Abdoulaye Doucoure, the Everton midfielder, was speaking before Ramadan, stating that he always fasts during the holy month, and it never affects his football. Especially as sunset is before evening matches, allowing the worshippers to break their fast before kick-off. But the Premier League have agreed to an extended ‘break’ during play to allow fasting Muslims to eat and drink a bit more.

Or to take the opportunity to punch Harry Kane in the face. As Doucourte opted for last night. Its up to them how they choose to celebrate their faith.

In response to the assault, Harry Kane did what 100% of players would do in the situation: fall on the ground as if dead, clutching his face as if it might have been permanently dislocated from his head. Rivaldo famously did that when kicked in the leg. But he was the tosser’s tosser. The simulator’s simulator. And its all about simulation. Making mountains out of molehills, or just, bearing in mind the time of year, ‘making a matzo pudding’ out of virtually nothing.

Harry received a yellow card for his performance, and rightly so. He was hoping for an Olivier. But I cannot bear the righteous indignation of the pundits, the commentators and all the other players when they attack someone for this, agreed: horrible and ridiculous, over-acting and ‘simulation’. Because every single player will try to get whatever advantage he can from any situation. And winding up opposition players to the point where you ‘take one for the team’ is in every club’s match-book. Its what Jack Grealish has based his entire career on. The pundits, when still playing, all did it. The other players, grouped round Harry telling him to get up and stop acting, all would do the same. It doesn’t make it right. Its not nice to watch. But they ALL do it. Why Harry chose to extend it to Act 2 I don’t know as Doucourte was already off the pitch, but there ya go. Overkilled.

13 Premier League managers have ‘gone’ this year. Out of 20 clubs. I mean… WTF??

So, having beaten the crowd by sacking our manager last weekend, the list of putative ‘candidates’ was lined up by the press as replacements. Then on Sunday after Chelsea and Leicester ‘did the double’, the papers immediately lined up that same list as the possibles for the Chelsea job. Not Leicester, they’re not big enough for the ‘names’ on that list. You have to be a big, rich and fairly stupid club, like Spurs or Chelsea, to ‘qualify’ to include Nagelsmann or Pochettino in your wish-list. And if Nagelsmann’s arrival at Spurs is ‘conditional’ on qualification for the Champions League (I hate him already), how would he feel about leading Chelsea in the Championship? It could happen!!! If only.

Happy Tuesday

A xxxx