I used to hold a similar view regarding the World Cup format - why not put everyone's name into a hat rather than all the qualifying group nonsense, have home & away legs with winners progressing. That way, smaller nations would at least have a chance of a big pay day, and to test themselves against a top nation. Then I went to watch Australia play American Samoa in a WC qualifier in 2001 - total mismatch, total humiliation after a 31-0 scoreline. So pulling names out of the hat may not be the ideal system. I'm not really that keen on the Champions League format either - like others I fail to see why teams finishing below first in their country's League should be allowed to enter. As well as that, I fail to see why those who lose on the group stages then 'qualify' for the Europa Cup. All about money I guess and does little more than encourage the cheating that currently blights the game.
Hi all a belated thank you Ak for the coffee. I agree with you BB seeding is necessary in all sports, what if the best two played each other in the first round. It is similar in trying to qualify for the Olympics, there are so many entrants and people just want to see the best compete against each other. God forbid without qualification you might get a plasterer from England trying to Ski Jump having only trained being strapped onto the roof of a car.
The cup is badly named. It is not for champions only and it is not a league. Perhaps most football supporters would be happy if the clubs who want this sort of thing would go and start a european league. The one failure football is it would be outside the control of UEFA and FIFA, so perhaps break them into something for football and not for money making in large amounts. On big problem is that if a european league started we could have several like boxing has WBA WBC IBF etc, then all the big clubs could organize their own competition and each one be champions.
Seeding I agree with. Why should the strongest be kept apart but if all the teams started at the same time the little ones would get to meet a really big team and not just stay with all the other little ones.
Afternoon all! Sorry i haven't been around, what with the funerals and trying to squeeze work in while making tea for visitors of the bereaved, it's been quite a couple of days. Last night of prayers tonight for one of the families...the other funeral is next week and in Somerset...another day off...hmm, i don't mind a day off, honest, but it's costing me a fortune! lol..i just hope noone else dies between now and September! Thanks for the caramel latte Ak! One of the reasons i didn't post late last night was that i was watching the match when i got home..saw this post and didn't want to read on...lol..finally finished watching at 2:45...blinkin' extra time and penalties! lol lmao! i hope not! Aw, i'll be around later Al, if you're lonely Yep!
Well a very busy start to the night shift Now hopefully got time to watch Die Hard 4.0 on the goggle box
Just listened to a great interview on 5-Live with Stuart Lancaster, the new England RU Coach - what a breath of fresh air. Articulate, hugely knowledgable, very successful club coach and massively popular in his local area for the coaching he has done with kids and their clubs. He spent as much time talking about the England job as he did about coaching youth players and establishing coaching networks around local clubs - I predict great things for English Rugby with a man like that both leading the national team and driving the RFU to develop the game and the future players. Very impressed in bandit country.
http://www.sportinglife.com/footbal...OCCER_Chelsea_Snap.html&TEAMHD=soccer&BID=165 It would appear that John Terry not only runs Chelsea - he runs UEFA too. Bloody unbelievable decision this.
Not in the slightest. Platini in particular detests English football, and from his perspective the more publicity he can give to John Terry, the lower an opinion the rest of Europe will have of us. To pull that off while being seen to be doing this country a favour is a political masterstroke.
[video=youtube;EL4lLoaiSYo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EL4lLoaiSYo&feature=youtu.be[/video] Just something i put together. Its a shame i did not get pics of the people who made it so special .
Nice work dan Draft thread going down like a lead balloon. Still looking forward to it though. As a Watford fan I'm not sure I like the idea of a draft being introduced in English football, but as much as some sneer at the American Major sports, we could learn a lot from the way they do things.
nice one Dan! and NNW, well done! i'm an Eagles girl ya know..(though i know as much about American Football as i do about chess! lol)
From today's Wobby, Bassini strongly denies rumours that he is looking to sell the club, states that he is putting £1m into the club today (Friday), and accuses the sources of those rumours of being "keyboard warriors". In other news, the winner of player of the season received 700-odd votes more than his nearest rival, and the online poll, away fans and players all agreed on who it should be. And Dyche says that McGinn is available for selection tomorrow, but is not sure whether or not he'll pick him.
