Official Football Thread

Could, yes. Should, no. I think the win against City and the advantage of playing home should tip it in United's favor. However, Spurs are showing great form. It is not going to be easy.

But let's go one year back, shall we?
 
The biggest advantage Spurs had over the last few days was home advantage. The Man U game being at OT will probably mean a Man U win. As long as Arsenal don't win the league (and it was going to be highly unlikely even before this weekends results), I'm happy.

Sort of to soften the blow of the impending relegation of Southend. :(
 
It's typical of Liverpool's season that we've managed to get Torres injured so he misses the rest of the season but will still be fit in time for the World Cup.

We can't even injure our players right!
 
national acrobat said:
I was wondering about this recently...do any countries outside of the UK do football songs (i.e. pop songs, not terrace chants)? There used to be all the FA Cup and World Cup songs done by the teams themselves, but since then there have still been some fantastic fan/band songs, especially Vindaloo and the immortal 3 Lions.
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I've been watching a few of the contenders to be the "Official unofficial" (as the FA have chosen not to opt for one) England World Cup songs for this year, and this one has to be the best:

Rik Mayall's Noble England.

Though this one by The Bolsheviks is not bad either.
 
Albie said:
I've been watching a few of the contenders to be the "Official unofficial" (as the FA have chosen not to opt for one) England World Cup songs for this year, and this one has to be the best:

Rik Mayall's Noble England.

Though this one by The Bolsheviks is not bad either.
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It's a shame they're not having an official one, but thanks for those, that Rik Mayall one is brilliant.

I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,
Straining upon the start. The game's afoot:
Follow your spirit, and upon this charge
Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George!'

Happy St George's Day. Have a pint of Bombardier or Spitfire for me.
 
national acrobat said:
Happy St George's Day. Have a pint of Bombardier or Spitfire for me.
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And to you, I will have a pint of something tonight, and an nice curry. :D

It's a shame St George's day does not get too much attention in England, we should be celebrating it. My neighbour has got his St George's cross out today, as he always does.
 
Brilliant result maidenfans, hopefully Stoke will put in a good performance tomorrow, goal difference getting tight, gahhh its gonna be a tense finale   
 
*Nush's reaction after learning that McClaren becomes coach of FC Twente*
national acrobat said:
Yes, I saw that piece of news. Please pass on my deepest sympathies and condolences to any FC Twente fans you may know.
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Well mate,

On Sunday, May the 2nd (today is reserved for the Cup Final), FC Twente can be the champions in the Dutch League, for the first time ever! Surprise, isn't it?

They only thing they need to do is win (or if Ajax draws, draw, or if Ajax loses, lose)

Current standings with one match to go:

1. FC Twente  33 26  5  2  83  61-23
2. Ajax           33 26  4  3  82 102-19
3. PSV            33 23  8  2  77  71-28
4. AZ              33 19  4 10 61  63-33
5. Feyenoord    33 16 12 5  60  48-29

To be continued. I hope FC Twente will win, and that in the next season they'll meet Man United in the Champions League!  :)
 
Having read NA's original post on Maclaren's appointment at FC Twente, I went on to read all the blurb we all spouted out about Euro 2008 - and it took until the tournament reached the Semis before anyone on this forum (and I mean anyone) gave Spain a chance in hell of making any sort of impact!

Interesting. Will we have a similar attitude come SA 2010?
 
Well Foro, that has put me firmly in my place. I do maintain however that I had good cause to say that because I still think that the man is a complete imbecile. That or a brilliant subterfuge agent who single-handedly entirely wrecked the England national team for two years.

Albie said:
Having read NA's original post on Maclaren's appointment at FC Twente, I went on to read all the blurb we all spouted out about Euro 2008 - and it took until the tournament reached the Semis before anyone on this forum (and I mean anyone) gave Spain a chance in hell of making any sort of impact!

Interesting. Will we have a similar attitude come SA 2010?
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Maybe another team who most people have written off; Italy?
 
Did I not predict Inter would make the final - even before the second leg of the quarters? That said, I also predicted Man U would be their opponent.
 
I said it before the first leg of the quarters:

Forostar said:
I put my money on Internazionale. I was very impressed last Tuesday.
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And I was one of the few (or the only one?) who thought Bayern would beat Man U and that Inter would beat Barca.
 B)
 
Forostar said:
*Nush's reaction after learning that McClaren becomes coach of FC Twente*
Well mate,

On Sunday, May the 2nd (today is reserved for the Cup Final), FC Twente can be the champions in the Dutch League, for the first time ever! Surprise, isn't it?

They only thing they need to do is win (or if Ajax draws, draw, or if Ajax loses, lose)

To be continued. I hope FC Twente will win, and that in the next season they'll meet Man United in the Champions League!  :)
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Yep they did it!  :yey: FC Twente won the title!

(BBC article)

McClaren's Twente win Dutch title
Former England boss Steve McClaren has led FC Twente to the first Dutch league title in their 45-year history.

McClaren, sacked as England manager in 2007, is the first English coach to win a major European league title since Sir Bobby Robson with Porto in 1996.

Twente went to NAC Breda on the final day of the season with a one-point lead over Martin Jol's Ajax.

And the Tukkers triumphed 2-0 against their 10-man opponents to render Ajax's 4-1 win over NEC meaningless.

Ajax finished the season with a remarkable goal difference of +86 and won their last 14 league games, but Twente were rewarded for a steady season in which they lost only two games.

"Today we made history. It's more than miracle," McClaren said on Twente's official website.

_47764402_mcclaren282.jpg

Steve McClaren lifts FC Twente's first Eredivisie trophy aloft

Speaking to Dutch broadcaster NOS, he added: "What a fantastic bunch of players.

"I said at the beginning of the season I don't know if we have a team, I couldn't tell.

"They grew and grew, they deserve it. They deserve it."

McClaren, who celebrates his 49th birthday on Monday, took charge at the club in June 2008, six months after he was sacked as England coach in the wake of the national team's failure to qualify for Euro 2008.

The Tukkers finished second in the Eredivisie in his first season, and were runners-up in the domestic cup final.

But they went one better this season, pipping in-form Ajax to the post, and earning themselves a place in the Champions League group stages for the first time.

Facing an NAC Breda side hoping to qualify for the Europa League play-offs, Bryan Ruiz - a £4.3m signing last summer - settled Twente's nerves with his 24th goal of the season.

That came seconds after NAC's Csaba Feher was sent off for a two-footed tackle on Theo Janssen.

On-loan Chelsea midfielder Miroslav Stoch sealed the win 16 minutes from time.
 
I was actually quite pleased to hear that result, only because I'm currently staying with two Ajax supporters who may be the biggest arseholes I've ever had the misfortune to meet. Sub-human scum, with a cumulatively negative IQ.

Still, no praise for the wally with the brolly.  ;)
 
This proves he was not, and probably never will be, cut out for international football. After all, he did a pretty good job at the 'Boro and Fergie was full of his praise when he was Man U's assistant coach.
 
I think Albie means McClaren is a good club manager, but that he's no good for managing a national team. Is that right, Albie?

A good example of the opposite is the current Norway boss, Egil "Drillo" Olsen. During the 90s he made our national team respected across Europe, and for nearly a decade we were no longer the "almost"-team. After he resigned from that position in 1998, he managed Wimbledon FC, Vålerenga and later Fredrikstad. During his first months at Vålerenga, he helped them escape relegation, but the next season was no success. At Wimbledon he ended up being sacked after one season. Then he took a couple of years off, before doing well with the Norway U-19 team, before returning to management - he lead Fredrikstad for the 2005 season, only to leave a month before the season ended, because of disagreements with the board. The club escaped relegation by just three points, on the last day of the season - a smaller margin than the year before.

Now Drillo is back as boss for Norway, and has improved the team's performances significantly (although he failed to bring us to South Africa, mostly due to the crappy start to the campaign under the previous coach ...)

BTW, I also think it is cool that Twente won the league.
 
Eddies Wingman said:
I think Albie means McClaren is a good club manager, but that he's no good for managing a national team. Is that right, Albie?
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Yes. McClarens record as a club manager looks quite good - but to try and manage players at the highest level will never work if you refer to the likes of John Terry as JT and Steven Gerrard as Stevo! A good reason why he failed at international level.
 
By the way, tonight it might very well be decided who will follow Chelsea, Man United and Arsenal into next year's Champions League when Man City play Tottenham at the Council House. Since a spot in the CL is what City need to persuade the best players to choose them and their huge money, I hope for Spurs who have gotten in this position without suddenly receiving unlimited amounts of money.

Don't get me wrong, I realize today's top football is very much about the money - and that I support a club which has played a role in that. However, whereas clubs like United, Liverpool and Arsenal have used their position and their history to earn money, Chelsea and Manchester City have more or less won in a lottery. Tottenham, Aston Villa and Everton have for several years tried to catch up with the top teams without receiving billions from random sugar daddies, and now they can just stand and look as Mr. Mansour pours so much money into Man City that even Chelsea will be a little envious.

Come On You Spurs.
 
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