The Swamp

degenerasian wrote:"The Dutch are in disarray"

As they just lost 3-0 to the Turks. Man.

Just got home from the NWSL semi-final game...Seattle Reign FC vs Washington Spirit. Pretty even first half, but then the Spirit seemed to run out of gas and the Reign won 3-0. Fun game...about 5000 in attendance. Megan Rapinoe had a great goal. And Kim Little (midfielder from Scotland) is a total badass. Super fun to watch her play.

League Finals are Oct 1st, down in Portland. If they weren't on a Thursday night, we'd consider going. And we were talking about maybe getting seasons tickets next year.

The essence of fandom is watching 90 minutes of Spurs-Sunderland off the dvr. 5 seconds on the computer would have saved me 90 minutes yesterday. But then again, I would have missed the excitement from watching Erik Lamela's free header from 5 feet out go 5 feet wide.

A win's a win, I guess, but all things considered, I would have rather been grocery shopping.

Pruitt wrote:A win's a win, I guess, but all things considered, I would have rather been grocery shopping.

Brilliant. Stolen for my signature line.

Steve of phpBB wrote:

Pruitt wrote:A win's a win, I guess, but all things considered, I would have rather been grocery shopping.

Brilliant. Stolen for my signature line.

I have made it as a writer!!

DaveInSeattle wrote:Just got home from the NWSL semi-final game...Seattle Reign FC vs Washington Spirit. Pretty even first half, but then the Spirit seemed to run out of gas and the Reign won 3-0. Fun game...about 5000 in attendance. Megan Rapinoe had a great goal. And Kim Little (midfielder from Scotland) is a total badass. Super fun to watch her play.

League Finals are Oct 1st, down in Portland. If they weren't on a Thursday night, we'd consider going. And we were talking about maybe getting seasons tickets next year.

A game in Portland between Seattle and Kansas City makes sense.

Interesting article on Brits and NCAA soccer
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/34097904" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Brontoburglar wrote:

DaveInSeattle wrote:Just got home from the NWSL semi-final game...Seattle Reign FC vs Washington Spirit. Pretty even first half, but then the Spirit seemed to run out of gas and the Reign won 3-0. Fun game...about 5000 in attendance. Megan Rapinoe had a great goal. And Kim Little (midfielder from Scotland) is a total badass. Super fun to watch her play.

League Finals are Oct 1st, down in Portland. If they weren't on a Thursday night, we'd consider going. And we were talking about maybe getting seasons tickets next year.

A game in Portland between Seattle and Kansas City makes sense.

There was an article in the Seattle Times last week about how the Reign coach (Laura Harvey) didn't take the playoffs very seriously last year, since they had finished the league at the top of the table, and "won the league". The article said that this year she has a better understanding about how important the playoffs are.

Here's the article: Laura Harvey’s unique coaching style a key to Reign’s dominant run

wlu_lax6 wrote:Interesting article on Brits and NCAA soccer
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/34097904" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I've known several Brits that played collegiate soccer here. There are three other trends besides the ones mentioned.

First, in some cases a British player won't initially land with a good college team. But one strong year against weaker competition and perhaps good play in a summer league can allow them to move up to a top 30 DI team.

Second, young British players have long been coming to the USA as youth coaches. Some stick, developing lucrative summer camps and taking high-level positions at clubs that pay well. Others coach for a few years, then return home. They get far more responsibility at a younger age in the USA than they would have in Britain. I know a couple who thrived on this. While the American position doesn't add much to their resume in English club soccer, their supervisory responsibility helps them in other domains.

One took a job running the soccer program at a well-established private high school at a pretty young age. It helped that he was running a club in America with 15-20 coaches under him at age 23. He told me that his real stepping stone to dealing with this level of responsibility was managing one of his dad's chips shops in Leeds. But that he wouldn't have had a shot to run anything meaningful in English club soccer until he was in his 30s.

There is a third path. That's coaching for a few years, then moving to a low-level American college as a player. Typically not a D1 college; if the player was that good he wouldn't have been coaching. Typically not a DIII college, as they don't offer athletic scholarships (there's a different path in operation here, as well as at prep schools).

But in addition to the English players who are good enough to play at the DI level and perhaps make an MLS team, there are many with lesser ability who left their English youth club when they were in their late teens, often due to a serious injury. While coaching youth soccer in the USA they often play in amateur leagues in their off hours, frequently for teams composed mostly of fellow Englishman. Sometimes they find their injuries to be more healed than they thought. Or their soccer burnout is cured in these games with their mates, away from the gimlet-eyed gaze of their British coaches..

These guys can offer quite a bit to a DII coach, who may be amazed that he can land a 25 year-old English-trained player who knows the game better than the coach, has tremendous skills (by American standards), and is extremely mature. The soccer scholarship provides a way to pick up an American degree. For some who have married an American woman or are in a serious relationship here, this can be a way to play the game they love in a serious manner, while establishing a professional path that has more earning potential and stability than being a soccer coach. That can be a wonderful way to put a capstone on your soccer career, perhaps mending a broken dream in the process, while getting the education and credential you need to start a new life with a woman who is not keen on starting a family while being soccer gypsies and living in a succession of crummy apartments .

Livingston FC of Scotland have been in the Scottish Premier League and are currently at the bottom of the Championship (like in England, one tier below).

They need money.

They have sold naming rights to their stadium to a chain of Italian restaurants, and now play in the Tony Macaroni Stadium.

http://www.whoateallthepies.tv/fail/223 ... arena.html

Northern Ireland beat Greece and are in Euro 2016. And Ireland is upsetting Germany 1-0 while Scotland is beating Poland 2-1 in stoppage time which could make Group D completely up for grabs.

Should be a fun party in Dublin tonight.

Bob Bradley in advanced talks with Le Havre AC. French 2nd division side currently in 12th place.
3 games remain in the tippiligen with Stabæk holding onto 2nd place by one point and 9 points back of the championship. They are 5 points up on 4th place as 2nd and 3rd get slots in Europa League.

wlu_lax6 wrote:Bob Bradley in advanced talks with Le Havre AC. French 2nd division side currently in 12th place.
3 games remain in the tippiligen with Stabæk holding onto 2nd place by one point and 9 points back of the championship. They are 5 points up on 4th place as 2nd and 3rd get slots in Europa League.

Is French League 2 a step up from a trip to the Europa Cup. Really impressive how fast he turned Stabaek around.

The Sybian wrote:

wlu_lax6 wrote:Bob Bradley in advanced talks with Le Havre AC. French 2nd division side currently in 12th place.
3 games remain in the tippiligen with Stabæk holding onto 2nd place by one point and 9 points back of the championship. They are 5 points up on 4th place as 2nd and 3rd get slots in Europa League.

Is French League 2 a step up from a trip to the Europa Cup. Really impressive how fast he turned Stabaek around.

Considering what he did with a team that had minimal budget, expected to relegated, and losing their top scorer during the last transfer window...very impressive.

SoccerByIves said that Bradley also talked to Molde FK (also in the Tippiligen), but Staebek hopes he leaves the country if he wants to move up.

Is this ManU game on anywhere?

P.D.X. wrote:Is this ManU game on anywhere?

Fox Sports Go.

Guess I'm stuck with Juve.

P.D.X. wrote:Guess I'm stuck with Juve.

If I were you, I'd find a replay of the Arsenal Bayern game. Fantastic stuff.

Bastian Schweinsteiger is suing a Hong Kong toymaker for selling a Nazi soldier figure in what is almost unequivocally his likeness. (Daily Mail link, sorry)

To be fair, he is the most stereotypically German-looking person in the world, with the most stereotypically German-sounding name.

The height of corporate arrogance.

UEFA threatens Man City with discipline because their fans jeer that irritating Champions League anthem.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/201 ... efa-booing

Pruitt wrote:The height of corporate arrogance.

UEFA threatens Man City with discipline because their fans jeer that irritating Champions League anthem.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/201 ... efa-booing

I hope every team's fans start booing the anthem now.

Odd. The person in the tape is Valbuena, who plays on the national team with Benzema.

wlu_lax6 wrote:

The Sybian wrote:

wlu_lax6 wrote:Bob Bradley in advanced talks with Le Havre AC. French 2nd division side currently in 12th place.
3 games remain in the tippiligen with Stabæk holding onto 2nd place by one point and 9 points back of the championship. They are 5 points up on 4th place as 2nd and 3rd get slots in Europa League.

Is French League 2 a step up from a trip to the Europa Cup. Really impressive how fast he turned Stabaek around.

Considering what he did with a team that had minimal budget, expected to relegated, and losing their top scorer during the last transfer window...very impressive.

SoccerByIves said that Bradley also talked to Molde FK (also in the Tippiligen), but Staebek hopes he leaves the country if he wants to move up.

Bradley locks up at least a Europa Qualification spot for Staebek. Contract is up at the end of the season for Bradley.

A_B wrote:

Odd. The person in the tape is Valbuena, who plays on the national team with Benzema.

Odder still, Djibril Cisse would seem to be one of the blackmailers.

Former Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse is being held in police custody in connection to an alleged blackmail case against Mathieu Valbuena.
The ex-France international is understood to be one of four men under investigation by French police over the alleged attempted blackmail of Valbuena using a sextape that is reported to contain the diminutive Lyon midfielder.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/footba ... kmail.html

I can't wait to hear what Valbuena did to piss his teammates off. I read there is a 5 year prison sentence for blackmail France. Even more for a black male. HA!

Pruitt wrote:

A_B wrote:

Odd. The person in the tape is Valbuena, who plays on the national team with Benzema.

Odder still, Djibril Cisse would seem to be one of the blackmailers.

Former Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse is being held in police custody in connection to an alleged blackmail case against Mathieu Valbuena.
The ex-France international is understood to be one of four men under investigation by French police over the alleged attempted blackmail of Valbuena using a sextape that is reported to contain the diminutive Lyon midfielder.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/footba ... kmail.html

The article is a bit misleading, because Cissé was quickly released and cleared by the police a few weeks ago. The French papers only mention Benzema right now and it looks quite serious for him

7th division Salford City beat 4th division Notts County (League 2) in the first round of the FA Cup. Salford City have won in 4 qualifying rounds and now in the 1st Round Proper.

This is significant because? Salford City are owned by Giggs, Scholes, Butt and the Nevilles

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/34674206" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

wlu_lax6 wrote:

wlu_lax6 wrote:

The Sybian wrote:

wlu_lax6 wrote:Bob Bradley in advanced talks with Le Havre AC. French 2nd division side currently in 12th place.
3 games remain in the tippiligen with Stabæk holding onto 2nd place by one point and 9 points back of the championship. They are 5 points up on 4th place as 2nd and 3rd get slots in Europa League.

Is French League 2 a step up from a trip to the Europa Cup. Really impressive how fast he turned Stabaek around.

Considering what he did with a team that had minimal budget, expected to relegated, and losing their top scorer during the last transfer window...very impressive.

SoccerByIves said that Bradley also talked to Molde FK (also in the Tippiligen), but Staebek hopes he leaves the country if he wants to move up.

Bradley locks up at least a Europa Qualification spot for Staebek. Contract is up at the end of the season for Bradley.

Done deal.

govmentchedda wrote:

wlu_lax6 wrote:
Bradley locks up at least a Europa Qualification spot for Staebek. Contract is up at the end of the season for Bradley.

Done deal.

I can't see walking away from Europa or Champions League for a 2nd division French team. Is Bradley taking over midseason? Is he even finishing the year out with Staebek? With Bradley leaving Staebek and Mjøndalen IF being relegated, who am I going to follow in the Tippeligaen?

The Sybian wrote:

govmentchedda wrote:

wlu_lax6 wrote:
Bradley locks up at least a Europa Qualification spot for Staebek. Contract is up at the end of the season for Bradley.

Done deal.

I can't see walking away from Europa or Champions League for a 2nd division French team. Is Bradley taking over midseason? Is he even finishing the year out with Staebek? With Bradley leaving Staebek and Mjøndalen IF being relegated, who am I going to follow in the Tippeligaen?

I'm pretty sure the Tippeligaen has a fucked up (see MLS) calendar. I think they take long winter breaks due to the weather.

govmentchedda wrote:

The Sybian wrote:

govmentchedda wrote:

wlu_lax6 wrote:
Bradley locks up at least a Europa Qualification spot for Staebek. Contract is up at the end of the season for Bradley.

Done deal.

I can't see walking away from Europa or Champions League for a 2nd division French team. Is Bradley taking over midseason? Is he even finishing the year out with Staebek? With Bradley leaving Staebek and Mjøndalen IF being relegated, who am I going to follow in the Tippeligaen?

I'm pretty sure the Tippeligaen has a fucked up (see MLS) calendar. I think they take long winter breaks due to the weather.

I think their season ended, should have looked that up.

U-23s lose 2-1 to Brazil. US score on a PK (also 2nd yellow so U.s. played up a man for 30+ minutes). Games was on FS2 but I missed it. SoccerByIves said the U.s. looked flat and the only player of any positive note was John Brooks.

AC Milan has a 16 year old starting in the net for them.
http://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2015/11 ... erie-italy" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

wlu_lax6 wrote:AC Milan has a 16 year old starting in the net for them.
http://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2015/11 ... erie-italy" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That's awesome.

wlu_lax6 wrote:AC Milan has a 16 year old starting in the net for them.
http://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2015/11 ... erie-italy" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That's incredible. That kid would be, what, a junior in high school?

Shirley wrote:

wlu_lax6 wrote:AC Milan has a 16 year old starting in the net for them.
http://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2015/11 ... erie-italy" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That's incredible. That kid would be, what, a junior in high school?

A_B wrote:

wlu_lax6 wrote:AC Milan has a 16 year old starting in the net for them.
http://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2015/11 ... erie-italy" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That's awesome.

Just showed this to my daughter the soccer fanatic who is 16 years and 9 months old. Jaw dropped.

In case you bet on the final of the Mauritanian Super Cup...

http://www.theguardian.com/football/201 ... 3rd-minute