2009-10 Football Thread

[pjlander]

What's the latest on Gerrard's court case?

I just saw the CCTV video of Gerrad knocking that guy out in the bar. Not good. Definitely can't help his case.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

I just saw the CCTV video of Gerrad knocking that guy out in the bar. Not good. Definitely can't help his case.

However, I suspect that being a famous footballer might count in his favour...

I had a wee laugh to myself when I saw that the mighty Accrington Stanley have been caught up in a scandal. When else would a division 3 betting ring be discussed in an orientated website .

Clearly they've not been drinking enough milk. The shame of it!

 

[Fuzzy14]

I suppose I'd better come clean then. In my years old globe trotting I have seen the world on my company's expense account. Swindon, Ipswich, Reading, oh yes, no journey too far for my paymasters. But as I write I have to come clean. I am currently sitting in a hotel in Leeds.

1,000 apologies. I promise I'm not enjoying myself (in a corporate dullsville hotel which thankfully has free wi-fi). I'll be back in Scotland tomorrow. Or at the very least out of Yorkshire.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

Or at the very least out of West Yorkshire.

There you go, fixed that for you.

Meanwhile, it looks like Mitty was right to tell us about potential Fulham interest in Bjørn Helge Riise – he's signed for them today.

 

[Fuzzy14]

Thank you. Apoligies, my geography is still a little mixed up. I drove south for 4 hours today yet I'm still in the north?

 

[pachyderm]

Thank you. Apoligies, my geography is still a little mixed up. I drove south for 4 hours today yet I'm still in the north?

Careful with this Yorkshire talk... there are some "Wednesdayites" about...

 

[Jaffa Cake]

Thank you. Apoligies, my geography is still a little mixed up. I drove south for 4 hours today yet I'm still in the north?

Judging by your signature you probably travelled down by Ninky Nonk. There's no shame in being a bit disorientated after such a bumpy, winding trip.

 

[swiftaw]

Everton Away Kit:

Bolton Away Kit:

 

[Jaffa Cake]

I'm not impressed with that particular Reebok template, in any of the various colourways I've seen it. Everton have been pretty short-changed with that away kit as well.

Meanwhile, it's been reported on Sky Sports News that Cardiff City's Ross McCormack has handed in a transfer request. Our interest in him is well known, indeed Phil Brown was in Cardiff last night to watch him and fellow transfer target Joe Ledley in action and now it looks like McCormack sees his future away from the shiny new Stadiwm Dinas Caerdydd.

Obviously he's going to go to Sunderland or Fulham.

 

[swiftaw]

Portsmouth Home Shirt:

 

[pivo6]

Portsmouth Home Shirt:

At first I thought that Pompey were being sponsored by a company called Jobshite. Not a bad looking kit. The Everton kit is about as ugly as the rest of them. It's been a poor year for shirt designers.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

Steven Gerrard will no doubt be breathing a little easier given that he's been cleared of affray – the jury accepted his claim that he'd been acting in self-defence.

The 29-year-old footballer, of Formby, Merseyside, was the only one of seven men to be cleared over the violence.

Hmm.

 

[Fizzoid]

Steven Gerrard will no doubt be breathing a little easier given that he's been cleared of affray – the jury accepted his claim that he'd been acting in self-defence.

Hmm.

Must remember that punching someone clean in the face is self defence when I'm out tonight

 

[Jaffa Cake]

You behave yourself, young Fizzoid – you're not a famous footballer, don't forget.

 

[Fizzoid]

Well, it's keeping the BBC's 606 mods busy, they must be closing down a thread every second on the Gerrard decision

 

[xUKHCx]

To be fair we haven't seen all the evidence and the video evidence I have see it not the best.

He admitted that he hit the guy, yes but it is the whole story and context which either makes him guilty of affray (I believe the most lenient charge based on that type of event) or not.

The difference between Gerrard and the other defendants is that if his story is true then it was self-defense. If his story is not true the difference is that he can afford a much much better lawyer.

 

[Fizzoid]

Here's what the Judge said:

You did not start the violence, it was started by the violent elbowing of Marcus McGee in the face by one of your friends John Doran.

So it seems to me that McGee was hit in the face, was surrounded by Gerrard and 6 of his mates and yet it was Gerrard that felt threatened

In other news, France has decided against joining us and joined our (not so) illustrious neighbours.
From what I've read, we were somewhat concerned over his knee problem (after all, we've already got half a team with knee problems) and his offer reflected that.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

In other news, France has decided against joining us and joined our (not so) illustrious neighbours.
From what I've read, we were somewhat concerned over his knee problem (after all, we've already got half a team with knee problems) and his offer reflected that.

Shame that, I would have liked to have seen him do well at Wednesday.

With regards to his knee, he damaged his ligaments in early 2007 and as a result was out for several months – but I'm not aware of any issues with his knee since then.

 

[swiftaw]

New Villa Home kit:

 

[gauchogolfer]

Here's what the Judge said:

So it seems to me that McGee was hit in the face, was surrounded by Gerrard and 6 of his mates and yet it was Gerrard that felt threatened

In other news, France has decided against joining us and joined our (not so) illustrious neighbours.
From what I've read, we were somewhat concerned over his knee problem (after all, we've already got half a team with knee problems) and his offer reflected that.

So let's see, one of Gerrad's lads elbowed a guy in the face, and while he was down on the ground Gerrard punched him. And the judge lets him off because he wasn't the one who started the altercation? Is anyone claiming that McGee started the violence?

 

[SactoGuy18]

Speaking of which, is diving still a major issue in the various football leagues in Europe? (I still remember the TV ad for The Guardian newspaper way back in 2004 with a parody of supposedly showing the Italian national team learning how to "dive.")

 

[xUKHCx]

So let's see, one of Gerrad's lads elbowed a guy in the face, and while he was down on the ground Gerrard punched him.

That is not in line with the accounts I heard of what happened, see below.

And the judge lets him off because he wasn't the one who started the altercation?

It was trial by jury and they determined that he was not guilty of the charge of affray.

Is anyone claiming that McGee started the violence?

No, however the defense for Gerrard argued that the situation that Gerrard saw was threatening and cause for the defensive punches.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/8167000.stm

Judge Henry Globe told him: "The verdict is a credible verdict on the full facts of this case, and you walk away from this court with your reputation intact.

"You did not start the violence, it was started by the violent elbowing of Marcus McGee in the face by one of your friends John Doran.


"At all times you insisted that you only ever acted in what you believed was reasonable self-defence to what you understandably, albeit you accept mistakenly, believed was an attempted attack upon you by Marcus McGee.

"What at first sight to the casual observer may seem to have been a clear-cut case against you of unlawful violence, has been nowhere near as clear-cut upon careful analysis of the evidence."

Mr Gerrard told the court he had been trying to ask Mr McGee why he had a problem with him when the businessman "very quickly" got off his bar stool.

He said he "firmly believed" he was about to be punched, and swung out in self-defence.

Mr Gerrard was quickly pulled away by friends and told the court he was "sorry about the whole incident".

The victim lost a tooth and suffered cuts to his face in the ensuing violence.

or

http://football365.com/story/0,17033,8652_5451556,00.html

CCTV footage from the bar showed Gerrard and his friends drinking beer, downing shots and dancing around while chanting football songs.

But trouble flared at around 2am when the father-of-two wanted to change the music on the CD player.

Prosecutor David Turner QC told the jury of seven women and five men that Gerrard lost his cool after Mr McGee refused his request to change the music.

He said the footballer stormed off in a huff and then confronted Mr McGee at the bar seven minutes later, talking to him for 23 seconds before swinging three upper-cut punches at him.

However, Gerrard's version of events differed. The footballer, who denied affray, told the jury on Thursday that he was "shocked" by Mr McGee's attitude.

He said the businessman told him: "You are not putting no f****** music on in here" and swore at him.

Gerrard said they argued for a few seconds before he walked away.

The footballer said that minutes later he decided to smooth things over, against the advice of his friends, because he did not want the row to ruin his night.

He told the court: "I asked Marcus what was the problem with the music machine and why he treated me like that.

"Very quickly he came off the bar stool and was in my face right by me."

He told his defence counsel, John Kelsey-Fry, that he hit out at Mr McGee in self-defence.

He said: "I firmly believed Marcus came towards me to hit me."

Gerrard described raising his left arm to grab the back of Mr McGee's jumper.

He said: "I grabbed the back of his jumper as he moved forward to me. When I had hold of Marcus, I remember swinging my right hand two or three times."

He said the incident took about four or five seconds before he was "pushed and pulled" away from Mr McGee.

Gerrard apologised for what happened, telling the jury: "I am sorry about the whole incident."

CCTV footage showed that Gerrard's friend, John Doran, actually struck the first blow.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

Plenty of diving still goes on unfortunately, some players have a particular reputation for it – Drogba would be a good example.

 

[xUKHCx]

Speaking of which, is diving still a major issue in the various football leagues in Europe? (I still remember the TV ad for The Guardian newspaper way back in 2004 with a parody of supposedly showing the Italian national team learning how to "dive.")

Diving is quite common in the Italian league and is still seen in the premiership every week, as with every other league in the world. It is not as big of a problem as it used to be in the premiership though.

The best dive that was actually given as a penalty is this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dP5rEffhXfo&fmt=18

Certain players or groups of players do get a reputation for diving Drogba, Eboue are two that come straight off the top of my head.

Drogba has definitely improved and is less likely to fall over but it is still a part of his game.

 

[SactoGuy18]

Diving is quite common in the Italian league....

Between this and the frightening ultras among the spectators, small wonder why Serie A is increasingly unwatchable nowadays. I've seen Premier League games in recent years and while you do see diving every now and then, it's a pretty uncommon practice.