Football (Soccer) Thread

[Josephus]

Money?

I mean that might be it, but it only begs the question of why Canada Soccer wouldn't have enough money to pay Herdman at least as much as an MLS team.

Canada Soccer is out of money because it was taken to the cleaners by the owners of the CPL teams and their money loop of the TV/Streaming rights.

If you've been following, Herdman got increasingly frustrated with Canada Siccer unwilling to give him the resources he needs (note for instance that Canada is one of the few teams not playing any soccer this week)   This led to a boil this summer after Canada got embarrassed in the Gold Cup, and he called Canada Soccer out publicly.  There's also rumblings he's lost the dressing room with many players not happy with his tactics. 

There's a good article on this in The Athletic.

[Barrister]

It seems like the collapse of Canada Soccer continues, as absent internal issues I can't see why someone wouldn't prefer to be a national team manager over an MLS team.

I think they can be quite different jobs. Certainly in Europe I think club managers are seen as the bigger/better job.

Well yeah - EPL/Bundesliga/La Liga might well be a different matter.  But this is MLS.

Anyways Josephus outlined some of the issues Canada Soccer has been going through.

[Sheilbh]

Well yeah - EPL/Bundesliga/La Liga might well be a different matter.  But this is MLS.

I think even smaller leagues.

Generally - not always the case - I think national coaches are often either older or very much part of the FA establishment. You don't get the players for long, so you can't really develop a style etc. And I think fairly or not national coaching is seen as being a lot more about man management. If you want to prove yourself as a coach - especially that you can develop a recognisable style of play and technically coach/improve players then the club level is where you can do that because you have an entire season with them.

[Josquius]

It hasn't always been so though I'd say. It once was that managing the national team was the top job. Rather than European national teams declining something else I've been observing for a while... It's that international football in general is in decline.

[Josephus]

Herdmann leaving seems weird when looked at from the vantage point of he's coaching a team guarnateed to be playing in the World Cup next year. But as I said, his frustration with an almost bankrupt organization had him look elsewhere.

He's never coached at a club level, so I think he sees this as an opportunity to succeed in a different environment with a team owned by a company not averse to spending lots of money on it. Unlike the national team.

As a Toronto FC fan, by the way, I'm not too thrilled with his appointment. He showed during the world cup last summer that he lacks tactical diversity and strategy, and does he have what it takes to manage the egos of Italian prima donnas?

[celedhring]

Around 40 players (including all of the world champions except one) have retired from the Spanish women's national football team until further changes are made to the FA. Their claim, essentially, is that they don't want to be Gattopardo'd and that Rubiales/Vilda going should be just the beginning.

Negotiations between this group and the FA seem to have broken down and today the new manager will select a squad without them for the upcoming Nations League games.

[Josquius]

Around 40 players (including all of the world champions except one) have retired from the Spanish women's national football team until further changes are made to the FA. Their claim, essentially, is that they don't want to be Gattopardo'd and that Rubiales/Vilda going should be just the beginning.

Negotiations between this group and the FA seem to have broken down and today the new manager will select a squad without them for the upcoming Nations League games.

Quickly googling they're meant to be playing Sweden this Friday.
I wonder what they'll do. Will there be any Spanish women players willing to accept the call-up? I'm kind of doubting it- even if you are on the exec's side it won't be good for your public image....
 Will they have to go to a far right  organisation and ask amongst their female membership if any of them know the rules of football?

[HVC]

They win their World Cup with their second string, let's see how far they go with their third

[celedhring]

Well, the new coach has gone and called up 15 of the players that had asked to be left out.

Since callups are mandatory, the players risk hefty fines and bans if they still refuse to play.

[Jacob]

What's public sentiment in Spain like on this?

[celedhring]

What's public sentiment in Spain like on this?

I'd say 75/25 in favor of them? It has become a cultural issue, so the warriors have drawn battle lines ("they have gone too far and made this political!").

Anyway, they players have showed up for fear of being banned, but they don't look too happy to say the least. The government is trying to mediate.

Sweden has offered to boycott the upcoming game if requested.

[Jacob]

Hmm... I wonder what would happen if Spanish and Swedish players showed up, went on the pitch, and simply didn't play as a protest (since Sweden is willing to cooperate).

[celedhring]

Looks like some sort of agreement has been reached after a nightlong meeting. I guess we'll know during the day, they finished at nearly 4am and they all went to sleep.

[Syt]

Hmm... I wonder what would happen if Spanish and Swedish players showed up, went on the pitch, and simply didn't play as a protest (since Sweden is willing to cooperate).

I think there's rules in place for teams not playing "earnestly"?

[FunkMonk]

North London Derby, Arsenal at home. 2-2.

Spurs are much improved from last season, when Arsenal ran a clinic in both fixtures. Ange is working magic. They might have have a sneaky run to 2nd place this season. Basically this season's Arsenal from last season.