Round 'em up...

Heya folks,

I don’t know about you but yesterday I left the sports pages behind for the most part, sick to the teeth of reading articles about the managerial situation at Chelsea and examinations of Fergie’s legacy. If you read any pieces on the latter by the way, you wasted your time as Jonathan Norcroft’s interview with Ferguson, short though it was, was a far better read than anything by other hacks barely half Ferguson’s age judging him as ‘finally being a great of the game’ after his second Champions League success.

Yup, I suppose it’s the 29^th major trophy, rather than a measly 28, that takes you into ‘greatness’. Ferguson himself had a decent chat with The Times’ football correspondent and revealed he has only three years left in the Old Trafford dugout before he retires to concentrate on his horse racing form, though many believe he will go before then. But when it comes to the Dark Lord Ferg, take nothing for granted and the thought of his cryogenically frozen head taking charge of the Manchester Kickballers United team in the 2374 ‘Thunderdome Tournament’ seems all too real to me. They’ll win the thing in ‘Megadethatude Overtime’ and, lo and behold, cue the post match interview… “Thunderdome, bloody hell!”

Anyway, aside from Northcroft’s decent article there was very little else to get excited about over the weekend, in fact it was about as dull as cricket betting – though Leeds’ comedy antics yesterday and John Terry telling us all he’s having trouble sleeping did raise a chuckle or two.

As for me and Mark, we’re certainly in wind down mode and won’t be podding this week as frankly nothing is going to be happening and we’re saving up enthusiasm for the first of our Euro 2008 shows the following week. The blog too may be a lot more random over the next ten days or so but for those who didn’t listen to our mammoth post-Champions League final pod on Thursday, here’s a rundown of who won what in our end of season awards as voted for by you (plus some handy YouTube links to take up the day in between bouts of work). Oh, and good to see Paul McShane celebrate his awards as only he can do.

Best player of the season: 1. Ronaldo 2. Fernando Torres 3. Rio Ferdinand

Worst player of the season: 1. Paul McShane 2. Eboue 3. Voronin

Best manager of the season: 1. Roy Hodgson 2. David Moyes 3. Martin O’Neill

Worst manager of the season: 1. Benitez 2. Curbs 3. Sanchez/Jewell (tie)

Best transfer of the season: 1. Santa Cruz (by an absolute landslide) 2. Torres 3. Anderson

Worst transfer of the season: 1. Darren Bent 2. Voronin 3. Ljungberg

Best goal of the season: 1. Adebayor v Spurs 2. Ronaldo v Portsmouth 3. Daryl Murphy v Wigan

Most hated player: 1. Ronaldo 2. Eboue 3. Ashley Cole/Gerrard (tie)

Most under-rated player: 1. Scharner 2. Carrick 3. Bullard

Worst tackle of the season: 1. Taylor v Arse (great Eastern European video) 2. Hunt v City 3. Ronaldo’s three ‘birds’ (see what we did there???)

Worst pundit of the season: 1. Absolutely Jamie Redknapp 2. Shitetalk Shearer 3. Clueless Kenny Cunningham

Best pundit of the season: 1. Dunphy 2. Souness (!) 3. Sid Lowe

Worst kit of the season: 1. Chelsea’s day glo masterpiece 2. City’s purple reign 3. Eh… no one voted for anything else… let’s say this one.

Worst excuse in an awkward situation: 1. Chris Coleman 2. Arsene Wenger again and again and again and again and... 3. Alan ‘Curbs’ Curbishley again and again and again and again and...

Stupid mistake of the season: 1. Riise v Chelsea 2. Rafa taking Torres off v Chelsea 3. (In with a bullet) It’s only JT innit!

Worst haircut: 1. Stephen Ireland 2. David James 3. Caveman Hunt

Press conferences of the season: 1. Grant 2. Wenger 3. Keano

Sexcapade of the season: 1. Paul Jewell (Eeeeeeeeewwww) 2. Fat Ronaldo (see above) 3. The Man U Christmas Party

The 'Perry Groves' heading for oblivion after a promising start award: 1. McShane 2. Benjani 3. Arsenal

We shall talk to ye soon folks, JJ