Mourinho’s Notebook – Demented Mascots & Probing Fingers
The Mascot Of Fever Dream Hell
Meet Kingsley. The new mascot of Scottish footy club Partick Thistle and the thing of children’s nightmares.
Kingsley was designed by Glaswegian-based visual artist David Shrigley, who recently helped the club score their new major sponsors, US investment firm Kingsford Capital Management. Shrigley is a Thistle fan and he brought up the idea at a meeting with Managing Partner Mike Wilkins, introducing him to the club. Wilkins is a minority owner of the NBA champion Golden State Warriors and was keen to get some sporting involvement in the UK too. He is immensely rich.
Shrigley’s design of Kingsley very obviously fits in with the Kingsford Capital logo. It also fits in with the Thistle nickname of ‘The Jags’.
“As a Jags man it’s an honour to be involved with the club in this way. I can’t wait to see my design on the front of the shirts and around Firhill and just hope the fans like what we’re trying to do. It’s safe to say we have a few surprises in store for the supporters and we’re already in talks with a few other artists to arrange some pretty exciting giveaways over the course of the season.” – Artist David Shrigley.
But people across the internet have been quick to cast their own aspersions as to the inspiration behind Kingsley’s form. Suggestions ranging from Acid Trip Maggie Simpson to a Power Ranger Villain to a Demented Tellytubby or some Demonic Sun God.
Scottish Championship side Hibernians don’t particularly care for Kingsley either.
Let’s Not Get Messi Here
The Irish Football Association have had to come out and openly deny that their players received payments (or ‘bribes’ as the cops call ‘em) before a 2010 friendly against Argentina in order that they made sure that Lionel Messi didn’t find himself on the end of any nasty challenges that may have injured him before the upcoming World Cup.
Yes, that would be the same World Cup that Ireland infamously missed qualification for after that Thierry Henry handball. Which in turn is the same incident that it had been alleged that the FAI received millions of dollars for in compensation (money to go towards development, granted, not for pocket-lining). There was also a claim – in Argentinian newspaper La Nacion where this all stemmed from – that the friendly itself was arranged to “calm Ireland down”, a fact which has been confidently dismissed given the fixture was decided before the Henry game.
“The Football Association of Ireland completely refutes the allegations made about the Republic of Ireland v Argentina friendly match in La Nacion as baseless. The match in question was organised by Kentaro and announced by press release prior to the World Cup play-offs in 2009. We are consulting our legal advisers in relation to the article and will be taking further steps.”
But the suggestion that Irish players were each given $10,000 to ensure that Messi didn’t get hit is the one that’s lingering. Not that it really makes a difference, it ain’t a huge scandal – certainly not by FIFA standards. Most international friendlies are pretty heartless anyway.
Argentina won the game 1-0 thanks to an Angel Di Maria strike and Lionel Messi was subbed off after 58 minutes.
Gonzalo Jara’s Hand
Chilean defender Gonzalo Jara executed a perfect example of how to get someone sent off by being a complete pest against Edinson Cavani and Uruguay at the Copa America the other day.
Cavani had already been booked when Jara walked up beside him, gave him a past on the backside and, erm, went probing with a couple fingers. Cavani rightly gave the bugger a slap in the face but the ref saw it and pulled out a second yellow as Jara collapsed to the ground in a swirl of arms and hands.
Chile went on to win 1-0 with an 81st minute Mauricio Isla goal and will play Peru in the semi finals. Meanwhile Jara is under investigation by CONMEBOL. Jara tried the same thing on Luis Suarez in a World Cup qualifier back in 2013 only to get punched in the face by The Toothy One.
Social Media Stunners
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