The Euros

[The Dude 20,026]

2 minutes ago, BLUEDIGNITY said:

In some cases getting to look that way.

name names. Do you mean the ones who were cheering on self-confessed IRA supporter Declan Rice? I think you do. James McLean likes the IRA as well.

[STEPPS BOY 73,890]

6 minutes ago, The Dude said:

I'd suggest one would be a far more technical game than the other and less of a 'avoid defeat at all costs' shitshow.

Five of the last 10 CLs have been won by Spanish teams, three by English.

7 of the last 10 ELs have been won by Spanish sides, three by English.

Of the top teams in Spain, this is the worst Barcelona and Real Madrid teams that i can remember for years. Chelsea Dispatched Atletico and Real Madrid in CL pretty comfortably this season

Again, these so called technical games can be just as boring as the avoid defeats at all costs games.

[STEPPS BOY 73,890]

5 minutes ago, ger4life_1872 said:

Is it not gonna be roasting ? Prob have more of an effect on England 

Yeah but in this day and age with Sports Scientists is that really a big issue?

[berkshirebear 2,771]

2 minutes ago, The Dude said:

name names. Do you mean the ones who were cheering on self-confessed IRA supporter Declan Rice? I think you do. James McLean likes the IRA as well.

Are you saying people cant grow and develop? Rice might have have wrote something stupid as a wee boy but who hasnt?? 

[Pure_Quality 3,295]

4 minutes ago, The Dude said:

They would but the games themselves tend to me more technical and entertaining than ones down the lower end of the PL where it is avoid defeat at all costs and just park the bus.

I get what you are saying mate but I disagree. I've been lucky, and unlucky if you'd think, due to work and holidays to be down in a few places to watch the game and a big boot up the park is not uncommon below the elite teams

[The Dude 20,026]

1 minute ago, berkshirebear said:

Are you saying people cant grow and develop? Rice might have have wrote something stupid as a wee boy but who hasnt?? 

Can't say I've ever shown my support for terrorists on social media.

[The Dude 20,026]

1 minute ago, Pure_Quality said:

I get what you are saying mate but I disagree. I've been lucky, and unlucky if you'd think, due to work and holidays to be down in a few places to watch the game and a big boot up the park is not uncommon below the elite teams

Big boots up the park happen everywhere, I just think the overall standard of football is of a higher level across the entire of La Liga (and probably Bundesliga) is better than the PL.

[ForeverAndEver 71,464]

34 minutes ago, The Dude said:

Croatia were WC finalists

Greece won the Euros

Portugal won the Euros

Wales reached the semis

Denmark reached the semis.

Netherlands reached the WC semis.

None of those are top-tier international teams. Only two of them iirc had the benefit of playing nearly all their games at home too (England and Denmark)

England atm, are quite clearly a top tier international team, and are still ridiculously young.

[King Jela 20,361]

8 minutes ago, berkshirebear said:

Are you saying people cant grow and develop? Rice might have have wrote something stupid as a wee boy but who hasnt?? 

Fucking hell 

Aye and Aiden McGeady might regret picking Ireland 'cause he was a daft, young boy when made the switch 🙄 he might have developed since then....

[folkestoneger 8,132]

8 minutes ago, The Dude said:

Big boots up the park happen everywhere, I just think the overall standard of football is of a higher level across the entire of La Liga (and probably Bundesliga) is better than the PL.

I get what you are saying but the EPL has improved through the mass import of high class foreign players due to the stupid money thrown at it.

In some ways it combines a decent level of skill and some old fashioned blood and thunder that makes it attractive to watch.

Like you I have thought throughout that England have not been as good as some seemed to think but imo they did better than expected, helped by the luck of the draw. If Southgate stopped being so conservative they could be a good side.

[BLUEDIGNITY 33,647]

12 minutes ago, The Dude said:

name names. Do you mean the ones who were cheering on self-confessed IRA supporter Declan Rice? I think you do. James McLean likes the IRA as well.

james is just misunderstood

[The Dude 20,026]

4 minutes ago, ForeverAndEver said:

England atm, are quite clearly a top tier international team, and are still ridiculously young.

They aren't though. They've reached a semi and a final in quarter of a century. They reached a final by playing one good team and playing 6 of 7 games at home. They might well become on in the next few years but they aren't there yet.

[Bluekev 43,836]

1 hour ago, The Dude said:

Like this guy?

You keep bringing that up but Scotland are managed by a man who said he's glad his kids are English so they don't have to put up with the sectarian nonsense that apparently only Rangers fans spout and then failed to condemn the sectarian abuse aimed towards his own players. 

[ayro 3,000]

2 minutes ago, ForeverAndEver said:

England atm, are quite clearly a top tier international team, and are still ridiculously young.

I think their biggest problem is quite similar to the era of Gerrard, Lampard, Scholes where they couldn’t get the balance right for the sake of the team as Saka, Sancho, Mount, Foden, Grealish are very good players.

I don’t think Southgate is a bad manager but don’t think he is attack minded enough to get the best mix of the creative talent at his disposal.

[The Dude 20,026]

1 minute ago, BLUEDIGNITY said:

james is just misunderstood

Give him some time to grow and develop.

[The Dude 20,026]

Just now, Bluekev said:

You keep bringing that up but Scotland are managed by a man who said he's glad his kids are English so they don't have to put up with the sectarian nonsense that apparently only Rangers fans spout and then failed to condemn the sectarianism abuse aimed towards his own players. 

That's not close to what he said though.

[Pure_Quality 3,295]

12 minutes ago, The Dude said:

Big boots up the park happen everywhere, I just think the overall standard of football is of a higher level across the entire of La Liga (and probably Bundesliga) is better than the PL.

Aye you're probably right, it was Hertha, Las Palmas, Tenerife and Hajduk Split I've seen

[BLUEDIGNITY 33,647]

1 minute ago, The Dude said:

Give him some time to grow and develop.

It’s the kids you’ve got feel sorry for but that feeling will only last until they grow up the same as him.

[Bluekev 43,836]

2 minutes ago, The Dude said:

That's not close to what he said though.

https://amp.theguardian.com/football/2019/feb/20/kilmarnock-steve-clarke-rangers-scottish-cup-sectarian-abuse

[The Dude 20,026]

1 minute ago, Bluekev said:

https://amp.theguardian.com/football/2019/feb/20/kilmarnock-steve-clarke-rangers-scottish-cup-sectarian-abuse

So where is he saying it is only Rangers fans who spout sectarianism in there?

[ForeverAndEver 71,464]

2 minutes ago, The Dude said:

They aren't though. They've reached a semi and a final in quarter of a century. They reached a final by playing one good team and playing 6 of 7 games at home. They might well become on in the next few years but they aren't there yet.

They are though, they are in the top tier of international teams at this moment in time. 

[Bluekev 43,836]

Just now, The Dude said:

So where is he saying it is only Rangers fans who spout sectarianism in there?

Did he condemn it when his own players were abused?

[ger4life_1872 29,454]

19 minutes ago, STEPPS BOY said:

Yeah but in this day and age with Sports Scientists is that really a big issue?

Not as big an issue anymore but still has an effect imo , teams that played in Baku looked tired in their next game , that could just be with the travelling though I suppose rather than the heat

[graeme_4 34,441]

38 minutes ago, The Dude said:

Is it though? Take out the top six sides and it is utter shite. Watford v Brighton doesn't really excite tbh nor is it likely to be a particularly enjoyable game.

It’s overhyped, but the top 6ish continuously do well in Europe.

Every league has its shitey teams, I think what Sky did (for a while, maybe not so much anymore) was convince you that even the shite teams were must see. 

[Dennis Reynolds 1,329]

If England aren't a top tier nation at the moment it is a pretty exclusive club who is, can't really make a case for Germany or Spain based on recent results, France and that's about it and even then....