Author Topic: Soccer 2024-25 (Read 11250 times)

Natsinpwc · « **Reply #125 on:** June 01, 2025, 06:08:01 pm »

Quote from: English Natsie on June 01, 2025, 06:04:10 pm

Was going to post CL Final highlights, as they're well worth your time. Unfortunately, all the videos over here are region (Europe) specific, so you'll have to look on youtube.com...

Saw some of the game. Not much of a game anyway. As long as we don’t have to watch highlights of the riots in Paris!

English Natsie · « **Reply #126 on:** June 02, 2025, 05:43:38 am »

Quote from: Natsinpwc on June 01, 2025, 06:08:01 pm

Saw some of the game. Not much of a game anyway. As long as we don’t have to watch highlights of the riots in Paris!

One sided, yes, but PSG were playing some scintillating soccer, at times.

English Natsie · « **Reply #127 on:** June 02, 2025, 05:44:23 am »

Interesting read -and, sadly, probably right...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cq547l01xpdo

Natsinpwc · « **Reply #128 on:** June 02, 2025, 09:52:36 am »

Quote from: English Natsie on June 02, 2025, 05:43:38 am

One sided, yes, but PSG were playing some scintillating soccer, at times.

Yes some beautiful goals. Reminiscent of the latest Super Bowl!

Natsinpwc · « **Reply #129 on:** June 05, 2025, 03:17:08 pm »

Spain and France in the second Euro Nations league semi now. Winner plays Portugal.

Natsinpwc · « **Reply #130 on:** June 05, 2025, 06:21:56 pm »

Well that was a wild ending. France almost came back. 5-4 Spain.

Ali the Baseball Cat · « **Reply #131 on:** June 05, 2025, 06:46:03 pm »

Spain vs Portugal, huh...neighbours where the country with a fraction of the population is by far the better of the two. Just like here

English Natsie · « **Reply #132 on:** June 06, 2025, 05:27:11 pm »

Post haste...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c391v08kp9ro

welch · « **Reply #133 on:** June 07, 2025, 04:02:45 pm »

Spursy. Tottenham, which I've followed ever since I got to a game at WHL on 1996, reminding me of the Snyder-Skins. Of course, without Dan Snyder's sex abuse. When they hire Frank in a week or two, they will, of course, have to remold the team to fit what Frank wants. Spurs need another Josh Harris to buy out ENIC. Of course, Harris and David Blitzer own about 36% of Crystal Palace. (And, sadly, Palace might be forced out of the Europa League for scredw-ball ownership rules)

English Natsie · « **Reply #134 on:** June 07, 2025, 06:19:05 pm »

The Global Powerhouse labored to a 1 - 0 victory over those giants of world soccer, Andorra (ranked 173 in the world) in today's WC Qualifier. Very unconvincing. Masochists may seek out the - ahem - 'highlights'. It's a tough watch.

However, Andorra's shirt looked pretty good - might have to try and track one down...

Ali the Baseball Cat · « **Reply #135 on:** June 08, 2025, 09:59:49 pm »

My ski pass has a few days in Andorra, might go check it out next winter before they beat England and win the World Cup

Ali the Baseball Cat · « **Reply #136 on:** June 11, 2025, 06:47:06 am »

Pochettino had better hope for an alien abduction before 2026...the real kind, with flying saucers, not the fake casus belli canard kind with Doordash drivers

English Natsie · « **Reply #137 on:** June 15, 2025, 05:59:51 pm »

So FIFA's try-out, before the WC, gets underway. The Club World Cup (a.k.a FIFA World Money Grabbing Exercise) today featured one of the greatest mis-matches in the history of the game - Bayern Munich v the part-timers of Auckland FC (New Zealand). Dreadful to watch - Auckland spent virtually the whole game camped in their own half, whilst a cruising Bayern lashed in 10 goals. This game was an embarassment to world soccer. The only highlight was Bayern's fans displaying a large anti-FIFA banner, during the game, which was clearly visible in the TV coverage. I suspect FIFA will be lambasting the stewards, and trying to ensure no repeat at future games - although it wasn't quite Fortuna Sittard...

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #138 on:** June 15, 2025, 06:07:59 pm »

Are the USA's pitches big enough or did FIFA compromise to allow American Football stadiums to host games? Are the pitches natural grass? I know stadiums like Gillette and Heinz are too high to allow sun to get to the grass during NFL season

English Natsie · « **Reply #139 on:** June 15, 2025, 06:42:13 pm »

Quote from: JCA-CrystalCity on June 15, 2025, 06:07:59 pm

Are the USA's pitches big enough or did FIFA compromise to allow American Football stadiums to host games? Are the pitches natural grass? I know stadiums like Gillette and Heinz are too high to allow sun to get to the grass during NFL season

Yes - this event is to test-out stewarding, policing, logistics, and so on, before 'the real thing', next year, so all of the stadia have met the FIFA criteria. FIFA require all fields to be grass. The TQL stadium looked neat - lots of empty seats, but then the game was up against the Reds playing, for local attendees. I did spot three Cincinnati FC shirts, in the crowd...FIFA have been criticized over ticket pricing (too high) which has led to disappointing sales, for some games - there are reports that University Of Miami students have been offered game tickets for $5-a-piece, for games in Miami, to boost attendance.

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #140 on:** June 15, 2025, 06:56:11 pm »

They are using Audi stadium in DC rather than either the NFL field. Nats Park is twice the size of Audi, but that's not under discussion; it's in season.

English Natsie · « **Reply #141 on:** June 15, 2025, 07:35:23 pm »

Audi Stadium meets the criteria - DC did bid to be a WC venue, at Audi, and were unfortunate to miss out.

HalfSmokes · « **Reply #142 on:** June 15, 2025, 07:52:09 pm »

Quote from: English Natsie on June 15, 2025, 05:59:51 pm

So FIFA's try-out, before the WC, gets underway. The Club World Cup (a.k.a FIFA World Money Grabbing Exercise) today featured one of the greatest mis-matches in the history of the game - Bayern Munich v the part-timers of Auckland FC (New Zealand). Dreadful to watch - Auckland spent virtually the whole game camped in their own half, whilst a cruising Bayern lashed in 10 goals. This game was an embarassment to world soccer. The only highlight was Bayern's fans displaying a large anti-FIFA banner, during the game, which was clearly visible in the TV coverage. I suspect FIFA will be lambasting the stewards, and trying to ensure no repeat at future games - although it wasn't quite Fortuna Sittard...

Ballsy of FIFA and Bayern to participate. If the part timers start getting embarrassed and angry, the Bayern players have a lot more riding on not taking reckless tackles intended to cause injury from behind than Auckland. Winning 10-0, that’s a risk you run

Natsinpwc · « **Reply #143 on:** June 15, 2025, 08:01:02 pm »

Welp the USMNT doing what it's supposed to do as a much superior squad. Kuwait and Haiti next up and they are not formidable either. Might give some of these young guys confidence.

welch · « **Reply #144 on:** June 15, 2025, 09:03:10 pm »

Quote from: JCA-CrystalCity on June 15, 2025, 06:56:11 pm

They are using Audi stadium in DC rather than either the NFL field. Nats Park is twice the size of Audi, but that's not under discussion; it's in season.

That's why RFK/DC Stadium was perfect in '94. As many as 55,000 seats, pretty much full-sized for soccer. No baseball and during the NFL off-season. And the great bouncing seats from the Redskin games.

HalfSmokes · « **Reply #145 on:** June 15, 2025, 10:14:29 pm »

The NFLPA is pissed that they are putting in grass for soccer (FIFA requirement) but not NFL games

1995hoo · « **Reply #146 on:** June 16, 2025, 11:12:38 am »

Quote from: English Natsie on June 15, 2025, 07:35:23 pm

Audi Stadium meets the criteria - DC did bid to be a WC venue, at Audi, and were unfortunate to miss out.

I'm pretty sure DC's bid for 2026 World Cup games was based on FedEx Field, not Audi Field. The latter is too small for the World Cup because FIFA's rules require that a stadium seat at least 40,000 (BMO Field in Toronto, for example, is being expanded for the World Cup to meet that requirement, whereas Montreal wasn't interested in expanding Stade Saputo and so got left out). Recall DC eventually combined its bid with Baltimore's and would have seen games played at the Ravens' stadium, but FIFA ultimately rejected that as well.

English Natsie · « **Reply #147 on:** June 16, 2025, 06:20:46 pm »

Quote from: HalfSmokes on June 15, 2025, 07:52:09 pm

Ballsy of FIFA and Bayern to participate. If the part timers start getting embarrassed and angry, the Bayern players have a lot more riding on not taking reckless tackles intended to cause injury from behind than Auckland. Winning 10-0, that’s a risk you run

Bayern coming under some criticism for being unsporting - putting out their full strength starting-eleven, despite the quality of the opposition, and then rubbing Auckland's nose in it; winning 4 or 5 nil would have been enough, whilst allowing Auckland to maintain some respect.

English Natsie · « **Reply #148 on:** June 17, 2025, 05:56:17 pm »

Quote from: 1995hoo on June 16, 2025, 11:12:38 am

I'm pretty sure DC's bid for 2026 World Cup games was based on FedEx Field, not Audi Field. The latter is too small for the World Cup because FIFA's rules require that a stadium seat at least 40,000 (BMO Field in Toronto, for example, is being expanded for the World Cup to meet that requirement, whereas Montreal wasn't interested in expanding Stade Saputo and so got left out). Recall DC eventually combined its bid with Baltimore's and would have seen games played at the Ravens' stadium, but FIFA ultimately rejected that as well.

How soon the memory fades...getting old...

welch · « **Reply #149 on:** June 24, 2025, 03:54:43 pm »

Woody Johnson, owner of the Jets, has bought about 45% of Crystal Palce from John Textor. That should allow Palce to play in the Europa League next year. They are in question because Textor owns a French team that also qualified. UEFA does not like having teams with the same ownership in the same competition.

Textor had been trying to sell because the other Palace owners would not let him run the team. Our Josh Harris and his partner, David Blitzer, each own about 18% of Palace, and they have supported lead-owner, Steve Parrish, against Textor.

Next season, it could be Commanders against Jets in the Crystal Palace board room.

And, we know that little dan snyder is lurking in London, living on Harris's $6.1 billion.