The Footie Thread

[Swango1980]

All he has to do is batter Ireland and Finland and the job's his.

Na. A couple of 1-0 wins should be good enough for the FA to get excited.

 

[SteveW86]

Definitely not Gerrard or Lampard for me.

We could appoint them as joint manager and continue the trend of trying to fit them both into the same position.

 

[Orikoru]

It’s not a bad way to work- that’s what Spain did , promote the guy that’s worked with the younger players

Has he though? He got the under-21 gig in 2021. Bellingham only played 4 times for the U21, all before then in 2020. Foden left the U21s in 2019. Our best players seem to have bypassed the under-21s or been promoted before Carsley took over. Gordon and Palmer will be praying he gets the gig though as they played numerous times for Carsley. Even Branthwaite surprisingly only has 6 U21 caps. Mainoo doesn't have any, he's skipped it entirely.

 

[Hobbit]

That old argument. Greedy players and agents. What you really mean is people trying to maximize their value, like people try and do in every walk of life. Let's not pretend that if any of us were footballers, we wouldn't be trying to maximise our income, and instead being very charitable, undervaluing ourselves and just happy to play football for the love of the game. That if we were the star of the team, we'd be happy continuing to earn £40,000 a week whilst many of our average team mates are earning over £200,000 a week.

Players and agents earn that money, because they are in such a position that money floods into their industry. Broadcasters throw billions their way, because people like us buy Sky Sports, and advertisers pay loads to reach out to us. I've no idea how much money a club earns through selling shirts, relative to their other incomings. But, clearly many millions of people out there still buy the club shirts. So, in that sense, they are not over-priced, as clearly enough people buy them. Of course, we all have a choice. We have no requirement that we must buy them. Personally, I don't argue about the price of the shirts, I'm just happy not to buy one without worrying too much about it.

It’s called price gouging, and it’s immoral. Once upon a time we would take the boys to matches. When it reached £120 just for the tickets, then there was the hot dogs, drinks, programmes and parking we kicked it into touch.

 

[Pin-seeker]

It’s ok saying if you don’t want the shirt don’t buy it.
Try telling that to a child when all their mates have it.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Has he though? He got the under-21 gig in 2021. Bellingham only played 4 times for the U21, all before then in 2020. Foden left the U21s in 2019. Our best players seem to have bypassed the under-21s or been promoted before Carsley took over. Gordon and Palmer will be praying he gets the gig though as they played numerous times for Carsley. Even Branthwaite surprisingly only has 6 U21 caps. Mainoo doesn't have any, he's skipped it entirely.

There are plenty of younger players coming through and the squad that won last year is full of players playing week in week out now

Trafford
Colwill
Branthwaite
Gordon
Palmer
Ramsey
Smith Rowe
Elliot
Jones


A good number more

 

[PaulMdj]

Has he though? He got the under-21 gig in 2021. Bellingham only played 4 times for the U21, all before then in 2020. Foden left the U21s in 2019. Our best players seem to have bypassed the under-21s or been promoted before Carsley took over. Gordon and Palmer will be praying he gets the gig though as they played numerous times for Carsley. Even Branthwaite surprisingly only has 6 U21 caps. Mainoo doesn't have any, he's skipped it entirely.

It’s more about the systems and continuity, style of play etc.

Carsley has been working with Southgate and the coach’s below.

 

[Fade and Die]

How do you tell the difference between a good and bad one. Both might look the same and one might shrink or lose colour after a couple of washes?

I’ve always bought from here and they have been perfect…

https://www.dhgate.com/product/24-25-whu-soccer-jerseys-antonio-2024-2025/1001567344.html?dspm=wapen.sp.yml.6.dFA7xhh8uXQuk7ZHT9E2&resource_id=1001567344&scm_id=rec.yml..._wapspyml_1to2_wapspyml_r8_2001_null_greenScreenFlag_0.0_1001567344__.#wapspyml-6-5%7Cnull::r2890480334

@Hobbit remove if not allowed.

 

[Beezerk]

It’s more about the systems and continuity, style of play etc.

Carsley has been working with Southgate and the coach’s below.

For that reason alone please no

 

[Swango1980]

It’s ok saying if you don’t want the shirt don’t buy it.
Try telling that to a child when all their mates have it.

The same goes for Playstation 5's, a new bike or whatever branded craze their mates are all over.

If you are a parent, there are going to probably be many many occasions you are going to have to give your kid(s) some tough news.

When I was a kid, my mum could never afford to buy me an official top, and that was late 80's, early 90's. I ended up getting one of those plane shirts, that you need to stitch the badge on. And, in all honesty, I never kicked off about it. I was able to enjoy my life as a kid just as much as I would have done if I got the official top.

 

[Hobbit]

It’s more about the systems and continuity, style of play etc.

Carsley has been working with Southgate and the coach’s below.

If Carsley has been working with Southgate, bringing players through in the Southgate style, surely that is a reason to look elsewhere?

 

[PaulMdj]

If Carsley has been working with Southgate, bringing players through in the Southgate style, surely that is a reason to look elsewhere?

Really depends, if the style is “the press” which we keep getting told is how all the top teams play, then maybe Carsley csn work it better.

Alternative is a different style under a new manager and that’s re-inventing the wheel at all levels.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

If Carsley has been working with Southgate, bringing players through in the Southgate style, surely that is a reason to look elsewhere?

Thankfully the under 21’s played a different style

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Has he though? He got the under-21 gig in 2021. Bellingham only played 4 times for the U21, all before then in 2020. Foden left the U21s in 2019. Our best players seem to have bypassed the under-21s or been promoted before Carsley took over. Gordon and Palmer will be praying he gets the gig though as they played numerous times for Carsley. Even Branthwaite surprisingly only has 6 U21 caps. Mainoo doesn't have any, he's skipped it entirely.

I know there will be a list of players that have appeared to support the argument but if Carsley were to get it he would need a lot of support, at least initially and I don't know who would be best to do that. Do we get a "director of football" and at what point does their role end and that could end up with blurred lines. I wonder if the FA have already been succession planning behind the scenes (that would be a first)

 

[Orikoru]

There are plenty of younger players coming through and the squad that won last year is full of players playing week in week out now

Trafford
Colwill
Branthwaite
Gordon
Palmer
Ramsey
Smith Rowe
Elliot
Jones


A good number more

Not gonna pick apart the list because most of them are fair, but Smith-Rowe? The lad's 23 already and I can't see him getting near the England side, he's already been surpassed by younger players.

As I mentioned, it would be good for Palmer and Gordon no doubt, and Branthwaite & Trafford potentially. But I think the positive side of appointing your under-21 coach is overstated a little bit, that's all. It seems like it will benefit a small handful of players but be mostly irrelevant to the bulk of the side.

 

[Swango1980]

Not gonna pick apart the list because most of them are fair, but Smith-Rowe? The lad's 23 already and I can't see him getting near the England side, he's already been surpassed by younger players.

As I mentioned, it would be good for Palmer and Gordon no doubt, and Branthwaite & Trafford potentially. But I think the positive side of appointing your under-21 coach is overstated a little bit, that's all. It seems like it will benefit a small handful of players but be mostly irrelevant to the bulk of the side.

Agree there. The full international side can potentially include players ranging from 17/18 to potentially 35ish. Easily an age range of 15+ years. So, how much of a benefit is there employing a coach who will already have a relationship within a 2/3 year age range?

I think a better plan is just to employ a good football coach, who is a good man manager of all players that can potentially make the side.

 

[Orikoru]

Agree there. The full international side can potentially include players ranging from 17/18 to potentially 35ish. Easily an age range of 15+ years. So, how much of a benefit is there employing a coach who will already have a relationship within a 2/3 year age range?

I think a better plan is just to employ a good football coach, who is a good man manager of all players that can potentially make the side.

It would make more sense if we ensured our young players always do a stint in the under-21s first, but as I mentioned earlier, that doesn't happen - the best players get hyped up and fast-tracked into the full team anyway. e.g. Mainoo.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Not gonna pick apart the list because most of them are fair, but Smith-Rowe? The lad's 23 already and I can't see him getting near the England side, he's already been surpassed by younger players.

As I mentioned, it would be good for Palmer and Gordon no doubt, and Branthwaite & Trafford potentially. But I think the positive side of appointing your under-21 coach is overstated a little bit, that's all. It seems like it will benefit a small handful of players but be mostly irrelevant to the bulk of the side.

It will always be hit and miss with youngsters coming through - Smith Rowe was superb the season before but didn’t play much last season - think he already has 4 caps

But it’s more about the continuity

All the teams should be playing the same style of football ( how clubs work )

The under 18 , 21 and main squad should be playing the same brand so that players can move up levels and fit easier

The youth teams play a more high line pressing front foot style - the same as whah a lot of the Prem sides do

But the main squad play a totally different style

Carsley i would expect to be putting that style into the main squad as well

If not him but whoever comes in - the main squad dictate the style and then all the teams below follow

England haven’t been doing that , it’s a model that Germany , Spain etc have followed

And a lot of it comes down to being afraid of losing - any new manager needs change the mindset

Carsleys U21’s played with out fear beating some of the best nations without conceding a goal - when it came to the final against Spain they changed a little but battled well under pressure and got the win

 

[Billysboots]

Southgate for me will be remembered as a thoroughly decent, articulate fella. A safe pair of hands. But always too conservative to make the best of the wonderful talent he has had at his disposal.

The next manager, if chosen correctly, has the foundations to secure a decade of success. But the FA has to go for someone who can take the squad to that next level. More of the same would be a cardinal sin.

And before anyone asks, no, I don’t know who that will be. Nobody leaps out. Just as they didn’t when United were allegedly looking to replace ten Hag.

 

[Swango1980]

Southgate for me will be remembered as a thoroughly decent, articulate fella. A safe pair of hands. But always too conservative to make the best of the wonderful talent he has had at his disposal.

The next manager, if chosen correctly, has the foundations to secure a decade of success. But the FA has to go for someone who can take the squad to that next level. More of the same would be a cardinal sin.

And before anyone asks, no, I don’t know who that will be. Nobody leaps out. Just as they didn’t when United were allegedly looking to replace ten Hag.

Would be great to see Ron Atkinson make a comeback