Turning to the Dark Side

[Paddington Bear]

Spain has an undercurrent of Anglophobia in their society which I’m sure makes yesterday sweeter, but I don’t think they’d consider us rivals. To English people Spain is just a holiday destination. Brazil? Can’t think why either side would think of the other at all.

The only two games that will really get England fans going are Germany (to call it unreciprocated is definitely not true, but clearly a bigger thing in England) and Argentina (definitely reciprocated but haven’t played them for yonks).

I did not know Spain had an Anglophobic element to their society tbh. What is that based on, do you happen to know?

I’d imagine hundreds of years of war, particularly around catholic v Protestant monarchies, and the long standing alliance between UK and Portugal?

Pretty much. I believe Gibraltar looms larger in their national psyche than it does in ours.

[Biffer]

I did not know Spain had an Anglophobic element to their society tbh. What is that based on, do you happen to know?

I’d imagine hundreds of years of war, particularly around catholic v Protestant monarchies, and the long standing alliance between UK and Portugal?

Pretty much. I believe Gibraltar looms larger in their national psyche than it does in ours.

Must do, I completely forgot about it

[Rhubarb & Custard]

Must do, I completely forgot about it

they do a similar thing with Ceuta

[Blackmac]

Who on earth in England has ever considered Brazil or Spain to be rivals?!?!

And on unreciprocated rivalries, those in glass houses should not throw stones!

I would imagine he meant they were more likely to have to overcome those bigger nations to succeed in the main tournaments.

[Hugo]

I’d imagine hundreds of years of war, particularly around catholic v Protestant monarchies, and the long standing alliance between UK and Portugal?

Pretty much. I believe Gibraltar looms larger in their national psyche than it does in ours.

Must do, I completely forgot about it

Christ, you are dead right , hadn't even occurred to me.

Of all the legitimate things to hate us for it's funny how stuff like Gibraltar and the Falklands are such a big deal.

[Hugo]

The Falklands is the one that really gets me.

They were the aggressors and the defeat brought about the end of the junta. I'm not a hawk but a big picture analysis would suggest we did Argentina a favour. Certainly Galtieri killed and disappeared many more Argentinians than we did.

[sefton]

Load of softcock English.

[Biffer]

The Falklands is the one that really gets me.

They were the aggressors and the defeat brought about the end of the junta. I'm not a hawk but a big picture analysis would suggest we did Argentina a favour. Certainly Galtieri killed and disappeared many more Argentinians than we did.

There’s a good rugby book called The Silenced by Claudio Fava about the Club de La Plata rugby team, their activism and disappearance. Really sobering read of the way the junta persecuted protesting voices

[Uncle fester]

The Falklands is the one that really gets me.

They were the aggressors and the defeat brought about the end of the junta. I'm not a hawk but a big picture analysis would suggest we did Argentina a favour. Certainly Galtieri killed and disappeared many more Argentinians than we did.

So the Argentinian junta are the moral benchmark now?

[JM2K6]

Load of softcock English.

Sorry, the Irish have to actually qualify for the tournament before you're allowed to pipe up

[Biffer]

Southgate gone.

No idea who they'll look at to replace him.

[petej]

Southgate gone.

No idea who they'll look at to replace him.

Potter, poch, klopp, Howe. Good choice by Southgate as it had got stale and a lot of his key players have aged out (walker, trippier, Phillips, McGuire, kane, sterling). He has done a really good jump overall with some excellent work on England youth squads and player pathway.

[Oxbow]

Time for 'arry to finally get the gig.

[petej]

Time for 'arry to finally get the gig.

We tried old school last time with Sam allerdyce. Didn't go well. Southgate was an internal promotion.

[inactionman]

I'm genuinely sad about this.

He's carried himself well, he's brought a professionalism to the national side that was sorely lacking, and he's changed the culture to one of inclusion, respect and enjoyment. I do think the football didn't always bring the absolute best out of the squad, but that's always a challenge at international level.

I'd really like him to pick up some of the backoffice stuff to make sure much of it carries on.

I'd also hope the FA realise that having a progression pathway for managers is a Very Good Idea.

He's left it in a lot better state than he found it.

[Sandstorm]

Be brave FA:

[Biffer]

Pretty much. I believe Gibraltar looms larger in their national psyche than it does in ours.

Must do, I completely forgot about it

Christ, you are dead right , hadn't even occurred to me.

Of all the legitimate things to hate us for it's funny how stuff like Gibraltar and the Falklands are such a big deal.

Seems it's in their minds right enough

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/c10lq8njge5o

[inactionman]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/ar ... 2814vx6x5o

England full-back Kyle Walker has been named in the Euro 2024 team of the tournament alongside six players from champions Spain.

Eh?

I agree with 5 of those Spain choices but they've put Cucarella at left back.

They're fucking with me, surely.

[Biffer]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/ar ... 2814vx6x5o

England full-back Kyle Walker has been named in the Euro 2024 team of the tournament alongside six players from champions Spain.

Eh?

I agree with 5 of those Spain choices but they've put Cucarella at left back.

They're fucking with me, surely.

Cucarella was playing left back.

[inactionman]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/ar ... 2814vx6x5o

England full-back Kyle Walker has been named in the Euro 2024 team of the tournament alongside six players from champions Spain.

Eh?

I agree with 5 of those Spain choices but they've put Cucarella at left back.

They're fucking with me, surely.

Cucarella was playing left back.

I know. I meant they chose, as their selection for left back, Cucarella.

[Biffer]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/ar ... 2814vx6x5o



Eh?

I agree with 5 of those Spain choices but they've put Cucarella at left back.

They're fucking with me, surely.

Cucarella was playing left back.

I know. I meant they chose, as their selection for left back, Cucarella.

Ah, right. I thought you meant he wasn’t playing left back, rather than you didn’t think he should have been picked.

[inactionman]

Cucarella was playing left back.

I know. I meant they chose, as their selection for left back, Cucarella.

Ah, right. I thought you meant he wasn’t playing left back, rather than you didn’t think he should have been picked.

I'm not quite sure what Chelsea saw to part with all that money for him, but then Chelsea's recruitment has been utterly mental.

[Enzedder]

[Hugo]

Must do, I completely forgot about it

Christ, you are dead right , hadn't even occurred to me.

Of all the legitimate things to hate us for it's funny how stuff like Gibraltar and the Falklands are such a big deal.

Seems it's in their minds right enough

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/c10lq8njge5o

You and PB called it!

[JM2K6]

I know. I meant they chose, as their selection for left back, Cucarella.

Ah, right. I thought you meant he wasn’t playing left back, rather than you didn’t think he should have been picked.

I'm not quite sure what Chelsea saw to part with all that money for him, but then Chelsea's recruitment has been utterly mental.

He had an incredible tournament, tbf

[fishfoodie]

Mourinho for England !!!

He has a record of success, he knows the players, & he's box office !

... sure it'll be a dumpster fire & end in disaster, but won't someone thing about all those tabloid hacks who haven't had a decent scoop in years while Southgate was in charge ?

[robmatic]

Mourinho for England !!!

He has a record of success, he knows the players, & he's box office !

... sure it'll be a dumpster fire & end in disaster, but won't someone thing about all those tabloid hacks who haven't had a decent scoop in years while Southgate was in charge ?

He signed on as head coach at Fenerbahçe only a few weeks ago, so probably a non-starter for that reason, as well as him being a busted flush.

[inactionman]

Toto Schillaci is no more, sadly

https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... es-aged-59

I can't even remember seeing him play outside of Italia 90, but he was a key part of it.

[sturginho]

Toto Schillaci is no more, sadly

https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... es-aged-59

I can't even remember seeing him play outside of Italia 90, but he was a key part of it.

Il gran Visir di tucc i terun!

RIP Toto!

[Jethro]

A league about a month out btw, Auckland FC joining the fray, can NZ support two home grown sides in the top league in our region or is it going to end in tears.

CC Mariners looking at title one zillion in a row, the Jets will be shite once again, poor off season signings

[inactionman]

The outcome in the Lassana Diarra transfer case is being released today, and the judgment looks like it might have significant impacts on the football transfer market - although I'll defer from drawing any firm conclusions until the legal beagles give their analysis.

They're basically examining restrictions of trade for footballers who cancel contracts and and to move to a club overseas, who is liable for costs and what is permitted in terms of player registration.

A primer of the case is here:
https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... n-football

It's tangentially relevant to rugby as it would presumably hold for rugby players as well, but there's not really such an equivalence in terms of transfer fees.

[inactionman]

Real Madrid having a team spit-the-dummy moment at the Ballon d'Or award ceremony.

They didn't turn up as Vinicius Jr didn't win. The men's award went to Rodri - who had been instrumental in an international European Championship win and a Club Premiership title - which for some reason left Real Madrid feeling a bit persecuted.

Before the ceremony, Madrid issued a statement to AFP and the Spanish media, saying: “If the award criteria doesn’t give it to Vinícius as the winner, then those same criteria should point to [Dani] Carvajal as the winner. As this was not the case, it is clear that Ballon d’Or-UEFA does not respect Real Madrid. And Real Madrid does not go where it is not respected.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... ards-night

[inactionman]

I hate this.

Argentinian club Deportivo Riestra have been accused of “a lack of respect for football” after naming a social media influencer in their starting lineup for a top-flight game against leaders Vélez Sarsfield on Monday.

Ivan Buhajeruk, who is better known as “Spreen” and has more than 8 million subscribers on YouTube and more than 5 million followers on Instagram, has no professional football experience but was named as a striker in the side by coach Cristian Fabbiani. The 24-year-old was subbed off after only 50 seconds during the first break in play without touching the ball.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... -sarsfield

[Sandstorm]

I hate this.

Argentinian club Deportivo Riestra have been accused of “a lack of respect for football” after naming a social media influencer in their starting lineup for a top-flight game against leaders Vélez Sarsfield on Monday.

Ivan Buhajeruk, who is better known as “Spreen” and has more than 8 million subscribers on YouTube and more than 5 million followers on Instagram, has no professional football experience but was named as a striker in the side by coach Cristian Fabbiani. The 24-year-old was subbed off after only 50 seconds during the first break in play without touching the ball.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... -sarsfield

Sounds like a betting scam going on in the background.

[inactionman]

I hate this.

Argentinian club Deportivo Riestra have been accused of “a lack of respect for football” after naming a social media influencer in their starting lineup for a top-flight game against leaders Vélez Sarsfield on Monday.

Ivan Buhajeruk, who is better known as “Spreen” and has more than 8 million subscribers on YouTube and more than 5 million followers on Instagram, has no professional football experience but was named as a striker in the side by coach Cristian Fabbiani. The 24-year-old was subbed off after only 50 seconds during the first break in play without touching the ball.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... -sarsfield

Sounds like a betting scam going on in the background.

betting or just plain old social media clickbait, it's fecking awful.

Influencers can suck my balls. Parasitic wastes of space, at least if they're just on Instagram I can ignore them.