The Football Topic (Page 46 of 52)

getting concerned that I have caught the Chelsea moan at anything sickness! - And maybe the expectation that a win against Newcastle is just arrogance , but something is not right up front. Maybe there is a chance for Adebayor to prove everybody wrong with a phoenix like performance...? No, I thought not.

Wonderful achievement, underlined by an excellent performance in midweek.

The best bit about it, recognised by Platini, of all people, is his loyalty to one club, and theirs to him of course. Yes, it is a special club and a top player can achieve all he could ever want there, but I'm sure there were clubs interested to take him away.

To his great credit he never gave them a sniff. There are some aspects of his character that, shall we say, are not so savoury, but overall, he has given an enormous amount to his club, their fans and his sport. He deserves the rewards and the accolades.

Another good man gets the boot. Cardiff's Malkie Mackay got them promoted, finally, and his reward for Cardiffs first season in the Prem - the sack.

This time not even for the results it seems. He has 'offended' the brittle sensibilities of the clubs multi millionaire owner. Of course, there is no arguing with a man who has sunk 130million quid into your club. You dance with the devil at your own peril. Cardiffs former owners sold the clubs soul along with everything else and now it is a Malaysian Tango that is the order of the day.

Don't like the blue kit? Then screw 100 years of tradition, we'll play in red. What's British football tradition to a Malay millionaire anyway?
Don't like the costs of the new signings you signed off? Sack the guy that did the deals and replace him with your son's mate. Don't like the manager who sweated blood to get the club in the premier division. Sack him.

I suspect Mr. Tan fulfils not too many of the various rules regarding fit persons to run a football club, but as ever his money was enough to get him through the door. It will all end in tears and Cardiff will be broke and hawked off.

Football at the top level is a joke. Hanover have just sacked their most successful manager to date. 4 defeats in a row is a 'crisis'. So who are they going to get now? Mirko Slomka's crime? He was able to get Hanover to perform above their level for 3 seasons and now they have expectations way above their ability and finances.
Unfortunately, there is always some dope prepared to take the job, mainly because they get a 2 year, or more, deal, safe in the knowledge that the sack brings a financial windfall.

The economics and the management style of the madhouse. Expect Sam Allardyce to depart West Ham on Saturday if they lose. Who will the Hammers get? If Sam Allardyce can't keep them in the division I don't fancy anyone else's chance.

Tim Sherwood will get til the end of the season at Tottenham but if he can't improve on the current 8th place then I don't see him lasting into next season.

Hamburg lost at home to Mainz last Saturday 2-3. A comparison between the two clubs since 2009 sees Hamburg as having 9(nine) trainers in the period against just 1 for Mainz. Hamburg have spent over 80million on players and Mainz  just 31millions. So it is not just about money. Stability and holding your nerve are also key. Trainers don't become losers overnight. It is the players that are shite most of the time.

I hope this new law comes into place soon and then the days of expensive transfers will be over. Players will have freedom of movement and contract. Perhaps they don't realise though, that then, it is THEIR performance that will become result based and not just the manager/trainers.

Bring it on I say. It could just be the reality check football needs.

I love the cup, and I wish there was a big enough carrot involved for the big clubs to take it seriously again. Some do, but in the great scheme of things for top 4 or for the bottom 4 it is a distraction they don't need.
I'm disappointed West Ham had such a unseemly exit, but given the problems at Upton Park it is  probably a blessing. A draw wouldn't do and an extra round wouldn't help either. Gary Linkers comments about it are naive. West Ham are on the brink. Giving Forest a game wouldn't have brought us back from it. 14 fit players to get through 6 games is a joke.
I used to be a big fan of the Xmas and new year programme but given the pressures of the modern game it seems a bit stupid now. The Germans take the winter break even though the weather doesn't require it any more. We should do the same or reduce the fixture pile up accordingly.

I watched the Spurs game. They didn't seem to turn up, but there were chances, so it could have been different. Great watching some of the other games though - Rochdale, Sheffield United, Southampton. All good cup games in the old fashioned way.

As you can see though Tres, the forum is warming down from Futbol. There is no interest on here anymore. I've tried to bring it back from time to time but it is dead.

My personal interest is alive and kicking. Borussia Dortmund against Zenit tonight in Champions League. Hopefully Dortmund will do the business. And I even hope United get through this evening, just to alleviate some of the pressure on Moyes. I don't want to see him fail.

Disgraceful how some ex players of his crawl out of the woodwork now and slag him off. Shame on them...........cheap shots from cheaper men............

well, he is really young. My understanding is that if he didn't commit to play for the German national team, didn't play any games with them, then he can jump ship. His dad is American and lives in Florida. But it's a one time decision, after he commits there is no going back to the German team or any other national team, I think?

EDIT: "FIFA since 2009 has allowed a one time change in national team affiliation, for a player who has appeared in an official match for a youth national team, as long as the player had dual citizenship at the time". sounds reasonable, we'll take him.  

Good to hear you say that Brack. I know some United die-Hards that probably want Moyes hung drawn and quartered, but then these guys even thought Ferguson didn't know what he was doing!

A new reality is a nice way of describing it. It seems incredible to see a side who won the PL at a canter last year so off key, so the obvious conclusion is that Moyes doesn't know his onions. But I think what we saw last year was the last hurrah of a great side. I don't know how Ferdinand gets a game sometimes. He was never quick, but often his positioning got him out of trouble. he doesn't seem to have that any more. The keeper is good, but suspect and this is an area where United have always tried to have the best.

It was a great win last night, but the Greeks wasted a number of chances that would have seen United off. Sadly, I think this is as far as they will go in the CL as it is a very strong group this year.

I watched the Dortmund game last night and they lost at home to Zenit, in the end deservedly so and it could have been worse than 1-2. Some of the Dortmund players were critical post match that sections of the crowd were catcalling when possession was lost. I can see that may be disappointing to the players, but honestly, possession was being lost so often it was no wonder.
Klopp was happy they got through but I thought Dortmund were very poor. They have had a terrible year with injuries and for me they look like a team of strangers playing together.

Madrid (Real) that is, look sublime, and they are my bet this year even with Bayern and Barca still there.

Moyes will get it right and I hope that the Board stick with him - his managership should be seen as a long term plan, - clearly from the excellent performance the other night/day (?) of the best Englishman to never play for England, Ryan Giggs the team is still clinging on in there, but it needs rebuilding. - Their youth policy/team does not disappear overnight either, - and not sure why people in football (Journo’s) do not realise that the success of a team is cyclical, - well certainly if it is to win things, - the contrast being Arsenal who have constantly been there but never quote succeeded.

The view from the bottom (grass roots). I am to walk away from grass roots as is my coach at the end of this season (2 games to go), as we have both had enough of the small minded petty arrogant idiots that go out of their way to make it impossible for kids to develop and volunteers to help youngsters. We never set out to win at all costs and have never dumped a boy out of the team even turning away better players with a problem attitude over the years, but sadly what has been great fun will now come to an end.

The final straw for us and some of the boys who have already given up was the way the league handled a situation back in November.  - Before a game each player has to show an ID card so as to prove who they are to opposition managers, - the opposition manager came up to me 5 minutes before kick off and said that one of his boys had misplaced his card asking if he could play, - I asked who the player was to be told that it was the managers son who was standing behind him. As I knew the boy as we had played them a few times before and I knew he was eligible to play I said that I had no problem with him playing. At half time when we were  1-nil down and I was questioning my decision but I have always viewed that youth football at the level we play at is about giving boys chance to play they game they love. - Anyway cut a long story short we won the game so got the 3 points, or so I thought. A few weeks later the game was marked as void and our points removed! Bizarre? The league gave a fine to the opposition but did worse to us even though we did not field an ineligible player and sought no advantage by taking our points away..... This sort of behaviour sums up the small minded nature of the idiots in grass roots who get carried away when put in a position of power where they can make life difficult for others.

We have had a gap in games but have played for the last 2 weekends but for the first time in the teams 7 year history had trouble fielding 11 players for those last 2 games, -  2 have given up playing in our league but reverted to just their Sunday team (different league), 1 has given up completely and others have said that they will not be playing next year, - and that sums up why grass roots football is so wrong!

- I thought that some of you might be interested in my moan!