The Real Football Thread

[BigMac]

I strongly dislike Blatter, but hope he goes nowhere now because of billion-dollar sponsor pressure. To hell with McDonald's and friends, they're only worried about their profits. Blatter stepping down before elections would only empower those companies, and would be another kick on real justice.

 

[Amsterhammer]

I strongly dislike Blatter, but hope he goes nowhere now because of billion-dollar sponsor pressure. To hell with McDonald's and friends, they're only worried about their profits. Blatter stepping down before elections would only empower those companies, and would be another kick on real justice.

I really can't understand this bizarre point of view. My views about corporations are irrelevant here, as yours should be, when we are talking about the worst, most corrupt bandit ever to run a world sporting body. Blatter needs to be hounded out now, and publicly shamed and ridiculed. He is as bad of a crook and liar as Lance.

 

[BigMac]

My point is, folks have been asking for Blatter's immediate resign for ages, I just don't fancy him stepping down because of big corp pressure. He will go away anyway, that's as certain as death and taxes. I want him to sink into oblivion for the right reasons.

 

[The Hitch]

The irony of a poster called bigmac attacking Mcdonalds aside, I get what he is saying. Don't like these corporations being legitimized by getting credit for the final nail in SB's coffin.
It would be kind of like praising the hit on Carmine Galante. He was a bad person, but the Genovese and Gambino famillies behind it were only acting in their own interests, not doing it for the good of man.

I approach it from a different angle slightly though. I like Blatter staying because as long as he's the head people know and accept how corrupt FIFA is.
Will the successor be any better?

I don't know. But I can't help but think back to our own election 2 years ago. Used car salesmen like JV were selling crookson as a clean alternative to the tainted mcquaid. I, for my own faults, did not see through it then.

Those who pointed out cookson was just another mcquaid, were abused quite heavily in the clinic, dismissed as mcquaid fans, or by some as "anti British". Standing on the sidelines, I regretably did not get involved. But they were right.

It would have been easier with Mcquaid still in power. Because then you could just say - look Mcquaid is in power, and that's all that would be needed.

Instead with cookson you have to start the whole game from scratch. Wade through loads of nonsence about how he's a good guy who's doing what's right and wants to improve sport. Like it once was with Mcquaid. You have to play the whole "is he really corrupt" game, all over again.

Sociologically, what this tells us is that a corrupt organization will not be made uncorrupt by removing one bad guy. It didn't happen in Baltimore either even though Carcetti really wanted to make things better.

Blatter deserves to fall, but as long as he doesn't have the respect of anyone, I prefer him in the throne with the sword of damocles over his head, than with it lodged in his head and a superficially different version of himself sitting on a now safe chair.

I get that most people see things differently. But for me, what I fear most, always, are the wolves in sheeps clothing, over those like Blatter, who everyone can hear howling from 10 miles away.

 

[l.Harm]

Chelsea's ridiculous this season. And still nobody got a clue. They all underperform. Ivanovic is terrible, Fabregas and Hazard are nowhere near last season's form. Southampton fully deserved the win yesterday.

 

[gooner]

That first 25 mins from Arsenal were the best I seen in years from them. A pity about the injuries to Wilshere, Welbeck, Rosicky and the failure to sign a couple of more players in the summer. Wenger messed up the transfer window and I think it was a huge opportunity missed. They could have won the league but he made a judgement call to stick with more or less the same team, despite having huge funds available and I think this will still come back to haunt him before the end of the season.

As for Blatter, the replacement has always been the worry. If he left now, Issa Hayatou is next in line to see out the period until the election comes around and he's basically a carbon copy (maybe worse) than Blatter. He just changed the rules practically in a dictator role with regards to the age limit of the president of CAF so he can get another term. This fellow is up to his eyeballs involved in corruption about ISL and links too to bribes with Qatar. The thought of him in the role. Deary me.

I remember Sunil Gulati at the US FA was touted as a possible good contender but his silence through the Chuck Blazer stuff portrays him in poor light. Andrew Jennings for one has said he should he be gone as head of the US FA. I have read a lot of good stuff on Prince Ali, he was one of the only few who handed back the watches worth thousands that were handed out to FIFA ExCo members at the the World Cup last year and reported it to the FIFA Ethics Committee. Away from football, he has done a lot of great work with the refugees in Jordan. Maybe he might be worth a shout.

Gary Neville said in it a nutshell on Sky a couple of weeks back. FIFA is a toilet and it needs flushing. The FA in England are still supporting Platini and Platini still has significant power over the lesser countries in UEFA due to his expansion of the European Championships.

 

[gooner]

BBC say Liverpool make contact with Klopp.

Ben Smith ‏@BenSmithBBC 19m19 minutes ago
#LFC have made contact with Jurgen Klopp camp. The German is open to moving to Anfield but deal and conditions will need to be right

I think he should stay well clear under the current structures at the club.

 

[gooner]

Blatter's advisor says he has been provisionally suspended by the FIFA Ethics Committee for 90 days.

http://news.sky.com/story/1565535/fifa-chief-blatter-provisionally-suspended

 

[Rechtschreibfehler]

Gerd Müller Fußballgott!

 

[Pricey_sky]

Over the past couple of years I've got into the Australian A League, it's quite entertaining although obviously lacks the quality of the top leagues. Id put the standard about the level of the Championship or top of league 1 in England.

 

[l.Harm]

Both Blatter and Platini suspended for 90 days. To be continued...

 

[Amsterhammer]

Jurgen Klopp has agreed a three-year deal to become Liverpool manager.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/34469429

 

[del1962]

So the Faroe Islands are leading in Hungary, NI beating Greece

I like NI manager because I remember him playing for the toon in the 80s alongside Gazza.

EDIT: 3-0 that looks like NI are going to the Euros

 

[Pricey_sky]

Superb achievement from Northern Ireland to qualify for the finals. Ireland beating Germany too! Great night

 

[BigMac]

Congratulations to gooner.

Denmark should go through as well.

 

[gooner]

Great night. Best result since the win against Holland to qualify over them for '02 World Cup. Wes Hoolahan was outstanding. A pity about that last minute goal by Lewandowski. Now we need a win or a score draw 2-2 and higher, instead of any draw doing us. I still think it will be a play-off in the end.

Well done to Northern Ireland. I know Michael O'Neill from his time at Shamrock Rovers where he did extremely well and he got the job on the back of his work there. It was a surprise appointment but it has worked out. He deserves huge credit and so too do the IFA for the appointment of him.

 

[bp92]

Meanwhile, CONMEBOL WC qualifiers being as crazy as ever.
Brazil lost in Chile (not that unexpected, Chile's been on fire for a while), Argentina lost to Ecuador at home (this one WAS unexpected, I think the last time Argentina lost at home was the 0-5 against Colombia 22 years ago). Uruguay and Paraguay won away from home too.
The only game that went as expected was Colombia-Peru, and even then it was pretty close.

 

[gooner]

More evidence emerges against Blatter and Platini.

Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini face being thrown out of football for years on the basis of new secret evidence of financial wrongdoing passed to FIFA’s ethics committee in the past few days, a senior source inside the world governing body has told The Mail on Sunday.

If it transpires to be as damning as insiders believe, Blatter’s 17-year reign as president will be over for good, while Platini’s future in football politics will be in shreds.

‘Emotions are high at present but this is far more serious than anyone can imagine,’ said a high-ranking source close to the ethics committee. ‘The reality is that this is beyond clumsiness, it possibly verges on a criminal offence.’

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/sport/article-3267827/Michel-Platini-facing-ban-years-FIFA-source-says-new-secret-evidence-verging-criminal-Sepp-Blatter-leave-UEFA-chief-wilderness.html

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re:

Congratulations to gooner.

Denmark should go through as well.

Not sure about Denmark. If Albania beat bottom side Armenia tonight then Denmark must rely on a play-off with Albania qualifying for a major tournament, that would be a huge shock.

 

[Pricey_sky]

It's official, Albania will play in the finals next summer. What a super achievement from the minnows.

 

[gooner]

A travesty how Casillas is ahead of De Gea for Spain.

De Gea was excellent again tonight.

Total favouritism on the part of Del Bosque, especially as there have been plenty of opportunities to move Casillas aside.

His job is to pick players on performances and merit.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re:

A travesty how Casillas is ahead of De Gea for Spain.

De Gea was excellent again tonight.

Total favouritism on the part of Del Bosque, especially as there have been plenty of opportunities to move Casillas aside.

His job is to pick players on performances and merit.

Personally I think De Gea will be number 1 for Spain next summer.

 

[gooner]

Re: Re:

A travesty how Casillas is ahead of De Gea for Spain.

De Gea was excellent again tonight.

Total favouritism on the part of Del Bosque, especially as there have been plenty of opportunities to move Casillas aside.

His job is to pick players on performances and merit.

Personally I think De Gea will be number 1 for Spain next summer.

I hope you're right but I wouldn't be so sure. A lot of Spanish based journos saying the same tonight.

Del Bosque said he wouldn't pick De Gea if he didn't play regularly at United after the Madrid move fell through. Yet still picked Casillas as No.1 for the World Cup when he was behind Diego Lopez at Madrid for the whole season and who by the way played very well. That Champions League final he was at fault for Godin's goal and he shouldn't have even made it to the World Cup as No.1. If it wasn't for Ramos' last minute equaliser, Casillas would have been remembered more for that game for all the wrong reason. Casillas had a terrible World Cup and still kept his place. Then makes a huge mistake against Slovakia which gifted them a win in the qualifier last year and De Gea comes in for the following game a few days later against Luxembourg. Like everyone else, I thought that was Casillas finished as No.1. Even in the period after that for Madrid, he had poor games against Schalke and Juve where he should have saved Morata's shot and in the end Del Bosque selects him for the home game against Ukraine. Take this season for Porto, he wasn't too great either against Chelsea in the Champions League. During all this period, De Gea has been near flawless for United. It's frightening to think where they would have been if he wasn't around the last two seasons. And that's taking into account United's league finishes of 7th and 4th. That save against Southampton this season would take some beating.

This shouldn't even be up for debate and this is clear favouritism by Del Bosque. This can't be based on performance.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Yes I agree with you Gooner, Casillas has been past his best for at least the last 2 seasons. He has made some pretty clumsy mistakes which a top keeper should not make. Meanwhile De Gea has grown from strength to strength. After a dodgy first season at united where he was almost bullied by opposition attackers he has grown up and become stronger. On many occasions he has been the Man United man of the match, he is rightly one of the best 3 goalkeepers in the world at this point alongside Neuer and Courtois.

 

[gooner]

That Allardyce is something else.