The Football.....

[MarkF]

I have just finished reading a book by David Conn, a football writer (usually for the Guardian I think), called "Richer than God, Manchester City, Modern Football and Growing up". Conn is a lifelong Man City supporter who like most of us grew up supporting his team and idolising his boyhood heroes, but his journalistic research and reflections on the takeovers (at City and other clubs), over the years, and how the Sheik's money enabled them to buy success have left him very cynical, which could be said of many of us, but the reasoning and evidence to support his arguments are very strong. It is really interesting to hear a fan of a club benefiting from effectively winning the lottery, call the meaning of their subsequent achievements into question. I got it as an e-book and would recommend to anyone interested in modern football, whether you follow a top flight or lower league club - an excellent read IMHO.

It might have left him very cynical but not many others I don't think. David Silva or Andy Morrison, the Nou Camp or Valley Parade?

All clubs BUY success, that's how it works.

 

[AndyRM]

A Juve fan has walked to Germany after the club promised him a ticket.

Brilliant. I hope he gets to sit in the dugout.

Hoping for a good game tomorrow, expect Barca to batter Juve who will look to hit on the break. Gigi will hopefully be inspired by his fascistic surroundings and keep them at bay.

1 - 1, with Juve to nick it in extra time. I hope they bring Chiellini on for the last 30 seconds of the game, just so he can clatter Suarez.

 

[Smokin Joe]

A Juve fan has walked to Germany after the club promised him a ticket.

Brilliant. I hope he gets to sit in the dugout.

Hoping for a good game tomorrow, expect Barca to batter Juve who will look to hit on the break. Gigi will hopefully be inspired by his fascistic surroundings and keep them at bay.

1 - 1, with Juve to nick it in extra time. I hope they bring Chiellini on for the last 30 seconds of the game, just so he can clatter Suarez.

+1

If I wasn't Irish I'd like to be Italian. I love their attitude to life.

 

[rich p]

If Vidal gets himself sent off, my headline would be gore Vidal....

 

[Smokin Joe]

What a great game, shame about the last goal as it made Barca's win look more emphatic than it was.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Women's World Cup opening game on live now on BBC <something>

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

FFS can everyone get over artificial playing surfaces - this is not "new" nor is it an "issue"...you shower of arses

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Oh, here's Dave - telling everyone that the whole country is right behind England, err France, err, the team in white, yes England...

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

I heard they're expecting an audience of 1,000,000,000 for the opening game. Then 253 for the next game. Women's football is awful, no matter how hard the BBC tries to pretend it's a sport.

 

[MarkF]

What a great game, shame about the last goal as it made Barca's win look more emphatic than it was.

I don't know, it could have been 4-0 at HT, I enjoyed it but there were a lot of really bad haircuts.

 

[AndyRM]

I heard they're expecting an audience of 1,000,000,000 for the opening game. Then 253 for the next game. Women's football is awful, no matter how hard the BBC tries to pretend it's a sport.

What a load of pish. You've either not watched much or you're on a fishing trip.

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

No I've not watched much - can anyone get beyond 10 minutes? The goalkeepers are funny though.

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

I don't know, it could have been 4-0 at HT, I enjoyed it but there were a lot of really bad haircuts.

It was like watching Eurovision at times - bad haircuts, drama queens and awful music.

Seriously though - a great final and I agree the 3rd goal doesn't reflect how close it was. It was a bit like tennis with one side dominant for a while before the other side stepped up.

 

[AndyRM]

No I've not watched much - can anyone get beyond 10 minutes? The goalkeepers are funny though.

Yes, quite easily.

The goalkeeping can be terrible at times, but that's really not any different than the men's game. Witness Cammy Bell getting lobbed for no reason the other week.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Germany showing how to take your chances as well as dominate.