Thetownend.com

This is our World Cup final - Paolo
           

  PAOLO Di Canio has played in some of the biggest derby fixtures in football but as he prepares for Swindon’s first meeting with fierce rivals Oxford in over eight years, the Italian believes his
  first as a manager will supersede all of them.

           

http://www.thisisswindontownfc.co.uk/news/headlines/9204684.This_is_our_World_Cup_final___Paolo/?ref=rss
           

It's a massive game but I wish he hadn't said this! A world cup final for the Pox maybe.

Now the nerves are kicking in! I've been telling myself that Sunday is just another game, but now that it's almost here I can't pretend anymore.

This game is fucking massive. There might only be 3 points at stake, like any other league game, and I'm sure there will be some on here that will view it as little more than that. But for me this is one of the biggest games in the last 10 years.

Winning it will put a grin on my face for weeks.

Losing it doesn't bear thinking about..

Just in case the result doesn't go the way we want, can we have a blanket ban on new members of the TEF for a while?

This

'World Cup Final' is stretching it a bit I think. I'm actually slightly concerned that he actually might get the players wound up a bit too much, to the point where it affects their performance (it can happen). Hope I'm wrong.

Oh yeah, if the unthinkable happens - blanket ban - I'm all in favour.

yeah it will take me over two weeks to recover and its bad enough with all the new yellow fuck wits giving large this season already (oxford_fan is excluded from this rant)

Fuck me, if the players were apparantly nervous to play against crewe, what are they going to be like on sunday?

I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way. Its been bad enough since Tuesday night when they went a whole (alomst unassailable) point ahead of us in the league.

Fuckwits.

i woke up today thinking it was sunday. simultaneously exciting and worrying.

Completely agree.  I will struggle to forgive them for several weeks if they don't beat the pox.

Also in favour of the blanket ban on new members.

if we don't win I'm avoiding townend/twitter/football for at least three weeks.

Losing is not an option.

On the flip side, this group of players have an incredible opportunity to make themselves very popular very early on. From such games do heroes make.

Think back to Turbo's unlikely brace at the M*nor Ground.

These lads should be dreaming of becoming terrace heroes, not shitting themselves.

Could be a maker or breaker of a certain Namibian captain, if he gets the nod that is.

Yes. And I'm not sure that he should.

The last time a Manager got us wound-up prior to an Oxford game was the joey beating, and that worked out ok.

'Taking the Riss'

Will be the headline on Monday. I hope!

I'm not sure that making this out to be something other than 3 points is the way to go...for example I spoke to Turbo a couple of days after the last Manor game...and he told me he'd been surprised by the reaction as he didn't know it was a derby.....for him a derby was County v Forest.

We'll see... di Canio is bound to make mistakes as a rookie manager.

I hope its more Brazil v Italy than W.Germany v Argentina.

if nothing else it sets the players heads straight as to what it will be like inside the ground and the expectation that goes with it. 
some may rise to that.  some may hide.  hopefully it will allow paolo a chance to separate mice from men before they play on sunday.

If the players go out thinking this is just another three points then they'll be in for a big surprise... they absolutely need to be prepared for the big crowd, the atmos and the challenges likely to come their way in the opening exchanges.

Absolutely not...there would be a big surprise if it was 4 points....players need to be properly focussed and mentally prepared for any game....pointing out factors laregly beyond their control is a basic mistake. Keep it simple focus on your job within the side and nothing else much matters.

No word on Clarke with the 12pm deadline just minutes away.  That means Connell & ?? up front, I guess.

There is only one word for that game. Magnificent. Fans and players united as one against Cry Baby Beauchamp 8)

It doesn't look likely. They did sign Gabilondo and are waiting for international clearance.

Oh well, that means Connell absolutely positively has to play. Alongside who though? :hmmm:

Kerrouche.

I guess it'll be De Vita. Won't be Bodin based on what PDC was saying about the youngsters after the Dagenham game. I think he was referring to Bodin when he said he had over-estimated some of the players.

edit: Forgot about Kerrouche. He sounded well up for it against Dagenham, get him in. Looks a bit scary too.

I'd go for Kersploosh. He looked pretty lively against Dagenham and got in their faces.

me too. kerrouche and connell please. ferry in for risser. for the rest, as you were.

Devera back in at CB?

If he does replace Risser, I wouldn't be surprised if Smith is chosen ahead of Ferry. I guess Devera replaces Comazzi and Caddis back to full back.

I expect Devera to come back in (who else is there?), the big question will be who starts in centre mid.

I would!


Shame Manks is seemingly no more. I think he'd be better at RB with Caddis on the wing in a game like this.

This.

Devera in for Comazzi though as he's out.

good call actually, in fact manks at RB and caddis right mid, then ritchie/esejas on the left... would be solid.

Sadly not going to happen though. In any case I'd also be a bit worried about his lack of match practice/fitness if he was selected!

the only concern i've had with our season so far is that our experienced players, manks and ferry don;t even appear on the radar. very odd.

The transfer window hasn't slammed shut yet :(

After the Supermarine game, a guy in front of us said to Paolo, 'Thanks for coming to Swindon, I'm not worried about where we finish, as long as we beat the pox', Paolo's instant reply was 'Don't a worry, we a destroy them', I'm sure he knows how much this game means to both sets of supporters and the atmosphere is going to be electric.
Is it Sunday yet?

What da matta you... hey
why you looking so sad - hey
"Don't a worry,  hey
we a destroy them"

Also - we've all seen how Manks plays in a pressure environment. He was terrible at Wembley in fron of the Milwall fans. Ok, this is a slightly different situation, but it doesn't bode well.

it's 12pm day before the game, so club still has 23 hours and 15 minutes.

Sure it's 12pm today mate if it is tomorow then he will play no doubt when he signs

I thought that, but I'm reliably informed we're wrong.

Then he can play :)

I am a mixture of nervous but excitied about this game. I remember watching these derbies quite regularly and a really looking forward to it. I just hope there isn't too much expectation and we crumble under pressure.

http://www.football-league.co.uk/regulations/20110629/section-6-players_2293633_2125731#38

Seems to be 12pm tomorrow then..

I have a funny feeling that if Clarke signs he will make a big impact on this match somehow. Don't know if that is positive or negative but time will tell!

Ow goodie,  :clap:

Fingers crossed he signs, starts the game and scores!  No pressure mind!

From the Dagenham game and worrying all week about Sunday.. I have suddenly been overwhelmed by a wave of optimism..

No longer will I accept a draw.

3 points on Sunday, it's our destiny................

Theyve even done a thread about this is on the yellows site

missed that, I was too engrossed in the 'Merlin on google maps" thread.

Haha they just had bbc oxford news on.

They showed turbos volley as the highlight

Their is of course no irony in continually reporting how much they care about us

i'm with you dave.  i'm not suprised they're discussing this, a huge amount of posts this season have been about oxford talking about us and thus posts talking about oxford.

it's getting very tedious all this he said she said

the important talking will be done at 1pm sunday. here's hoping it's done by those wearing red shirts.

Looking forward to mt stroll down Drove Road to the game...  :boxing:  :no: :hmmm: