Anyone else a football (soccer) fan?

[shy_muse]

Just wondering if anyone else enjoys watching "the beautiful game"?

[charlie1]

I support Liverpool, but it's not been a great season for Rafa, just the Europa to aim for. Where's the stadium in your profile picture?

[shy_muse]

Yeah, it's been a disappointing season for Liverpool. I guess it's time for Rafa to go. The stadium is Santiago Bernabeu, home of Real Madrid.

[charlie1]

I want Rafa to stay, as he reminds me of how fergie started at united - if Mark Robbins hadn't fluked a goal for man U and got them to the FA cup final, then Fergie would have been sacked and all the success since might never have happened. Rafa and Fergie show similar personality traits that guarantee sucess in football and life ie arrogance, selfishness, stubborness, blaming others, denying all personal responsibility for failure, whingeing and boastfulness. What team do you follow?

[shy_muse]

In England, I'm actually a Newcastle fan, but I follow most European leagues. The thing about Rafa is that he doesn't get English football, but his European record is excellent. Personally I think Liverpool are better off without him. He's probably on his way to Juve.

[charlie1]

good season for you with newcastle, but I don't know much about foreign leagues, apart from the champions league stuff. I agree with Wenger though when he says the spanish league is like the scottish league with only 2 teams, Barca and Real, who are 27 points clear apparently of the 3rd team. Rafa nearly pulled the premiership last year, and but for losing 2-1 to spurs when they were bottom of the league at the time, and middlesborough 2-0 who were relegated and having two 0-0 draws with boring stoke, he would have done so. Most Liverpool fans want Rafa gone, but I'm superstitious and believe in signs and omens, so hope he stays, for the reasons I said above

[shy_muse]

Yes Liverpool came quite close last year, but this year they have taken more than a few steps back. I can't really see Liverpool improving so much from where they are currently to being champions next season. Unless they get Jose Mourinho. 

[charlie1]

The "special one" is great, but I still want Rafa to stay, this season's just a blip, as even though they've looked poor generally, if gthey'd had luck on their side they could have done a lot better as they've conceded at least half a dozen late gaoals which have proved very costly, especially against Lyon to knock them out the Champions league, and Lyon have gone onto the semis. How do you reckon Newcastle'll do next season, straight back or ok?

[shy_muse]

I hope the perception that Newcastle is a 'sleeping giant' will go away. The truth is they have great fans, but are perennial underachievers. I think if the club is realistic and is just content with staying up, it will be better. I do have hope we will stay up, and maybe finish around mid table. I feel the club places too high expectations on itself. I hope we don't do this next season.

What's your thoughts on England for the World Cup?

[GillLFC]

Massive Liverpool fan here  Charlie hi! I agree with you on Rafa he is the man to take us forward. You say most Liverpool fans want him gone? I don't agree most Liverpool fans I know (mostly match goers and also from RAWK) want him to stay, a lot of whoppers want rid and Maurinho in but pfft they probably get all their knowledge from the daily rags!

Our season has mirrored my life but I'm getting better so fingers crossed  Gutted about Torres though, but great news on G & H putting us up for sale. SOS (Spirit Of Shankly) have done a great job, I'm a member are you? Fingers crossed for 3 points tonight! Time for Stevie to step up a la Istanbul on Thursday and get us to Hamburg!

Great season for the Toon shy_muse! I was sad to see you go down last year and I'm very pleased you've swiftly returned to the PL, usually an easy 6 points for us 

[charlie1]

Hi 0123 fc, glad to hear what you say and you're more likely to know than me,as you go to the games. Ilive in Devon and have supported Liverpool since I was 11, I'm 12 now, not really, over 30 years supporting them. I'm speaking more for the Devon people I know who're Liverpool fans and the numptys who ring radio 5 live slagging Rafa, but I hope you're right and Rafa stays. My life mirrors Liverpool as well as my last good year was 2005, the year they beat AC Milan for champions league.
Hi Shymuse, I reckon that Newcastle'll stay up next year, as they have great potential with their fan base, and seem a lot more stable and together team spirit wise. I always get sucked in and think England are gonna win some major trophy or other, but this time I expect nothing as I seem to think that most of the England players are over-paid show ponies, who are nowhere near the level of technical ability of the Brazilians, portugese and Spanish, but I'd love to be wrong and somehow we fluked it - it's possible, as Greece won the Euros a while back and they were rubbish

[GillLFC]

Hey Charlie. I don't get to go to matches as much anymore because of my health but I do know a lot of match going reds, that's what I mean. 2005 was a great year for me too!! Mmm maybe were onto something there?

I'm watching us v west ham on espn at the mo and they're getting as bad as sky grrr wish the media would just let us be.

[charlie1]

Hi 0123, at least we're 2 up. What I fear happening is that Liverpool beat Chelsea and man u win the title again, as down here there are an enormous amount of smug scum fans. Spurs always roll over to man u, losing 5-2 the last 2 seasons, I think, yet play their hearts out to beat Arsenal and Chelsea in the last 2 games. Can't stick Chelsea either, but them winning would be the lesser of two evils.

[shy_muse]

Great season for the Toon shy_muse! I was sad to see you go down last year andI'm very pleased you've swiftly returned to the PL, usually an easy 6 points for us 

 

Hi Shymuse, I reckon that Newcastle'll stay up next year, as they have great potential with their fan base, and seem a lot more stable and together team spirit wise. I always get sucked in and think England are gonna win some major trophy or other, but this time I expect nothing as I seem to think that most of the England players are over-paid show ponies, who are nowhere near the level of technical ability of the Brazilians, portugese and Spanish, but I'd love to be wrong and somehow we fluked it - it's possible, as Greece won the Euros a while back and they were rubbish

I think England's chances are good. The WC will be in winter and they have a great fan base here (yep, I'm South African  ) as everyone loves English football. A lot of Liverpool and Man united supporters we have. So I guess England will be a lot of peoples second team. Just not sure how they will cope with the altitude on the highveld. 

I do have a sneaky feeling about the Dutch though. I hope to go see them training at the nearby university. But for me, it will be either Brazil or Spain who lift the cup.

[GillLFC]

Congratulations shy_muse on winning the championship tonight! Made up for ya!

[GillLFC]

Hi 0123, at least we're 2 up. What I fear happening is that Liverpool beat Chelsea and man u win the title again, as down here there are an enormous amount of smug scum fans. Spurs always roll over to man u, losing 5-2 the last 2 seasons, I think, yet play their hearts out to beat Arsenal and Chelsea in the last 2 games. Can't stick Chelsea either, but them winning would be the lesser of two evils.

I couldn't agree more Charlie, I despise the filthy mancs but if us beating chelsea somehow would contribute in a miraculous finish in 4th and CL footy I'd bite your arm off for it, even if it meant the mancs won the league and overtook us. Liverpool come first, always. Just have to see how things pan out I suppose! Football certainly is a funny old game! Lol

[charlie1]

I couldn't agree more Charlie, I despise the filthy mancs but if us beating chelsea somehow would contribute in a miraculous finish in 4th and CL footy I'd bite your arm off for it, even if it meant the mancs won the league and overtook us. Liverpool come first, always. Just have to see how things pan out I suppose! Football certainly is a funny old game! Lol
[/quote]

Can't see us getting 4th, I reckon man city'll do it, but anything's possible. Good win tonight as west ham aren't as rubbish as their position says I don't think and they'd certainly have tried.



I think England's chances are good. The WC will be in winter and they have a great fan base here (yep, I'm South African  ) as everyone loves English football. A lot of Liverpool and Man united supporters we have. So I guess England will be a lot of peoples second team.

Hope you're right shymuse. How come you ended up supporting Newcastle if you're south African? Did you live there or just from watching premiership stuff?

[shy_muse]

Hope you're right shymuse. How come you ended up supporting Newcastle if you're south African? Did you live there or just from watching premiership stuff?

I guess I have always been someone who had peculiar interests and never really followed the crowd. I started supporting them quite a while ago, when everyone else my age supported Man U. I guess it was due to peer pressure that everyone supported the most fashionable club, but I didn't. All the 'cool' kids did, so I guess I'm pretty much anti ManU. I'm not really sure what the attraction to Newcastle was, but I have been black and white for at least 15 years now.

Yes 0123, we are the champions.  I know it's in a lower division, but at last some silverware.

[charlie1]

Shymuse, they were saying on ceefax here, how everyone wrote Newcastle off at the beginning of the season when they lost 6-0 to Leyton Orient in a pre-season friendly - amazing what confidence does, as they look pretty good now, but generally the promoted teams seem to struggle when entering the premiership. I hope they do ok though, as I always think of them as a big club, same with Leeds

[Jorden_M]

Love em both! I used to play soccer for my high school. As far as football goes...can anyone say superbowl parties!?! Lol. I don't really watch soccer tho.

[shy_muse]

Yeah charlie confidence is everything, and I do hope they have a good first season back in the Prem. I hope Liverpool will win the Europa League, but I still think Benitez is on his way to Juve.

Hey Jorden, can't say I know much about football (American) that is. Actually I don't have the slightest clue how it's played. Maybe I'll learn someday.

[Jorden_M]

Lol its not that hard to understand when you've watched it a few times. You can always look it up and learn that way! :) its quite addicting.

[charlie1]

Hi Jorden, I don't know much about American football either, though I have watched it when they had it on channel 4 - the highlights were ok, but real matches dragged on too long for my liking.

Hi Shymuse, I've just watched the first leg of the semi final against athletico and Liverpool didn't have a proper shot on target the whole game, though I suppose 1-0 isn't too bad a result as they didn't seem any good either. No away goal could be costly, if they score at anfield, Liverpool will need 3.

[shy_muse]

Hey charlie. Guess your prediction came true. I did watch the game and I can say Liv played well. But I guess it's the way European football goes. Just don't beat Chelsea. 

[charlie1]

Hey charlie. Guess your prediction came true. I did watch the game and I can say Liv played well. But I guess it's the way European football goes. Just don't beat Chelsea. 

Away goals are massively important in European football and I couldn't understand how Liverpool showed so little real enterprise and enthusiasm in the first leg, they didn't have a single real shot on target IMO. At the end of the day, it's results that matter though rather than style, just look how inter put Barca out. With Man city and spurs winning today, it would need a miracle for Liverpool to get 4th now. Liverpool beating Chelsea, and sunderland beating the scum would be my ideal result, but neither will happen as Kuyt, Ngog, El Zhar, Babel and Lucas are all totally inneffectual, and Steve Bruce will give his Sunderland boys their orders to lose, as he's ex man U.