The European football thread

[rudel.dietrich]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

Surprised this hasn't been mentioned.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...ls/6663707.stm

Not a bad move
It will be interesting to see how the Americans do in China next summer

As I said a few pages back, the US has 18 million playing football.
Malayshia is the next closest with 10 million.

I know most of those are kids.
Lets say 16 million of those 18 million are under 23

Lets say 3% continue playing until adult hood.
That is still a pool of 540,000 in adult amatuers, semi pros and professional leagues to draw upon.

The US is a quickly up and coming football nation.
If not through quality and popularity than by sheer crushing weight of numbers.
303 million people towers over any European nation and only trails countires like India, China, Indonesia and a few others.
In those countires football is still up and coming and they have no where near the finances or infastructure that the US does.

So combine the massive population with a excellent infrastrcuture and first world economy and you have a sleeping football giant.

[edrooney]

Originally Posted by Fallschirmjager

So combine the massive population with a excellent infrastrcuture and first world economy and you have a sleeping football giant.

I agree that this seems inevitable. However, the excellent infrastructure is not yet in place. A key part of infrastructure is coaching, and the US does not have the best coaches in the world - these being in Europe.

As the overall quality of play improves in the US league, and attendances increase (a huge IF), so salaries can be provided to keep the good players in the US, then maybe some of the top coaches would fancy working in the US. Maybe some top international players would like to play in the US in their prime.

As said, though, this will not happen unless large amounts of money are available to US clubs, and for this, attendances need to expand, and TV audiences need to rise.

[rudel.dietrich]

Originally Posted by edrooney

I agree that this seems inevitable. However, the excellent infrastructure is not yet in place. A key part of infrastructure is coaching, and the US does not have the best coaches in the world - these being in Europe.

As the overall quality of play improves in the US league, and attendances increase (a huge IF), so salaries can be provided to keep the good players in the US, then maybe some of the top coaches would fancy working in the US. Maybe some top international players would like to play in the US in their prime.

As said, though, this will not happen unless large amounts of money are available to US clubs, and for this, attendances need to expand, and TV audiences need to rise.

I see all of that as being ineviatable given the massive population and already good economy in place.
The MLS looks like it is going to hang on and survive and grow.
Many teams have or are getting soccer specific stadiums which will make their finances even better since stadium leasing is extremly expensive.

[bababui]

Why would a city like Torquay have a hard time attracting players? Its on the coast and is close to London. Why would nayone prefer to play/live in places like Leeds, Nottingham Forrest or Coventry??

[edrooney]

Originally Posted by bababui

Why would a city like Torquay have a hard time attracting players? Its on the coast and is close to London. Why would nayone prefer to play/live in places like Leeds, Nottingham Forrest or Coventry??

Torquay is not close to London. Being on the coast isn't such a boon in the UK, as the weather is rubbish, the sea is cold etc. And Torquay are a low level team with no history.

The other 3 teams you've mentioned have some history (Notts Forest have won 2 European Cups) and play at a higher level in front of bigger crowds.

[ukhotstove]

Originally Posted by bababui

Why would a city like Torquay have a hard time attracting players? Its on the coast and is close to London. Why would nayone prefer to play/live in places like Leeds, Nottingham Forrest or Coventry??

Pretty much what Ed said, history, pulling power, bigger teams, bigger fanbase.

[bababui]

Torquay only have 4 players under contract for next season. If they dont get promoted next season they could be down for a long time.

[edrooney]

Originally Posted by bababui

Torquay only have 4 players under contract for next season. If they dont get promoted next season they could be down for a long time.

Not sure if it's still the case, but a few seasons ago, Torquay were purchased by Uri Geller - he of the spoon bending and general Teutonic craziness. Being a good friend of Michael Jackson, he actually persuaded Jacko to make an appearance at Torquay Utd in a preseason shindig. Thousands came to watch.

[bababui]

Originally Posted by edrooney

Not sure if it's still the case, but a few seasons ago, Torquay were purchased by Uri Geller - he of the spoon bending and general Teutonic craziness. Being a good friend of Michael Jackson, he actually persuaded Jacko to make an appearance at Torquay Utd in a preseason shindig. Thousands came to watch.

Geller is Israeli...doubt he would go for Teutonic nonsense. . YouTube has millions of crap videos..this is one I would pay to watch.

Somewhere, Basil Fawltey is putting his head through a wall.

[edrooney]

Originally Posted by bababui

Geller is Israeli...doubt he would go for Teutonic nonsense. . YouTube has millions of crap videos..this is one I would pay to watch.

Somewhere, Basil Fawltey is putting his head through a wall.

Ah ... not German, then.

Also looks like I might have got it entirely wrong ...

http://www.uri-geller.com/exe.htm

The psychic powers of Uri Geller have helped persuade the bookies to slash their odds on Exeter City winning Division 3 next season.

The club's new joint-chairman insisted he would not indulge in "paranormal activities" to influence results when the new season gets underway in August.

Here are some frankly bizarre pics of Uri, Michael Jackson, and David Blaine at an Exeter pre-season jolly ..

http://www.uri-geller.com/mjuk3.htm

[ukhotstove]

Another cracking game in the play offs Notts Forest who were leading 2-0 after the first leg are losing 3-1 in the second leg against Yeovil, making it 3-3 and going to extra time (no away goals rule). Superb football, if you ever get the chance then watch some football outside of the Premiership in England as I'd have to say on the whole it's far more entertaining.

[ukhotstove]

Forest just had a man sent off and the game is going to extra time.

[ukhotstove]

Yeovil make it 4-1 on the night and 4-3 on aggregate.

[ukhotstove]

Holy crap Batman, Forest score making it 2-4 on the night and 4-4 on aggregate.

[ukhotstove]

Forest goalkeeper is putting one if not the best goalkeeping performance I've seen for a long long time.

[Sdpm100]

I guess all the Milton Keynes Dons haters will be dancing in the streets now that they know they'll be playing League Two football for another season.

[ukhotstove]

Originally Posted by Sdpm100

I guess all the Milton Keynes Dons haters will be dancing in the streets now that they know they'll be playing League Two football for another season.

Yup lost 2-1 on the night and that was the aggregate score, went into the game as fav's but looks like home field advantage as gone out of the window in some play off games. Paul Jewel said though he was happy to play Sheff Utd away in a pressure game as there's less pressure on the away team.

[ukhotstove]

Yeovil make it 5-2 on the night 5-4 on aggregate with 10 minutes left.

[ukhotstove]

Yeovil go through 5-4 on aggregate to play either Blackpool or Oldham, personally I hope it's Blackpool as would be great to see an old name like Blackpool in a higher league. Just think next season Leeds v Notts Forest playing in League One who would have thought two massive names like that playing in what is the old Third Division.

[ukhotstove]

Hopefully with the FA Cup you haven't forgot about the Talinna Kalev v Maag Tartu game in the Estonian Meistriliiga where it's 5th v 6th