Soccer Thread 2010-2011

[miami_fan]

Okay the World Cup is over. Time to get back to club football!

This was mentioned in the 09-10 thread but it still seems to have legs. Is an EPL club really be looking at an American manager?

No Fulham talks for trio as Bob Bradley enters running - Barclays Premier League - ESPN Soccernet

Whoever it may be, Fulham needs to get manager in soon. First game is a month away.

[Chief Rum]

No one here but me will care about the Championship season, of course, but I am excited by some of the Scottish additions Strachan is making to Boro (particularly Kris Boyd), and looking forward to the squad getting a full preseason training under Strachan now, rather than adjusting on the run after the sacking of Southgate last season. I never got the feeling last season's side was ever really in tune with the new staff, so hopefully starting afresh from the season start and with some new players will make a difference and get Boro back into promotion contention.

[Radii]

Any DirectTV people around? I work from home and generally set my own schedule. The EPL and Champions League will be perfect for me. I'm probably not ready to dive in to all of Europe but I'm looking forward to getting a bit more on board than I have been in the past.

What is ESPN going to offer us this season? Would the Direct TV "sports package" give me anything worthwhile?

[MrBug708]

Now Chief, I fully hope that CP can escape that 10 point deficit to start the season and try and not end up relegated

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by Radii

Any DirectTV people around? I work from home and generally set my own schedule. The EPL and Champions League will be perfect for me. I'm probably not ready to dive in to all of Europe but I'm looking forward to getting a bit more on board than I have been in the past.

What is ESPN going to offer us this season? Would the Direct TV "sports package" give me anything worthwhile?

All you need is Fox Soccer Channel for most EPL games, and most Champions League games. If you always want to be guaranteed to see the big games, you need Fox Soccer Plus, which is a standalone channel for another $15 a month. Standard Fox Soccer Channel is usually on a sports tier, or even basic depending upon provider. I used to have Direct TV, but i don't really recall which tier it was on. Either way i think you get GolTV as well, which gets you German and Spanish leagues. Even if you don't want to follow them regularly, there will be the odd game that is well worth checking out.


I imagine ESPN will continue to bring us the early Saturday morning game and probably the Monday games (when they happen).

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

Now Chief, I fully hope that CP can escape that 10 point deficit to start the season and try and not end up relegated

They could have a tough go of it. They barely escaped relegation last year, so starting 10 down really puts them up against it.

[Chief Rum]

So, then, it's me and Bug following the Championship. Anyone else?

Come on, at least at this level, it's not a given who the top four will be.

[cthomer5000]

I was pulling hard for 'Boro to get back up last year, but they screwed the pooch on firing Southgate when they did.

If you cut him loose, you do it when you just might have been able to save yourself from relegation the prior year. Lord knows there was plenty of opportunity. He hadn't exactly locked things down in terms of their EPL status for the last couple years.

But once you ride him down, you stick with him. The chairman had backed him in the past and talked all that shit about being with him long term, building the team the right way, etc.

Then they make that firing at a very strange time (when they were even in playoff position) and the rest of the season was just a stillbirth. Arguably the worst timing on a fire i've seen in the 5 years i've been following.

[cthomer5000]

And for the MLS fans, Thierry Henry to the Red Bulls to become official either Wednesday or Thursday. Red Bull has been teasing the hell out of it the last couple weeks.

[I. J. Reilly]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

So, then, it's me and Bug following the Championship. Anyone else?

Not me; I'm a moderate follower of West Brom, so I only pay attention to the Championship every other year

[SirFozzie]

I follow the championship as a whole, but no specific team/

[bhlloy]

Born and bred in Cardiff, so yeah I'm following the Championship. As usual we're a complete mess off the field.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

I was pulling hard for 'Boro to get back up last year, but they screwed the pooch on firing Southgate when they did.

If you cut him loose, you do it when you just might have been able to save yourself from relegation the prior year. Lord knows there was plenty of opportunity. He hadn't exactly locked things down in terms of their EPL status for the last couple years.

But once you ride him down, you stick with him. The chairman had backed him in the past and talked all that shit about being with him long term, building the team the right way, etc.

Then they make that firing at a very strange time (when they were even in playoff position) and the rest of the season was just a stillbirth. Arguably the worst timing on a fire i've seen in the 5 years i've been following.

I agree. It was a really weird sacking. Boro were playing fairly well, too, as you noted, and the firing came after a good win. Lamb and Gibosn came out and said a search had been going on for weeks, and one win here doesn't maje a difference of some such.

They should have let Southgate go at the end the prior season, or perhaps to try to salvage staying up by letting him go around Christmas of the previous year.

That was a very disappointing and annoying season, that last in the EPL. The talent seemed to be there for a spot in Europe, but they couldn't seem to get the results on the field. It was pretty obvious Southgate, much as I like him, was in over his head.

Then they were clearly looking at being in the mix for going back up when they let him go last year, thus more or less kiboshing last season. I still like the Strachan hire and I hope it pays dividends this season, but that was just a really poor decision by management to handle things the way they did.

Boro were playing better by the end of the year last year, and have made some solid moves, IMO, so they should be in the mix for promotion again. They still have a healthy parachute check coming from the EPL relegation and were up for a long time, so they cetrainly have the size, talent and recent level of play to deserve a strong shot at going back up-- if they're run right.

[ISiddiqui]

Woooot!! Newcastle back in the Prem!

[dacman]

I feel like I have no idea what's going on in the silly season -- 2 big moves I had no idea about until very recently:

Yossi Benayoun has moved from Liverpool to Chelsea
Mark Schwartzer has moved from Fulham to Arsenal

What else have I missed?

I do think the 3 biggest manager moves leave all 3 teams with managers who are better fits:

Jose Murinho from Inter to Real Madrid -- just about the only manager with the gravitas and personality for that job
Rafa Benitez from Liverpool to Inter -- rotate away Rafa, it should work better here
Roy Hodgson from Fulham to Liverpool -- again a better fit on the personality front

Fulham are in discussion with Bob Bradley? Seriously?

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Woooot!! Newcastle back in the Prem!

Oh, bite me.

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

No one here but me will care about the Championship season, of course, but I am excited by some of the Scottish additions Strachan is making to Boro (particularly Kris Boyd), and looking forward to the squad getting a full preseason training under Strachan now, rather than adjusting on the run after the sacking of Southgate last season. I never got the feeling last season's side was ever really in tune with the new staff, so hopefully starting afresh from the season start and with some new players will make a difference and get Boro back into promotion contention.

Umm - no-one else interested???? Hello???

Since you're so positive, I'm going to start bitching.

Guess my team (unless you already know, in which case this is a thinly disguised mini rant that you probably can skip without missing anything!)

We have a mad chairman who is facing a court case for tax evasion and is looking to sell the club to pay his legal bills (which suggests to me he might think he's in trouble)

Said mad chairman's 1st season, on the promise of a return to the Premier Leagure in three years) resulted in us falling out of the top two tiers for the first time ever. That's 1st time in more than 125 years. On the way we had I think seven managers in total in that one season (he sacked his first choice after four games, with the last of those being a 4-1 home win. Yes, a win. Although to be fair the original manager was a muppet and bought about 14 crap players)

Said mad chairman then fluked a good manager as he was cheap, who then won the the league (but it was still our lowest ever league finish for the reasons above) and very nearly got us into the Premier League as promised after year 3 (for the reason why look up Yann Kermogant on youtube)

Said chairman then fell out with said manager, who preferred to jump ship to a team who are very likely to go into administration this year and thus be docked 10 points

The criticism of said manager was that he played fairly unattractive boring football, so said chairman gets a foreign manager who was criticised even more for turning a previously free flowing football team from the highest scorers to a team with both the lowest goals for and against in the league, and 14 0-0 draws, last season

1st signing of said foreign manager is a 21-year old centre half from his homeland, who plays for and captains his U-21 side. Unfortunately the only area where we are relatively strong in depth is centre half, and only one of our existing three 1st team worthy players is over 21. And said foreign signing is only on loan, so will likely take time away from at least one of our own good promising players (unless I guess he is planning to seel one of them, in which case the rant gets worse)

We have a very thin squad, with one decent winger, one half-decent forward, two good centre midfielders, three good centre halves and a good keeper. Next rumoured signing? Another centre mid/centre half. Are we going for a 6-3-1 formation here - no wonder said foreign manager had 14 0-0s last year.

Said chairman maybe has found someone to invest in the club - a Thai consortium. That just sounds like either a white elephant or the boom-bust recipe others have followed.

Last year we over achieved, this year I am worried we will need some different luck at a different end of the table.

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

They could have a tough go of it. They barely escaped relegation last year, so starting 10 down really puts them up against it.

But to be fair they were also -10 last year. So not all doom and gloom.

[bhlloy]

Sounds like the only difference between our two teams is that your so-called saviours are Thai and ours are Malaysian. I fear we are both going to be in the same relegation battle a year after making the playoffs.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by Jari Rantanen's Shorts

Umm - no-one else interested???? Hello???

Since you're so positive, I'm going to start bitching.

Guess my team (unless you already know, in which case this is a thinly disguised mini rant that you probably can skip without missing anything!)

We have a mad chairman who is facing a court case for tax evasion and is looking to sell the club to pay his legal bills (which suggests to me he might think he's in trouble)

Said mad chairman's 1st season, on the promise of a return to the Premier Leagure in three years) resulted in us falling out of the top two tiers for the first time ever. That's 1st time in more than 125 years. On the way we had I think seven managers in total in that one season (he sacked his first choice after four games, with the last of those being a 4-1 home win. Yes, a win. Although to be fair the original manager was a muppet and bought about 14 crap players)

Said mad chairman then fluked a good manager as he was cheap, who then won the the league (but it was still our lowest ever league finish for the reasons above) and very nearly got us into the Premier League as promised after year 3 (for the reason why look up Yann Kermogant on youtube)

Said chairman then fell out with said manager, who preferred to jump ship to a team who are very likely to go into administration this year and thus be docked 10 points

The criticism of said manager was that he played fairly unattractive boring football, so said chairman gets a foreign manager who was criticised even more for turning a previously free flowing football team from the highest scorers to a team with both the lowest goals for and against in the league, and 14 0-0 draws, last season

1st signing of said foreign manager is a 21-year old centre half from his homeland, who plays for and captains his U-21 side. Unfortunately the only area where we are relatively strong in depth is centre half, and only one of our existing three 1st team worthy players is over 21. And said foreign signing is only on loan, so will likely take time away from at least one of our own good promising players (unless I guess he is planning to seel one of them, in which case the rant gets worse)

We have a very thin squad, with one decent winger, one half-decent forward, two good centre midfielders, three good centre halves and a good keeper. Next rumoured signing? Another centre mid/centre half. Are we going for a 6-3-1 formation here - no wonder said foreign manager had 14 0-0s last year.

Said chairman maybe has found someone to invest in the club - a Thai consortium. That just sounds like either a white elephant or the boom-bust recipe others have followed.

Last year we over achieved, this year I am worried we will need some different luck at a different end of the table.

Heh...well, putting aside your understandable pessimism at the moment, glad to see we seem to have enough fans of the Championship to perhaps keep a running commentary going on this season. Historically, I have found if it isn't top level in the top leagues or the Champions league, most could give a damn (at least here at FOFC anyway).

[TroyF]

The chances are now above 50/50 Cecs stays with the Gunners. I'm still hopeful of a couple of more signings so when the inevitable injury crisis comes WE have more depth. (sorry, different thread)

[MrBug708]

MLSsoccer.com has previously confirmed that Ajax, Bursaspor, Celtic, Espanyol and Napoli are among the clubs to have at least scouted Altidore in person at World Cup.

Bursaspor seems to be the favorite. How good/not is the Turkish league?

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

MLSsoccer.com has previously confirmed that Ajax, Bursaspor, Celtic, Espanyol and Napoli are among the clubs to have at least scouted Altidore in person at World Cup.

Bursaspor seems to be the favorite. How good/not is the Turkish league?

My understanding is that Turkey's league is on the rise, and perhaps its general play is on par with the Eredivisie or the SPL. That said, I don't believe that Turkey's leagues are shown much on FSC, and there would be a large cultural change for Altidore going to Turkey. I would prefer him staying in the western European leagues. Celtic and Ajax would be excellent, big fish clubs in little-ish leagues where Altidore can play against solid competition both in league and in Champions League/UEFA Cup play. Napoli and Espanyol, solid mid-table squads in bigger leagues, the in-league competition is much better, but likelihood of continental play is much less, plus I would presume Altidore would have a better shot at a regular first team spot with Ajax or Celtic than he would with Espanyol or Napoli (although that's complete guesswork based on prestige, not of any specific knowledge of the current squads of those clubs).

[bulletsponge]

i hope he goes to Ajax, they can teach him how to finish

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by bulletsponge

i hope he goes to Ajax, they can teach him how to finish

+1000

[Big Fo]

An Ajax lineup with Suarez and Altidore in it would have me trying to watch a lot of Ajax games this season.

Wherever he goes I just hope he gets to play a lot and that the team is in a better situation than an awful Hull City team whose top scoring striker (Vennegor of Hesselink) managed three league goals all season.

Bursaspor won the Turkish league (which is one of the best in Europe outside of the big five) last season and will be in the CL, that'd be a good place for him if he could get enough PT.

[AlexB]

Any line-up with Suarez in it will not make me watch.

Not because of the handball - if I was Uruguayan I would have been upset if he had not have done that. Not because of the celebration - crass, but understandable.

But because he is the worst diver I have seen for a long long time, and he has a permanent whine on his toothy face that somebody really needs to kick off him.

Yes, sometimes I am a little irrational

[MrBug708]

Llama style?

[cthomer5000]

Red Bulls officially sign French star Thierry Henry | Major League Soccer

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

Red Bulls officially sign French star Thierry Henry | Major League Soccer

Awesome.

[cthomer5000]

I am a very happy season ticket holder.

Also, as a huge Tottenham fan... i didnt need any more to be very excited about next week's Red Bulls-Tottenham game... but now it's also Henry's debut. Pretty sweet!

[MIJB#19]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

MLSsoccer.com has previously confirmed that Ajax, Bursaspor, Celtic, Espanyol and Napoli are among the clubs to have at least scouted Altidore in person at World Cup.

Bursaspor seems to be the favorite. How good/not is the Turkish league?

To be honest, I don't think it's very likely Altidore got scouted during the World Cup. His name and reputation are widely enough known that clubs with serious interest looked at Altidore long before this summer's tournament. Taking into account that players usually get more expensive after the World Cup, especially if they started for a team that played well, it's a bad business move to start scouting when the whole world is watching with you.

To take the Ajax example, I'm pretty sure they looked at Altidore long before the World Cup - providing the aforementioned interest is true -, but they have to wait until after selling Luis Suarez, to actually have some money to spend. The finances aren't going too well in Amsterdam.

[MIJB#19]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

I am a very happy season ticket holder.

Also, as a huge Tottenham fan... i didnt need any more to be very excited about next week's Red Bulls-Tottenham game... but now it's also Henry's debut. Pretty sweet!

Maybe you should retire as a fan of both, it can't get any better than that, right? Unless they meet in the FIFA Club World Cup at some point.

[I. J. Reilly]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

I am a very happy season ticket holder.

Also, as a huge Tottenham fan... i didnt need any more to be very excited about next week's Red Bulls-Tottenham game... but now it's also Henry's debut. Pretty sweet!

And you're happy?!?!? Once a fookin' gooner, always a fookin' gooner.

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by I. J. Reilly

And you're happy?!?!? Once a fookin' gooner, always a fookin' gooner.

First and foremost I'm a Red Bulls fan. I would love it if we whoop some Tottenham ass.

I can root for Tottenham when they play Sporting Lisbon a few days later.

[Ryan S]

FOFC Fantasy Premier League is open for business.

Head over to Fantasy Premier League - a Fantasy Football Game for the Barclays Premier League to sign up, and use the code 86215-29694 to join the FOFC private league. If you were part of the FOFC league last year you should automatically join the league when you sign up.

[thealmighty]

Anybody watch USA vs. Ghana in U-20 Women's World Cup?

After the real Cup, they look so slow, sloppy and...just bad. My high school team could have stayed with them (not really but it was pretty painful).

[bulletsponge]

well U-20 basically mean high school lvl

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by thealmighty

Anybody watch USA vs. Ghana in U-20 Women's World Cup?

After the real Cup, they look so slow, sloppy and...just bad. My high school team could have stayed with them (not really but it was pretty painful).

I've seen the Mewis sisters play, and yes, literally my HS could stay with or beat the U-20 team. The physical differences are just so pronounced. At the same time, men's U-20 and even MLS would look sloppy compared to World Cup action.

[SirFozzie]

Looks like the Argies have offered Maradona a new contract, keeping him there through at least Copa America next year.

[sovereignstar]

City sign left-back Aleksandar Kolarov from Lazio and cover up their biggest hole IMO with a fantastic player.

[cthomer5000]

That makes 38 players and counting on the Man City squad. When do they start selling some dudes?!!! This is getting insane.

[MrBug708]

Bocanegra sold to Saint-Etienne for EU500,000.

[sovereignstar]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

That makes 38 players and counting on the Man City squad. When do they start selling some dudes?!!! This is getting insane.

Not sure if you're being sarcastic or not, but the roster on the OS is full of guys that are not in the regular first team plans. Would think that would be pretty obvious.

-Boyata,Cunningham,Vidal,Logan,Ibrahim,Etuhu,Weiss,Nimely are all young fringe players that will either be loaned out or sold

-Gonzales is the Reserves keeper along with Nielsen, who may be sold or loaned out now that Taylor is signed to avoid another Fulop situation I'm assuming (really think Hart and Given will both be with City for at least the first half of the season)

-Onuoha,Ireland,Caicedo,Jo, and Robinho are almost certainly out (I believe Richards is going to stay on for now)

-Michael Johnson is returning from injuries and probably won't be 100% until next season

How does that look now?

[Big Fo]

It looks like Martin Jol will leave Ajax to become the new Fulham manager so that will end the unlikely Bob Bradley to Fulham rumors.

Berbatov looking good (and kind of skinny) in preseason as Man Utd beat Celtic 3-1.

New signing Chris Smalling looks pretty quick for a big defender but he did give away a stupid penalty.

[Passacaglia]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

Bocanegra sold to Saint-Etienne for EU500,000.

Awesome! Whenever I play FM in France, I list them as my favorite club...pretty much just because of the band.

[Passacaglia]

Originally Posted by Ryan S

FOFC Fantasy Premier League is open for business.

Head over to Fantasy Premier League - a Fantasy Football Game for the Barclays Premier League to sign up, and use the code 86215-29694 to join the FOFC private league. If you were part of the FOFC league last year you should automatically join the league when you sign up.

I'm in!

[sovereignstar]

Rumblings of Balotelli. Maicon perhaps?