Premier League 2011/12 Season

http://www.rte.ie/sport/player/734/322954/

The full show is on at 22:20 tonight.

Go to www.rte.ie/live and check it out you might be able to see it overseas.

"Green Is The Colour"

 

Can't find the first full episode on youtube :Wah:

 

Lambert has walked out on Norwich. Breaking news.

 

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepag...Norwich-after-furious-row-over-Villa-job.html

I know it's the sun, but I just heard the news on talkSPORT radio.

I think Holt will be off now.

 

You voting today, Irish? I hope Ireland votes no.

 

Taken from Toffeeweb:

When Leighton Baines ponders in public on his future, and how it would be hard to leave Everton, it's pretty much already agreed that he's leaving soon. This is a strategy to try to keep the Everton fans peaceful.

During the last year or so I have had a glimpse on how professional footballers and football teams think. My son-in-law Alexander broke through to the HJK first team, only months later he won his first full cap for Finland (he's a regular starter now), and after the season he signed for Borussia Mönchengladbach, albeit only on 18 month loan (Germans are very cautious when doing business). He made his Bundesliga debut in early March, and has since played in every round of the season. Borussia finished fourth, earning a CL spot, he is very much in their future plans. Alex has talked to me quite openly about what goes on behind the scenes.

Firstly, there is hardly such thing as loyalty to a club or to its fans. Pro footballers are mostly opportunists of the highest order. Career planning is often very careful (if you're good enough for that). Practically every player is always open to proposals, if there is good money on offer. Perhaps some older club icons are exceptions, like Scholes or Giggs, but only yesterday we learned that Jääskeläinen had left Bolton after 15 years at 37, because he wanted to further his career.

Players usually give everything they can on the training and in the matches, but they live in a bubble (at least nowadays, with pro football having become the money circus it is), and don’t really want to associate with the fans of the club that they represent. They may be boyhood Blues, Reds, Whites, Pinks, you name ’em, but when they’ve signed a contract, they think of themselves, and not about the fans. Somehow I can’t see much bad in this. I’m sure everyone of us would be the same, if we were pro footballers.

Players themselves have leagues and clubs in clear order. Before he signed for Borussia, I jokingly asked Alexander whether he would sign for Everton, if we had the money. ”In a split second. Young players come through there.” Liverpool? ”No. They are a graveyard of young prospects. They buy all and sundry, but play only the biggest signings.” (His fave team is Arsenal)

At the moment the pecking order is like this: 1) The Premier League. The money is best there, even lesser teams are ok. 2) Bundesliga. German teams are the most professionally run, pay well, and the attendances are fantastic (Borussia Park had over 52,000 spectators on average last season). 3) La Liga. The weather, lifestyle and money in Spain are nice, but there are few really attractive clubs. 4) Serie A. It used to be number one, but is now shambles. Still you’d go there, if you can’t get to any of the three aforementioned.

The rest are Holland, France, Belgium, Portugal, Switzerland, Turkey etc. These are ok, if you can’t get higher. Then there are tycoons and oligarchs now running clubs in Bulgaria, and various Islamistans in the Middle-East. For example Ludogorets Razgrad wanted Alex so badly, that they promised to double anything Borussia (or Hannover 96, who were talking with him before Gladbach) would pay him. He said no, because he didn’t want to go to Bulgaria. BTW, Aston Villa and Bolton were after him, but not keenly enough.

You could think that once you go to a big club like Borussia, you’re happy to stay there, but no: players are talking about their future moves with their agents and each other all the time. In Bundesliga this is somehow tolerated by fans: Marco Reus’s transfer to Dortmund for €17m (you wouldn’t get a player of that calibre in the PL for that cheap!) was announced in January, as well as Roman Neustädter’s move to Schalke, and Dante’s coming transfer to Bayern Munich was leaked out in April – yet the fans supported these players as a part of their team to the season’s end. In a PL club there would have been an uproar to crucify these Judases. In England players have to harp the lines like ”I love this club”, as if they were fans and not players. It amazes me, when I realize that not everybody can see through this jargon.

So, when Baines is talking openly about possibly having to go elsewhere, he doesn’t need to be tapped, he’s already made up his mind. This is the way to come out of the closet cautiously. The rest of the job is to plan the strategy to market this thought to the fans. Over to you, Bill!

 

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::

 

Looks like ireland voted yes. Disappointing.

 

Listening to the radio and they were having a debate about whether there comes a time when you are too old to wear a football shirt out and about. What do you guys think? Also, whether it's sad if you're an older man and you collect panini stickers as part of an album. Thoughts?

 

So how are you all celebrating the Jubilee?...

 

You know i'm so physically exhausted from work lately, i'm not sure i have the energy to celebrate it. I'm saving my energy for the Euros :dancingBaby:

 

All der hun pubs in my area have pictures of big lizzy in their windows and union jack ribbons everywhere:giggle: Was pishing myself at them walking down dumbarton road. At least they have something to celebrate, bless

 

Cutting about the street? I'd say the cut offs about 12, mate :: I wear Celtic related tshirts sometimes though. I have a couple St. Pauli ones & a 'Peoples republic of paradise' one

 

The sooner Ireland goes back to a floating punt the better.

 

Hut, I'm going to Edinburgh this weekend with the Missus, any recommendations?

 

Nah sorry mate, I'm not very familiar with Edinburgh. I can tell you how to get to tynecastle & easter road but that's the extent of my specialist knowledge, Im afraid.

 

Haha no worries mate.

 

I've just spent the last 4 hours cleaning. I need food and a pint now.

 

I don't know who to put in my team....James McClean or Aiden McGeady.

 

Really depends what would happen with the debt. If it's redenominated in Irish pounds then Ireland's most pressing problems in large part go away. Default becomes impossible so bond rates plummet & that opens up allot of room for the state to take on the private sector's debt and let it get back to growth. Devaluation also becomes possible. But if it remains denominated in euros then I definitely agree it'd be disasterous. That was the position Russia was in in the 90s, with the old Soviet debt overhang denominated in foreign currencies. Calamity

 

Kuyt has left Liverpool for Fenerbahce.

 

Good, he hurts my eyes ::

 

Where's Irish? G havent had him whacked have they?

 

::

Btw, that's fine about your picks for the Euros. Once thursday is over I will keep note of what your predictions are for each group round fixtures, so you can edit your post.

 

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:bears:

 

I had a run in with O2 mobile internet. I think Schaefer got onto them.

Fair play to Kuyt. :bears:

Going to get my Euro Predos in now because I don't know when I will be online again.

 

Add your scorers too, Irish.

 

I did, just as far as Monday, I should be back online before that and I will add to my original post then.:truce: