The Association Football Thread

[Outofmyvolcanmind]

More like the top brass let the players run the team?

I guess it is kind of similar to the NBA and NHL though. Star players have virtually singlehandedly run off coaches in those leagues too. Perhaps not as much in MLB and the NFL because it is harder for a single player to have an outsized influence simply because of the nature of the game.

Good point. Heck, look what Kwahi is doing to a hall of fame coach in Popovich.

How insane would it be if Wenger ends up in Madrid and wins big?

 

[05_never_again]

Good point. Heck, look what Kwahi is doing to a hall of fame coach in Popovich.

How insane would it be if Wenger ends up in Madrid and wins big?

I could see it happening. RM's pressure cooker environment wouldn't phase him and a change of scenery would probably do him good. He's a good fit as far as the style his teams usually play with too.

 

[volball625]

I'll never understand coaching changes in European soccer. They make SEC football coaching hot seats look like preschool, and the players make NBA players look like down to earth, level-headed people.

They've won the Champions League 3 years in a row, won La Liga in 2017, but that isn't enough to overcome drama he had with certain players.

Nowhere to go but down. He’s been poor in the league and had pressure year round because of how bad they were. He would have probably been canned if they didn’t win the UCL.

He’s tactically pretty poor and was exposed for much of the season.

 

[05_never_again]

Nowhere to go but down. He’s been poor in the league and had pressure year round because of how bad they were. He would have probably been canned if they didn’t win the UCL.

He’s tactically pretty poor and was exposed for much of the season.

Still nuts...he won the UCL last year and the year before that. I get not being good as expected in the league, but he did win it 1 of the 3 years he was there. Barca has been the better La Liga team for the better part of a decade now. Fun fact from Wikipedia: a team outside of Madrid or Barcelona has not won La Liga since 2003-04. Yikes.

The old cliche holds true once again...easier to replace a coach than replace a player(s), and if one of the players in question is considered the best in the world, then we know who is getting replaced.

 

[ButchPlz]

Ready for the World Cup.

Peru, my wife's home country, is in it for the first time in her life, while the US isn't in it. I'm excited anyway, I'll be wearing my red and white.

 

[MAD]

Now that the WC is over it's time to start getting excited about Club Soccer again.
I know we have asked this in the past but thought it would be a good time to ask again.

Which team or teams do you support?
How did you become a fan of your team or teams?
Do you watch matches from the top leagues? Premiere League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 or other leagues?

 

[JL 103]

Now that the WC is over it's time to start getting excited about Club Soccer again.
I know we have asked this in the past but thought it would be a good time to ask again.

Which team or teams do you support?
How did you become a fan of your team or teams?
Do you watch matches from the top leagues? Premiere League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 or other leagues?

Manchester United and SJ Earthquakes
I was a big Beckham fan growing up and started watching United games then. The Earthquakes because being from SJ, there are only two pro teams, and no I don’t want the Athletics invading the city. I try and watch both Premiere and Bundesliga. It’s just hard waking up so early to do that.

 

[05_never_again]

Now that the WC is over it's time to start getting excited about Club Soccer again.
I know we have asked this in the past but thought it would be a good time to ask again.

Which team or teams do you support?
How did you become a fan of your team or teams?
Do you watch matches from the top leagues? Premiere League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 or other leagues?

I don't have a team, but it is easy to pull for teams like Tottenham that are good and trying to bust into the upper echelons of leagues.

 

[MAD]

I always wanted to become a supporter of a team in the Premier League, especially every time a World Cup had come and gone. No luck, how do you just pick a team? I'm a Lions fan because I was born in Michigan and a Vol because I grew up in Knoxville and my dad and I had season tickets. Those were not my choice, just happened. Anyways a few years ago I started dating this girl from London who was a very big Arsenal fan and my problem was solved. I am no longer with that girl but I am so passionate about Arsenal, it consumes me more than either the Lions or the Vols.

 

[05_never_again]

I always wanted to become a supporter of a team in the Premier League, especially every time a World Cup had come and gone. No luck, how do you just pick a team? I'm a Lions fan because I was born in Michigan and a Vol because I grew up in Knoxville and my dad and I had season tickets. Those were not my choice, just happened. Anyways a few years ago I started dating this girl from London who was a very big Arsenal fan and my problem was solved. I am no longer with that girl but I am so passionate about Arsenal, it consumes me more than either the Lions or the Vols.

Damn - if I were you I would think about that girl and the break-up every time I watched Arsenal, but to each his own. :good!:

It's hard, maybe impossible for me, to really be a fan of a team that I don't have some personal connection to or didn't grow up watching. When I watch soccer I might want a particular team to beat another, but I'm not a "fan" of that team.

Every team I am a fan of, with the exception of perhaps the USMNT, I grew up watching as a kid. The Predators' arrival in Nashville got me watching (and eventually playing) hockey when I was younger. I grew up going to Braves and Vols games and the greatest feelings of nostalgia come from watching them play. It really wasn't even a choice to be a Tennessee fan...there are pictures of me wearing one of those old Hutch Tennessee uniform sets that came with a helmet and I was too young to even remember it. I also went to a lot of Falcons games growing up but started liking the Titans too when they came to Nashville.

 

[MAD]

Damn - if I were you I would think about that girl and the break-up every time I watched Arsenal, but to each his own. :good!:

It's hard, maybe impossible for me, to really be a fan of a team that I don't have some personal connection to or didn't grow up watching. When I watch soccer I might want a particular team to beat another, but I'm not a "fan" of that team.

Every team I am a fan of, with the exception of perhaps the USMNT, I grew up watching as a kid. The Predators' arrival in Nashville got me watching (and eventually playing) hockey when I was younger. I grew up going to Braves and Vols games and the greatest feelings of nostalgia come from watching them play. It really wasn't even a choice to be a Tennessee fan...there are pictures of me wearing one of those old Hutch Tennessee uniform sets that came with a helmet and I was too young to even remember it. I also went to a lot of Falcons games growing up but started liking the Titans too when they came to Nashville.

You can change your wife, change your politics, change your religion. But never, never can you change your favorite sports team!

LOL, I have pictures of me with that same Tennessee uniform set as well.

 

[NorCalVol67]

Manchester United and SJ Earthquakes
I was a big Beckham fan growing up and started watching United games then. The Earthquakes because being from SJ, there are only two pro teams, and no I don’t want the Athletics invading the city. I try and watch both Premiere and Bundesliga. It’s just hard waking up so early to do that.

Quakes fan also. Avaya is a great stadium, too bad they don't seem too concerned about winning right now. I just moved to the East Coast, so it will be weird how late the games come on. I am used to getting up at 6 or so on the weekend to watch the Premiere league.

 

[NorCalVol67]

Now that the WC is over it's time to start getting excited about Club Soccer again.
I know we have asked this in the past but thought it would be a good time to ask again.

Which team or teams do you support?
How did you become a fan of your team or teams?
Do you watch matches from the top leagues? Premiere League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 or other leagues?

Barcelona, Tottenham, Quakes and DC United. I know, supporting two teams in the same league is lame. I lived in DC when MLS began and went to games including the playoffs the inauagral season. Became a Quakes fan living in the Bay Area the last 14 years.

In the mid nineties I had a girlfriend from Barcelona. She was not a fan of the national team but was a big fan of Barca, so I became a fan back then.

Tottenham mainly because of Kasey Keller's time there. Really enjoy watching Kane, well, outside of the knockout stages anyway.

I watch all the leagues you mentioned though I dropped BeIN sports a while back. Planning to sign back up when the season starts.

 

[Outofmyvolcanmind]

La Liga = Espanyol, they sponsor my kids team in the states.

League one = Monaco

Bundesliga = Dortmund of course cause Pulisic.

AC Milan because mi famiglia in Italy.

Overall top squad and team I watch every game = Manchester City. Was in London 15 years ago. Was blown away in EPL when I heard chanting in streets from Chelsea fans on their way to play Arsenal. Winning team would take control of first place. Watched on tv but didn’t know all the rules. Didn’t matter, fan energy sucked me in. Then bought a paper on the train to Edinburgh the next day. Man sitting next to me explained everything to me including rules and points/standings. He asked me who my team was. Told him I didn’t have one and asked who he supported. He said City. I said ok, I’m a City fan. He said, don’t do that to yourself, we suck.

I chose correct! Makes up for some of the Vol aingst.

 

[MAD]

La Liga = Espanyol, they sponsor my kids team in the states.

League one = Monaco

Bundesliga = Dortmund of course cause Pulisic.

AC Milan because mi famiglia in Italy.

Overall top squad and team I watch every game = Manchester City. Was in London 15 years ago. Was blown away in EPL when I heard chanting in streets from Chelsea fans on their way to play Arsenal. Winning team would take control of first place. Watched on tv but didn’t know all the rules. Didn’t matter, fan energy sucked me in. Then bought a paper on the train to Edinburgh the next day. Man sitting next to me explained everything to me including rules and points/standings. He asked me who my team was. Told him I didn’t have one and asked who he supported. He said City. I said ok, I’m a City fan. He said, don’t do that to yourself, we suck.

I chose correct! Makes up for some of the Vol aingst.

That's a great story

 

[doozer]

I always wanted to become a supporter of a team in the Premier League, especially every time a World Cup had come and gone. No luck, how do you just pick a team? I'm a Lions fan because I was born in Michigan and a Vol because I grew up in Knoxville and my dad and I had season tickets. Those were not my choice, just happened. Anyways a few years ago I started dating this girl from London who was a very big Arsenal fan and my problem was solved. I am no longer with that girl but I am so passionate about Arsenal, it consumes me more than either the Lions or the Vols.

Do you live in Knoxville?

Two of my good friends growing up were brothers from London, North specifically. We went to school together, went to church together, played travel teams together. They loved Arsenal. I never had a chance.

It’s worth it to experience a game at The Emirates.

 

[JL 103]

Quakes fan also. Avaya is a great stadium, too bad they don't seem too concerned about winning right now. I just moved to the East Coast, so it will be weird how late the games come on. I am used to getting up at 6 or so on the weekend to watch the Premiere league.

What do you expect with a Wolf owned team? Welcome to EST. Where Sharks games are on at 10:30 and the Sunday Night games are done around midnight. I miss the NFL starting at 10:00am. Breakfast and football is great

 

[MAD]

Do you live in Knoxville?

Two of my good friends growing up were brothers from London, North specifically. We went to school together, went to church together, played travel teams together. They loved Arsenal. I never had a chance.

It’s worth it to experience a game at The Emirates.

I moved down to Florida in 2009.

Would love to experience a match at The Emirates. Hope I get the chance one day.

 

[doozer]

I moved down to Florida in 2009.

Would love to experience a match at The Emirates. Hope I get the chance one day.

Bummer. We’re always looking for new members to join the Knox Gooners. We are officially recognized supporters group but the club, through their affiliate, Arsenal America (which is a great group for fans all across the USA). But you probably know about all that, so hopefully others see this, and follow us at Knox Gooner on all social media.

We watch ALL the games, so let me know if you’re ever in town.

 

[bleedorange0037]

Barcelona, Tottenham, Quakes and DC United. I know, supporting two teams in the same league is lame. I lived in DC when MLS began and went to games including the playoffs the inauagral season. Became a Quakes fan living in the Bay Area the last 14 years.

In the mid nineties I had a girlfriend from Barcelona. She was not a fan of the national team but was a big fan of Barca, so I became a fan back then.

Tottenham mainly because of Kasey Keller's time there. Really enjoy watching Kane, well, outside of the knockout stages anyway.

I watch all the leagues you mentioned though I dropped BeIN sports a while back. Planning to sign back up when the season starts.

I've found myself in this same situation for the upcoming season. I've been an Everton fan for 5-6 years ever since we started getting all the games on US tv. However, after spending considerable time vacationing in London the past couple years, I also started going to watch Fulham because tickets to games in The Championship are easy to come by, and their ground is in a part of the city I really like. Now that they're in the EPL this season, I guess I'll have two teams to root for.

 

[MAD]

Bummer. We’re always looking for new members to join the Knox Gooners. We are officially recognized supporters group but the club, through their affiliate, Arsenal America (which is a great group for fans all across the USA). But you probably know about all that, so hopefully others see this, and follow us at Knox Gooner on all social media.

We watch ALL the games, so let me know if you’re ever in town.

Thanks, looks like a great group, I'll check it out when I come to Knoxville in November. We have one here in Tampa Bay as well, a lot of fun.

 

[VolunteerHillbilly]

Nashville Gooners used to gather at Fleet Street Pub in Printer's Alley downtown Nashville. Not sure whether that is still the case.

 

[Outofmyvolcanmind]

Checking competition that the top 6 have played.

1. Liverpool (4-0) Competition has a record of 4 wins, 1 tie and 11 losses.
2. Chelsea (4-0). Competition is 4-4-8.
3. Watford (4-0). Competition 7-2-7.
4. City (3-1-0). Competition 3-5-8
5. Bournemouth (2-1-1). Competition 5-5-5
6. Spurs (3-0-1). Competition 7-2-7.

Thus far Liverpool has played weakest competition. Spurs and Watford with the strongest.