In Memory

[the dude abides]

John Bond, another of the West Ham old school, passed today, aged 79.

I'll always remember his efforts at Norwich in the 70s.  He played a very positive style of football.  He transformed Norwich.  Indeed, at that time, football in the Anglia region, with Ipswich (under Bobby Robson) and Norwich, was excellent.  John and Bobby put the region on the football map.

RIP  John.

[Tes]

Another from the 70s who always acted with dignity whatever the occasion or provocation. I wonder how these sort would cope with the amount of 'media' that has to be filled and fulfilled.

For me the media aspect is just overkill. Why do the managers have media obligations everyday? Give your opinion after the match and then a 'presser' on Friday morning talking about the past week and coming weekend. I think it would be of help to a lot of younger managers, ours included, not to have to deal with so much 'one on one' media exposure and have fewer opportunities for their every word to be broadcast via the media.

Sorry about going off at a tangent.

His son Kevin always comes across well on the occasional interview I've seen him do. Very much a chip of the old block.
There were some great characters and people managing and coaching in the 70s & 80s - I always wonder what their reactions to the media mindset and constant onslaught would be if they were around now.

RIP John Bond. You always did my birthplace proud and believed in the right way of playing football.

[the dude abides]

ah, I hadn't realised you were from that part of the world, Tes.

yes, there is way too much interviewing in the modern era.

how would shankly or paisley have dealt with modern Sky times.

perhaps differently.....shankly would have liked the microphone, whereas Bob would have shunned it.

as a club, if I ran things, I would fulfil media commitments by sending out some media club spokesman each day, who would essentially give data re who is fit, injured, nature of injuries, prepared paragraph on future weekend fixture, etc.  In other words, boring mundane drivel.

and then have our manager give an after game interview.

once or twice a week is more than enough to be hearing the thoughts of our manager.

[Edward224]

Tes you were born in Norwich/east anglia?

I am a Cambridge man!

[Tes]

ah, I hadn't realised you were from that part of the world, Tes.

yes, there is way too much interviewing in the modern era.

how would shankly or paisley have dealt with modern Sky times.

perhaps differently.....shankly would have liked the microphone, whereas Bob would have shunned it.

as a club, if I ran things, I would fulfil media commitments by sending out some media club spokesman each day, who would essentially give data re who is fit, injured, nature of injuries, prepared paragraph on future weekend fixture, etc.  In other words, boring mundane drivel.

and then have our manager give an after game interview.

once or twice a week is more than enough to be hearing the thoughts of our manager.

Born there, but grew up rural Nottinghamshire. I always liked both East Anglian teams as their managers always looked to entertain. Martin Peters ended up at Norwich, as did Martin O'Neill but both Bond and Sir Bobby played football to entertain.

[the dude abides]

yes, east anglia in the 70s and early 80s, was a great place to see top notch football.

we badly miss those type of characters now, and that type of homegrown talent.

football is no better now, than it was back then....apart from more camera angles and lots more money.