Football (Soccer) Thread

[FunkMonk]

All clubs need owners with this degree of involvement with the team:

Photos of Football (@photosofootball) Tweeted:
Chinese businessman bought Zibo Cuju, second tier Chinese side, and told the coach to play his 126kg son.

(via @TUDNUSA) https://t.co/ylJehD0BAf https://twitter.com/photosofootball/status/1394355369296764928?s=20

Chinese businessman bought Zibo Cuju, second tier Chinese side, and told the coach to play his 126kg son.

(via @TUDNUSA) https://t.co/ylJehD0BAf

Genuine love and concern for the team and its players. 

[The Larch]

Apparently Harry Kane has asked to leave Tottenham this summer. 

Possible destinations? He's chosen a rather bad time for a blockbuster transfer...

[Sheilbh]

Apparently Harry Kane has asked to leave Tottenham this summer. 

Possible destinations? He's chosen a rather bad time for a blockbuster transfer...

Yeah it's bad timing. I think he'll want to stay in the Premier League because he is on course to overtake Alan Shearer as the top scorer - which is a hell of an achievement given that he's been playing for Tottenham.

I'd assume one of the Manchester clubs - but I think it slightly depends if they decide to go all out for Haaland either this summer or next. I'm slightly concerned Spurs might look at DCL as a potential replacement

But you're right - I think it'll be challenging. Levy is a famously tough negotiator and wants clubs to meet his valuation, plus English clubs hate selling to each other. On the other hand I slightly wonder if Spurs want to avoid becoming seen as a bit of a Hotel California club - I wonder if it would make it difficult for them to get players in if players think that getting out is going to be very difficult if you add Kane to Eriksen. I also wonder if this leads to a few other players, especially Son, having a think?

Also I think there was talk of trying to convince Kane by involving him in the next manager decision - to show him he could win things at Spurs. But I wonder if that would ever have had an impact or it's a sign of how badly things are going on that front - every name I've seen linked to Spurs seems to have just been using the link to drive a new contract/bigger deal. I think the latest I've heard are Inzaghi, Gasperini or Gattuso - all of which I think would be good - but maybe aren't enough to inspire someone like Kane.

I'm not even a Spurs fan but I'll never forgive Levy for not backing and then firing Pochettino - and replacing him with Mourinho

Edit: In other English football news Roy Hodgson will be stepping down from Crystal Palace and retiring from management - which is a very nice end of four years at his boyhood club, ending on their best League season in years. Also the end of one of the most fascinating careers of any English manager.

[The Larch]

Apparently he's said that he'd like to either stay in the Premier League (in which case his only realistic options are both Manchester clubs and Chelsea, I think, or maybe also Liverpool?) or Spain, but I really doubt that either Real Madrid or Barcelona have the money for such a transfer. If Dortmund sells Haaland this summer (which I think is unlikely unless an eye-watering offer is produced) maybe he could take a gamble and go to Germany instead, it'd be a bit of a left field option, or maybe replacing Lewandowski at Bayern? Either of those two could be interesting options and would help diversify European football a bit. In any case what he seems to want is silverware, so theoretically he'd only go to a club with ambitions for the top.

Another white elephant that might hit the market this summer is Cristiano Ronaldo. It seems that Juve is really eager to offload him (and his massive salary) in order to rebuild next season, but it might be difficult to get him to exit the club as I doubt he'd have many suitors. He seemed to want a return to Real Madrid, but Florentino Pérez ruled that out in one of his ESL interviews.

[Sheilbh]

Apparently he's said that he'd like to either stay in the Premier League (in which case his only realistic options are both Manchester clubs and Chelsea, I think, or maybe also Liverpool?) or Spain, but I really doubt that either Real Madrid or Barcelona have the money for such a transfer. If Dortmund sells Haaland this summer (which I think is unlikely unless an eye-watering offer is produced) maybe he could take a gamble and go to Germany instead, it'd be a bit of a left field option, or maybe replacing Lewandowski at Bayern? Either of those two could be interesting options and would help diversify European football a bit. In any case what he seems to want is silverware, so theoretically he'd only go to a club with ambitions for the top.

Yeah from what I've read Levy will want something like £150 million plus - and Spurs are difficult to escape (see Eriksen, Bale, Modric). It tends to get quite contentious between the player, Levy and any potential buyers. So it might be difficult given everything.

I can't see Liverpool being able to spend anywhere near that type of money on one player it doesn't seem to fit the general FSG approach (with the possible exception of van Dijk). From everything I've read he might fancy Spain but I don't think that's a realistic option given their finances. Maybe Bayern, though

I think City or Chelsea are probably the only clubs that could afford to pry Haaland out of Dortmund (and I can see the attraction for City - steal a march on everyone else and have a long-term replacement for Aguero), and I think that will have a big impact on where, if anywhere, Kane goes.

Another white elephant that might hit the market this summer is Cristiano Ronaldo. It seems that Juve is really eager to offload him (and his massive salary) in order to rebuild next season, but it might be difficult to get him to exit the club as I doubt he'd have many suitors. He seemed to want a return to Real Madrid, but Florentino Pérez ruled that out in one of his ESL interviews.

Yeah - and you imagine Ronaldo stands in the way of Juve re-freshing. It has seemed crazy that there's been talk in previous seasons of them wanting to sell younger players like Dybala to make sense for Ronaldo

The other big question I think is what happens with Inter given their ownership situation? If Lukaku's available (affordably) that would also probably have a big impact on the European market.

[The Larch]

Another option for Haaland could be PSG if Mbappe leaves, which I'm not sure if it'll happen but has been rumoured. Haaland for City I'm not sure if it could work, as I don't think he fits what Guardiola wants from a forward, as crazy as it might sound.

[Tamas]

The Chelsea video - Long Good Friday crossover I never knew I needed
https://twitter.com/duncanm/status/1394257011374796801?s=20

With the detailed look VAR allows (which I support) the offside rule should change to say the entirety of the attacker's body must be pass the last defender otherwise utterly ridiculous rulings like this will continue. Sure, legally speaking it was offside. In practice, though, it was a perfectly time attack ruined by milimeters of shirt material.

[Tamas]

The Premier League referees are such incompetent self-serving bastards it beggars belief. Most obvious of penalties is not spotted by the ref, and god forbid this gets admitted, they don't even invoke VAR.

Have no VAR qualms about disallowing Chelsea's goal though. Bloody bastards.

[Admiral Yi]

I was thinking fodbal might be the last place on earth free of selfie sticks. 

[Tamas]

Properly football-spirited Thai oligarch will be sad.

[celedhring]

Barça have said they won't pursue the signing of Haaland, which is a bit like me saying I've decided I won't marry Scarlett Johansson.

[Jacob]

Barça have said they won't pursue the signing of Haaland, which is a bit like me saying I've decided I won't marry Scarlett Johansson.

Why would you make such a decision?

[Admiral Yi]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbRQgqXX07U

Can anyone tell me what kind of accent the play by play guy has?  Sounds like a Brit trying to sound American.

[Sheilbh]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbRQgqXX07U

Can anyone tell me what kind of accent the play by play guy has?  Sounds like a Brit trying to sound American.

Not available in this country. So I'll just ask, is it possibly Madonna?

[Admiral Yi]

def not