All threads are temporary. This one's about soccer.

wlu_lax6 · Post by **wlu_lax6** » Fri Jun 09, 2023 8:18 am

A_B wrote: ↑Fri Jun 09, 2023 8:04 am
wlu_lax6 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 09, 2023 7:59 am
A_B wrote: ↑Fri Jun 09, 2023 7:30 am
wlu_lax6 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 09, 2023 6:27 am How do they still have macron as the kit manufacturer? A made up apple tv team gets a swoosh. How does UA, Umbro, or New Balance or such cut a deal. Would be huge for a brand trying to ramp up or come back from the dead (Le Coq).
An existing contract?

They have been the provider for 8 years. Feels like a few $ could have resolved that.
But you can understand why they might be reluctant to let it go given the spotlight on that club. When it runs out they likely can't get back into the game vs. the big boys. Hell, I didn't know the name of it til you mentioned it, so it's working!

Extended it this past year
https://www.wrexhamafc.co.uk/news/2023/ ... rtnership/

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Fri Jun 09, 2023 5:21 pm

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Sat Jun 10, 2023 12:56 pm

Champions League Final match today starts at 10:00 pm local time in Istanbul. Is that unusual?

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Sat Jun 10, 2023 2:10 pm

sancarlos wrote: ↑Sat Jun 10, 2023 12:56 pm Champions League Final match today starts at 10:00 pm local time in Istanbul. Is that unusual?

I don't think so. Probably hot AF. Spain plays games that start that late or later.

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Tue Jun 13, 2023 12:15 pm

GoodKarma · Post by **GoodKarma** » Mon Jul 03, 2023 9:16 am

Anybody been to a match in Germany or Italy?

My wife and I are heading to Germany/Italy/Switzerland for the last two weeks of September (15-30). I would like to go to at least one if the timing works out. I noticed the match day schedules were released for Bundesliga but it appears the specific days and times are not. Any of you guys know when they publish the actual team schedules and if secondary market is the best way to get individual game tickets?

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Mon Jul 03, 2023 9:30 am

Haven't been to a match in either country, so this is just general thoughts based on my experiences in Spain and England. I think game dates and times are set at least 2 weeks out, both Germany and Italy may set specific times earlier than that. That early in the season you'll likely have very little chance of a league match getting moved because the team has a cup match, so that's nice. I'd imagine getting a seat might be easier in Italy than Germany. Italian matches don't ever appear to sell out and German matches seem to always be full. I'd start with the team sites first to see what you can find, once you know the specific games you could make.

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Mon Jul 03, 2023 9:32 am

Looks like Werder Bremen hosting Bayern Munich on Friday 8/18 is the only confirmed date and time in Germany.

Steve of phpBB · Post by **Steve of phpBB** » Mon Jul 03, 2023 10:17 am

My son, who's in Germany in case I haven't told you lately wrote:Ok with the time schedules idk, probably July/August. As far as Germany goes, DO NOT BUY FROM MAJOR SECONDARY RETAILERS like Ticketmaster. Depending on the team, tickets are likely still available (and cheaper) if one buys face value from a team (create an account on the team website.)

Some teams, most notably Dortmund, have an official secondary market that is price capped. Most matches most weekends will be on Saturday in Germany, but there usually are Fri/Sun/Mon games, especially before the European season starts.

Tickets for Germany will likely be cheaper than for US events.

With Italy, most teams struggle to fill their stadiums. Tickets are likely still available.

GoodKarma · Post by **GoodKarma** » Mon Jul 03, 2023 11:30 am

Thanks guys...that is helpful. Bayern Munich and Mainz have home games week 4 (weekend of 9/15-9/17) so am looking at either of those. Could do Mainz if it's on Saturday and Munich if it's on Sunday...I guess I just need to wait until they announce the exact day.

I did see on one of my searches that they set the exact match day/time maybe six weeks out but wasn't sure if that was legit or not. Seems odd to me compared to U.S. sports where it's set more in advance.

Steve of phpBB · Post by **Steve of phpBB** » Mon Jul 03, 2023 11:51 am

Where in Switzerland are you going?

GoodKarma · Post by **GoodKarma** » Mon Jul 03, 2023 3:56 pm

Steve of phpBB wrote: ↑Mon Jul 03, 2023 11:51 am Where in Switzerland are you going?

Staying in Lauterbrunnen for several nights and branching out from there (my wife does the planning). Doing some hiking and going into Lucerne and/or Bern I think.

Steve of phpBB · Post by **Steve of phpBB** » Mon Jul 03, 2023 8:59 pm

GoodKarma wrote: ↑Mon Jul 03, 2023 3:56 pm
Steve of phpBB wrote: ↑Mon Jul 03, 2023 11:51 am Where in Switzerland are you going?
Staying in Lauterbrunnen for several nights and branching out from there (my wife does the planning). Doing some hiking and going into Lucerne and/or Bern I think.

That sounds gorgeous. We stayed in Bern in March. One day we drove to Lucerne (which was fantastic) and drove back via Interlaken. Even with terrible weather, it was stunning.

Be aware that it’s nearly impossible to get food from a restaurant in the afternoon. They close their kitchens between lunch and dinner.

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Tue Jul 04, 2023 8:42 am

GoodKarma wrote: ↑Mon Jul 03, 2023 11:30 am Thanks guys...that is helpful. Bayern Munich and Mainz have home games week 4 (weekend of 9/15-9/17) so am looking at either of those. Could do Mainz if it's on Saturday and Munich if it's on Sunday...I guess I just need to wait until they announce the exact day.

I did see on one of my searches that they set the exact match day/time maybe six weeks out but wasn't sure if that was legit or not. Seems odd to me compared to U.S. sports where it's set more in advance.

It's what's after the ampersand that helps you.

Baloney · Post by **Baloney** » Wed Jul 05, 2023 11:32 am

Hannah Dingley: Forest Green Rovers name first female boss of a men's professional football side

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Fri Jul 07, 2023 8:48 am

Keep forgetting to post this, which is potentially a huge deal for the game:

https://www.sportbible.com/football/fif ... 9-20230701

We talked about this over a year ago (maybe more) when this first got floated by Wenger. Looks like Italy and Holland are going to trial it (checks article: and Sweden). Flipping things so that if any part of the attackers body is level with the last defender, it's onside.

The only potential negative I envision are that more teams might play a lot more slow ball and park the bus as opposed to mid-block or a higher line. Generally, I think it's going to stop erasing goals where things are tight in the box, pinging around and a guys knee is over the offside line.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Fri Jul 07, 2023 8:54 am

I think it's going to lead to an increase of strikers utilizing the naruto run.

HaulCitgo · Post by **HaulCitgo** » Fri Jul 07, 2023 9:00 am

Id personally prefer torso but I dont think it changes all that much. Still the same flyspeck VAR looking for a fingertip... every runner will leave their outstretched hand behind them on every run behind defenders. I do like it though.

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Fri Jul 07, 2023 9:39 am

Yeah, I agree, it's incremental, but it's kind of the last step in something pretty big. Shifting the, I dunno, onus of the offsides rule onto the defender is a pretty big shift. Kind of like moving the 3 point line, as opposed to introducing the 3 point line, if that makes sense.

It's not a fundamental/foundational rule change, but it's a pretty important tweak.

(And I wish this site had a laughing/thumbs up emoji bc I can't stop chuckling at the Naruto image.)

rass · Post by **rass** » Sat Jul 08, 2023 1:07 pm

Biggity balls by ENG U21 keeper.

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Sat Jul 08, 2023 4:33 pm

Rapinoe's retirement announcement has unleashed the misogynists and MAGA-types. Made the mistake of reading the comments in the WaPost, and whoooo boy.

Baloney · Post by **Baloney** » Wed Jul 12, 2023 5:11 pm

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Thu Jul 13, 2023 3:08 pm

I found this helpful, as I hadn't circled back to look at the landscape in a few years:

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Thu Jul 13, 2023 3:27 pm

Nonlinear FC wrote: ↑Thu Jul 13, 2023 3:08 pm I found this helpful, as I hadn't circled back to look at the landscape in a few years:

It sounds like USL may vote on promotion relegation soon.

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Thu Jul 13, 2023 3:38 pm

Sorry, too scattered today... yes, that's why I posted. USL is talking about pro/rel at their next meeting in August.

What i read:

* - They are currently divided into the top level Championship and the lower/entry level League One
* - They are talking about creating a middle division, with expansion teams and/or League One teams that are willing to pay a higher (than L1) entry fee
* - The Pro/Rel would start off between the new middle and L1.

The vote is really more to formally move the process forward. They voted some time back to move on just the notion of it all, and the next step would to seriously explore the bullets above.

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Thu Jul 13, 2023 3:50 pm

Promotion and relegation makes sense but might be too late? How do you promote/relegate into a set 29 team league?
They should have done this when the league has 10-15 teams.

Here's a model they are proposing in Australia. The A-League currently has 12 teams and the rest of the lower leagues are scattered regionally. There is no real 2nd division.

Step 1: Create a unified 2nd division. There are 40 odd teams that have applied to be in a new 16 team 2nd division.
Application criteria for team to be considered.
All players need to be given professional contracts and paid salaries for 52 weeks of the year.
A team of staff that work 'off-field' throughout the entire year.
Have the ability to invest and operate a full talent development pathway at their club.
Have access to high-quality facilities for match days throughout the entire year.

Step 2: Once the 2nd division is up and running (2024) promote 2 teams each year into the A-League for 5 years until the A-League has 20 teams.
Regional teams will again apply to be in the 2nd Division and two will be selected using that same criteria listed above to replace the promoted teams.

Step 3: Then in the 6th season (2029) have promotion and relegation (three teams doing up and down) and possibly set up a unified 3rd division.

This gives the current 12 teams in the A-League 6 years to figure their shit out in preparation of promotion and relegation.

Baloney · Post by **Baloney** » Tue Jul 18, 2023 2:35 pm

Close game

https://www.livescore.com/en/football/c ... h/1013780/

Pruitt IV · Post by **Pruitt IV** » Tue Jul 18, 2023 5:56 pm

Baloney wrote: ↑Tue Jul 18, 2023 2:35 pm Close game

https://www.livescore.com/en/football/c ... h/1013780/

Vey iz mir!

What would be the point of scheduling this?

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Tue Jul 18, 2023 6:52 pm

I wonder if they have some kind of agreement or just mutual friend owners.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Tue Jul 18, 2023 6:57 pm

A_B wrote: ↑Tue Jul 18, 2023 6:52 pm I wonder if they have some kind of agreement or just mutual friend owners.

Kind of rubbing his friend’s nose in the dirt.

rass · Post by **rass** » Wed Jul 19, 2023 6:06 am

From ESPN's write-up, seems Bayern's training camp is based near where this team is located, and they beat them 23-0 in 2019. Hopefully, it's at least a good day at the gate for FC Rottach-Egern. And I guess getting beat by 20+ goals sucks but once that's done probably cool for the players to be able to say they were on the same field with Bayern.

wlu_lax6 · Post by **wlu_lax6** » Wed Jul 19, 2023 7:05 am

You think Wrexham v. Chelsea tonight on ESPN will be much better?

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Wed Jul 19, 2023 7:18 am

rass wrote: ↑Wed Jul 19, 2023 6:06 am From ESPN's write-up, seems Bayern's training camp is based near where this team is located, and they beat them 23-0 in 2019. Hopefully, it's at least a good day at the gate for FC Rottach-Egern. And I guess getting beat by 20+ goals sucks but once that's done probably cool for the players to be able to say they were on the same field with Bayern.

They probably get a decent check, too. Not that the players really benefit there. It's a 9th division team. No way the first team should have been out there.

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Wed Jul 19, 2023 9:22 am

wlu_lax6 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 19, 2023 7:05 am You think Wrexham v. Chelsea tonight on ESPN will be much better?

Ooh, thanks for the reminder, I'll go record that. (Or whatever it's called now... Add to Library?)

wlu_lax6 · Post by **wlu_lax6** » Mon Jul 24, 2023 7:14 am

How big are the apparel companies in the transfer market? Messi to MLS w/Adidas and noticed Pulisic's Puma logo (and he is a puma guy). Are players pressured to go to clubs that have their logo on the shirt?

Square Rob · Post by **Square Rob** » Mon Jul 24, 2023 12:51 pm

I don’t want to sound fatalistic, but if Mbappé goes to Saudi the game is in serious shit.

wlu_lax6 · Post by **wlu_lax6** » Mon Jul 24, 2023 1:01 pm

Square Rob wrote: ↑Mon Jul 24, 2023 12:51 pm I don’t want to sound fatalistic, but if Mbappé goes to Saudi the game is in serious shit.

Maybe-Maybe not.

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Mon Jul 24, 2023 1:20 pm

wlu_lax6 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 24, 2023 1:01 pm
Square Rob wrote: ↑Mon Jul 24, 2023 12:51 pm I don’t want to sound fatalistic, but if Mbappé goes to Saudi the game is in serious shit.
Maybe-Maybe not.

If it's only for a year, and the $200m salary is accurate, it's slightly less problematic for me. The $700m for one year salary that was going around earlier was absolutely bonkers. $2m/day to play soccer? Everyone has a price and that's a pretty high one.

Rex · Post by **Rex** » Mon Jul 24, 2023 1:22 pm

Square Rob wrote: ↑Mon Jul 24, 2023 12:51 pm I don’t want to sound fatalistic, but if Mbappé goes to Saudi the game is in serious shit.

game's gone

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Tue Jul 25, 2023 11:27 am

govmentchedda wrote: ↑Mon Jul 24, 2023 1:20 pm
wlu_lax6 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 24, 2023 1:01 pm
Square Rob wrote: ↑Mon Jul 24, 2023 12:51 pm I don’t want to sound fatalistic, but if Mbappé goes to Saudi the game is in serious shit.
Maybe-Maybe not.
If it's only for a year, and the $200m salary is accurate, it's slightly less problematic for me. The $700m for one year salary that was going around earlier was absolutely bonkers. $2m/day to play soccer? Everyone has a price and that's a pretty high one.

More thoughts on this potential move. So Mbappe has a year left, after which he can go to Madrid for free (no transfer payment owed from Madrid to PSG). That's more money that Madrid can pay him in salary if they don't have to allocate those funds to PSG for a transfer fee. He's told PSG he's not resigning there, and they'd obviously love to get some $$ back for their investment and not have him walk for free in June 2024. If he says he's leaving after the season, PSG have to try and get something for him now and potentially add some capital to their rebuild. On the other hand, they're also a petrol state run club, so do they really need the money or are they pushing him on just for the respect of not getting left at the altar?

The other thing that I don't think I've seen many places talk about is that Madrid is 100% Vini Jr.'s team now that Benzema is gone. In addition to being the focal point of the team on the pitch, his response to continued racism has also really elevated him as an ambassador of sorts for the anti-racism movement, (which is really needed in casual racist Spain). Also, Vini and Kylian's best positions are essentially the same, attacking forward/winger coming in from the left. How do those two co-exist? They're probably both equally skilled enough to move around the pitch a little, but Mbappe's move to Madrid feels a lot like the Yankees adding ARod when they already have Jeter.

Finally, Madrid management has been really interesting these last few years. For a club that has had at least two different galacticos eras, they've been surprisingly frugal of late. This period of not overspending has coincided with the pandemic and also the rebuild of the Bernabeu. I think the stadium will be fully operational this year. It's not that I think they won't spend for Mbappe, but almost like they've been keeping their powder dry in order to do so. Last season they never really challenged for La Liga title and their fans kind of seemed ok with it.