Football

John

There is every reason to play San Marino.

First, it is the World Cup. Every nation is entitled to play just as every side can start out in the FA Cup.

Second, it provides huge revenue to minor FAs.

Third, qualification depends, often, on not only beating sides such as San Marino but on the margain of such victory.

Fourth, it is always a good laugh to see Engurland draw or lose against such sides.

Well, a promotion and relegation system would deal with that too, any side in the UK can play in the premiership, it will just take a few years to get there. If it was a direct knockout qualification system (like the FA cup) then I would agree with you, but it's not.

And keeping San Marino's FA afloat is our concern because...

If no-one played San Marino the point would still be valid.

I don't think "a good laugh" is really a valid reason for playing a game of football.

I see there's talk of a Zamora, Crouch swap type deal... thoughts from spurs fans?

I don't think "a good laugh" is really a valid reason for playing a game of football.

jumpers for goalposts?

Ok, I'll correct that to an international game of football. I'm all for international football, it being a purer form of the game, but this is just a waste of everyone's time. San Marino would be far better off playing the likes of Liechtenstein on a regular basis, and getting promoted to the next step up if their results improve. Purely from a sporting point of view, what do they learn from getting spanked 8-0.

I was thinking perhaps Blake and Amy. Or Sid and Nancy

I have already had one person ask me if they are identical (knowing there is one of each, I might add) I read this might happen, but didn't expect it so soon. They really do walk among us don't they?

Ian and Myra
Electra and Oedipus

I see there's talk of a Zamora, Crouch swap type deal... thoughts from spurs fans?

Don't get me started, It's just a wierd, weird transfer window.

Spurs have become very accustomed to a certain chain of events during the transfer window. This includes buying lots of players and getting all excited about this and that, and then 80% of the players not being very good.

'Arry's always grinding my gears, it's good that he's getting his excuses in two weeks before the season starts. We had to wait until February last season.

I wish he'd just f-off. If you want to look at the real reason why Spurs can't sign anyone half decent it's because of that plum, who'd rather sign and play Zamora than any one else. A player who was croaked pretty much all last season, and didn't show full promise on his return. Plus he is one of the many, many attacking players who have been crap for Spurs.

do not want!

blah blah blah
I don't think "a good laugh" is really a valid reason for playing a game of football.

Lighten up. It's a game of football, FFS.

It's the only reason why we're still playing the once mighty Liverpool FC, just to have a laugh at those, once, jolly "Scousers".

What would the benefit to football be if San Marino, Wales, Northern Ireland etc. would only play amongst themselves, surely you get better if you play against quality opposition on a regular basis?

Better opposition yes, but I don't think the equivalent of a Sunday League team would get better if the only teams they play are a Premiership Team, a Championship team, a League 2 team, and a Conference team.

They might get better by playing teams they could actually beat, and not go into games thinking "let's try and not let in more than 5 goals this time".

Opinions, arseholes, everyone's got one, including myself.

I'm sure there's some statistic out there that the margins between the so called second or third tier countries and the old guard is getting smaller each year.

I'm all for international football, it being a purer form of the game, .

really? 99% of international teams wouldn't finish in the top half of the prem league surely the opposite is true. International football is a smoke screen. A player looks/sounds good when he plays well for england against Bulgaria but he actually just played a game of football at a lower level than he does week in week out. Everyone gets excited during qualification campaigns and successive england managers have stats like pl 10 w 8 d 2 l 0 and the only reason is the quals were full of inferior opposition like san marino. Then we get to the world cup and the rest is history. Not that Algeria , the US and whoever else we played in that last world cup are any better.
The media have slowly taken the world cup from being a football tournament into a massive spectacle to be enjoyed by people who aren't interested in football. So we are now so desperate to think how to change the domestic game just because my mum wants to know why we can't beat Algeria.

Well, I mean it's purer in the sense that you can't buy players from other countries, you have to deal with what you have (with the exception of the journeymen brazilians playing for half of Europe now).

It should be purer because players want to play for their nation for the pride, not just as a job (I don't know if that's still the case for all players though).

Then we get to the world cup and the rest is history.

What, 2 top 8 finishes (losing to the champion and 4th place team), and a top 16 finish (losing to 3rd place team), are pretty good results, and roughly what we should be expecting.

What, 2 top 8 finishes (losing to the champion and 4th place team), and a top 16 finish (losing to 3rd place team), are pretty good results, and roughly what we should be expecting.

Time to take them off, honestly. I hope you're joking with that comment but am afraid you're not.

Time to take them off, honestly. I hope you're joking with that comment but am afraid you're not.

Fuck me, we're reduced to talking about England their upcoming WC qualification campaign. Please God let the PL season start ASAP.

John H if you want to discuss England and their prospects/past find an EDL forum, no-one else gives a shit.

No I'm being serious, I know most people don't agree, hence all the negativity towards Sven, but I was never unhappy with those results.

Are you saying we deserved to finish higher? Brazil were a better team than us in 2002, Germany a better team last time. Portugal in 2006 is more arguable.

Fuck me, we're reduced to talking about England their upcoming WC qualification campaign. Please God let the PL season start ASAP.

John H if you want to discuss England and their prospects/past find an EDL forum, no-one else gives a shit.

12 Days and counting :)

had a dream last night Liverpool lost their first three games and it was all over by the end of August again.

What odds?

evens

No. They're serial underachievers and deserve the criticism they get. Things have not gotten any better under Capello and that's the last I'll say about it.

Can we move on to Modric and Chelsea now please?

some would say that England were over achievers, and the fans and media think that England should stroll through to winning the world cup.

#i'vereadbooks

out of all the nations in the world only one team can win the world cup
why should it be us every 4 years
it just wouldn't be fair

Fuck me, we're reduced to talking about England their upcoming WC qualification campaign. Please God let the PL season start ASAP.

John H if you want to discuss England and their prospects/past find an EDL forum, no-one else gives a shit.

This ^

Keep all ENGLAND talk out of The Football Thread please

Anyway, any Sheff Weds fans on the board?

If one were to put £5 on Man United to win every time they played a league game, would you end up with a profit at the end of it, or will the bookies have fixed the odds so you still lose?

I am thinking of giving it a go as an experiment

congratulations Mike by the way :). A work mate was thinking of doing the same £10 on Unt to win each time they played, but the odds will be very low most of the time in order to make a big return you have to able to loose a lager amount.