The Football.....

[dellzeqq]

and...just to complete my bewilderment, Villas-Boas has landed the Spurs job. Would any of you care to explain that one, because it's got me absolutely beat....

 

[Smokin Joe]

and...just to complete my bewilderment, Villas-Boas has landed the Spurs job. Would any of you care to explain that one, because it's got me absolutely beat....

Strange appointment. They're obviously looking at building for the long term but I just don't see him as someone who can succeed in the premier league, another Avram Grant perhaps?

 

[ianrauk]

Strange appointment. They're obviously looking at building for the long term but I just don't see him as someone who can succeed in the premier league, another Avram Grant perhaps?

c'mon mate.. no one is that bad..

 

[Smokin Joe]

c'mon mate.. no one is that bad..

He did a good impression of it at Chelsea.

 

[ianrauk]

He did a good impression of it at Chelsea.

but at least he tried to manage in his own silly way rather then doing fek all like the slug..

 

[dellzeqq]

Strange appointment. They're obviously looking at building for the long term but I just don't see him as someone who can succeed in the premier league, another Avram Grant perhaps?

if only!

 

[on the road]

Strange appointment. They're obviously looking at building for the long term but I just don't see him as someone who can succeed in the premier league, another Avram Grant perhaps?

With any luck.

 

[Beebo]

Fifa's world wrankings have been released -
1. Spain 2. Germany 3. Uruguay 4. England 5. Portugal 6. Italy 7. Argentina 8. Netherlands 9. Croatia 10. Denmark 11. Brazil 12. Greece 13. Russia 14. France 15. Chile 16. Ivory Coast 17. Sweden 18. Czech Republic 19. Mexico 20. Japan

What a joke - England 4th! Brazil 11th?

 

[dellzeqq]

Fifa's world wrankings have been released -
1. Spain 2. Germany 3. Uruguay 4. England 5. Portugal 6. Italy 7. Argentina 8. Netherlands 9. Croatia 10. Denmark 11. Brazil 12. Greece 13. Russia 14. France 15. Chile 16. Ivory Coast 17. Sweden 18. Czech Republic 19. Mexico 20. Japan

What a joke - England 4th! Brazil 11th?

with Barclays, Santander and Deutsche Bank on the judging panel, what do you expect? Just thank your lucky stars they didn't let RBS join the party

 

[007fair]

I can only agree. Spain really came alive in the final, and, however much at fault the Italian defenders were in the build-up to all four goals, the way they were taken was superb. I thought Silva's dash in to the penalty area and Fabregas's cross to him was one of the slickest items I've ever seen.

And now....... I was completely wrong about Rangers going straight back in to the Premiership. It looks like they're headed for the Scottish Third Division. I've a feeling this will hurt the other Premiership clubs more than it will hurt Rangers2, but the most remarkable thing is that many Rangers supporters are arguing for their team to be put down to the Third. It's as if they want to slough off the contamination of the old regime. That's pretty noble stuff.

Possibly .. but also there will are some who want the rest of Scottish football to suffer like they are, and Div3 would be the most effective way of doing this. Why take all the flak / laughs and then go to Div1 to 'help' everyone else?

 

[Smokin Joe]

Rangers now officially out of the SPL -

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/jul/04/rangers-scottish-premier-league

 

[mangaman]

Just listening to a discussion about where this Spain side sits among the greats. Tim Vickory reckons it's the Brazil '58 to '62 side that's most revered in Brazil and the Uruguay '25 side is the other South American contender. Hungary '53 also getting a mention and Nederlands '74-'78.
They're talking about these sides revolutionising the game, changing the way it's played.
I've seen that Hungary side in old clips and they look remarkable. Their contemporaries look proper old school grandads running jerkily after the ball in calf length shorts but the Magyars appear modern sophisticates.

I was going to say Hungary in the 50s.

I haven't seen much, but - as SJ says - direct comparisons are impossible.

Indirect ones are possible though.

Certain teams have changed the way football has been perceived.

Hungary in 1953 changed world football by showing skill and technique trumps traditional British muscularity and hard work. They then went on to influence club football especially in Spain.

The Brazil side of the 70s also changed things by showing you can win by sheer attacking brilliance. As someone said, their GK was rubbish - and their defence was basically the start of their attack. To concentrate solely on beautiful attack was new and exciting.

The current Spain team has shown great midfield technique and passing will win even without a striker.

Of course not all teams can play these ways, but I believe they all have some influence on other teams.

Good teams eg France that won the WC and Euros - are a contrast in that they were just good. All the players in the conventional positions were above average, but the team played in a normal formation.

The early 70s "total football" Dutch come close - and Barcelona (and Spain) - owe a lot to Cruyff. But they didn't win anything and I think the total football thing was started by the Brazilians.

 

[bof]

I was going to say Hungary in the 50s.

I haven't seen much, but - as SJ says - direct comparisons are impossible.

The early 70s "total football" Dutch come close - and Barcelona (and Spain) - owe a lot to Cruyff. But they didn't win anything and I think the total football thing was started by the Brazilians.

It's getting a long time ago so my memory may be playing some tricks, but IIRC the Brazil 1970 team played fairly conventionally and like the German teams of the period, but better. Fast full backs and wingers putting in crosses, Tostao as the deep lying playmaker in the middle and a real class centre forward in Pele.

The first World Cup where I have any real recollection was 1966 and there Brazil got bundled out fairly quickly in large part due to savage fouling on Pele http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2t0q_how-did-they-stop-pele-in-the-1966_sport. This would not be allowed to happen today

 

[dellzeqq]

we forget how very fine a side England were in '70 - far better than '66 - and how close they ran Brazil

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs2n27JBMSs

 

[bof]

we forget how very fine a side England were in '70 - far better than '66 - and how close they ran Brazil

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs2n27JBMSs

Indeed, the best of my lifetime, and when they showed the whole match on TV IIRC just before the last World Cup, I realised just what a great player Bobby Moore was.
Not forgetting a fine German (yes!) and Italian team and their fantastic semi-final.

I guess most players still played in their home country and so then the World Cup was a showcase for the best players - whereas it's arguably the Champions League today.