Soccer thread 08/09 (will have spoilers!)

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 11:12 pm

I guess...Go Liverpool? Geez if I don't root for them this weekend the EPL is all but over. Hard to believe Rafa hasn't won yet at Old Trafford.

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 10:51 am

What a week! Played Real and United, 8 goals scored, 1 conceded.

Jimmydeicide · Post by **Jimmydeicide** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 11:03 am

Rafa's a genius

that Dossena sub really was brilliant. Take off Riera for a defensive player but have him attack more than Reira, definitely caught united off guard i thought.

Thought the Vidic decision was correct although in hindsight having scored from the free kick was an error even tho Gerrard was clearly going to be in on goal.

A great game to watch. Still along way to go if Liverpool are to win the title, if Man u win the game in hand its back to 7 pts.
Still, adds some real excitement down the stretch.
Come on Arsenal!!!!!!!

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 11:37 am

That is a damn good week's work, just the order for a manager in contract negotiations. LOL

Serial Killer Vidic getting sent off was just icing on the cake.

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 11:43 am

RobVarak wrote: Serial Killer Vidic getting sent off was just icing on the cake.

I loved when Torres nutmegged him in the first half (after he nicked the ball of him and scored)!

Dossena is a goal machine!

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 1:41 pm

http://link.brightcove.com/services/pla ... 6538666001

Fanzone excerpts! LOL

Feanor · Post by **Feanor** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 2:36 pm

Vidic picked a great time of year to completely go off the boil.

-3 for me in the FPL and he's out for the next two league games so I have to get rid of the bastard as well as William "I only play Cup matches now" Gallas.

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 3:21 pm

I actually like SAF more than I should, but this is just ridiculous.

"It is a hard one to take because I thought we were the better team and the score does not reflect that," he said.

Take yer beating like a man, you old scottish wet fart!

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 5:03 pm

RobVarak wrote:I actually like SAF more than I should, but this is just ridiculous.

"It is a hard one to take because I thought we were the better team and the score does not reflect that," he said.
Take yer beating like a man, you old scottish wet fart!

It's after 2pm - he'll have been smashed, the drunken Scottish s***. Nice to see all the scum that follow them leaving early as well - still, they've all got 3 or 4 hour journeys ahead of them, so maybe they're just off to have a last mooch round the Megastore before heading off back to whichever rocks they crawl out from under.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 1:46 pm

Teenage sensation B. Krkic was superb over the weekend for Barca as they restore the 6 points lead over Real. A classic match where Barcelona was just dominant.

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 4:25 pm

What's in Ferguson's past to earn vitriol?

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 6:21 pm

Note my location. Cross reference that with the fact that Manchester United have hijacked the name of my home city, given that

(a) They do not play in the City of Manchester

(b) None of their fans are from Manchester, just puke-making hangers on too uninspired to follow their local team.

There isn't the space on here, nor do you have the time, to follow any list of his mealy-mouthed hypocrisy which I might deign to put up.

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 6:56 pm

wco81 wrote:What's in Ferguson's past to earn vitriol?

Mostly success.

Like I said, I actually respect him more than most people who support other English clubs...and obviously a great deal more than anyone residing inside the Manchester city limits.

He's a hypocrite and arrogant like most successful sports CEO's, and he's been known to knock back more than his share of wine, but mostly it's just plain fun to hate him.

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 7:56 pm

Ferguson took the name of Manchester?

I thought he's only been on the scene for 20-30 years and the club goes back farther.

dougb · Post by **dougb** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 9:49 pm

wco81 wrote:Ferguson took the name of Manchester?

I thought he's only been on the scene for 20-30 years and the club goes back farther.

That was tongue-in-cheek right?

Best wishes,

Doug

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 11:33 pm

Klose is out 6 weeks. I told you feckers that Bayern scores no more in this CL.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 10:04 am

Another transmission from Planet Platini

============================================

PARIS, March 17 (Reuters) - UEFA is prepared to discuss plans from European teams to create a continental league to replace the Champions League and UEFA Cup, its president Michel Platini was quoted as saying on Tuesday.

The European Club Association (ECA), which represents 137 leading teams such as Manchester United and Real Madrid, talked about a "Super League" during a meeting last week in Nyon, Switzerland, France Football reported.

Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport said the project also had some backing from within UEFA.

The Super League would be made up of three divisions with 20 to 22 clubs in each tier, the two newspapers said. Promotion and relegation would occur between the divisions each season.

"Everybody knows my philosophy about European competitions...but the world is changing and we must be careful about that," Platini told France Football.

"If it was up to me, I would revert to European Cups as they were at the beginning, with just knockout rounds. But we must listen carefully to any suggestion. If (clubs) come and talk to us, we would listen to them and then decide."

Gazzetta said the global economic crisis had prompted the often-mooted Super League idea to resurface but gave no indication over when advocates wanted the tournament to start.

European domestic leagues would remain if a Super League ever got the go-ahead, Gazzetta said, but the number of matches in individual championships would have to be reduced so that top clubs could play in both competitions.

The UEFA Cup is being rebranded as the Europa League next season.
============================================

As far as I am concerned, the 'top teams' can f--- off into a European League and leave competitive leagues behind them, while they knock around in a white elephant that would collapse in 5 years.

Oh, and if only 66 of these 137 'top teams' would be in these leagues, then why would the rest vote for it ?

Jimmydeicide · Post by **Jimmydeicide** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 1:08 pm

I think the champions league is probly the best and most exciting footy around why would you even mess with it right now.
I guess there is not enough on the meeting agenda to go the full hour.

I hate suits.

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 2:27 pm

If they played more international matches and fewer matches in the national leagues, would that involve some kind of revenue-sharing?

How does revenue sharing work in CL? One advantage of EPL is said to be the Sky TV contracts. Is there anything like that for CL games?

And do visiting teams get a cut of the gate receipts?

In the wake of the dominance of the English clubs, people are pointing out deficiencies like the lack of a collective TV contract in Italy, for instance.

If this Euro league shared revenues for all clubs, would this be some scheme to level the playing field? That's what the EPL fans seem to accuse FIFA of wanting to do, to bring down the EPL so that the other leagues become relatively stronger.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 4:31 pm

wco81 wrote:If they played more international matches and fewer matches in the national leagues, would that involve some kind of revenue-sharing?

It's not international matches...it's moving Man U etc into European leagues. Most of the revenue comes from TV contracts, which in England have just been relet for another 5 years.

How does revenue sharing work in CL? One advantage of EPL is said to be the Sky TV contracts. Is there anything like that for CL games?

UEFA negotiate their own contracts for CL TV rights, so they already make plenty off that. Whether the interest is there for TV in future I don't know...I can imagine Euro League Div 3 being full of not-very-attractive contests.

And do visiting teams get a cut of the gate receipts?

Not sure...but visiting fans would pretty soon decrease as the novelty wore off, and no one is going to be going from Manchester to Istanbul to watch a mid-table end of season game.

In the wake of the dominance of the English clubs, people are pointing out deficiencies like the lack of a collective TV contract in Italy, for instance.

Oddly enough, it wasn't a problem when Italian clubs were dominating the CL. The real problem is that Italian clubs play in a bent league in s*** stadia - and it's the fault of the big clubs in Italy that there is no collective deal, as they vetoed it last time to rake in more for themselves.

If this Euro league shared revenues for all clubs, would this be some scheme to level the playing field? That's what the EPL fans seem to accuse FIFA of wanting to do, to bring down the EPL so that the other leagues become relatively stronger.

Well removing teams from the EPL could arguably make it weaker...but I'd argue it would make it better to watch, and I for one would never watch any European League, nor follow any team in it.[/b]

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 4:48 pm

As an outsider who has no stake in any league or club, I would love to see an undisputed best league in the world with all the best players playing for the best clubs against one another every week.

That's probably just the spoiled American sports fan in me though as that is what we get with baseball, basketball and hockey. I really hate the general structure with a few teams vastly outspending and eating up all the quality players and dominating their domestic league every year, but it is the same structure that allows for unparalleled atmosphere with thousands of fans traveling to away matches. Take the bad with the good I guess.

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 4:48 pm

Someone made the claim that 3/4 of EPL teams are fighting to avoid relegation every year.

So there are the 4 or 5 rich clubs and the rest scrambling.

Would an international league have more competitive balance because of revenue sharing and probably the fact that each country can only support a handful at most number of clubs which can buy the best players?

Or is parity overrated, especially if your team is one of the haves?

Jimmydeicide · Post by **Jimmydeicide** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 6:10 pm

wco81 wrote:Someone made the claim that 3/4 of EPL teams are fighting to avoid relegation every year.

So there are the 4 or 5 rich clubs and the rest scrambling.

Would an international league have more competitive balance because of revenue sharing and probably the fact that each country can only support a handful at most number of clubs which can buy the best players?

Or is parity overrated, especially if your team is one of the haves?

All European leagues have the same structure.
I mean you are sporting a Barcelona badge arnt you.

There is parity throughout europe anyone could get beat by anybody on its day.

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 6:25 pm

Jimmydeicide wrote:There is parity throughout europe anyone could get beat by anybody on its day.

The EPL has been won by one of 3 clubs 15 of the last 16 years.

La Liga has been won by Barcelona or Madrid 20 of the last 24 years.

The Eredivisie has been won Ajax or PSV in 23 of the last 25 years, with 2 titles to Feyenoord.

That it is about as far as you can get from parity.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 6:57 pm

So Fabregas did some spitting? I thought Gallas' winner was definitely offside.