• We'd like to take this opportunity to wish you a Happy Holidays and a very Merry Christmas from all at Golf Monthly. Thank you for sharing your 2025 with us!

The Footie Thread

  • Thread starter Thread starter Deleted member 15344
  • Start date Start date
clubchamp98 said:
That might sound good but it’s every game .
That can’t be good for the players.
I see your point but they are competitive sports men.
Click to expand...
Perhaps you don't get the mentality as an Englishman. As an England fan, you always go into every game hoping for, if not expecting a win. You feel you are good enough, or should be good enough, to challenge for silverware, and therefore your expectations are high. Anything less is a disappointment.

Coming from Northern Ireland, we have a completely different expectation. Yes, clearly we are not as bad as San Marino, but we know we have nowhere near the quality of many bigger nations. We don't necessarily enjoy defeat, but we are not overly frustrated or angered by it. We give everything in singing and supporting the team through thick and thin, and don't let setbacks or conceded goals bring us down. For me, the best times of my life are going away to support N Ireland, because no matter what it is a great party. Last night we probably celebrated a 0-0 draw against Italy more than England celebrated winning a Euro semi final.

With San Marino, there is no expectation of winning, no matter how competitive the players feel. However, if they were to lose 3 or 4 nil, they way well be bouncing with excitement. They don't play England every week, in the next qualifying tournament they will likely have a completely different top side in their group. They'll also have some other lesser sides in the group. Just doing a quick google to see if I could find any feedback from San Marino players, and they suggest they get "really excited" about playing the best teams.
 
Why stop at San Marino? Why not just invite the top 8 European teams to play the top 8 South American teams.

After all, if we’re honest, no other team outside those 16 will win the World Cup.:rolleyes:
 
pauldj42 said:
Why stop at San Marino? Why not just invite the top 8 European teams to play the top 8 South American teams.

After all, if we’re honest, no other team outside those 16 will win the World Cup.:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Invite every single team in the world for the world cup

Straight knock out like the FA cup

Sod the group stage

You either play well or go home
 
Swango1980 said:
Perhaps you don't get the mentality as an Englishman. As an England fan, you always go into every game hoping for, if not expecting a win. You feel you are good enough, or should be good enough, to challenge for silverware, and therefore your expectations are high. Anything less is a disappointment.

Coming from Northern Ireland, we have a completely different expectation. Yes, clearly we are not as bad as San Marino, but we know we have nowhere near the quality of many bigger nations. We don't necessarily enjoy defeat, but we are not overly frustrated or angered by it. We give everything in singing and supporting the team through thick and thin, and don't let setbacks or conceded goals bring us down. For me, the best times of my life are going away to support N Ireland, because no matter what it is a great party. Last night we probably celebrated a 0-0 draw against Italy more than England celebrated winning a Euro semi final.

With San Marino, there is no expectation of winning, no matter how competitive the players feel. However, if they were to lose 3 or 4 nil, they way well be bouncing with excitement. They don't play England every week, in the next qualifying tournament they will likely have a completely different top side in their group. They'll also have some other lesser sides in the group. Just doing a quick google to see if I could find any feedback from San Marino players, and they suggest they get "really excited" about playing the best teams.
Click to expand...
Yes I do get your point.
When I was playing I always enjoyed the games we won by a single goal the most.
The battle with the CF ,great midfield play !
That was missing last night as it looked like a training game attack against defence ( not a very good one at that)
Beating someone 10-0 dosnt do anything for me.

But It’s the World Cup and they are entitled to their moment in the spotlight .
But I would rather win 1-0 in a tight game than watch that last night.
But as you say if their players / supporters enjoy it that’s great.
 
pauljames87 said:
Invite every single team in the world for the world cup

Straight knock out like the FA cup

Sod the group stage

You either play well or go home
Click to expand...
But surely all that wouldn’t increase the chances of these minor teams winning the WC? All it may do is provide the odd random result.
 
pauldj42 said:
But surely all that wouldn’t increase the chances of these minor teams winning the WC? All it may do is provide the odd random result.
Click to expand...

These minor teams won't win the world cup ever let's be honest however it would get all teams the chance of playing at the world cup rather than San Marino never making a world cup finals

You may get the odd results however a team could set up different tactics (defensive like England for example) and nick 1-0s all way to final and spice it up a bit
 
pauljames87 said:
These minor teams won't win the world cup ever let's be honest however it would get all teams the chance of playing at the world cup rather than San Marino never making a world cup finals

You may get the odd results however a team could set up different tactics (defensive like England for example) and nick 1-0s all way to final and spice it up a bit
Click to expand...
The point is, imo, we have no right to say who should and shouldn’t be allowed to enter the qualifying stages for a WC.

San Marino know their level and still choose to enter. Good luck to them.
 
pauldj42 said:
Why stop at San Marino? Why not just invite the top 8 European teams to play the top 8 South American teams.

After all, if we’re honest, no other team outside those 16 will win the World Cup.:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

With the the carbon footprint in mind, just invite Argentina, Germany,Italy and Brazil. Only them 4 win it anyway??
 
Some of the people on here have very short memories. Have you all forgotten the utter dross England have served up over the years under Hodgson,Southgate,Capello,Sven etc??

In reality, it's been no better than what San Marino produced last night with players 10x the ability.
 
That’s what the world ranking are for !
Do it like the FA cup so the big teams don’t travel all around playing teams and winning 10-0.
Top 20 don’t play until latter stages.
 
Is there a bigger picture to look at with regards funding and developing the less successful nations rather than ostracising them. Sadly, I suspect it is like asking Turkeys to vote for Xmas, asking the bigger footballing nations to help another nation challenge for their world cup squad. Sadly been seeing the same thing in rugby, bigger nations keeping the smaller nations down so as they can cherry pick their prime young talent for the future (particularly the Southern Hemisphere teams mining the pacific islands).
 
GB72 said:
Is there a bigger picture to look at with regards funding and developing the less successful nations rather than ostracising them. Sadly, I suspect it is like asking Turkeys to vote for Xmas, asking the bigger footballing nations to help another nation challenge for their world cup squad. Sadly been seeing the same thing in rugby, bigger nations keeping the smaller nations down so as they can cherry pick their prime young talent for the future (particularly the Southern Hemisphere teams mining the pacific islands).
Click to expand...
I don't think funding is San Marino's problem, more the fact their population is less than you can fit in most Premier League grounds.
 
Last edited:
Liverpoolphil said:
If the smaller nations don’t play the larger nations in these qualifiers then they simply wouldnt exist

The money they get from these matches keeps the FA of those countries going each year

It’s starts to get a bit like snobbery if nations suddenly start to deem other nations not good enough to play the bigger nations.

There is no hardship on the likes of England etc to play these nations

Remember the Faroe Island beating Austria or Liechtenstein getting a draw against Ireland
Click to expand...

It wasn't that long ago that Iceland were a nation of whipping-boys....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Hobbit
Another footie thread
2
Replies
36
Views
661
WorldHandicapSystem
W
road2ruin
Fantasy Footie 25/26
2 3 4
Replies
67
Views
3K
4LEX
4
SwingsitlikeHogan
Rental Rights Act
2
Replies
24
Views
1K
jim8flog
jim8flog
jim8flog
Golf or football
2
Replies
33
Views
5K
Voyager EMH
Voyager EMH
SaintHacker
The EFL Thread
33 34 35
Replies
685
Views
45K
Lucifer MorningStar
Lucifer MorningStar
Top