Right with a current thread degenerating into a discussion about Football i thought i'd start a thread about our beautiful game so we can all discuss all things related to football.
Obviously I'm a Liverpool fan so i hope we win the title but what does the rest of the community think about the Premier League or in fact anything to football, such as Barcelona's amazing run at the moment i am dreading it if we face them in the Champions League, i'm so glad we got Madrid.
Madrid over 2 legs I think we can do, I think they're actually in a similar sort of situation to us, especially with regards to pressure to do well in their own league.
Villa would have been an ace signing indeed, although again that would involve a drastic change of system which I can't see Benitez doing.
Overall, despite far too many drawn matches I do think we're better than last year- a lot of the 1-1 draws I think we would have lost 1-nil last year, and Torres' injuries haven't helped.
Success story of the season though has to be O'Neill at Aston Villa. I've always rated him as a manager, he was the on I wanted for Liverpool.
Sorry, im just an ignorant Yank... but im soon to be stationed in Germany, and thought it prudent to try and gain some knowledge into this strange variety of "football" you play hehe, so i know that over here WE call it soccer, but you so eloquently call it football, for much more obvious reasons than we call our HURR sport football....
what are these "premier" leagues, and "champions" leagues?? ohh, and how come the teams dont do mascots the same way that american sports do???
sorry if this could be construed as thread-jacking... but i figure its about the sport, and hopefully can bring some folks up to speed
aye and the fact that thanks to the previous manager (cannot spell his name) they hardly have a squad and rely far to much on players like Raul and Van Nistolroy.
Perhaps necessary to change to formation but if you had David Villa and Torres would you not? and yes reds8n we are doing better than last season, its just a shame games we would have breezed through last year (Wigan and Stoke spring to mind) we are drawing which is a concern but we seem to get the results that count, i'm hoping we can do the double on United as well as Chelsea to take away their game in hand advantage, the showdown will be at Old Trafford.
Villa, definitely a success story O'Niel is a great manager and really believes in his players you can see that, even if they lose they stick with the same team to keep it consistent, losing Carew was not as big a blow to the team as i thought it would be and now they have Carew, Hesky and Agbonlahor to pick from this is their season to hit the top 4.
However what about Hull City, for a team that has just come up they have done fantastic, running out of steam now i feel but they should have the ability to avoid relegation, especially if Newcastle continue the way they are going at the moment.
On that note, whats your predictions for relegation this season, West Brom are a definite i think but the rest, its quite a tough one to call.
Ensis Ferrae wrote:Sorry, im just an ignorant Yank... but im soon to be stationed in Germany, and thought it prudent to try and gain some knowledge into this strange variety of "football" you play hehe, so i know that over here WE call it soccer, but you so eloquently call it football, for much more obvious reasons than we call our HURR sport football....
what are these "premier" leagues, and "champions" leagues?? ohh, and how come the teams dont do mascots the same way that American sports do???
sorry if this could be construed as thread-jacking... but i figure its about the sport, and hopefully can bring some folks up to speed
Not a problem, i do apologize being English "football" is what we call soccer and strangely enough we call your football "American Football".
To answer a few questions, the Premier League is the American equivalent of Major League Soccer (Italians = Seria A, Spanish - La Liga etc etc)
And the champions league is the top teams (normally 4th - 1st, but sometimes in the case of the Dutch League or Belgian its less) in their respective leagues play each other for the right to be crowned Champions of Europe.
To avoid anymore confusion I will add Soccer to the end of the topic title for our American counterparts
The Premier league is the top flight league of the English football league- see here for the current league positions.
Each team plays every other twice--once at home and once away. 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw and zero for getting your ass kicked.
Team at the top with the most points at the end of the season wins, the bottom 3 get relegated down into the championship league --same format with divisions 1 and 2 beneath them. then there's a whole bunch of local/amateur leagues which follows the same sort of principles.
The Champions league is a cup competition that features the top teams from across all the european leagues. And Israel too as for some reason tehir neighbours won't play them ?
The English premiership this year ( and for the last few) has been allowed to enter the top 4 finishing teams. They initially play in little mini leagues against each other-- as you can see here.
The winning teams from those-- generally the top 2 of each group, then go into the knockout phase which starts up agai in a couple of weeks. As you can see here.
This elimination matches continue until you're left with the top 2 teams who meet in the final. With the possible exception of the world cup this is the most prestigious prize to win in football.
We don't know how you can call your game football either.
I only know it because my grandparents used to own a good chunk of it back in the 90s. I used to get the Jerseys for Christmas/Birthday and had next to no idea what they were. For the longest time I thought they were called the Atmays because I didn't realize that sponsors bought the big front are of jerseys in Europe.
For relegation I think West Brom, Stoke and I'll take a punt on Blackburn. With the hammers escaping on the last day due to some dodgy refereeing decision.
reds8n wrote:For relegation I think West Brom, Stoke and I'll take a punt on Blackburn. With the hammers escaping on the last day due to some dodgy refereeing decision.
Interesting choice on Blackburn considering they have just got Allerdyce. West Ham, unsure Zola and Clarke have got the team playing some awesome football and Di Michele does look good.
My 3 are West Brom, Stoke and Pompy, they are just playing rubbish, i'm so glad we off loaded Pennant onto them.
And great breakdown of how European football works, better than mine
Obscure, maybe. But they are in the FIFA games...
True but every team is in Fifa they have 25 Leagues in the game, i will have to look this team up you've made me curious.
Yeah. I remember having the following conversation with my grandpa a couple years ago about that team: "Grandpa, did you make any money off that team?"
"The team? Hell no. That was just for fun. Unless you owned the Rangers or Celtics, you don't make any money in that league."
Yeah, I wish they'd just bite the bullet and fold them into the English leagues. Given the way the games going and the vast sums of £ flying around I really don't see how the small scottish clubs can expect to survive without grasping a chunk of the much bigger and richer english football pie.
And of course that means we'd get the old firm clashes on MOTD !
reds8n wrote:Yeah, I wish they'd just bite the bullet and fold them into the English leagues. Given the way the games going and the vast sums of £ flying around I really don't see how the small scottish clubs can expect to survive without grasping a chunk of the much bigger and richer english football pie.
And of course that means we'd get the old firm clashes on MOTD !
As much as Old Firm clashes on MOTD would be awesome it will never happen, the Scots like their sport seperate so they keep their national identity, or something to that degree, tbh i like it like that, all the other Scottish teams would mull around in the lower leagues and only Celtic and Rangers would be able to survive in the Premier League IMO.
Also breaking news, Tottenham have just bid £15 Million for Robbie Keane.
Kilkrazy wrote:The same is true of a lot of English football in the lower divisions.
Some of the Premier teams will be in trouble if their sugar daddy owners lose too much money in the credit crunch etc.
I always admired the way the NHL is run as a business for the whole league, not just the top few teams.
Very good point KK, i have always liked how the American Leagues (not Soccer) run the transfer window to keep it at least fair, instead of teams like Milan, Arsenal etc snap up all the good players
The problem with Liverpool is Rafa's conservatism. He's far too willing to sit back on a one goal lead and defend, often poorly. Liverpool/Wigan was a case in point, whilst Liverpool go one up, sit back and then get nobbled with a late equaliser, Man U go one up against West Brom, and promptly put another 4 past them. I know WBA are a much worse team than Wigan, but Liverpool shouldn't be stumbling against such compartively weak opposition as Wigan and Stoke, it's shocking. Today's game was a perfect example, neither side looked like they really wanted to win, it was a dire game. Meanwhile, Man U have kept a record breaking 12 clean sheets on the trot, without a settled back four, which is incredible. Nemanja Vidic is very possibly the best centre-back in the world, and the addition of Dimitar Berbatov has given them a completely different option up front to Rooney and Tevez, and there's still the boy Ronaldo to think about. I really, honestly, can't see anyone catching them, Man U don't throw away points. They just don't.
As for Hull, I bloody hope they go down, they're only five points off and haven't won in an age, they got lucky at the start, now their lack of quality and depth is showing. Phil Brown's a gakker too.
Predictions for relegation:
West Brom (sadly, they play really nice football at times with a positive approach)
Middlesbrough (I like Southgate, but with their best player wanting out, they look in a lot of trouble)
Either Stoke or Portsmouth, probably Stoke.
reds8n wrote:Does seem to be a fairer way of doing it-- and completely against the concepts of the free-market too. Americans eh ?
I would like to perhaps see some rule about X amount of squad players having to be from the clubs own academy or similar.
the academy thing i could see working nice idea, didn't they introduce that rule into the champions league a few years ago and their was complete uproar?
reds8n wrote:Does seem to be a fairer way of doing it-- and completely against the concepts of the free-market too. Americans eh ?
I would like to perhaps see some rule about X amount of squad players having to be from the clubs own academy or similar.
actually.. we still have a sport with no salary cap, and free-market, generally speaking, as it was meant to be... and that's "america's past time" Baseball
of course, my favorite team gets blamed for snatching up all the best players, and paying top dollar for them too
reds8n wrote:Does seem to be a fairer way of doing it-- and completely against the concepts of the free-market too. Americans eh ?
I would like to perhaps see some rule about X amount of squad players having to be from the clubs own academy or similar.
the academy thing i could see working nice idea, didn't they introduce that rule into the champions league a few years ago and their was complete uproar?
There's is a 'homegrown' player quota in the Champions League, X amount must have played for the team for Y amount of years under Z age, and N amount of players must be have citizenship of the club's country. It's being discussed to be added to the English football league, but not the premiership.
You know you were saying about the sports may be different but the conversations/moans are the same the world over......
There was talk about introducing a % requirement of the teams home nationality I believe, but aside from the big clubs freaking out this is also currently illegal under European employment rules. They could get round this if they were sensible and tried to phase it in, buts as Platini is a grade A cock and despises English football/it's success I can see some ill thought out legislation happening soon.
That said i think ti sensible to start putting caps on things like club turnover and wage %s, I gather some of the Premiership clubs are up to something stupid like 76-80% of turnover on wages !
reds8n wrote:That said i think ti sensible to start putting caps on things like club turnover and wage %s, I gather some of the Premiership clubs are up to something stupid like 76-80% of turnover on wages !
Cap turnover? And you don't think that would lead to the top clubs leaving the premiership? Of course it would, especially with all the talk of a European super league around. + most premiership clubs are actually well in the red.
Whilst footballers get payed loads, remember that they are at the top of their profession. Andy Murray gets paid loads for his tennis, and I don't see anyone trying to cap Sir Alan Sugar's salary any time soon!
WRT to Scottish teams in English league. Scottish teams are in no way capable of taking on the Premiership, with the exception of the Old-Firm. The reason for the current difference is cash. Even bottom of the league Premiership teams get more cash from TV liscensing than the top of the SPL teams. This leads to a bigger difference and means that when it comes to European games, Rangers and Celtic come face to face with teams that are way better than they face every weekend. So when Rangers crashed out of Europe it was no surprise. They got to the UEFA cup final on pure luck before.
For the record I'm a St Mirren fan. Look up their history: more to this local team than meats the eye!http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Mirren
WeeHessy: I take it Setanta don't pay alot for the SPL games they like to rave about so much then? But you are right most of the Scottish teams would falter against a side like Wigan or Bolton.
And with regards to footballers pay, they get the most criticism because they are the ones that flaunt their cash around (Rooney buying his mrs a new Bentley springs to mind) as such it garners criticism, i forget whether it was Micheal Owen or someone else that came under public criticism because he was spending a couple of afternoons a week gambling at a casino after training, his response was simply, I don't have an addiction that is preposterous i just earn enough money that i can happily throw 5 or 10 grand away at a casino for an afternoons entertainment now leave me alone, but the British press were all over it like a bad rash with no cure.
I was once on a semi-pro "Starting fights at the local roller skating rink and sneaking out through the back door before the cops showed up" league, does that count? We held the title for three consecutive years until finally the injuries started to pile up, along with the drug use and then they started putting up pictures of us at the front door. Good times.
reds8n wrote:That said i think ti sensible to start putting caps on things like club turnover and wage %s, I gather some of the Premiership clubs are up to something stupid like 76-80% of turnover on wages !
Cap turnover? And you don't think that would lead to the top clubs leaving the premiership? Of course it would, especially with all the talk of a European super league around. + most premiership clubs are actually well in the red.
No, sorry I didn't make myself very clear here. I am in favour of a cap on the maximum % of turnover that can be spent on wages, not a cap on overall turnover.
That way the bigger clubs can ( and will) still pay amazing salaries but it means the smaller clubs might not all implode within the next few years.
reds8n wrote:That said i think ti sensible to start putting caps on things like club turnover and wage %s, I gather some of the Premiership clubs are up to something stupid like 76-80% of turnover on wages !
Cap turnover? And you don't think that would lead to the top clubs leaving the premiership? Of course it would, especially with all the talk of a European super league around. + most premiership clubs are actually well in the red.
No, sorry I didn't make myself very clear here. I am in favour of a cap on the maximum % of turnover that can be spent on wages, not a cap on overall turnover.
That way the bigger clubs can ( and will) still pay amazing salaries but it means the smaller clubs might not all implode within the next few years.
I don't necessarily agree with that, alot of the bigger clubs are in more debt than the smaller clubs, the Villa for example are not actually in debt but they don't spend stupid amounts of money on big name players.
Take the example of the United - Madrid - Ronaldo saga last summer, it was reported that if United sold Ronaldo to Madrid for the "reported" (i use this term lightly) £100M then that money could have quite easily wiped out all of Man U's debt. This is the issue with alot of these foriegn owners buying clubs, they lump their debt onto the club itself and send it spiralling into more debt, so in theory it could be that some of the larger clubs would start going downhill in this current economic climate than the smaller clubs simply because they don't go out and throw 40 - 50 million in the transfer market in most seasons, its one of the reasons why Arsenal never spend any money in the transfer window and Wenger only brings kids in on the cheap that will mature and be awesome in a few years time (to take an example lets say Carlos Vela, in a few years with some more first team experience he will be an awesome striker, same as Fabregas he's matured really well over the past couple of years even if he is trying to fill a void left by players like Paddy Viera and Flamini).
As a life-long fan of Oxford United FC (we won the League Cup back in 1986, you know!) who are having an absolutely atrocious season in the Blue Square Premier (Conference National to old-timers) keeping up a fine tradition of sucking ass since Robert Maxwell took his last dive :-(
For the Premier/Champions League (only English games we can get over here), I am rooting for Liverpool to break the drought, because I'd hate for Manchester United's 26 year drought to be exceeded by Liverpool. Plus they have the tiny Oxford United connection from the John Aldridge days.
Aldridge was great-- even looked like Ian Rush II as well. Dean Saunders from Oxford too ? Or am I getting confused with Derby ?
Keane has been sold back then... well, good luck to him. Sour's transfers over the last year or so-- Cuddicini aside perhaps-- now look like the worlds biggest jokes. Odds on Keane getting crocked in the next week or so then ?
I'm amazed given Cech's sudden dip in form that Chelsea let Cuddicini go-- Bridge leaving I can understand, they're not that short in defense, but given the wobbles they are having getting rid of the number 2 keeper is an odd move indeed.
I am very very very annoyed about the Keane sale, now once again we have to rely on two players for all our goals, still at least Gerrard and Torres are awesome which is a bonus.
Chelsea selling Cudicini was a very odd move, Cech has just not been the same keeper since his head injury i think that is one of the areas that has cost Chelsea alot of goals they need someone like Buffon or Casillas if they want to remain challenging for the title as a few seasons ago Terry, Carvahlo, Cole, (whoever was the right back at the time) and Cech were the most formidable defense in the league (one could argue Liverpool's and United's were on par) now they are just as leaky as Arsenal who have been crap ever since Viera left.
I have been a Manchester United fan ever since I was just a toddler and my dad would take me to some games. I also love Arsenal... Ian Wright was an excellent footballer. My favorite footballer ever is Eric Cantana - I think he was a lot better than Pele.
Green Blow Fly wrote:I have been a Manchester United fan ever since I was just a toddler and my dad would take me to some games. I also love Arsenal... Ian Wright was an excellent footballer. My favorite footballer ever is Eric Cantana - I think he was a lot better than Pele.
G
Cantona was an excellent footballer however to compare him to Pele is not really fair, Cantona was a great finisher and goalscorer, but Pele had a more complete skills set, he would make goals as well, in a sense to compare Pele to someone of this day and age it would be Kaka or Ronaldinho (of a few years ago not now), out of the French national side of that time i would rate Zidane better than Cantona anyday though but I like Madrid.
also Killkrazy, clearly it was disgusting, however it was just an example of how our tabloid press jump on the bandwagon and criticise footballers for buying outlandish things when they earn the money from being top of their profession, that and a footballing career really isn't a long one, unless your a goalkeeper your time is up by your mid 30's its just never made sense to me, yes they get paid lots but what about the over paid idiots that produce and act in hollywood films (how Micheal Bay and Uwe Boll are allowed to keep making films is beyond all laws of logic and reason, let alone the nature of the universe).
You can't get upset with athletes getting paid that much money, because that's how much money their sport makes. Would you rather just see the owner keep all of the money? If they want to buy bentleys, let 'em buy bentleys.
Green Blow Fly wrote:I have been a Manchester United fan ever since I was just a toddler and my dad would take me to some games. I also love Arsenal... Ian Wright was an excellent footballer. My favorite footballer ever is Eric Cantona - I think he was a lot better than Pele.
G
Cantona was an excellent footballer however to compare him to Pele is not really fair, Cantona was a great finisher and goalscorer, but Pele had a more complete skills set, he would make goals as well, in a sense to compare Pele to someone of this day and age it would be Kaka or Ronaldinho (of a few years ago not now), out of the French national side of that time i would rate Zidane better than Cantona anyday though but I like Madrid.
It is funny how people feel they must say Pele was better when in fact Eric won more championships and scored more goals. Pele was also a great finisher and goal scorer seeing he was a forward as well. The only two people I would even compare with Cantona is Cruyf (sp?) and the other fellow from Holland who also played for Man.
I can understand your point, I may even concede it. Cruijff was the "total" footballer as he has been often referred too.
But people that you could compare too Cantona: Cruijff (god that is a mouthful) Bergkamp Maradona van Basten Romario Zico Stoichkov Brian Laudrup Shearer Jürgen Klinsmann Eusébio Kenny Dalglish (the man the Legend)
All of these players are awesome, and with the exception of Dalglish (and possibly Van Basten) have won less championships than Cantona, i was going more on technical ability than medals and goals scored, however if you are going purely on goals scored on whos better, Michel Platini scored more goals in his career than cantona, so did Pele, Romario, Maradona hell Ronald Koeman scored more goals than Cantona and he was a defender!.
Coincidentally thats my Strike line up for my Liverpool team on Pro Evo 09 (add in Torres though).
Green Blow Fly wrote:It is funny how people feel they must say Pele was better when in fact Eric won more championships and scored more goals. Pele was also a great finisher and goal scorer seeing he was a forward as well. The only two people I would even compare with Cantona is Cruyf (sp?) and the other fellow from Holland who also played for Man.
G
Phill Neville won more championships than pelle, means nothing. You only have to look at the likes of shearer who 99MDeery just mentioned to acknowledge you aren't proven by the size your trophy cabinet. Cantona was a good player yes, but think about it: 98 world cup cantona 30 years old didn't make the team, 1970 world cup pele 30 years old...you do the math.
This is true whatwhat, i can understand GBF's point however, obviously being a United fan he does see him as "king eric" tis the same with me really, i see players like Ian Rush and Gerrard as some of the best midfielders/strikers in the world, of course I'm wrong however, you only have to look at players like Zidane and Platini to figure that one out.
Yeh there is certainly an amount of tinted vision when your a fan of a certain team, red in your case. I remember when I was ten years old I thought the same of tino Asprilla, who not many outside of my area seem to remember anymore. From an outsiders perspective though Gerrard would certainly make it higher up the list of al time midfielders, Ian rush wouldn't make it quite so high up the forward list imo but a good player all the same, neither would make my all time best team.
Cantona was athletic which helped him to dominate games. I saw him do stuff no one else could dream of... like chest trap the ball eight feet up in the air at the top of the box, spin around then kick the ball into the far corner of the net past the outstretched hand of the keeper. Brilliant.
"Bergkamp scored three times in the 1998 FIFA World Cup, including a memorable winning goal in the final minute of the quarter-final against Argentina. Bergkamp took a leaping first touch to instantly control a long 60-yard aerial pass from Frank de Boer, brought the ball down through Argentine defender Roberto Ayala's legs, and finally finished by firing a volley with the outside of his right foot past the keeper at a tight angle from the right. With three intelligent right-footed touches in a matter of seconds, he was able to turn the game and send his national squad into the semifinal round."
I saw that goal, my mouth didn't leave the floor for an hour
99MDeery wrote:You a Magpie? Opps sorry I do apologise, I'll see if i can find an awesome Liverpool goal against Sunderland then
btw, what are you going to do now Shey Given's left? Also whens the Duke back?
magpie born and bred from newcastle originally, don;t live far from there now. well shay left because he felt the club wasn't right at the moment, and considering what hes been through since he's been here that must be bad news. But will still have stevie harper who, despite what you se in the vid you posted, is still a very good keeper who could stand well against most others in the premiership.
99MDeery wrote:You a Magpie? Opps sorry I do apologise, I'll see if i can find an awesome Liverpool goal against Sunderland then
btw, what are you going to do now Shey Given's left? Also whens the Duke back?
magpie born and bred from newcastle originally, don;t live far from there now. well shay left because he felt the club wasn't right at the moment, and considering what hes been through since he's been here that must be bad news. But will still have stevie harper who, despite what you se in the vid you posted, is still a very good keeper who could stand well against most others in the premiership.
I completely agree Harper is a good keeper, whats the news on Owen and Viduka though Newcastle really need them back.
Also GBF Tevez is good yes, but you really need an on form Ronaldo again unless you fancy surrendering the title to the Real Red Men!
99MDeery wrote:I completely agree Harper is a good keeper, whats the news on Owen and Viduka though Newcastle really need them back.
Also GBF Tevez is good yes, but you really need an on form Ronaldo again unless you fancy surrendering the title to the Real Red Men!
last news on owen was he would be out for six weeks but i'd expect longer knowing how these things have gone in the past. not sure about viduka but martins looks like he might be back this weekend which is
also from a neutral perspective liverpool need Ferguson to go off form if you want to win the premiership this season, ronaldo is secondary to that.
Now as much as i dislike Man Utd, hearing a Utd fan say the dislike Ronaldo is like a Liverpool fan saying Steven Gerrard does not win us games based on his performance.
I think i'm in shock, i'm sure Real Madrid however would be happy to hear these comments
I am not complaining and I never argue with success. I'm just staying there are other footballers who rock my world a lot more. Take for instance Keane... A staple player who never once let the media get to him. He is a role model for me. Really. : )
Green Blow Fly wrote:I am not complaining and I never argue with success. I'm just staying there are other footballers who rock my world a lot more. Take for instance Keane... A staple player who never once let the media get to him. He is a role model for me. Really. : )
G
I can understand your comments Roy Keane was a very good no nonsense midfielder and a real driving force for Utd in the 90's, yeh their are other footballers who i prefer to see play than Ronaldo I do get fed up with his showboating and tricks every 5 minutes, Messi should have got Player of the Year if you've seen him play, in short he's awesome
I'm not a Man U fan by any stretch of the imagination (Liverppol for the EPL, Oxford for my real team) but in the History of the EPL (which kicked off 1n 1992) you have to say that Cantona and Roy Keane are two of the greatest midfielders. Gerrard too. And probably Viera
Roy Keane? A bloody role model?! That man is satan's own spawn. Did you see what he did to Alf Inge-Haaland? Over a a stupid feud Keane created? That tackle ended his career and was nothing short of common assualt. Keane wrote in his autobiography that as he went into that tackle he thought "Have that, you c***". What a role model. Evil, heartless bastard.
Greebynog wrote:Roy Keane? A bloody role model?! That man is satan's own spawn. Did you see what he did to Alf Inge-Haaland? Over a a stupid feud Keane created? That tackle ended his career and was nothing short of common assualt. Keane wrote in his autobiography that as he went into that tackle he thought "Have that, you c***". What a role model. Evil, heartless bastard.
I've seen many footballers do that though, sometimes Stevie g goes into a tackle with a look on his face that says "have that". Also if you look at some of the replays from Sunday's game after Lampard's red Xabi had a massive smile on his face that blatantly said "$%^^ you". Its all about getting caught up in the heat of the moment especially in big games.
Yeah, but being caught up in the heat is a little different from deliberate attempt to injure. Plus Keane quit on his freaking country during a World Cup
He wasn't caught up in the moment at all. He planned the attack for a year after another incident with the same player that ended in Keane getting a red card. Have you seen the tackle in question? It's far too gory for me to ever want to see it again, especially seeing as Alfie was such a top player, and a nice bloke. It's on youtube if you want to watch it, be warned, it's not pretty.
And please don't mistake this as prissyness, I love a good hard tackling player, and hate how soft referees have become, but this wasn't a tackle. It was GBH.
Greebynog wrote:He wasn't caught up in the moment at all. He planned the attack for a year after another incident with the same player that ended in Keane getting a red card. Have you seen the tackle in question? It's far too gory for me to ever want to see it again, especially seeing as Alfie was such a top player, and a nice bloke. It's on youtube if you want to watch it, be warned, it's not pretty.
And please don't mistake this as prissyness, I love a good hard tackling player, and hate how soft referees have become, but this wasn't a tackle. It was GBH.
I've just watched it........that was just well, wrong, completely wrong.
Oh, also, I am an alleged Jambo. All my family are Hearts Supporters, and it's part of the deal.
However, how many other posters have actually seen 'their' team play...and I'm not talking on the Telly...I'm talking actually been to a match and cheered them on. I have! Many years ago....possibly 20...
I held a season ticket at St James' for two years, then i split for uni so had to give it up. Nowadays if i wanted it back I've been told its around a five year waiting list nowadays. Do get tickets from time to time though but I don't live in newcastle anymore. But yes I have seen my team play, although I don't believe this crap that states you have to spend thirty quid + a week or your not a true fan of the club.
I go tp Elland Road to see the mighty white god's of Yorkshire's finest, England's finest, the world's finest, the one, the only LEEDS UNITED whenever I'm up in Yorkshire. I can't get away tickets, despite living a five minute walk from Millwall's Den, because of the huge support for Leeds and the tiny grounds they play in these days away from home. Elland Road's been voted the most intimidating stadium in Britain (by some margin) by fans, and Alex Ferguson said it was the most intimidating in Eurpoe. Some atmosphere, I can tell you. Nothing makes the hairs stand up on my kneck like 40,000 burly Yorkshiremen singing Marching On Together as one.
whatwhat wrote:I held a season ticket at St James' for two years, then i split for uni so had to give it up. Nowadays if i wanted it back I've been told its around a five year waiting list nowadays. Do get tickets from time to time though but I don't live in newcastle anymore. But yes I have seen my team play, although I don't believe this crap that states you have to spend thirty quid + a week or your not a true fan of the club.
I agree that you don't have to go every week, and the price for a Premiership ticket is just plain daft, but you would be surprised at the number of 'fans' who have never been to see 'their' team play. Glory Hunters for the most part.
All you have to do to be a true fan is stick with them through thick and thing, glory and defeat, and always keep the faith.
Greebynog wrote:He wasn't caught up in the moment at all. He planned the attack for a year after another incident with the same player that ended in Keane getting a red card. Have you seen the tackle in question? It's far too gory for me to ever want to see it again, especially seeing as Alfie was such a top player, and a nice bloke. It's on youtube if you want to watch it, be warned, it's not pretty.
And please don't mistake this as prissyness, I love a good hard tackling player, and hate how soft referees have become, but this wasn't a tackle. It was GBH.
Roy was honest about it. I admire him for his puck. He never let it get to him. Football can be a brutal game at times. That's just how it is.
Greebynog wrote:He wasn't caught up in the moment at all. He planned the attack for a year after another incident with the same player that ended in Keane getting a red card. Have you seen the tackle in question? It's far too gory for me to ever want to see it again, especially seeing as Alfie was such a top player, and a nice bloke. It's on youtube if you want to watch it, be warned, it's not pretty.
And please don't mistake this as prissyness, I love a good hard tackling player, and hate how soft referees have become, but this wasn't a tackle. It was GBH.
Roy was honest about it. I admire him for his puck. He never let it get to him. Football can be a brutal game at times. That's just how it is.
G
That's such bollocks. What Keane did wasn't football it was a crime. If it wsn't on a football pitch he would have got ten years for it, and rightly so. To say Roy Keane is an idol is like saying Kobe Bryant is a hero. He's a thick, violent, abusive, reprobate c***, who I wouldn't spit on if he were burning. He's a horrible man, and a horrible footballer. 'Football's a brutal game' is no excuse for criminal activity, and no excuse for ending the career of a fellow professional.
I think the Roy Keane argument needs to end now as it can just go round in circles, i'm sorry GBF but i'm in the camp it was unecessary just like Taylor's challenge on Eduardo this time last year you can argue it which ever way when you see the challenge its just wrong.
However on more importent topics, i'm watching the Man City game at the moment and it seems their underachieving again.
Whats everyone's thoughts for the Prem this weekend.
And also to MDG I have been to see Liverpool, not as much as I would like being a student at the moment, but i try to get to as many games as I can.
With regards to Benitez I am constantly reminded about Napoleon's comment about lucky generals being better than good ones.
Given "our" record against the top teams this season, and given the mancs.... I still think we're well in it. For pride alone I expect Chelsea to do better against Man U than they did before. And I think Whinger would do anything to stop Ferguson from getting another record.
Greebynog wrote:I think they might aswell hand Man U the trophy now.
Went to see Hull v Chelsea at Stamford Bridge today, shocking game. No quality or urgency about Chelski, they looked a beaten team.
Of course they looked awful, the money is drying up so the lazy mercs like Anelka will soon be moving to Man City. Didn't see the game, but caught the first half of the Liverpool game in the pub and I was shocked, at least Kuyt and Torres saved our bacon once again.
Hammers 2 - Man U 1 that's my prediction for today, c'mon West Ham!
After watching them against Hull, I'm not surprised. I even managed to knock out a couple of bars of 'You're getting sacked in the morning' at the bridge without getting my head kicked in, just a few rye smiles. Scolari's past record proves he's a good manager, sometimes a club and manger don't fit, it happens. Chelsea's team are past it, and Abramovic is going to have to get his wallet out to sort it.
Edit: On another note, I'm off to watch Millwall v Leeds at the pub, should be tasty. COME ON LEEDS! Marching on together!
Greebynog wrote:After watching them against Hull, I'm not surprised. I even managed to knock out a couple of bars of 'You're getting sacked in the morning' at the bridge without getting my head kicked in, just a few rye smiles. Scolari's past record proves he's a good manager, sometimes a club and manger don't fit, it happens. Chelsea's team are past it, and Abramovic is going to have to get his wallet out to sort it.
Edit: On another note, I'm off to watch Millwall v Leeds at the pub, should be tasty. COME ON LEEDS! Marching on together
hehe, so i know that over here 
