PLYMOUTH ARGYLE: This Cornishman Doesn’t Appreciate International Weekends

Jim Benton-Evans is State of the Game’s new Plymouth Argyle columnist

The curse of the international weekend strikes again. I?m stuck at home with the mother of all throat infections and nothing more thrilling than England against Andorra on the box to look forward to. It?s the start of the season ? WHY do we need to sit here twiddling our fingers for the benefit of FIFA? Frankly ? and you can quote me on this ? it wouldn?t bother me if international football disappeared down the hole marked ?Watney Cup? and was consigned to the dustbin of history. Being a Cornishman, England means nothing to me; being a Cornishman, Argyle means (nearly) everything to me. And it?s not just me. Ask any football fan if they?d prefer promotion or an England World Cup win and the vast majority, the VAST majority will plump for promotion. Be clear about this ? the World Cup?s an entertaining distraction while we?re between seasons. That?s all. Nobody ? apart from Skinner and Baddiel ? REALLY gives a monkey?s whether England are gallant losers or embarrassing clodhoppers five minutes after the match is over. So why disrupt the season for it?

Anyway, following the transfer deadline, the mood around Home Park could cautiously be described as mixed. No-one really knows what to make of new signings Seip and Samba, and the two names we?ve been most consistently linked with in our search for a Trigger replacement ? Kenwyne Jones of Southampton and Burnley?s Gifton Noel-Williams ? are hardly ones to set hearts a flutter. Jones has split the fans at St Mary?s, but most agree the weakest part of his game is his first touch. File under Nick Chadwick, then. As for GNW, surely his well documented arthritic problems, which prevent him playing from October to March, ought to count him out. Let him go to Stoke, where he?ll be properly appreciated.

Expectations are that, when Penrice and Breaker finally arrive, Ollie will take some time to assess and then exploit the pathetic, pathetic ?emergency? loan system. Meanwhile, we await our first home win. Ten to one it?ll arrive next Saturday against QPR, seeing as I shall be unavoidably detained in Durham at a conference, getting back just in time to see us take on CCC pacesetters Cardiff. Ah well. Come on ANDORRA!