UPTOWN TOP RANKING
There is a semi-famous clip of Rio Ferdinand describing the rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in 2018. “There seems to be some respect between them, they don’t actually talk about each other at all, but it’s amazing to watch. People argue about who is better etc. He tries to make comparisons. JUST ENJOY THEM MAN!” The internet immediately began to apply Rio’s words to much more important issues. Aldi v Lidl (there seems to be some respect between them). Mayo vs Ketchup (both phenomenal to watch). This bit of fun exercise saved the day, because he was an incredibly kind and incredibly boring expert. Nobody likes a fence sitter. Commit to Rio!
Ferdinand’s old ties to the team he shares with Ronaldo at Old Trafford should not stop him from speaking his mind. “What is your favorite type of music?” The worst possible answer to the question. is: “A little bit of everything.” I am bored! Because sorting things is fun. Messi is better than Ronaldo. Gary Lineker > Mark Chapman > Alex Scott > Dan Walker > Jake Humphrey. Everyone has a favorite grandparent at Christmas, we just have to be brave enough to admit it.
Sorting things isn’t easy, but Big Website is so good at it that it even has a whole section dedicated to it. Where else can you enjoy the 15 best tennis scenes in movies and all 69 Eurovision winners? (poor Alexis Petridis). The football pages of course include NextGen (about the best future prospects in the game), Football Daily’s Christmas gongs (to be published in the coming days) and each year’s top 100, a list of the best male and female footballers. The men’s chart kicks off on Tuesday (naturally) with numbers 100-71. If you’re wondering, there’s Darwin Núñez at 78, Granit Xhaka at 93, and Warren Zaïre-Emery at 99.
There will undoubtedly be some surprises, but we should not forget that this is not only our opinion, but also the opinion of a respected jury consisting of 218 referees from the world of football, from Fatih Terim to Karen Carney, from Philippe Auclair to Fabrizio Romano, to the World Football Federation. Cup winners Philipp Lahm and Lucio. So read on, make your own list, wait for the actress list in January, or just ignore what we just said. We know many of you usually do this. And even your humble Football Daily will be ringing its Christmas bells in the coming days.
NEWS FLASH
Nuno Espírito Santo has agreed to bring his own form of exciting attacking football as manager of Nottingham Forest after the club came close to finally firing Steve Cooper. Here are the latest developments.
LIVE ON MAJOR WEBSITE
Join Luke McLaughlin from 18:00 GMT for hot Club World Cup MBM coverage of Manchester City 2-0 Urawa Red Diamonds, followed by Scott Murray to bring you Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle in the Milk Cup at 20:00 will guide. Barry Glendenning will also be on stage for Mary Earps’ Spoty win starting at 19:00.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I was there when they were doing it. Nobody likes a fence sitter – ranking things in football is fun! Parade around Ewood Park. My brother was on the field with my father, and I think I fell into a deep sleep in my mother’s arms. It couldn’t be this exciting…” – if you haven’t already felt old, here’s Port Vale goalkeeper Connor Ripley, who reveals he has a Premier League champion father, why some centre-backs are better than outfield players and they face his parents’ beloved Boro at the Rumbelows quarter final in the cup.
FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS
Following Ian Potter’s Video Assistant VAR suggestion (yesterday’s Football Daily letters), may I be the first to suggest that Thierry Henry and Bobby Pires of 1,057 Renault Clio ad fans should be in charge of the Va-Var-Room?” – James Maltby (and 1,056 others).
Howard Webb is so confident in VAR’s ability to correct ‘clear and obvious errors’ that perhaps his remit should be extended to ridiculous haircuts, pastel boots and thigh-high socks? Did I miss anything?” –Mick Beeby.
As a veteran of 45 years of rock ‘n’ roll touring, I’m encouraged by your use of ‘liggers’ (yesterday’s Football Daily); While the term ‘free access’ was used in the 1970s and 80s, being accessible to all levels in the live music industry (if you know the right person or phone number), it has now become very difficult to use it casually. I could walk backstage at the ‘League’ at Hammersmith Odeon or Wembley because I worked there so often; My face was so recognizable that my lack of a pass was not questioned. Today, corporate structures and security paranoia make this a thousand times more difficult. I’m so happy to see that the term isn’t dead and I was enlightened to learn that it exists outside of the music industry” – Steve.
Send your letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s winner of the non-prize letter of the day is… Steve.
A PILGRIM’S PROGRESS?
Stoke are close to appointing Plymouth manager Steven Schumacher. Potters are 19th in the championship. Hacilar is in 16th place. This is a weird move for him, isn’t it? Why would he change jobs from the towering mobile Pilgrims he guided to a famous promotion last season, to manage a team to the soundtrack of windy groans at the Bet365 Stadium? [Football Daily puts on its glasses and adopts geography teacher mode.] Schumacher is from Kirkby on the outskirts of Liverpool. Google Maps tells us our journey home from Plymouth will take 5 hours and 16 minutes [and some – Football Daily Ed]. So from Stanley Matthews Way? We arrive at the M6 in about an hour. Oh, and money. Unless Plymouth have a helicopter like Peter Coates, expect Schumacher to be clutching a red and white scarf as he waxes poetic about those legendary Tuesday nights at Stoke very soon.
WE RECOMMEND YOU LISTEN
Bundle up and get ready for Football Weekly’s Christmas mailbag slot. And Women’s Football Weekly has also released its final capsule of 2023.
SUGGESTED LOOK
Your man David Squires pulls out his highlighter and a copy of Radio Times and guides us through the festive TV programme, including an infamous episode of Maupay Unwise and more.
NEWS, TITS AND BOBS
Afghanistan’s men’s players have called on FIFA to investigate match-fixing allegations against the country’s football federation president, confirming that their boycott will continue until Mohammed Yusuf Kargar is sacked.
Mary Earps is the clear favorite to later win the Sports Personality of the Year award. If he wins, let’s hope he celebrates like he did when he saved the World Cup penalty.
Sutton United, the bottom of League Two, let Matt Gray through the door marked Do One. “Matt will forever have a huge place in Sutton’s history as the manager who took us to the Football League,” he said in a club statement.
♫ It’s less dangerous with the lights off ♫ here we are, entertain us ♫ I’m feeling silly and contagious ♫ here we are now, entertain us ♫. Sean Dyche hopes Everton are on track to find the “nirvana” of a winning culture.
Wayne Rooney reckons being attacked by a big Nokia all those years ago made him comfortable with opposition players over-celebrating goals, as Leicester did against an upset Birmingham team. “There’s emotion in the game and the players are celebrating; I had a mobile phone thrown at me at Anfield, so the players have their reasons,” he reassured.
STILL WANT MORE?
Jonathan Wilson breaks the last 16 ties in the Major Cup so you don’t have to.
Manchester City’s 25-year journey from York to the Club World Cup. Will Unwin talks about Pep’s bold new beginnings.
Here’s Nick Ames on how the 2025 Club World Cup renewal will give Saudi clubs meaningful football against Europe’s best.
Since we skipped the link yesterday, here are the latest talking points in the WSL.
WITH MEMORY STRIP
Of all the iconic football/Christmas images, this one stands out. Andy Gray, captured by the legendary Bob Thomas, says here “circa 1980”.