🔗 Share this article

Bog Standard

Toilet humor has always been the safe haven of your Daily, and we are always mindful regarding memorable lavatory incidents and historic moments, especially in relation to football. It was quite amusing to find out that a prominent writer a well-known presenter owns a West Bromwich Albion-inspired toilet at his home. Consider the situation about the Tykes follower who understood the bathroom a little too literally, and had to be saved from the vacant Barnsley ground after falling asleep on the loo at half-time during a 2015 defeat against Fleetwood Town. “He was barefoot and misplaced his cellphone and his cap,” stated an official from the local fire department. And who can forget at the pinnacle of his career with Manchester City, the controversial forward visited a nearby college to use the facilities back in 2012. “His luxury car was stationed outside, then came in and was asking where the toilets were, afterward he visited the teachers' lounge,” an undergraduate shared with the Manchester Evening News. “After that he was just walking round the campus as if he owned it.”

The Restroom Quitting

Tuesday represents 25 years from when Kevin Keegan quit as the England coach after a brief chat in a toilet cubicle together with Football Association official David Davies in the bowels of Wembley, subsequent to the memorable 1-0 setback against Germany in 2000 – the national team's concluding fixture at the legendary venue. According to Davies' personal account, FA Confidential, he had entered the sodden beleaguered England dressing room directly following the fixture, discovering David Beckham crying and Tony Adams motivated, both players begging for the suit to bring Keegan to his senses. After Dietmar Hamann's set-piece, Keegan walked slowly through the tunnel with a thousand-yard stare, and Davies located him seated – similar to his Anfield posture in 1996 – in the corner of the dressing room, saying quietly: “I'm done. I can't handle this.” Collaring Keegan, Davies attempted urgently to save the circumstance.

“What place could we identify for confidential discussion?” stated Davies. “The passageway? Swarming with media. The locker room? Packed with upset players. The bath area? I couldn’t hold a vital conversation with the national coach while athletes jumped in the pool. Only one option presented itself. The restroom stalls. A dramatic moment in England’s long football history took place in the vintage restrooms of an arena marked for removal. The impending destruction could almost be smelled in the air. Pulling Kevin into a stall, I secured the door behind us. We stayed there, eye to eye. ‘You can’t change my mind,’ Kevin said. ‘I'm leaving. I'm not capable. I’m going out to the press to tell them I’m not up to it. I cannot inspire the squad. I can't extract the additional effort from these athletes that's required.’”

The Consequences

And so, Keegan resigned, subsequently confessing he considered his stint as England manager “soulless”. The two-time Ballon d’Or winner added: “I struggled to occupy my time. I found myself going and training the blind team, the deaf squad, assisting the women's team. It's an extremely challenging position.” Football in England has advanced considerably in the quarter of a century since. For better or worse, those Wembley toilets and those two towers are long gone, although a German now works in the coaching zone Keegan formerly inhabited. The German's squad is viewed as one of the contenders for next year’s Geopolitics World Cup: National team followers, value this time. This particular anniversary from one of the Three Lions’ darkest days serves as a recall that situations weren't always this good.

Live Updates

Follow Luke McLaughlin at 8pm UK time for Women's major tournament coverage regarding Arsenal versus Lyon.

Quote of the Day

“There we stood in a long row, clad merely in our briefs. We were Europe’s best referees, premier athletes, inspirations, adults, parents, strong personalities with great integrity … but no one said anything. We scarcely made eye contact, our eyes shifted somewhat anxiously when we were requested to advance in couples. There Collina examined us thoroughly with a freezing stare. Silent and observant” – ex-international official Jonas Eriksson discloses the embarrassing processes match officials were formerly exposed to by ex-Uefa refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina.

Football Daily Letters

“What’s in a name? There’s a poem by Dr Seuss called ‘Too Many Daves’. Has Blackpool experienced Excessive Steves? Steve Bruce, along with aides Steve Agnew and Steve Clemence have been dismissed through the exit. Is this the termination of the Steve fascination? Not quite! Steve Banks and Steve Dobbie remain to manage the main squad. Full Steve ahead!” – John Myles.

“Now you have loosened the purse strings and distributed some merchandise, I have decided to put finger to keypad and offer a concise remark. Postecoglou mentions he initiated altercations in the school playground with kids he anticipated would defeat him. This masochistic tendency must account for his decision to join Nottingham Forest. As a lifelong Spurs supporter I will always be grateful for the second-season trophy but the only second-season trophy I can see him winning near the Trent River, if he remains that duration, is the second tier and that would be a significant battle {under the present owner” – Stewart McGuinness.|