Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Wednesday 29 May 2013

29 May 2013

Bottom-of-the-Barrel Diary writes: Writing about football in late May feels like writing about Christmas in September. You are aware that in a few months it will be a pressing concern, but at the moment of writing it all seems a bit distant.

So here a few thoughts - doubtless replicating others the summer diary-mongers have voiced over the last few weeks, but truly my own.

Firstly, if you are going to get promoted from this league, you really need to aim at the top spot. That means the best defence in the league, the best midfield and the best attack. If you already have the best defence in the league, it makes sense to try and keep it together, rather than letting some elements of it leave in favour of unknown quantities.

Secondly, if you are going to have a squad of only 18 players, and you are supposedly favouring quality over quantity, two of those squad spaces should not be taken up with forwards who are very unlikely to score more than five in a season. For those who think that is a little unfair, come back to me next May.

Thirdly, I am delighted to have Scott Neilson back. Yes, he takes showboating to such extremes that he often looks as though he is about to belt out a couple of versions of 'Ol' Man River'. But he has a tremendous energy and mobility that can lead to the casual watcher to think he is watching three triplets playing simultaneously. And lovely Ross looked lost without him.

Fourthly, is my mind playing tricks on me? I was always sure that Jan Aage Fjortoft once punched Roy Keane out in a televised football match. Yet this golden moment seems to be ungoogleable. Surely I didn't dream it? Help me out!