The Footie Thread

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3offTheTee

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Gutted for Robert Lewandowski. Played the best football of his career in the last two years but doesn't have the worldwide gravitas that the other "names" have and thus misses out. I fear he has missed the boat and unjustly so.


Just a bit of irrelevant information but Lewandowski nearly signed for “The Once Mighty Rovers” in 2010 when Big Sam was in charge. The ash cloud in Iceland prevented him from travelling and as they say, the rest is history!

But speaking in 2017, Lewandowski said: "I could not fly to Blackburn because of the volcano but I wanted to go there just to see what the club is like because I didn't know back then where I was going because if I travelled there, I would then know which is the best club for me.
 

Bdill93

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I can't speak for those that attend the games week in week out, though I've heard plenty of criticism from those that attend matches. Whether that is still the case, or game going fans agree with you is not for me to say.

But, the so called "arm chair fan" is key to the game, in that it is them that are making TV companies spend billions on the game, and in return opening the game to many more people that would never get a chance to go and see a game. So, it is crucial that VAR does not dampen their emotional attachment to the game. If it just starts becoming more sterile, there will become a point it will be difficult to entice more people to the game. It is not just VAR I'd add, there are probably other factors as well, such as changing of the rules and rewarding players that fall over under minimal contact (which there seems to be a philosophy of doing that less this season by officials)

And overseas fans too! Lets not forget the BILLIONS that are made from TV rights abroad who are just "football fans" without any real links to teams.

I still think getting all decisions right is important, but you are right - it cant impede the game, it must compliment it.

I feel VAR came in too early, too unproven and was rushed. In future id hope they test things for a season in the background before implementing directly into the league.
 

DanFST

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But, the so called "arm chair fan" is key to the game, in that it is them that are making TV companies spend billions on the game, and in return opening the game to many more people that would never get a chance to go and see a game.

Heavy disagree. I only care for West Ham, but I'll watch any game that's televised if i'm free. I would hazard a guess most people do. Pubs/ businesses just buy licenses and rights for each tv for the season, not per game/team. The arm chair fan contributes almost nothing.

There is absolutely no reason not to try and go to a game or two a season, unless you can't be bothered making an effort or it being a priority. Supporters clubs, forums, cup games there is always a way. There are thousands of fans coming from all corners of the globe each week. I'm not sure about @Bdill93 but most actual supporters I know get annoyed by armchairs/twitter idiots sense of importance and to the extreme could care less if games were even televised.

(EDIT: Actually TV is incredibly annoying as games get moved, especially near xmas)
 
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Bdill93

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Heavy disagree. I only care for West Ham, but I'll watch any game that's televised if i'm free. I would hazard a guess most people do. Pubs/ businesses just buy licenses and rights for each tv for the season, not per game/team. The arm chair fan contributes almost nothing.

There is absolutely no reason not to try and go to a game or two a season, unless you can't be bothered making an effort or it being a priority. Supporters clubs, forums, cup games there is always a way. There are thousands of fans coming from all corners of the globe each week. I'm not sure about @Bdill93 but most actual supporters I know get annoyed by armchairs/twitter idiots sense of importance and to the extreme could care less if games were even televised.

I get annoyed by them but accept that money talks in football.

Football twitter is a world of its own :ROFLMAO: Clubs seem to react more to social media opinion these days though - many fans I know werent calling for Dean Smiths head just yet - the twitter fans were and they got their way.
 
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Heavy disagree. I only care for West Ham, but I'll watch any game that's televised if i'm free. I would hazard a guess most people do. Pubs/ businesses just buy licenses and rights for each tv for the season, not per game/team. The arm chair fan contributes almost nothing.

There is absolutely no reason not to try and go to a game or two a season, unless you can't be bothered making an effort or it being a priority. Supporters clubs, forums, cup games there is always a way. There are thousands of fans coming from all corners of the globe each week. I'm not sure about @Bdill93 but most actual supporters I know get annoyed by armchairs/twitter idiots sense of importance and to the extreme could care less if games were even televised.

(EDIT: Actually TV is incredibly annoying as games get moved, especially near xmas)
Absolute nonsense, The big Clubs have admitted they can play behind closed doors and still make a profit.
Are you saying fans in the far east/Australia etc don’t deserve to be called a fan as they contribute almost nothing!!

I’ll always back the opinion of a match going fan over the telly clapper but to dismiss them the way you do is ridiculous.

What if a telly clapper went to home and away games for years, but financially can no longer afford to go.

Clubs/Football need all fans, regardless of circumstance.
 

Swango1980

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Heavy disagree. I only care for West Ham, but I'll watch any game that's televised if i'm free. I would hazard a guess most people do. Pubs/ businesses just buy licenses and rights for each tv for the season, not per game/team. The arm chair fan contributes almost nothing.

There is absolutely no reason not to try and go to a game or two a season, unless you can't be bothered making an effort or it being a priority. Supporters clubs, forums, cup games there is always a way. There are thousands of fans coming from all corners of the globe each week. I'm not sure about @Bdill93 but most actual supporters I know get annoyed by armchairs/twitter idiots sense of importance and to the extreme could care less if games were even televised.

(EDIT: Actually TV is incredibly annoying as games get moved, especially near xmas)
You basically proved your first 2 words completely wrong by the remainder of your post. You are the arm Chair fan I refer to when you watch games on TV. If they were not on TV, you'd not be watching those games
 

DanFST

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Absolute nonsense, The big Clubs have admitted they can play behind closed doors and still make a profit.
Are you saying fans in the far east/Australia etc don’t deserve to be called a fan as they contribute almost nothing!!

You wouldn't know on the internet, but there are 72 clubs in the EFL. "There are thousands of fans coming from all corners of the globe each week" - they contribute.

There maybe some niche cases where someone can no longer afford to go to a game a season. But normally it's a case of they'd rather spend the money on something else. And in your example they most likely wouldn't think like the armchair lot do, most fans across the leagues do pretty much the same thing every week, whether it be going with their families as tradition or having tinnies on a train at sunrise. And almost all hate Sky.
 

DanFST

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You basically proved your first 2 words completely wrong by the remainder of your post. You are the arm Chair fan I refer to when you watch games on TV. If they were not on TV, you'd not be watching those games


There is no pull factor to me watching those games, I am doing it because I have nothing better to do. Why should I have any say in things that have pushed people to go halfway up the country to watch their team lose in the freezing cold. It makes almost no difference to me if they are on or not.

I agree with you on the diving, but VAR actually is quite emotional in the ground, it's anything but sterile.
 
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You wouldn't know on the internet, but there are 72 clubs in the EFL. "There are thousands of fans coming from all corners of the globe each week" - they contribute.

There maybe some niche cases where someone can no longer afford to go to a game a season. But normally it's a case of they'd rather spend the money on something else. And in your example they most likely wouldn't think like the armchair lot do, most fans across the leagues do pretty much the same thing every week, whether it be going with their families as tradition or having tinnies on a train at sunrise. And almost all hate Sky.
No it’s not, I live near Sunderland, have only seen Everton once live in 3 seasons, seen Sunderland about 10 times and Hartlepool twice in the same period. Should I only discuss, have an opinion on EFL Football

As for almost all hating Sky, the loudest only hate Sky when it moves the kick off, they say nothing about the money it’s bringing in to the Club enabling them to buy players or keep ticket prices lower than they want.

ie Sunderland fans now have to leave at 4:00am in a few weeks as their away game at Wycombe has been moved, absolute no issues with home fixtures.

There are millions of fans who can’t afford to go the game across the Country and whose only chance of seeing them is when they are on Telly.

Dismissing them and lumping all those together who don’t go to games as contributing almost nothing is shallow.
 

HomerJSimpson

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Absolute nonsense, The big Clubs have admitted they can play behind closed doors and still make a profit.
Are you saying fans in the far east/Australia etc don’t deserve to be called a fan as they contribute almost nothing!!

I’ll always back the opinion of a match going fan over the telly clapper but to dismiss them the way you do is ridiculous.

What if a telly clapper went to home and away games for years, but financially can no longer afford to go.

Clubs/Football need all fans, regardless of circumstance.

I use to go home and away with Fulham and did 86 grounds with them in my time. Went away with England several times to so feel I did my due. Can't go these days for a number of reasons but still feel I am entitled to an opinion on my team and any match I watch. I still manage to get to 6-10 home games plus a couple of away games (Reading in particular!!!). I reckon there are thousands of PL and EFL fans that did go and watch and can no longer go anymore
 
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I use to go home and away with Fulham and did 86 grounds with them in my time. Went away with England several times to so feel I did my due. Can't go these days for a number of reasons but still feel I am entitled to an opinion on my team and any match I watch. I still manage to get to 6-10 home games plus a couple of away games (Reading in particular!!!). I reckon there are thousands of PL and EFL fans that did go and watch and can no longer go anymore
Exactly, maybe someone can tell us were the line/difference is between Telly Clapper, Armchair Supporter and Proper Fan.
 
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Ah can’t beat the old arrogance when a match going fan informs other that don’t go that they contribute nothing

A stadium hold 40k to 60k fans - some clubs have millions of worldwide fans and some will never get the chance to watch the team play live - doesn’t mean they don’t “contribute nothing”

Those fans will no doubt spend a significant amount on broadcasting as well as merchandise which goes to the club and also look at some of the attendances when clubs go on tours

This year I have seen three non league games as well as about 6 EFL games at various teams close to me - I’m not a fan of any of the teams - used to go to Liverpool regularly when living in Chester in the 80’s and then again in 00’s when at Shrewsbury but it’s not practical these days

The game is more than the fans in the ground now and it changed when Sky came along , those big stadiums and high quality players get paid a lot because of that sky money coming into clubs. It’s a huge worldwide business now - not perfect but it’s helped produce some amazing talent and brilliant football to watch.

The sport has evolved - the Prem certainly needs to spread the wealth a lot more downward - 90% of all the sports wealth is in the Prem and that’s not right but then agents , players demand the big money and the clubs need to find ways to get the big money - vicious circle

There are wannabe experts everywhere- happy if someone wants to bracket me that way but it doesn’t matter if you watch in the stadium and watch on a sofa - doesn’t mean your opinion is any less worthy than the other.
 

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VVD was out injured most of the year

At the end of the day the award shortlist is decided by one French football magazine , and then more journalists vote from that shortlist

It’s been very weighted away from the Premier league and especially highlighted La Liga etc

There will be a lot of reactionary stuff in there like Kjaer for example

I’m not sure why it got as highly rated as it did - it used to be the European Footballer of the Year and it was a nice award but Messi and Ronaldo seem to have elevated it up

If it was voted by the players ( like the PFA POTY ) then I suspect it might hold more value

For the last couple of months Salah has been out of this world and it’s a giggle that he is 7th , Sterling in there is amusing as are some others - Kane ??


That’s it Phil bloody obvious really Salah is not in this world he’s “Out of this world “,so I presume ineligible to win it :)
 

pendodave

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Exactly, maybe someone can tell us were the line/difference is between Telly Clapper, Armchair Supporter and Proper Fan.
As someone who does a bit of both, I think that the view of the game and the performance of the players is much better appreciated in person than on the telly. I'd always hold the opinions of an attendee in a higher regard than a remote fan.

My own very personal opinion is also that someone who physically supports a club gets more of a pass for talking nonsense than the telly watchers. The effort, time and financial commitment deserves respect. I have very little respect for telly watchers spouting guff and giving it the big one.
 

DanFST

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No it’s not, I live near Sunderland, have only seen Everton once live in 3 seasons.
https://www.evertonfc.com/news/2357635/everton-v-leicester-city-on-general-sale There you go!

Can't go these days for a number of reasons but still feel I am entitled to an opinion on my team and any match I watch. I still manage to get to 6-10 home games plus a couple of away games

That's the thing Homie, you aren't going week in week out, but you are still making an effort and contribution. You've done your due, your mindset and priorities are most likely very different to people that don't / have never. For example as a hammer the internet tells me Spurs is the best away day. That's not true. Burnley is a cracker, drinking with the home fans at the cricket club. Then a ropey night out after. Everton is crap because we always lose and you can't see anything. A Supporter can appreciate that but it won't even cross an armchairs mind.


but it’s not practical these days

And that's the issue. Supporters don't have the luxury of doing whats practical. They spend time organising travel and their season as soon as the fixture list comes out. Some would actually die for the club. Their opinion deserves more credence than someone who doesn't go because it "isn't practical". We have supporters groups all over the world that make it to a home game once a year, as I'm sure most clubs across the league system do.
 

Bdill93

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The guy who sits next to me at villa park travels from Carlisle for every home game. Ive missed more games than him in the last 3 years :ROFLMAO:

Albeit he doesnt go away these days!

Now thats a fan.
 
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https://www.evertonfc.com/news/2357635/everton-v-leicester-city-on-general-sale There you go!



That's the thing Homie, you aren't going week in week out, but you are still making an effort and contribution. You've done your due, your mindset and priorities are most likely very different to people that don't / have never. For example as a hammer the internet tells me Spurs is the best away day. That's not true. Burnley is a cracker, drinking with the home fans at the cricket club. Then a ropey night out after. Everton is crap because we always lose and you can't see anything. A Supporter can appreciate that but it won't even cross an armchairs mind.




And that's the issue. Supporters don't have the luxury of doing whats practical. They spend time organising travel and their season as soon as the fixture list comes out. Some would actually die for the club. Their opinion deserves more credence than someone who doesn't go because it "isn't practical". We have supporters groups all over the world that make it to a home game once a year, as I'm sure most clubs across the league system do.
It’s only an issue if people want to point fingers at other peoples support

Peoples situations and life changes through the years - life , work and family changes for people - I will never understand why some people constantly want to pigeon hole peoples support for the club . I will always respect and be jealous of someone who has the time and means to go to every single game - but you don’t have the right to tell someone they don’t contribute because someone can’t go to games for whatever reason.
 
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As someone who does a bit of both, I think that the view of the game and the performance of the players is much better appreciated in person than on the telly. I'd always hold the opinions of an attendee in a higher regard than a remote fan.

My own very personal opinion is also that someone who physically supports a club gets more of a pass for talking nonsense than the telly watchers. The effort, time and financial commitment deserves respect. I have very little respect for telly watchers spouting guff and giving it the big one.
I 100% agree, although was told I was wrong when I said this on here a few months ago.
 

BiMGuy

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Exactly, maybe someone can tell us were the line/difference is between Telly Clapper, Armchair Supporter and Proper Fan.
Love being labelled a telly clapper. There are more important things in life now than a round trip of 360 miles to home games.
 

Swango1980

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As someone who does a bit of both, I think that the view of the game and the performance of the players is much better appreciated in person than on the telly. I'd always hold the opinions of an attendee in a higher regard than a remote fan.

My own very personal opinion is also that someone who physically supports a club gets more of a pass for talking nonsense than the telly watchers. The effort, time and financial commitment deserves respect. I have very little respect for telly watchers spouting guff and giving it the big one.

But, a guy that goes to the game can spout as much garbage he wants, and he gets your respect. Makes sense. I'd respect his commitment, of course I would. But, I only respect his opinion if he earns it, and simply going to a game doesn't meet the full criteria for me. On the other hand, there are plenty of football fans I know and respect their opinions.

The type of fan I am losing more and more respect for is the arrogant type, who goes to games and then tells 90%+ of all other fans that their opinions are not respected because they do not go to games. Why should they be respected, they've effectively shut down any football debate before it even begins, because if they do not agree with you, they simply fall back on the "well, you don't go to games so I cannot respect your opinion". The type of fan I respect a lot is the type that goes to games, but is happy and open to debate football to anyone who wishes to discuss it. The ex director of my company went to every single Chelsea game, home and away. We chatted football a lot, and not once did he ever get close to using that card on me. He simply chatted football to me like he would anyone else, whether they go to games or not.
 
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