On the Ball (new Football Focus)

[red devil]

Thanks Matthew, I will check it out later...

[matthew123]

Do I need anymore reasons not to subscribe to the new ESPN channel...

"ESPN has announced its first new signing of the season - Ray Stubbs ... he will host ESPN?s live coverage of the Premier League"

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1200327/Ray-Stubbs-leaves-BBC-live-Premier-League-role-ESPN.html?ITO=1490

[Atila Reincarnate]

matthew123 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Do I need anymore reasons not to subscribe to the

> new ESPN channel...

>

> "ESPN has announced its first new signing of the

> season - Ray Stubbs ... he will host ESPN?s live

> coverage of the Premier League"

>

> http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-

> 1200327/Ray-Stubbs-leaves-BBC-live-Premier-League-

> role-ESPN.html?ITO=1490

Yes, well Gary Lineker et al are hardly far superior to Ray, especially Alan Hansen and Lawrenson.

[SimonM]

I am still languishing here in Switzerland for another week. We stayed at the same place a year ago and then the local press were full of the news that Liverpool FC were staying at the Victoria-Jungrau hotel along the lake in Interlaken for their pre-season training. This was to involve everyone cyclcing a mile or so to a local ground for the training and a few untaxing friendlies against the likes of Luzern FC.

Anyway I don't think they're at Interlaken this year but they have certainly been playing friendlies in Vienna and Switzerland. Today's local paper carried a story about the Liverpool supporter who pushed a railway porter in the path of a train in Thun (2 lakes along from here) because he did not like the way he spoke to him. Fortunately the guy got out of the way in time and the "suppoerter", despite attempting to flee by train (!!!!) was captured. I was a little sad that a scouser who had travelled so far to watch his heroes play in a friendly at St Gallen had so depressingly conformed to the stereotype except.....this Liverpool supporter was actually a Swiss guy from Thun. Hmmmm.

So I am now wondering if the mentality of a football club supporter becomes a little more....volatile, shall we say, the further away he/she is based geographically from the club. Are people living a short bus ride from Anfield or Old Trafford more serene than the....livelier specimens exiled In London, for example? So if you're Swiss and support Liverpool you're pretty far gone, and I just don't want to contemplate the Manchester Utd supporters based in Japan...

[Narnia]

???? Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I think the Barclays one (free) was done last year

> but it seemed to peter out

Peter out? That may have been a transfer by someone (Crouch maybe),but if it's the official Barclay's one then it didn't for me. I won the EDF league thank you very much!

[????]

SimonM Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I am still languishing here in Switzerland for

> another week. We stayed at the same place a year

> ago and then the local press were full of the news

> that Liverpool FC were staying at the

> Victoria-Jungrau hotel along the lake in

> Interlaken for their pre-season training. This was

> to involve everyone cyclcing a mile or so to a

> local ground for the training and a few untaxing

> friendlies against the likes of Luzern FC.

>

> Anyway I don't think they're at Interlaken this

> year but they have certainly been playing

> friendlies in Vienna and Switzerland. Today's

> local paper carried a story about the Liverpool

> supporter who pushed a railway porter in the path

> of a train in Thun (2 lakes along from here)

> because he did not like the way he spoke to him.

> Fortunately the guy got out of the way in time and

> the "suppoerter", despite attempting to flee by

> train (!!!!) was captured. I was a little sad that

> a scouser who had travelled so far to watch his

> heroes play in a friendly at St Gallen had so

> depressingly conformed to the stereotype

> except.....this Liverpool supporter was actually a

> Swiss guy from Thun. Hmmmm.

>

> So I am now wondering if the mentality of a

> football club supporter becomes a little

> more....volatile, shall we say, the further away

> he/she is based geographically from the club. Are

> people living a short bus ride from Anfield or Old

> Trafford more serene than the....livelier

> specimens exiled In London, for example? So if

> you're Swiss and support Liverpool you're pretty

> far gone, and I just don't want to contemplate the

> Manchester Utd supporters based in Japan...

an old mucker about to feature on itv 4 on a sort of related note ;-)

[Mick Mac]

Declan Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> ???? Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > I think the Barclays one (free) was done last

> year

> > but it seemed to peter out

>

> Peter out? That may have been a transfer by

> someone (Crouch maybe),but if it's the official

> Barclay's one then it didn't for me. I won the EDF

> league thank you very much!

Declan - you are not posting enough - whats the matter?

[Mick Mac]

Celtic draw Dynamo Moscow in Ch League qualifier, beat them and we can beat Arsenal to get into CL proper.

[red devil]

That's a tough draw Mick, Arse should be a sinch though...

[matthew123]

It might be Arsenal it might not be.. should Celtic beat Dinamo Moscow 'will be drawn against either Arsenal, Lyon, Stuttgart, Fiorentina or Atletico Madrid, who are the seeds in the next stage of the best-placed path.'

[Atila Reincarnate]

Mick Mac Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Celtic draw Dynamo Moscow in Ch League qualifier,

> beat them and we can beat Arsenal to get into CL

> proper.

There's that pig flying past the window again. Big team in a small pond.

[Narnia]

Keef Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> It was too complicated, you had to actually think

> about it, like a championship manger game. Would

> rather do a simple one, pick your team, make an

> occasional change if you can be bothered.

What's the point in playing something as simple as that Keef?

[matthew123]

Well the Barclays Premier League is pretty simple, pick you XI, and 4 subs. When anyone is injured a sub is automatically picked for the injured player if you want to sit in the directors box rather than touchline.

[Narnia]

I agree. You get out of it what you put into it. If you choose to think about it you are likely to do better than if you don't.

[Keef]

Er, not sure there is really a great deal of "point" to it full stop, to be honest. I'll pick a team I guess, but am pretty sure I'll forget about it, and half of them will be long term injured, and I'll forget to change it.

[Sandperson]

Blimey, that's a good start....

[red devil]

Tevez would've missed...;-)

[Mick Mac]

Atila Reincarnate Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Mick Mac Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Celtic draw Dynamo Moscow in Ch League

> qualifier,

> > beat them and we can beat Arsenal to get into

> CL

> > proper.

>

>

> There's that pig flying past the window again. Big

> team in a small pond.

European Cup Record:

Celtic have 1

Arsenal have nout

[Atila Reincarnate]

Mick Mac Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Atila Reincarnate Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Mick Mac Wrote:

> >

> --------------------------------------------------

>

> > -----

> > > Celtic draw Dynamo Moscow in Ch League

> > qualifier,

> > > beat them and we can beat Arsenal to get into

> > CL

> > > proper.

> >

> >

> > There's that pig flying past the window again.

> Big

> > team in a small pond.

>

>

> European Cup Record:

>

> Celtic have 1

> Arsenal have nout

Big fish small pond, European cup? Remind me, how long ago was that, about as long ago as the last time Spuds won the league!

[Mick Mac]

Keef Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Er, not sure there is really a great deal of

> "point" to it full stop, to be honest. I'll pick a

> team I guess, but am pretty sure I'll forget about

> it, and half of them will be long term injured,

> and I'll forget to change it.

I'm with Keef, the simpler the better, rather then the versions that require weekly review. The official premiership one is I think not a good one, we use it at work, you get too many transfers and have to review the likely starting line ups every week.

[matthew123]

The official Premiership version, i.e. Barclays, is probably the simplest if you want both passive as well as interactive users. Pick team at beginning of season and that's it... when player is injured one of your subs is automatically selected. Obviously if someone thinks there is no any point to it, then fair enough don't join - I'm sure the Admin won'r revoke your right to post in the footy thread ;-)

Having read some posts since I set it up it seems there have been EDF FFL in previous seasons also using the Barclays version... but not sure how popular it was - either way it is a good way to get you cheering for players you'd otherwise spit on :))

[red devil]

Not a problem for me Matthew, I wouldn't pick them in the first place...;-)

[Mick Mac]

Is Beckham the new Cantona?

After the referee blew for half time, Beckham tried to hurdle an advertising boarding and appeared to make a "come on" gesture towards fans. In response, one man left his seat, jumped down on to the pitch and attempted to run towards Beckham. At this point security intervened and escorted Beckham to the changing room, while removing the fan from the pitch

[matthew123]

Ah Beckham has made similar gestures in the past - he may provoke on occasion but I don't think he'd do a Cantona... someone should have told him though not front up to the 'LA Riot Squad' section

[matthew123]

Seems even the official Liverpool website is starting to tire of Rafa not answering questions as the Reds touch down in Thailand. Rafa was asked the same question 3 times by local journalists in Bangkok about the future of Alonso..

LFC.tv: --- "But are you planning to talk to him about the transfer speculation?" quizzed one local journalist. Benitez, though, familiar with not answering questions he doesn't want to, replied: "He is here with us this week, he can enjoy the games, the weather and the journalists." ---

I know trips to the Far East are all about making money but surely they serve no benefit to preparing for the domestic campagin. Liverpool lost 1-0 in Vienna last night in front of 53,000 and then it was straight on the plane to Thailand. That time flying and acclimatising is surely better spent building up fitness and skills on the training pitch.