The Megathread for Football/Soccer

[Shabbaman]

I'd rather see the introduction of an ABC-list, like in icehockey. Then you can skip worthless games like v.s. Malta.

 

[Joe Harker]

Also it'd be highly likely that it would be a predominantly European/South American affair with a few African teams thrown in. FIFA wouldn't support anything that would be a possible detriment to any new market.

There are currently 21 European teams in the top 32 in the Fifa world rankings, 5 South American, 4 African teams, 2 North American teams, so you do have a point, although i would argue that they have got there by being better than other teams and that they shouldn't be held back because they are in a very strong confedation

Also what about a similar tournament for teams who finish second in the group, a bit like the UEFA Cup is to the Champions Leauge in European club football, this would be held in June, and the WC is on in July or in different years (ie the WC takes place normally every four years and the smaller one takes place the following year). complicated and would require two host nations every cycle, although the smaller tournament probably be less demanding on the stadiums, would also allow more countries, who wouldn't normally get a world cup a chance to host a major football event, it would include more nations in tournament football at the world stage, still allows underdogs to qualify, cause we always like a small team to do well.

 

[Joe Harker]

I'd rather see the introduction of an ABC-list, like in icehockey. Then you can skip worthless games like v.s. Malta.

What is that?

 

[holy king]

There are currently 21 European teams in the top 32 in the Fifa world rankings, 5 South American, 4 African teams, 2 North American teams, so you do have a point, although i would argue that they have got there by being better than other teams and that they shouldn't be held back because they are in a very strong confedation

Also what about a similar tournament for teams who finish second in the group, a bit like the UEFA Cup is to the Champions Leauge in European club football, this would be held in June, and the WC is on in July or in different years (ie the WC takes place normally every four years and the smaller one takes place the following year). complicated and would require two host nations every cycle, although the smaller tournament probably be less demanding on the stadiums, would also allow more countries, who wouldn't normally get a world cup a chance to host a major football event, it would include more nations in tournament football at the world stage, still allows underdogs to qualify, cause we always like a small team to do well.

hm... that would certainly benefit the mediocre european teams.
but will it really be well accepted by the crowd, especially the tv-viewers?
and what will this title be called then? best of the not so good ones?

 

[azzaman333]

FIFA Challengers Cup?

 

[BCLG100]

and what will this title be called then? best of the not so good ones?

World Wooden Spoon Cup?

 

[holy king]

FIFA Challengers Cup?

bah, damn pc, let's just call it "champion among losers".

edit, though i like the "wooden spoon cup" too.

 

[Joe Harker]

but will it really be well accepted by the crowd, especially the tv-viewers?

I am sure it would, certainly by nations who are in it. And by people who jus can't go three months without footie! Certainly not on the scale of the world cup, but you wouldn't expect it to.

Other sports do it as well, Cricket has a tournament for one day nations who arn't test nations, i don't see why football can't have tournament consisting of international teams who arn't as well known. In fact domestic football and at a contient level is full of this, why not on the international stage. People still watch the UEFA Cup.

 

[Shabbaman]

What is that?

Actually, it's almost similar to the BCLG cup you propose

Depending on past results a country gets on the A or B list. The bottom A list country plays a qualifier against the top B list country, or relegates automatically (last place finish at the world cup, last place finish in a qualifier group, etc.). The B list can't qualify for the big championships, so you get to play less qualifying matches or there are less qualifying groups.

 

[Joe Harker]

Luiz Felipe Scolari has been named as the new manager of Chelsea.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/7449627.stm

 

[TheLastOne36]

Montenegro is becoming big!

Spoiler :

Media reports that 18 year old Montenegrin football phenomenon Stevan Jovetić had signed a 10 M euro transfer deal that would see him leaving Partizan Belgrade for Italy’s Fiorentina are spurious, according to the footballer’s agent. Fali Ramadani told the Montenegro Times that several Italian clubs are interested in Jovetić but so are a number of English and Spanish sides. Ramadani was, in fact, on his way to a meeting with an undisclosed Spanish club when the Montenegro Times reached him on his mobile phone. Asked if Jovetić would prefer to play in one country more than the others, Ramadani replied, “He wants to play in Spain.”
However, perennial powerhouse Manchester United has been interested in signing Jovetić for more than a year. United Manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes the wunderkind would make a fine fit with his squad, which is a finalist in this year’s Champions League. Last year, the UK’s best selling daily tabloid, The Sun, reported that Ferguson had offered 10 M euros for him prior to his signing with Partizan.
The idea that Jovetić, a striker, would be able to knock Wayne Rooney or Christian Ronaldo out of a starting spot at United is a dubious proposition, at best, but the kid, who is touted by many as the best young footballer in Europe, is capable of greatness on any stage.
Jovetić scored a hat trick for Partizan in a UEFA Cup qualifying match last August. He was 17 years old at the time. This year he was named captain of Partizan despite his age. In 54 matches with the Serbian side he scored 18 goals. He was named captain of Montenegro’s U-21 national team when he as 17 and he earned his first cap on the senior national squad against Hungary in March of 2007.
Jovetić has one year left in his Partizan contract. When asked what kind of money it would take for Partizan to let him go before his contract expires, Ramadani replied, “We do not talk about money with the media.”
Jovetić is Montenegro’s rising football star but the country already has a bona fide superstar in Mirko Vucinic. The 24-year-old striker, who currently suits up for Italy’s Roma, is rumoured to be on the move after another impressive season in the Italian capital.
Media reports from the UK state that Ferguson is willing to offer as much as 15 M pounds to Roma to lure Vučinić to Old Trafford. Roma has a well earned reputation as a club with deep pockets and short arms and its fans are despondent at the prospect of losing one of their top players.
With Jovetić and Vucinic leading the attack, Montenegro looks to be in a good position to continue to climb the FIFA rankings. Currently ranked 150, Montenegro hopes to move up the charts by month’s end. The national squad will play host to Kazakhstan in a May 27 friendly in Podgorica. Four days later the team will travel to Bucharest to provide a tune up for the Romanian side that is on its way to the European Championships, which will be contested in Switzerland and Austria between June 7 – 29.
While there are no easy games in the European Championships, Romania, currently ranked 12th in the world, find themselves in the proverbial ‘group of death’ with Italy (#3 in the world), France (#7) and the Netherlands (#10).
The fact that Romania chose Montenegro as its last warm up before facing such strong competition is no small salute to the little Balkan mouse that may yet roar loudly.

 

[TheLastOne36]

Juande Ramos expects Giovani Dos Santos to bring excitement to Tottenham Hotspur, after the club clinched the signing of the Barcelona forward.

The Tottenham manager was delighted to complete the deal after the 19-year-old Mexico international agreed a five-year contract for a £4.7 million fee, rising to £8.6m depending on appearances. Barcelona will retain 20 per cent of any sell-on fee should he move in the first two years of his contract and will take ten per cent of any transfer if he moves after that.

"If Giovani progresses as we hope, he will be a terrific player," Ramos said. "This is a young player with a lot of potential, who I have watched for some time. For us it is an exciting signing because he has excellent quality, he operates well in different positions and, above all, is technically excellent."

Dos Santos has risen through the ranks at the Nou Camp after originally joining the club to play in the Under-15 side at the age of 13. In 2006 he was promoted to the Barcelona B team, before making his debut for Frank Rijkaard's first eleven last season. In total he made 38 appearances for the senior side and scored four goals, three of them coming in the final game of last season when he bagged a hat-trick in a 5-3 win over Murcia.

"It is a dream for me to come to a big club like Spurs," Dos Santos said. "I've come here to further explore my qualities and give my all for my new team."

Damien Comolli, the club's sporting director, is convinced Dos Santos will be a massive asset for the club.

"Giovani possesses a great combination of physical power and explosivity, along with fine technical skills," Comolli said. "He is someone who can create and score goals. He is young but not without experience and will be a great asset for the club.

"The fact we have a Spanish speaking coaching staff, as well as Gilberto, will help him adapt, settle quickly and I believe he has the skills to be successful in England."

Dos Santos is currently sidelined with an ankle injury, but is expected to be fit before the start of the Premier League campaign.

Giovani dos Santos, the future Mexican star playing Barcelona has been Transfered to Tottenham!!! now only his younger brother Jonathan dos Santos still plays for Barcelona.

 

[azzaman333]

Australia is through to the next round of qualifiers due to a 3-1 away win against Qatar!

 

[Scratcher]

azzaman333, congratulations.

I went to watch Iraq play Australia last week in Dubai. It was a dire game, a far cry from the Australian world cup performances of 2006. Has the team changed much since then?

 

[classical_hero]

Well they did play a defensive game that game, since it was their first game in such oppressive conditions. They performed much better against Qatar.

 

[TheLastOne36]

Another BIG

what do you guys think about the 2008-09 season in football so far? I mean generally, in all competitions.

Tottenham is surprising me in the English league and Lech got in the UEFA cup so i'm happy.

 

[Dell19]

Tottenham spent something like 66 million on new players but crucially they also sold about 80 million worth of players and pretty much swapped their entire team around. In that respect its not surprising that they have struggled so far. They do need to turn it around soon.

 

[Hitti-Litti]

Hull, CFR Cluj, Anorthosis, BATE Borisov and Hoffenheim are awesome. It's nice to see some new teams fighting for the glory.

 

[azzaman333]

Melbourne Victory are currently on top of the ladder after 7 rounds, 2 points clear of Sydney, our biggest rival, and 3 clear of Adelaide, our most bitter rival.

 

[jeps]

So I saw Man City go up 2-0 today, flipped it off for a bit, turn back, and watched them go down 3-2 to liverpool. and hull city looks to be decent. good on 'em.

and my team, maccabi tel aviv just lost to maccabi Netanya...