Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.
I know this sounds odd. But ever since the EU Referendum I've acted more continental than I ever did before. It is I'm sure a reaction against the Little England that the Brexiteers want all of us to become. Now it's affected what I have for breakfast.
Previously Breakfast would be toast (lightly done,cremation is for my death),cereal or in the winter months porridge with the risque edge of a dollop of jam.
But not now.
For I have discovered, no stumbled on more like, the joys of the Continental Breakfast.
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| C'est Magnifique |
Now let's be clear about this. Any French person seeing this picture will be wetting themselves with laughter at the description of this as a continental breakfast but this is Bridgend not Bordeaux so you have to allow me leeway on this. The jam,orange and croissants are from Lidls. The coffee is Carte Noire.
(The mug incidentally is a very old West Ham one. The character being,wait for it, Harry Hammer or perhaps even 'arry 'ammer.....even the internet couldn't help me on that.)
Anyway the point is that it's tasty and filling and the drink washes it down. I'm hooked. Possibly in the depths of winter I might go back to Porridge (an ad in the seventies described it as "Central Heating For Kids") but don't really want to .
I've finished Quiet Leadership by Carlo Ancelotti (with others) one of these sort of books for business managers where someone explains "the art of leadership". I've never read these type of books before given that a) I'm not interested b) everyone seems to follow the style of a "leader" be they football managers, Chinese Warlords or even Star Trek captains. There are as many ways to lead as there are leaders. Leadership I'd argue is not something that can be taught, it's instinctive.
Even allowing for that you do wonder whether Ancelotti should've brought out a book like this. After all if you compare him with Sir Alex Ferguson he comes out worse when you consider that Ferguson broke the stranglehold of a top division with Aberdeen and took a club at a low ebb and made it a European powerhouse with Manchester United.
And if you compare him with Brian Clough well, drop the mic there.
The football bits in the book are interesting and if he ever writes a proper autobiography I will read it. The rest is just common sense mixed with business speak twaddle.
Work means I won't be able to go to the library until Monday at the earliest. So the non Penguin book picked from the great unread that I'm going to read is.
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| Alan Coren - A Year In Cricklewood |
I've been reminded of Alan Coren in the past few weeks by programmes on the radio. So I am looking forward to this.
You may remember last Saturday I chatted about seeing Leyton Orient for the first time in decades getting defeated one nil by Yeovil Town. Well I've been listening to Orient Outlook podcast out of curiosity and although I'd an idea as to the discontent of the fans following their defeat directed to their Roman Emperor of an owner I had no knowledge until later of it's extent.
Quickly to digress. The Orient Outlook podcast is worth a listen. Presented by ordinary fans who show you can be passionate for your team without shouting it from the rooftops. Rooting for their side whilst treating other supporters with respect it is the best one team football podcast I know.
So we have a Roman Emperor owner who seemingly treats the fans like peasants,without a manager at time of writing (though a man who knows how to save clubs from relegation has suddenly become available) and a team apparently playing without heart (which could explain why they failed to know what to do with the ball when they approached the Yeovil goal in the game I saw). In their last match, (which let me stress I didn't see because I was at work and,well,in Wales) they lose by two nil and are reduced to nine men in a fifteen minute period.
And I am upset (though in a manly East End way you understand) because as I've explained before Leyton Orient is like an old friend who now I discover has fallen on hard times. For although Orient always lived in the shadow of bigger London teams it had an identity all of it's own and if things continue to decline this is the biggest thing that might be threatened.
They play Newport County on March 4 next year (a team which has had it's own off the field problems in the past) and I definitely intend to go and see that game.
Until the next time.
Quickly to digress. The Orient Outlook podcast is worth a listen. Presented by ordinary fans who show you can be passionate for your team without shouting it from the rooftops. Rooting for their side whilst treating other supporters with respect it is the best one team football podcast I know.
So we have a Roman Emperor owner who seemingly treats the fans like peasants,without a manager at time of writing (though a man who knows how to save clubs from relegation has suddenly become available) and a team apparently playing without heart (which could explain why they failed to know what to do with the ball when they approached the Yeovil goal in the game I saw). In their last match, (which let me stress I didn't see because I was at work and,well,in Wales) they lose by two nil and are reduced to nine men in a fifteen minute period.
And I am upset (though in a manly East End way you understand) because as I've explained before Leyton Orient is like an old friend who now I discover has fallen on hard times. For although Orient always lived in the shadow of bigger London teams it had an identity all of it's own and if things continue to decline this is the biggest thing that might be threatened.
They play Newport County on March 4 next year (a team which has had it's own off the field problems in the past) and I definitely intend to go and see that game.
Until the next time.
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