football anyone? as in soccer...

[geezer]

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Germany should have gone with Umbro.

I feel like most Nike jersey designs suck ass. On par with Puma. Well, maybe not that bad.

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Umbro is under Nike

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I'm pretty sure Nike bought Umbro just to gut it and take all the jersey contracts (Man City was Umbro at the time), and then sold it off again.

[OldieButFrenchie]

leaving this here with French commentary for added effect!   
I'm really a fair-weather fan to be honest, but still pretty happy about that result....
Mbappe lifting the trophy in his final year at psg would be epic.

[Atiba Applebum]

Always happy when Man City loses.   Hopefully it’s an all German final - would be chuffed for Kane after the irony of coming to BM the season they don’t win the title.   

To have Man City and the PSG win the CL in consecutive years would just feel like a loss for football in general.   That felt like the only justice left: that it was the one trophy they couldn’t buy

[Síota]

The penalties was intense last night. Brilliant match.
Yeah all German final but would rather Dortmund win, if Kane would have chosen to play for Ireland would be a different story...

[Atiba Applebum]

The penalties was intense last night. Brilliant match.
Yeah all German final but would rather Dortmund win, if Kane would have chosen to play for Ireland would be a different story...

Dortmund winning with Sancho would be hilarious.  Ten Hag is really as clueless as Brendan Rogers

[Atiba Applebum]

Things have been going downhill for Liverpool ever since Xabi announced he was staying at Leverkeusen.   Don’t think I can bear a fourth or fifth gut punch in a row

[ThatIsNotCricket]

I'd like Dortmund to win it, in a final against Bayern. Would be a nice conclusion to last season's final day trauma in the domestic league. It would also be quite funny if Kane never wins a trophy with Bayern now; I've got nothing against Kane at all, but coming up short his entire career could be more legendary at this point than ending up with just one obligatory Bundesliga title with Bayern behind your name.

Alternatively, I'd like the final to be Madrid - PSG, with Mbappe free on goal in the 89th minute, at 0-0.

[OldieButFrenchie]

Always happy when Man City loses.   Hopefully it’s an all German final - would be chuffed for Kane after the irony of coming to BM the season they don’t win the title.   

To have Man City and the PSG win the CL in consecutive years would just feel like a loss for football in general.   That felt like the only justice left: that it was the one trophy they couldn’t buy

that seems to be a common view and I don't get it? (again I'm not super knowledgeable about football so bare with me....)
I mean, Real Madrid is historically the most successful club in international football, right? And they have pretty much always relied on buying power to win, with the galacticos and all that. But it's accepted because the club is owned by the socios/fans, whereas PSG or Man City are owned by foreign groups?
to me club football has been ruled by money forever, so that line seems kinda thin to make. Or am I missing something?

[Atiba Applebum]

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Always happy when Man City loses.   Hopefully it’s an all German final - would be chuffed for Kane after the irony of coming to BM the season they don’t win the title.   

To have Man City and the PSG win the CL in consecutive years would just feel like a loss for football in general.   That felt like the only justice left: that it was the one trophy they couldn’t buy

[close]

that seems to be a common view and I don't get it? (again I'm not super knowledgeable about football so bare with me....)
I mean, Real Madrid is historically the most successful club in international football, right? And they have pretty much always relied on buying power to win, with the galacticos and all that. But it's accepted because the club is owned by the socios/fans, whereas PSG or Man City are owned by foreign groups?
to me club football has been ruled by money forever, so that line seems kinda thin to make. Or am I missing something?

This will be ranty and maybe not super cohesive

Madrid and Barca had an edge because teams in La Liga negotiate their tv rights individually so they’ve always taken the lion’s share.   Madrid also deserve a lot of hate because they were the home team of Dictator Franco.   

The issue with Man City and PSG is that they are the toys of oil rich governments that have shitty human rights records and splash cash around even when they don’t need it.   Man City has done it to the effect of 110 charges of misconduct so far (yet we all wonder why Everton and Leicester have had thejr punishments go through). 

Man City was fairly artless about it.   It’s not like when Chelsea got a flush and went about building a solid team behind a great up and coming manager.   They just bought and bought and bought and then finally got Pep and then continued to buy a lot of unnecessary players that they don’t need or don’t fit their system (Phillips, Delphi, and Haaland most recently) and killed 2 of the 3 careers.   I also want to stress the 110 charges of financial fuckery

PSG is just another splash oil cash and build the best team of the biggest prima donnas.   Their critics would say PSG is more interested in building themselves as a brand than they are a football club

[OldieButFrenchie]

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Always happy when Man City loses.   Hopefully it’s an all German final - would be chuffed for Kane after the irony of coming to BM the season they don’t win the title.   

To have Man City and the PSG win the CL in consecutive years would just feel like a loss for football in general.   That felt like the only justice left: that it was the one trophy they couldn’t buy

[close]

that seems to be a common view and I don't get it? (again I'm not super knowledgeable about football so bare with me....)
I mean, Real Madrid is historically the most successful club in international football, right? And they have pretty much always relied on buying power to win, with the galacticos and all that. But it's accepted because the club is owned by the socios/fans, whereas PSG or Man City are owned by foreign groups?
to me club football has been ruled by money forever, so that line seems kinda thin to make. Or am I missing something?

[close]

This will be ranty and maybe not super cohesive

Madrid and Barca had an edge because teams in La Liga negotiate their tv rights individually so they’ve always taken the lion’s share.   Madrid also deserve a lot of hate because they were the home team of Dictator Franco.   

The issue with Man City and PSG is that they are the toys of oil rich governments that have shitty human rights records and splash cash around even when they don’t need it.   Man City has done it to the effect of 110 charges of misconduct so far (yet we all wonder why Everton and Leicester have had thejr punishments go through). 

Man City was fairly artless about it.   It’s not like when Chelsea got a flush and went about building a solid team behind a great up and coming manager.   They just bought and bought and bought and then finally got Pep and then continued to buy a lot of unnecessary players that they don’t need or don’t fit their system (Phillips, Delphi, and Haaland most recently) and killed 2 of the 3 careers.   I also want to stress the 110 charges of financial fuckery

PSG is just another splash oil cash and build the best team of the biggest prima donnas.   Their critics would say PSG is more interested in building themselves as a brand than they are a football club

thanks for the detailed answer!
and it's true the Messi/Neymar/Mbappe era of PSG looked super prima donnesque. The team seems a lot more balanced now.
from a French point of view, even with oil money, I'm just happy to see a French club finally being able to compete on a european level. For decades ALL the good French players were playing abroad....French clubs did not have the money to retain them (mostly because of tax reasons I think?) and it was frustrating. Even now I bet that 9 out of 10 players in the French national squad are playing for big foreign clubs.

[Atiba Applebum]

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Always happy when Man City loses.   Hopefully it’s an all German final - would be chuffed for Kane after the irony of coming to BM the season they don’t win the title.   

To have Man City and the PSG win the CL in consecutive years would just feel like a loss for football in general.   That felt like the only justice left: that it was the one trophy they couldn’t buy

[close]

that seems to be a common view and I don't get it? (again I'm not super knowledgeable about football so bare with me....)
I mean, Real Madrid is historically the most successful club in international football, right? And they have pretty much always relied on buying power to win, with the galacticos and all that. But it's accepted because the club is owned by the socios/fans, whereas PSG or Man City are owned by foreign groups?
to me club football has been ruled by money forever, so that line seems kinda thin to make. Or am I missing something?

[close]

This will be ranty and maybe not super cohesive

Madrid and Barca had an edge because teams in La Liga negotiate their tv rights individually so they’ve always taken the lion’s share.   Madrid also deserve a lot of hate because they were the home team of Dictator Franco.   

The issue with Man City and PSG is that they are the toys of oil rich governments that have shitty human rights records and splash cash around even when they don’t need it.   Man City has done it to the effect of 110 charges of misconduct so far (yet we all wonder why Everton and Leicester have had thejr punishments go through). 

Man City was fairly artless about it.   It’s not like when Chelsea got a flush and went about building a solid team behind a great up and coming manager.   They just bought and bought and bought and then finally got Pep and then continued to buy a lot of unnecessary players that they don’t need or don’t fit their system (Phillips, Delphi, and Haaland most recently) and killed 2 of the 3 careers.   I also want to stress the 110 charges of financial fuckery

PSG is just another splash oil cash and build the best team of the biggest prima donnas.   Their critics would say PSG is more interested in building themselves as a brand than they are a football club

[close]

thanks for the detailed answer!
and it's true the Messi/Neymar/Mbappe era of PSG looked super prima donnesque. The team seems a lot more balanced now.
from a French point of view, even with oil money, I'm just happy to see a French club finally being able to compete on a european level. For decades ALL the good French players were playing abroad....French clubs did not have the money to retain them (mostly because of tax reasons I think?) and it was frustrating. Even now I bet that 9 out of 10 players in the French national squad are playing for big foreign clubs.

I totally get that.  When I started watching European soccer, Ligue 1 had some big hitters.  I think Lyon did 10 years straight and Marseille was always strong and Monaco pops up with an interesting team every now and then (that they sell).   But I bet it’s frustrating when Lille wins the title then has to sell everything bc of mismanagement or whatever it was

[nonickname]

"(Phillips, Delphi, and Haaland most recently) and killed 2 of the 3 careers."

damn, you'd think being an oracle that gravelly voiced Yorkshireman would have seen it coming! (autocorrect got ya there Atiba  )

Now, who thinks Palmer will knock out Citeh from the FA cup tomorrow? I don't, even with the let down of the CL loss for Citeh, but I do think Palmer is going to have another great game. I just don't think Jackson et al will be at the same level and can see KDB and Rodri having a  solid bounce back game, even with the games stacking up.

[Atiba Applebum]

"(Phillips, Delphi, and Haaland most recently) and killed 2 of the 3 careers."

damn, you'd think being an oracle that gravelly voiced Yorkshireman would have seen it coming! (autocorrect got ya there Atiba  )

Now, who thinks Palmer will knock out Citeh from the FA cup tomorrow? I don't, even with the let down of the CL loss for Citeh, but I do think Palmer is going to have another great game. I just don't think Jackson et al will be at the same level and can see KDB and Rodri having a  solid bounce back game, even with the games stacking up.

Ahaha that took me a second to see the autocorrect.   

I do hope Coventry makes it to the Finals.   I could see Chelsea upsetting Man City - City players have been talking about how tired they are.    Was hoping there would have been a bigger treble hangover 

[Atiba Applebum]

Wow wish I had espn+ to watch this Man U/Coventry match

[Billy Bitchcakes]

That was fucking crazy. Football can be so fuckin good man. Tragic ending though, wish Coventry made it through. Either team would’ve been destroyed by Man City in the final but at least watching Cov in there would’ve been interesting at least.

[brycickle]

As a Manchester United supporter, I can honestly say that we didn't earn the right to be picked apart by city in the final. It should have been Coventry. We consistently just fall apart any time we get a little push back from an opponent.

[Síota]

Going to see Saint Etienne here against Grenoble tomorrow night. Well looking forward to it.

[ThatIsNotCricket]

Vent 1: Antony really is an absolute prick. How do you taunt the opposition (a mid-level Championship side with an entire squad that's worth about half the amount that United bought you for, which had you within inches of defeat a few minutes earlier), after you came on at the end of the game when United was comfortably cruising towards a win (a substitution which had nothing to do with your qualities, but the sheer lack of alternatives available to the manager), did not contribute ánything to the game, did not take a penalty yourself, and did not contribute ánything of value to United's domestic campaign that got them to this point!?

Vent 2: Frenkie de Jong is out for at least two months, which means our already meagre chance of success at the Euro's has now dropped below the 1 percent point. Apart from Lamine Yamal, Barcelona is just such an uninspired bag of staleness and disappointment at the moment.

Positive: Bellingham is just such a marvellous player. How can you come in at Madrid and have this kind of character, presence and impact at fucking 20 years of age? I still have France as favourites for this Euro's, because I don't think Southgate is the right manager for this squad, but I bet my house on England winning at least one trophy over the coming 12 years.

[Atiba Applebum]

Vent 1: Antony really is an absolute prick. How do you taunt the opposition (a mid-level Championship side with an entire squad that's worth about half the amount that United bought you for, which had you within inches of defeat a few minutes earlier), after you came on at the end of the game when United was comfortably cruising towards a win (a substitution which had nothing to do with your qualities, but the sheer lack of alternatives available to the manager), did not contribute ánything to the game, did not take a penalty yourself, and did not contribute ánything of value to United's domestic campaign that got them to this point!?

Vent 2: Frenkie de Jong is out for at least two months, which means our already meagre chance of success at the Euro's has now dropped below the 1 percent point. Apart from Lamine Yamal, Barcelona is just such an uninspired bag of staleness and disappointment at the moment.

Positive: Bellingham is just such a marvellous player. How can you come in at Madrid and have this kind of character, presence and impact at fucking 20 years of age? I still have France as favourites for this Euro's, because I don't think Southgate is the right manager for this squad, but I bet my house on England winning at least one trophy over the coming 12 years.

Antony seems like he comes from the same punk ass Brazilian town as Richarlison.   



I back England to win something as wel, but I can’t fault Southgate too much personally bc we’ve yet to underachieve in a tournament under him.   I have the benefit of not living in England, so I’m not subjected to the bile and overanalysis that follows the them in the media, but he seems to be a players coach and they all buy in as a team, which I think on the national team level is 90% of the battle.  (I do think we’ve also been the benefactor of very fortunate tourney seeding)

[brycickle]

At least Richarlison actually scores goals though. Antony has been absolutely worthless for our side.