Subcultural engagement for the 21st Century...
Barbelith is a new kind of community (find out more)...
You can login or register.

Underground > Games & Gameplay >

Football football. Football football.

Page: 1 2 3 4 5(6)7 8 9 10 11... 12

03:54 / 28.04.06

and scolari for england? i read sepp blatter was in favour of an indigenous manager for the major world teams - but i question his involvement in the matter at all, and his judgement, in that if the best person for the gig is not english, then why discount them?

anyway, seems it is an 'evenind standard' scoop, so i am none so sure what this means for veracity. 'expected to announce in the next days' is always a good one... what form does the e.s. have on this kind of thing, what sort of organ is it really?

wikipeadia had this to add as trivia for its entry on the paper:

For many British people the plaintive Cockney cry of the newspaper's street sellers represents an essential part of the London fabric - "Eenin Stannad". This was the subject of a Morecambe and Wise sketch in which Ernie Wise, with some difficulty, managed to get Eric Morecambe to say (the fictional) "Morning Standard" instead of "Morny Stannit", only to find that the paper was in fact called the Morny Stannit.

seems to me scolari would be a good choice - he has real form.

and houllier for australia? yeah, he has had some involvement in soccer australia, giving some advice on structure to the game in this country. he is well respected and in lieu of any australian being in the frame, would be an interesting choice. he seems to have a genuine respect for what the governing body here is about and i suspect he'd be good with the group of players we have here now.

Kiltartan Cross

07:25 / 28.04.06

Super Boro!

If the best person for the job is not English, why not use them?

Because it's supposed to be representing the nation, innit? If we accept that the manager plays some part in the success of the team, then we're left admitting that 'English' success is partly down to a Swede. Or a Brazilian, or whoever.
(or, "If the manager plays more part in the success than any given player, or if the manager plays as much part in the success as one of the players, can we drop one of the English players and bring in Thierry Henry if we have an English manager?")
It's a bit silly in my view to have a national competition where the sides don't actually wholly represent the nations in question, is all.

09:10 / 28.04.06

It's a bit silly in my view to have a national competition where the sides don't actually wholly represent the nations in question, is all.

while not entirely unsypathetic to your view, star, where is the line to be drawn? if the physio or the fitness trainer or the travel manager or the marketing adminstrator or... were not english/german/turkmenistani/etc should they be disqualified from a job? the laws of football relate to the players on the park; how they are set up to get there is a task to be undertaken by the best talent around, no? but mebbe a manager should be culturally equivalent to the makeup of the team..? can see an argument along these lines.

but yeah!! super boro!! dunno if i know sevilla well enough to pick a winner - anyone see the schalke v sevilla match? they beat st petersburg comfortably at home to set up their semi. hard to tell in this comp, innit! hope, hope, o hope for a boro win... can't wait for the match - may soon, i love may. great month for football: fa, uefa, champions league cups and more - then it has june after it and a world cup. o yeah... in' life dandy?

Kiltartan Cross

11:02 / 28.04.06

Yah. I'd say that the manager was such a high profile part of the team that they really ought to be the same nationality for a national competition, but I suppose it comes down to an arbitrary decision by FIFA as to what they prefer, I don't suppose there's any absolute right or wrong to it.

20:38 / 28.04.06

so a boro fan then... good on them!

another question for all:

we all have 'our team' of course, the one we really really want to win... but most people have a hate team, or two.. why is it that this team is the one you hate? custom? evryone hates arsenal.. that kind of thing? or is there a particular story to your detestation?

tell us a little about that team, too. don't be shy.

must say, my most hated team is in another code [australian rules football] but i am not a big fan of man u. i think as a palace fan this comes back to fa cup final we lost in the replay. i rekkun we was robbed in the real game - i was sure of it then, but i'd have to watch it again to recall the incidents; it was cumulative - and were of course destined to lose over two games to a better team; then ooh aah cantona and his kung fu leap [though that wally he lashed out at, while a palace lad, was no friend of mine] still, in football terms, i am at liberty to continue 'hating' man u (while being an avowed rooney and christian ronaldo fan - go figure) and do so with glee. especially interesting now as my sister is become a traitor to the cause with her manchurian beau.

it's all fun!

10:06 / 29.04.06

I have a strong dislike for the following teams;

Chelsea
Middlesborough
Sheffield Wednesday

Why? Simply because of fans that I have met that put me off of them. Chelsea, I grew up around those fans, and for the most part they were racist, brash, violent revelers in the ugly side of eighties football.

Middlesborough, head of my halls of residence at University was a fan, and he was dull but okay, we watched Forest Middlesborough games together, and he drained the life out of them, which kind of stuck with me. I find watching them a draining experience, and find McClaren dull dull dull.

Sheff Wed - drunk buffon at University who talked shite the whole time and banged on about Wed's'day all the time.

Apart from Chelsea, no real reason to dislike a team. I have no real sense of local rivalries as I grew up in London, and most people seemed to like or not mind Forest too much. I once went to a game up in Nottingham, and got off the train in Derby in a Forest shirt to get a drink when it stopped off, completely oblivious to the fact that there was a load of Derby fans in a foul mood at the station.

Okay, onto Big Phil, gone already. Oh well, O'Neil it is then (fingers crossed - I can't follow McClaren's England, it's bad enough watching Sven at work!)

14:02 / 29.04.06

There is no way Barca will hit three past a defence that hasn't conceded in ten Champs Lg. games, astro. No. Way. 2-1 Arsenal, but I like your UEFA prediction.

Teams I hate:

Mostly Rangers. The Old Firm, completed by Celtic, hegemony is a dreadful slight on Scottish culture as a whole with all the West Coast ingrained sectarian roots shee-ite. Growing up in the NE, I genuinely had no apprehension of it until I went to university... However, Rangers, with their strong ties to Unionism, Royalism and conservatism clearly edge it in the evil stakes. I've been friends with a few fans though, who were all surprisingly well-adjusted.

Also Dundee United; this is primarily due to growing up in their catchment area - most Utd. fans are drawn from outlying areas of the city, while Dundee fans tend to be city residents. Anyway, given the isolation of my own team, Aberdeen, United are to an extent derby rivals; both teams were briefly christened the New Firm in the 1980's when they overcame aforementioned hegemony, which only serves to amplify said rivalry. Ironically, I've most likely been to Tannadice - their ground - more than any other, albeit in the away end.

Suedey! SHOT FOR MEAT!

21:42 / 29.04.06

Oh, I was looking forward to the world cup...

Not to be all dramatic about it or anything.

11:06 / 30.04.06

The Rooney-Owen Crisis?!

It does leave England's previously very good chance of victory diminished quite enormously - Crouch & Defoe/Vassell/Bent isn't quite as terrifying a prospect. 'Depressing news' said Lawro on Match of the Day last night, conveniently forgetting - as they always do - that it isn't for everyone receiving the broadcast.

12:03 / 30.04.06

Oh well... six regular, arguably first team players out or newly back and unfit, a team devided by mismanagement at the top, no manager, OTT expectation - should be a fun summer...

20:38 / 30.04.06

aww benny, come come now. rooney the wunderkind will sparkle in germany. can you imagine a little thing like pain stopping him going gang-busters to get a ball at his feet and smack it into the net of a team like brasil in a world cup final??

beckham took ages with his metatarsal but he's not rooney. o mercy mercy thank you.

looks like better news for australia with timmy cahill likely to be fit, schwatter back and harry a-ok. viduka on fire, bresciano and grella in great touch and a defence back in swing with craig moore finally fit and playing solidly, popovic back to peak. 'f we can just keep it that way...

and i read this morning mourinho is unhappy at chelski - rekkun there's a gig going at real madrid he might get if he wanted. i'm sure if he asked they'd have him... what odds him making it five straight if he did?? [not that i really think this likely, btw]

13:43 / 01.05.06

It's funny how it all changes. At the start of the season, England looked like a great side, with Lampard firing in goals from all angles, Gerrard leading Liverpool to take the Champions League, Defoe pushing Owen hard for a place in the starting line-up and Sean Wright-Phillips about to step up to a greater stage at Chelsea. The biggest problems were not who could play, but who should play.

Now...Lampard looks knackered - and fair play, the bloke has hardly had a break - Defoe can't even seem to get a shot on goal, let alone one on target and SWP is currently writing his own guide to the view of the pitches of the premiership from the bench.

Add in Rooney's injury, Owen's absence for a third (if not more) of the season and Sol Campbell going a bit wierd, and we seem to be on a comedown after the high of the early optimism.

20:23 / 03.05.06

rooney's injury.

yes, some reports have him needing miracles, others have his club telling the world it will all be ok, really. nothing to see here, move along... he seems to have several broken bones; perhaps he will need a miracle. o, it will be such a shame not to have him at the world cup. i'm such a fan, i'd love to see his exuberance light up the world cup against ronaldhino's sheer radiant beauty.

but there will be others. who?

i'll start with deco for portugal. with scolari at their helm and expectations soooo high for a portuguese team to finally get it together, they have surely built a team around him and he can be so dominant, so precise, so deadly. he may have a telling tournament. i remember a few years back when he took portuguese citizenship having come from brasil, i was working at our immigration dept and i imagined the possible conversation in a similar office in lisboa - 'boss, got an application here we have to approve!' 'why do we have to approve it?' 'cause this guy will win us the world cup.' 'ok, it's approved...' and the thud of a stamp.

maybe he might?

20:32 / 03.05.06

Do I hear the words "world" and "cup"? How many days to it now? 30 something?

I can't wait to kick your wimpy non-Brazilian asses, dudes. No offense.

As far as I can tell, the only ones with a chance in Hell to stop us from getting our sixth world cup (and that would be, what, twice as much as the second guys?) are the Germans. And that's only because they have the homefield advantage.

Now, dogpile on me, people. I dare y'all!! HA! HA! HA!

(this post is made in the spirit of good old sport's fan's teasing, and should not be taken too seriously. It is in no way a personnal attack on "wimpy non-Brazilians". No banning necessary. Btw, any Argentinians in da house?)

00:54 / 04.05.06

well the socceroos gone whoop yo asss - well, in aussie speak, kick ya arse, mate.

sure, brasil will beat japan and croatia, but they'll feel the wrath of the might of the force that is, australian football... 3-1 (viduka double and popovic header to kaka's consolation...

)

really, i expect brasil to be amongst it, but if i were time transported to august of a sudden and told who had won the world cup, i wouldn't be too surprised if the person who told me said any of - brasil, germany, holland, italy, portugal, mexico, england, argentina... really, all are capabale on their day. then there are potential surprise packets to make a thrust and nuisance at the last 8 or last 4: like spain, france, ghana, ukraine, paraguay - not that all these teams are even sure to get thru their group!

tips for failure: hosts eliminated at last 8, france at last 16 & england at last 16...

Goodness Gracious Meme

18:25 / 04.05.06

to drag the discussion down a bit, can I just shout about Leeds being in the playoffs (First leg on May 8)

WOOOOOOOHAAAAAAAH

Also, to salute Reading's achievement in winning the league with a new record score. Impressive stuff.

I'm shouting now as, given that Preston have just beaten us 2-0 in the League to hope above us *and* get second leg home advantage, I'm not holding out great hopes.

Still, getting back into the Premiership first shot is a possible, which I'd never have imagined at the end of last season.

Who do we fancy in the playoffs?

Leeds vs Preston

Watford vs Crystal Palace (this post is also for you, astrojax

)

*Chews fingernails to stumps*

21:03 / 04.05.06

Leeds rested seven in that game, so it'll be a different story methinks, this time about. There was a period where losing last year's final seemed to guarantee promotion next time about, either via top two or playoff victory (i.e. Preston, then,) but it doesn't seem to happen so much now - fancy a Leeds/Watford final and I do think the lillywhites'll take it.

21:43 / 04.05.06

well the socceroos gone whoop yo asss - well, in aussie speak, kick ya arse, mate.

sure, brasil will beat japan and croatia, but they'll feel the wrath of the might of the force that is, australian football... 3-1 (viduka double and popovic header to kaka's consolation... )

Hmm, that's a brave statement, astro. Care to make a small wager on that? It can't involve money, snce we can't phisically meet, so it has to involve public humiliation of some sort.

23:14 / 04.05.06

absolutely not! but i'm allowed to dream....

maybe the loser could tell a thread we don't usually frequent the result, in a way that makes sense to that thread? a challenge, more than a humiliation!

and ggm, i hope leeds meet palace in the play-off final, 'cause while i'm sure palace will crush all who stand before it with might and skill and .... [tapped on shoulder, gets on with it], if [big if...] they come second then i hope to see leeds back in the premier league where they belong. i rekkun they'll snuggle up right at home and finish at least mid table nest year if they do. palace may struggle again, but hopefully they'll stay up a while longer than last time...

Goodness Gracious Meme

00:34 / 05.05.06

Falconboy, I know, re the resters, but I'm a Leeds fan, pessimistic at heart

Astro: I will cross my fingers for a Palace win, (I do think they'll edge it over Watford) and then we shall seeeeeee...

I agree, that if we can make it back up, the bump that'll give us makes it possible that we'll actually stay there. (although I have no detached judgement over this, so what I really mean is, 'if we make it up, I hope to god we can stay there')

05:46 / 05.05.06

its steve maclaren, apprently, to be englands next manager.

how will he cope if sven pulls off the miracale and gets england all - or at least most - of the way in germany?? what do 'lithers rekkun on this? me? i am surprised they were arrogant enough to dissuade such talent as scolari and hiddink before they even began negotiations. silly them. but maclaren may well do a pretty good job; i think he has a bit of nous. will he last four years? who can know - but i would expect him to lead england into the next euro (where is that, btw?)

08:11 / 05.05.06

FA mess. They were too stubbon an old boys club in the seventies and eighties and nothing's changed since.

It's keeping the status quo, but taking several steps back, IMO.

Need to change the FA structure before we can move out of the semi-final at best rut that we've been in as a nation since '66.

12:34 / 05.05.06

Although I've never been impressed by Sven, at least he brought a bit of European class and style to the job. Whereas McClaren has no style at all. Can you imagine a Nancy Dell'Olio cuddling up to this bland bloke? Look at that hair style!

Still, England have little chance without Rooney and that is what really worries me. Because, being north of the border, all we are going to hear about is how England WOULD have won if Rooney had been fit. And, if amazingly they did manage to win it, I may have to move back to New Zealand to avoid the next 40 years of constant replays, bragging and one-sidedness!

And Leeds? Do they still have a vast debt mountain or have they managed to rein that it?

21:41 / 06.05.06

palace 0 - watford 3 in the first leg. at home. bugger. ahh well, looks like coca cola for another year. go leeds, now, go!

mebbe steve maclaren can pop over to palace for a week and see if he can manufacture a four goal turnaround for me lads... hee hee...

leeds' debt? i think they've done some good things but getting promoted will be a huge fillip.

and in other coaching news, the german international pierre littbarski was in charge of the sydney side that won the inaugural a-league comp in australia, but he has left in a huff and now the speculation is terry butcher will replace him. what know ye all of terry's form of late? why would he wanna come down under?

Goodness Gracious Meme

17:00 / 07.05.06

Praise be to Eddie Lewis. Stunner of a free-kick

1-1 at Elland Road.

35,000 crowd. God knows when that last happened.

Argh.

Goodness Gracious Meme

13:40 / 08.05.06

cross yr fingers for me, peeps. arghghghghgh.

14:11 / 08.05.06

Well, at least away goals are meaningless. Just gotta go there 'n' get a result, whether it be via pens, ET, whatever. I'm sure pens'd brighten yr. evening...

ONLY NICE THINGS

14:15 / 08.05.06

Really? Has the away goals rule been abolished? So, if it finished 0-0 it would go to extra time and penalties?

21:58 / 08.05.06

all academic there now - leeds did it! 2-0, away, with nine men!!

wow, can palace find such reserves tonight? there's always hope... good result.

22:37 / 08.05.06

Really? Has the away goals rule been abolished? So, if it finished 0-0 it would go to extra time and penalties?

As far as I'm aware, just in the playoffs, this is (still) the case - Ipswich were accused last year of playing their semi v. West Ham (iirc) as if they were unaware of this fact.

Goodness Gracious Meme

10:21 / 09.05.06

That's such a Leeds win.

On we gooooooooo.....

21:28 / 09.05.06

d'oh!

oh well, c'mon the leeds...

Goodness Gracious Meme

22:02 / 09.05.06

bah. You have my sympathy, astro. Would have been a hell of a fightback.

01:11 / 10.05.06

still, i am getting up at half four tomorrow morning to watch boro, then will be watching the fa cup from midnight sat and the champ league next thur at half four - i'll be far too tired to really think about palace; it'll be july before it sinks in we've another battle in coca cola next year, again...

leeds 'd be favourite now, ya rekkun? [know you're biased, ggm! g'luck!

]

Goodness Gracious Meme

16:46 / 13.05.06

Thanks hon!

I'm biased, but in the other direction. Being a Leeds fan tends to=being a confirmed pessimist. Watford are the form team.

Just want to say, fucking hell, what an amazing pair of cup finals...

FA Cup: Amazing stuff. Incredible match. West Ham were fantastic, caused Liverpool more problems than Man U and Chelsea put together.

Also, was looking forward to AC Milan, Bayern Munich et al playing at Gretna, who should be bloody proud of themslves...

Bloody hell. Listening to 606, I hear that Gretna, whose season=promoted and cup finalists-who-took-Hearts-to-penalties, have been in the Scottish Leagues for 4 whole years. WOW.

Huge congratulations to Liverpool, yet again, doing it the hard way. Presumably the Premiership is the next target. I'd say Liverpool need a couple more top-quality players, and not to rely on Gerrard so utterly. Who?

Qus:
Is the sniping about Harry Kewell justified? He does seem rather, how to put this, more fragile in cup finals than the rest of the squad?

Is there anything Gerrard can't do? Why the fuck isn't Ericksson playing him in that position?

*sings*
'What a man, what a man, what a man, what a mighty good man...

Page: 1 2 3 4 5(6)7 8 9 10 11... 12