Another Drive4show 'Anything goes' thread

[McLaren]

First topic message reminder :

Kwini

It amazes me that a professional footballer can end up one footed. Just practice with your weak foot every day.

I remember spending a summer playing with only my left foot in the garden. Came back next season two footed.

[kwinigolfer]

Always loads of dismay when footie managers are fired after 3 1/2 weeks, but none for clubs when money-grabbing toolbags like Steve Bruce abandon so many ships at the drop of a hat.
He's done well at some moderate clubs, but never sustained it, and failed at Villa; don't see the appeal unless Ashley has got him to work at a dream job for relative peanuts. How long before there are tears?

[Roller_Coaster]

We have that many English players in our Football team, we can't really begrudge lending England a cricketer

[Roller_Coaster]

Always loads of dismay when footie managers are fired after 3 1/2 weeks, but none for clubs when money-grabbing toolbags like Steve Bruce abandon so many ships at the drop of a hat.
He's done well at some moderate clubs, but never sustained it, and failed at Villa; don't see the appeal unless Ashley has got him to work at a dream job for relative peanuts. How long before there are tears?

Bottom 4, probably down. Tears by Christmas.

[Collapse2005]

We have that many English players in our Football team, we can't really begrudge lending England a cricketer

Are there any Irish players in the Ireland football team?

[westisbest]

We have that many English players in our Football team, we can't really begrudge lending England a cricketer

Are there any Irish players in the Ireland football team?

Joking aside, majority of the team/squad are Irish. Certainly more than say 94 World Cup, where all the jokes seemed to start.

Still a few English in there. Would have loved Grealish and Rice to have played, I know Rice did play.

[Collapse2005]

Very few Irish players who don't have an English accent at the very least. The FAI to blame, they are an absolute shambles, nothing innovative nor intelligent done to strengthen the game domestically in the last 50 years.

The FAI is so corrupt and useless the Irish government no longer offers them any funding.

Lots of potential in Ireland to concentrate talent amongst a smaller base, merge the leagues of the north and south, merge the two associations like all other sports in Ireland, merge with the leagues of other smaller nations to arrive at a stronger domestic product. Literally no reform has been carried out in decades as Irish football continues to slide.

I wouldn't be surprised if the English or US women's teams drew with or beat the Ireland men's team. That's how embarrassingly crap they are.

[ralphjohn69]

Very few Irish players who don't have an English accent at the very least. The FAI to blame, they are an absolute shambles, nothing innovative nor intelligent done to strengthen the game domestically in the last 50 years.

The FAI is so corrupt and useless the Irish government no longer offers them any funding.

Lots of potential in Ireland to concentrate talent amongst a smaller base, merge the leagues of the north and south, merge the two associations like all other sports in Ireland, merge with the leagues of other smaller nations to arrive at a stronger domestic product. Literally no reform has been carried out in decades as Irish football continues to slide.

I wouldn't be surprised if the English or US women's teams drew with or beat the Ireland men's team. That's how embarrassingly crap they are.

Come on, you're exaggerating a wee bit, your average Sunday League team would beat the English or US women's team.

[Collapse2005]

Yeah maybe, though the Ireland team is very bad at the moment and the Irish leagues are desperately neglected by the FAI.

[McLaren]

Ralph

That is a ridiculous notion, your average Sunday league is the equivalent of 15 handicappers. So it is like saying a 15 handicapper could beat Lydia ko.

[ralphjohn69]

Ralph

That is a ridiculous notion, your average Sunday league is the equivalent of 15 handicappers. So it is like saying a 15 handicapper could beat Lydia ko.

No it isn't, have you watched women's football? The quality is atrocious, also football massively relies on physicality so your comparison is nonsense.

[beninho]

I would put good money on the american or english ladies team beating a bunch of sunday league players.

[McLaren]

I would put good money on the american or english ladies team beating a bunch of sunday league players.

Easily. Sunday league quality football is so frustrating to play because no one else ever seems to care about playing a system or deciding on how to play the opponent.

So never mind the quality or physicality Sunday league players would be made to look stupid on the tactical front.

But really the difference in first touch between the US women and Sunday league would be vast in the womens favor.

[ralphjohn69]

Agree to disagree, I guess we'll never know. Compared to some sports (golf, tennis, maybe even athletics) the gulf in ability between men & women at football is massive.

[beninho]

At the top end the gulf is massive, but that gulf swings the other way between professional footballers paid hundres of thousands per year and a plumber from east grinstead and his mates.

[super_realist]

Agree to disagree, I guess we'll never know.  Compared to some sports (golf, tennis, maybe even athletics) the gulf in ability between men & women at football is massive.

I'd say the gulf between men and women in Golf and Tennis is absolutely massive, definitely equal to football in terms of the disparity.

Have you ever actually seen Women's golf? They hit it nowhere, there's also a massive difference in tennis too as well as in Athletics.

[kwinigolfer]

Kieran Tripper Spurs to Athletico.
Not a great season for Trippier but that looks a strange move and a cut price. Especially with Alderweirald & Rose also supposedly halfway out the door.
More there than meets the eye I suppose.

[ralphjohn69]

Agree to disagree, I guess we'll never know.  Compared to some sports (golf, tennis, maybe even athletics) the gulf in ability between men & women at football is massive.

I'd say the gulf between men and women in Golf and Tennis is absolutely massive, definitely equal to football in terms of the disparity.

Have you ever actually seen Women's golf? They hit it nowhere, there's also a massive difference in tennis too as well as in Athletics.

I'm aware of all that. The gap in all sports is big, agreed, but the difference in football is bigger than any off them, hence why I compared it to these other sports.

I have obviously seen women's golf, yes they hit it nowhere, but I believe they are far closer to male golfer's ability than their football counterparts are.

[Collapse2005]

The gap is biggest in mens rugby vs womens rugby. At least womens football is watchable. Womens rugby is total Poopie.

[McLaren]

Could be wrong but on the recent Navratilova documentary I think a sports scientist said there was a 10% difference in performance across almost all sports between mens and womens categories.

[kwinigolfer]

Women have only been playing any sort of organised footie or rugby for a relatively short time (how long, less than 40 years, probably a lot less?), not surprising they'd take a while to get up to speed, whether coaching, technique, fitness/athleticism, facilities, etc.

Would think Navratilova's "10%" is slightly optimistic for golf & tennis, but certainly within 15%.

[McLaren]

I guess for golf and tennis you could only measure things like general fitness, lung capacity, peak flow, racket/clubhead speed and imagine how that effects how well you can play the sport.

[super_realist]

Agree to disagree, I guess we'll never know.  Compared to some sports (golf, tennis, maybe even athletics) the gulf in ability between men & women at football is massive.

I'd say the gulf between men and women in Golf and Tennis is absolutely massive, definitely equal to football in terms of the disparity.

Have you ever actually seen Women's golf? They hit it nowhere, there's also a massive difference in tennis too as well as in Athletics.

I'm aware of all that.  The gap in all sports is big, agreed, but the difference in football is bigger than any off them, hence why I compared it to these other sports.

I have obviously seen women's golf, yes they hit it nowhere, but I believe they are far closer to male golfer's ability than their football counterparts are.

I completely disagree. Women's football is pretty terrible, mainly in the goal keeping department, but in football with it being a team sport you don't have to be exceptional to be a professional in terms of having an all round game in either the men's or women's game. To be a tennis player, golfer or athlete you can't be a Vinny Jones or a John Stones. You get shown up too quickly.

In terms of talent, I'd say tennis players and golfers are far superior to footballers and in terms of fitness there aren't many sports at a higher level than tennis.

Women's rugby is absolutely woeful though.

[ralphjohn69]

And on this one I completely disagree with you. Oh well.

[beninho]

So, Trump has decided to go full on racist. Telling American citizens to go back to where they came from, and then standing in front if thousands chanting send her back. Its actually pretty shocking.

[super_realist]

So, Trump has decided to go full on racist. Telling American citizens to go back to where they came from, and then standing in front if thousands chanting send her back. Its actually pretty shocking.

[kwinigolfer]

Perhaps he'll send me back . . . . . . .

[beninho]

On one hand, it causes a distraction to videos showimg him and Epstein in the 90s. Trumps good mate...

[kwinigolfer]

On one hand, it causes a distraction to videos showimg him and Epstein in the 90s. Trumps good mate...

Thoughts that last night's racist rally was an attempt at a smokescreen for bad news on the way for Drumpf, including connections with Epstein. We'll have to wait and see on that.

[beninho]

So, Trump has decided to go full on racist. Telling American citizens to go back to where they came from, and then standing in front if thousands chanting send her back. Its actually pretty shocking.

[super_realist]

To be fair to Trump, and I'm no fan, he didn't tell people to go back to where they came from, he said "they can leave if they want to".

[McLaren]

Wow, only super could find a defence for that one.

[beninho]

go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came. Then come back and show us how it is done".

[Collapse2005]

To be fair to Trump, and I'm no fan, he didn't tell people to go back to where they came from, he said "they can leave if they want to".

Not a Trump fan either, think he is a tool but he also said it in the context of a person he believes hates America and is an ISIS sympathiser. At least that's what he says.

If anyone hates the country they are from it isn't really racist to suggest they can leave if they don't like it. Still a fairly provocative and undiplomatic thing for a president to say.

[Collapse2005]

McIlroy 2nd last on the leaderboard. That's gotta hurt.

[kwinigolfer]

To be fair to Trump, and I'm no fan, he didn't tell people to go back to where they came from, he said "they can leave if they want to".

To be fair to Drumpf, that's exactly what he said:
"Why don't they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came."

Of course, it's not exactly clear which parts of the United States that he's talking about.

[beninho]

How are people defending trump. Its crazy. He had a chanting crowd saying send her home. Shes an American citizen.

And im outraged that companies cant post food stuff without having to think about them not going bad in the post. Disgraceful. Bloody eu....

[dynamark]

Kwini home to Swindon and Trump home to Aberdeen .
Fortunately I am about 3 miles from where I was born

[kwinigolfer]

Great news for the "coefficient" after the Kilmarnock result. For Wales.

[super_realist]

Great news for the "coefficient" after the Kilmarnock result. For Wales.

Ha ha. Hadn't realised that. This has always happened to Scottish teams though. Has happened plenty times to Celtic and Rangers too, so they've only got themselves to blame for their laughable league coefficient. It's not the fault of the SFA relegating the Huns. Kaunas, Artmedia Bratislava, Malmo, Maribor etc have all beaten Celtic and Rangers BEFORE Rangers got relegated, not to mention Progres Niederhorn who beat The Huns a couple of years ago too.

[kwinigolfer]

Rangers hoping for revenge vs Progres Niederkorn the next couple of weeks. Baby steps.

[McLaren]

Super

How's come you take such glee from the poor state of Scottish football?

I don't really follow it or have much interest in it but don't hold any ill will towards it.

[beninho]

Got dragged into a Twitter debate, with people who think Ilham Omar married her brother for immigration purposes, even though as her brother ge could have claimed something anyway.

These cranks believe anything!

[McLaren]

I assume she has never married her brother at all for any reason.

[JAS]

Great news for the "coefficient" after the Kilmarnock result. For Wales.

Ha ha. Hadn't realised that. This has always happened to Scottish teams though. Has happened plenty times to Celtic and Rangers too, so they've only got themselves to blame for their laughable league coefficient. It's not the fault of the SFA relegating the Huns.  Kaunas, Artmedia Bratislava, Malmo, Maribor etc have all beaten Celtic and Rangers BEFORE Rangers got relegated, not to mention Progres Niederhorn who beat The Huns a couple of years ago too.

Super give it a rest, I’m guessing most on here are bored senseless with your repetitive scorn. I previously illustrated quite clearly how relegating Rangers DID clearly affect the coefficient. Last night emphasised my point even more clearly, Kilmarnock humped by part timers while Rangers “clearly struggled” to a 10-0 aggregate win.

In fairness to Kilmarnock, Stevie Clark being ripped out at the back end of last season and no real pre season to prepare did leave them susceptible to being caught cold. At least the sheep managed to scrape through.

[ralphjohn69]

The sheep?  How original.

Anyway to clarify things, (the) Rangers weren't relegated.  They were liquidated and did not exist.  They reformed and applied for membership of the league.  The Premier League teams, under severe pressure from their fans (rightly) voted not to allow them straight into the top league so they were allowed back in to the league set up in the 4th tier.

As an Aberdeen fan I don't really care about the coefficient.  We had a very enjoyable 6 seasons as the 2nd best team, won our 1st trophy in 20 years and got to numerous finals, our European results have been ok but we haven't quite made it to the group stages.  Now we're back to our level of fighting to be the best of the rest, which given the financial restraints compared to Celtic & Rangers, I'm not that upset about.

For all its (numerous) faults I still find the Scottish Premier League more interesting than the English league which will at some point implode when the money dries up. Unless Everton are playing I'm not interested in most live games shown on TV.

[beninho]

The english league isn't imploding for a long time.

[ralphjohn69]

The english league isn't imploding for a long time.

OK, we'll see.

[Collapse2005]

Great round from Lowry so far. He would be a popular winner.

[JAS]

Not sure where that nickname comes from Ralph, being the regional home of Aberdeen Angus beef I’d have thought Coo more appropriate and sheep more relevant to the Welsh outfit that humped Kilmarnock last night.

Anyways, as an Aberdeen fan I would have thought the coefficient would be of more interest. Wouldn’t you prefer entry at group stage rather than banana skin qualifiers? Personally I hate the whole approach uefa take in ranking teams/countries as it’s geared toward money laden leagues with big TV rights but it is what it is and we have to get on with it. The Dutch aren’t a big money league yet they turn out talent year after year and occasionally a PSV or Ajax light the way for lesser nations. Obviously, after the relative success of Ajax this season, their team gets broken up but at least it means money rolling into Dutch football to be recycled. That is what the Scottish League should be looking to do/aspire to. Trouble is (and this is where there are some grains of truth in what Super says), the SFA & SPFL are riddled with parochial petty jealously, infighting and a complete inability to make sound decisions for the good of the game especially in terms of selling/marketing itself. So the game in Scotland stumbles along taking slaps in the face like Kilmarnock took last night. While the national team crawls away from places like Kazakhstan with its tail between its legs. Football does go in cycles though and with a bit of will Scottish football could/should get back to a better place than where it is now.
European football has been going now for over 60 years, the longest period without a Scottish team appearing in a final is 16 years (Dundee Utd in ‘87 to Celtic in ‘03). It’s currently 11 years and counting, I’m pretty sure we’ve never been as low as we are now and the smart money would say it’ll be more than 5 years before a Scottish Club graces a final again. But hey, you never know when the next Fergie, Stein or McLean will be unearthed, NOBODY can predict that, not even Super.

[beninho]

The english league isn't imploding for a long time.

OK, we'll see.

Personally, I've been thinking it for years. Don't look like happening though. Not at the highest level.

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