TAXI FOR FABIO....

At last, Fabio Capello has done the right thing and resigned from the England Manager's job and headed off back to Italia. Of course, whilst most England supporters will probably be cheering at the prospect of seeing the back of the  Postman Pat lookie-likee with his £6 million salary, it leaves a bitter legacy for taking England forward to the Euro 2012 tournament. In the week where the FA have stripped John Terry of the England captaincy, England are also managerless on the lead up to a major tourno. I for one am glad to see the back of both of these boorish characters. Never being a great fan of Terry, it was only a matter of time before his loutish behaviour caught up with him after awaiting charges of racially abusing another player. After many lurid stories of the England captain's extra-marital affairs, The FA decided these were unacceptable allegations not befitting of a England captain and decided to remove him from the post. Fabio then goes public on Italian tv bemoaning the FA's decision to undermine him by leaving him out of the decision to remove Terry. So caio baby, here's my resignation.


The bookies favourite to take the job is Harry Redknapp. I guess any passionate England fan would want Redknapp to manage England to achieve the greatness that has eluded them since 1966. I'm not sure the Spurs fans will be cheering on Harry to leave. At last, they are hitting the heights of challenging for the Premiership and qualifying for the Champions League and it could all go a bit Pete Tong if Harry takes the big job. That's of course if Spurs let him go. 


Whatever happens, and whoever gets the job, let's hope they take England forward and really get this team going to challenge the likes of Spain and Germany at Euro 2012. But my fingers will be tightly crossed the man they pick will be 'Arry. 


   

IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK....

Almost a year in hibernation and now back due to popular demand...the Fishfingerbutty blog is officially back. When I say popular demand, it was actually one person but at least my one fan Dave managed to persuade me out of retirement to dust down the laptop and begin my warblings on subjects close to my heart. Of course the big advantage of taking a year off from blogging is the wealth of accumulated topics yet to grumble about, take the mickey out of or even promote if worthy of note. No longer can I fall silent on hot topics like why the bloody hell Bruce Forsyth got a knighthood? On why Liverpool's Andy Carroll can't score in a brothel. Or even some in-depth debate on David Beckham's new underpants range? Yep, I can't be silent any longer. Unleash the  Fishfingerbutty blog.. I'm coming at'cha...

THE PROFESSIONALS ARE BACK....

The news that another cult classic television show is about to hit the big screen with the remake of the late 70's favourite The Professionals. That I'm sure will gladden the nostalgic heartstrings of many women of a certain age who used to perve over Bodie and Doyle strutting their stuff. Studio Lyonsgate have acquired the rights to produce the film of the crime-fighting duo from the fictional CI5 agency. 

The original series starred the permed Martin Shaw as Doyle the police detective and my personal favourite Lewis Collins as Bodie the ruthless former SAS sergeant and mercenary. Keeping the two in check was Gordon Jackson as the boss of CI5. Quite a change in role from the butler Hudson in Upstairs Downstairs. The same production team from the last two Bond films and Captain America are starting filming later this year. I really hope they keep the kick-ass theme tune and the inclusion of sexy fast cars. I shall be keeping my peepers peeled for this one coming out....

DON'T PUT YOUR DAUGHTER ON THE STAGE MRS WORTHINGTON

Can there be anything quite as nauseous as child singers? You don't see them around too much these days, but when I was growing up, they were everywhere, assaulting our eardrums and clogging up the charts. I just can't understand the appeal or cute factor of some little midget singing like they've just sucked up gallons of helium from balloons. Particularly grimsville is when they are the products of stage schools - I'm thinking the 'eyes and teeth' fodder from Sylvia Young's Stage School or the Italia Conti Stage School. No sorry folks, performing kids just leave me cold. Little Jimmy Osmond sticks in my mind as probably the Prince of Sickbags with the strangely titled 'Long Haired Lover From Liverpool'. Strange indeed when he had a pudding bowl haircut, came from somewhere in Utah and slightly odd that he's singing a lyric about being a 'lover' when he was about 10 at the time and Mormons don't actually do that sort of thing until their wedding night. Watch the video and weep at the miming, the dance routine and the fact it got to christmas number one...

To plunge into even greater depths of ghastliness, check out the following for records you would never own up to having in your collection in a million years from very small people with very ambitious parents....

Lena Zavaroni - Ma, He's Making Eyes At Me 

Donny Osmond - Puppy Love

Neil Reid - Mother of Mine 

St Winifred's School Choir - There's No-One Quite Like Grandma

Hanson - MMMbop 

Miley Cyrus - All  

Justin Beiber - All 

GOOSED MUSCLES BUT SO WORTH IT...

It's Sunday night already and where the hell did the weekend go? It started with much hilarity during a late, late Friday night at work. Much stress with 4 of us working away after 6pm when my colleague's mobile phone went off. Somewhat annoyed at her husband ringing her no doubt to check politely when his wife might be coming home, she answered it in her inimitable no-nonsense style 'I'M COMING HOWARD, I'M COMING'. Being a dirty dog and not being able to resist, I turned round to deliver a line something on the lines of 'bloody hell, there's an insight into what it must be like to be your next door neighbours you saucy mare'. Cue much hysteria and a much needed relief from the full-on stress. 
Yesterday saw me heading over to Lytham to meet up with my mates for lunch. But being a good weather day was just too good an opportunity to miss so we walked the two minutes down to the beach for a mad game of football. I'm very sorry to the beachfront residents who had to witness us four falling over, running around like kids screeching and swearing like dockers when the ball was booted towards the Isle of Man and had to be retrieved via a three foot jump off a sandbank. Great day with the crazy gang as usual with many, many laughs. 
Today has been spent being busy in the garden with the first spring lawn cut and digging over of the borders. I've jet washed everything that doesn't move and tried to ignore anything that does ie. frogs in case of sudden and debilitating hyperventilation. Thai takeaway for tonight's evening meal and a thousand aching muscles even in places I didn't know had muscles. Sunday night to be finished off nicely with a Radox soak in the bath after the final of Dancing On Ice. Surely it can't only be me who is secretly hoping Chloe Madeley falls flat on her gobshitey face during tonight's final can it? 

BEST AND WORST COVER VERSIONS....

I read a poll recently from Total Guitar magazine listing the readers top 5 best and worst cover versions. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Celine Dion won the worst cover version hands down for her rendition of AC/DC's You Shook Me All Night Long. Perhaps Celine's agent had the insight not to actually release the single after the damage was done when Celine warbled away the tune at a Las Vegas concert in 2002. So here's the list of the full top 5 in both categories...

Worst Cover Versions 

1. Celine Dion - You Shook Me All Night Long (AC/DC)

2. Girls Aloud/Sugerbabes - Walk This Way (Run DMC and Aerosmith) 

3. Westlife - More Than Words (Extreme) 

4. Will Young - Light My Fire (The Doors) 

5. The Mike Flowers Pops - Wonderwall (Oasis) 

Best Cover Versions 

1. Jimi Hendrix - All Along The Watchtower (Bob Dylan) 

2. The Beatles - Twist and Shout (The Top Notes) 

3. Guns n Roses - Live and Let Die (Wings) 

4. Nirvana - The Man Who Sold The World (David Bowie) 

5. Muse - Feeling Good (Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse) 

All worthy inclusions although I actually didn't mind Will Young's version of Light My Fire. Here's my take on a cover version that might be worth an inclusion on a more expanded best list. A few years back, Tom Jones resurrected his career with the release of the Reload album which contained 15 cover versions in collaboration with some pretty cool and credible musicians/bands. Although the release of 'Sexbomb' sold in millions and is the stand out track from the album, I always thought that his collaboration with Stereophonics on 'Mama Told Me Not To Come' was sensational. And as for Kelly Jones.. enough said, he can't do any wrong in my eyes. Sorry Three Dog Night, your original version was good, but the Welsh boyos whipped your arses on this one. 

See if you agree, and feel free to pass on other cover versions that are worth a mention....

SHAM-OOH NO....

Little bit of madness to report this week from Craven Cottage, the home of Fulham Football Club. The London club's owner, the flamboyant Mohammed Al-Fayed has just announced he wishes to erect a statue of his 'great friend' Michael Jackson outside the ground. Fans are a little erm.. 'unhappy' at the prospect of the King of Pop being celebrated outside their beloved Craven Cottage. Al-Fayed originally planned to put the statue within his Harrod's store but the tycoon sold his store last year for £1.5 billion. The statue reportedly features Michael Jackson in 'an iconic pose' with what appears to be underpants over his trousers. 
Fans are declaring a day of protest on April 3rd when they take on Blackpool at the Cottage and is also the day of the statue's unveiling. They state that Michael Jackson only visited the ground once and are claiming that the statue will make their club a laughing stock. 
I'm with the fans on this one. Michael Jackson was an American recording artist and perhaps a statue of him would be more befitting in an entertainment setting (the o2 arena?). Statues outside British football grounds are the preserve of footballing heroes from that particular club. Whatever next? Perhaps the new Indian owners at Blackburn Rovers unveiling Shilpa Shetty as a tribute to her contribution to Bollywood films? Rudolph Nureyev at Stamford Bridge? Charlie Cairoli at Blackpool FC? Or perhaps Judy Garland resplendent in her red Dorothy shoes alongside the Holy Trinity of Best, Law and Charlton at my beloved Old Trafford?