I remember when Wycombe first made it into the league a number of media outlets couldn’t believe or didn’t appreciate that their nickname was ‘The Chairboys’ and it was printed in several places as ‘The Choirboys’.
I remember this too, as went to watch Slough Town often back then. They were rivals and for a while it seemed like they might match Wycombe in the promotion chase from the old Vauxhaul Conference. However, Wycombe (managed by Martin O'Neill) were just too strong and won the league by about 15 points, whilst Slough ended up a creditable 5th. In fact I think the Wycombe v Slough match that season drew about 7,500 fans, the highest attendance in the non-league that season.
Interesting point and I think it goes even further with the obsession players have in working out and muscle building. Success, Gray and Deeney are good examples. They build so much muscle they can't run and if they do run (albeit slowly) they pull a hamstring or something.
Sorry, not sure if my last post makes sense. I'm saying that it's not just their quadriceps that players seem intent on building up but their physique generally - all at the expense of flexibility, speed and suppleness.
Indeed! What most people don’t know is that High Wycombe is where the Chippendales originated - their semi naked entertainment is still popular at hen parties to this very day. Fairer se x members please avert your eyes - here are a pair of naked Chippendales, a bit worn from all the ladies sitting on them... I’m nervous about the Chairboys supersub promotion winning hero Adebayo Akinfenwa. Our Glen Murray equivalent but he has the edge in mobility which is surprising for such a solid frame..
Absolutely. Over-rotation could lead to a bad landing. Not sure our constant flow of injury returnees and newly injured players will give Ivic a lot of choices for tonight.
Yes the infamous 2-0 Bristol C away defeat featuring Geijo, Nosworthy, S Murray, etc with Deeney, Vydra and Chalo on the bench....
I never played at a particularly great level but played in a reasonably competitive Saturday league. I dislocated my ankle once so while I was out I got into the a gym massively, I ended up going everyday and bulked up by nearly two stone. When I eventually came back to training all my mates said I must have been on steroids (I most definitely hadn’t, I’d just been in the gym 6 days a week for a couple of months) Anyway, it was awful. I wasn’t exactly huge but previously I was pretty lean and athletic. I couldn’t turn, I was slow, it completely ruined my game. Obviously there is a balance, but if you look at all the really skilful players they’re all fairly slight and lean. I think in the modern game being quite bulked up is in the main, very counterproductive. There is definitely a point when being too muscley is completely counter productive,
Don't get me started on that - am still ******* seething. Heard the team news just as we parked up in Brislington cricket club, nearly turned round then and there - wish we had.
Why? We won our games three days before and three days after. It was a decent week and Zola's rotation was fully justified. As we won on the Saturday after, we forgot all about the loss. That's how it works.
I actually arrived in Brizzle but suddenly a bout of cellulitis flared up and I thought I'd better get back before I can't drive any more. I had to listen to the first 20 mins on local BBC station whilst driving home, lost reception then heard the score on 5 Live. Great evening.
It's gradually building up the strength of the core that matters. Until you've done that weights etc tend to result in superficial muscle bulk that cannot be fully supported by the body's core & actually acts in a detrimental fashion.
I agree that over rotation hypothetically could cause more damage. However the scientist in me wants to make the point that it's impossible to say for sure, as we don't have the counterfactual. You can make an educated guess what would happen in that match without rotation (even if you cannot foresee leg breakers by frustrated cloggers), but it is much harder to recognise the benefits on say the final 10 games (i.e. less burnout, fewer injuries, better pressing, sharper bench options), when much more than 3 points are on offer.
As IBB suggests, it is not all that modern. I always thought they 'over-built' John Barnes at Watford. He started out, at 17, looking more like J Pedro. I don't recall hamstrings being a particular problem for him, though. But I do remember him being unfavourably compared to Chris Waddle because he was too much of a strong-man! There is clearly a balance to be worked out in this - It's a contact sport and strength counts. Some players do get brushed aside (Quina?), others, although slightly built, seem as tough as boots; I think Ashley Young and Vardy and our own Gary Porter might be good examples. I wonder, however, just how qualified Watford's physio's are? Does anybody on here know?
I was there. Murray's one and only appearance for us as a wing-back. A painful night. And it was raining.
I think Mo Salah is an example of a great body without being bulky. On the surface, he doesn't look "big" but his core strength is UNREAL. The amount of goal he scores by being able to hold off centre backs far bigger than him and getting a shot off is underrated.
Yes, the core strength is critical. That's why the All Blacks tend to trample all over sides even though they may not be as heavy.
I recall that when Digger was a lad he was slighter than Luther,as you say. That soon changed. Again Mrs P was very dismissive of most physios and especially football ones. They have undoubtedly improved since they were no more than ex players with a sponge and a bucket but there are lot of iffy physios out there,not just in football. Same for most professions I suppose.
I understand this match is available for Sky Go Extra subscribers. How does Sky Go Extra work? I got it the last couple of days but don't see a Sky Go Extra channel. Only the usual ones like Main Event and Football. How do I watch the match live either on my sky HD box (don't have Sky Q), laptop, or a Ps4? I have Sky Go installed on laptop and Ps4. Any help would be appreciated.
The rock band, the Quireboys, were originally called the 'Queerboys,' but changed it because it seemed to be a barrier to success.
I was also at this game with a Cuban fella who wanted to see his first ever English football match. I had built us up more than was, in hindsight, wise. Que pena.
Sky Go Extra is just the package for downloading programmes or watching via a games console I think: https://www.sky.com/help/articles/what-is-sky-go-extra Tonight’s game is showing on my planner from 7pm on channel 403.
Here's a fascinating tidbit of background info. I've been to Wycombe to watch Watford play in the 90s, Watford have never scored at Wycombe. I've also seen Nogan score at Wycombe and if memory serves me correctly I saw Cyrile Regis score in the same game. I am pretty sure Marin Oneill was still manager and they had a bit of a buzz, but its possible 25 years have addled my memory of that night. It was of course not a Watford game I saw Nogan score in, it wasn't even Lee Nogan, but his less popular brother Kurt, then of Burnley. What does this all mean for tonight? not, a lot.
(High) Wycombe Wanderers Podcast has a game preview: "Ringing The Blues: The Prospect Squad - 26 mins 50 sec in In summary: They think that Wycombe don't play well against teams that play with Watford's formation. They're petrified of Sarr. If Watford score first that will likely be that. Best bet is to do everything entailed in parking the bus, without admitting that it's parking the bus.
I assume that your comment about the Queerymen was made in jest. John Lennon formed the Quarrymen (taken from the name of Quarry Bank High School, which he attended) in 1956. He was later joined in the group by Paul McCartney and George Harrison. They used several other names before finally adopting the name 'The Beatles' in 1960.
