The European football thread

[ukhotstove]

This was there team in Europe in midweek so figure be the same team against Wigan.

Newcastle:
Given
Carr
Moore
Bramble
Babayaro
Solano
Emre
Duff
Parker
Butt
Ameobi

so figure it will be Duff and Ameobi

[ukhotstove]

Bababui this is the Gorbachov thing, some say because of the story they started that he did actually start to take interest in them

Gorbachev is a Wiganer

Myth: Former Russian president Mikail Gorbachev is an avid Wigan Athletic fan.

Truth: There was a long-standing rumour that Mikail Gorbachev was a Wigan Athletic fan. Unlike some of the other myths, this not actually detrimental to The Latics, in fact it was dreamt up by the club itself.

Commercial manager Peter Fillingham revealed truth about the story. It was dreamed up as a publicity stunt after a friendly with Soviet team Metallist Kharkhov on the 23rd of March 1970, because no-one would be able to disprove it.

The rumour built up to the extent that it was said that Gorbachev stopped the jamming of BBC radio broadcasts so he could keep up-to-date with English football scores.

Peter Fillingham said: 'We even went as far as sending programmes to the Kremlin.'

This is a series of articles debunking some of the many myths that surround Wigan Athletic and are used by many of our detractors to belittle the club and its spectators.

[bababui]

Not too formidible. Its hard to imagine Newcastle without Alan Shearer. Were getting older, I guess.

[bababui]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

Bababui this is the Gorbachov thing, some say because of the story they started that he did actually start to take interest in them

Gorbachev is a Wiganer

Myth: Former Russian president Mikail Gorbachev is an avid Wigan Athletic fan.

Truth: There was a long-standing rumour that Mikail Gorbachev was a Wigan Athletic fan. Unlike some of the other myths, this not actually detrimental to The Latics, in fact it was dreamt up by the club itself.

Commercial manager Peter Fillingham revealed truth about the story. It was dreamed up as a publicity stunt after a friendly with Soviet team Metallist Kharkhov on the 23rd of March 1970, because no-one would be able to disprove it.

The rumour built up to the extent that it was said that Gorbachev stopped the jamming of BBC radio broadcasts so he could keep up-to-date with English football scores.

Peter Fillingham said: 'We even went as far as sending programmes to the Kremlin.'

This is a series of articles debunking some of the many myths that surround Wigan Athletic and are used by many of our detractors to belittle the club and its spectators.

Very cool. Would you happen to have the website? I'd love to check it out.

Im off to dinner.

Cheers

[ukhotstove]

They never caused Wigan that many problems last season with Shearer and Owen playing, didn't get to see the games cause of work but by all accounts they made Owen look like a 16yr old youth team player.

[ukhotstove]

This is the home page.

http://www.wigan.vitalfootball.co.uk/

This is the page with the facts and myths.

http://www.wigan.vitalfootball.co.uk/site.asp?cat=845

Yeah I'm out as well it's my bedtime at 3.30am lol, latas.

[rudel.dietrich]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

You've been to both American and European games haven't you ? Is there a massive difference between each of them, been to loads of games in England and Europe but only watched the MLS on tv so I can't give a proper judgment on the difference.

Yes

I think the situation will improve some by the teams building their own stadiums that fit soccer.
RFK where United play there games in RFK stadium which seats about 56,000.
They are planning a stadium which will seat about 23,000.
There crowds average 13-15k a game.
That in a stadium which is meant for much larger crowds makes the crowd sound almost non exisistent. And the cost to run the stadium is very expensive.
Some teams have it even worse. The LA Galaxy used to play in the Rose Bowl which I think seats 80,000
This was back when there crowds were below 10,000. The crowd seemed to be engulfed by the stadium.

But I do not really understand the naysayers who say the quality of play is bad. It is somewhere between League One and Championship quality.
And for ~260 pounds for season tickets at field level I think it is a pretty good deal

[rudel.dietrich]

Originally Posted by bababui

6 extra tix on top of the ones you bought?

Yes to any home game of my choice for the remaining 2006 season.
Free of charge

[rangers85]

Originally Posted by Fallschirmjager

Yes

I think the situation will improve some by the teams building their own stadiums that fit soccer.
RFK where United play there games in RFK stadium which seats about 56,000.
They are planning a stadium which will seat about 23,000.
There crowds average 13-15k a game.
That in a stadium which is meant for much larger crowds makes the crowd sound almost non exisistent. And the cost to run the stadium is very expensive.
Some teams have it even worse. The LA Galaxy used to play in the Rose Bowl which I think seats 80,000
This was back when there crowds were below 10,000. The crowd seemed to be engulfed by the stadium.

But I do not really understand the naysayers who say the quality of play is bad. It is somewhere between League One and Championship quality.
And for ~260 pounds for season tickets at field level I think it is a pretty good deal

Yeah, the fact that more teams are starting to get soccer specific stadiums will help the look and feel of MLS more than anything I think. Saw Real broke ground on their stadium and that NY Red Bulls have one coming. That puts more than half the league in or going to be in soccer specific stadiums at the moment.

Dallas used to play in the Cotton Bowl before last season when they moved to the Pizza Hut Park. Cotton Bowl just dwarfed any kind of atmosphere since the place seats about 70-80k.

MLS just got their first ever television deal too that they received money in exchange for the rights. Definitely a good step for the league to not have to give it away for free to get coverage.

On the whole I agree with you that the quality isn't too bad, especially for a 10 year old league. Of course at 10 years old it isn't going to rival the historic European leagues, but it's gaining a solid footing. I think it can also take off moreso when MLS starts up some of the youth academies similar to the European ones that are in the planning stages. The academies is one thing that's been lacking for American players in comparison to players from around the world.

[bababui]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

This is the home page.

http://www.wigan.vitalfootball.co.uk/

This is the page with the facts and myths.

http://www.wigan.vitalfootball.co.uk/site.asp?cat=845

Yeah I'm out as well it's my bedtime at 3.30am lol, latas.

I love the myth section. It was fun reading. Wigan did an amazing job going from L1 to the Premiership in just 1 season. Surely a very rare feat. And its cool that the fans have responded.

Hope they can avenge that 3-1 loss to Newcastle that sticks out like a sore thumb on the website.


The 3rd myth link isnt working.

[Sdpm100]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

We get the highlights over here and try as I may I just can't get into it, personally I think it's because of the feel of the games and the atmosphere it just isn't the same as football here.

For me it is because Five show the games at 4.30am. That is the reason I can't get that in to it, although I know the background to MLS. Which as I'm not a fan of anyone is probably better.

[Sdpm100]

Originally Posted by bababui

The 5 subs named rule kills me in FM because it makes it hard to carry a second GK. My two wingers always get exhausted. Same with my AMC. I need to carry an ATT, DEF, amd 3 MF subs...FA..please go to 7 subs named!!

Some of these teams don't have many more than 16 players in the first team squad so they wouldn't be able to fill the bench if it went to 7 subs.


Also am I right that MLS's subs rule is 9 named for the home side, and 5 for the away team, and then it is a maximum of 3 substitutes?

[bababui]

Originally Posted by Sdpm100

Some of these teams don't have many more than 16 players in the first team squad so they wouldn't be able to fill the bench if it went to 7 subs.


Also am I right that MLS's subs rule is 9 named for the home side, and 5 for the away team, and then it is a maximum of 3 substitutes?

I think this rule is ridiculous. Why not name a million if you can only use 3 anyway? It limits my ability to respond to emergency injury situations.

[Sdpm100]

Originally Posted by bababui

Can local football survive without a solid fanbase??

It is getting tougher and tougher, only those clubs backed by rich owners will move up the leagues nowadays - and when they do they soon fall back down when the owners either take the money out of the club without anyone knowing (see the Majeeds at Crawley), or they pull out their money through lack of fans (see Jeff King at Canvey Island).

As far as attendance, other than that faux-team near Manchester, probably only three teams outside the Conference National will top an average attendance of 1,000 - Barrow, Scarborough, and AFC Wimbledon.

[Sdpm100]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

It tell's you about their history but doesn't tell you how they came about, I'm thinking it's either the company started the team or workers did as it does say the team started soon after the car plant opened.

Vauxhall Motors was set up as a workers team.

From www.vmfc.com/history.htm

1963 Football Club was formed by former West Bromwich Albion player, Fred Ward, shortly after the opening of the new Vauxhall plant in Ellesmere Port. Playing at “Hooton Park” inside the plant complex, the new club joined the Ellesmere Port League.

[bababui]

Originally Posted by Sdpm100

It is getting tougher and tougher, only those clubs backed by rich owners will move up the leagues nowadays - and when they do they soon fall back down when the owners either take the money out of the club without anyone knowing (see the Majeeds at Crawley), or they pull out their money through lack of fans (see Jeff King at Canvey Island).

As far as attendance, other than that faux-team near Manchester, probably only three teams outside the Conference National will top an average attendance of 1,000 - Barrow, Scarborough, and AFC Wimbledon.

Good stuff here. im deeply saddened that we may see the end of an era and many of these smaller teams will disappear in our lifetime. . How many millions do the big boys really need? It should be up to the FA to see that small teams get minimal funding.

I hope that your attendence helps you stay afloat in your dynasty. I hope you havent abandoned it but I understand that you might want to.

[Sdpm100]

Originally Posted by bababui

I hope that your attendence helps you stay afloat in your dynasty. I hope you havent abandoned it but I understand that you might want to.

Of course I haven't abandoned it, and why would I want to?
I've just hit a writing wall atm. It will be back.

[bababui]

Originally Posted by Sdpm100

Of course I haven't abandoned it, and why would I want to?
I've just hit a writing wall atm. It will be back.

Glad to hear it.

hope you just trust your inner voice and write what comes out.

[theasfl]

Originally Posted by rangers85

Yeah, the fact that more teams are starting to get soccer specific stadiums will help the look and feel of MLS more than anything I think. Saw Real broke ground on their stadium and that NY Red Bulls have one coming. That puts more than half the league in or going to be in soccer specific stadiums at the moment.

Dallas used to play in the Cotton Bowl before last season when they moved to the Pizza Hut Park. Cotton Bowl just dwarfed any kind of atmosphere since the place seats about 70-80k.

MLS just got their first ever television deal too that they received money in exchange for the rights. Definitely a good step for the league to not have to give it away for free to get coverage.

On the whole I agree with you that the quality isn't too bad, especially for a 10 year old league. Of course at 10 years old it isn't going to rival the historic European leagues, but it's gaining a solid footing. I think it can also take off moreso when MLS starts up some of the youth academies similar to the European ones that are in the planning stages. The academies is one thing that's been lacking for American players in comparison to players from around the world.

all well put

[ukhotstove]

Originally Posted by rangers85

Yeah, the fact that more teams are starting to get soccer specific stadiums will help the look and feel of MLS more than anything I think. Saw Real broke ground on their stadium and that NY Red Bulls have one coming. That puts more than half the league in or going to be in soccer specific stadiums at the moment.

Dallas used to play in the Cotton Bowl before last season when they moved to the Pizza Hut Park. Cotton Bowl just dwarfed any kind of atmosphere since the place seats about 70-80k.

MLS just got their first ever television deal too that they received money in exchange for the rights. Definitely a good step for the league to not have to give it away for free to get coverage.

On the whole I agree with you that the quality isn't too bad, especially for a 10 year old league. Of course at 10 years old it isn't going to rival the historic European leagues, but it's gaining a solid footing. I think it can also take off moreso when MLS starts up some of the youth academies similar to the European ones that are in the planning stages. The academies is one thing that's been lacking for American players in comparison to players from around the world.

What kind of capacities are these new stadiums their building ?