General Football Discussion

[SPL]

They say its a small world.

I was at cricket today(a major domestic game) and a guy next to me said
Sunderland won . I replied I am not interested in Premier football the football love of my life is Ajax. He replied he too was a fan and had lived in Amsterdam during the seventies and went to De Meer regular in those days and the Olympic Stadium for Europe games.

We had a good chat and I told the name of this site . He said he would look us up.

[DanK]

Oh great!
http://www.theworldgame.com.au/home/ind ... &cid=93522
Advocaat to coach Socceroos

I wonder if he will continue his policy of substituting an attacker for a crappy midfielder as was the case in Euro 2004?

I'm not sure if I am happy with the move, but will wait and see before I pass judgement.

[Kowalczyk]

From the superior, bon vivant coolness of Guus Hiddink to the frustration and paranoia of grumpy old Dick Advocaat...

Australia, I hate to tell you, but you are well and truly fucked.

K.

[DanK]

From the superior, bon vivant coolness of Guus Hiddink to the frustration and paranoia of grumpy old Dick Advocaat...

Australia, I hate to tell you, but you are well and truly fucked.

K.

LMAO! I have this horrible feeling you might be right mate.

Everyone here is acting like its a brilliant move, and are shocked to learn that I think his coaching isn't up-to-scratch. I remember the backlash to him in Holland after Euro 2004.

There was talk of van Gaal, which I can't see happening - esp after he said he would only take on a national team that could actually win the WC. I think someone of his calibre would be perfect for the socceroos.

Happy for Dick to prove us wrong though.

[Kowalczyk]

Ah, I guess I'm being a bit too negative about the Dickster... His resumé isn't that terrible.

It's just that I really like eloquent, intelligent coaches who are totally superior, genuinely don't seem to care about what other people have to say, and don't even seem to know what stress is. I can't help myself, but I always notice that I look down upon coaches who are easily wound up by the media and things like that.

Every coach has to 'explode' every once in a while at the sideline, freaking out at a referee or something. That's all part of the game. But I like coaches who, apart from the odd moment of rage during games, come across as if they have nothing to prove.

That's why I like Guus Hiddink. You just can't touch him. That's why I like Johan Cruyff and Marco van Basten (he's made his coaching mistakes, but I like the man). That's why I really liked Louis van Gaal in his Ajax days, but the Oranje disaster really changed him and he's become considerably more paranoid and frustrated.

This is also the reason why I will never be a real fan of Henk ten Cate. He's a good coach, I think he's done a good enough job at Ajax so far and I don't hope he will be fired or anything, but as a man he will never be my favourite. He's a 'street kid' with a tendency to prove and defend himself. My favourite type of coach radiates something like: "Why would I have to defend myself when there's no attack of any significance?"

Football journalists can ask very annoying questions, we all know that. I prefer the type of coach that will raise one eyebrow and then calmly answer the question (Van Basten, Cruyff). I find that more convincing than a coach who will explode and start a rant about 'the media' (Van Gaal, Advocaat).

K.

[Manneken Pis]

Ah, I guess I'm being a bit too negative about the Dickster... His resumé isn't that terrible.

It's just that I really like eloquent, intelligent coaches who are totally superior, genuinely don't seem to care about what other people have to say, and don't even seem to know what stress is. I can't help myself, but I always notice that I look down upon coaches who are easily wound up by the media and things like that.

Every coach has to 'explode' every once in a while at the sideline, freaking out at a referee or something. That's all part of the game. But I like coaches who, apart from the odd moment of rage during games, come across as if they have nothing to prove.

That's why I like Guus Hiddink. You just can't touch him. That's why I like Johan Cruyff and Marco van Basten (he's made his coaching mistakes, but I like the man). That's why I really liked Louis van Gaal in his Ajax days, but the Oranje disaster really changed him and he's become considerably more paranoid and frustrated.

This is also the reason why I will never be a real fan of Henk ten Cate. He's a good coach, I think he's done a good enough job at Ajax so far and I don't hope he will be fired or anything, but as a man he will never be my favourite. He's a 'street kid' with a tendency to prove and defend himself. My favourite type of coach radiates something like: "Why would I have to defend myself when there's no attack of any significance?"

Football journalists can ask very annoying questions, we all know that. I prefer the type of coach that will raise one eyebrow and then calmly answer the question (Van Basten, Cruyff). I find that more convincing than a coach who will explode and start a rant about 'the media' (Van Gaal, Advocaat).

K.

That's a really intersting post Ko.
Reading I realise I too preffer the kind of self-confident coach who treats the whole media circus with complete disdain, rather that the kind of insecure guy who's desperate to justify himself.

In between some "normal" touchline and dressing room rants in this compilation, there's the classic Keegan rant from which I don't think he ever recovered as a coach:

http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=PXSeCCHmw ... ed&search=

As for Tricky Dicky, he's not incompeted, it's that he spends his life second guessing himself. the net result is safe, consistent, mediocrity. He'll not embarass you, but you'll never excell.

[SE6Ajacied]

In between some "normal" touchline and dressing room rants in this compilation, there's the classic Keegan rant from which I don't think he ever recovered as a coach:

http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=PXSeCCHmw ... ed&search=

As for Tricky Dicky, he's not incompeted, it's that he spends his life second guessing himself. the net result is safe, consistent, mediocrity. He'll not embarass you, but you'll never excell.

A-ha, always good to see this one get an airing . I've not watched the clip but I think we all know Mr Keegan of the oversized headphones in this one.

I don't know if Ferguson does run a correspondance course or whatever in Machiavelian mind games but if he does then this clip is sure to feature

[SE6Ajacied]

My other team Blackpool have just taken a trial from a F-word player Pieter Collen, from Belgium. I'm not sure what to make of it when the two quite seperate parts of my football world collide like this but if he's any good then we'll have him - anyone know anything about him?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 954840.stm

BTW, Ko, the mighty Blackpool play in Tangerine, not Oranje

[Van basten]

yeasterday afternoon in hospital died Sevilla player Puerta (Antonio Puerta Perez). he had heart attack during the match against Getafe. ewerything looked not bad, when he recovered and walked from the pitch, but in dressing room he had another heart attack and was taken to the hospital. he was just 22 and next month would become a father..

[orange goblin]

unbelievable sadness.
three things of this crazy story made me wonder:

1) he had similar heart-problems, althoug lighter, in the past: how the fuck he was judged fit to play? (remember the kanu-case or the fadiga-one in italy?)
2) after the first recover on the pitch, he went out on his legs and seemed that the worst was behind. no one could have thought that they were the last images we have of him.
3) they say that after the match he had not one, but NINE heart attacks. just terriible.

may he rest in peace forever

[ZoefdeHaas]

RIP, and lots of respect for Seville.

[aveslacker]

Sometimes it's just your time to go. Jim Fixx, who started the jogging boom in the U.S. died of a heart attack at age 52, after jogging.

My condolences to Puerta's family and teammates.

[Kowalczyk]

Always very shocking when a very young lad, with a healthy athlete's lifestyle, dies so suddenly... 22 years old. Would have become a father next month. It's terrible.

If you live a healthy life, your life is more likely to be long.

If you live an unhealthy life, your life is more likely to be relatively short.

But these are averages. There's always exceptions. Death will take people away sometimes, seemingly randomly, and you just can't understand why. There isn't always a reason, or even an explanation. And sometimes this will be a footballer: David Di Tommaso and now Puerta.

Very sad. My sympathy goes out to his family, his friends and the people of Sevilla FC: officials, team-mates and supporters.

K.

[Ayman]

Kowalczyk said:

If you live a healthy life, your life is more likely to be long.

If you live an unhealthy life, your life is more likely to be relatively short

Actually it is the exact opposite....Ive come across many people approaching their hundreds...who have had numerous heart attacks....take many pills....and have outlived many healthy people.

[aveslacker]

Small sample size, man. Ko is correct, and there's tons of scientific evidence to back it up.

[Philippe]

It's better to be rich and healthy than poor and ill (Snoopy).

[SE6Ajacied]

Small sample size, man. Ko is correct, and there's tons of scientific evidence to back it up.

I'm sure you're both right. That's why the Guardian yesterday had a picture of a lady celebrating her 100th birthday with a cake. She was lighting up from one of the candles - a smoker since the age of 8 but it's because that doesn't make sense that they printed the photo.

Anyway, terribly sad about Puerta. There was a game (Nottm Forest v Leicester City) called off in England on Monday night after a player collapsed in the dressing room at half time. I hope he's OK as two deaths in one football weekend would be an absolute tragedy.

[Manneken Pis]

Anyway, terribly sad about Puerta. There was a game (Nottm Forest v Leicester City) called off in England on Monday night after a player collapsed in the dressing room at half time. I hope he's OK as two deaths in one football weekend would be an absolute tragedy.

There was a death in Africa too this week... again heart attack.
Call me cynical, but I do wonder what modern footballers are swallowing or injecting these days.

[Manneken Pis]

Voetball International says (if I understand the article) Platini wants to reduce the number of teams in Champs league from the "sub toppers"... net net result the Eredivisie will have only one team as of 2009 unless they dramatically improve their performance and therefore their "coeficient" (plus chance of second team through a play off for the domestic cup winners of the top 16 countries for 4 extra places).

Good news: Kills the stupid Eredivisie play-offs
Bad News: Less income for Dutch football widening the gap witht the big leagues
Other news: Clever from Platini greater access to CL for small leagues means more votes in future elections
Other other news: CL final moved to Saturday evening from wednesday ("so more women and children can attend").

Please let me know if i misread any of it.....


Article:

http://www.vi.nl/NieuwsItem/NederlandLe ... waarIn.htm

[Cedric]

I think you can find everything in English on UEFA.com

I think you're more or less right anyway...

[AjaxPDX]

Martin Jol already had pressure on him before today (strangely and ridiculously) and there have been media rumblings that he's on the verge of getting the boot from Tottenham (again, strangely and ridiculously). Today, Tottenham blew a 3-1 lead to Fulham in the last 15 minutes, settling for a 3-3 draw. I imagine the suits in the boardroom at Tottenham might be sharpening their knives even more furiously tonight. A couple more weak results for them, coupled with a couple below par results for Ajax (fingers crossed it doesn't happen, of course) after the obvious failure against Slavia Prague... and could we potentially be seeing a scenario of Jol replacing HTC at Ajax in the near future?

[carcajou]

A couple more weak results for them, coupled with a couple below par results for Ajax (fingers crossed it doesn't happen, of course) after the obvious failure against Slavia Prague... and could we potentially be seeing a scenario of Jol replacing HTC at Ajax in the near future?

Well, if he fails utterly at Tottenham then maybe he's not that good after all...

[kraz11]

Anyway, terribly sad about Puerta. There was a game (Nottm Forest v Leicester City) called off in England on Monday night after a player collapsed in the dressing room at half time. I hope he's OK as two deaths in one football weekend would be an absolute tragedy.

There was a death in Africa too this week... again heart attack.
Call me cynical, but I do wonder what modern footballers are swallowing or injecting these days.

I think you meant in Israel , it happened to an african guy.
new player that came to play for beer-sheva.
just saw him scoring twice on the previous friday :( .
R.i.p Puerta and chasawa.

[SPL]

My Sunday paper , Express, says Spurs are lining up Koeman and Jol will come to us.

[SE6Ajacied]

My Sunday paper , Express, says Spurs are lining up Koeman and Jol will come to us.

Not sure the Express is all that reliable.

I wouldn't be totally against that though. I don't classify Spurs last two years as a failure really (and this season is far too early to judge - including us IMO). Spurs hadn't quailified for Europe for years til recently and having ManUtd, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool in the same league doesn't exactly make 5th a easy/especially poor finish. I don't know what the compared budgets/income is but I expect Tottenham's is a lot less than the other four.