Football 2021 -2022

[jeremyp]

Colour me shocked

Will be interesting to see who they replace Bruce with and whether the promise of huge cash is enough to persuade a top manager to come to Newcastle.

A Newcastle that might be playing in the Championship.

There is another element to this, about timing. Realistically anyone coming in won't be able to do much until next season. They will have an opportunity to strengthen the squad in the Jan transfer window but traditionally there have been pretty few quality players available then and most transfer action is largely damage limitation or desperation.

Newcastle are desperate.

So I suspect the new person will have basically the same squad for the rest of the season, and the question you have to ask is who has had the greater effect on Newcastle's poor results - the manager, or the players.

You're probably right, but large wads of cash might persuade some good players to move to Newcastle in January. It seems unlikely, if they are still in the relegation zone at that point, though.

[jeremyp]

Anybody want to hazard a guess as to how long Solskjaer's got left at Man U?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59032126

[jeremyp]

Anybody want to hazard a guess as to how long Solskjaer's got left at Man U?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59032126

As it turned out: not quite a month.

[jeremyp]

https://twitter.com/drkeithsiau/status/1495067872833507329?s=20&t=s-2oB1XEEmx9XH4x-UyYrg

[jeremyp]

Things must be bad at Spurs. Even the manager is trying to get out.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60501859

[ad_orientem]

Ha ha!

[jeremyp]

Breaking news: Roman Abramovich has had his assets frozen. That includes Chelsea FC (currently third in the English Premier League).

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60690362

Chelsea FC has been seized from Mr Abramovich as part of the freeze on his assets and the sale of the club is now on hold.
The government says it will issue a special licence that will allow fixtures to be fulfilled, staff to be paid and existing ticket holders to attend matches.
Season ticket holders can still attend games they have tickets for but the club can not now sell any more tickets for games. The club's merchandise shop will be closed.

...

While the sanctions against him throw Chelsea FC's future in doubt, ministers sought to reassure the club it would not be "unnecessarily harmed".

I'd say Chelsea FC is utterly screwed until the sanctions are lifted.

[ad_orientem]

Made my day that!

[Outrider]

Breaking news: Roman Abramovich has had his assets frozen. That includes Chelsea FC (currently third in the English Premier League).

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60690362

I'd say Chelsea FC is utterly screwed until the sanctions are lifted.

Can't the club be suspended for maintaining someone in a controlling role who is determined to not be a 'fit and proper person'?

O.

[jeremyp]

Can't the club be suspended for maintaining someone in a controlling role who is determined to not be a 'fit and proper person'?

O.

He's not in control. His UK assets have all been frozen.

Unless, you are referring to Boris Johnson, who is, i suppose, technically in control.

[Udayana]

Can't the club be suspended for maintaining someone in a controlling role who is determined to not be a 'fit and proper person'?

O.

The club is not the problem.

The problem is the way that persons not 'fit and proper' and along with their dirty money were allowed to come in to the UK and other countries, launder the stolen cash and spread corruption through the establishment.

What effort was put into policing them compared to enforcing the brain dead immigration and asylum policies?

[Aruntraveller]

Another disturbing issue this throws up is Newcastle United.

Newcastle United aren't owned by people with links to the Saudi war criminals that have turned neighbouring Yemen into the worst humanitarian disaster on earth, they're owned by the Saudi war criminals themselves. Yet Newcastle United hasn't been sanctioned.

This may have something to do with Johnson's thoughts on the issue which are basically that if we don't sell arms to the Saudi's someone else will.

What do we want -  profit before people. When do we want them, now -  before all the children in Yemen are killed. Actually, it doesn't matter kill them all, they're only brown.

[jeremyp]

The club is not the problem.

The problem is the way that persons not 'fit and proper' and along with their dirty money were allowed to come in to the UK and other countries, launder the stolen cash and spread corruption through the establishment.

What effort was put into policing them compared to enforcing the brain dead immigration and asylum policies?

The trouble is that the evidence that Ambramovich is not a fit and proper person is not very good. You can't ban people from owning football clubs on the basis that "all rich Russians are corrupt" or "being a friend of Putin makes you corrupt".

[Udayana]

The trouble is that the evidence that Ambramovich is not a fit and proper person is not very good. You can't ban people from owning football clubs on the basis that "all rich Russians are corrupt" or "being a friend of Putin makes you corrupt".

Indeed. It's not a question of bans, but of thorough investigation before allowing people to transfer money that might have been obtained illegally  - by our criteria. The trouble is society is ordered by who has money and who has not; everyone feels they must have more and go weak at the knees when they have a sight of it.
 

[ad_orientem]

West Ham through to the last eight of the Europa League. Yarmolenko with the winning goal.

[jeremyp]

For once I agree with Boris. It is beyond satire.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60858676

Russia has put in a bid for Euro 2028 and Euro 2032. 

[ad_orientem]

Yeah, I laughed at that as well. They're really taking the piss!

[jeremyp]

Apocalyptic. Italy are not going to be in the next World Cup Finals.

[ProfessorDavey]

Apocalyptic. Italy are not going to be in the next World Cup Finals.

In terms of major competitions has there ever been such an up and down record that compares with Italy over the past few years.

World Cup 2018 - fail to qualify
Euro 2020 (2021) - tournament winners
World Cup 2022 - fail to qualify

[Nearly Sane]

In terms of major competitions has there ever been such an up and down record that compares with Italy over the past few years.

World Cup 2018 - fail to qualify
Euro 2020 (2021) - tournament winners
World Cup 2022 - fail to qualify

Not quite equivalent but for Paraguay
1978 World Cup - Fail to qualify
1979 Copa America - Winners
1982 World Cup - Fail to qualify

[jeremyp]

The World Cup draw has been made.

I think, in England's group, the most likely top two are England and whoever wins out of Wales, Scotland or Ukraine.

[ad_orientem]

Fucking massive! West Ham, that is.

[ad_orientem]

Btw, Craig Dawson has already achieved cult hero status at West Ham. Everyone fucking loves him, including me. Put an England shirt on him!