What I don’t get is the argument that playing the big counties helps them develop. I’m not sure losing 10-0 every other game, winning 1 game in their entire history really helps the country develop. How do the coaches develop any sort of attacking, possession tactics when you know your gonna have the ball for 10% of the game and maybe manage 1 shot from 30 yards. Surely as players you develop more if you can actually get on the ball and pass it, in which case playing teams in your equivalent level allows that development. You then get a better tactical understanding of the game. You actually gain some confidence that you can score goals etc. I don’t get the argument that is helps the bigger teams either. When was the last time france Germany England lost to a San Marino and it actually had any impact on the qualification table?
I wish the english media would just write this as a so what. There was a job to do and it was done. there was no need to do most than get a point against the worst team on the planet but prem players were wasted playing in that game was 10-0 is just silly. I agree with IBWT. these players don't develop one iota playing like this. The reality out there in the other confederations this is already dealt with. Concacaf for exmaple: they use the FIFA ranking to have a top seed ground and then a lower seed group. the top 3 qualify from the top seed group and then theres kockouts and stuff to see the rest have games. 7 to 35th ranked teams in the confederation play each other and go all the way to a final where they play the 4th placed team in the top group and then they go to another play off. this aloows theses little teams play and win actual ranking points and improve. what does year after year of spankings do for san marino football or their ranking? IMo all the ****ty countries in europe should go into a qualifier group and come out of that to got into some system of play offs that gives them some hope of getting to a world cup.
Like I said earlier, nothing is learned from these games. It's like a training session for England and is surely demoralising for the Sammarinese. It might be an experience once or twice but to get routinely hammered every time you go into a competition does you no good, imo.
The actual Owen agrees with you: Michael Owen leads England fans in criticising decision to let San Marino play football's big boys | Daily Mail Online
PL Chairman Gary Hoffman on the brink of resigning following backlash from clubs over the handling of the Saudi takeover of Newcastle.
We don’t even do this kind of crap at grass roots There is a cup a plate and sometimes a shield your ability dictates the comp and everyone gets some fun crazy having these types of fixtures
Yeah it really is some kind of european happy clappy everyone is the same bollocks. They ought to cull the herd here big time. I would contend that in south america they play too many qualifiers as they dont break it into two groups as well.
Looks like the newcastle move has now cost the premier league chairman his job. No more state clubs is the clear message for the clubs irrespective of status around the trough.
No more state clubs... ... Should force the state owned ones currently in possession to sell too! Let's be consistent! Bit hypocritical of Citeh to protest Newcastle when they are the same type ownership.
I think city has been keeping a low profile in all of this. The rumours of votes against this, that and the other have all said '18 clubs'.
