2006-07 Soccer Thread

[Critch]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

Come Summertime, I might, since it's mostly MLS and the odd South American Summer League.

World U20 Cup Finals this summer, so no need to panic. Being played in Canada, so the game times should be fairly TV friendly. Hopefully FSC will pick it up again.

And Scotland qualified! (And the US too).

[SirFozzie]

The good thing about all the TV coverage of MLS this summer, is that the games will be fairly spread out.. there will be games on National TV 3-4 times a week

[cthomer5000]

Tuesday Feb 20 Champions League Spoilers

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Couldn't be happier to see Arsenal fail to score an away goal and lose 1-0.

I thought the Real Madrid-Bayern Munich game was extremely entertaining. Beckham continues his mini-renessaince there, but you get the feeling they are really going to regret letting up that late goal that cut it to 3-2. I will be totally unsurprised if they lose 2-1 in Germany and have their run ended.

I saw the extended highlights of the Man U - Lille game.... this one is going to be talked about for a long while. It appeared Giggs had the go-ahead to take the free kick, so Lille apparently is at fault for simply losing their concentration. The disallowed Lille goal certainly couldn't have made the crowd any happier either.

I also saw the extended highlights of the Celtic - AC Milan match. Based on what appeared to be a couple very serious oppotrunites for Milan, and the general quality of opposition, I have to imagine Celtic views 0-0 as a pretty damn good result. I know i do. I mean, any draw involving goals now gets them through. They have to feel pretty good about that. And i've only seen him in a couple games now, but Nakamura is a beast on free kicks.

[Mr. Wednesday]

Regarding the Giggs free kick, the point of contention among the referees in the Referee forum at BigSoccer is whether the referee's actions created an expectation of a ceremonial restart. They basically feel he should have avoided standing near the spot where the kick was taken.

[Easy Mac]

So Riise and Bellamy scored for Liverpool? That's ironic.

[Easy Mac]

Next time I'll wait 3 minutes so the announcers can say the exact same thing.

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

So Riise and Bellamy scored for Liverpool? That's ironic.

And Bellamy, subtle as ever, celebrates by swinging an imaginary golf club

[Crapshoot]

Originally Posted by Jari Rantanen's Shorts

And Bellamy, subtle as ever, celebrates by swinging an imaginary golf club

I gotta say, a little bit of me laughed at that.

[daedalus]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

Couldn't be happier to see Arsenal fail to score an away goal and lose 1-0.

If I didn't know any better, I'd think those were the words of a fan of a mediocre, underachieving club unlikely to achieve European play of their own anytime soon.

Wait . . . . . .

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by Crapshoot

I gotta say, a little bit of me laughed at that.

Yeah, it was thoroughly LOL for me. So amazing.

Fantastic result for Liverpool though, they will need to absolutely fall apart to lose it in the 2nd leg.

And very, very disappointing result for Blackburn today in the UEFA cup. Couldnt score a single goal at home to move on... oof.

[cthomer5000]

By the way, massive win for Tottenham yesterday in the premiership. They actually played very well, the most offensive I've seen them all year, and were very strong in the final 15 minutes when it looked like they were going to have to settle for a draw.

It keeps their faint UEFA cup qualification hopes alive. Just 3 points out of position. :fingers crossed:

[Ryan S]

Wow, the Hearts owner has lost it.

This spectacular rant is aimed at the Scottish media - Link bad, see full text a few posts down

I suspect that there may be more to it that just a crazy owner, as I highly doubt the Scottish players were blameless in causing the disruptions, but the media is going to have a feeding frenzy with a press release like this.

[SirFozzie]

Isn't Hearts the team whose owner is a complete Nutsoid and has gone through like six coaches in two years?

EDIT: Yup: He was up to Seven Coaches in 21 months last time I posted about him in this thread.

[SirFozzie]

Since the link is bad, Ryan:

Hearts majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov issued a cryptic, bizarre and vague statement which appeared to claim refereeing was open to corruption - but without specifying whether he believed Scottish clubs and match officials were cheating the system.

Delivering his message through the Hearts website, Romanov's carefully-worded tirade is sure to interest the Scottish Premier League, however its content was almost impenetrable in terms of interpretation.

Addressing the media, who Romanov has taken to describing as 'monkeys', the Lithuanian declared: "Today I will express my opinion in English about refereeing in order that your Mowgli will not make you tell lies.

"To discuss whether referees take money or not is the same as discussing a woman who gives herself with no love.

"Isn't it better to concentrate on the standard of their work instead of looking for reasons for their poor performance?

"A woman cheats herself and nature if she gives herself without love. If a referee officiates a game based on his personal love, he commits a cynical crime, especially when the public has trusted him.

"I respect those referees who take money from two stupid teams and then honestly officiates a game. They do not harm football in any way.

"Though it is bad, still everybody is equal for them. Perhaps that is the reason why football in Italy will never die despite all the scandals that continuously shake it.

"I think that is much better than being the champions for 40 years while building up the same system for further 40 years."

[SirFozzie]

here's the history of the biggest whackaloon owner in all of soccer:

* Having been rejected by Dundee United, Dundee and Dunfermline Athletic, the Lithuanian-based Romanov finally arrives in Scottish football by buying a 29.9% stake in Hearts in February 2005. He is welcomed with open arms by a club struggling in the Scottish Premier and suffering crippling debts. Nobody seems too bothered by reports in Lithuania that Romanov holds an influence over more than half of the clubs in the country's first division.


* Despite being 'instrumental' in the appointment of John Robertson as manager, the Hearts record goalscorer is sacked on Romanov's orders in May. A month later, George Burley is unveiled as his successor.


* A summer spending spree generates a club record run of 11 matches unbeaten at the start of the 2005/06 season. However, on October 22, just one day after Romanov increases his stake to 55.5% to become the club's majority shareholder, Burley leaves the club citing "irreconcilable differences". It subsequently emerges that those differences centred on the club owner buying players with consulting his manager. "If we are building a ship, I need to know if it will be seaworthy," the Lithuanian explains.


* Ten days after Burley's departure, chief executive Phil Anderton is sacked. Chairman George Foulkes promptly resigns in protest. An unmoved Romanov appoints his son in their place.


* As part of a charm offensive to quell growing dissent, Romanov appears on television and recites one of his self-penned poems as a further explanation for Burley's departure, announcing to a bemused audience of millions:

'Don't believe what you see today

'For the portrait of the day is viewed through slumbering nights.

'It is only through the cobwebs of time

'And through the prism of the past that the moments of today will be understood.'


* Incidentally, although Romanov writes poetry for 'relaxation purposes', he lives by the personal motto of 'Die, but do it'.


* Having promised fans to replace Burley with a "high-profile coach", Romanov appoints registered sex offender Graham Rix instead. Fans are further disenchanted upon learning that Rix had been interviewed a week previously by Nationwide Conference side Crawley, while the candidature of Claudio Ranieri was dismissed because, in the words of one club insider, "Vladimir thought he was a pillock".


* 2006 kicks off in controversial fashion with Romanov announcing that his side was "mutilated" during a defeat at Rangers. The SFA immediately reacts by changing the rules that prevented them bringing a charge of disrepute against a club owner. Romanov's son responds to suggestions that the language barrier is proving an insurmountable obstacle for his father by telling reporters: "He knows all the words he needs - 'Yes', 'No' and 'You're fired'."


* Rix's stint in charge is predictably shortlived. He is dismissed in March after disclosing that he neither held any influence over team selection nor had a say in Heart's 11 January transfer window signings. Romanov allegedly sanctions Rix's sacking from the deck of a nuclear submarine.


* With Valdas Ivanauskas now at the helm, Hearts end the season by qualifying for the Champions League and reaching the Scottish Cup final. But victory over Gretna is subsequently overshadowed by the news that Romanov has bought the Soviet nuclear submarine K19, the centrepiece of the 2002 movie 'K-19: The Widowmaker' starring Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson. An emotional Romanov declares: "I will get it restored by September and then it will be moved to near Moscow and put back in the water. Around it we will build a club for submarine veterans with a little hotel for them to stay in."


* After a few relatively low-key months in Edinburgh, Romanov makes his mark by announcing in late October that he will sell the entire first-team squad if they fail to beat Dunfermline. Despite the ensuing 1-1 draw, Romanov is placated, but skipper Steven Pressley reports "significant unrest" in the dressing room. A month later, Pressley is stripped of the captaincy. And a month after that, Elvis leaves the builiding for Cetic.


* Amid claims that Hearts' Scottish players are being ostracised, the club's sporting director Alex Koslovski accuses supporters of "racial discrimination" following booing of Lithuanian duo Saulius Mikoliunas and Nerijus Barasa.


* In December, Romanov reappoints Valdas Ivanauskas as the club's manager. It is the seventh managerial reshuffle since Burley's demise in October 2005. The month also sees an open letter published on The Hearts Supporters' Trust website which accuses Romanov of "turning us into a circus freak show. The truth is that we have gone from being the best thing in Scottish football for decades to being a laughing stock. What we see now is constant interference, the public humiliation of some of our greatest players and a businessman who seems to see our club as a vanity project."


* 2007 kicks off in style with the front pages of the Scottish tabloids dominated by reports that Romanov hired a 'dancing bear' to entertain guests at 'a wild New Year's party in Lithuania'. The reports are further embellished by claims that Romanov 'joined the entertainers on stage to read out love poems he wrote.'


* The month of February begins with Romanov dedicating Hearts' victories "to those journalists who remind me of those Bolsheviks in Soviet times who wanted to shoot a peasant only because he planted the seeds following his own way, and not their instructions. Once they were ready to shoot a peasant but a clever one stopped them and said: 'Let's shoot him in the autumn after he has gathered his harvest'. I guess that if you could, I would have already been shot by now, but whilst you can't, full of hate and anger, you are spreading manure on my crops."


* On February 15, the Russian magazine Futbol carries an interview with Romanov in which he alleges that the Old Firm of Celtic and Rangers "have turned football into a type of showbusiness with their underhand games" and claims, "They buy off players and referees." Rangers and Celtic duly call in the lawyers.


* On February 16, the Hearts website publishes a clarifying statement from their majority shareholder in which Romanov claims, "I don't expect anything except lies and distortion of my quotes", before moving on to address such subjects as the "seduction of souls" and the "genius of those who created Edinburgh".

"It fascinates and captivates you immediately," he says. "Its beauty was created during the times of the kings of old, and now I see how everything that people were gathering for centuries - a culture, all Walter Scott's heritage, is being ruled and destroyed by monkeys from the safari park."

At which point the statement ended with a picture of a monkey tagged as 'an enemy of talent' and 'a teacher of mediocrity'.

[Ryan S]

Text in full

Dear Monkeys,

Today I will not be showing your portrait to you. It is pointless. You are one step away from becoming human beings.

Go and carefully have a look at yourself in the mirror. Don't you see a human in it?

Stop fighting for the values which the ex-captain of Hearts was fighting for.

Education and truthful information - that should be your input to humankind.

Your leader Mowgli is not taking bananas any more, now he is taking money for lies and untruthful interpretation. However he is greedy and makes you collect rotten information from cesspits and poisons readers with it.

This is unworthy even of a monkey.

Today I will express my opinion in English about refereeing in order that your Mowgli will not make you tell lies.

To discuss whether referees take money or not is the same as discussing a woman who gives herself with no love.

Isn't it better to concentrate on the standard of their work instead of looking for reasons for their poor performance?

A woman cheats herself and nature if she gives herself without love. If a referee officiates a game based on his personal love, he commits a cynical crime, especially when the public has trusted him.

I respect those referees who take money from two stupid teams and then honestly officiates a game. They do not harm football in any way. Though it is bad, still everybody is equal for them. Perhaps that is the reason why football in Italy will never die despite all the scandals that continuously shake it.

I think that is much better than being the champions for 40 years while building up the same system for further 40 years.
Now it has become obvious to me why you, the Monkeys, were trying to ruin Hearts not only in the Championship, but in European competitions as well. I think it was not without your help that the 'frozen' referee from Russia was selected to officiate our match and that in the games against the Greek side we got three red cards.

It is not without your help that traitors were presented as heroes thus showing the road to children for betrayal.

You will always call teachers silly because unlike you they lead children along the correct path.

Protecting your values in that way just spoils not only football, but also a Scotsman's proud name.

I beg you Mowgli, take the monkeys back to the Safari Park!

[Critch]

Originally Posted by Ryan S

Wow, the Hearts owner has lost it.

Hearts claimed for a while that their site was hacked and the statement was fake, but they've apparently now admitted to Radio Scotland that it's a real statement from their owner.

Some crazy stuff.

[Ryan S]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

here's the history of the biggest whackaloon owner in all of soccer

While he is pretty crazy, he also rescued Hearts from financial ruin and must get some of the credit for their good form in the last couple of seasons (though they have regressed a little this season).

[Tekneek]

Hah. I love it. I might just have to become a Hearts supporter.

[JonInMiddleGA]

I beg you Mowgli, take the monkeys back to the Safari Park!

It's rare that I've found myself missing QOTM more than now.

[Easy Mac]

USL will have live streaming games this year.

http://www.uslsoccer.com/home/169341.html

[cthomer5000]

Loved Charlton's beat-down of West Ham today. You wonder if the new owner is re-thinking his decision to fire Pardew now....

[Easy Mac]

Rooney has floated some beautiful passes the past couple of games.

[AlexB]

Ok - I'm in a dilemma now. Tbh I've been getting more an more disillusioned with football over the last couple of years - I can't stand the cheating, feigning of injury, the ongoing transformation of the game into a non-contact sport, and the dissent shown to refs, pretty much in that order as it goes.

I am fairly ambivalent towards the Premiership, and find watching the Champions League and UEFA cup a painful exercise now.

As a Leicester fan, Premiership and Europe have been a long way away since we got relegated, and at least in the Championship tackles are still occasionally allowed.

We have been skint for the last couple of years, but now we have Milan Mandaric come in, and the prospect of returning to the Premiership in the next season or two is a reality again. And I find myself slightly disappointed by this - I want to see two teams honestly playing each other, not a contest of who can con the ref the best. And the Championship offers more of this than the Premiership, and as you go down the pyramid of footbal the game is more and more honest.

The prizes for winning and the cost of losing have really changed the game, and FWIW (which I realise is nothing) I don't like it.

But at the same time I want us to win, which potentially means more of the things I dislike.

[MIJB#19]

Edgar Davids collects his first red card since his return to Ajax in his 4th game. Who had that in the prediction pool?

[Critch]

Originally Posted by MIJB#19

Edgar Davids collects his first red card since his return to Ajax in his 4th game. Who had that in the prediction pool?

It was only a matter of time, but he was unlucky today, the first yellow was never a booking.

I'm guessing that there'll be some fall out about the referee, Davids' sending off and the AZ equalizer were terrible decisions, the ref really lost the plot. Is he a known PSV fan?

[MIJB#19]

Originally Posted by Critch

It was only a matter of time, but he was unlucky today, the first yellow was never a booking.

I'm guessing that there'll be some fall out about the referee, Davids' sending off and the AZ equalizer were terrible decisions, the ref really lost the plot. Is he a known PSV fan?

I doubt it, 75% of the Dutch referees are perceived to be pro-Ajax, so it must have been a fluke.

[Easy Mac]

So what happened at the ned of Chelsea-Arsenal? i was watching in Chinese, so whatever was actually happening was actually lost on me. And who is number 18 for Chelsea who was rolling around like a little bitch? and I really wanted to see someone "accidentally" punch Mourinho when he ran on the field.

[Critch]

It was Bridge that was down for Chelsea, Adebayor apparently punched him off the ball.

Mikel and Toure sent off for their square up, then Adebayor sent off too for losing the plot big time. Lampard and Fabregas booked too.

Nightmare injury for Terry, when they're bringing the oxygen on you know its not going to be good. Hopefully he'll be back soon.

[Ajaxab]

Originally Posted by Jari Rantanen's Shorts

Ok - I'm in a dilemma now. Tbh I've been getting more an more disillusioned with football over the last couple of years - I can't stand the cheating, feigning of injury, the ongoing transformation of the game into a non-contact sport, and the dissent shown to refs, pretty much in that order as it goes.

I am fairly ambivalent towards the Premiership, and find watching the Champions League and UEFA cup a painful exercise now.

As a Leicester fan, Premiership and Europe have been a long way away since we got relegated, and at least in the Championship tackles are still occasionally allowed.

We have been skint for the last couple of years, but now we have Milan Mandaric come in, and the prospect of returning to the Premiership in the next season or two is a reality again. And I find myself slightly disappointed by this - I want to see two teams honestly playing each other, not a contest of who can con the ref the best. And the Championship offers more of this than the Premiership, and as you go down the pyramid of footbal the game is more and more honest.

The prizes for winning and the cost of losing have really changed the game, and FWIW (which I realise is nothing) I don't like it.

But at the same time I want us to win, which potentially means more of the things I dislike.

This is an interesting commentary on the state of the present English game. I'm definitely reading between the lines, but it seems as though you're privileging a specifically English style of play. The more one travels down the English football pyramid, the more English players are playing the game and theoretically, the better football is. I'm not saying there's anything prejudicial in your comments, but it just strikes me that English players do not do as many of the things you don't like in the contemporary game as players from other countries. So it seems that for you, the objection to today's football becomes a consequence of the English game's internationalization.

I think the behaviors you cite are just as disgraceful as you think they are, but it seems the decision for clubs is to rely on homegrown talent and fail to perform to as high a standard as other clubs or bring in the diving, injury feigning, cheating 'foreigners' and succeed. Of course there are exceptions to the rule, but on a week to week basis, the unsporting actions seem to be much more prevalent in non-English players. The bigger question then becomes whether or not the global game shifts toward privileging the values of traditional English football or continues on its merry 'gamesmanship' kind of way.

On a completely different note, that was a heck of a first half between Tottenham and Bolton.

[Easy Mac]

Originally Posted by Critch

It was Bridge that was down for Chelsea, Adebayor apparently punched him off the ball.

My rule is, if they pour bottled water on you to heal you, you are not actually injured, unless you were kicked in your vagina.

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by Ajaxab

This is an interesting commentary on the state of the present English game. I'm definitely reading between the lines, but it seems as though you're privileging a specifically English style of play. The more one travels down the English football pyramid, the more English players are playing the game and theoretically, the better football is. I'm not saying there's anything prejudicial in your comments, but it just strikes me that English players do not do as many of the things you don't like in the contemporary game as players from other countries. So it seems that for you, the objection to today's football becomes a consequence of the English game's internationalization.

I think the behaviors you cite are just as disgraceful as you think they are, but it seems the decision for clubs is to rely on homegrown talent and fail to perform to as high a standard as other clubs or bring in the diving, injury feigning, cheating 'foreigners' and succeed. Of course there are exceptions to the rule, but on a week to week basis, the unsporting actions seem to be much more prevalent in non-English players. The bigger question then becomes whether or not the global game shifts toward privileging the values of traditional English football or continues on its merry 'gamesmanship' kind of way.

On a completely different note, that was a heck of a first half between Tottenham and Bolton.

Your summation isn't too far off - however I wouldn't say the lower down the pyramid you go the better the football is - it;s just more honest. There is little doubt that the level of skill in the Premiership over the few years is at the highest it has ever been, and most of the premier players are non-British. But the higher skill has come at a price.

I think the gamesmanship/cheating is generally more prevalent in non-British footballers, but there are plenty of Brits right up there (Joe Cole, Andy Johnson, Nicky Hunt, Golden Balls himself, Emile Heskey & Robbie Savage (both ex-Leicester) spring to mind straight away, and going further back Kevin Gallagher and Francis Lee were also cardinal sinners. Again, although a sweeping generalisation, while diving is fairly common, feigning of injury is rare amongst Brits (apart from the two ex-leicester players - the irony!) as is the waving of imaginary yellow cards, which I forgot in my last post.

However, I don't necesarily think it is solely the foreigh invasion, I think it is also a lot to do with the huge money involved now - there is too much to win/lose, and it is almost solely about winning now, not the game. (However, Arsenal and to a lesser extent Man U are an exception to this - play superb football, and now Pires and van Nistelrooy have gone, with far less of the gamesmanship).

I am led to believe that we, the Brits, are the only ones up in arms over the nature of the game - it is generally accepted in the rest of the footballing world as part of the game... which I really don't get - if you follow the line of argument that physical play is frowned upon because it risks the fitness of the players, why are flag football and touch rugby not more popular than their full-contact counterparts?

[Ajaxab]

What can Joe fan do about all this stuff? It does seem that the cheating and feigning of injury seems to be a real turn off for many North Americans who might potentially be interested in the game. In coming from watching hockey and American football to European football, the whole 'writhing on the ground in agony' was something I had to get over. I don't get a sense that a lot of American fans have the same patience I did.

At the very least, I would love to see retroactive yellow cards given to divers. It won't solve the problem completely but handing one to players like Zokora after today's graceful fall to the floor completely untouched would be a start. It might also be good to have any player who cannot get up from a foul within 30 seconds to 1 minute remain off the pitch for a further amount of time (3-5 minutes?). Penalize a team who has players like these by making them play with 10 men for a longer period of time. There is nothing more irritating than seeing someone writhe on the ground in pain and then happily return to action 30 seconds later.

The English game has the potential to be a trendsetter for the world game again. Some might see it as helter skelter football, but there's something to be said for the league when my wife, who really doesn't like soccer, was impressed with the sheer pace of the game between Spurs and Bolton today. One doesn't see this kind of speed in Italy or the Champions League and it's exciting to watch (of course there might be reasons of weather for the pace of games in Italy). The English brand of play is arguably the most exciting brand of football out there and thereby potentially has the greatest chance of influencing how others perceive the game..

[Ryan S]

Originally Posted by Ajaxab

It might also be good to have any player who cannot get up from a foul within 30 seconds to 1 minute remain off the pitch for a further amount of time (3-5 minutes?). Penalize a team who has players like these by making them play with 10 men for a longer period of time. There is nothing more irritating than seeing someone writhe on the ground in pain and then happily return to action 30 seconds later.

That will not work at all. All it does is punish the team that has been fouled and it will increase dangerous play as there is now an incentive to hurt the opposition.

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by Ajaxab

At the very least, I would love to see retroactive yellow cards given to divers. It won't solve the problem completely but handing one to players like Zokora after today's graceful fall to the floor completely untouched would be a start.

Completely agree. FIFA/UEFA need to allow the refs need to get stonger as well - waving an imaginary card should immediately get you a real one in return. Obvious feigning of injury should also result in a booking.

There was a rule brought in where dissent was penalised by the ball being forward 10 yards (like in rugby), but FIFA added the stipulation that the player should be booked as well, which meant refs were reluctant to enforce it as often - without the yellow card being arbitrary I think this would have worked.

Originally Posted by Ajaxab

It might also be good to have any player who cannot get up from a foul within 30 seconds to 1 minute remain off the pitch for a further amount of time (3-5 minutes?). Penalize a team who has players like these by making them play with 10 men for a longer period of time. There is nothing more irritating than seeing someone writhe on the ground in pain and then happily return to action 30 seconds later.

I thought of this a few weeks ago, but in effect this gives license to kick the opposition off the park - the games needs to allow contact but not encourage it. Allowing trainers on to treat players while play carries on might be the way forward - this way the game wouldn't be broken up by feigning injury, and therefore there would be no benefit in doing it.

Originally Posted by Ajaxab

The English game has the potential to be a trendsetter for the world game again.

Unfortunately we don't have much leeway - everything we do has to be ratified (or at least allowed) by UEFA & FIFA, the very people who are keen on the more technical, less physical game. Even Peter Cech's headgear had to be agreed to by UEFA. With Platini becoming UEFA President, as one of the most skilled, technical players in European history, he is unlikely to bring in measures giving more freedom to the more physical style. I see football becoming like basketball and hockey for example, with minimal contact and lots of technical rules and offences.

The British game is not necessarily in tune with a lot of the priorities of UEFA/FIFA, and it is becoming less so. Unfortunately, the chances of a breakaway are nil, due to the money from European football, World Cup, etc...

[Ajaxab]

[quote=Jari Rantanen's Shorts;1402694]I thought of this a few weeks ago, but in effect this gives license to kick the opposition off the park - the games needs to allow contact but not encourage it. Allowing trainers on to treat players while play carries on might be the way forward - this way the game wouldn't be broken up by feigning injury, and therefore there would be no benefit in doing it.[quote=Jari Rantanen's Shorts;1402694]

I agree that this kind of proposal would definitely encourage more contact. But could we trust the officials to hand out the appropriate cards if the contact is too aggressive?

Originally Posted by Jari Rantanen's Shorts

Unfortunately we don't have much leeway - everything we do has to be ratified (or at least allowed) by UEFA & FIFA, the very people who are keen on the more technical, less physical game. Even Peter Cech's headgear had to be agreed to by UEFA. With Platini becoming UEFA President, as one of the most skilled, technical players in European history, he is unlikely to bring in measures giving more freedom to the more physical style. I see football becoming like basketball and hockey for example, with minimal contact and lots of technical rules and offences.

The British game is not necessarily in tune with a lot of the priorities of UEFA/FIFA, and it is becoming less so. Unfortunately, the chances of a breakaway are nil, due to the money from European football, World Cup, etc...

I think this is where the financial might of the Premiership could work in favor of an influence on global football. The television money seems to be following the most attractive product for the global audience. The most attractive product is definitely not Serie A. So no matter what UEFA/FIFA do, the financial benefits coming to England from massive TV contracts could potentially encourage other leagues to follow their lead so they too can get a piece of the pie. Of course, I could be entirely underestimating the force of national styles of play here.

[MrBigglesworth]

Originally Posted by Ajaxab

What can Joe fan do about all this stuff? It does seem that the cheating and feigning of injury seems to be a real turn off for many North Americans who might potentially be interested in the game. In coming from watching hockey and American football to European football, the whole 'writhing on the ground in agony' was something I had to get over. I don't get a sense that a lot of American fans have the same patience I did.

That's my least favorite part of the game. I almost kicked my TV because Cristiano Ronaldo was such a little crybaby at the World Cup.

[MIJB#19]

Originally Posted by Jari Rantanen's Shorts

I am led to believe that we, the Brits, are the only ones up in arms over the nature of the game - it is generally accepted in the rest of the footballing world as part of the game... which I really don't get - if you follow the line of argument that physical play is frowned upon because it risks the fitness of the players, why are flag football and touch rugby not more popular than their full-contact counterparts?

Nah, I think you'll find yourself not alone in this.

Dutch soccer used to be about 6 guys up front, 5 in defense and then we'll see how much more goals we can score! With Ajax winning it all in 1995, it was easy to claim that was the best way to play. Today, everybody wants to be like PSV 2005. Four defenders, an extra guy in front of them. Two midfielders who are fake-wingers, not even close to the traditional ones. Yet another controling midfielder and a playmaker behind the sole striker. Heaven forbid, even Ajax is doing it. They say it's the influence of foreign players, of money, of the increased importance. Sure. There's still 7 or 8 Dutchmen on the field, it's the good old copy-to-what-we-lose-to-trauma. A lesson learned from all the penalty kick dramas and endless losing streak to the Portugese.

Yet go to Italians and they'll probably say the same thing. Too much foreign influences, too much money (hello bribing scandal), too little good old promising strikers' ankles breaking calcio. German football is in a downfall, they even lost their abilty to play like a reliable machine that always wins in the last minute. Brazil lost its samba. Spain lost their abilty to choke in the group stages of a tournament. The Swiss invented a way to lose without allowing goals. The only ones not confused right now are those used to diving, demand bookings and acting injured at some point. But the Portugese have to see time catch up too and forget the way they used to play football at some point too. Right?

[cthomer5000]

I won't even touch the crappy girl fighting near the end... The first half of the game was great. The second was another story.

And that John Terry injury, OUCH. That was one of the worst injuries I've ever seen, since being kicked directly in the face is not something you really see in any sport. I was initially fearful that beyond the unconsciousness he might have suffered some sort of eye injury, it looked like there was a chance he'd been kicked directly in the eye socket area. I'm very happy to hear he's alright, because that was genuinely scary to everyone on the pitch (based on their reaction) and probably everyone watching.

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by MrBigglesworth

That's my least favorite part of the game. I almost kicked my TV because Cristiano Ronaldo was such a little crybaby at the World Cup.

My opinion of this guy is constantly in flux. He and the entire Portugal team were bitches at the World Cup, that is a fact. We saw them diving and rolling endlessly. The semifinal was the best example of it all. Coming out of the world cup my opinion of him was extremely low.

In the Premiership we have definitely seen him take a couple of dives this year. But, in his defense, I see the guy get hacked up and down the field so many times as well, it really is amazing. Because he's generally moving so damn fast when he gets clipped he's really getting hit pretty damn hard. And I also think a couple of his "dives" are him simply going down rather than putting himself in a situation where bones may break if he tries to power through and collides.

I've grown to respect him immensely as a player. He is hands-down the best player *I* have seen play on a consitent basis. If I were starting a team right now and could only pick one guy, he'd be it. He's that big a difference maker. Sick speed, good shooter, and outstanding on free kicks.

So, I guess I cut him a little more slack these days. I've seen him get hammered on without any calls going his way quite a bit, so im not as quick to assume the worst in the situations where he might have taken a dive.

[cthomer5000]

BTW, re: diving. If anyone saw the Roma-Lyon match, or even just the highlights... Referee Mike Riley is my new hero.

I couldn't even keep count of how many yellows he handed out for diving.

[MrBigglesworth]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

My opinion of this guy is constantly in flux. He and the entire Portugal team were bitches at the World Cup, that is a fact. We saw them diving and rolling endlessly. The semifinal was the best example of it all. Coming out of the world cup my opinion of him was extremely low.

In the Premiership we have definitely seen him take a couple of dives this year. But, in his defense, I see the guy get hacked up and down the field so many times as well, it really is amazing. Because he's generally moving so damn fast when he gets clipped he's really getting hit pretty damn hard. And I also think a couple of his "dives" are him simply going down rather than putting himself in a situation where bones may break if he tries to power through and collides.

I've grown to respect him immensely as a player. He is hands-down the best player *I* have seen play on a consitent basis. If I were starting a team right now and could only pick one guy, he'd be it. He's that big a difference maker. Sick speed, good shooter, and outstanding on free kicks.

So, I guess I cut him a little more slack these days. I've seen him get hammered on without any calls going his way quite a bit, so im not as quick to assume the worst in the situations where he might have taken a dive.

Maybe all his diving (and the entire Portugal squad) in the World Cup was the result of the coach. I'd be willing to change my opinion on him if he has stopped the whiney bitch routine. Being a huge fan of American Football, that kind of stuff just completely turns me off to players.

[Katon]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

I won't even touch the crappy girl fighting near the end... The first half of the game was great. The second was another story.

And that John Terry injury, OUCH. That was one of the worst injuries I've ever seen, since being kicked directly in the face is not something you really see in any sport. I was initially fearful that beyond the unconsciousness he might have suffered some sort of eye injury, it looked like there was a chance he'd been kicked directly in the eye socket area. I'm very happy to hear he's alright, because that was genuinely scary to everyone on the pitch (based on their reaction) and probably everyone watching.

And not only is he alright, he's likely to play again before Diaby, who apparently hurt his foot in the process. The man is superhuman.

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

My opinion of this guy is constantly in flux. He and the entire Portugal team were bitches at the World Cup, that is a fact. We saw them diving and rolling endlessly. The semifinal was the best example of it all. Coming out of the world cup my opinion of him was extremely low.

In the Premiership we have definitely seen him take a couple of dives this year. But, in his defense, I see the guy get hacked up and down the field so many times as well, it really is amazing. Because he's generally moving so damn fast when he gets clipped he's really getting hit pretty damn hard. And I also think a couple of his "dives" are him simply going down rather than putting himself in a situation where bones may break if he tries to power through and collides.

I've grown to respect him immensely as a player. He is hands-down the best player *I* have seen play on a consitent basis. If I were starting a team right now and could only pick one guy, he'd be it. He's that big a difference maker. Sick speed, good shooter, and outstanding on free kicks.

So, I guess I cut him a little more slack these days. I've seen him get hammered on without any calls going his way quite a bit, so im not as quick to assume the worst in the situations where he might have taken a dive.

I agree with you almost entirely, he is the best player in England this season by a long way, and has improved his ways. And if the text I've bolded were true, I wouldn't have a problem (there's a big difference between taking a dive and avoiding injury) - and this year he has been much much better, but still too much of the cynical stuff.

[Easy Mac]

diving, what is this diving you speak of?


Awesome

[bulletsponge]

unreal! he should have gotten a red card for that. or at least a serious beat-down

[ISiddiqui]

LOL... that's such a hideous dive!

[cthomer5000]

The Blackburn - Arsenal FA Cup replay today was easily the worst game i've seen involving two EPL sides.

[SFL Cat]

Originally Posted by Ajaxab

There is nothing more irritating than seeing someone writhe on the ground in pain and then happily return to action 30 seconds later.

Are you talking about American QB Terry Bradshaw???

[Fighter of Foo]

Originally Posted by MrBigglesworth

Maybe all his diving (and the entire Portugal squad) in the World Cup was the result of the coach. I'd be willing to change my opinion on him if he has stopped the whiney bitch routine. Being a huge fan of American Football, that kind of stuff just completely turns me off to players.

Like wide receivers don't dive.