The European football thread

[Sdpm100]

Originally Posted by bababui

Boy did SI really screw up the new stadium LeighRMI is moving into next season. Is there any way to fix this?

http://community.sigames.com/eve/for...2?r=3132019862

[bababui]

Thank you. The franchise value went from 650K to 65K in one day.

[Sdpm100]

Originally Posted by Fallschirmjager

What is there support like?
And why are they 51m in debt FM 2007
Are they that bad off in real life?

They do not look to have quality enough players to be that far in debt.

Their support is good now, but only a few years ago they were in the bottom half of the old third division (League 2 nowadays), and their attendance then was in the 3-4,000's. So I would guess the former chairman Sam Hamann spent more money, "speculate to accumulate" style, and that's why they are in debt.

Their debt according to this article is £24 million.
http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0600s...name_page.html

[Sdpm100]

Originally Posted by bababui

Thank you. The franchise value went from 650K to 65K in one day.

And just imagine how much more money the rest of the Conference North would have to pay flying to and from Albany just to play Leigh.

[bababui]

Originally Posted by Sdpm100

Their support is good now, but only a few years ago they were in the bottom half of the old third division (League 2 nowadays), and their attendance then was in the 3-4,000's. So I would guess the former chairman Sam Hamann spent more money, "speculate to accumulate" style, and that's why they are in debt.

Their debt according to this article is £24 million.
http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0600s...name_page.html

Let UKHS re-tell his story of going to Cardiff to watch Wigan play.

[zoraster]

Originally Posted by Fallschirmjager

What is there support like?
And why are they 51m in debt FM 2007
Are they that bad off in real life?

They do not look to have quality enough players to be that far in debt.

To round out sdpm's comments as stated the debt is officially around the £24million mark, but they’ve just been taken over and the new board have gone on the record saying the club will be debt free by the start of next season (admittedly this was from the mouth of Peter Ridsdale of Leeds fame, so it would probably be advisable to take that claim with a substantial dollop of sodium). I believe Cardiff’s debt largely relates to efforts to build their new stadium, along with the usual story of struggling club moving up the pyramid by spending money they don’t really have in the expectation of paying it off from the windfalls available in higher leagues.

The debt isn’t really anything massively out the ordinary in the football league. More clubs are in debt than out of it as the last pre-ITV Digital collapse contracts are only just expiring. In Cardiff’s case an awful lot of it took the form of unsecured loan notes, a form of debt that was seriously harming the clubs ability to build with the crippling interest (7%) but wasn’t a threat to their immediate football status.


Cardiff are a club with significant potential. They have a substantial catchment area and the additional attraction of Welsh national pride helping pull in the punters. This year they are averaging around the 17k mark and they could certainly sell out the new 30k venue should they make it to the EPL. Regardless the new venue has been designed to provide constant revenue streams rather than just matchday revenues so their financial situation will be much better if they can just keep their heads above water for the next 24 months.

[ukhotstove]

All I can say is don't ever go watching Cardiff if you don't support Cardiff and if you do go watching them pretend that you support them, oh one other thing if you can't do a very very good Welsh acsent then don't go watching them. Animals thats a word to describe them, I've seen them rip a town centre apart in less than 15 minutes and they don't take prisoners.

[Sdpm100]

I have been watching the MLS Western Conference final, and I just want to make some observations, if that is okay.
1 - Seeing the score graphic with the two teams logos got me wondering how many MLS teams have a soccer ball on their logo. So looking at Wiki, and the answer is 7 of 13 (or 8 of 14 if you like me class San Jose as a suspended franchise rather than defunct). DC United, Kansas City Wizards, New England Revolution, Red Bull New York, Colorado Rapids, Houston Dynamo, Real Salt Lake, and San Jose Earthquakes all have a football in their logo. Interesting IMO.

2 - I love the music that FOX Soccer Channel use.

3 - I can't remember what number three is at the moment. I'll get back to you if I remember it.

EDIT - I've remembered now. In Colorado's semifinal tie with FC Dallas, only 4,176 turned up to watch. Now that is pretty pathetic IMO.
At least they'll be able to go to Dick's Sporting Goods Park next year, so maybe that'll improve the attendance.


Oh, and 4 - Mullan's goal was a pretty sweet finish to a great setpiece move.

[rudel.dietrich]

I use USD in my games now so 24 million sounds just about right


The kid in my game looks to be probably the greatest American player ever.
He is something of a late bloomer since he is already 18 but he is rapidly imrproving his skills.
He is stuck on the reserve team for this season, I am hoping he gets loaned out to League One or League Two and plays a full season there to build up his skill.

[rudel.dietrich]

Here is our friend in FM scout Genie

[bababui]

Where do you get FM Scout Genie?

[rudel.dietrich]

fmscout.com

[bababui]

Originally Posted by Fallschirmjager

fmscout.com

TY

I had the earlier version that didnt allow you to click on the player.

[Sdpm100]

It looks like UKHS was right, and I was wrong. If this goes through they may as well shut MLS.

MALCOLM GLAZER is ready to expand his Manchester United empire into America and wants David Beckham to spearhead the ambitious move - according to influential fanzine Red Issue.

The Glazers are preparing to buy into MLS side LA Galaxy with the intention of renaming the club, effectively making it the first American franchise of United since their £790million takeover 18 months ago.

And, according to the popular fanzine, Beckham is the man the Glazers want to make the bold venture work, the former England captain being offered an escape route from his Real Madrid nightmare with a lucrative playing deal at LA Galaxy. Beckham's soccer schools project - which has a base in Los Angeles - is run by the Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) in the US and they are understood to be keen to link up with the Glazers over the scheme.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footba...name_page.html

As soon as they got one foreign club in, I knew this was going to happen. It'll be as bad as the S-League in Singapore. I mean the Los Angeles club IS the Galaxy, not some freaking loan team.
I try to be enthusiastic about MLS, and then they allow this junk to happen. I guess as soon they allowed Chivas in, they made their bed and now they have to sleep in it.

Whilst I don't think this will happen personally, as Glazer really isn't a soccer fan, it's not going to stop the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Club America etc. from trying either. I mean if they owned a team, built a stadium, and stacked it with local players like a youth academy that is fair enough, but seriously this is as bad as having an old-timer league.
Would Galaxy fans accept a name change to the inevitable "Manchester United USA"? Don't think so. And don't forget if Glazer was so interested in the sport he would have saved the Tampa Bay Mutiny from contraction. After all they played in his own stadium.

I'm sorry to rant, but I'm just annoyed.

[magnet]

Originally Posted by Sdpm100

It looks like UKHS was right, and I was wrong. If this goes through they may as well shut MLS.



http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footba...name_page.html

As soon as they got one foreign club in, I knew this was going to happen. It'll be as bad as the S-League in Singapore. I mean the Los Angeles club IS the Galaxy, not some freaking loan team.
I try to be enthusiastic about MLS, and then they allow this junk to happen. I guess as soon they allowed Chivas in, they made their bed and now they have to sleep in it.

Whilst I don't think this will happen personally, as Glazer really isn't a soccer fan, it's not going to stop the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Club America etc. from trying either. I mean if they owned a team, built a stadium, and stacked it with local players like a youth academy that is fair enough, but seriously this is as bad as having an old-timer league.
Would Galaxy fans accept a name change to the inevitable "Manchester United USA"? Don't think so. And don't forget if Glazer was so interested in the sport he would have saved the Tampa Bay Mutiny from contraction. After all they played in his own stadium.

I'm sorry to rant, but I'm just annoyed.

Maybe I'm being optimistic, but I think this plan could actually work. It might even get the youth soccer movement the push it desperately needs in the US.

Paul, have you picked a CL winner yet?

[Sdpm100]

Originally Posted by magnet

Maybe I'm being optimistic, but I think this plan could actually work. It might even get the youth soccer movement the push it desperately needs in the US.

So you want "foreign club USA" for all the teams then? IMO there's no point in having a loan league.

Originally Posted by magnet

Paul, have you picked a CL winner yet?

No, I haven't.

[magnet]

Originally Posted by Sdpm100

So you want "foreign club USA" for all the teams then? IMO there's no point in having a loan league.

TBH, I don't see that happening. Like you said, the fans wouldn't be too keen on the idea, and I doubt the owners would blatently piss the fans off like that.

No, I haven't.

Well, you should. I'm hoping Celtic can run all the way with it. Not because I like them, but I gotta root for the SPL team.

[ukhotstove]

As someone looking from the outside of football in the States I have to agree with sdpm, things like these which are just gimmicks is why I doubt I will ever take the MLS serious. They seemed to have built a solid foundation and now their bringing this so called "Beckham Rule" in and other things which to be honest just makes it look stupid.

[Sdpm100]

Originally Posted by magnet

Well, you should. I'm hoping Celtic can run all the way with it. Not because I like them, but I gotta root for the SPL team.

I expect it will be Chelsea, sadly (IMO). Although if you stay in England, Liverpool's form in the league is eerily similar (ie. poor) to when they actually went on to win the European Cup two seasons ago. Just a little aside note.

So I'll go with Chelsea.

[ukhotstove]

Originally Posted by magnet

Well, you should. I'm hoping Celtic can run all the way with it. Not because I like them, but I gotta root for the SPL team.

Celtic have a poor record away from home in the Champions League but if they can say get a draw or lose just 1-0 away then they can take anyone at home as they've proved over the years., imo Celtic can beat anyone at home and that includes the likes of Chelsea, Madrid etc.