Random Soccer Thread

[JB1973]

I'm not a huge football fan but I think you guys have punched well above your weight for many years, How many other nations in Europe with out a full time professional domestic league and with 3 other major sports to compete against even look like a qualifying for the major tournaments?

Let's be honest there are no players of the quality of McGrath, Brady, Irwin, or Roy keane in your current side are there?

I'm not defending your manager or saying he shouldn't get the boot but you have to be realistic given your population and the resources you have any manager will struggle to get you to qualify tournament in , tournament out.

[Lar]

You aren't wrong JB. Despite his phenomenal scoring record Robbie Keane could not be classed as world class by any standards and he would be regarded as our best player internationally.

The squad at present is very limited. I don't buy Keane's argument the other day though that we need to change from grass roots up. The system as was or is produced Brady, McGrath, Whelan, Stapleton, Irwin, Keane (Roy and Robbie), O'Leary, Giles, Bonner, Given, Duff, Staunton etc etc. Wales have always had great players also most recently Giggs and Bale but many others too. Its not the system that is the problem. We may just be unfortunate that there is a lack of talent in the present era - this can happen in any sport, especially when we have a small playing population - but we may also be suffering from players not having the same opportunities to develop due to the huge influx of continental and worldwide players into our usual league i.e the Premiership. All of the nations in the British Isles seem to be suffering from this in one way or another at present.

EDIT: I still think Trappatoni should be sacked....

[AwayTheWell]

EDIT: I still think Trappatoni should be sacked....

You wish has been granted - well almost. Stated that he is departing by mutual consent rather than an outright sacking.

Probably some paralells with Kidney's Irish reign, with some success but choice of favorites and turgid performances being their demise. Mind you, the media had it much more in for Trap while largely being an excuse maker for Kidney.

[Broken Wing]

With Trap gone who'll come in? The Irish job is not a high profile job and means dealing with average players but huge expectations from the supporters. Granted it's secure work until the end of the France 2016 campaign and since 24 teams play in France there's a decent chance of qualifying and taking part in a tournament. That said it's not going to appeal to any big names unless the FAI have a bucket of cash. I think we'll be looking at the likes of Owen Coyle, Chris Hughton, Pat Fenlon, John Sheridan or Graham Kavanagh, i.e. someone who has a bit of managerial experience dealing with middling talent and a connection to Ireland but wouldn't have huge salary expectations.

[JB1973]

Martin O'neil is the betting favourite over here, at least he has some get up and go about him. Could be worse guys , you could be Wales and bottom of your group!

[Broken Wing]

Martin O'neil is the betting favourite over here, at least he has some get up and go about him. Could be worse guys , you could be Wales and bottom of your group!

O'Neill rejected the job in the past in the hopes that he'd get the England job. I doubt the FAI have forgotten.

With us, Norn Iron, Wales and Scotland sitting at home next summer what are the odds on the Nations Cup being resurrected?

[blockhead]

You aren't wrong JB. Despite his phenomenal scoring record Robbie Keane could not be classed as world class by any standards and he would be regarded as our best player internationally.

The squad at present is very limited. I don't buy Keane's argument the other day though that we need to change from grass roots up. The system as was or is produced Brady, McGrath, Whelan, Stapleton, Irwin, Keane (Roy and Robbie), O'Leary, Giles, Bonner, Given, Duff, Staunton etc etc. Wales have always had great players also most recently Giggs and Bale but many others too. Its not the system that is the problem. We may just be unfortunate that there is a lack of talent in the present era - this can happen in any sport, especially when we have a small playing population - but we may also be suffering from players not having the same opportunities to develop due to the huge influx of continental and worldwide players into our usual league i.e the Premiership. All of the nations in the British Isles seem to be suffering from this in one way or another at present.

EDIT: I still think Trappatoni should be sacked....

Any standards? In terms of scoring goals he most certainly is world class. 17th on the all time list but only 7 of them above him would have played regular international football at a high standard. So world class? Obviously
KEANO!!

[domhnallj]

I just watched the RTE pundits post-Austria match comments. Were they continuing a conversation from the pub? I would swear that Brady and Dunphy were locked.

[JB1973]

Martin O'neil is the betting favourite over here, at least he has some get up and go about him. Could be worse guys , you could be Wales and bottom of your group!

O'Neill rejected the job in the past in the hopes that he'd get the England job. I doubt the FAI have forgotten.

With us, Norn Iron, Wales and Scotland sitting at home next summer what are the odds on the Nations Cup being resurrected?

quite possibly. v depressing not a single celtic nation has a hope of even making the play offs with 2 games left

Wales are dire at the moment , we don't have a team of world beaters but we have bale and enough good players (bellamy,ramsey,williams) to ensure shouldn't be bottom of our group, something has to give!

[blockhead]

El Classico!
Real 3 Barca 4 (Messi hatrick)
Once again in this fixture Ronaldo is outshone by Messi. He scored a penalty but that was about his only noteworthy touch.

[Dave Cahill]

Its not a shite league, thats a typically english view. Whilst there wouldn't be any clubs that would threaten the upper reaches of the premiership, its arguably higher standard than the Championship, and certainly higher than the SPL. Also, Spurs don't play competitive reserve team fixtures.

Yeah right. I think you're way overestimating the quality of a bunch of hasbeens and never will bes.

Super Retro Bump.

[Donny B.]

Its not a shite league, thats a typically english view. Whilst there wouldn't be any clubs that would threaten the upper reaches of the premiership, its arguably higher standard than the Championship, and certainly higher than the SPL. Also, Spurs don't play competitive reserve team fixtures.

Yeah right. I think you're way overestimating the quality of a bunch of hasbeens and never will bes.

Super Retro Bump.

And yet their goal-scorer was chosen from the German Reserve league over lads playing in MLS.

[blockhead]

Good to see my lifelong support of Super Leeds looks like being finally rewarded. This new owner seems to me to be, and I consider myself a very shrewd judge of character, an absolute rock of good old common sense. Champions league, here we come.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/ ... 03954.html

In an extremely bizarre tale, Irish goalkeeper Paddy Kenny has been told he will never play for Leeds United again because he was born on May 17 and Leeds new owner Massimo Cellino has a dislike of the number.

The eccentric Italian had all seats bearing the number 17 at his old club Cagliari changed to 16B and now he has brought his superstition one step further.

According to the Guardian, Cellino has told new Leeds boss Dave Hockaday not to play the Dubliner who is the club's second highest earner on £10,000-a-week.
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The club has embarked on a pre-season trip to Italy and Kenny has been left at home.

The number 17 shirt will not be used by Leeds United. Michael Brown wore it last season but was released by the club at the end of the season.

I don't suppose Massimo Cellino celebrates St Patrick's Day all that much.

Meanwhile, Cellino has moved to quash speculation over the future of Ross McCormack by reiterating his determination to keep the striker.

McCormack is reported to have handed in a transfer request the day after new head coach David Hockaday was installed on June 19, with Fulham understood to be in pole position to sign the Scotland international.

Speculation that McCormack's days at the club were numbered gathered pace on Monday when he failed to head out to the club's summer training camp in Italy with the rest of the first-team squad.

But a Leeds statement read: "Leeds United owner Massimo Cellino and the club would like to respond to recent media speculation regarding Ross McCormack.

"We would like to reiterate our desire to keep Ross McCormack at Leeds United. This desire includes keeping all of our best players as we look to build a stronger and successful squad for the 2014/15 Championship season.

"Leeds United may not be the richest club in the Championship, but we do not need to sell our best players in order to run the club successfully."

West Ham failed in their bid to sign McCormack in January, while Newcastle, former club Cardiff, Norwich and Derby have also been linked with the 27-year-old.

When Hockaday was unveiled by Cellino earlier this month, the Italian insisted the Scot would only be sold for the right price to a Barclays Premier League club.

Cellino said he had blocked McCormack's proposed move to Fulham's London rivals West Ham in January. He also claimed he rejected an approach from a north-east club in recent weeks.

[JB1973]

I lived in leeds for a few years so always keep an eye out for them, sadly they seem to be a magnet for chancers and idiots. Between appointing a non league guy as head coach dropping players because they are born on the 17th and selling their best player this season looks like being a total train wreck

[Dave Cahill]

When Lee Cattermole is a more creative force than anything you have to offer, you are in serious trouble.

[Logorrhea]

£65million for DiMaria is insane business. Has to be more to it than that.

[Donny B.]

£65million for DiMaria is insane business. Has to be more to it than that.

United seem to be overpaying for everyone these days so no surprise. Di Maria is a fine player but he's not a Suarez or a James, but that's the money they need to pay seemingly.
I suppose when Woodward is boasting about how much money they have, everyone is going to up their prices

[Avenger]

£65million for DiMaria is insane business. Has to be more to it than that.

They've spent £200 million in the last 12 months, yet its Citeh and Chelsea's spending that is ruining football

Its a massive wedge of cash considering that United seem to be the only club that was interested in Di Maria after PSG pulled out. He's a good player but not worth anywhere near what they are paying which suggests to me that they are desperate and just signing a marquee player to keep the fans happy... cause its not wingers that they need... its defenders and central midfielders... and strikers who have pace

[LeRouxIsPHat]

We do need wingers, and have done for years. I had thought it was stupid to buy a winger when other areas need so much work but actually I think Gary Neville was right when he said that we need a winger just as much as other positions. We've no pace and barely anyone who will drive forward with the ball. Di Maria fits that mould. It's too much but Real have us over a barrel because they know we're desperate...I mean we're at the stage where we're genuinely in desperate need of a having a player registered in time for Burnley, it's dire straits. I'd have thought we could get a better deal given that Real need to sell but our desperation outweighs theirs unfortunately. Whilst he's the kind of player we need, I've no idea how he fits into this 3-5-2 formation, would hope that's out the window if he arrives.

I would hope that defence and midfield is in a much better place soon. In a month's time you could have Rafael, Shaw, Evans, Rojo, Carrick, Herrera, and Di Maria all brought in when they sign/return from injury. Plus hopefully one or two more who might sign, so I'd expect half the side to be totally different. However, I'm very worried about the Welbeck rumours. He's the only forward we have who's quick and creative aside from maybe Januzaj and made a big difference yesterday so why on earth would we let him go?

Even more worrying is that I can see LVG persisting with Mata, Rooney and RVP. Rooney has been horrendous in the first two games and was awful for the entirety of last season. As bad as Fletcher and Cleverley were, at least they were only emergency options won't be seen much when others are back. The forwards are different though. Rooney and RVP really don't work and Mata has been wasted somewhat. Fingers crossed Di Maria makes him change this up but could see it being Mata who loses out and not one of the strikers.

As I said before the summer, I think there's a lot that LVG can and will sort out reasonably quickly, but there's just so much wrong that we won't be a really good side any time soon. I had hoped he'd sort out basic things like defending from corners but that cost us yesterday. There's just no confidence in the side. Best we can hope for is that he makes us solid again and that Di Maria carries us to the champions league.

[Avenger]

Best we can hope for is that he makes us solid again and that Di Maria carries us to the champions league.

di Maria is not that player. Decent player but not worth £63.9M.
He's not the man to carry a team like Ronaldo did for a while but he is an effective player in a team that is working well as a unit and I don't see that with this team at the moment.

The defence is very poor by the way. Is Rojo going to play CB? I was under the impression that he's primarily a LB. As you say, there's lots of work to be done.... which is why I find it gas that most United fans and a lot of the media seem to think that they will be back competing again and LFC will drop back down like last season never happened.