In one sense I can understand how the players feel, particularly with the seamier parts of the press such as the tabloids. However, they don't seem to understand that their decision to take this sort of action simply gives the impression that they are immature, inarticulate, unprofessional and with a far higher opinion of themselves than the reality on the pitch would seem to indicate.
Okay they got the three points, but it was far from convincing and over all it looked very similar to Saturday's game. The main difference being that Poland only had one shot, as opposed to Austria's two.
I can't remember the last time Beckham looked like a good international player. He insists on taking all the corners, although he hasn't hit a decent one for a couple of years. The least he could do is speak to the press on behalf of the team he's supposed to be skippering.
Somebody should explain to Kieran Dyer the next time he's seen in a Newcastle club waving fistfuls of money and generally acting the spotty-faced cunt, that he was once a promising youngster, who has totally failed to develop or progress any aspect of his game since leaving Ipswich and remind him that however much he thinks he is, he's not Fifty Fucking Cent. Actually, it'll be interesting to see which of Newcastle's other out-of-control and overpaid idiots will stay now that Souness has arrived. I expect to see transfer requests from Dyer, Kleivert, Bramble and Bellamy come the next transfer window.
The one bright spot of the evening was Defoe's goal, a lovely piece of improvisation to beat the defence and a cracking finish. Overall, the atmosphere here is a mixture of relief and of something not quite fulfilled. We're happy to have the points, but I can't honestly say that we feel like we've won a convincing victory or that we feel that confident for the upcoming fixtures. I'm off to find a local bar with a group of Sunderland and one or two Middlesbrough to sample the local vodka.