European Football Thread

[afleitch]

Lessons learned I guess.

For Scotland it means we get to be second tier seed in the '10 draw. Which means only one team should be theoretically better than us rather than 3

[Michael Z]

Probably one of the worst England performances I have ever seen. Well, at least since the halcyon days (ho ho) of Graham Taylor.

Guess the big discussion now is who will take over from Steve McClaren. I doubt Lippi or Mourinho will go for it/get offered the job, but Allardyce or Pearce would be a flipping disaster. I say Dario Gradi. You heard. Dario Gradi. I am not kidding. Think about it, what have we got to lose, plus he's one of the few coaches in this country who understands tactics (beyond "lob the ball and see what happens") and can actually, y'know, coach players.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I nominate my cat. She's been dead for two years now, but she would still do a better job than Mr Really Really Really Bad Combover.

[afleitch]

At least we can have a summer with out wall to wall saturation coverage on every London based TV channel (ducks)

[Michael Z]

I nominate my cat. She's been dead for two years now, but she would still do a better job than Mr Really Really Really Bad Combover.

What about a deck chair? Deck chair for England manager!

[The Man From G.O.P.]

Hang McClaren, dreadful dreadful dreadful.

[The Man From G.O.P.]

Sat and thought about it... This is not a hindsight issue, I've always argued with the Ex-Pat colony in Austin that I often watch matches with that Beckham was top notch and would always perform when challenged, this was proven in a major way last night, his crossing service was designed for a man like Crouch (who need more playing time, even when Rooney is healthy) I've said it and I've always said it, tonight was prime example


I just don't know, I tried very very hard to like McClaren, but he's made it impossible, the rookie goalkeeper in the biggest game of the campaign, dueling egos with a more than viable Beckham, and an overall black cloud over the whole thing.

Good Riddance, Mourinho for the job if you ask me.





And could Carson been any more horrible? not a punch but a parry?

[Michael Z]

Sat and thought about it... This is not a hindsight issue, I've always argued with the Ex-Pat colony in Austin that I often watch matches with that Beckham was top notch and would always perform when challenged, this was proven in a major way last night, his crossing service was designed for a man like Crouch (who need more playing time, even when Rooney is healthy) I've said it and I've always said it, tonight was prime example


I just don't know, I tried very very hard to like McClaren, but he's made it impossible, the rookie goalkeeper in the biggest game of the campaign, dueling egos with a more than viable Beckham, and an overall black cloud over the whole thing.

Good Riddance, Mourinho for the job if you ask me.





And could Carson been any more horrible? not a punch but a parry?

I can't see Mourinho being offered the job, great as it would be... he's too much of a maverick for the FA, and the FA always prefers a yes-man. It's the main reason Brian Clough never became England manager.

As for Carson, yes, it was incredibly dumb to put a rookie keeper in goal for arguably the most important match of the qualifying campaign. However, if anything, I think it reflects a bigger malaise, namely that of England not having an international class keeper to speak of.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I nominate my cat. She's been dead for two years now, but she would still do a better job than Mr Really Really Really Bad Combover.

What about a deck chair? Deck chair for England manager!

Yes, yes... I can see why people would prefer a deck chair to McClaren. I certainly would!

In related news, the ranks of the unemployed have just swelled by two.

[Michael Z]

I nominate my cat. She's been dead for two years now, but she would still do a better job than Mr Really Really Really Bad Combover.

What about a deck chair? Deck chair for England manager!

Yes, yes... I can see why people would prefer a deck chair to McClaren. I certainly would!

In related news, the ranks of the unemployed have just swelled by two.

Who also went? Venables? That's good news, I was worried the FA might actually install him as McClaren's replacement. Give me a deck chair or a deceased cat any day...

[Silent Hunter]

The best thing that I saw on TV yesterday was Jewel Staite beating a guy up on Stargate Atlantis.

The worst thing was this match...

[minionofmidas]

I nominate my cat. She's been dead for two years now, but she would still do a better job than Mr Really Really Really Bad Combover.

What about a deck chair? Deck chair for England manager!

The deck chair should be put in goal. It'll do a better service there than the dead cat, and about average for a post-Seaman England keeper.

[The Man From G.O.P.]

I'm really feeling Jose getting the job, I'm no expert but with such heavy heavy favour for him already, with no qualms visible on the street about a non-english manager I really think the FA may look out the window and see a mob that has to be satisfied, by more than just sacking the fall-guy.


Jose would be the best, I'd put them as favourites out fornt for the WC if he was hired.

O'Neil has always bugged me, he's got heart but not success to follow it.

I think Redknapp and Coppell would do a decent job but they certainly don't project a very friendly picture that fits European competition if you ask me.


Beckham needs to be backed by whoever it is, he has another World Cup in him, and had he been used properly by McClaren England would have qualified.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Yeah, the crook got the sack as well.

Btw, I am currently very angry. This is because I've just found out how much McClaren has been paid by the FA for the indignity of being sacked.

The deck chair should be put in goal. It'll do a better service there than the dead cat, and about average for a post-Seaman England keeper.

The best (or worst?) part of that is that its true.

[afleitch]

New FIFA world rankings out

England - 12th - 2nd Seed
Scotland - 14th - 2nd Seed
Northern Ireland 32nd- 3rd Seed
Ireland - 35th 3rd Seed
Wales - 58th 4th Seed

Can't wait for the draw

[Michael Z]

Mourinho has said no. Ah well. O'Neill also, but then I always thought he was a little overrated.

Apparently, Klinsmann has now entered the frey. This could get interesting...

[minionofmidas]

Mourinho has said no. Ah well. O'Neill also, but then I always thought he was a little overrated.

Apparently, Klinsmann has now entered the frey. This could get interesting...

Ah, I wondered when that name'd get mentioned here. Obviously, the idea was foremost at every silly German sports journalist's mind the moment... well, the moment England first looked in trouble actually.

[Јas]

Group 8
Italy [ Worst Draw Possible, but then the last time we played competitively was one of our greatest sporting moments]
Bulgaria [Besides Berbatov and petrov in the Premiership, I don't know anything about them.]
Rep. Ireland
Cyprus [ 4th time in 5 consecutive draws that we've been drawn together. Lately we look like cowboys playing against them.]
Georgia [ Highest ranked of the 5th seeds, not sure how well we'll get on in sunny Tblisi]
Montenegro [Best of the 6th seeds, but if they start taking points off us, then this whole endeavour is fairly futile]

2nd place is possible. But then if we don't turn things around so is 4th.


Some of the others...

Group 6
Croatia
England
Ukraine
Belarus
Kazakhstan
Andorra

England should be very happy with this.

Got plum draws from almost all those seeding pots - including Croatia. Will give the England fans another chance to boo the Croatian anthem in Wembley - what was all that about? (In fact, what was really confusing was John Motson on the BBC saying that it was well received )

Group 9
Netherlands
Scotland
Norway
Macedonia
Iceland

Could have been better, but on current form Scotland would have to anticipate getting out of the group.

Group 4
Germany
Russia
Finland
Wales
Azerbaijan
Liechtenstein

Unlikely Wales will be able to do much damage here. Don't see any difficulty for Germany.

Group 3 
Czech Republic
Poland
Northern Ireland
Slovakia
Slovenia
San Marino

The North face tricky ties in Eastern Europe. I don't expect them to make the top 2, but they're just after doing very well in a much tougher group so who knows.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

Only winners qualify.. and the worst placed runner up is out without a play-off. Knowing our luck that would be us.

If we make second; at this point third will be probably be our best shot.

[Gustaf]

Sweden lucked out, but I still have a bad feeling about this...we SHOULD take second place after Portugal, but anything can happen. After qualfying for 5 tournaments in a row it has to end sometime...

[minionofmidas]

Only winners qualify.. and the worst placed runner up is out without a play-off. Knowing our luck that would be us.

No. I'm almost 100% sure that that will be Scotland.

[Tender Branson]

I know 1 thing for sure: Austria won´t participate in the 2010 World Cup. Not when we are in a qualification group with France, Serbia and Romania ...

And for the Euro 2008 I´m not very optimistic either. But let´s wait for Dec. 2 first to see which opponents we are getting ... I´m hoping for Portugal, Netherlands and Germany.

[minionofmidas]

And for the Euro 2008 I´m not very optimistic either.

Why? You think there's a chance the UEFA might get hip to the fact that there are no eleven different Austrian footballers anymore, and strike you from the list of participants?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I think it is fair to say that Harry Redknapp will not be the next England manager. Ahem.

[Silent Hunter]

I think it is fair to say that Harry Redknapp will not be the next England manager. Ahem.

Quite. Nothing proven yet, but you don't hire someone under active criminal investigation. End of.