Don’t worry my American friend. Keep trying and you’ll get there. 
Watched it in the pub.
Our shaky start lasted just long enough for the Palace fans next to me to start getting mouthy, but that was quickly silenced when the goals started rolling in.
How many goals short of Wright’s record is Theirry now? Can’t be that many…
Gunners looked good…against Palace, but I think that just highlights how disappointing they have been for the bigger games.
While we are at it, any footie book recommendations. What I have already rad ar:
Fever Pitch by Nick Hornsby - classic, brilliant, funny.
Mircale of Castel di Sangro by Joe McGinnis- any American writer observes a recently promoted Seria A team against the odds.
The Glory Game by Hunter Davies - The author was allowed access to the 1971-72 Tottenham Hotspurs squad. On eof ht efirst behind-the-scenes look at one of England’s most successful clubs (at the time).
Offside: Soccer and American Exceptionalism by Andrei S. Markovits, Steven L. Hellerman - Fairly academic treatise that tries to examine why the USA, almost on it’s own, is not enamoured with the beautiful game.
Currently on order from Amazon:
The Far Corner by Harry Pearson
Hillsborough: The Truth by Phil Scraton
Holy guacamole, those are some atrocious typos. I was so concentrating on the coding…
Read it - very good. But if I remember correctly, Castel di Sangro got promoted from Seria C to Seria B, and the book chronicled the team’s attempt to stay in Seria B. I could be wrong, though. I did enjoy the insight into calcio politics - i.e. the players “taking a dive”, so to speak, at the end of the season.
I have this one, too; but I haven’t had a chance to read it fully.
A good one I read was Manchester Unlimited - chronicled the behind the scenes machinations of how the team was able to ward-off Rupert Murdoch’s attempt to buy the team (via SkySports). It also included invaluable background on the history of the club, and how Man U. evolved into the richest and most profitable club in the world.
Now that you metnion it I believe you are right, they were never playing the likes of Juve or Inter.
I see the problem. When someone writes that the U.S. is improving a lot, you’re reading a claim of “11 Peles”. When someone claims that the U.S. is a legitimate top 20 team, you’re hearing a claim that they’re a “major power”. Either you’re building straw men or your own hold on reality is a bit tenuous.
Two different things are being touched on. One, whether the USA produces good individual players. Consensus: not many. Two, whether the USA national team is a top 20 team. Consensus: probably.
Back in the 80s/early 90s, when Wimbledon were a power in the First Division, the whole was similarly greater than the sum of the parts. How many Dons went on to greater things when they were sold on to big clubs?
Vinnie Jones (Leeds, Chelsea?)
Dave Beasant (everywhere)
Sullivan (ex Tottenham goalie)
John Fashanu (wherever he went)
Robbie Earle (ditto)
Warren Barton (Newcastle)
Dennis Wise (Chelsea) - okay, he wasn’t bad
Dean Holdsworth (Bolton)
Nigel Winterburn (Arsenal) - he did well (but got away early)
Technique - at pace - is getting more important as fitness levels even out. That’s why England have no chance until they ditch donkeys like Beckham.
Mr Octopus, despite your casting of aspersions on the might of Palace I will offer one book:
A Season With Verona by Tim Parks
It’s on my list and got tremendous reviews.
Anyone got any opinions on the fact that mondays Plumsread team (and squad) didn’t feature a single English (or British player, or any yanks!), or the fact that David Dein (Arse supremo) lobbied UEFA against the forthcoming requirement that a portion of any team be indiginous or at least home-grown?
I’d say what I thought, but to be fair to the nomadic luggage-stealing, porn-smuggling, krugerand burying, drink driving, sexcases at N I better not!
I had thought that there might have been a bit of reaction to this. What’s the general sentiment over there?
It’s not big deal as Cole (until the summer) and that other fellah who’s name I can never remember, would normally play. However there is rather more disquiet about Dein’s apparent conflict of interest within the FA.
For myself I like the fact that my team have a large british/Irish presence (I count ireland as British in a football sense). I would obviously be happy with a viera or Henry in thhe team - but a Cygan or Edu? Not so pleased.
I’m sure my Irish freinds will agree.
Maybe the rumors of a Owen-Reyes swap will happen and then Arsenal will have a hefty three English first-teamers.
I have absolutely no issue with an entirely foreign side playing in the premiership, I just can’t see the problem. The world is moving toward greater mobility and that is no bad thing.
I think in addition that any kind of quota system is likely to be shot down by the EU at least in so far as it applies to EU players. This has already happened once in The Bosman case. and I fail to see how the current proposals are any more likely to get a pass, footbal clubs are businesses, players are employees, there are rules.
If it is felt to be desirable perhaps a salary cap approach might make clubs treat the traditionally cheaper youth academy route as a more common method of player recruitment than simply buying a ready made squad from abroad? Personally I think salary caps would make the game better by increasing the number of teams who could realistically win the major leagues, with a corresponding increase in interest from the fans (at least in theory). American football is a good example of this working well.
Salary caps would simply not work. We used to have a maximum wage, and everyone used to break it. Also they are restraint of trade and wouldn’t be allowed under British or EU law.
What UEFA are proposing is that a certain number of players have to be developed by the club - not just bought. As far as I am aware they can be from anywhere in the EU but must be Academy products. This gets round the EU’s freedom of movement laws. I’m generally in favour of this, but can see the insane bidding wars transferring their attention to 15 year old belgians.
Exactly. Any quota would violate the free movement of workers in the EU. The Court of Justice would definetly strike it down. So to all those who don’t like the all foriegn side, you can’t do anything about it (unless you can convince the EU to issue a directive exempting football from the rules, the chances of which are slim to none).
No we can’t stop an all foreign side, but we can make it less likely. If (as is propsed) at least four of the team (or maybe it’s the squad) have to be academy boys then that makes it more likely that they will be local.
There are rules about travelling to academies (from memory you can’t be further than 90 minutes away by car), so the boys have to live in the general area, no matter where they hail from in the first place. Given that clubs aren’t going to be too keen on shipping foreign lads accross the continent, it means that they will have to look a bit closer to home.
The big fuss here is that the head Arse man - david Dein - is, as well as being top Arse, a member of the FA council and has been lobbying UEFA against this proposal - despite it being FA policy - ie he’s putting the Gillespie Rd vagabonds ahead of his FA job. Which given their history of bribing their way into the leagues in the first place should come as no suprise.
Seriously, if you keep focusing on the “rankings” you won’t even make it as a barstooler. There’s nothing lower than a want-to-be barstooler. The US has certainly improved but one good world cup does not make them a superpower in world football. Four years earlier they were utter crap. They were, perhaps, the worst team in France so don’t get too high on your laurels just yet. The WC qualification process doesn’t do you any favours either. Other than Mexico, you are never really challenged in the qualification process which isn’t a good thing. Friendlies are not the same due to mass substitutions and the fact that most teams just don’t try that hard. Ireland are having a great run of friendlies at the moment but that doesn’t mean we are going to be able to qualify for Germany (March 26 is a big game for us).
Beating the likes of Triniad and Tobago is not going to help you gear up for an Argentina or even a Croatia. The US isn’t a bad team but it’s a second tier team at best. It’s probably in the middle of the apck of the second tiers behind the likes of Ireland.
As an aside, anyone who has watched Ireland over the past two years would know that we no longer play “British Football”. We actually pass the ball and create goals without lumping it up to Wayne Rooney. Also, it’s the Western European Isles. Don’t know where this British Isles nonsense came from.
As for the MLS while the quality is good it isn’t anywhere near European levels yet. The Dutch league is the 5th or 6th best in Europe and Beasley isn’t exactly lighting it up. Donavon still has to prove himself and, other than Reyna, no US outfield player has really established himself in a top European league. The MLS is taking players like Richie Baker from Shelbourne in Ireland and Ronnie O’Brien from Aberdeen so no, it isn’t a top league and isn’t going to be one anytime soon.
Good points generally but the reason that you don’t just hoof it like you used to (To mr Quinn’s Disco pants) is that Robbie Keane’s a titch! (albeit one I’m fond of - although I think he’s on his way in the summer). You’d kill to have a Wayne Rooney!
I also think of Ireland as British in football terms as all it’s players play here and always have (and probably always will - I can’t see he Irish league getting big enough to hold onto Irish talent)
Oh I agree but I was just giving you some abuse.
Niall Quinn’s Disco Pants are the best
They go from his ankles to his chest
Their even better than Adam and the Ants
Niall Quinn’s Disco Pants.
We’re playing a better style of football under Kerr and we seem to be getting by without resorting to a big man up front (not that we have any other than Alan Lee). Would love to have had Rooney. Allegedly he could have qualified under the grandparents rule.