29th June 2016

Hi ,

Well we are truly out of Europe this week in more ways than one with the Brexit vote and now the utter demise of the English football team. I try to keep away from political issues in my newsletters but all can say is at least David Cameron had a plan which some will say backfired but as for Roy Hodgson there was four years of plodding without ever knowing his best team or the right tactics that he needed to employ.

All credit to Iceland for winning but they would be hard placed to finish in the top half of our 3rd division. The F.A. who appoint the England manager need to think very carefully before making their next managerial decision.

Since 1950 we have only had three successful managers Alf Ramsey who won us the World Cup in 66 with his innovative wingless wonders. Then in 1990 along came the wonderful Bobby Robson who took us to the World cup semi final in Italy with the help of one of our most skilled players ever in Paul Gascoine and then in 96 the tactical genius of Terry Venables got us through to the Euros semi again against the Germans where we were beaten on penalties.

So there you have it three achievers in over fifty years means we have to find a top man for the job not appoint a yes men or cautious individuals but a manager who wants to win and knows how to manage overpaid unskilled footballers.

I don’t know about you but I would start looking in the lower leagues for players who have a hunger to win and would be proud to wear the shirt. I’m no expert but I have known for years that Smalling and Cahill are not international class, Jack Wilshire, Daniel Sturridge and Raheem Sterling are totally over hyped plus Jamie Vardy is useless unless he gets those balls where he can run onto and out speed slow defenders.

The one positive was the enthusiasm of young Rashford who looked a breath of fresh air in the few minutes he was on the pitch and made the entire rest of the team look like tired old men even if most of them are in their early twenties.

Lets change the subject before I get even more depressed and move on to the racing as yesterday my Fold4Gold service had a cracking day landing a 60/1 double and only just missed out on a 250/1 treble.

I’m going to have a stab at a relative outsider for Howies Hottie today in the Catterick 3.0 which is a 12 furlong low grade handicap. The tip is Ulswater who was a decent horse back in the day but has recently shown me a little bit of the old sparkle and can go well at an each way price.

HOT HANDICAPPERS

FLAT

Lavetta trainer A.Swinbank - Withdrawn from a race last week because of firm ground however when he gets a softer surface make sure your on.

Quickaswecan trainer M.Bradley - Old sprinter who is on a winnable mark.

Diamond Joel trainer M.Channon - Ran placed after a break at Chester and should improve for the run.

Seamour trainer B.Ellison - Mugged on the line in the Pitmans Derby at Newcastle the gelding should soon find compensation especially on soft ground.

Back next Wednesday be lucky.

Howard Davis-Shaw.

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