Ultimate Football (Soccer) Thread 2014-15

[The Starlight]

Has this Women's World Cup been a little boring? Admittedly I've not been following it too closely but watched a game a night or started too but found them very unexciting and usually fallen asleep or switched over.

I would disagree. Sweden vs Nigeria was quite exciting, among others.

[Evil Lord Sauron]

Has this Women's World Cup been a little boring? Admittedly I've not been following it too closely but watched a game a night or started too but found them very unexciting and usually fallen asleep or switched over.

I would disagree. Sweden vs Nigeria was quite exciting, among others.

That one wasn't on TV, or if it was I missed it. But not too many others in what 10 games of football?


And WALES?!?! Can we seriously actually qualify? Are we going to a major tournament?

[DesAnges]

I would disagree. Sweden vs Nigeria was quite exciting, among others.

That one wasn't on TV, or if it was I missed it. But not too many others in what 10 games of football?


And WALES?!?! Can we seriously actually qualify? Are we going to a major tournament?

Sweden vs Nigeria was on BBC 3, if I remember. Excellent game.

And yes, I'd say you were.

[Frasers]

And WALES?!?! Can we seriously actually qualify? Are we going to a major tournament?

be pretty sick if scotland and NI got through as well, which they might well do

[DesAnges]

And WALES?!?! Can we seriously actually qualify? Are we going to a major tournament?

be pretty sick if scotland and NI got through as well, which they might well do

Would be the beginning of the end of the separate national teams, I'd say.

[DesAnges]

Pft, who needs grassroots funding: http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/mi ... xe-9449555

[Osarius]

Pft, who needs grassroots funding: http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/mi ... xe-9449555

Yeah, a few teams seem to fold every year because of this locally. It's madness. Really pisses me off, too.

[DesAnges]

Pft, who needs grassroots funding: http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/mi ... xe-9449555

Yeah, a few teams seem to fold every year because of this locally. It's madness. Really pisses me off, too.

Happened down here as well. Hallen were a big, big sports club in north Bristol, football and cricket. Almondsbury Parish Council shoved their rent up by more than 50% for next season and the club just couldn't pay it.

[The Blaatschapen]

Curacao beat Cuba and are continuing their WC qualification

[Osarius]

Yeah, a few teams seem to fold every year because of this locally. It's madness. Really pisses me off, too.

Happened down here as well. Hallen were a big, big sports club in north Bristol, football and cricket. Almondsbury Parish Council shoved their rent up by more than 50% for next season and the club just couldn't pay it.

It's madness though. Councils complain about youth crime increasing, but then they effectively take away constructive activities. They say "we're concerned about childhood obesity" and then make it too expensive for a lot of kids to have an opportunity to enjoy constructive, fun physical activities. Where is the logic?

I understand that to some people football is a waste of time, or they see it as the sport of the thuggish working class or whatever, but for a lot of kids, particularly in crime-ridden inner city areas like the one I grew up in, it literally saves lives.

[New Skaaneland]

be pretty sick if scotland and NI got through as well, which they might well do

Would be the beginning of the end of the separate national teams, I'd say.

If you're still talking about women's football I don't think there's much to lose from crucial changes of identities in their case since there isn't really a culture surrounding women's football. If you're talking about football on an elite level however I think it'd be a very bad idea to joint the UK teams together.

In case you'd protest against "elite level" instead of saying "men's football" I think it's more accurate to say "elite" since at least some of the professional leagues internationally don't distinguish between men and women. Allsvenskan (the highest level of football in Sweden) was on paper open for both sexes for most of its' existence. It's just that the best female players didn't stand a chance when they tried to play men who were nowhere near the professional level. Heard about some scores when Umeå FC tried to play the junior teams of some lower division sides and it was just ridiculous. At the time they were arguably the world's best team in womens football but they'd always lose against the kids when they tried to play males. Those males probably weren't even the best talents in the country and if they make it like 10-0 against the female champs of Europe you can imagine the difference between the top footballers and any of the women who might even consider joining a men's team. Still, their sex isn't the key difference. It's their lack of abilities, cause a male player who'd be their equal on the field wouldn't stand a chance as a professional footballer.

[DesAnges]

Would be the beginning of the end of the separate national teams, I'd say.

If you're still talking about women's football I don't think there's much to lose from crucial changes of identities in their case since there isn't really a culture surrounding women's football. If you're talking about football on an elite level however I think it'd be a very bad idea to joint the UK teams together.

We are not talking about women's football, but the same point applies. You couldn't have a female UK team and then separate male teams, or vice versa. But you'd be surprised about the "identities" of the women's teams. They are national identities still, and people still feel strongly about them.

The second half of your post is irrelevant. Not incorrect, but not entirely correct either - there are some women who have the technical ability to stand alongside the men, and probably a few who can do so physically, but very rarely do you get both.

Happened down here as well. Hallen were a big, big sports club in north Bristol, football and cricket. Almondsbury Parish Council shoved their rent up by more than 50% for next season and the club just couldn't pay it.

It's madness though. Councils complain about youth crime increasing, but then they effectively take away constructive activities. They say "we're concerned about childhood obesity" and then make it too expensive for a lot of kids to have an opportunity to enjoy constructive, fun physical activities. Where is the logic?

I understand that to some people football is a waste of time, or they see it as the sport of the thuggish working class or whatever, but for a lot of kids, particularly in crime-ridden inner city areas like the one I grew up in, it literally saves lives.

Well, quite.

[New Skaaneland]

If you're still talking about women's football I don't think there's much to lose from crucial changes of identities in their case since there isn't really a culture surrounding women's football. If you're talking about football on an elite level however I think it'd be a very bad idea to joint the UK teams together.

We are not talking about women's football, but the same point applies. You couldn't have a female UK team and then separate male teams, or vice versa.

That's...

No, you just can't be serious about this.

[Osarius]

We are not talking about women's football, but the same point applies. You couldn't have a female UK team and then separate male teams, or vice versa.

That's...

No, you just can't be serious about this.

...I don't think you understand the statement. Separate as in, separate national teams for England, Scotland, Wales etc

I don't see how this is surprising otherwise, tbh.

[Auremena]

Aaand Ayew to Swansea.
Who the hell is Poch going to pick up to provide cover for Chadli? And Lamela for that matter, rumour is Townsend+cash to Villa for Benteke. I mean, Azza, sure, but he's what, 16?

[DesAnges]

We are not talking about women's football, but the same point applies. You couldn't have a female UK team and then separate male teams, or vice versa.

That's...

No, you just can't be serious about this.

Like Os said, I meant separate teams for each of the 'Home Nations', the constituent countries of the UK. Not mixed gender teams.

[Osarius]

rumour is Townsend+cash to Villa for Benteke

Wouldn't worry about that.
I can't see Spurs offering 20m plus Townsend, and really, unless you think Townsend is worth 15m plus (lol) that's how much it will take.

[DesAnges]

rumour is Townsend+cash to Villa for Benteke

Wouldn't worry about that.
I can't see Spurs offering 20m plus Townsend, and really, unless you think Townsend is worth 15m plus (lol) that's how much it will take.

You mean "sprint, cut inside, shoot wide" isn't a valuable tactical technique?

[New Skaaneland]

That's...

No, you just can't be serious about this.

Like Os said, I meant separate teams for each of the 'Home Nations', the constituent countries of the UK. Not mixed gender teams.

You were discussing women's football and uniting NI, England, Wales and Scotland into one team which would've been the United Kingdom women's football team. This could actually be done without much fuss because the leagues and competitions which are strictly made for women don't matter more than the once so impressive and important paralympics sport called "Lawn bowls". However you DesAnges put it as if it was a given thing that the real football competitions would have to be remade if the women exclusive ones were.

[DesAnges]

Like Os said, I meant separate teams for each of the 'Home Nations', the constituent countries of the UK. Not mixed gender teams.

You were discussing women's football and uniting NI, England, Wales and Scotland into one team which would've been the United Kingdom women's football team. This could actually be done without much fuss because the leagues and competitions which are strictly made for women don't matter more than the once so impressive and important paralympics sport called "Lawn bowls". However you DesAnges put it as if it was a given thing that the real football competitions would have to be remade if the women exclusive ones were.

Actually I was talking about the men's game. You were the one that brought the women into it, but I accommodated that into it.

FIFA would not allow the men to all compete under different names if the women were not allowed to. If nothing else, it would allow FIFA to wrest control of the lawmaking panel from the UK, by reducing their 4 seats to 1.

But you're also making assumptions about the regions of the UK that are extremely wrong. Each national team in each sport is an extension of the national identity - the Scots, Welsh, and Northern Irish would not allow any kind of erosion of their separation from England or each other. They fought tooth and nail against the idea of a UK team for the "home" 2012 Olympics in either version of the game and released players under extreme duress.

[Commerce Heights]

FIFA would not allow the men to all compete under different names if the women were not allowed to. If nothing else, it would allow FIFA to wrest control of the lawmaking panel from the UK, by reducing their 4 seats to 1.

The IFAB Statutes adopted in 2014 allow a member to be removed only if the member resigns, ceases to exist (which they surely wouldn’t even if a Great Britain FA were formed), or by a unanimous decision of the other members. So FIFA can’t remove any of the British associations unless the other three agree, but the four associations can remove FIFA…

There’s also a clause in the FIFA Statues assuring the separate membership of the four British associations in FIFA, but that’s no real guarantee since it could be amended.

[Osarius]

FIFA would not allow the men to all compete under different names if the women were not allowed to. If nothing else, it would allow FIFA to wrest control of the lawmaking panel from the UK, by reducing their 4 seats to 1.

The IFAB Statutes adopted in 2014 allow a member to be removed only if the member resigns, ceases to exist (which they surely wouldn’t even if a Great Britain FA were formed), or by a unanimous decision of the other members.

Hmm... not sure how that would go. We already have county FAs so why have an extra tier of administration when it's not neces- oh wait, we're talking about the FA.

You're right. They'd definitely keep them. County FAs often overlap and add extra bureaucratic bullshit to things as it is.

[Minoa]

For tomorrow's unveiling of the EPL fixtures and onwards, I have prepared this successor thread.

but the four associations can remove FIFA…

I see that as something that I cannot rule out given the scale of the scandal.

[DesAnges]

The IFAB Statutes adopted in 2014 allow a member to be removed only if the member resigns, ceases to exist (which they surely wouldn’t even if a Great Britain FA were formed), or by a unanimous decision of the other members.

Hmm... not sure how that would go. We already have county FAs so why have an extra tier of administration when it's not neces- oh wait, we're talking about the FA.

You're right. They'd definitely keep them. County FAs often overlap and add extra bureaucratic bullshit to things as it is.

In Bristol, you often get Welsh teams coming over for tournaments. They need to get international clearance before they can play, it's madness.

[Evil Lord Sauron]

Hmm... not sure how that would go. We already have county FAs so why have an extra tier of administration when it's not neces- oh wait, we're talking about the FA.

You're right. They'd definitely keep them. County FAs often overlap and add extra bureaucratic bullshit to things as it is.

In Bristol, you often get Welsh teams coming over for tournaments. They need to get international clearance before they can play, it's madness.

Or like when Wrexham try to sign a player they need at least 24-48 hours extra for international clearance to take effect. Doesn't seem to effect Swansea/Cardiff as badly for some reason.