Ah, but the Swedes start their season in April. Looks like they outsmarted you this time, Scotland! 
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The 2011-2012 Football Thread
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Just as soon as you get a Champions League spot, you'll show those dastardly Swedes!MLS begins in March. We win!
Playing football during the rare months when it's warm(ish) and sunny(ish)? What kind of tomfoolery is this? Let's play football when the weather is at it's worst!
That's what the problem was tonight. The sun was shinning and all the Rangers players stopped to look at it.
That's what the problem was tonight. The sun was shinning and all the Rangers players stopped to look at it.
You're just been silly now. The sun shining in Scotland? It was probably a floodlight reflecting off some ice, or something...
Some sort of mirage caused by fog, obviously.
I don't see any problem with MLS teams playing in the Champions League. After all, Dubai wants to host the start of the Tour de France, and the Premier League is still considering league matches in foreign locales, so displaced national or regional sporting events will surely become the norm soon. At least us Americans have planned ahead and called our baseball final the "World Series".
I don't see any problem with MLS teams playing in the Champions League. After all, Dubai wants to host the start of the Tour de France, and the Premier League is still considering league matches in foreign locales, so displaced national or regional sporting events will surely become the norm soon. At least us Americans have planned ahead and called our baseball final the "World Series".
Splendid foresightedness on your part, that's for sure.
Yorkshire's actually bidding for the opening stages of a future Tour de France, and part of the proposed route would take the world's finest bicyclists through Hull. We already have enough drug addicts tootling around on bikes, that you very much.
Yorkshire's actually bidding for the opening stages of a future Tour de France, and part of the proposed route would take the world's finest bicyclists through Hull. We already have enough drug addicts tootling around on bikes, that you very much.
Here in Anchorage, the addicts tend to simply extend themselves on the ground in random spots. Perhaps some sort of planking convention would be a good fit then...hmmm.
A Tour de France start in Alaska would be comical...at least one rider would be involved in each of the following:
A Tour de France start in Alaska would be comical...at least one rider would be involved in each of the following:
- Moose Collision
- Bear Mauling
- Shot by Militiaman (especially the French)
- Lost in Wilderness
- Run Over by Large Pickup
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Personally I've never liked the leagues that play antipodean and crown their champions in November, as it means they have to wait some 8 months before getting entry into the CL.
And while the MLS teams have their eyes on glamor ties against Barca and Man U, they will also have to play the smaller teams as well. Would there be interest in the likes of Standard Liège playing in Seattle? What about the time difference for TV viewers and for the players to acclimatise (and then return)? What about the cost of getting there?
Sorry to be a bit negative about it, but I don't really see it happening just yet.
And while the MLS teams have their eyes on glamor ties against Barca and Man U, they will also have to play the smaller teams as well. Would there be interest in the likes of Standard Liège playing in Seattle? What about the time difference for TV viewers and for the players to acclimatise (and then return)? What about the cost of getting there?
Sorry to be a bit negative about it, but I don't really see it happening just yet.
I agree - I was being rather tongue-in-cheek.
I think that the CL is already too bloated (as is the Europa League) and that it needs to remain more focused.The UEFA Champions League should live up to its name - a league of European champions - not fourth place finishers in big money leagues, or any teams outside of Europe. I can entertain the idea of runners-up making it in as well (along with the winner of the Euopa League), but that's essentially where I draw the line.
MLS is too geographically remote to ever become involved in any regular competition with Europe, aside from the World Club Cup. North American football should look to Central and South America and try to build more links in that direction. Those are places where we can find top competition and talent.
Took some pictures. Here is a couple of desktop treats! I have the new Barcelona Home kit coming in next week I hope!
Arsenal Home 11/12 kit
Download here -> http://cl.ly/0x0t19373h0Z0r1S1D0K (6MB)
Manchester United Home 11/12 kit
Download here -> http://cl.ly/3v1A1d3e0K2c3G2Z2t12 (6MB)
Thanks!
Arsenal Home 11/12 kit
Download here -> http://cl.ly/0x0t19373h0Z0r1S1D0K (6MB)
Manchester United Home 11/12 kit
Download here -> http://cl.ly/3v1A1d3e0K2c3G2Z2t12 (6MB)
Thanks!
Columbus Crew 0-3 Newcastle United
It was a meaningless friendly, and yet the ref felt the need to send off our keeper on a marginal handball call on 45 minutes. That ruined any hope of a contest, as we played the second half with 10 men and MLS reserve pool 'keeper Chris Konopka in goal. Oh well, it was our B- side, so I'm not surprised. Back to the league...
By an odd coincidence, a Geordie (and NUFC season ticket holder) who is running across the US for charity happened to be stopping in Columbus today, so he attended the match and stood in as the Official Coin Toss Captain at the start of the match.
It was a meaningless friendly, and yet the ref felt the need to send off our keeper on a marginal handball call on 45 minutes.
That ruined any hope of a contest, as we played the second half with 10 men and MLS reserve pool 'keeper Chris Konopka in goal. Oh well, it was our B- side, so I'm not surprised. Back to the league...By an odd coincidence, a Geordie (and NUFC season ticket holder) who is running across the US for charity happened to be stopping in Columbus today, so he attended the match and stood in as the Official Coin Toss Captain at the start of the match.
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Nice shots, Scott. Thanks for sharing. Where's the one for Hull City?
Ho hum, another MLS All-Star Game. I feel like the All-Stars played a bit better this season even if the scoreline was still as lopsided as ever against United. Now for the "rematch" against Barça this weekend, which will be a far tougher test. Can't believe the Community Shield is only two weeks away...
Ho hum, another MLS All-Star Game. I feel like the All-Stars played a bit better this season even if the scoreline was still as lopsided as ever against United. Now for the "rematch" against Barça this weekend, which will be a far tougher test. Can't believe the Community Shield is only two weeks away...
It was humiliating to watch, especially since the English press like to pretend that the only player out there who showed any skill was their beloved ex-red devil midfielder. I suppose I shouldn't have expected much, given that it's Man U and the the All-Star team was not really an MLS best XI. It was more like Hans Backe's favorite Red Bull players plus a few of the better MLS players.
We were always going to lose that match though.
US Manager Bob Bradley sacked: http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Mens-National-Team/2011/07/Bradleys-Tenure-Ends.aspx
The last time the US changed managers after the 2006 World Cup, US Soccer dithered very publicly over a replacement and it made the organization look incompetent (as they are). When I saw this news break my first impulse was "I hope they've already found a replacement this time". A successor will apparently be announced Friday.
Bradley was a solid manager but limited on the world stage. I think he improved the national side during his tenure, but I think few USA fans expected the team to move forward beyond the current state of development under Bradley. The further implication is that we need a foreign manager, because we need a manager with a level of managerial experience that no American manager has.
One good side effect of this is the end of the "Bob Bradley Out" threads that have infected American soccer forums since 2006.
Well, we could always shoot the previous shirt. Nice photos Scott - though you forgot about the most important red shirt of them all - Liverpool's, of course.
Bradley was a solid manager but limited on the world stage. I think he improved the national side during his tenure, but I think few USA fans expected the team to move forward beyond the current state of development under Bradley. The further implication is that we need a foreign manager, because we need a manager with a level of managerial experience that no American manager has.
One good side effect of this is the end of the "Bob Bradley Out" threads that have infected American soccer forums since 2006.
Well, we could always shoot the previous shirt.
Nice photos Scott - though you forgot about the most important red shirt of them all - Liverpool's, of course.
Best start a 'Gary Megson Out!' campaign just on the off chance that he's tempted to trade in the Wednesday job.One good side effect of this is the end of the "Bob Bradley Out" threads that have infected American soccer forums since 2006.
Best start a 'Gary Megson Out!' campaign just on the off chance that he's tempted to trade in the Wednesday job.
Good grief. Scary thought.
Many USA fans are still talking about Klinsmann. He is working as a consultant for Toronto FC and on the basis of results so far he hasn't accomplished much. Sven has been mentioned but that's a given.
swiftaw said:
Clean, but I miss the stripes.
Yeah, on one hand I like the clean look, but on the other hand it makes us look like Birmingham or Leicester.
At least your players will be familiar with the look when Leicester buy them.
Because Leicester will buy them. They're bloody buying everybody.
Look out, Malaga and PSG, here comes Leicester!
I have to agree with everyone else's assessments of the new Wigan shirt. It actually screams out last year's Rangers shirt to me, with the collar and all.
It was time for Bradley to go. Clearly he could not take the USMNT any further. Who's next? Seems like Klinsmann is the logical choice, but now I have to wonder how much of his success running Die Mannschaft was really down to having Joaquim Löw on staff.
Klinsmann is the big name-dropping choice, but I haven't heard there's anything behind the rumors...to be fair, US Soccer seems to have kept the secret well since I haven't seen anything more than pure speculation from any sources.
One thing about the failed Klinsmann hire in '06 that is interesting is that he refused to take the job because US Soccer refused to pay the big wages he wanted, and also refused to allow Klinsmann to bring a big pricey staff with him - two prerequisites that most big-name managers would demand. Will we try to do it on the cheap again? It's not as if our FA is swimming in money. Still, the US is a reasonably high-rankin side, it could be an attractive post for a good (if not top) manager.
It would be interesting to bring in a Central or South American manager, someone who does not necessarily look to Europe but comes from a strong footballing background, and who might better reach out to American talent of Latin descent.
EDIT: The current scuttlebutt is that the new manager will come from MLS -there will be no surprises in the candidate, no big names.
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