(UEFA) Football Thread - Football not Soccer

[Starkers]

Three amigos to Gadsby to the yanks. Whatever next! The trouble with howard was that without him we only really had Pesch and Lupoli, neither of whom are the strong target man type! I really wished we'd bought Stead, instead we got Mackin (I think) who was pants!

Pesch is my kind of player though, hard working terrier of a forward, a bit like Dikov from what I saw of him last season.

 

[Angel4576]

Did Macken ever score for us? I don't think he did. Fcuking useless most of the time for us, although to be fair, he very rarely got to start.

Stead did well for us when he came in but Sunderland were very reluctant to let him go sadly.

On the positive side of Howard being injured and us having no like-for-like replacement; We'd have had to have played Lupoli and/or Pesch and possibly played better football for it. The number of scrappy/dull 1-0 wins we had that season was ridiculous. Of course no one really complained at the time as a win's a win and we were going for promotion, but in hindsight, got we played some dull football that year.

 

[Starkers]

Macken was a very obvious panic signing when Billy suddenly realised he only had one big target man and that we probably couldn't play any other way! One of several poor transfer window decisions (another being only signing midfielders and full backs of which we had plenty and not getting a central defender, a decision that nearly screwed us when Darren Moore got that ridiculous 5 game ban!)

 

[Shazam!]

Seriously it's ridiculous to have a team who finished 16 points behind the champions in the Champions' league!

I agree, it's mental. Only the actual champions (and the holders) should go into the Champions' League.

2nd, 3rd and Mickey Mouse Cup should go into UEFA Cup (fuck the 'Europa' League, it's the UEFA Cup) and they should bring back the Cup Winners' Cup for FA Cup winners.

 

[Angel4576]

Macken was a very obvious panic signing when Billy suddenly realised he only had one big target man and that we probably couldn't play any other way! One of several poor transfer window decisions (another being only signing midfielders and full backs of which we had plenty and not getting a central defender, a decision that nearly screwed us when Darren Moore got that ridiculous 5 game ban!)

Billy's usual transfer policy seemed to be based around players that had previously played in some capacity for Preston, and anyone from north of the border.

When he ventured beyond that, it usually mean't trouble!

Re the Champions League, restructuring it to just include the winners of each league would be a bit pointless now, otherwise you might as well and go the whole way and just say "Fuck it, we'll just have 2 semi finals with the winners of the English, Spanish, Italian and German leagues competing".

 

[Starkers]

Yup you either had to have played for Preson, been Scottish, or been Scottish and played for Preston Certainly it seemed that way at times...at Forest he seems obsessed with strikers where at Derby it was midfielders. Very odd, I think he has some kind of transfer related OCD...

 

[Jax]

Milner has told O Neill he wants to go according to reports and cue another Englishman fucking up his career. Man City are in the Europa League like Villa so no CL football so clearly its down to money that will probably ruin him...

Where the hell are Man City goin to play him ? they are buying enough players to form 2 PL teams and have benches for em both . Milner stay where you are unless top 3 come calling who might actually improve you because Mancini is a fool who thinks buying will win him stuff, hes forgotten that when Jose did he could actually coach those players.

 

[HappyDayRiot]

If Milner goes to City, he is a complete fool. I've lost count of how many midfielders and wingers City have already. It's fucking absurd.

They should be damn well made to sell before they buy and have a reasonably-sized squad like all the other credible teams. They are a plague on football, a million times worse than Chelsea ever were. I hope every club alive wrings twice what a player's worth out of them for their short-term, trophyless quest.

All that said, if Milner goes Villa are fucked as well. They've got very little left these days and don't seem to buy the quality they need.

 

[Starkers]

Milner has told O Neill he wants to go according to reports and cue another Englishman fucking up his career. Man City are in the Europa League like Villa so no CL football so clearly its down to money that will probably ruin him...

Where the hell are Man City goin to play him ? they are buying enough players to form 2 PL teams and have benches for em both . Milner stay where you are unless top 3 come calling who might actually improve you because Mancini is a fool who thinks buying will win him stuff, hes forgotten that when Jose did he could actually coach those players.

Well in fairness whilst neither are in the CL, City have a way better chance of winning the league than Villa, and given the CL as a distraction for the others I don't think its that unlikely.

But yeah another player about to dissapear into the City black hole. They remind me a bit of Blackburn years ago, who had a plan that seemed to involve buying every player who might be any good, just to stop someone else buying them!

And Jose didn't even throw that much money at the team did he? He seemed to prefer buying players who fit the team rather than just players who were highly thought of/expensive.

If Milner goes to City, he is a complete fool. I've lost count of how many midfielders and wingers City have already. It's fucking absurd.

They should be damn well made to sell before they buy and have a reasonably-sized squad like all the other credible teams. They are a plague on football, a million times worse than Chelsea ever were. I hope every club alive wrings twice what a player's worth out of them for their short-term, trophyless quest.

All that said, if Milner goes Villa are fucked as well. They've got very little left these days and don't seem to buy the quality they need.

I take it the only 24 (or is it 25?) players over 21 rule that Derby and Cardiff et al are going to have to live with from now on only applies to the football league and not the Prem?

 

[Shaytan]

I don't know where to post this video so :
http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/good_day_ny/new-york-red-bull-thierry-henry-20100719

I'm still not sure who's the idiot here (the 3 of them maybe)

 

[HappyDayRiot]

Milner has told O Neill he wants to go according to reports and cue another Englishman fucking up his career. Man City are in the Europa League like Villa so no CL football so clearly its down to money that will probably ruin him...

Where the hell are Man City goin to play him ? they are buying enough players to form 2 PL teams and have benches for em both . Milner stay where you are unless top 3 come calling who might actually improve you because Mancini is a fool who thinks buying will win him stuff, hes forgotten that when Jose did he could actually coach those players.

Well in fairness whilst neither are in the CL, City have a way better chance of winning the league than Villa, and given the CL as a distraction for the others I don't think its that unlikely.

But yeah another player about to dissapear into the City black hole. They remind me a bit of Blackburn years ago, who had a plan that seemed to involve buying every player who might be any good, just to stop someone else buying them!

And Jose didn't even throw that much money at the team did he? He seemed to prefer buying players who fit the team rather than just players who were highly thought of/expensive.

If Milner goes to City, he is a complete fool. I've lost count of how many midfielders and wingers City have already. It's fucking absurd.

They should be damn well made to sell before they buy and have a reasonably-sized squad like all the other credible teams. They are a plague on football, a million times worse than Chelsea ever were. I hope every club alive wrings twice what a player's worth out of them for their short-term, trophyless quest.

All that said, if Milner goes Villa are fucked as well. They've got very little left these days and don't seem to buy the quality they need.

I take it the only 24 (or is it 25?) players over 21 rule that Derby and Cardiff et al are going to have to live with from now on only applies to the football league and not the Prem?

I've never heard of that rule but it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest.

Not that it matters too much - we haven't got that many players

 

[Starkers]

Linky

Under the home-grown rule, clubs' first-team squads will be restricted to 25 players over the age of 21, of which 10 must be registered in domestic football for three seasons before their 21st birthday. There will be no restriction on players under the age of 21, however.

 

[Angel4576]

See we're offering a 2 year contract to the young American lad on trial, Conor Doyle. Played very well in the friendlies. According to Nige they only fielded him against Burton because they wanted to field two different teams, one for each half, and needed him to make up the numbers. Since then, played in every game and looked good.

Still looking at taking a Premier League striker on-loan as well apparently.

Still think we'll end up with James Vaughan back again.

 

[Jax]

Linky

Under the home-grown rule, clubs' first-team squads will be restricted to 25 players over the age of 21, of which 10 must be registered in domestic football for three seasons before their 21st birthday. There will be no restriction on players under the age of 21, however.

I just read its 8 players and they must of been signed before the age of 21 and played 3 seasons or more at your club. Looked at Utd and players like Nani & Anderson count but even then Fergie needs to cut his squad by a few players either sell, loan or back up but then back ups can only be 21 or under. Also if you can't meet the 8 home grown rule you can only have a 21 man squad.

 

[Angel4576]

Derby 1 Stoke 0

Only a friendly, but living near Stoke, that's a welcome result.

Plenty of one-way banter in the office today.

Even at our lowest ebb, we're still better than Stoke.......

 

[Starkers]

Linky

Under the home-grown rule, clubs' first-team squads will be restricted to 25 players over the age of 21, of which 10 must be registered in domestic football for three seasons before their 21st birthday. There will be no restriction on players under the age of 21, however.

I just read its 8 players and they must of been signed before the age of 21 and played 3 seasons or more at your club. Looked at Utd and players like Nani & Anderson count but even then Fergie needs to cut his squad by a few players either sell, loan or back up but then back ups can only be 21 or under. Also if you can't meet the 8 home grown rule you can only have a 21 man squad.

Different rules for the Prem and the FL I think.

The 25 man squad rule in the prem is going to shake things up a bit, they're already suggesting that certain players who are injured might not make it into their team's squads and might have to wait for January! At this rate we might end up with a lot of players either stuck in the reserves, or see the likes of Woodgate/Hargreaves etc playing in the Championship soon!

Derby 1 Stoke 0

Only a friendly, but living near Stoke, that's a welcome result.

Plenty of one-way banter in the office today.

Even at our lowest ebb, we're still better than Stoke.......

Isn't everyone better than Stoke?

I'd heard Doyle looks quite handy, I see Varney scored two last night! Really don't see why we don't give him a go, is he really that bad? I hear as well that despite looking all skinny a few weeks ago, Commons if overweight again already!?

 

[HappyDayRiot]

Liverpool 2-0 up on Robotnik. Ho hum. I see Roy's been replaced by Mark Hughes at Fulham now - sounds like a good bet to me. An even better bet: Craig Bellamy to be a Fulham player by the end of August.

It's a shame TNS and Bangor both got thrashed. There's real Welsh solidarity going for those guys around here this year! At least TNS can fall into the Europa league once Anderlecht are done with them though - what a payday for a Welsh Premier team!

I'm also still laughing at Celtic last night too. How do you like the Champions League, Joe Ledley? Idiot. Complete idiot.

My season ticket arrived this week actually. I've not been following our pre-season too closely, but I'm hoping we're looking at least competent. We let some deadwood go after Wembley, plus Ledley who did sod all last year anyway, and have Drinkwater in from Man United who's apparently pretty decent. Got to worry when you're under a transfer embargo though, and Motherwell are demanding a payment for Paul Quinn (can they just have him back? And Hudson to Charlton please?).

I reckon mid-table beckons this year. Bristol, Boro and Reading to duke it out at the top. We won't be anyway near the play-offs without strengthening, and it doesn't look like happening. Never mind - it can't always be glory days, can it?

 

[Jax]

Based our pre season so far and the fact our squad is 2 players less than in May with no new signings I think we can forget about the playoffs right now. Billy D and the entire Forest transfer board are pissing me right off I wish the lot of em would just fuck off.

I will prob say 15th.

 

[Mr Radioactive]

In the Bundesliga the clubs have to provide evidence that they're in good financial health. This system should be implemented in England, and in the Champions League too.

 

[Starkers]

Based our pre season so far and the fact our squad is 2 players less than in May with no new signings I think we can forget about the playoffs right now. Billy D and the entire Forest transfer board are pissing me right off I wish the lot of em would just fuck off.

I will prob say 15th.

I'm actually surprised Billy is still there. I can't see you dropping that low, I'd be more inclined to say just outside the playoffs...having said that if Billy doesn't give a shit anymore that might make a difference.

From a personal viewpoint I'm with your board on this, Billy with a blank cheque book is not what you want. I think unfortunately he already has his excuses in place for when he walks/engineers his own sacking.

I reckon mid-table beckons this year. Bristol, Boro and Reading to duke it out at the top. We won't be anyway near the play-offs without strengthening, and it doesn't look like happening. Never mind - it can't always be glory days, can it?

Really? The only one of those three I can see mixing it at the top is Boro (or New Celtic as they must surely be now known) I think it'll take Coppell a season at least to get Bristol in shape, and Reading?

I have a feeling we're going to finish between 10th and 7th, thus annoyingly just missing out on the play offs!