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The Footie Thread

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Orikoru said:
www.espn.co.uk

Champions League format: How it will work from 2024-25

UEFA has confirmed how the Champions League (UCL) will look from the 2024-25 season. Here's a full breakdown of what it means.
www.espn.co.uk www.espn.co.uk

Sounds confusing as hell.

Maybe this is what you were thinking off re: extra teams getting in?
"2 places will go to the best performing leagues in Europe in this current season. The place goes to the next team in the league which has not automatically qualified. Last season, that would have been Liverpool and Atalanta. These places are most likely go to clubs from the top leagues."
​
It sounds like there is strong potential to have five English teams in the Champion's League, which is mental.
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Mental maybe. But then, as it stands right now, that would mean Spurs, Arsenal, City, Liverpool and Villa would qualify. Newcastle and Brighton not far behind competing for those spots. Personally, I'd feel all those clubs could give any club in Europe a good game, and therefore I wouldn't mind seeing these clubs playing at that level.

The only downside (and I'm not sure if this is the case) is if it means even more games have to be played by these clubs, thus potentially increasing the games played per season compared to now, assuming a club goes all the way. As a fan, I do like lots of football to watch, but there seems barely enough room in the calendar to play more fixtures.
 
Swango1980 said:
Mental maybe. But then, as it stands right now, that would mean Spurs, Arsenal, City, Liverpool and Villa would qualify. Newcastle and Brighton not far behind competing for those spots. Personally, I'd feel all those clubs could give any club in Europe a good game, and therefore I wouldn't mind seeing these clubs playing at that level.

The only downside (and I'm not sure if this is the case) is if it means even more games have to be played by these clubs, thus potentially increasing the games played per season compared to now, assuming a club goes all the way. As a fan, I do like lots of football to watch, but there seems barely enough room in the calendar to play more fixtures.
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This is what gets me, and it is the same with rugby, the governing bodies are all about player welfare on one hand then announce more money spinning tournaments or increasing the size of existing ones. The clubs are as bad, players need a break on one hand, players jetting all around the world to play in competitive pre-season tournaments on the other when they use to play local lower league clubs for a warm up and to put some money in the lower club's pocket.
 
GB72 said:
This is what gets me, and it is the same with rugby, the governing bodies are all about player welfare on one hand then announce more money spinning tournaments or increasing the size of existing ones. The clubs are as bad, players need a break on one hand, players jetting all around the world to play in competitive pre-season tournaments on the other when they use to play local lower league clubs for a warm up and to put some money in the lower club's pocket.
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I don't think the governing bodies are too concerned about player welfare. They'll have some health and safety measures in place, mainly to stop them getting sued no doubt. But, I'm sure the governing bodies are more interested in making as much money as they possibly can, and they'll use that financial metric as evidence they are growing the game, thus be satisfied by that goal. If a few more players get fatigue related injuries, so be it.

Clubs may well be the same. Although, I'm not sure to the same extent, it is not in their interest for their players to have injuries during the season as they've played too much. Pre-season is necessary, as it would be even worse if players went into the season cold and not having worked together. Given the top clubs can transport their players in comfort, then having a pre-season in the USA, Japan, or wherever else is probably not seen much worse than travelling up and down England to play games against Stoke, Port Vale and Huddersfield. And there is the added benefit of growing their own brand.
 
Tashyboy said:
I think UEFA are fighting a few battles on several fronts. Before I waffle on I think UEFA is corrupt anyway. But if UEFA do not pander to the “ legacy” clubs and fans of said clubs. They/ clubs will find it easier to join said Saudi super league. My problem is how far back do you go for a legacy club. The Royal engineers might just miss out, but for me Legacy means big club. 15 years ago the big four were Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal. The first two teams mentioned couldn’t put 11 decent players together to challenge for the EUROPA Cup never mins a Saudi champs league.
If the Saudis had a couple of teams in the Champs league. How do you control FFP. Stevie Gs Saudi team Al Givitamiss played in front of 700 ish fans last week. That wouldn’t fund a decent Sunday league team.
I think football is in for a massive change over the next few years and it don’t look pretty.
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If the Saudis are running it FFP will be scrapped!
 
fundy said:
Gotta laugh at a city fan asking how they control FFP Tashy

The same way they do now......................
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Does it really matter whether it’s a City fan or not. It’s a question that’s needs to be asked. My thoughts on Micheal Platini and UEFA who instigated FFP are well documented. A man who faced criminal charges re finances in football instigated FFP. WHY? To protect the established clubs. Outta interest who is protecting UTD from the Glaziers. 😉
 
Great performance and win tonight.

Hopefully we keep putting in these kind of performances not like the one against Stoke.
 
Ten Hag rebukes Rashford for going out and celebrating his birthday on the evening after the loss to City. Really? Maybe I’m missing the point here but I cannot see one single reason why Rashford can’t go out on his birthday. Surely there’s got to be some perspective here. No one died, countries didn’t fall. Rashford went out on his birthday outside of working hours. “Sorry boss but you’ve lost the plot.”
 
Hobbit said:
Ten Hag rebukes Rashford for going out and celebrating his birthday on the evening after the loss to City. Really? Maybe I’m missing the point here but I cannot see one single reason why Rashford can’t go out on his birthday. Surely there’s got to be some perspective here. No one died, countries didn’t fall. Rashford went out on his birthday outside of working hours. “Sorry boss but you’ve lost the plot.”
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He went clubbing. When you represent big clubs, you are an ambassador on and off the pitch. Like it or not. Clearly it is a problem, because if it wasn't then it wouldn't have been all over the news all week.

Nothing wrong with going out for a nice dinner, but criticism is clearly going your way, and to the manager for losing control, when you and the team are playing horrendously and you are spotted in a club after midnight on the day you are humiliated by your city rivals.

Just imagine the headlines if half the Utd team went out clubbing after an embarrassing defeat. That would have put a horrible light on the club, and so stuff like that clearly matters.
 
Swango1980 said:
He went clubbing. When you represent big clubs, you are an ambassador on and off the pitch. Like it or not. Clearly it is a problem, because if it wasn't then it wouldn't have been all over the news all week.

Nothing wrong with going out for a nice dinner, but criticism is clearly going your way, and to the manager for losing control, when you and the team are playing horrendously and you are spotted in a club after midnight on the day you are humiliated by your city rivals.

Just imagine the headlines if half the Utd team went out clubbing after an embarrassing defeat. That would have put a horrible light on the club, and so stuff like that clearly matters.
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And?

Was he out of his tree fighting? I think it’s pathetic. He isn’t a monk, nor is he on-call for the emergency services. Ten Hag even commented that Rashford turned up for training on time and performed fine.

Sometimes, I feel there are unrealistic expectations placed on those in the public eye. If he’d got drunk, started a fight etc, fine, give him hell. But the ability to compartmentalise and de-stress is important for top performers going into their next match.

Each to their own. Personally, I think everyone has the right to go out and enjoy their birthday in whatever way they want, within the bounds of good behaviour.
 
Hobbit said:
Ten Hag rebukes Rashford for going out and celebrating his birthday on the evening after the loss to City. Really? Maybe I’m missing the point here but I cannot see one single reason why Rashford can’t go out on his birthday. Surely there’s got to be some perspective here. No one died, countries didn’t fall. Rashford went out on his birthday outside of working hours. “Sorry boss but you’ve lost the plot.”
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It's about optics. Utd are in a slump, the fans are unhappy, you have just had your pants pulled down by your neighbour's. Living it large in a nightclub doesn't send out the right message. Go out for a meal, fine, partying as though the result doesn't hurt......Time to engage brain. If player want the big bucks, they have to accept the responsibility that goes with it.
 
Lord Tyrion said:
It's about optics. Utd are in a slump, the fans are unhappy, you have just had your pants pulled down by your neighbour's. Living it large in a nightclub doesn't send out the right message. Go out for a meal, fine, partying as though the result doesn't hurt......Time to engage brain. If player want the big bucks, they have to accept the responsibility that goes with it.
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That’s nonsense.

So the lad can’t go out to celebrate his birthday because a football game was lost and some fans might be upset. Those people need to have a word with themselves.
 
Bunkermagnet said:
As many Utd fans keep saying "we want it like it was when Fergie was here", so would Fergie have allowed him to go out like that, birthday or not?

Personally I doubt it.
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You’ve clearly not seen the antics the Man Utd players got up to and kept from Ferguson. The Beckham documentary also highlights just what a Draconian figure he was at times.

Rashford has done nothing wrong here. Blowing off steam when work isn’t going well? Sounds normal to me.
 
Manchester United worried about what the fans think !!
Is this a new thing ?

Not ideal optics from Rashford but not great from the manager to call players out in public.
Looking for excuses.
 
BiMGuy said:
Ok. It should have said celebrate his birthday however he chooses. But then you knew that.
He’s a young lad not an old duffer. Even if he just went out for a meal, he would be criticised for doing that by the wet wipes who take watching football far too seriously for their own good.
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On the day when Leeds United’s relegation was sealed last year, if a player or group of players had gone out clubbing that night and been pictured letting their hair down and having a good time, how would you have felt about it? Serious question.

Personally, I wasn’t aware of Rashford’s birthday celebrations until I went online this morning. I’m not going to get in a lather about it, but neither do I think it reflects particularly well. It could open player and club to suggestions that their minds are not on the job, so part of me understands why there is a little discord about it.
 
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