(UEFA) Football Thread - Football not Soccer

Discussion in 'Sports and Fitness' started by Jax, Apr 1, 2008.

  1. gblews

    gblews Vice Admiral Admiral

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    :lol: Good lord...and I've been spending the last 15 minutes or so cursing out the bbs for eating my post. Sorry folks.
     
  2. HappyDayRiot

    HappyDayRiot Commodore Commodore

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    Better still, get rid of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy and boot the Premier League sides out of the League Cup full-stop. Divisons 2-4 involved only. Maybe the PL sides might bother trying to win the only Cup left to them then. I have no idea about the European places available but frankly we have too many anyway.
     
  3. Roger Wilco

    Roger Wilco Admiral Admiral

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    Considering that English clubs don't seem to give a fuck about the European Cup, especially the Europa League, I agree.

    Maybe they should follow your plan, but still reward the winner with a EC spot. I bet West Ham, Leeds, Derby, etc. would bust their asses at the chance of playing against clubs like Dortmund, Porto, Lazio, ect in competitive matches (and for a handsome bit of money too).
     
  4. Angel4576

    Angel4576 Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    The JP trophy idea is certainly a good one.

    In terms of European qualification - personally, I'd have the top 3 qualifying for the CL, and then the FA Cup winners taking the fourth spot. That would get the bigger teams interested again, especially considering that there are effectively 6 teams going for 4 spaces now and it's not always guaranteed which 4 teams will get those spots.

    I'd also get rid of his b0ll0cks about losers getting into Europe if the winners have already qualified. Nope. In that scenario the spot should go back to the league.
     
  5. HappyDayRiot

    HappyDayRiot Commodore Commodore

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    Wow, support? I came up with that on the spot!

    I think four clubs from one country for the CL is too many. Especially when there's only 3 for the Europa beneath. Could flip that around... or bring back the Cup Winners Cup for, well, Cup Winners.

    I'm not sure about the FA Cup losers point - Stoke are the only Europa side from England who are giving the Europa a good fist (maybe Brum I suppose). Depends on who the loser is, I guess - someone like Arsenal or City wouldn't worry too much about it, Stoke/Everton/Villa might.

    Nothing will ever change though - promotion/relegation is just too costly to stop teams priortising league over cup. Teams would rather the ridiculous windfall from winning the play-off final than winning the FA Cup. And sadly that attitude has spread from the boardroom to the players and the fans. I don't buy it at all - a trophy is a trophy, and how many teams ever win one compared to how many get promoted for a handful of seasons? Would yo-yo clubs like Brum and WBA really like to stay as they are bouncing up and down divisions rather than going and winning a cup?*



    *Brum probably not the best example as they won the League Cup last year and got relegated to boot. Fans loved it though.
     
  6. Angel4576

    Angel4576 Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    The CL these days is a joke. It's a closed shop, with the rare exception, where it's either Spanish or English teams in the latter stages with the odd Italian and German team thrown in. Personally, I wouldn't have a problem if they went right back to only the league winners qualifying, that would make it much more interesting. Never happen though, far too much money in it now for Uefa and the clubs.

    FA Cup losers - I just think it makes a bit of a mockery of qualification when you qualify by losing. I take the point of the smaller teams taking the competition more seriously, but for me they should try and get the bigger teams interested again. One way of doing that would be to reward the cup winners with a CL spot.
     
  7. Skywalker

    Skywalker Admiral Admiral

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    Good on Everton for beating Manchester City. They seem to have had a pretty rough season so far, so a win like this is great for them.
     
  8. Starkers

    Starkers Admiral Admiral

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    Terry's lost tha captaincy again I see. Odd one this, personally I think he's a toerag, but he hasn't actually been convicted of anything yet, and if he can't be captain of England is there an argument that he shouldn't even be playing for England whilst this is hanging over him?

    In other news a lovely article in the Independant today suggesting forest need to be more like Derby :lol:
     
  9. Jax

    Jax Admiral Admiral

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    Terry never should of gotten it back and Terry shouldn't play for ENG at the moment but mainly due to his form being poor.
     
  10. Angel4576

    Angel4576 Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Shocking news. Sympathies to all concerned. :(
     
  11. Jax

    Jax Admiral Admiral

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    :( R.I.P Nigel.
     
  12. Jax

    Jax Admiral Admiral

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    FABIO CAPELLO LEAVES ENGLAND

    :drool:
     
  13. Sandoval

    Sandoval Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Thank fuck for that!!

    And on the same day tax-dodging 'Arry Redknapp was cleared of, um, tax dodging.

    That all fell into place quite nicely. :lol:
     
  14. Shazam!

    Shazam! Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    An Italian leaving a sinking ship? Sounds familiar...
     
  15. Sandoval

    Sandoval Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    So Harry Redknapp will become the new English manager

    But for legal reasons he will have to sign the contract under his dogs name.
     
  16. Starkers

    Starkers Admiral Admiral

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    What happens now will, in my opinion define what kind of a man Redknapp is. Irrespective of it being the biggest job imaginable for him, Spurs are in a great position, and the club and chairman have given him fantastic support during the trial. If he jumps ship without a bye your leave then I think Tottenham have a right to feel aggrieved.

    That said he's also the best man for the job (by which I mean best of a bad bunch) so ideally he needs to take the job after 2012, or else the FA and Spurs need to come to an arrangement so he can have some invovlement, then take full charge in time for the Euros. Interesting times at least.
     
  17. Sandoval

    Sandoval Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    I can't see Redknapp leaving Spurs at this stage of the season with them in such a strong position - I'd imagine that City and Utd have got the top two places sewn up but finishing third place in the Prem will be a great result for Tottenham.

    Perhaps England can get by with a caretaker manager until 'Arry is done with Spurs.
     
  18. Jax

    Jax Admiral Admiral

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    Gus Hiddunk has expressed an interest for Euro 2012 with England though I wonder if Harry Redknapp could do both jobs for now since we only play 3 friendlies then take it full time after the PL season is over. That way Spurs have time to find an relacement but would Spurs be willing to do that and would Harry actually prefer to come in after Euro 2012 so not to be tained by that if we do poorly.
     
  19. Sandoval

    Sandoval Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Hiddink is probably still waiting for a call from Chelski when Abramovich's patience with AVB runs out.
     
  20. Garak

    Garak Cruisin' Premium Member

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    "Accepting his resignation" a few months before the Euro 2012, this really is a great commentary on the dysfunctional nature of English international football. :lol:

    Capello had a decent record as manager, I'm surprised to see how many people are overjoyed at this. Is it something to do with his team selections in South Africa? England has to face the fact that there are better teams in the world than them, round of 16 was probably the best you could have hoped for back then.