Football (Soccer) Thread

[Warspite]

No strikers around that replace Walcott; incredible pace and finishing but also a great whipped cross.

Better to let Oxlade-Chamberlain and Gnabry step up and perhaps tweak how the team generates its width.

A lot of the strikers we're being linked with in the press are similar to Giroud rather than Walcott, anyway.

[Syt]

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/25653594

Fifa: No decision made on 2022 Qatar World Cup move

Fifa has moved quickly to play down claims from its own general secretary that the Qatar 2022 World Cup will not take place in the summer.

The sport's governing body stressed no final decision on the tournament will be taken until after the 2014 World Cup and only after lengthy consultation.

It comes after Jerome Valcke told Radio France: "The dates for the World Cup (in Qatar) will not be June-July."

He suggested it could take place between 15 November and 15 January.

President Sepp Blatter had already said the tournament would be in November or December but organisers still hope to host it in June and July.

Following Valcke's Radio France interview, a Fifa spokesperson said he had been expressing "his view".

Fifa added: "The precise event date is still subject to an ongoing consultation process which involves all main event stakeholders, including both the international football community (Fifa confederations, member associations, leagues, clubs, players) as well as Fifa's commercial partners.

"As the event will not be played until eight years' time the consultation process will not be rushed and will be given the necessary time to consider all of the elements relevant for a decision.

"No decision will be taken before the upcoming 2014 Fifa World Cup Brazil as agreed by the Fifa executive committee."

Britain's Fifa vice-president Jim Boyce also said he was "totally surprised" at Valcke's statement - and confirmed the decision had to be taken by the executive committee.

The scheduling of the tournament has been debated since it was controversially awarded to Qatar in December 2010.

Fears have been raised that the summer heat in the Gulf emirate would be dangerous for players and fans alike.

Valcke said: "If you play between 15 November and the end of December that's the time when the weather conditions are best, when you can play in temperatures equivalent to a warm spring season in Europe, averaging 25 degrees.

"That would be perfect for playing football."

The Africa Cup of Nations is already scheduled for January 2023.

Blatter said two months ago that a firm decision on dates for the World Cup will be made in December 2014.

The Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee has indicated it would be happy to switch to a winter World Cup.

Failed bidders Australia have vowed to seek compensation from Fifa if the 2022 World Cup is played in winter.

None of the 19 World Cups to date have ever been played outside of May, June or July.

If there was every a doubt that FIFA has become a corporate hellhole, the proof is in the language of the bolded bit.

[Josephus]

Dempsey and Dafoe to Toronto FC? 

[katmai]

Dempsey and Dafoe to Toronto FC? 

Uh no.

[Josephus]

Dempsey and Dafoe to Toronto FC? 

Uh no.

I meant Bradley.

All Americans look alike to me.

[katmai]

I look nothing like Garbo or Ide!

[Josephus]

Thank God

[celedhring]

Bradley is a very good player just entering his prime. He has absolutely no business in the MLS.

[FunkMonk]

Bradley is a very good player just entering his prime. He has absolutely no business in the MLS.

This is a correct opinion. If he isn't getting time at Roma then he needs to move to another Italian team or possibly some other team in Europe's top leagues.

[Grey Fox]

Making the MLS better is a patriotic duty of any American.

[FunkMonk]

Then he should be playing for DC United or LA Galaxy, not some dirty Canadian team!!!!!!

Seriously though, I suspect that MLS is throwing him a lot of money and it's a World Cup year so that could explain such a bizarre move at this point in his career.

[Josquius]

It isn't unknown for players to choose to play for lesser teams in lesser leagues because it means they get to be closer to home/somewhere they want to live.

[celedhring]

Making the MLS better is a patriotic duty of any American.

Having him play in a top European league would serve the interests of the US National team better. They are apparently throwing a lot of money at him, so one can't fault him wanting to make the most of his career financially, but the MLS might be getting to the point where its success and willingness to perform trophy signings like this could endanger the development of some of the better American players.

[katmai]

Dempsey is 30, Bradley is getting paid 5x what he was at Roma.
Both were getting squeezed out of playing time for their clubs 
Not worried about any trend starting here.

[FunkMonk]

Roberto Martinez gives a very candid interview on an Evertonian podcast.

https://soundcloud.com/followtonians/roberto-martinez-meets-the
Dude is awesome and is my favorite manager in British football.