Soccer thread 07/08

fanatic · Post by **fanatic** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 3:24 pm

Anyone planning on watching the MLS All-Stars take on West Ham on the 24th? I'll be in the stands - my first AS game in any sport. Sure, I would take this year's baseball classic in Yankee Stadium, but what are the chances of that...

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 3:25 pm

As if the comments weren't asinine enough on their face, this is the same guy who has been touting the 'homegrown' player system, which would restrict player movement even more.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 4:18 pm

No doubt he's on a backhander from Ronaldo's agent. Or Real Madrid.

Or both.

We all know what Blatter's attitude to the law and appropriate behaviour is, but it is not on for him to encourage it in others.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 11:42 pm

davet010 wrote:Don't look now, PK, but the firm who are in the front seat to buy out Mike Ashley at Newcastle are owned by some of Bin Laden's relatives.

Nice to see that someone is going to be challenging our Thai Overlord for the 'Amnesty International Premier League Chairman of the Year' trophy.

It'll be interesting to see how they pass the supposed 'fit and proper person' test that is meant to apply to all people buying PL teams.

Beautiful. The train wreck continues.

But Joey Barton will feel right at home with his new owners, won't he?

Take care,
PK

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 2:08 am

Barton will have to wait a little longer as his application for early release was turned down - something to do with the fact that his Xmas time assault in Liverpool was done while he was already on bail for the Olivier Dabo incident.

Could be worse though - spare a thought for supporters of Luton Town, who owing to insolvency and various transfer irregularities will start off this season on -30 points. Chances of them avoiding their third successive relegation ? Negligible.

Initial reaction on the City webboards was sympathetic, til someone mentioned David Pleat's hopping and skipping on the Maine Rd turf as they sent City down in 1983.....after that it was a case of "tuff shite, Luton"

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Sat Jul 12, 2008 5:22 pm

Peter Crouch takes his stupid robot dancing down to Dodgy Harry's Used Football and Dubiously Legal Transfers Emporium....aka Portsmouth.

£11m - not bad in the current climate, where apparently Spurs want to fleece Liverpool £17m for the infrequently-can-be-arsed Robbie Keane.

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Sat Jul 12, 2008 5:22 pm

Mikael Forssell scored 10 (yes, TEN) goals in his debut for Hannover - a 23-0 win over FC Bofzen.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story ... et&cc=5901

I'm wondering what, exactly, is the utility of playing such sh!tty opposition when warming up for a new season? Are they playing the German special olympics team next?

Actually reminds me of Australia's previous WC qualifying campaigns (before they joined the AFC) where they'd beat mighty powerhouses like Vanuatu 33-0.

I actually took Vanuatu to the World Cup finals in FIFA 98: RTWC.

Post by **Jared** » Sat Jul 12, 2008 5:54 pm

Macca00 wrote: I actually took Vanuatu to the World Cup finals in FIFA 98: RTWC.

A college roommate and I would team up to take tiny nations to the World Cup....our crowning moment was winning with Iraq over Brazil 1-0 in WC group play.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 9:50 am

I'm wondering what, exactly, is the utility of playing such sh!tty opposition when warming up for a new season? Are they playing the German special olympics team next?

The larger German teams often play these games to help out the little teams with money. Bayern plays these friendlies in July, January, and then in May.

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 10:04 am

fsquid wrote:
I'm wondering what, exactly, is the utility of playing such sh!tty opposition when warming up for a new season? Are they playing the German special olympics team next?
The larger German teams often play these games to help out the little teams with money. Bayern plays these friendlies in July, January, and then in May.

I figured as much but at the same time you'd think at....I dunno......15-0 they'd tone it down a bit and maybe bring on some youth team players instead of further humiliating part-timers.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 11:31 am

They brought on 8 subs including the Zizzo kid from here. 1,400 attended the game which is about 5 games worth of people for that club. It's just one of those things about Germany.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 1:28 pm

do it over here as well - I went to see Glossop North End vs Barnsley yesterday, quite an entertaining 2-2 draw as it turned out.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 5:42 pm

The Hillmen!

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Mon Jul 14, 2008 10:11 am

This is classic video of the Belarus ref who was escorted from the pitch last week because he was drunk out of his mind:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/vide ... d=football

Jay-zus: This guy was gassed. Looks like a Benny Hill skit!

Take care,
PK

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Mon Jul 14, 2008 11:22 am

fsquid wrote:The Hillmen!

Indeed !!

My brother lives in Glossop, and one of his mates (who's also a City fan) is a steward at the ground. Apparently ex-City striker Jon Macken plays for Barnsley now, and arrived on his own rather than on the Barnsley team bus. The following conversation with the Chief Steward ensued as he went to make his way to the changing rooms.

"oi, where are you going"

" I play for Barnsley"

"They're already here, now get lost"

"Look, don't you know who I am ? " <note - Macken played in the Prem with City>

"No, now p*ss off"

My brother's mate then decided to intervene, once he'd stopped sniggering.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Mon Jul 14, 2008 5:44 pm

Liverpool about to sell Scott Carson (who was on loan at Villa last year) to....Stoke City.

For £4m.

That's a once-promising career over then.

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Mon Jul 14, 2008 6:06 pm

davet010 wrote:Liverpool about to sell Scott Carson (who was on loan at Villa last year) to....Stoke City.

For £4m.

That's a once-promising career over then.

We replaced him with a 3 million pound Brazilian/Italian whom I've never heard of and can't tie his OWN shoelaces....literally.

[If you didn't catch it, in the pre-season match against Tranmere the second half was delayed thanks to Cavalieri coming out late and when he did Daniel Agger had to tie up his shoelaces for him because he taped his gloves on. Sounds like a f***in winner to me! ]

Sad to see Crouchie go - at 11 million I think we've continued our trend of under-selling particularly since he's

i)A striker (forwards usually cost more than other positions)
ii)English
iii)English
iv)English
v)Has 14 international goals (albeit against Sri Lanka or something)
vi)Has Champions League experience

I'm surprised we couldn't squeeze more money out of Sh!tknapp particularly since we need all the pennies we can get so we can waste them on players we don't need.

Anyway, hope Crouch does well (just not against us).

dougb · Post by **dougb** » Mon Jul 14, 2008 9:36 pm

Macca00 wrote:
davet010 wrote:Liverpool about to sell Scott Carson (who was on loan at Villa last year) to....Stoke City.

For £4m.

That's a once-promising career over then.

We replaced him with a 3 million pound Brazilian/Italian whom I've never heard of and can't tie his OWN shoelaces....literally.

[If you didn't catch it, in the pre-season match against Tranmere the second half was delayed thanks to Cavalieri coming out late and when he did Daniel Agger had to tie up his shoelaces for him because he taped his gloves on. Sounds like a f***in winner to me! ]

After all the Brazilian born players playing for various and sundry at Euro 2008, I'm beginning to wonder whether dual passports are standard issue for young Brazilian footballers!

Best wishes,

Doug

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Mon Jul 14, 2008 11:43 pm

Crouch and Defoe? Interesting combination, Pompey is building a decent side.

Jimmydeicide · Post by **Jimmydeicide** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 3:29 am

Great for Defoe as Crouch feeds him all game only to get nothing in return from the selfish git that Defoe is.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 3:30 am

fsquid wrote:Crouch and Defoe? Interesting combination, Pompey is building a decent side.

Defoe flatters to deceive, never done it consistently at any level.

His international record says it all - 29 caps, 5 goals.

On the other hand, I'm not exactly amused by City's inactivity in the transfer market, other than this ridiculous Ronaldinho saga. They need a lot more than that, but most of the other transfer sagas are conspicuous at the moment by their lack of City.

Probably doesn't help that our esteemed Asian despot is currently on trial.

City vs Faroe Island Sheep Worriers FC on Thursday, it's typical City that I am actually worried about the result

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 9:13 am

ahhh yes. Because your international record is a true indication of how you will play in the league. See Lukas Podolski.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 10:00 am

fsquid wrote:ahhh yes. Because your international record is a true indication of how you will play in the league. See Lukas Podolski.

We might be back for him, dependent on the Ronny saga.

The other club that was getting mentioned in connection with Podolski was Cologne. That's not a club usually mentioned when big money deals are in the papers, have they been financed from somewhere ?

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 10:36 am

Koln is where Lukas played before Bayern. Koln was promoted this past season. No idea if they got a sugardaddy.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 11:13 am

fsquid wrote:Koln is where Lukas played before Bayern. Koln was promoted this past season. No idea if they got a sugardaddy.

I understand now that our 'masterplan' if the Ronny transfer falls through is an 'audacious double swoop' - for those silky skilled and popular characters, Lucas Neill (proper dirty get) and, wait for it....Craig Bellamy

I was kinding hoping that Hughes had left his hoofball tendencies at Blackburn, and was more looking for people like Bentley and Santa Cruz as him buying previous players, not these two character.

<clears throat in preparation for start of season>

HUGHES OUT !! HUGHES OUT !!

I understand you can get odds of 25-1 against City going out to Faroe Island Cow Rustlers FC in this qualifying tie....that is what is termed as a 'good value' bet.