The English Football Thread

[Salami]

Originally Posted by Unknown Soldier

Don`t you mean Newcastle.....who have just been woken again.

I think they'll finish in the top four! Especially when Man City plummet like a rock when they get short on cash.

Originally Posted by evi1gun

I'd like to think Sunderland are a sleeping giant.

I think O'neill would have been a good manager back in the Clough days.

I just cant see any of these millionaire footballers taking him seriously.

Just like Robbie didn't in the youtube vid above.

Millionaires eh!!!

You know, I'd quite like to meet you in real life. You sound like a really happy kind of person. Sadly I'm on the wrong side of Cheshire for you.

[Unknown Soldier]

Originally Posted by Mighty Salami

I think they'll finish in the top four! Especially when Man City plummet like a rock when they get short on cash.

I doubt that will happen anytime soon, they are the new kings of Manchester now, just get used to it

[Salami]

Originally Posted by Unknown Soldier

I doubt that will happen anytime soon, they are the new kings of Manchester now, just get used to it

Oh #@!?#@!*!!!

They have a tiny fraction of the fan base we've got, they've gained success by buying in players, and really only got where they are through enormous strokes of luck.

They'll head right back down to the mid table sooner or later when this little phase is over.

God, I sound like erasertime!

[Unknown Soldier]

Originally Posted by Mighty Salami

Oh #@!?#@!*!!!

They have a tiny fraction of the fan base we've got, they've gained success by buying in players, and really only got where they are through enormous strokes of luck.

They'll head right back down to the mid table sooner or later when this little phase is over.

God, I sound like erasertime!

Whilst I`m not questioning the prestige of Man.Utd here, I really do feel that Man City are here to stay. On a side note, over the years I`ve probably met at least 20 or so people from Manchester and more than half of those claimed to be City supporters and not Utd supporters, which leads me to think City have a much bigger fanbase than people think and with the team continuing to do well, that fanbase will only get bigger.

[Salami]

Of course the city fanbase will increase, but I don't think it's anywhere close to United's. Supposing you went to singapore, you'd find the largest concentration of united fans in the world. If you go to a united match, half the people will be foreign. I've met surprising numbers of Norwegian businessmen who've supported United ever since they were kids. City, on the other hand, are struggling to sell enough tickets for their games. They have made the largest profit loss of any club in the Premier league this year, whereas united at least are beginning to pay off some of the debts through huge ticket sales.
Some of my friends from india tell me that all their wider family support united, and I've never come across a similar instance concerning City.

[MoonlitSunshine]

Anyone else think it's slightly amusing the way Man U and Man City, the top two of the PL, have crashed out of the Champions League, while both Arsenal and Chelsea topped their groups?

[Salami]

Originally Posted by MoonlitSunshine

Anyone else think it's slightly amusing the way Man U and Man City, the top two of the PL, have crashed out of the Champions League, while both Arsenal and Chelsea topped their groups?

Ah well. I as a United fan think it may be a good think: Ferguson has won the Premier League, the Champions league, FA Cup, the Carling Cup, etc., but he has never ever won the Europa league. Now's our chance to put the final feather in our cap!

[Mojo]

Originally Posted by Unknown Soldier

I`m surprised at that comment, most people that I come across really support the national team and I don`t feel there has been any real dip in support for it over the years. When England perform badly, sure there is a dip in enthusiasm but that soon rises when they start winning again.

Personally I experience a lot of negativity toward the national team.

Where I live there are huge fanbases for club football. Whether it be Blyth, Gateshead, South Shields etc, 'Boro, or Sunderland and Newcastle. The attendances of just the teo Premier league clubs combined, on average, would probably be about 85-90,000 a week. That's a huge fanbase for clubs who don't win anything.

The support for the national team is nowhere near as strong as it should be, here or anywhere else. We're probably quite patriotic on the whole, yeah, but whereas our clubs success could well be a strong passion, our country isnt even a fraction of that.

In many ways its to be expected and makes sense but in other ways I find it sad, personally. I do believe that English football fans get a twisted enjoyment out of criticising and mocking the national team. It feels comfortable.

Originally Posted by jackhammer

Sunderland now have Martin O Neill. You lucky bastards. The man is near genius. Fantastic manager.

I'm happy with the appointment. To be fair, Bruce had proven to be tactically so inept that I simply welcome a change, any change, but to get a manager with such a strong track record is nothing to turn your nose up at.

Originally Posted by Urban Hatemonger

I don't know why on earth O'Neil would go to Sunderland for. I thought the reason he left Villa in the first place was because some yank owner wouldn't bankroll him millions.

I think O'Neil is at the stage of his career where he should go abroad and manage in Europe then after a few years of that come back to the premier league and get a really top job.

This whole Sunderland thing is a side step for him.

Are we too small a fish for MON? Maybe, yeah. But we are potentially a big project. We have been a yo-yo club for years and as of late we finally started to turn a corner with that. Dont forget that it isnt that long ago we were sitting 6th before Bent pissed off, Henderson had his head turned and everything started to fall apart. With a manager not afraid to give a bollocking where a bollocking is needed, a track record of not just stabilising a club but strengthening a club and making actual progress with a club then who knows?

He's no magician. I'm well aware of this. He may also need money. He may need money that we maybe dont have. All perfectly valid points and possible hurdles. I cant deny that. But for the first few weeks of this season we were tight defensively, we do have some talent in the midfield. There is of course room for improvement but its not like we have a weak squad, in my opinion. With someone to better motivate and better tighten, make better tactical decisions, make use of our summer signings like Gardner and Vaughan, get Brown and O' Shea playing with a little more fire, and yes of course sign strikers or make the most of any opportunity he has if and when Campbell and Wickham come back in...there is potential there I think.

We just need to stay up this season. We need stability. Then if we invest well and once he has had the summer with his new squad, then we'll see what kind of job he can do here.

Oh and PS I watched the Newcastle I've grown to know and love today. Hopefully dropping points to the big boys and then getting spanked off Norwich will bring them down a peg or two and the table will start to look more the way it "should".

[Bulldog]

BBC Sport - Wigan 0-0 Liverpool

Get in it!!

Shame the report weighs in on Liverpool's side making it seem like they were walking all over das latics for the whole game. The truth couldn't have been any more different. Outside the opening half hour or so, they simply never looked like scoring.

Either way, fantastic blody result. Bring on Man U

[Salami]

I think our 0-5 win over Fulham was reassuring in one sense, but marred by injury. Hopefully we can hold Wigan to a draw....