General Football Discussion

[SPL]

I would say we would play alot like Barca if we had Messi up front .

[SPL]

Seriously(sorry aveslacker couldn't resist the last post but we do miss Anita) a good read and I would go along with all your comments. We are still a work in progress under de Boer and as pointed out we have to rebuild regularly and Barca do have one of the all time greats ,now 88 goals this year. I am happy with what de Boer is doing and I think both Fischer and Andersen will improve our lot the more they play. Just think with these 2 we will see more of the ball in the opposition final third .Poulsen is not the answer to replacing Anita.

One though about de Boer with talk of Wenger going at Arsenal you could see them trying to pinch him and bring Bergkamp with him back to London. Hope this does not happen.

[aveslacker]

I would say we would play alot like Barca if we had Messi up front .

Nah. We don't need him.

[SPL]

AGOVV Apeldoorn declared bankrupt today but are likely to appeal so are still in business,just . Sounds like the local council have not bailed them out with debts of about 1m .
Hope they do not got he same way as Haarlem and RBC Roosendaal

[SE6Ajacied]

AGOVV Apeldoorn declared bankrupt today but are likely to appeal so are still in business,just . Sounds like the local council have not bailed them out with debts of about 1m .
Hope they do not got he same way as Haarlem and RBC Roosendaal

Oh not another .

Huntelaar;s old team (on loan I think) as well, I saw them play at Volendam once, quite a few years ago now but happy days.

[Van basten]

Guess who's the leader of distance covered in CL? Two more Ajax players in top 8 runners!

http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague ... index.html

[Manneken Pis]

I'm assuming you're aware of this ....

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013 ... NTCMP=SRCH

I'm assuming you have something to say ....

[aveslacker]

I'm assuming you're aware of this ....

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013 ... NTCMP=SRCH

I'm assuming you have something to say ....

I understand the sentiment but I'm not a fan of the image of a sheikh being used. That doesn't help things. Maybe it wasn't intended to be racist, but a lot of people could interpret it that way.

[paladinby]

I'm assuming you're aware of this ....

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013 ... NTCMP=SRCH

I'm assuming you have something to say ....

UEFA will always protect and push forward the moneybag teams. There's no way to fight it.

[Philippe]

Almost smashed my tv set during the Celtic - juventus game.
Could not believe my eyes.
Shame on the referee, and on the UEFA.
No shame expected from the shameless old hooker.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013 ... eil-lennon

[Tom_]

Haha, the ITV commentators were a real laugh during this game. Interesting reversal from them, they normally complain about soft fouls being called when UK clubs play against continental teams—"they're not up to the rough and tumble, it's a man's game" etc. Last night: physical play "is just part of the Italian game". Idiots.

I have no love for Juventus, but I didn't think the wrestling was that big a deal. Hooper's sole intent was to obstruct the keeper... the defender was trying to stop him. Pushing on both sides. 4 yellow cards given out, two for each team. Sounds about right. Impressive 70 minutes from Celtic, but it was also funny to hear Lennon whinging after the match—I guess he forgot that he instructed Hooper to block the keeper?

[Orange14]

I watched the match as I'm a Juve fan because of the interesting style of football they play these days. I've seen enough Spanish league matches that Mallenco has called and he's a good match official. Celtic players were just as much to blame here with all the pushing and shoving. The only time they were ever dangerous was on corner kicks and really did little during the run of play. Of course Lennon is upset but he should better focus on the really shoddy play of Ambrose who was at fault on two of the Juve goals. Interesting that this was the first non-Barcelona team to win in Glasgow in CL football.

[SE6Ajacied]

Interesting that this was the first non-Barcelona team to win in Glasgow in CL football.

The cynic in me would say taht's because they've not got far enough in the CL to play anyone significant very often

Watched most of the game last night, ITV commentators as usual a) cliched and b) partizan. Thought referee was poor though, un some cases it was possibly 50/50 Celtic's fault but the referee gave nothing at all in most cases.

Not particularly a Celtic fan but definately prefer them over the other lot.....

[Orange14]

This is rather sad news given the homophobia in professional sports: http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/13417 ... ay?cc=5901 Rogers spent half a season at Heerenveen before coming back to the US and playing in our domestic league. He was a very quick wing player and had considerable promise getting called up to the US NT several times. I always thought he should have stuck with Heerenveen a little longer as it would have done more to improve his game than our league.

[SE6Ajacied]

This is rather sad news given the homophobia in professional sports: http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/13417 ... ay?cc=5901 Rogers spent half a season at Heerenveen before coming back to the US and playing in our domestic league. He was a very quick wing player and had considerable promise getting called up to the US NT several times. I always thought he should have stuck with Heerenveen a little longer as it would have done more to improve his game than our league.

Sad that he (probably rightly) felt that he couldn't come out while he was playng. Still positive in terms of progressing the debate that he's done so at all though.

[aveslacker]

This is rather sad news given the homophobia in professional sports: http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/13417 ... ay?cc=5901 Rogers spent half a season at Heerenveen before coming back to the US and playing in our domestic league. He was a very quick wing player and had considerable promise getting called up to the US NT several times. I always thought he should have stuck with Heerenveen a little longer as it would have done more to improve his game than our league.

Sad that he (probably rightly) felt that he couldn't come out while he was playng. Still positive in terms of progressing the debate that he's done so at all though.

I tend to think that in this day and age, someone like that is much more likely to be well-accepted if they were to come out during their playing career. Look at Gareth Edwards, for example. He came out and it was a complete non-issue.

[aveslacker]

This is rather sad news given the homophobia in professional sports: http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/13417 ... ay?cc=5901 Rogers spent half a season at Heerenveen before coming back to the US and playing in our domestic league. He was a very quick wing player and had considerable promise getting called up to the US NT several times. I always thought he should have stuck with Heerenveen a little longer as it would have done more to improve his game than our league.

Sad that he (probably rightly) felt that he couldn't come out while he was playng. Still positive in terms of progressing the debate that he's done so at all though.

I tend to think that in this day and age, someone like that is much more likely to be well-accepted if they were to come out during their playing career. Look at Gareth Edwards, for example. He came out and it was a complete non-issue.

Further to that, it seems like the response has been very positive thus far: http://yhoo.it/12P7Afr. Very happy to see that.

[SE6Ajacied]

I tend to think that in this day and age, someone like that is much more likely to be well-accepted if they were to come out during their playing career. Look at Gareth Edwards, for example. He came out and it was a complete non-issue.

Further to that, it seems like the response has been very positive thus far: http://yhoo.it/12P7Afr. Very happy to see that.

Yes, that's all excellent and to be applauded of course, the difficulty is that the homophobes within the game tend to stay quiet, at least in public, in these situations. It's likely as well that those who knew him well like these players are not too surprised by these "revelations" anyway.

This is quite a hot topic gere ibn the UK right now, mainly on the back of the ongoing Racism rows - Suarez, John Terry etc and it's still a shameful fact that the inly out league footballer in the UK is (was!!) John Fashanu and we all know that story.

Good luck to thus guy anyway, hope he gets any support that he needs and that his story is able to inspire others who may be struggling.

[Orange14]

I wish that my home team, DC United, had the rights to his contract as he's a better left winger than anyone else on the current roster.

[Blind3]

Much respect for Robbie Rogers. Just hope his retirement isn't permanent. A talented winger on his day. I'd happily see Robbie Rogers in a Philadelphia Union kit. 1 goal in three preseason matches for the Union thus far...yikes.

[Orange14]

I caught the second half of the West Ham/Tottenham match yesterday. Garreth Bale may be the best player in the world at this point in time. Messi is part of a system at Barca but Bale can do things on his own that I don't think anyone else can do. Great speed and a wicked left foot along with the ability to lift his team during crunch time. Would love to see him at Ajax next season; certainly would solve our wing problem.

[souras84]

Would love to see him at Ajax next season; certainly would solve our wing problem.

Maybe we should've traded him for Jan!!!

And I believe that he had a slow start to the season, with some kind of injury if I remember it right... Imagine him at a better national team also!!

[Tom_]

He's good, but could he do it on a rainy Tuesday in Stoke?

[Philippe]

Stop watching UEFA CL games. Stop giving them money.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013 ... eal-madrid

[Orange14]

The amazing thing is the hypocrisy of the English press and TV people. They are up in arms about Nani getting sent off when two years ago they were calling Nigel de Jong a thug for doing exactly the same thing at the WC final. I was of mixed mind yesterday whether Nani should have been sent off or not. Clearly the match official Mr. Cakir took his time making the decision and I guess he also consulted with the assistant referee. It did change the match outcome without question though Lopez had to make some good saves in the end.