arab_joe

Following the sentencing of Ian Packer for the murder of Emma Caldwell (BBC article), the BBC has re-released their podcast on the same subject. I believe the podcast was fairly pivotal in convicting Mr Packer (another BBC article certainly suggests that), who rather stupidly tried to get the BBC to clear his name but incriminated himself to the extent that the BBC shelved the podcast from fear that it might harm his prosecution. The podcast is a fantastic example of proper journalism, would highly recommend: Apple podcasts.

Don't even joke about that... Just in case, let's get our goalie coach registered as a player - according to this he is 54 and last played in 2007, so a far better option than he who shall not be named: Paul Mathers. I love your positivity - are you sure you're an Arab!? Had almost forgotten about that embarrassing "misunderstanding" - we really have been a joke of a club at times this past few years. So nasty it has to be on the "not safe for work" section of P&B...

I was considering adding Courts, Neilson and possibly even Micky Mellon to my list - but the weird thing about all 3 is that Arabs were, in the main, quite happy when they left. And none have gone on to anything of any note since. So I'm not convinced they really got a boost from their time in charge of us - but even if we generously add those 3, that means 5 managers in past 30 years have gained from their time at DU. Not a great advert for the job.

They were both in the dug-out area for the second half, so I think it was just a choice to sit in the stand for the first half. We had Euan McLean in the sticks that day - had completely forgotten about him, but according to his Wikipedia he quit football to become a policeman in 2011. I had also completely forgotten the existence of Jordan Robertson, who did a stint in jail for causing death by dangerous driving but has gone on to become an agent. I know that 2007 is a long time ago now and for my own sanity comparing the two isn't the most sensible thing to do - but it is absolutely jarring how the quality of that whole squad and our current one are absolutely night and day... not sure a single person in our starting 11 breaks into that matchday squad, never mind starting line-up (perhaps with the exception of the aforementioned Euan McLean and Jordan Robertson, and the ridiculously bad Stuart Duff). Since Jim McLean departed as manager in the summer of 1993 (not to make anyone feel old - but that was more than 30 years ago...), have any managers left United with a stock higher than when they joined? Off the top of my head, I'd argue Craig Levein definitely did and perhaps Peter Houston - but beyond that? Any manager taking the job needs to do so with extreme caution... It was a ridiculous risk to give him a 2-year deal at the end of last season - I can't imagine that any other football clubs in the history of the game have offered the manager an extension off the back of 5 straight defeats (and a total record of 3 wins, 2 draws and 7 losses from 12). It is not like Goodwin was in a strong negotiating position.

Absolutely outstanding. Probably the best left foot of anyone I've ever seen in the Tangerine - there was a time (just before he went to Celtic...) when he was man of the match every game for about a month. If he didn't score, he assisted - defenders just couldn't cope with how strong and direct he was. The Hearts game when he scored 3 and assisted the 4th, when Michael Stewart was sent off for arguing with a fan in the Jerry Kerr was a real highlight for me. Agreed on all fronts - together they were absolutely superb. Two of a number of players around that time that left to bigger and better things, only to have pretty underwhelming careers. Gomis is apparently still playing, at East Stirling of all places - good on him. The only problem with that is that it would require the Board to make another appointment... and if there is only global truth, it is that the Dundee United Board cannot make good appointments. Looking back, it really was quite surprising (although not that surprising, given that it was the Dundee United Board - see above) that we gave him a 2-year contract off the back of such an objectively dreadful run of form. I know that his hands were tied to a certain degree, as the January transfer window had been and gone and Mark Birighitti was still our keeper, but the run he oversaw was woeful.

Purchase went through in July last year, currently having the place renovated top to bottom (which is even more stressful/expensive than the buying process...) - my question is, what do people recommend in terms of life insurance/critical illness cover etc.? I don't know where to start...

If any Arab fancies watching a slightly cheerier video on YouTube, the wonderful chaps at the Arab Archive have been uploading videos from 2006-07 season - including this Beautiful Sunday: Well worth a stroll down memory lane! How good were Gomis and Buaben as a central midfield duo - absolutely dominant in the tackle, couple relentless confidence to carry the ball forward time and time again. Made Kevin Thomson look ordinary.

Talking of Monsieur Loemba, I saw he managed this last weekend... I've said it before, and I'll no doubt be saying it until the PTSD fully wears off - but my first United game was in the spring of 1996, and in the intervening 28 years I have never seen a worse player for us than Mark Birighitti. An utterly inept goalkeeper that could neither save shots nor gather crosses (and don't get me started on when he had the ball at his feet...), who was completely bereft of confidence - a horrible combination that should never have been allowed to continue for a whole season. I actually agree with this - he simply cannot pass a football. He has a good engine, and if we were under the cosh for large periods of games he would no doubt be useful in breaking up opposition attacks etc. (a bit like Mark Kerr, circa 2005), but as teams sit with 11 men behind the ball he is absolutely useless. Middleton has the most assists in the league - he is off form, for sure, but there are far worse in this squad. Makes me smile to think of the dichotomy of Craig Conway pre and post 15 May 2010 in the eyes of some Arabs. There were people near me in the GF lower that hated the guy.

I'm glad I'm not the only one with this opinion - his podcast was truly awful. I wholeheartedly disagree on that one - he's an absolutely dreadful guest, and actually makes me realise just how good Stuart and Tam are and have been to have ridden this wave for 25+ years. You can say what you like about their idiosyncrasies (and over the past 210 pages we've said a lot...), but there is no way this newer generation of shows (and I include the likes of The View from the Terrace, Open Goal etc.) are going to have anywhere near the longevity of Off The Ball.

Put me down for another season, please.

Week 13 - Arabjoe beats Beef2711 by resignation

In week 11, I beat AlbinoRov - the spreadsheet has me down for a loss.

Arabjoe wins by checkmate. Pretty even game until I managed to promote a pawn and force a Queen swap in a single move - then it was game over. Thanks for the game.

Arabjoe wins by resignation. Game was a bit all over the place, with plenty of mistakes on both sides - but then snared your Queen with a pawn and it was game over. Thanks for the game.

Arabjoe wins by resignation. Game swung all over the place - I started well, The Kid dominated the middle game, then I got a fork that essentially ended the tie. Thanks for the game.