The Football Thread

[Banjo]

Capello knows everything there is to know.

Maybe but so far(at least competatively) England haven't beaten anyone of note. Capello won the "best coach" award  in the BBC 2009 Sports Review event but he was wise to point out that our chances rely heavily on retaining a fully fit squad of our best players.I'm hoping that the likes of Chelsea,Arsenal and Man Utd falter badly in the CL to lessen the risk to certain players.I really don't understand why knocked out Liverpool should have a second bite of the cherry in the UEFA Cup now.  

[titoli]

Maybe but so far(at least competatively) England haven't beaten anyone of note. Capello won the "best coach" award  in the BBC 2009 Sports Review event but he was wise to point out that our chances rely heavily on retaining a fully fit squad of our best players.I'm hoping that the likes of Chelsea,Arsenal and Man Utd falter badly in the CL to lessen the risk to certain players.I really don't understand why knocked out Liverpool should have a second bite of the cherry in the UEFA Cup now.  

Even if you had beaten Brasil, Italy and Spain last week that would mean little. Football is today. Variants at work in a tournament like WC are so many that you cannot predict what is gonna happen at half-time. You can only be sure that Capello won't leave any regret: what England can achieve, it will. (well, I shouldn't say so, as he left me with many regrets here in Rome during his stay). The players can injure themselves during training too and anyway all of the major teams include players doing the club tournaments. It is right to incentivate the level  of Europe League: that's why I agree with the second bite.



 

[Banjo]

Unfortunately i feel that England lack the depth of talent prevalent in other countries and only need to be missing a couple of key players to make us look very ordinary.

If Liverpool (a losing team!) now go on to win the Super Cup and then the World Club Cup next year don't you think this is a mockery ?Their qualification for the "Champions" league is already a bit of a joke considering they haven't won the English league for over 20 years.

[titoli]

Unfortunately i feel that England lack the depth of talent prevalent in other countries and only need to be missing a couple of key players to make us look very ordinary.

If Liverpool (a losing team!) now go on to win the Super Cup and then the World Club Cup next year don't you think this is a mockery ?Their qualification for the "Champions" league is already a bit of a joke considering they haven't won the English league for over 20 years.

I think a european league is in order, we're just wasting time with this restricted (and misnamed) CL tournament.

[Banjo]

I always thought that the old system of the European Champions Cup which included the league  winners of each country only,the Cup Winners Cup which featured the English FA Cup holders and it's Euro equivalents,and the UEFA cup for lower placed league teams was the perfect arrangement that we all should have stuck with.

With so many domestic/international games already i really don't see the need for a Euro league,afterall the CL only really becomes interesting in the latter knock- out stages which of course was the old format of the Champions Cup.

[titoli]

What you're saying had a reason to be before satellite tv. I think that the more relevant clubs of a nation should play agasnst the major ones of the other european nations instead of the smaller ones of their own nations. That would guarantee a smaller number of matches to the players and less injuries, maybe, (i'm sanguine about it) even less recourse to doping and a smaller number of players for each side. Champions League was invented to give vent to the different conditions imposed by pay-tv. I think that probably this will be the next step of euro football.

[titoli]

 

[Banjo]

It seems that at the moment Inter Milan are as hated as much in Italy as MU are in England.At the moment i'm watching the Inter v Chelsea CL tie and the commentators say that Morinho is unpopular with everybody in Italy.Why's this? He was the English people's choice for the national coach before Capello got the gig!

[titoli]

It seems that at the moment Inter Milan are as hated as much in Italy as MU are in England.At the moment i'm watching the Inter v Chelsea CL tie and the commentators say that Morinho is unpopular with everybody in Italy.Why's this? He was the English people's choice for the national coach before Capello got the gig!

You forget juventus turin: that makes the trio complete. About why people hate these teams, is a long story (though combined they make up 80% or more of the italian fans). I advise you to read the John Foot's book on the italian football: it is very good and it does explain everything about hates and the rest. Anyway, the last things that happened are very recent. Last saturday mourinho  put on a show because a referee dared to sanction the fouls that usually are let to pass with Inter (which has a defense line composed of maulers but that never gets yellow or red cards). So finally this referee expelled two players and they had to play 9 vs 11. Everybody concurred that the red cards were absolutely right, but mourinho as usual had to puit on a show, crossing his arms probably meaning that the referee should have been sent to jail:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-tArOHgaxg

Milan: is something of a few hours ago: they won in Florence after the referee (a real kiiller: everybody knew and wrote and said he was going to favour Milan as he did in the past, regularly with A.S. Roma playing against the 2 Milan teams) denied an eveident penalty against MIlan. Last Sunday same happened in Bari and throughout this tournament.

Juve: most recent things happened in the last four matches, with penalties and irregular goals awarded.
 

[Banjo]

Yes they mentioned the double sending off incident later on in the game. Whilst at Chelsea I wasn't a fan of Mourinho's arrogance though this won many admirers here as people like a rebel/character eg Brian Clough.Which John Foot book were you talking about as he's written a number of them about Italian football?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_9?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=john+foot&sprefix=john+foot

There should be an equivalent about English teams!

[titoli]

Which John Foot book were you talking about as he's written a number of them about Italian football?

I am halfway through this:



He has out or about to an updated edition under a different title. But this is more than enough to get the story and you can get it cheap.

I have read McIlvanney on football which is very good (as his book on boxing) and something else (Glenville).
I read an illustrated history of English football but the text wasn't up to Foot's, who covers each and every aspect of the italian football: do you know any book covering in detail (not just what happens on the pitch) england's football history?

I have the impression that everybody is fed up with mourinho's shows, even his president and the fans, though they have to defend him this particular moment. The things he did and said since he came over here are not particularly endearing to anyone: only yesterday he said to the Naples's manager "you're an ass".  

[Banjo]

Thanks Titoli i'll check with my local library but otherwise i may well buy this.The only football literature i've ever bought are Brighton match programs so i'm sorry i don't know any books to recommend to you.

Sounds like Mourinho should've stayed in England but he has a reasonable chance of winning the CL.I'd rather Inter than MU,Chelsea or Arsenal.

[titoli]

Sounds like Mourinho should've stayed in England but he has a reasonable chance of winning the CL.I'd rather Inter than MU,Chelsea or Arsenal.

Sorry, over here it works in the opposite direction. Let's compromise on a spanish team, uh?

[Banjo]

Sorry, over here it works in the opposite direction. Let's compromise on a spanish team, uh?

Well i'm going for Barcelona!

[titoli]

Whatever, as long as it isn't from Milan or Turin.