(UEFA) Football Thread - Football not Soccer

[Jax]

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.

Capello screwed up the WC, we should of won the group and then faced Ghana in the last 16 and NOT germany. The draw against USA was down to picking Green and then tactically failed against Algeria in the 0-0 draw before Germany took us to pieces.

My problem with Capello is his clear lack of understanding about English football, we cannot play like Italy because we can't hold the ball so why play at such a slow pace. Players were always rigid in their positions because Capello anal tempers though somehow Glen Johnson kept getting picked despite never being in his right back slot when we loss the ball.

We won't win 2012 or 2014 but I believe Harry will at least make ENG go down with some fighting spirit like in 96, 98 and even 2004 and not the whimper we had in 2010.

 

[Roger Wilco]

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

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.

I agree. I thought England was finally starting to do pretty well actually.

 

[Starkers]

What's odd is that Capello actually had us playing v well prior to South Africa, but at the actual tournament we were truly woeful. Maybe it was because Capello's strict disciplinarian shtick had been tolerable in small doses but once the players were stuck with it round the clock for days on end it grated? The notion that players were 'bored' was utter crap though, you're at the World Cup, if nothing else you'd think there'd be plenty of footy to watch on the telly! Of course there were clearly other things going on behind the scenes including Rooney getting caught with his pants down and Terry stirring up trouble (odd that now Capello is so supportive of him?). Since south Africa we've been average at best, so I won't miss him.

I'm under no illusions that England will win a major tournament anytime soon, but we do have good enough players that if confidence was high we could make the quarters or even the semis in Euro 2012.

Harry is clearly a good manager, the question is, is he the right manager to take England forward long term? Given his age I'm not sure I'd see him being in post any longer than the World Cup in '14.

I do think Jax is right though, with Harry at least England would go down fighting, and would likely inflict a few bloody noses on the way

This is the FA though, so whilst they should go with either Harry (short term) or Pearce (long term) they'll probably hire David Platt or something...

 

[Camren]

This must really be massaging Terry's already massive ego. England really should ditch Terry, the guy is a massive problem for the squad and always has been. Now a manager has lost his job because of him and the preparations for the Euros has been thrown into chaos. Thanks "JT", you massive fucking prick.

 

[Starkers]

Well it might be for the best. Clearly none of this would have happened if Terry had done what Chris Huhne did last week, and simply stepped down as captain. He could have appeared magnanimous and it'd have given him some positive PR which he frankly needs given he comes across as an arrogant thug. It wouldn't have been an admission of guilt-- I don't like the guy but he is innocent until proven guilty-- and most people would have understood that he was stepping down to prevent controversy and to remove a distraction England didn't need.

Instead he comes across as an egotist, which I guess makes sense. Let's be honest John 'King of Shaves' Terry needs England far more than England needs him.

 

[Sandoval]

To be honest I don't think John Terry is even that good - his performances of late look distinctly average from where I'm sitting.

 

[Jax]

Yeh Terry's best days are behind him I would like to see Cahill, Dawson, Jones and Jagielka to be our 4 central defenders (Smalling over Jagks if he plays more in cb).

 

[Angel4576]

^^ Possibly Shawcross as well, but no, definitely not Terry. Should have been dropped a long time ago, on form alone.

 

[HappyDayRiot]

I think it's fair to say after all this Terry/Capello/FA/Evra/Suarez/Redknapp stuff, that English football is in complete meltdown. It never seems to be about two teams on the pitch anymore - and certainly not in any game between clubs from the top 6 of the Premier League. Can anyone remember the last one that didn't have some whipped-up controversy in it, probably involving a refereeing decision? The whole thing is a soap opera to sell papers and fuel Sky Sports News, it seems.

I'm also pissed off that Cardiff's PA have started playing music when we score a goal at home. A practice I despise and has actually prompted me to write to the club and complain. Is there any more soulless, atmosphere-crushing practice than to drown out the sounds of cheering and applause of the vast majority of the stadium? Just awful.

 

[Angel4576]

^^ Get yourself down to Forest mate, they have a similar set up there, but yesterday was the first time they've heard any music since November......!

 

[Sandoval]

I'm also pissed off that Cardiff's PA have started playing music when we score a goal at home.

Surely they can't play it often enough to piss anyone off?

 

[HappyDayRiot]

^ nicely played We're the division's second top scorers at home though

I'll probably have to just put up with it... at least it means we're scoring goals at least!

 

[Sandoval]

What do they play?

 

[Starkers]

Football?

Sorry, I'm so sorry

So Rangers and Pompy heading for administration? I'm guessing Rangers will survive, and might not even end up needing to actually go into administration, but Portsmouth?

I'm amazed they're still breathing to be honest, can't see them being in the championship next season and they may not even be in the league full stop at this rate.

Bit of a lifeline for either Forest or Donny though...

 

[Angel4576]

Any other season I'd probably applaud Pompey's demise. until an example is made of someone then teams like Leeds, Leicester etc will continue to take the p1ss by using administration as a form of shirking their debts.

That being said, not this season though, not when Forest might go down.......!

Rangers - they threatened administration yesterday as a tactic to safeguard them against them losing their current case with the HMRC - I see that today though that HMRC have fired back by trying to put the club into administration themselves. The difference being that if HMRC puts them in then they get to choose the administrators rather than the club.

 

[HappyDayRiot]

What do they play?

I'm not sure what the song actually is but it's one that the fans nicked the tune from for our Kevin McNaughton song. Doesn't matter now - no music last night* and rumour had it there were lots of complaints!

Pompey are truly screwed. How the hell they haven't been liquidated already I have no idea. Rangers is a total mess...but 10 points off and they're still about 10 points clear in second place. Hardly fatal.

*we won 3-1

 

[Roger Wilco]

no music last night* and rumour had it there were lots of complaints!

Congrats. My club has been playing stupid shit after goals as far back as I can remember (almost 20 years by now, I'm getting old...). I like that there are still clubs that do some things old-school, especially in Britain.

 

[Sandoval]

I want Blackpool back up. I'm a Liverpool fan but Ian Holloway is just pure entertainment.

 

[Starkers]

I can't believe Huddersfield have sacked Lee Clark?!

 

[Angel4576]

I can't believe that Arsenal are as shambolic as they were last night.

Wenger really needs to sort that defence out, they're just far too lightweight. T'was literally like watching a professional side playing my lad's U11 side.

Fair play to Milan, they were brilliant, and great to watch. Wenger really needs to stop d1cking about and sort that squad out. Take RvP out of that side and they're very average. Too many players who shouldn't be anywhere near their first team.