Me too although I'm not sure which one that as and I'm not just being sarcastic. Perhaps it's because we've been out of it all but they all became a bit of a mish-mash tbh. I don't have a clue about what that thing Chelsea won and didn't see any of the games, I don't even know where it was played. Shame but they've diluted the importance of all these competitions imo, the FA Cup is the biggest tragedy.
It really is one of the ruinous things about football imo. European competition used to be something of a pinacle, now it is far from that. I have such brilliant memories of watching the European Cup finals. 1988 when Koeman and PSV won on penalties. Villa beating Bayern. Steua beating Barca on pens with their keeper saving 4. And of course Liverpool winning 2 pots that decade. That tournament was imo the greatest club tournament. Pure knockout and only the champions entered. It was so bloody hard to win it. The so called Champions League now, whilst I do watch and enjoy the latter stages, is really a pale shadow of its former self. Same applies to uefa and cup winners cup. Less so the anglo-italian cup mind European club football is so watered down in the early stages these days. It seems bang average teams and players get european football on their cv. They are going down a similar route with the greatest of all sporting events, the world cup. I predict a World Cup 1 and a World Cup 2 within 12 years. How pathetic would that be. God I love the World Cup, bring it on
Agreed. Or mostly! I have lost trust completely in the World cup now. It takes some doing to replace Blatter with worse but FIFA have done it with Infantino. The complete disgrace of two world cups in the Middle East, where no serious football is ever played is a scandal for the ages. Leaving aside the entirely predictable outcome last time, ( I know someone who put a huge bet on a France - Argentina final before the group draw was made!) , and the gross amount of teams in what is now a lumbering and overweight arrangement , the whole thing is a mush of teams who should be nowhere near it, appalling refereeing, and tired players who play too much football. Much prefer the Euros myself. Something they haven't f****d up yet!
I get all that, and tend to agree. Where my love affair with the world cup comea from is in large part the South American teams, in particular of course Brazil and Argentina. The contrast of styles when Europe and South America go head to head makes for some of the best football you can watch imo. The African nations are now adding a welcome extra dimension. I do have to set aside the politics but can enjoy it still. All that said, it is definitely an influence from childhood when it truly was a special event and about the only time you got to see some of these Brazilian superstars. I am planning on heading out next year if possible. Azteca on my bucket list.
Oh for the simple days The European Cup - for teams that had actually won their League The European Cup Winners Cuo - for teams that had won the equivalent of the FA Cup Then they brought along - The EUFA Cup for teams that weren't quite good enough to win their league and the winners of the equivalent of the League Cup. It went downhill from there, the idea of a Champions League incorporating a team that could have finished 4th, what. But it's all about "the money" now
Yes, same for me in many ways. I'm old enough to remember the 1970 world cup and being staggered by the skills of players none of us had heard of before. Very little TV football then and only a few of the very best South American players came to Europe, usually Spain or Italy. This has changed a lot though. The quarters, semis and final of a World Cup now resemble a Champions League game at a similar level, and usually have the vast majority of players in both sides who have played in one. We see it all now, so a lot of the lustre has gone, and when that's coupled with a deeply corrupt FIFA, The World Cup is now a pretty tainted product. And the next one is in the USA, (of course it is, because they wanted it and paid for it) in the steaming heat of summer mostly, with the air as hot as a branding iron. Spain very heavy favourites. England, who look as if they are going to play a running game, zero chance
Yeah there was always 3 major European tournaments. Conference essentially is in place of the Cup Winners Cup that was binned for a few years. 3 is good, allows more teams a shot. I’d be delighted if we got in Conference League.
'Intermediaries representing West Ham are believed to have put out feelers to Frank Lampard before their shock 3-0 win against Nottingham Forest last Sunday. While happy with his role at Coventry, he is eager for a return to the Premier League if the right role emerges.'
I am not keen on West Ham, mostly because of the publicly funded stadium they were granted, but I'm not sure I'd wish Frank on them. He has surprised me by his devotion to one tactic only, and his lack of nous. I think I over rated him and should have taken more notice of Fell Top, who always had his reservations.
The Coventry fans forum has posts suggesting he'd only leave there to manage England ... ... to be fair they're nuts and convinced they'll finish top two then be on par with Palace and Fulham.
Back in the olden days, the UEFA Cup was a cracking competition - straight knockout competition with all the 2nd best teams from each league. I’m sure UEFA have billions of reasons to disagree but in my opinion they have ruined European competitions
I have to admit I find the whole situation laughable and a bt sad tbh. The country 'that invented football' has had to ask a German to win them a trophy. Winning with an Englishman, in 1966, was a fair representation of England's players and management, however flawed it may have been. Winning a trophy, with a German manager, is like saying, 'Well we couldn't win anything with an English coach, so we'll just have to ask a German to do it for us and settle for that'. I suppose 'beggars can't be choosers' springs to mind.
I've never had a problem with anyone taking the job, as long as they are the best person for the job. There must be millions of examples where a tradesmen trains an apprentice who goes on to outshine his master. Conversely there are equally as many that do not. Time will tell I suppose.
