Football

[YorkshireBear]

Only technically long-defunct. A continuation club was formed as Maidstone Invicta almost immediately after the original club folded and currently play in the Ryman League Div 1 South. And they finally get to move back to a new stadium in the town this summer after 23 years in exile.

Having said all that, Mourinho and Wenger never played higher than amateur level.

Yeah i really do agree. Some top players can prove to be top managers but its not a given. Interesting how things work out that way. I think top players actually make better coaches. Was Fergie a great player? (i dont know that isnt rhetorical)

 

[EM2]

Was Fergie a great player? (i dont know that isnt rhetorical)

Decent, but not great. When he signed for Rangers, it was the record fee between two Scottish clubs http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Ferguson

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

It's official: Roy Hodgson is England's new manager.

From the BBC:



An interesting choice certainly, and one that shows that you don't need to be a top player to be a top manager (the long-defunct Maidstone were his best).

Wait until the "redtops" see the first sign of a bad performance from an England side under his jurisdiction....then the dictionaries will be out in the sub-editors office, where words like "turnips", etc, will be churned out ad nauseum and vitriolic comments will flow forth on the back-page headlines and in their very own "considered comment" columns.

They all feel thwarted that their very own projected favourite, Harry Redknapp, was not even considered for the post, despite their frenetic attempts in print, to have him made the manager of the English national football team.

Hypocrisy is still very much alive and well in the editorial chairs of the sport sections of the "redtops"...

 

[Ferret]

The problem is people actually think England are any good. Get over that misconception and things may be a whole lot calmer.

 

[Ivo]

The problem is people actually think England are any good. Get over that misconception and things may be a whole lot calmer.

I wouldn't say England aren't good; it's just that most clubs and players couldn't care less, and most of the players that do care are too individual to be effective players in the team anyway.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

The problem is people actually think England are any good. Get over that misconception and things may be a whole lot calmer.

Indeed, people need to get out of the mentality that England are up there with Spain, Germany, Uruguay, the Netherlands, Brazil, Portugal... they aren't. On paper and in rankings maybe, but when it comes to getting the job done on the pitch they fall well short.

 

[blanco]

The problem is people actually think England are any good. Get over that misconception and things may be a whole lot calmer.

if the nation puts you on a pedestal then you're doomed to failure fom the beginning. only when the media realize that england don't have the god given right to win every tournament they enter will the fans expectations become realistic.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The problem is people actually think England are any good. Get over that misconception and things may be a whole lot calmer.

You speak much sense on that matter, but it is the media who foster the impression that you refer to, under the guise of "patrioticism", then take delight when the team does not perform to the unrealistic targets set by the media.

A good example of media being totally unreasonable was the "year in/year out" trotting-out of the "Will Henman win Wimbledon this year" storyline, that had no realistic hope of ever happening on the form of the player involved when competing at the very highest level in his sport.

 

[Minilad]

Best quote of the day regarding Hodgson

A broadsheet manager in a tabloid world

Good luck Roy I think you are going to need it. The media knives are waiting and they won't be happy until their little golden boy is in the hotseat.

Make up two top trump cards with arry's achievements and Roys. Arry would get trounced

 

[Oswyntail]

I wouldn't say England aren't good; it's just that most clubs and players couldn't care less, and most of the players that do care are too individual to be effective players in the team anyway.

England are not much good, and have not been for a long time. There may be several talented players, but no one has been able to make them play as a team (except, perhaps, in 1990). This is something that Hodgson is supposedly good at (see Switzerland).
The "couldn't care less" attitude, IMHO, again springs from the papers, pushing their idea that the culmination of a footballers career is no longer representing their country, but playing in the Champions League, and managers taking their players out of sides for "friendlies". Are footballers really completely different from every single sportsman the world over? Of course not - they want to play for their country, and the only ones who say otherwise are either fading or never good enough.

 

[tigerroar]

Do other countries suffer such self-loathing as we do when it comes to football? Our players are every bit bit as good as their foreign counterparts on the whole and with a winning mentality can win things.

 

[Ferret]

Do other countries suffer such self-loathing as we do when it comes to football? Our players are every bit bit as good as their foreign counterparts on the whole and with a winning mentality can win things.

I beg to differ. Did you see the Athletic Bilbao v Scum U game at Old Trafford earlier this season? The technical skill that that team of Spaniards showed that night was far better than anything I've ever seen from Lampard/Gerrard and the rest of the so-called 'golden generation'. The truth is that it doesn't matter who the manager is - our players are reasonable, but not quite good enough when it comes to the highest level of the game.

 

[Robinson]

Do other countries suffer such self-loathing as we do when it comes to football? Our players are every bit bit as good as their foreign counterparts on the whole and with a winning mentality can win things.

As much as it pains me to say it, you'd have to say Scotland have these issues too with club loyalties when the national side are playing.

 

[Eng274]

As much as it pains me to say it, you'd have to say Scotland have these issues too with club loyalties when the national side are playing.

It doesn't help that the Scotland manager is a trumpet of the highest order, I'd perhaps forgive his anti-Hibs bias if he was actually a decent tactician or knew what "Plan B" meant.

There is a reason teams play strikers Craig - going for a 'experimental' 4-6-0 against Czech Republic is like trying to design a rival to the ubiquitous class 66, with square wheels and potato peel for power. Every man and their dog could see "IT WON'T WORK"

 

[tigerroar]

I beg to differ. Did you see the Athletic Bilbao v Scum U game at Old Trafford earlier this season? The technical skill that that team of Spaniards showed that night was far better than anything I've ever seen from Lampard/Gerrard and the rest of the so-called 'golden generation'. The truth is that it doesn't matter who the manager is - our players are reasonable, but not quite good enough when it comes to the highest level of the game.

How many of those players will play against Frank in the Champions League final?

 

[richw]

I think England have made the best choice, out of the available when you look at his CV.
I never realised until yesterday all the silverware Roy has, and that he took Switzerland to quarters of world cup 1994, having never qualified since 1966. He has also been the closest any manager has been to taking Finland to championships.

 

[SS4]

I beg to differ. Did you see the Athletic Bilbao v Scum U game at Old Trafford earlier this season? The technical skill that that team of Spaniards showed that night was far better than anything I've ever seen from Lampard/Gerrard and the rest of the so-called 'golden generation'. The truth is that it doesn't matter who the manager is - our players are reasonable, but not quite good enough when it comes to the highest level of the game.

Well said.

It wouldn't be quite so bad if the press understood this and put a realistic expectation on the team but pigs will fly before than happens
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
My dad (a WBA fan) stated that Hodgson was out of contract at the Hawthorns come June. Make of that what you will

 

[YorkshireBear]

My dad (a WBA fan) stated that Hodgson was out of contract at the Hawthorns come June. Make of that what you will

You mean the fact that he wont cost millions in compensation is a benefit that the FA may of considered? No they wouldnt do such a thing

I think it is the best choice. I agree with what joey barton said on newsnight. He has such a wealth of experience including at international level (which redknapp doesn't). International management is very very different.

 

[Ferret]

How many of those players will play against Frank in the Champions League final?

None, but then Chelsea will still be up against some wonderfully gifted players with a high level of technical skill when they face Bayern. Credit to Chelsea for doing a great defensive job on Barca, and Drogba played them at their own game brilliantly with the theatrics (!!!), but how many times out of 10 will tactics like those work?

 

[ACE1888]

Good luck to Roy Hodgson, hope (but don't expect) the Press/Media give him a fair 'crack of the whip' at the Job

 

[tigerroar]

Darlo have had it then?

 

[Butts]

You mean the fact that he wont cost millions in compensation is a benefit that the FA may of considered? No they wouldnt do such a thing

I think it is the best choice. I agree with what joey barton said on newsnight. He has such a wealth of experience including at international level (which redknapp doesn't). International management is very very different.

Whoevers in charge its diffilcult to make a silk purse out of a sows ear

Good luck Roy

 

[SS4]

Darlo have had it then?

[citation needed]

All I can find on the BBC Sport site is that they're set to leave their ground and hope to groundshare

 

[tigerroar]

None, but then Chelsea will still be up against some wonderfully gifted players with a high level of technical skill when they face Bayern. Credit to Chelsea for doing a great defensive job on Barca, and Drogba played them at their own game brilliantly with the theatrics (!!!), but how many times out of 10 will tactics like those work?

So Lampard is better than them then for what he's achieved.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

[citation needed]

All I can find on the BBC Sport site is that they're set to leave their ground and hope to groundshare

I read that the proposed CVA had been cancelled and they are likely to be liquidated.

 

[Donny Dave]

They still have another month to get something arranged.

 

[jon0844]

but how many times out of 10 will tactics like those work?

Rather too many for my liking, which is making many games a complete joke these days.

Still, when you hear commentators suggesting that a team might have to cheat a little to win a game, you realise that it's not only expected these days but perfectly acceptable.

I'd love for someone to go through the league and work out who might have won or lost a game had blatant cheating not resulted in a free kick, penalty, another player sent off, a goal disallowed or even a goal allowed that never went over the line. We could have an alternative league table which I am sure the top teams might suddenly find themselves further down on!!

 

[Darandio]

He has been getting plaudits, and rightly so, but this Cisse for Newcastle is incredible.

His first goal was wonderful, perfect technique and shouldn't have been bettered tonight. But the second, amazing!

 

[SS4]

Tottenham have done us a big favour tonight, hope they do another one this weekend by not turning up!

Chelsea 0 - 2 Newcastle is now FT

 

[tigerroar]

Rather too many for my liking, which is making many games a complete joke these days.

Still, when you hear commentators suggesting that a team might have to cheat a little to win a game, you realise that it's not only expected these days but perfectly acceptable.

If we're still on about Chelsea here and specifically the Barcelona game lets not forget that Fabregas dived to win a penalty!

 

[MidnightFlyer]

'Papa' Cisse's second goal there is probably the best goal I have ever seen. I can't actually think of a superlative for it!