The Official Football Thread

[Terrestrial Dream]

Fuck this team.

Going to skip 2014 at this point.

[SuitUp]

It's official, Milan has given Seedorf the boot, and hired Inzaghi as the new manager... Poor Seedorf, he was doomed from the very start...

Also, rumors are placing Toni Kroos in Real for something akin to 20M euros, and since Mandzukic has anounced that he's leaving Bayern, he also has been put in the Real orbit...

[germanturkey]

why does Real even need Kroos? he'll be playing second fiddle to Modric forever.

[risingstar3110]

Originally Posted by germanturkey

why does Real even need Kroos? he'll be playing second fiddle to Modric forever.

Well after recent revamping of their whole squad, they are currently clearly lack of talents to rot on their benches. Of course they will have to pay transfer record fees to fill up those holes in their squad

[itisjustme]

They're probably losing Di Maria though. It's not like Kroos is always a starter for Bayern either. 20 sounds real cheap though I'm guessing he'll be more around the 30-40 mark even if it's his last year. At 20 Bayern has no incentive to sell.

[germanturkey]

Originally Posted by Terrestrial Dream

Fuck this team.

Going to skip 2014 at this point.

korea that bad?

re: di maria. i don't think real will let him go. anyone watching the team knows he's pivotal. real should offer him a new deal.

[Pellissier]

Originally Posted by SuitUp

It's official, Milan has given Seedorf the boot, and hired Inzaghi as the new manager... Poor Seedorf, he was doomed from the very start...

The perception outside Italy was surely different... but here the sensation that Seedorf wouldn't last long started around march (note: he started his adventure in january), got very consistent in april, became a certainty in may.
The fact that the official end just came now was just bureaucracy, it basically ended before it even began.

And now there's Pippo Inzaghi with absolutely no experience with senior players. He only has 2 years with Milan's youngsters (first year the under 16 , second year the under 19)

[SuitUp]

Originally Posted by germanturkey

why does Real even need Kroos? he'll be playing second fiddle to Modric forever.

Xabi Alonso it's not getting any younger, they need someone who can replace him, and who can do it now, something Khedira and Illarramendi clearly cannot do at this point, you only need to look at the problem Real got into to replace him in the Champions final, and besides, he'll come for the cheap.

Originally Posted by itisjustme

They're probably losing Di Maria though. It's not like Kroos is always a starter for Bayern either. 20 sounds real cheap though I'm guessing he'll be more around the 30-40 mark even if it's his last year. At 20 Bayern has no incentive to sell.

Don't need one, he gets paid peanuts in Germany, it's his last year of contract, he's unhappy in the team, and Real it's offering him a decent salary, if Madrid manages to give him a good enough deal, there's nothing Bayern can do to stop them.

Originally Posted by Pellissier

The perception outside Italy was surely different... but here the sensation that Seedorf wouldn't last long started around march (note: he started his adventure in january), got very consistent in april, became a certainty in may.
The fact that the official end just came now was just bureaucracy, it basically ended before it even began.

And now there's Pippo Inzaghi with absolutely no experience with senior players. He only has 2 years with Milan's youngsters (first year the under 16 , second year the under 19)

I seriously do not understand what Milan it's doing, why hire Seedorf if they were already planning on giving the boot at the end of the season? What can Inzaghi do that Seedorf couldn't to give him the job without any meaningful experience? They should just hire someone who's already consolidated as a manager and get him to accept Inzaghi as it's helper, if they want Inzaghi to be a part of the project that badly...

[Shinndou]

Originally Posted by SuitUp

They should just hire someone who's already consolidated as a manager and get him to accept Inzaghi as it's helper, if they want Inzaghi to be a part of the project that badly...

You're forgetting that:

- Milan's run out of gas. Berlusconi won't spend a lot of money anymore so don't expect to see any big name manager with high wages
- Since they won't hire a big name coach they might as well bring someone who knows the club inside-out, possibly a "yes-man" who won't complain about what players will leave and who'll come in. Inzaghi is litterally thirsty for trying to step up his career as soon as possible so he certainly fits that profile.

The way I see it this can either go well or go incredibly wrong. Inzaghi is rushing things too much, he might end up like Stramaccioni did at Inter last year or like Ferrara did at Juve many years ago. No matter if you were a succesful player, to become a good coach you need to get some real experience with a "smaller" reality first before coaching an important team (like Klopp, Conte and Simeone did, for instance).

[itisjustme]

Originally Posted by SuitUp

Don't need one, he gets paid peanuts in Germany, it's his last year of contract, he's unhappy in the team, and Real it's offering him a decent salary, if Madrid manages to give him a good enough deal, there's nothing Bayern can do to stop them.

I know going behind clubs back, get the player's agreement and strongarming the club with the fait accompli is how Madrid/Barca do business lately (that's also against the rules but hey), but Bayern is loaded, 20 million is nothing to them, they aren't Real Sociedad.

They can keep Kroos and let him sit in the reserve for his last year if they want and there's nothing Madrid can do to stop that. Actually they've already said multiple times Kroos was gonna stay from Pep to the management. Plus if they're gonna sell there are other clubs interested they can say no to Madrid and say yes to Man U or whoever just to piss you off. :P

Plus is Kroos going to sulk all year if he finally has to stay in Munich? I doubt it.

[Terrestrial Dream]

Originally Posted by germanturkey

korea that bad?

re: di maria. i don't think real will let him go. anyone watching the team knows he's pivotal. real should offer him a new deal.

We are beyond shit right now. Defense have been horrific, cant keep anything out. Offensive has beem equally shit. Seems like midfiled are lazy and not really helping back, alllowing others to score on counter easily.

Changing coach 3 times mean our cohesion and plan just been shit.

Really fuck this time so hard, i would be surprised if they score one fucking goal.

[Blaat]

You can always start supporting Japan like the rest of us.

Anyway jokes aside, from what I've read on Zonalmarking it looks like South Korea has a young team that's in a transition phase. Not expecting much and looking forward to the next Asian/World cup might be the right thing.

[risingstar3110]

Gonna expect most of European and East Asia teams to underperform this World Cup, considering the weather in Brazil this time of the year

[Terrestrial Dream]

Originally Posted by Blaat

You can always start supporting Japan like the rest of us.

Anyway jokes aside, from what I've read on Zonalmarking it looks like South Korea has a young team that's in a transition phase. Not expecting much and looking forward to the next Asian/World cup might be the right thing.

Me supporting Japan... *shudders*
Have to give a props though, Japan is looking like the only good team in Asia, I expect them to get out of their group.

I expected Korea to better than this. This team did win a bronze medal at a Olympics, for them perform like this is really just pissing me off. This World Cup I am expecting 3 and out.

[risingstar3110]

Originally Posted by Terrestrial Dream

Me supporting Japan... *shudders*
Have to give a props though, Japan is looking like the only good team in Asia, I expect them to get out of their group.

I expected Korea to better than this. This team did win a bronze medal at a Olympics, for them perform like this is really just pissing me off. This World Cup I am expecting 3 and out.

Don't be so down. It's not over till it's over.

It's football, nothing is assured. Korea may already hit lowest point, no longer under pressure, and could end up having the best time of their life....

.... or bomb it. But we don't know yet right

[KiraYamatoFan]

Originally Posted by Terrestrial Dream

I expected Korea to better than this. This team did win a bronze medal at a Olympics, for them perform like this is really just pissing me off. This World Cup I am expecting 3 and out.

After the whole thing with Nigeria in 1996 and then seeing how they were stopped dead in their tracks by Denmark in 1998, I have learned never to trust the results at the Olympics if one should predict how a group of kids will perform against the big boys. On the other end, I never saw Germany qualify for the Olympics (not since they were West Germany in 1988 according to Wikipedia) and yet they produce loads of quality players/teams over the years.

Speaking of South Korea, it's hard to believe that their federation shut the door to foreign managers since 2007. Based on what I can find, the higher-ups are not very patient with managers; such people are the ones I would ask for their heads to roll first.

[Sarun]

Belgium seems to be the only sure bet to qualify from Group H so not all hope is lost for Koreans.

[Terrestrial Dream]

Originally Posted by KiraYamatoFan

After the whole thing with Nigeria in 1996 and then seeing how they were stopped dead in their tracks by Denmark in 1998, I have learned never to trust the results at the Olympics if one should predict how a group of kids will perform against the big boys. On the other end, I never saw Germany qualify for the Olympics (not since they were West Germany in 1988 according to Wikipedia) and yet they produce loads of quality players/teams over the years.

Speaking of South Korea, it's hard to believe that their federation shut the door to foreign managers since 2007. Based on what I can find, the higher-ups are not very patient with managers; such people are the ones I would ask for their heads to roll first.

While the Olympics is not a gold standard to measure the quality, there was a potential with the team that I saw. They played much better 2 years ago, maybe they actually gave a shit because of military exemption.

As for foreign manager, we did pretty well with domestic manager, reaching round of 16 in 2010. We could have gotten Senol Gunes but we went with the Olympic coach HMB (Hong Myung Bo). Maybe getting HMB was too early and it might have been better off getting Gunes and HMB could have been for 2018.
KFA overall is corrupt, lot of favoritism and seniority crap that goes through.Maybe we should just let Japan kick our ass for 4 years then maybe the incompetent KFA will wake up lol.
Honestly though, our youth isn't bad so there is hope in that The players are more talented than ever and lot of good kids are coming up, just heads are full of idiots.

Originally Posted by Sarun

Belgium seems to be the only sure bet to qualify from Group H so not all hope is lost for Koreans.

Our best hope is to park the fucking bus. I do expect Belgium and Russia to go through.

[SuitUp]

Originally Posted by itisjustme

I know going behind clubs back, get the player's agreement and strongarming the club with the fait accompli is how Madrid/Barca do business lately (that's also against the rules but hey), but Bayern is loaded, 20 million is nothing to them, they aren't Real Sociedad.

They can keep Kroos and let him sit in the reserve for his last year if they want and there's nothing Madrid can do to stop that. Actually they've already said multiple times Kroos was gonna stay from Pep to the management. Plus if they're gonna sell there are other clubs interested they can say no to Madrid and say yes to Man U or whoever just to piss you off. :P

Plus is Kroos going to sulk all year if he finally has to stay in Munich? I doubt it.

To whoever they sell, the fact it's Kroos it's not happy in Bayern, Bayern it's not about to match salary offers with Real (who's offering 5M after taxes a season), or Man U or whoever, I mean, Rafinha gets paid more than Kroos, that alone should tell you how he's treated in Germany... the fact it's that the most likely it's that Kroos will get out of Bayern, maybe not for 20M, maybe not to Real, but he's unhappy there.

Originally Posted by Terrestrial Dream

We are beyond shit right now. Defense have been horrific, cant keep anything out. Offensive has beem equally shit. Seems like midfiled are lazy and not really helping back, alllowing others to score on counter easily.

Changing coach 3 times mean our cohesion and plan just been shit.

Really fuck this time so hard, i would be surprised if they score one fucking goal.

Ditto for Mexico, this guy who's the manager now got to the position after the FEMEXFUT (Mexican Football Federation) stabbed the previous manager in the back (to expand on that, he got the team at the last 2 matches of the WC qualification, and was told that if he got the team into the WC, he'll be the manager for the whole WC and another process of 4 years, but was only given a contract for the 2 games he managed, under the excuse that the FMF could not draft a contract for the WC if the team was not qualified yet, and when this guy got Mexico into the WC, he was sacked and the current guy got his position, because he was the manager at America, a team that's owned by communications mogul Emilio Azcárraga Jean [TELEVISA], who makes the calls at the FMF...) who himself was a replacement for another manager who had been running the team to the ground and being an all around dick...

Originally Posted by Shinndou

You're forgetting that:

- Milan's run out of gas. Berlusconi won't spend a lot of money anymore so don't expect to see any big name manager with high wages
- Since they won't hire a big name coach they might as well bring someone who knows the club inside-out, possibly a "yes-man" who won't complain about what players will leave and who'll come in. Inzaghi is litterally thirsty for trying to step up his career as soon as possible so he certainly fits that profile.

The way I see it this can either go well or go incredibly wrong. Inzaghi is rushing things too much, he might end up like Stramaccioni did at Inter last year or like Ferrara did at Juve many years ago. No matter if you were a succesful player, to become a good coach you need to get some real experience with a "smaller" reality first before coaching an important team (like Klopp, Conte and Simeone did, for instance).

If that's the case, Inzaghi it's also doomed from before the start, he lacks experience, and if he'll be playing yes man, he'll fail miserably.. that's if they don't get the manager assistant running the team and Inzaghi to be a front...

[Velsy]

Originally Posted by DarkJak2050

Alright, I may not come to this thread as often but as a reminder that the World Cup is this week.

Seems that there's a lot to talk about since the Group Draw, especially that rematch with Spain and the Netherlands. [Thinks about the 2010 World Cup Final]. That sure was fun to watch...

Now going to this year's World Cup, there is something that I'd like to pass down to everyone here. (I even posted this in the Offical NHL Thread in regards to the late stages of the NHL Playoffs).

Words of advice; do not trust officials and keep watching.

No matter what the fans say, FIFA will only listen to the officials on the field/pitch and whatever the fans say will not have an impact on the officials decision on a call. Even if they get the call wrong or they missed it.

I don't care what Country you're from, what Country you're supporting or what countries are playing, do not trust officials. I want to pass this down from one fan to others. Perhaps these will remind you of why...

That is so bad, blowing the whistle as the USA took the shot. But that same crap happened to Australia vs Croatia in 2006, Australia scored right on the last play with a long throw-in towards their attacking goal when scores were locked 2 - 2. The ref blew the whistle just as the ball fell to an Australia who took the shot and scored. Should of ended 3-2 but not according to the ref. There was little controversy over it because Australia only required a draw to progress to the final 16. The guy who got 2 yellow cards (I think he might of even got 3 yellow cards) and never left the pitch took the center stage of how poorly the fifa officials performed. So four years later they did the same mistake.....

As for the Mexican/Argentina game. I somehow cant fault the ref? but he was forced to retire? If anything, more blame should of been on the fault of the linesman. Refs are suppose to look to the linesmen when it comes to offside ? They are better positioned than a referee

And a world cup being held in Qatar? Do they even have stadiums there ?