Vaughan Spa

All things soccer 2012-13

rld

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Oct 12, 2010
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I am thinking that this very long winter break has to be good for the German clubs when the Champions league gets underway again.
 

scouser1

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Dec 7, 2001
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Pickering
On a side note this David Beckham speculation is getting interesting as to which club he will sign with. I don't care about all the red carpet/TMZ/wacky hairstyles nonsense gets into, but the man can still give a side a solid 60 to 75 minutes a match, he is the type that wont help a club that is mediocre become great, but a very good one become great.
 

Don Draper

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Nov 24, 2009
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The problem is Madrid fans, the worst in the world. Mourinho won the La Liga trophy last year after several lean years. But they have been booing him lustily this year as the club's fortunes have nose dived.
And the only reason he's still there is because it would cost Florentino Perez 20,000,000 Euro to send him off. Schuster and Ramos had better records than he did at this time and they still let them go. Pelligrini did an admirable job but he only lasted one season.

They are so impatient and so in fear of falling behind Barca that they always solve the headache by cutting off the head.
 

Phil C. McNasty

Go Jays Go
Dec 27, 2010
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And Capello won the title with Madrid and still got fired....LOL
 

Don Draper

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Nov 24, 2009
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Scoreless against lowly Osasuna? How low can Madrid go? I thought the Madrid drought was temporary. But doesnt seem to be. A one team supremacy in La Liga cannot be good for that league.
As much as I enjoyed it, even my jaw dropped at that.

Mou has lost the squad. At a recent press conference he was asked why the team is doing so poorly? His reply was: "Don't ask me. Ask the players."

At another press conference where Betis defeated RM 1-0 he said this:

Mourinho: "I congratulated the Betis players because it is not their fault the referee made two mistakes"

Slimy Politician. Two faced charlatan. Dirty Pimp: Jose Mourinho. Oh, so special!

http://youtu.be/4HI2bQtJH4E
 

Insidious Von

My head is my home
Sep 12, 2007
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While La Liga is moribund, Serie A is heating up.

Juventus dropped another two points @ Parma, Chiellini may not be good enough for Fifa, but Juve are missing him HUGE. They got burned by another of the league's bright starlet's Nicola Sansone. Leaving "truculent" Lazio just three points from the top. Roman Abramovich has told Lampard that his time at Stamford Bridge is up, if he signs anywhere else he's a fool.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xj1a6GQuppA
 

Carling

Banned
Apr 14, 2011
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While La Liga is moribund, Serie A is heating up.

Juventus dropped another two points @ Parma, Chiellini may not be good enough for Fifa, but Juve are missing him HUGE. They got burned by another of the league's bright starlet's Nicola Sansone. Leaving "truculent" Lazio just three points from the top. Roman Abramovich has told Lampard that his time at Stamford Bridge is up, if he signs anywhere else he's a fool.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xj1a6GQuppA
i hope TFC will sign him :)...ok hopeful thinking :(
 

Insidious Von

My head is my home
Sep 12, 2007
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In another decade possibly, Sansone is 21.

Napoli has pegged a transfer fee for Edinson Cavani - 65 million Euros.
 

rld

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Oct 12, 2010
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Pepe Guardiola has been appointed manager of Bayern for next season. What a lucky guy! He had exceptional talent at Barca and, in terms of the Bundelisga, the same will be true at Bayern. I rate him an average coach at best.

At the rate Demba Ba is scoring (spectacular one against Southampton today), looks like Fernando Torres will be playing second fiddle again.
Analyzing coaches is tough. But what 14 titles in four years or so IIRC, is a pretty good record. He must have been doing something right.
 

Don Draper

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Nov 24, 2009
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Gentlemen, please...it's PEP not pepe! He's Catalan, not Castilian. Besides, if you've watched one game, read one article or heard one newscast, no one has ever called him 'Pepe'...

Pepe Guardiola has been appointed manager of Bayern for next season. What a lucky guy! He had exceptional talent at Barca and, in terms of the Bundelisga, the same will be true at Bayern. I rate him an average coach at best.
Gee, to think of all those other average coaches that AS Roma, Man City, AC Milan and Chelsea are chasing down! Guardiola is such a common name.

From Forbes: 'The English media seems particularly let down by Guardiola’s decision to join Bayern Munich rather than a Premier League team. Of course, Guardiola never said he was heading to England but his final decision brought a collective “how could he do this to us” type of response.'

God, I Love that! Just a reminder that futbol does not revolve around the EPL, it's dysfunction and misguided sense of entitlement. Now, if only more actual players from England played in the EPL...like that's ever going to happen!


www.forbes.com/sites/bobbymcmahon/2...o-bayern-munich-will-be-defined-by-one-thing/
 

trod

Active member
Aug 3, 2009
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I think its a good deal for both Guardiola and Bayern. Pep avoids the British media circus while managing a top club who are looking for that extra edge to win the CL.

Should be interesting to see his tactics with Bayern.

On another note, can't fucking wait for the Madrid vs United first leg :thumb:
 

Big Michael

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Aug 23, 2004
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When I first saw Eden Hazard kick the ball boy for time wasting I thought what a complete A-hole he was, now I just think they both are. Apparently the ball boy is the 17 year old son of the chairman and had tweeted before the game how he was going to waste time to ensure Swansea make it to the League Cup final. Shit like this only happens in the England...and gentlemen, that is why we love it. There is always a great sideshow, not to mention the best collection of global players.

http://www.101greatgoals.com/gvideos/eden-hazard-sent-off-at-swansea-for-kicking-a-ball-boy/
 

Insidious Von

My head is my home
Sep 12, 2007
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Sorry Big Michael, the EPL will lose a place in the CL in 2017, they are not producing enough young players to offset the cost of imports.

Mauro Icardi has scored seven goals in 3 matches, he could be as good as Messi.

Don Draper what's the scoop on Fernando Llorente, he's signed a four year deal with Juventus. They've also signed Nikolas Anelka for the remainder of the season.
 

Don Draper

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Nov 24, 2009
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Don Draper what's the scoop on Fernando Llorente, he's signed a four year deal with Juventus. They've also signed Nikolas Anelka for the remainder of the season.
Bilbao - or 'Los Leones' (The Lions) are an essential part of the great history of La Liga. Fiercely devoted to Basque culture (as FCB is to Catalan culture), they are one of the only three teams in La Liga to never be relegated. They also resisted sponsorship for ages until fiscal realities came to knock loudly upon their door.

Llorente is a superstar. A Phd titular with grade school squad. He has clashed heads over futbol philosophy and personal matters with his coach, Macelo Bielsa who has a very distinguished resum'e. He's very head strong and rules his teams with more of a mace than an Iron fist. Llorente isn't playing as much as he would like and he doesn't see the team going anywhere soon. Copa del rey is the most they can hope for. When Juve came a courting, he just couldn't say no. I daresay his light will shine a little brighter and of course, he'll remain an international with 'La Roja'. Good luck to him.

*************

On a side note, I was just reading this article. I'm sure my futbol brothers who enjoy the Beautiful Game will enjoy it as much as I did:


http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/52dfab22-603e-11e2-b657-00144feab49a.html#ixzz2Ib
 

scouser1

Well-known member
Dec 7, 2001
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I was wondering why more clubs around Europe weren't lining up around the block in Bilbao to get Llorente to sign, a great natural goal scorer who didn't get along with his manager and wanted to flee, good on Juve for getting him. Don I would even argue that Athletic Bilbao takes it's region's nationalism to an even higher level than Barca, by signing players only of Basque origin, although in past years they have relaxed that ruled too by declaring if a kid from Africa comes to the Basque region as a kid and grows up there then he is technically a Basque, whereas Barca has had an interesting tinge by making it's Catalan nationalism have an international flavour. Heck even Stoichkov and Cruyff former stars became spokesmen for the Catalan region.
 

Big Michael

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Aug 23, 2004
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Sorry Big Michael, the EPL will lose a place in the CL in 2017, they are not producing enough young players to offset the cost of imports.
I am a fan of club football and frankly could care less about the nationality of players. IMHO international football is grossly overated. The CL is an enjoyable competition but it is still a CUP competition so anything can happen in a particular tie, I would only draw limited conclusions from the outcome. For example, Chelsea won the CL last year while finishing 6th in the EPL and is currently competing in the Europa League (God I love that). The continuing increase in global TV rights will ensure there is lots of money to buy imports.
 
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