switch channels as it was tepid but then the fun and frolics started as someone decided to mix football with Jeux Sans Frontieres and introduce water. The most amazing monsoon style run lashed down for 20 minutes leaving puddles all over the palce, defenders sliding in, the ball stopping dead with nobody able to run with it and general hilarity - if only we had Stuart Hall to commentate!

It was getting close to the stage where it was getting dangerous and unplayable, it possibly had reached that, when the Swiss scored as the pitch suited their direct style. A long ball sent wide by Sendero, it stopped in a puddle to hold up nicely for the winger, he came in and sent a ball across the face of goal which saw Turks trying to run oun when players were yards offside and then, brilliant comedy. as the ball stopped still in a puddle in front of goal for Hakan to tap in from 3 feet and even then he scuffed it.

The Swiss should have made it two as Hakan missed a sitter in similar style but this time, the cross missed the puddle and zipped off the surface and arrived to quick so he put it wide of the gaping goal. The Turks were trying to play a passing game while the Swiss, attacking the shllow end!, found conditions perfect. The Turks did hit the post via their impressive striker, Arda, who needed to try, well, Arda!

Then the rain stopped, half-time must have saw a few frogmen, the local swimming group and some immense work taking place as the sides returned wih the pitch much improved and suddenly Turkey were able to pass.

They equalised on 58 minutes, simple header which the keeper perhaps should have saved and then it ebbed and flowed. The Swiss almost nicked it 5 minutes from time but then The Turks senstaionally knocked them out after playing left all 2nd half, then finally broke right, Arda ran 35 yards, the defender crucially invited him inside and he shot, caught a defender and looped over a helpless keeper.

The Swiss sloped home ... to the slopes ... time to get back to winter sports!

EURO'2008 GAME 2: GROUP A PORTUGAL 2 TURKEY 0

A game to be excited about as The Portuguese who seem to get closer and closer to success each tournament demolished The Turks.

Two-nil it was, the second goal with the game’s last kick but it could have been several more with the woodwork hit three times, The Turk keeper making several saves and shots raining on goal. The Turks were hapless victims but when their front line is led by Tuncay who looked worse than average playing against Cardiff City for Middlesbrough, why be surprised?

Portugal lack a striker and overplay but are a joy to watch. Goals came from two substitutues both shortly after coming on, both coming from excellent moves, made The Portuguese look a side to be reckoned with. Thing is, those teams which looked brilliant at the start tend to miss out when it gets to the business end of a tournament.