Liverpool are awful

3 hours ago, Adlington Trotter said:

The Nations League is a great idea, but to link it in with Euro qualifying is utter bollocks. As is the decision to raise it to 24 teams. Why couldn't UEFA just leave things as they were?!

I think it's a good idea. It means otherwise meaningless friendlies actually have a competitive purpose.

5 hours ago, Rudy’s Message said:

Jose new Spurs gaffer

His first signing.

4 hours ago, Marc505 said:

Grim visions of them lot starting next season with Pochettino in charge, Kane up front and Bale in midfield.

well if he emulates his career so far and wins nothing, then I'll be happy

9 hours ago, Andy Gee said:

I'd try and explain but it makes no sense. Northern Ireland qualified for the play offs  because of the Nations League 2 years ago. They lost every match in it but because they were in league B and all the teams in league A qualified automatically then the playoff places moved to the teams in group B that a) didn't qualify outright and b) hadn't qualified for the play offs by winning there nation league group. 

Scotland got in the play offs by winning there Nations league group, they beat Albania twice and Israel  to get in the playoffs. 

Thanks for the explanation.  It confirms my feeling of no longer caring about qualifying games, because in I wont know which matches have anything riding on them.  I'd take a keener interest in England games if we weren't virtually given a bye every tournament compared to the groups the other UK nations get put in.  Add to the farce of allowing the San Marinos and Kazikstans to play against Germany or Italy, and I'll just wait for the tournament proper (I'll watch play offs if its a straight knockout but no doubt they'll make it impossible to lose in those too).

9 hours ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

It will surely end in tears.

It will surely end in him winning the League Cup, finishing 10th two years running, alienating Spurs fans, walking away with another huge pay off and turning up at Arsenal 6 months later pointing to his league cup as proof that he's a "winner".

3 hours ago, DazBob said:

I think it's a good idea. It means otherwise meaningless friendlies actually have a competitive purpose.

They could do that without giving such a huge reward for doing little.  Scotland's Nations League results came nowhere near to deserving the same outcome as about a dozen qualifiers.  The reward for a good nations league performance could be to go into a qualifer for the play offs. If Scotland didnt earn a play off spot through Euro qualifiers they get a 2 legged game against another team in the same boat to decide who gets the play off spot.  Doing it this way allowed Scotland to take their foot off the pedal and prepare for play offs about 6 months ago once they knew they couldnt finish top.  In fact they knew they couldnt finish top once the draw was made so their whole qualifying campaign was relatively meaningless. 

18 hours ago, Marc505 said:

More interested in England and Germany now confirmed as being at home for two of the games I've got tickets for. 

Overall though really, the more convoluted and contrived these qualifying groups and draws get the less exciting it is. Getting to Champions League levels of trying to ensure the biggest teams get the furthest.

I’m going to gamble on quarters & book rome, mate paid decent price so will have a butchers 

12 minutes ago, radcliffewhite1 said:

I’m going to gamble on quarters & book rome, mate paid decent price so will have a butchers 

Is that where we're due to play if we win the group? Be an absolute invasion that.

Just now, Marc505 said:

Is that where we're due to play if we win the group? Be an absolute invasion that.

Yes Dublin in 16 rome in quarters 

9 hours ago, jules_darby said:

Gets pelters from Albie on the latest Undr The Cosh podcast. Pretty much what most of us thought/knew!

Just listened to that podcast.

Jesus, that it was truly condemning. He generally spoke well of every manager he'd worked under, even those who made less of an impact with him had decent points.

Not Parky!

I wonder if the Sunderland board wish they'd seen it before appointing PP.

11 hours ago, jules_darby said:

Gets pelters from Albie on the latest Undr The Cosh podcast. Pretty much what most of us thought/knew!

Keef Hill doesn't exactly come out of the podcast unscathed tbf.

1 minute ago, Burndens Bogs said:

Keef Hill doesn't exactly come out of the podcast unscathed tbf.

Every manager has to disappoint players, it's how they handle it that makes a big difference. You can tell Wilbs still respects KH but not Parky. 

I cant really be bothered to listen to it all, anything particular he had to say about Parky?

4 hours ago, Johnnyrotten said:

They could do that without giving such a huge reward for doing little.  Scotland's Nations League results came nowhere near to deserving the same outcome as about a dozen qualifiers.  The reward for a good nations league performance could be to go into a qualifer for the play offs. If Scotland didnt earn a play off spot through Euro qualifiers they get a 2 legged game against another team in the same boat to decide who gets the play off spot.  Doing it this way allowed Scotland to take their foot off the pedal and prepare for play offs about 6 months ago once they knew they couldnt finish top.  In fact they knew they couldnt finish top once the draw was made so their whole qualifying campaign was relatively meaningless. 

I think you're worrying too much about it. The Scots won't win their play off, and even if by some miracle they do then they'll get whipped in every game in the tournament proper. It's all good.

1 hour ago, Johnnyrotten said:

I cant really be bothered to listen to it all, anything particular he had to say about Parky?

Poor man mgt. Didn’t motivate the players or really get them on board. “Wouldn’t look you in the eye”. Scathing about that season we just stayed up - said what we all did; the squad was much better but he fucked about after Madine left with loads of shit formations. Left players out inexplicably. Was duplicitous between Anderson and the players 

can’t remember more 

Tranmere into extra time at Wycombe.

Tranmere had a red card shortly before half time so they may be a little jaded.

9 minutes ago, jules_darby said:

Poor man mgt. Didn’t motivate the players or really get them on board. “Wouldn’t look you in the eye”. Scathing about that season we just stayed up - said what we all did; the squad was much better but he fucked about after Madine left with loads of shit formations. Left players out inexplicably. Was duplicitous between Anderson and the players 

can’t remember more 

Thanks for that Jules.  Very scathing.  I'd love to hear what ALF had to say as well, given how much affection ALF had for the club and fans and the fact that he would probably have happily stayed after relegation if he'd been part of the team. 

1 hour ago, DazBob said:

I think you're worrying too much about it. The Scots won't win their play off, and even if by some miracle they do then they'll get whipped in every game in the tournament proper. It's all good.

Good luck to 'em if they win, I'd love them to be at the Euros.  My point was just about the anti competitiveness of their qualifying campain, they were glorifield friendlies once they'd lost their 1st game as they had no motivation to finish 2nd.  I'm just growing tired of 'nothing' matches filling up the football calendar which turns us (me) off football.

6 hours ago, radcliffewhite1 said:

Yes Dublin in 16 rome in quarters 

How is there a last 16 when there are only 24 teams in it to start with? Is it top 2 in each group then the 4 best 3rd place teams? Seems harder to get knocked out the bloody competition.

31 minutes ago, Andy Gee said:

How is there a last 16 when there are only 24 teams in it to start with? Is it top 2 in each group then the 4 best 3rd place teams? Seems harder to get knocked out the bloody competition.

You do have to try very hard to get knocked out. Over a year of qualification plus 2 weeks of a tournament and there's still 16 teams left in it.

8 hours ago, Johnnyrotten said:

It will surely end in him winning the League Cup, finishing 10th two years running, alienating Spurs fans, walking away with another huge pay off and turning up at Arsenal 6 months later pointing to his league cup as proof that he's a "winner".

You deny he's a winner? FFS just look at his record. I am sure if he delivers a trophy of two to Spurs they'll be erecting a statue of him outside of the new stadium.

As they are my 'London team' after the Muamba incident, I hope he is an outrageous success for them.

3 hours ago, Johnnyrotten said:

Good luck to 'em if they win, I'd love them to be at the Euros.  

You and I are from different planets. Pay back in kind. They want us to lose every game we play.

Long may they fail.

14 hours ago, bolty58 said:

You and I are from different planets. Pay back in kind. They want us to lose every game we play.

Long may they fail.

Only reason I'd want them there is so we can knock them out 😁

Where can you see round of 16 prospective fixtures? Eldest has tickets for Amsterdam  game on 20/6 

5 minutes ago, green genie said:

Where can you see round of 16 prospective fixtures? Eldest has tickets for Amsterdam  game on 20/6 

30th November.