The 2023-2024 Football Thread

[laptech]

.....

But Kane showed 'loyalty' which strengthened Levy's hand. And again i argue to his own detriment.

I agree with you there. Kane could have refused to move and instead see out his contract and then moved on a free to one of two teams that could guarantee him trophies that being Man City or Real Madrid. Man United wanted Kane and they probably would have won more trophies with him but it would have still been a risk going to United.

For all intense purposes transferring to Bayern Munich was still a good move trophy wise. They had won the league 11 years in a row and did their own version of the treble in 2019-20 thus still in with a good shout of winning trophies but the year Kane transfers to the club they fail to win anything. How ironic is that!!!.

 

[timber]

Last year (or better said, the year before) Bayern already won by a split hair.
They need some rethinking.
If Kane holds on a bit he will get his trophies.

 

[Lioness~]

Also...

Anyone else going to be super self-conscious about their posts now...?

Just me?

Spoiler

Google editor says you left out two commas...

No, it wont bother me at all actually.
I've had enough people trying to criticize my english over the yrs. It is what it is, and it's their problem. English is one of the most common laguages in west at least, with a lot of variatons of corectness. Intent is what matters to me, not corectness.
If the guy is here to play unpayed moderator, it's his problem entirely.

 

[Apple fanboy]

No, it wont bother me at all actually.
I've had enough people trying to criticize my english over the yrs. It is what it is, and it's their problem. English is one of the most common laguages in west at least, with a lot of variatons of corectness. Intent is what matters to me, not corectness.
If the guy is here to play unpayed moderator, it's his problem entirely.

Apart from the fact you state your country often, your English is good enough to pass as a native imo.

Certainly better than my foreign language skills!

 

[laptech]

Last year (or better said, the year before) Bayern already won by a split hair.
They need some rethinking.
If Kane holds on a bit he will get his trophies.

Harry Kane is 30 and for a striker that is old in most peoples book. Yes there have been many a striker that have gone on to achieve things when past their prime striker days but for the most part a striker hitting 30 is not going to be getting many opportunities at goal, especially when coming up against younger, much stronger and much fitter defenders.

Remember though it is not all about scoring goals. Kane was the Bundesliga highest goal scorer and yet the club finished 3rd in the league. The exact same thing kept happening to him whilst at Spurs, a number of times he was the premier league highest goal scorer and yet Spurs would finish 4th or 5th in the league.

 

[pachyderm]

No, it wont bother me at all actually.
I've had enough people trying to criticize my english over the yrs. It is what it is, and it's their problem. English is one of the most common laguages in west at least, with a lot of variatons of corectness. Intent is what matters to me, not corectness.
If the guy is here to play unpayed moderator, it's his problem entirely.

Yeah, your English is very solid!

 

[daneoni]

Moussa Diaby who signed for Villa last season, and who are now in the CL, has decided to go to Saudi at age 25.

 

[timber]

Harry Kane is 30 and for a striker that is old in most peoples book. Yes there have been many a striker that have gone on to achieve things when past their prime striker days but for the most part a striker hitting 30 is not going to be getting many opportunities at goal, especially when coming up against younger, much stronger and much fitter defenders.

Remember though it is not all about scoring goals. Kane was the Bundesliga highest goal scorer and yet the club finished 3rd in the league. The exact same thing kept happening to him whilst at Spurs, a number of times he was the premier league highest goal scorer and yet Spurs would finish 4th or 5th in the league.

When I was a kid a lot of players were not only not at their prime by 30 but practically finished. But nowadays most players manage to get a few great years into the 30s (not talking about semi retired players like Ronaldo).
Several of those players are still playing at high level.
Lewandowski for exemple is pushing 35. Benzema which is 36 just recently was at Real Madrid.
I believe Kane still has at least 3 or 4 great years.

 

[daneoni]

Argentinian players really make it hard for people to like them. From Maradona to Martinez to Fernandez. Always something.

Fernandez the latest to court controversy after Fofana called him out for hosting a live video depicting the Argentine players making racist chants towards French players (they seem weirdly obsessed with France) after their Copa win.

Argentina sports minister who suggested Messi, as captain, apologise on behalf of Argentina has now been sacked by the President which says it all really. MacAllister and De Paul have also come out in defence of Fernandez

Very interested to see how this plays out within the Chelsea squad in the coming season. And how Maresca and the hierarchy handle the situation. Even more so seeing as a sizeable chunk of the squad have now unfollowed Fernandez on social media.

 

[laptech]

When I was a kid a lot of players were not only not at their prime by 30 but practically finished. But nowadays most players manage to get a few great years into the 30s (not talking about semi retired players like Ronaldo).
Several of those players are still playing at high level.
Lewandowski for exemple is pushing 35. Benzema which is 36 just recently was at Real Madrid.
I believe Kane still has at least 3 or 4 great years.

I did a long exhausting check on the premier leagues golden boot winners since the beginning of the premier existence which was in 1993 there is only ONE player over the age of 30 who as won the golden boot and that was Jamie Vardy in 2019/20 for Leicester City at the age of 32 with the total of 23 goals scored that year. Every other golden boot winner has been 29 or younger.

So basically what I am saying is in the premier league, no player over the age of 29 has scored 30 goals or more and yet in the German league at the age of 30 Kane was the leagues highest goal scorer with 36!!. The premier league golden boot stats do not lie meaning there is no way in hell a player over the age of 30 is going to score 30 or more league goals in a season. The fact Kane has done it in the German league says more about the league than the man.

Yes there are players that can go a lot longer BUT in the English premier league there is no way players of Lewandowski or Benzema age is going to be scoring 30 goals plus, it's never going to happen.

source for premier league golden boot stats:

Premier League top goal scorers 2024/2025: EPL golden boot rankings as Salah equals record on final day | Sporting News United Kingdom

Manchester City's Erling Haaland is the favourite to repeat as Premier League Golden Boot winner after he claimed the 2022/23 award in his first EPL season, setting a new single-season record along the way.

www.sportingnews.com

 

[timber]

Doing historical lists doesn't seem to me that relevant particularly going back so many years
Players simply last more than they used to.
And the PL is probably skewed because English clubs can afford to have players only at their highest peak.

 

[laptech]

Argentinian players really make it hard for people to like them. From Maradona to Martinez to Fernandez. Always something.

Fernandez the latest to court controversy after Fofana called him out for hosting a live video depicting the Argentine players making racist chants towards French players (they seem weirdly obsessed with France) after their Copa win.

Argentina sports minister who suggested Messi, as captain, apologise on behalf of Argentina has now been sacked by the President which says it all really. MacAllister and De Paul have also come out in defence of Fernandez

Very interested to see how this plays out within the Chelsea squad in the coming season. And how Maresca and the hierarchy handle the situation. Even more so seeing as a sizeable chunk of the squad have now unfollowed Fernandez on social media.

I've been following this and the ONLY Argentine who called out the chant for what it is has been sacked from his job. Every other Argentina person who have voiced their view/opinion on the issue has defended Enzo Fernandez. Oh and what has all the Argentinians who have voiced their view/opinion on the issue said on the issue? that Europeans are too sensitive and do not understand Argentina culture because in their culture they are not racist thus the song they sang cannot be racist.

I can see this getting very ugly if Argentina players and people in government say there was nothing racist about the chant.

 

[laptech]

Doing historical lists doesn't seem to me that relevant particularly going back so many years
Players simply last more than they used to.
And the PL is probably skewed because English clubs can afford to have players only at their highest peak.

All I am doing is pointing out the fact that no one in the history of the premier league has been able to achieve what Kane has achieved in the German league as his age. His age and the league he is in is very relevant when debating the number of goals scored given a persons age. Also remember as well, a prime young fit Kane could not match the goal tally that the old (in football terms) Kane has achieved in the German league. That say's a lot by the man and the leagues he's played in and the ages he got the golden boot in those leagues and the amount of goals he scored.

 

[daneoni]

I've been following this and the ONLY Argentine who called out the chant for what it is has been sacked from his job. Every other Argentina person who have voiced their view/opinion on the issue has defended Enzo Fernandez. Oh and what has all the Argentinians who have voiced their view/opinion on the issue said on the issue? that Europeans are too sensitive and do not understand Argentina culture because in their culture they are not racist thus the song they sang cannot be racist.

I can see this getting very ugly if Argentina players and people in government say there was nothing racist about the chant.

It’s mind boggling really. Classic gaslighting.

‘Yes i said something racist. But you can’t analyse it as racist because we don’t consider it racist. Therefore it is not racist and we are not racist’

The logic and rational of a toddler.

 

[timber]

The only way not to notice the racism in the singing is by having hearing difficulties

 

[laptech]

This is a very good piece about the issue:

Football’s silence over Argentina’s racist chanting is deafening and damning

At moments like this, the idea that football is serious about combating racism is very hard to take seriously

www.nytimes.com

The bit in the article that stands out for me is that the author states that no white footballer has come out and publicly denounced what the Argentina players have done. Everyone should be against racism in the game but it is only black players who come out an publicly denounced the Argentina players. Especially when it comes to premier league players who wear shirts with an anti-racism patch on their sleeve.

Especially for premier league players, I wonder if no white player has denounced what the Argentina players have done because they are worried they would get into trouble with their club if they spoke out about it because how many times have we seen a premier league player punished by their club for making social media posts or giving an interview without the clubs knowledge or consent.

 

[daneoni]

Well the sentiment has always been 'there they go again, playing the race card, causing trouble'

Not really surprised judging by previous 'responses'. Its usually 'lets pretend to do something, and then sweep it under the rug and move on'

Thats why i'm curious what Chelsea will do this time since there'll be palpable discontent within the squad itself.

 

[laptech]

What the Argentina players and those defending them seem to have failed to understand is that why sing a racist song as a way to celebrate winning a major tournament? The author in the article I linked to, he mentioned that the players knew what they were doing was wrong because once they realised their singing was being filmed someone shouted for it to be turned off. Now if you are doing no wrong, why would you shout to stop filming?
Fans all over the world have made racist chants at one time or another over a win or a loss or over something else but for the life of me I cannot remember ANY national team of players who have just won a major tournament singing a racist chant in celebration of that win.
Because none of the Argentina players have directly come out and acknowledge what they did was wrong (Enzo apologised for being in the mix of it but did not acknowledge that the song chant was racist) and for other Argentina players publicly defending the team does this mean that football fans in Europe are going to take the view that all Argentina players are racist?
For example, take a look at Mason Greenwood, all the charges against him were dropped therefore he is innocent in the eyes of the law but fan's everywhere in Europe still say he is a pedo and therefore they do not want him at their club. This same fan behaviour/attitude can be aimed at any Argentina player due to no player past or present acknowledging what the players did was wrong. Therefore it will be interesting to see how many Argentina players get booed every time they touch the ball during a league club game.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Argentinian players really make it hard for people to like them. From Maradona to Martinez to Fernandez. Always something.

Bravo.

Very well said.

Not only am I in complete agreement with you, but, reading your post, it struck me that this is something I have also long thought (and fins that it is expressed as a devout desire for whoever plays against Argentina - irrespective of the tournament - to win, to emerge victorious by thrashing Argentina) but have never openly expressed, because my own views lay submerged deep somewhere in the depths of my subconscious.

Fernandez the latest to court controversy after Fofana called him out for hosting a live video depicting the Argentine players making racist chants towards French players (they seem weirdly obsessed with France) after their Copa win.

Argentina sports minister who suggested Messi, as captain, apologise on behalf of Argentina has now been sacked by the President which says it all really. MacAllister and De Paul have also come out in defence of Fernandez

Very interesting, and, as you so rightly observe, this really does - rather depressingly - say it all.

Very interested to see how this plays out within the Chelsea squad in the coming season. And how Maresca and the hierarchy handle the situation. Even more so seeing as a sizeable chunk of the squad have now unfollowed Fernandez on social media.

Fascinating.

 

[Lioness~]

When I was a kid a lot of players were not only not at their prime by 30 but practically finished. But nowadays most players manage to get a few great years into the 30s (not talking about semi retired players like Ronaldo).
Several of those players are still playing at high level.
Lewandowski for exemple is pushing 35. Benzema which is 36 just recently was at Real Madrid.
I believe Kane still has at least 3 or 4 great years.

Zlatan were playing until he was 42 in our national team, still doing spectacular goals.
But sure he wasn't doing a lot of work, but he still found the ways to do great goals as he always did.

 

[laptech]

This is interesting coming from European leagues regarding them suing FIFA for 'abuse of dominance'.

Fifa: European leagues & Fifpro take legal action over 'abuse of dominance'

The top European leagues and players' union Fifpro will launch legal action against world governing body Fifa over its "abuse of dominance".

www.bbc.co.uk

The leagues complaint is about the number of games FIFA keeps including into the football calendar which is affecting the welfare of players. FIFA is fighting back saying the European leagues are showing hypocrisy because UEFA keeps increasing teams in it's competitions which results in extra games having to be added to the football calendar as well creating new competitions such as the Nations League (2018) as well as having numerous friendlies and pre season tours which all add extra games to the football calendar.

I think the European leagues are going to struggle to win this considering how much the leagues and UEFA are involved in extra games on the football calendar themselves.

 

[daneoni]

Yeah FIFA has a leg to stand on. They should've gone after UEFA as well. Its a cry for help but not sure they'll succeed
besides clubs are also benefiting from this.

Meanwhile Real Madrid just announced €1bn in revenue

 

[timsutcliffe]

Hello folks,

For anyone interested, the MacRumors Fantasy Premier League league is up and running - please use the following link to join:

Fantasy Premier League, Official Fantasy Football Game of the Premier League

Official Fantasy Premier League 2025/26. Free to play fantasy football game, set up your fantasy football team at the Official Premier League site.

fantasy.premierleague.com

 

[laptech]

oh dear, not good for current Olympic 2020 gold winners Canada's women's Olympic team, their head coach has been suspended and sent back home to Canada for cheating. Apparently the team was caught using a drone to spy on their opponents New Zealand. Looks like she has taken responsibility for the actions of 2 of her staff and decided to leave the tournament.

Olympic football has not started well. The fights and other issues with the Morocco v Argentina men's game. The persistent boo's and chants of free Palestine during Israel's men's game and now this with Canada's women's team.

 

[Apple fanboy]

oh dear, not good for current Olympic 2020 gold winners Canada's women's Olympic team, their head coach has been suspended and sent back home to Canada for cheating. Apparently the team was caught using a drone to spy on their opponents New Zealand. Looks like she has taken responsibility for the actions of 2 of her staff and decided to leave the tournament.

Olympic football has not started well. The fights and other issues with the Morocco v Argentina men's game. The persistent boo's and chants of free Palestine during Israel's men's game and now this with Canada's women's team.

I don’t really like football at the Olympics. Football has its own competitions. Personally I think the Olympics should be for other sports.