The European football thread

[bababui]

Originally Posted by Sdpm100

I was going to do an Alternative Awards of the Year thing, but then I realised I would be bound to miss something, so it wasn't worth it.

Things like "Overhyped Player of the Year" and "Blooper of the Year".

Why not just do it? Does it really matter in the bigger picture of things if you miss something?

[ukhotstove]

Originally Posted by bababui

Nice recap UKHS

But why did you skip over the Northern Irish League?

Too many leagues, I'm off over Christmas so may do the others depends on if I have time.

[Sdpm100]

Originally Posted by bababui

Why not just do it? Does it really matter in the bigger picture of things if you miss something?

I also deleted my draft write-up of it.

[bababui]

Originally Posted by Sdpm100

I also deleted my draft write-up of it.

As long as you didnt erase your memory I am sure you could write=up another.

[bababui]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

Too many leagues, I'm off over Christmas so may do the others depends on if I have time.

I think the Portuguese League should also be considered a major league considering their recent successes.

[ukhotstove]

Originally Posted by Sdpm100

I was going to do an Alternative Awards of the Year thing, but then I realised I would be bound to miss something, so it wasn't worth it.

Things like "Overhyped Player of the Year" and "Blooper of the Year".

Do it, overhyped player imo is easy Cannavaro who if Italy wouldn't have won the World Cup would never have got in the final 3 let alone win both the World & European footballer of the year. If I got a game with Real Madrid I'd win the European Footballer of the Year, most overated player playing on the most overated team.

[bababui]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

Do it, overhyped player imo is easy Cannavaro who if Italy wouldn't have won the World Cup would never have got in the final 3 let alone win both the World & European footballer of the year. If I got a game with Real Madrid I'd win the European Footballer of the Year, most overated player playing on the most overated team.

Maybe you should do one too. The great thing about your posts is that you arent afraid to give a strong opinion ( ) and that could start up some interesting conversations.

[ukhotstove]

Originally Posted by bababui

I think the Portuguese League should also be considered a major league considering their recent successes.

Portugal - Superliga is Porto's to lose with them being 5 pts above their nearest rivals Sporting.

[bababui]

Anyone for making the Champions League just for champions again?

[Sdpm100]

Originally Posted by bababui

As long as you didnt erase your memory I am sure you could write=up another.

It's harder to write second time around though.

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

Do it, overhyped player imo is easy Cannavaro who if Italy wouldn't have won the World Cup would never have got in the final 3 let alone win both the World & European footballer of the year. If I got a game with Real Madrid I'd win the European Footballer of the Year, most overated player playing on the most overated team.

I haven't got Cannavaro in the top three I'm afraid. Lets just say I'm like gridiron is with quarterbacks in my selections.

[ukhotstove]

You need to over here if your talking football in any of the pubs, be just like people Stateside talking about the NFL, baseball or college football or Canada talking about hockey in any bar.

[bababui]

Originally Posted by Sdpm100

It's harder to write second time around though.

Harder??

Isnt it easier because you already have things pretty well organized in your mind. Its like having to write a paper for the second time..a piece of cake.

[bababui]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

You need to over here if your talking football in any of the pubs, be just like people Stateside talking about the NFL, baseball or college football or Canada talking about hockey in any bar.

Agreed.

Life without passion really isnt worth living.

[ukhotstove]

Originally Posted by bababui

Anyone for making the Champions League just for champions again?

Too much money in it for them to change it and it's the only reason they changed it in the first place so can't see any change coming, in fact I'd say in years to come it will end up with a season long European league and it will be either franchised like American sports or you'd have the Champions of various National leagues going into a Champions League type play off to see who gets promoted into the European league.

[Sdpm100]

Originally Posted by bababui

Harder??

Isnt it easier because you already have things pretty well organized in your mind. Its like having to write a paper for the second time..a piece of cake.

Yep, because it had a few poor jokes in it as well, and I can't remember them or construct the sentences the same way.

I've done overhyped player again, but I may have missed some bits out because I can't remember them.


On another note, tonight's League Cup game between Liverpool and Arsenal is in doubt due to thick fog.

[ukhotstove]

Originally Posted by bababui

Agreed.

Life without passion really isnt worth living.

Thats why football to me will always be the greatest sport to go and watch.

[ukhotstove]

Originally Posted by Sdpm100

Yep, because it had a few poor jokes in it as well, and I can't remember them or construct the sentences the same way.

I've done overhyped player again, but I may have missed some bits out because I can't remember them.


On another note, tonight's League Cup game between Liverpool and Arsenal is in doubt due to thick fog.

Been closing in all day around here and with Liverpool on the water probably worse there.

[Sdpm100]

Paul's Alternative Football Review of the Year Awards
Okay, this is the first in a number of "awards" that I will be giving out, in this "alternative" review of the football (soccer) year.

The first award is for those players who didn't quite live up to the hype in 2006.

Overhyped Player of the Year
Plenty of candidates for this one, including yes, Landon Donovan (there's no bias here), but because of that it has to be a real "world class" player that gets bestowed with this "honour".

First candidate would be Thierry Henry. He didn't contribute anything much at the World Cup finals, and went missing again on the big stage in the Champions’ League Final (or rather kept shooting at Barcelona keeper Victor Valdes).

Secondly, Andriy Shevchenko. Ever since his penalty miss in the 2005 Champions’ League Final shootout he doesn’t seem to be the same player. He had a poor World Cup, including missing again in a shootout with Switzerland in the round of 16 game (although Ukraine did win on this occasion), and that’s without even considering his start at Chelsea…

But there can be only one “winner”. And that is Ronaldinho. The World Player of the Year played nothing like that at the World Cup as Brazil went home early, and is currently on an record barren spell for a Brazilian number 11, going 18 months (and counting) since his last goal for his country.
The Champions’ League Final was no better, and it needed veteran Henrik Larsson to turn the game around for Barcelona as Ronnie went missing on the big night.

His Liga form has been much better in the second half of the year, with goals like this one http://youtube.com/watch?v=T9_7UhXLQYQ , but in my opinion, a “World Player of the Year” should perform on the biggest of stages, and Ronaldinho failed to do so.

[bababui]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

Too much money in it for them to change it and it's the only reason they changed it in the first place so can't see any change coming, in fact I'd say in years to come it will end up with a season long European league and it will be either franchised like American sports or you'd have the Champions of various National leagues going into a Champions League type play off to see who gets promoted into the European league.

I have mixed feelings about an international league. It would be best, IMO, is there were promotion and relegation. But, that would require the cooperation of many diferent FA's and lead to a beaurocratic trainwreck.

[bababui]

Good beginning SDPM.