It's always nice to be back in your own plot I think. Travel is fine but home is comfy. And a chance to catch up on local sporting matters. Our boys firing well at present and storming up the league, a top six finish would be nice. Sunderland virtually dead and buried and it's looking like the new manager is not producing any magic. Certainly his signings, mostly loans I know, and with little money to spend, have largely been poor so far. It's a tough business is football management, but an old head of my acquaintance was of the view that it didn’t matter what kind of manager you were, tracksuit or best suit, hard case or soft touch, whisperer or shouter, all that mattered was your ability to spot a player. I think this is true at every level from Sunday morning to the Premier League. Certainly in the Northern League the cry of 'Where did you find him?' is often heard. David Beckham was recounting recently the tale of an England coach who when Beckham was twelve had failed to notice the will to win or the sweet right foot, but had noticed he wasn’t that big so dismissed his prospects out of hand. Even more entertaining the other week was the hapless Peter Grant, Assistant Manager of Scotland, saying that he hadn’t heard of Scott McTominay until he made his debut for Man Utd and hadn’t realised he was qualified for Scotland at all, but hoped he was. Obviously I don’t know the names of every potential young Scottish International playing for Premier League clubs, but I’m not Assistant Manager of Scotland am I? To be fair it's not like they are overloaded with talent. So, give Coleman a chance I say, but picking players is what it is all about.
Anyway after the last month or so it's good to be back and talking football. Three home games off the belt, chances for points and maybe Spring is finally here, what is not to like?