Football (Soccer) Thread

[Josquius]

The derby was a disaster. Aside from a few flashes of passion it didn't seem like a derby at all.


Posting as... So. Potential further ffp punishments for Everton and for Nottingham forest. Forest seem to have been Particularly disastrous in their rule breaking. Almost Sunderlandish in competence but with huge money.

[Josephus]

Klopp leaving Liverpool. Didn't see this coming. Strange time to make an announcement with the title on the line. Hearing that it has to do with him not caring to be part of a behind-the-scenes documentary thing.

[Josquius]

That is a surprise.
Could have seen it happening maybe last year when it seemed that Liverpool team was over and there was nothing new on the horizon. This year they've really got going with the transition to a new team though and it has gone very well.

[Gups]

Reckon they'll go for Xabi

[FunkMonk]

O happy day 

Klopp OUT

[FunkMonk]

They will definitely win the league this season now, though. Win it in his last season.

Feels a little crazy he has only won the league once in this Pep/Klopp era. Of course, going against a cheating nation state oil club with infinite resources and arguably the best manager in history, even once feels like a huge achievement.

[Josquius]

In managers, Sunderland's season seems to be over.
 Tony Mowbray was sacked at the end of last year.
He came in last season after our manager of the time, Alex Neil, was poached by Stoke (who he led to disaster) and did an excellent job, last day of the season squeezing us into the playoffs where we lost to Luton- though had the pitch been less wet and a few other things gone our way...but it wasn't to be.
This year he has been doing OK too. Hovering around the lower reaches of the playoff places.
Not great for sure, there was a particularly poor run of form leading up to the sacking. He seemed very out of ideas.
But overall what got him sacked was moaning about the team's model and insistence on only signing young players and not bringing in an experienced striker- our strikers have scored a total of 1 goal between them this season.

The caretaker manager did OK for a month, and then in came the new manager...
The rumours were of a guy called Will Still. Very young British manager doing well in the French division who got his start playing Football Manager. But apparently our chairman didn't want to pay the 250k release fee.
So we got.... Michael Beale. Currently unemployed after underwhelming at Glasgow Rangers having similarly done meh at QPR.
Lots of talk about that he's a great coach. But he just doesn't seem very good at all as a manager. Recent games have been a disaster. All fun has gone out of watching the team. The team themselves have zero passion. And the results are dire.
Less than 10 games in and everyone wants him out.
We'll be lucky to finish mid table, but worse we might scare away some of our great young players, as who wants to play in the current mess.

[FunkMonk]

Xavi out in the summer now too.

Manager carousel is going to be crazy this summer...

[Josephus]

Strangley been hearing rumours that Xavi was in Liverpool's sights as a replacement for Klopp

[celedhring]

Strangley been hearing rumours that Xavi was in Liverpool's sights as a replacement for Klopp

Doubt it. Hardly covered himself in glory.

Also, I know all football people are liars, etc... but he's always said that he'd never manage again once he left Barça. Pretty sure he'd keep to his word for at least a season...

[FunkMonk]

Liverpool demolished a clueless Chelsea. Have to say now that Klopp is leaving in the summer, the story of the season is set. They'll win the league and probably a cup or two and Klopp will ride off into the sunset.

[Josephus]

So looks like there will be a World Cup game in Toronto on my 60th birthday 😁

[HVC]

Nothing like feeling the disappointment up close

[Josephus]

Nothing like feeling the disappointment up close

I'm sure whatever game it is will be good.  Anybody but Portugal 😁

[HVC]

I'll get to be disappointed by two seperate teams in Toronto. Well, soccer teams anyway