Let's see about that
Let's see about that
How will they be in the final when they'll lose to Ajax?Messi and Suarez will tear us apart.
I just hope they fucking lose in the final to Juve
Additionally, it seems it's been confirmed Caparrós is going to be the coach until the end of the season.
lol yeah. To be fair, they've all been having a pretty good season there, so it makes sense.4 Wolves players :lol
Wouldn't mind some more of that list TBH.
RIP The Emery connection.
Germany:Some surprises in Portugal's selection for the Euro Qualifiers:
--
Didn't even know Dyego Sousa was Portuguese tbh. There's also been zero rumours of him being called up in the press, so that makes it even more impressive. Could be a a nice "classical" striker for us though.
João Felix also comes as a surprise. Pretty young (19) and basically skipping the U-21 team too. Jota I think is a return? Unsure, but given his season it's not that surprising.
Yeah, no clue what ter Stegen and Neuer have to do to finally switch places.Neuer ahead of ter stegen and trapp is a joke. Recently Neuer himself is a joke tbh
Fucking clown just like LöwYeah, no clue what ter Stegen and Neuer have to do to finally switch places.
Barça fans should be used to the best keeper in a nation not getting the No. 1 shirt 😉On the one hand I'm sad ter Stegen doesn't get the recognition he deserves. On the other hand, not playing means less chances of him getting injured.
Ter Stegen should play though, Neuer is a shadow of his former self.
Zubizarreta had the No. 1 shirt for longer than he really deserved. Ancient times, I'll admit.Barça fans should be used to the best keeper in a nation not getting the No. 1 shirt 😉
Guardiola started with a Barca side that seemed at the end of a cycle and he had the balls to kick out some players who were clearly at the end of their run like Ronaldinho, downplaying his work there just as him being lucky that he found a team with all that talent is odd to say the least, and trying to take Liverpool as an example of virtuosity when this summer they spent 70 million on a goalkeeper and much more on other players is disingenuous, if they'll win a trophy it wiil be 'cause like any other top club in Europe they spent lots of money on good players (not trying to discredit Klopp's work btw).
The "he should go in a smaller club with a smaller salary" talk is also nonsense, coaches are professional, asking them to renounce to money and better means at their disposal just to prove some point to god knows who is fantasy talk.
I mentioned Klopp and Liverpool but i could have use any other top clubs and coach as an example: succesful managers are succesful 'cause they manage great players, trying to downplay what Guardiola has done in the last 10 years just because he got to the top immediatly instead of other names is ridicolous.No same in getting dumped by Barca should it happen. Had I been given the option of knocking out PSG and going out to Barca in the last 8 when Mou was sacked I'd have taken it. But miracles do happen.
I don't really disagree.
As Timm said Liverpool maybe only had the money to spend because of the Coutionho sale, and Barca only had the money to spend because of the Neymar abduction. So its all down to PSG.
Though I think the idea that Liverpool wouldn't have got VVD and then someone to replace Karius a bit weird. They would have if they had any ambition, even without Coutinho going for that much. Everyone could see they needed both. Maybe they don't buy the incredible "baby Keith" as I don't think they were as in need of him as they were VVD or Alisson.
I didn't disagree with you lol.I mentioned Klopp and Liverpool but i could have use any other top clubs and coach as an example: succesful managers are succesful 'cause they manage great players, trying to downplay what Guardiola has done in the last 10 years just because he got to the top immediatly instead of other names is ridicolous.
Guardiola was a player of Barca's 'Dream Team' managed by Cruijff in the early 90s.
Yeah i know, just trying to reiterate my point i guess lol
Don't worry, it's Spurs. If anything, they'll find a way to almost make it to the final, but not really.I can't believe Tottenham is this close to winning a CL.
From this point on anything can happen.
Provided "anything" means, get knocked out. Sure.I can't believe Tottenham is this close to winning a CL.
From this point on anything can happen.
I can't believe Tottenham is this close to winning a CL.
From this point on anything can happen.
I dont know about Xavi, is he really coaching material? Just because you were a good playmaker as a player doesnt mean you make a good coach, I dont really think that the skill sets overlap at all. He pops up now and then taking pot shots at Real Madrid or talking about "Barca DNA", its always some low level commentary with him. I just dont see it honestly.And everyone was scared shitless when he left because he organised the team from within the field.
Fortunately, Xavi Hernández stood up to the task and we are drooling at the thought that one day he may be Barça's coach.
Just my opinion but yes he is. Conversely, I don't think Andrés Iniesta is coaching material even if he is an excellent player. So, as you say, being a good player doesn't necessarily translate into being a good coach but hearing him talk about football makes me think Xavi will be a good coach.I dont know about Xavi, is he really coaching material? Just because you were a good playmaker as a player doesnt mean you make a good coach, I dont really think that the skill sets overlap at all. He pops up now and then taking pot shots at Real Madrid or talking about "Barca DNA", its always some low level commentary with him. I just dont see it honestly.
Would Coutinho even play? I was under the impression he was in and out the Barca side as they couldn't find his best position.
Though I think the idea that Liverpool wouldn't have got VVD and then someone to replace Karius a bit weird. They would have if they had any ambition, even without Coutinho going for that much. Everyone could see they needed both. Maybe they don't buy the incredible "baby Keith" as I don't think they were as in need of him as they were VVD or Alisson.
I think we still sign VvD (but for slightly less money, as Southampton dont know we have loads of money), still sign Keita (because Klopp was raving about him at the time), but sign a much cheaper goalkeeper than Alisson and doubt we sign Fabinho at all without the Coutinho money.
Honestly its definitely left us in a much better place
He's still a cunt though
Apparently Dembélé is injured again and won't make it to the first match of the quarter finals.Yeah he might not, i think Dembele is keeping him out of the team right now. But an actual Barca fan might be able to give a better answer here!
Yeah, maybe. I guess its hard to say really who will succeed and who wont when it comes to coaching. Scholes is another example, he is the most dull and uninsightful and pundit on tv, but he was a legendary playmaker. Unless im mistaken, he just stepped down from his first coaching job? In either case, Its going to be interesting to see if a high "footballing IQ" on the pitch translates well to the role of manager off the pitch. Pirlo is another potentially interesting case, I know he is in the process of aquiring his coaching badge as we speak. I tried reading his book and found it enormously pretentious and vapid. Its like he tries to reduce football to some sort of mysticism at times, rather than try to explain it properly. Even the title is insufferable, "I think therefore I play". I think he is riding on the implicit assumption that some people make, that being a so called "cerebral" player means that you are a cerebral person. I dont think this is necessarily the case.Just my opinion but yes he is. Conversely, I don't think Andrés Iniesta is coaching material even if he is an excellent player. So, as you say, being a good player doesn't necessarily translate into being a good coach but hearing him talk about football makes me think Xavi will be a good coach.
On the low level commentary, we'll have to agree to disagree.
It's all somewhat circular though, had PSG not done what they did with Neymar and then Mbappe there is no way Alisson or Kepa or VVD or Dembele or anyone else goes for the money they go for. They set a ridiculous bar because they didn't actually have to come up with the money and then everyone else is trying to tag along.
Success depends on many factors and in such a competitive environment is never guaranteed. Sometimes even the most hardworking person might need that moment of pure luck to make a breakthrough that permanently alters their career.Yeah, maybe. I guess its hard to say really who will succeed and who wont when it comes to coaching. Scholes is another example, he is the most dull and uninsightful and pundit on tv, but he was a legendary playmaker. Unless im mistaken, he just stepped down from his first coaching job? In either case, Its going to be interesting to see if a high "footballing IQ" on the pitch translates well to the role of manager off the pitch. Pirlo is another potentially interesting case, I know he is in the process of aquiring his coaching badge as we speak. I tried reading his book and found it enormously pretentious and vapid. Its like he tries to reduce football to some sort of mysticism sometimes, rather than try to explain it properly. Even the title is insufferable, "I think therefore I play". I think he is riding on the implicit assumption that some people make, that being a so called "cerebral" player means that you are a cerebral person. I dont think this is necessarily the case.
True, but I also think that coaches that were once legendary players probably get way more leeway than other coaches, as their reputation precedes them. In that sense I think they that have a longer leash so to speak, and the clubs and fans around them will probably put up with more. Obviously this doesnt cancel out all the unique circumstances surrounding each individual manager position, but I do think that they have it easier in general.Success depends on many factors and in such a competitive environment is never guaranteed. Sometimes even the most hardworking person might need that moment of pure luck to make a breakthrough that permanently alters their career.
Even then you have coaches like Zidane, Cruyff and others that probably benefited from the experience that playing at the highest level provided. Something that other coaches who were as successful as them could not bank on.
Agreed. Legendary players do have longer leashes. Some of them make terrible coaches like Maradona even if they were incredible players. Whatever leash was given to Maradona it was undeservedly long. But if they don't have what it takes to make a good coach they'll eventually fail.True, but I also think that coaches that were once legendary players probably get way more leeway than other coaches, as their reputation precedes them. In that sense I think they that have a longer leash so to speak, and the clubs and fans around them will probably put up with more. Obviously this doesnt cancel out all the unique circumstances surrounding each individual manager position, but I do think that they have it easier in general.
I don't think you can say that with absolute certainty. Alex Ferguson is one of the most successful managers in history and that wasn't because of a fluke. Frank Rijkaard was a rookie in comparison even with his experience as a footballer. It depends if you understand how football is played at every facet of the game. Doesn't really matter what position you played in the past.Yeah, maybe. I guess its hard to say really who will succeed and who wont when it comes to coaching. Scholes is another example, he is the most dull and uninsightful and pundit on tv, but he was a legendary playmaker. Unless im mistaken, he just stepped down from his first coaching job? In either case, Its going to be interesting to see if a high "footballing IQ" on the pitch translates well to the role of manager off the pitch. Pirlo is another potentially interesting case, I know he is in the process of aquiring his coaching badge as we speak. I tried reading his book and found it enormously pretentious and vapid. Its like he tries to reduce football to some sort of mysticism at times, rather than try to explain it properly. Even the title is insufferable, "I think therefore I play". I think he is riding on the implicit assumption that some people make, that being a so called "cerebral" player means that you are a cerebral person. I dont think this is necessarily the case.
Cruijff actually understood football tactics. Unlike Pele and Maradona, he was successful as a manager and shaped Barcelona as we know today.Even then you have coaches like Zidane, Cruyff and others that probably benefited from the experience that playing at the highest level provided. Something that other coaches who were as successful as them could not bank on.
Who winning what?I can't believe Tottenham is this close to winning a CL.
From this point on anything can happen.
Yes.
No game today. Other than that nothing