Bosses feeling sick after dreadful starts
I’VE had a couple of sleepless nights in the past week.
Not because I’ve been partying into the wee hours like a carefree twenty something, or because I’ve been tossing and turning with worry over things to do and bills to pay.
As sure as Arsene Wenger won’t have seen a controversial incident involving an Arsenal player and Mourinho will always find something to moan about, come September the kids will surely pick up some kind of illness.
And predictably this year was no different as a nasty bug ran through the house quicker than a rejuvenated Raheem Sterling haring down the left wing.
The eldest was first to succumb to the venomous affliction and I spent an entire night, with basin in hand, catching vomit like a springheeled baseball pitcher.
Then when arriving home from match reporting duties on Friday night, on opening the door I was instantly greeted by the not so welcoming sound of the poor young lad heaving up his breakfast, lunch and supper. Oh the joys of parenthood!
Speaking of sick, there’s certainly a couple of Premier League managers that must be feeling just that after less than impressive starts to the campaign.
Mark Hughes is definitely one that should be a little bit greengilled at the moment as Stoke City stutter like a rusty ride-on lawnmower with mounds of dirt in the petrol tank.
A wet and windy night in Stoke is often used as a tired example of the sort of difficult game fancy-dan footballers can expect in the ultra-competitive Premier League but now the bet365 Stadium is as warm and welcoming as a family trip to a pantomime in a spanking new auditorium.
A side that was once chocka-block with menacing sorts that would spread fear through the opposition ranks quicker than a sprint finish in a velodrome, now contains more luxury items than a Brown Thomas hamper.
After four devastating defeats on the trot, Stoke fans had to suffer more heartache on Saturday, as Salomon Rondon snatched an injury time equaliser for West Brom in Tony Pulis’ 1,000th game as a manager.
Hughes could well be the first through the door in the annual Premier League sack race, although the way things have been going for ‘ Sparky’ he’d have difficulty in winning a medal at a school sports day.
Sunderland are a side that seem to struggle year in, year out and David Moyes definitely hasn’t delivered a turn around in their fortunes, with the side he cobbled together with a mix of pensioners and Man United reserves still waiting for their first league win.
Saturday’s sorry capitulation against Crystal Palace really rubbed salt in the wounds of the morose Moyes. When a double from the evergreen Jermaine Defoe put them two goals to the good on the hour mark, surely it was game, set and match?
No such luck for the Mackems though, as Crystal Palace stormed back to win 3-2. Whether you share the belief of good witchcraft-fearing folk that black cats bring you bad fortune or not, there’s no denying that this mangy rabble of Black Cats are as luckless as a penniless gambler.
Given that Moyes is new to the job, he has a bit of time on his hands although, after his recent failures with Manchester United and Real Sociedad, if they don’t show signs of improvement soon, the reputation he built up in his successful years at Everton will be completely dead in the water.
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic is another boss that has endured a torrid start to the season, with the Hammers losing five of their opening six games in the top flight for the first time in their history.
The lifeless performances of the Londoners is a stark contrast to the displays of last season, when everything was rosy and they were as flamboyant as David Moyes in a frilly pink tutu.
Now if that doesn’t have you reaching for the sick bucket nothing will.