World Cup Qualifiers Thread

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Perfect chip in many ways says Townsend.

Er.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Xavi misses a sitter. :haha:

Would've been a Monreal assist. :bow:

[Cripps_orig]

0-1 italy

Balotelli

hes on fire

[LDG]

Danny wellshite :haha:

This crowd is a bit tasty :o

[Cripps_orig]

All England.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Johnson goes for glory, tipped behind.

[Cripps_orig]

Keeper saves from Johnson

[McNamara That Ghost...]

0-1 England, Wazza.

[LDG]

That'll shut em up.

[Cripps_orig]

0-1 Wazza

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

Armenia 0-3 Czech Rep, FT.

Rosicky played the full 90. Vydra with two and Kolar with the other.

He looks pretty decent.

Sod it, sign him up Brenda.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Poland 1-0 San Marino, Lewandowski pelanty.

[Cripps_orig]

Poland 1-0 San Marino, Lewandowski pelanty.

Possible double figures?

[Cripps_orig]

Hungary equalise

Turkey need to win.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Wales 1-0 Croatia, Bale pelanty!

[LDG]

Did he just say Walcott? :blink:

[Cripps_orig]

Bale is awesome

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Germany 1-0 Kazakhstan, Reus.

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

Is it Clive commentating?

Why does he sound like he's dying?

[Dennis Bendtner]

Is it Clive commentating?

Why does he sound like he's dying?

:pray:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Ireland 1-1 Austria, Walters pelanty.

[Cripps_orig]

Ireland equalise

[LDG]

Is it Clive commentating?

Why does he sound like he's dying?

It's alright he didn't scream in pain, he just went "Rooooooneeeyy"

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Possible double figures?

Poland 2-0 San Marino, Piszczek. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Germany 2-0 Kazakhstan, Gotze.

[LDG]

Jovetic :lol:

Wenger will have noted that and added a few million to his wage offer.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Milner. :lol:

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

Jovetic :lol:

Wenger will have noted that and added a few million to his wage offer.

He's now at £3 million...

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Germany 3-0 Kazakhstan, Gundogan.

Dortmund. :bow:

[Cripps_orig]

Montenegro corner

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Welbeck. :lol:

[Cripps_orig]

Ukraine 1-0

Yarmolenko

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Welbeck again messes up at the crucial moment.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Milner whacks it across goal, giving Rooney no chane to do anything with it.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Johnson booked.

[Cripps_orig]

Johnson booked

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Pedro falls to the ground before Lloris makes contact with him but as many men said "I've seen them given".

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Bolivia 1-0 Argentina, Moreno. :lol:

[Cripps_orig]

Argentina are awlful

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Ireland 2-1 Austria, Walters with his second. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Great block from the ref to intercept Iniesta's pass.

[Cripps_orig]

Ukraine 2-0

Khacheridi

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Ribery through on goal, Valdes makes the block before Ribery really does anything with it.

[Cripps_orig]

Denmark equalise.

Agger penalty

0-2 Italy

Balotelli again. Must get

[Cripps_orig]

Ukraine 2-1 Moldova

Suvorov gets one back

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Welbeck booked for diving.

:haha:

[LDG]

Wellbeck :haha:

[Cripps_orig]

Welbeck booked for diving

[McNamara That Ghost...]

France 0-0 Spain, HT.

Time for Cazorla. And Giroud.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Montenegro 0-1 England, HT.

[Cripps_orig]

0-1 HT

Welbeck is awful

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Serbia 1-0 Scotland, Djuricic. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Bolivia 1-1 Argentina, Banega. Messi assisting the assister. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Poland 3-0 San Marino, Lewandowski with his second.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Serbia 2-0 Scotland, Djuricic with his second.

:haha:

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

Jesus christ what is that noise?

[Cripps_orig]

Holland 3-0

**** has the 2nd and 3rd

[Cripps_orig]

Kazakhs get one back

Mert :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

I thought it was in. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Koscielny gives David Villa a tap on the head like he received in the League Cup final.

[Cripps_orig]

Poland 4-0

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Hart. :haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Belgium 1-0 Macedonia, Hazard!

[Cripps_orig]

Belgium :bow:

Hazard is awesome

[McNamara That Ghost...]

France 0-1 Spain, Pedro! What a pub team goal!

[Cripps_orig]

Ffs

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Brilliant play by Monreal to set it up though. :bow:

[Cripps_orig]

All Montenegro

Gerrard is a bit shit

[Özil's Panoramic View]

Ffs

:haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

60 min Monreal, who has had an excellent game, found space down the left and was found with a featherlight pass from Xavi. He brought it in the area and skimmed a cross-shot towards Pedro. Under pressure the Spaniard got something on the ball to direct it towards goal and Lloris, falling backwards, could only palm it into the net.

Nacho. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Vucinic you moran!

[Cripps_orig]

:haha::unsure:

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

The guy leading the crowd :haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Jovetic went for glory from way out!

Crazy.

[Cripps_orig]

Serbia 2-0 Scotland FT

Scotland become the first team from the European section to officially have no chance of qualifying

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Northern Ireland 0-1 Israel, Lion Refaelov. :doh:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Wazza freekick, saved.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cabaye off, Menez on.

Where's Bif?!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Wales 1-1 Croatia, Lovren.

[Cripps_orig]

Holland 4-0

Lens

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Hart. :haha:

What a twat.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Monreal denies Varane scoring what should've been a certain goal.

Vucinci curls it wide.

England are terrible.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Pedro off, Cesc on.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Hart saves from Jovetic.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Northern Ireland 0-2 Israel, Basat.

Montenegro hit the post!

[Cripps_orig]

Now they hit the post

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Pogba sent off.

Two yellows in a minute.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Poland 5-0 San Marino, Kosecki. :rolleyes:

Montenegro 1-1 England!!

What a scramble!

[Cripps_orig]

1-1!!!!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Wales 1-2 Croatia, Eduardo!

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

Hodgson waits until after an equaliser to make a sub. And when he does it's Ashley Young...

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cleverley hauled off, Youngy on.

[Cripps_orig]

Cleverley hauled off

Young on

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Hodgson waits until after an equaliser to make a sub. And when he does it's Ashley Young...

We need some all important dives.

[Cripps_orig]

Eduardo :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Ireland 2-2 Austria, Alaba. :doh:

[Cripps_orig]

Reus scored his 2nd and Germany's 4th in a 4-1 win

[Syn]

Britain :haha:

Awful shortening of the name of Stoke Ciy's stadium.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Stevie Me goes for glory from miles out.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Freekick to Montenegro, dangerous area.

No idea how France haven't equalised.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Vucinci curls it over.

[PGFC]

Valdes, little bit good save.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Stevie Me. :haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Giroud is coming on with 90 minutes gone. :rolleyes:

[Cripps_orig]

Looks like the end for Trappatoni

[McNamara That Ghost...]

France 0-1 Spain, FT.

Spain back on top in that group.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Freekick to England, dangerous area.

[Cripps_orig]

Milner, Welbeck, Cleverley are horrific

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Just about saved from Gerrard!

:haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Montenegro 1-1 England, FT.

Montenegro remain top. :haha:

[Cripps_orig]

1-1 FT

Just go Roy.

[Marc Overmars]

So the only games we've managed to win in this group have been against San Marino and Moldova?

Pathetic.

[GP]

Wales 1-2 Croatia, Eduardo!

Time for him to come home.

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

"...what seems to be the problem..?"

We're not very good!

[Cripps_orig]

So the only games we've managed to win in this group have been against San Marino and Moldova?

Pathetic.

Pretty much.

A piss easy group and we are struggling.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Mike Ingham says Scott Parker doesn't give the ball away. :doh:

[Cripps_orig]

Forgot about Parker

How the fuck does Cleverley get in ahead of him?

Parker is what we needed.

[Syn]

Good result. Job done. Top place should be easily achievable now.

[Cripps_orig]

Keane is fucking awesome

[Cripps_orig]

Bolivia 1-1 Argentina FT

Ecuador 4-1 Paraguay FT

Venezuela v Colombia and Chile v Uruguay are on later

[Niall_Quinn]

LOL - Didn't see the game but I though England were really shit.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Actually, yeah spot on.

[Cripps_orig]

Venezuela won 1-0

Chile won 2-0

Uruguay in danger of not qualifying.

[Cripps_orig]

http://www.goal.com/en/news/article?contentId=3856801

Suarez :bow:

[Japan Shaking All Over]

Time for him to come home.

Probably was the right decision at the time but what we would give to have an in form Eduardo still on the books. . .how is his club form kind of lost track of him

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

Suarez :lol:

What a scamp.

[Özim]

Probably was the right decision at the time but what we would give to have an in form Eduardo still on the books. . .how is his club form kind of lost track of him
He's not done too well 20 goals in 69 appearances, we should have signed Huntelaar instead of him. Never really did anything for us and then got injured.

[Marc Overmars]

He's a good little finisher but where he is now in Eastern Europe is probably his level.

[Cripps_orig]

England fans reported for racism :lol:

[Joker]

The chants were terrible.

[Cripps_orig]

FA can't find any evidence of racism

[Cripps_orig]

Friday 7th June 2013

FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFYING - EUROPEAN REGION - GROUP A
Croatia v Scotland 19:15
Belgium v Serbia 19:45

FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFYING - EUROPEAN REGION - GROUP B
Armenia v Malta 17:00
Czech Rep. v Italy 19:45

FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFYING - EUROPEAN REGION - GROUP C
Austria v Sweden 19:45
R. of Ireland v Faroe Islands 19:45

FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFYING - EUROPEAN REGION - GROUP E
Albania v Norway 19:30
Iceland v Slovenia 20:00

FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFYING - EUROPEAN REGION - GROUP F
Azerbaijan v Luxembourg
Portugal v Russia 20:45

FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFYING - EUROPEAN REGION - GROUP G
Latvia v Bosnia-H 17:30
Liechtenstein v Slovakia 19:00
Lithuania v Greece 19:45

FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFYING - EUROPEAN REGION - GROUP H
Moldova v Poland 19:15
Montenegro v Ukraine 19:30

FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFYING - EUROPEAN REGION - GROUP I
Finland 0-0 Belarus

Saturday 8th June 2013
FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFYING - EUROPEAN REGION - GROUP E
Switzerland v Cyprus 16:30

[Cripps_orig]

FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFYING - EUROPEAN REGION - GROUP A
Croatia 0-1 Scotland 19:15 :haha:
Belgium 2-1 Serbia 19:45

FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFYING - EUROPEAN REGION - GROUP B
Armenia 0-1 Malta 17:00
Czech Rep. 0-0 Italy 19:45

FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFYING - EUROPEAN REGION - GROUP C
Austria 2-1 Sweden 19:45
R. of Ireland 3-0 Faroe Islands 19:45

FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFYING - EUROPEAN REGION - GROUP E
Albania 1-1 Norway 19:30
Iceland 2-4 Slovenia 20:00

FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFYING - EUROPEAN REGION - GROUP F
Azerbaijan 1-1 Luxembourg
Portugal v Russia 20:45

FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFYING - EUROPEAN REGION - GROUP G
Latvia 0-5 Bosnia-H 17:30
Liechtenstein 1-1 Slovakia 19:00
Lithuania 0-1 Greece 19:45

FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFYING - EUROPEAN REGION - GROUP H
Moldova 0-0 Poland 19:15
Montenegro 0-4 Ukraine 19:30

FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFYING - EUROPEAN REGION - GROUP I
Finland 1-0 Belarus

[Cripps_orig]

Portugal led 1-0

Postiga

[Cripps_orig]

Portugal led 1-0

Postiga

[McNamara That Ghost...]

That was a shocker of a result for Montenegro. Not sure it's a good one for England either, given Ukraine have to play San Marino twice.

Jovetic went off on 43 minutes. :lol:

[Cripps_orig]

Portugal won 1-0

They top the group although Russia have played 2 less

[Cripps_orig]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/4965309/Javier-Mascherano-sent-off-for-kicking-physio-video.html

Mascherano :doh:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

South Korea vs Iran is on Eurosport 2 at 1pm. :lol:

[Cripps_orig]

Iran won 1-0

Australia beat Iraq 1-0 and qualify

[Dicks and chicks]

can't see england qualifying

[Cripps_orig]

FOOTBALL
A Jamaica player tests positive for a banned substance after a World Cup qualifying match against Honduras, reports the Jamaica Football Federation.

Jamaica lost the match 2-0 on 11 June in Honduras. The federation says it was informed a member of the Jamaican squad returned an adverse analytical finding on his urine sample.

The player and the substance involved were not identified.

Jamaicans are cheats in all sports

[Cripps_orig]

Wednesday 14th August 2013

FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFYING - EUROPEAN REGION - GROUP F
Northern Ireland v Russia 19:45

[Cripps_orig]

Northern Ireland: Carroll, McAuley, Hughes, Cathcart, Danny Lafferty, Ferguson, McGinn, Davis, Norwood, Ward, Paterson. Subs: McGovern, McGivern, Magennis, Corry Evans, McCann, Grigg, Bruce, McKay, O'Connor, Hodson.

Russia: Akinfeev, Aniukov, Ignashevich, Berezutsky, Dzagoev, Shirokov, Denisov, Bystrov, Faitzulin, Kombarov, Kerzhakov. Subs: Gabulov, Shchennikov, Kozlov, Dyakov, Glushakov, Dzjuba, Granat, Ryazantsev, Samedov, Cheryshev, Ionov, Ryzhikov.

Referee: Tom Harald Hagen (Norway)

[Cripps_orig]

N Ireland 1-0

Paterson

[Cripps_orig]

1-0 FT

Capello :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Capello. :haha:

[GP]

CapelLOL

[Cripps_orig]

Goalkeepers: Fraser Forster, Joe Hart, John Ruddy

Defenders: Leighton Baines, Gary Cahill, Ashley Cole, Phil Jagielka, Glen Johnson, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Kyle Walker

Midfielders: Ross Barkley, Michael Carrick, Tom Cleverley, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, James Milner, Raheem Sterling, Andros Townsend, Theo Walcott, Jack Wilshere

Strikers: Jermain Defoe, Rickie Lambert, Wayne Rooney, Daniel Sturridge, Danny Welbeck, Ashley Young


Barkley, Townsend, Sterling :haha:

[Master Splinter]

Half a good game for Manchester United or the Spufs and you're guaranteed an instant England cap.

Actually, it's guaranteed starter if you play for United.

[GP]

Still no Gibbs.

I mean, I'm glad he's not involved, but he's better than shit like Baines.

[Master Splinter]

Gibbs will be England's next Steve Bruce (kind of).

But yeah, great for us if he stays fit. He's awesome. And technically too good for England. No surprise Wilshere has become so sloppy since mixing with England riff raff.

[Cripps_orig]

Not surprised Gibbs isn't in.

He's a good left back but Cole and Baines are better.

His time will come

[Özil's Panoramic View]

Barkley, Townsend, Sterling :haha:

That's rather a laughable squad.

Hart. :haha:

Jones. :haha:

Carrick & Cleverly. :haha:

Milner. :haha:

Townsend. :haha:

Sterling. :haha:

Sturridge. :haha:

Welbeck. :haha:

Young. :haha:

Who the fuck is Barkley? Can't remember that pub teamer, though I know I've seen him before.

[Master Splinter]

You missed out the worst player there:

Walker :haha:.

Utter shit. And he's actually worse for England.

[Marc Overmars]

Barkley is better than Wilshere.

[GP]

That's rather a laughable squad.

Hart. :haha:

Jones. :haha:

Carrick & Cleverly. :haha:

Milner. :haha:

Townsend. :haha:

Sterling. :haha:

Sturridge. :haha:

Welbeck. :haha:

Young. :haha:

Who the fuck is Barkley? Can't remember that pub teamer, though I know I seen him before.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Barkley

[Özil's Panoramic View]

You missed out the worst player there:

Walker :haha:.

Utter shit. And he's actually worse for England.

Ffs how could I? :doh:

Walker. :haha:

He's horrific.

[Cripps_orig]

Who the fuck is Barkley? Can't remember that pub teamer, though I know I've seen him before.

He was on loan at Sheffield Wednesday last season where he was a bit shit. Scored a goal last week though so he's in

[Cripps_orig]

http://talksport.com/football/hodgson-backs-joe-hart-england-number-one-13082757466

A big reason Hart is horrific.

Got complacent cos he knows his place is secure.

Wtf has happened to hodgson?

Awesome at Fulham. Liverpool destroyed him

[Cripps_orig]

Mata left out of the Spanish squad.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

:lol:

Time to come home Juan.

[Cripps_orig]

Manchester United manager David Moyes: "Wayne Rooney has got a cut down his forehead, it was completely accidental.

"It will keep him out for a few weeks. I would think he's got no chance of playing for England.

As a great man once said, Walcott Up Front?

No doubt Crouch will be recalled

[Cripps_orig]

06/09/13 18:00 Czech Republic v Armenia
06/09/13 18:30 Russia v Luxembourg
06/09/13 19:00 FYR Macedonia v Wales
06/09/13 19:00 Norway v Cyprus
06/09/13 19:45 Republic of Ireland v Sweden
06/09/13 19:45 Northern Ireland v Portugal
06/09/13 20:00 Scotland v Belgium
06/09/13 20:00 Malta v Denmark
06/09/13 20:00 England v Moldova
06/09/13 20:15 Bosnia-Herzegovina v Slovakia
06/09/13 20:30 Slovenia v Albania
06/09/13 20:30 Switzerland v Iceland
06/09/13 20:45 Serbia v Croatia
06/09/13 20:45 Italy v Bulgaria
06/09/13 20:45 Germany v Austria
06/09/13 20:45 Liechtenstein v Greece
06/09/13 20:45 Poland v Montenegro
06/09/13 21:00 Kazakhstan v Faroe Islands
06/09/13 21:00 Romania v Hungary
06/09/13 21:00 Turkey v Andorra
06/09/13 21:00 Ukraine v San Marino
06/09/13 21:10 Latvia v Lithuania
06/09/13 21:30 Estonia v Netherlands
06/09/13 21:30 Finland v Spain
06/09/13 22:15 Georgia v France
07/09/13 20:45 Israel v Azerbaijan

[Marc Overmars]

The FA chairman is to investigate the decline of English players in the PL. :rolleyes:

[GP]

Well I hope he's starting at the grass roots.

[LDG]

The FA chairman is to investigate the decline of English players in the PL. :rolleyes:

Nothing fucking changes.

It's their completely outdated approach to a game that everyone else left behind some time back in the late eighties.

Techique is only coached by a few clubs in the Premier League, let alone further down the ranks.

They'll have the enquiry, and we'll still be a team of cloggers in about 10 years.

[Marc Overmars]

He's also set the team the goal of winning the 2022 World Cup. :lol:

[GP]

:doh:

They really haven't got a clue.

They need to just copy Spain's infrastructure. It'll take years, but it's the only way.

[Kano]

He's also set the team the goal of winning the 2022 World Cup. :lol:
seriously? :lol:

just disband the team and be done with it. nobody gives a fuck anymore.

[LDG]

:doh:

They really haven't got a clue.

They need to just copy Spain's infrastructure. It'll take years, but it's the only way.

Yup.

It's what ze germans did after their failures in the early 2000's.

Now they're piling out Özil's, Benders Schweinstiger (sp) and the like.

And we've got fucking Danny Wellbeck.

DANNY FUCKING WELLBECK

[Syn]

Is everyone watching Germany on Friday?

Can't wait to see how Mertesacker gets on. :popcorn:

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

We've still yet to shake off the idea that to be a good footballer all you need is heart, grit, determination and all that balls.

But it all starts at youth and grassroots. Coaches just getting the biggest freaks they can find and smacking it long for them, going too quickly to large goals, pitches and footballs which we've only just now started to change. Hence the Heskeys, or the Carlton Coles. The idea that the easiest way to deal with a small, technical player is to give him a kick and see how he deals with it before thinking of actually defending. It's always "win at all costs" so the coaches can live out their dreams of winning the West Cheshire U7s Division 2. Those that win invariably being the biggest, tallest, fastest and strongest. And the old boy brigade of managers like Bruce, Pulis, McLeish et al, putting the likes of Pearce and Southgate in charge of the U21s. And don't even get me started on Hodgson...

We've lagged behind other countries for decades now, 1966 was a blip amongst tournament after tournament of mediocrity, with the odd SF thrown in, balanced out by not even qualifying way before the PL was introduced. Hungary, [West] Germany, Holland, Spain and Germany all leaving us for dust and/or smashing us to bits along the way.

But the Premier League themselves aren't blameless either. The Football League is being screwed over by the PL, not least with EPPP coming in which will eventually mean most lower league teams will simply scrap their youth academies/facilities. It's all about gaining a few extra £££ so they can proclaim themselves to be the biggest and the best, all lapped up by Sky Sports. BLitW. Too many of our young players think they've made it because they're on £30/40k a week for being "the next big thing" and aren't prepared to go to a smaller club to actually play, or heaven forbid go abroad [credit to Bale for that, even if it is to a giant like Madrid]. Putting all the blame on dirty foreigners is just a lazy excuse and neatly avoids looking at the real reasons; one of the main ones being that English players just aren't as good as we claim they are. The "Golden Generation" epitomises that. 11 decent players on paper, but as a team just crap. I guess you can point to nowhere moreso than Gerrard and Lampard. And you have it again with the current lot. Walker; nothing but pace. Welbeck; nothing but a smile. Cleverley; nothing. We're being criticised because we didn't buy any British players this window, despite an absolute fuck load in the squad and in England squads at all ages.
Mediocre English players being sold for World-class prices is also part of the problem, as we know all too well, not helped by trying to fill quotas.

But what we'll do is try to copy directly Spain or Germany in style of play, which by the time it bears fruit will be equally outdated and bettered by the next system and style. They were both in our position, looking inwardly, but they actually did something about it and most importantly, poured money into it. All we're doing here is talking about it over and over again, whilst concentrating money on the top league and the top few teams in that league.

But putting arbitrary targets to "win it in 2022" will do no good either. Pointless.

[Marc Overmars]

The new guidelines The FA released a while ago is a start but it's going to take a generation for it to bear fruit.

I'll never forget in America a few years ago we had a kick around with some Spanish kids, the contrast in style was so evident. Although tbf we GHEL'd them and won.

[milla]

International football is shit, it should be abandoned years ago. :coffee:

[Cripps_orig]

It's been better than club football last couple of years tbh

[McNamara That Ghost...]

We've still yet to shake off the idea that to be a good footballer all you need is heart, grit, determination and all that balls.

But it all starts at youth and grassroots. Coaches just getting the biggest freaks they can find and smacking it long for them, going too quickly to large goals, pitches and footballs which we've only just now started to change. Hence the Heskeys, or the Carlton Coles. The idea that the easiest way to deal with a small, technical player is to give him a kick and see how he deals with it before thinking of actually defending. It's always "win at all costs" so the coaches can live out their dreams of winning the West Cheshire U7s Division 2. Those that win invariably being the biggest, tallest, fastest and strongest. And the old boy brigade of managers like Bruce, Pulis, McLeish et al, putting the likes of Pearce and Southgate in charge of the U21s. And don't even get me started on Hodgson...

We've lagged behind other countries for decades now, 1966 was a blip amongst tournament after tournament of mediocrity, with the odd SF thrown in, balanced out by not even qualifying way before the PL was introduced. Hungary, [West] Germany, Holland, Spain and Germany all leaving us for dust and/or smashing us to bits along the way.

But the Premier League themselves aren't blameless either. The Football League is being screwed over by the PL, not least with EPPP coming in which will eventually mean most lower league teams will simply scrap their youth academies/facilities. It's all about gaining a few extra £££ so they can proclaim themselves to be the biggest and the best, all lapped up by Sky Sports. BLitW. Too many of our young players think they've made it because they're on £30/40k a week for being "the next big thing" and aren't prepared to go to a smaller club to actually play, or heaven forbid go abroad [credit to Bale for that, even if it is to a giant like Madrid]. Putting all the blame on dirty foreigners is just a lazy excuse and neatly avoids looking at the real reasons; one of the main ones being that English players just aren't as good as we claim they are. The "Golden Generation" epitomises that. 11 decent players on paper, but as a team just crap. I guess you can point to nowhere moreso than Gerrard and Lampard. And you have it again with the current lot. Walker; nothing but pace. Welbeck; nothing but a smile. Cleverley; nothing. We're being criticised because we didn't buy any British players this window, despite an absolute fuck load in the squad and in England squads at all ages.
Mediocre English players being sold for World-class prices is also part of the problem, as we know all too well, not helped by trying to fill quotas.

But what we'll do is try to copy directly Spain or Germany in style of play, which by the time it bears fruit will be equally outdated and bettered by the next system and style. They were both in our position, looking inwardly, but they actually did something about it and most importantly, poured money into it. All we're doing here is talking about it over and over again, whilst concentrating money on the top league and the top few teams in that league.

But putting arbitrary targets to "win it in 2022" will do no good either. Pointless.

Very well said.

Dyke's words are windowdressing and nothing more. He talks about things in ideal terms: more English players to pick from, semi-finals of the Euros in 2020, World Cup winners in 2022 but how on earth can you set targets like that? :lol: It doesn't just happen by one person's will.

This part in particular is absolute crap:


One of the interesting things about life is what I call the law of unintended consequences. What none of us at that dinner could have foreseen was that because of the very success of the Premier League, 20 years later we would end up with a League largely owned by foreign owners, managed by foreign managers and played by foreign players and that, as a result, it could be argued that the England set-up has been weakened, rather than strengthened, by the creation of the Premier League. Saying this I am not being xenophobic but my job is to help ensure that English football and particularly the England team is in a healthy state.

As far as I am aware England have failed to qualify for a tournament near the inception of the Premier League (second season in) and again in 2008. Both times with an English coach at the helm and again, that might well be the case this time too.

He is setting this up as business objectives (KPIs!), perhaps Germany did the same from 2000 onwards, I'm not sure but I don't think doing that is going to yield any greater results than if you merely focus on coaching at the lowest levels first. That's what needs to change, having a greater pool of English players doesn't mean you're going to have a greater pool of good English players and if you do is doesn't preclude dinosaur football from being coached in to players with talent, as you mention before.

Full transcript: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/10286715/Speech-from-Greg-Dyke-chairman-of-the-Football-Association-full-transcript.html

[Kano]

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/sep/05/alan-hansen-bbc-motd-retired

excellent news

[Cripps_orig]

Not really.

He's brilliant.

[GP]

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/sep/05/alan-hansen-bbc-motd-retired

excellent news

On the face of it, yes. But you know he'll be replaced by someone even worse.

[Cripps_orig]

Sturridge pulls out.

Lambert will start with Theo and Smiler out wide.

Gerrard, Lampard and Wilshere in midfield

[Cripps_orig]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23774483

Coleman :doh:

[Cripps_orig]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23919119

Southgate listening to CiBs

They won 1-0

[Munchies]

Germany v Austria tonight

Ozil :bow:

[Niall_Quinn]

Germany v Austria tonight

Ozil :bow:

Hope he's on the bench for the full 90, wrapped in cotton wool or a Wenger coat.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Macedonia vs Wales on SS3 at 6.

Ramsey. :bow:

[Cripps_orig]

Joe Hart, Kyle Walker, Ashley Cole, Steven Gerrard, Gary Cahill, Phil Jagielka, Theo Walcott, Frank Lampard, Rickie Lambert, Jack Wilshere, Danny Welbeck

[Cripps_orig]

Russia 2-0 Luxembourg HT

Kokorin with both

[Cripps_orig]

EURO ROUND-UP
Japan, Australia, Iran and South Korea already know they will be joining hosts Brazil at the 2014 World Cup finals and we are not far away from seeing the first European qualifiers too. Nothing will be decided tonight but, if Group B leaders Italy beat Bulgaria in Palermo (1945 BST), they can seal their place by beating the Czech Republic in Torino on Tuesday.

Similarly in Group D, the Netherlands, the only European team with a 100% winning record in qualifying, also have their fate in their own hands, and will book their berth with two more wins on the road, firstly against Estonia (1930 BST) and then in Andorra next week.

Other pace-setters - Germany (Group C), Switzerland (Group E), and Bosnia (Group G) - can also seal their qualification with back-to-back wins tonight and Tuesday, but only if other results go their way.

Iran :bow:

[Cripps_orig]

Czech Republic 0-1 Armenia

K.Mkrtchyan

[Cripps_orig]

Bale on the bench

[Cripps_orig]

Russia 3-0 Luxembourg

Kerzhakov with the 3rd

[Syn]

Yeah who gives a shit.

When's the German teamnews out? Ozil likely to start?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

FYR Macedonia: Pacovski, Georgievski, Sikov, Noveski, Ristovski, Gligorov, Pandev, Tasevski, Ibraimi, Kostovski, Trickovski.
Subs: Naumovski, Daniel Ivanovski, Grncarov, Babunski, Jahovic, Trajkovski, Rangjelovic, Mojsov, Lazevski, Stjepanovic, Mirko Ivanovski, Tofiloski.

Wales: Myhill, Gunter, Ashley Williams, Ricketts, Davies, Collison, Vaughan, Ledley, Jonathan Williams, Bellamy, Ramsey.
Subs: Hennessey, John, Gabbidon, Matthews, Crofts, Bale, King, Vokes, Church, Dummett, Fon Williams.

Referee: Sascha Kever (Switzerland)

[Cripps_orig]

Yeah who gives a shit.

When's the German teamnews out? Ozil likely to start?

Football fans

[Niall_Quinn]

Why is monkey on the bench? I was looking forward to the Real fans coming to a horrible realisation.

[Cripps_orig]

He's not fit.

[Cripps_orig]

This pitch looks like it's been used as a car park. Bobbles and divots all over the place as Craig Bellamy almost gets clear for Wales until he's tackled by a patch of long grass.

Bellamy :haha:

He is terrible

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Er bit strong on the cross there Ramsey.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Williams through on goal, well would have been had he kept the ball.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Bellamy. :doh:

[Syn]

Williams through on goal, well would have been had he kept the ball.

That was an amazing pass. Any idea who played it?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

That was an amazing pass. Any idea who played it?

Deadly Ledley.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Macedonia 1-0 Wales, Trickovski. What a sexy set-piece routine.

[Munchies]

Time to bring on Bale :coffee:

[Cripps_orig]

Wales are terrible

[Cripps_orig]

Russia 4-1 Luxembourg

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Bellamy booked. :o

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Myhill saves. Wales' defending. :doh:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Bellamy smacks the post from a freekick!

[Munchies]

Rosicky !

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Ricketts did well there.

[Cripps_orig]

Rosicky scores

1-1

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Ramsey wins a pelanty!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Ramsey to take it.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

RAMSEY!!!!!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Ramsey lashes out after being fouled. :doh:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Ramsey did get an elbow in the clavicle, then Pandev tries to pull him up by his shirt. :lol:

Macedonia are a bunch of scrotes.

Anyway Macedonia 1-1 Wales, HT. Bellamy giving Pandev some treatment. :bow:

[Cripps_orig]

Norway 1-0 Cyprus

Elyounoussi

[Munchies]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86nRxEeizYA

[Cripps_orig]

Czech Republic 1-2 Armenia FT

G.Ghazaryan with the winner.

Ends Czechs hopes more or less

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Bale getting hassled by some idiots from the crowd.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Good turn and lay-off from Ramsey, shot from Bellamy goes wide though.

[Cripps_orig]

Malta 0-1 Denmark

Andreasen

[Cripps_orig]

Romania 1-0 Hungary

Marica

[Munchies]

Giroud out of the france ties

:doh:

ffs

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Ukraine 1-0 San Marino, Devic. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Giroud out of the france ties

:doh:

ffs

That'll just be from the kick he received against the Spuds I imagine.

Sky Sports Score Centre have him as starting though.

[Munchies]

That'll just be from the kick he received against the Spuds I imagine.

Read that the cunt Evra injured his ankle

[Munchies]

Nevermind, he's starting now :doh:

'Giroud update. Did pick up a knock in warm-up (tackled by Evra) and has cut ankle but deemed fit enough to play.' ESPN

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Along with Koscielny and Sajma. :popcorn:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Pandev shoots but wide.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Ledley. :haha:

Bloody hell.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Brilliant run from Ramsey. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

ITV1's programme for England vs Moldova is on soon.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

And great defending from Ramsey there.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Wales. :doh:

Ramsey was the only covering CB there initially!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Ukraine 2-0 San Marino, Seleznyov. :lol:

Keane and Dixon in the studio.

[Cripps_orig]

Norway 2-0 Cyprus

King

[Munchies]

Ozil and BFG, BT Sport now

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cazorla isn't starting for Spain. Good stuff.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Matthews off, Collison on.

Surprised no Balenaldo yet.

[Munchies]

Cazorla isn't starting for Spain. Good stuff.

Him and Monreal just make up the bench numbers :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Macedonia 2-1 Wales, Trajkovski.

[Munchies]

Ozil !!!

Teams out :bow:

[Rors]

No Van Persie in that Mars advert now I notice...

[Munchies]

100 caps for Lahm

:bow:

[Munchies]

Germany anthem now

Ozil is our player :D

[Rors]

EVERY ITV 'feature' piece is exactly the same. Same fast-cut camera, same "x or y?" questions", same Clark as Chaucer nonsense....

[Munchies]

BFG is massive compared to Lahm :lol: