ponsaelius

This discussion is a ringing endorsement for the excitement of international friendlies btw.

Think it's very likely that Madrid will buy one of Bale or Suarez this summer. They will react to the Neymar signing, presidential vanity.

Both of those leagues are way stronger than the Irish league, though.

It's probably a fair assessment really. Irish league is conference standard at best, national team is mainly Championship level with a sprinkling of Prem - big disparity. Infrastructure for football in Ireland is poor, hence most of their better players going to English academies or being plucked on the Granny rule.

Defoe? Thought he retired at Christmas. /bants

No, they're both shit mate.

Wayne 'Rooney' He is certainly a product of the Irish football system that we've stolen/been gifted, you've got me there.

2 Englishmen and 2 Scotsmen in the Ireland team. Not bad for them, that's less than half.

Villarreal have sold out a 9,700 allocation for their away game at Barca B next week. Not bad for a town the size of Wallsend.

Just had a look, Colombia are in 6th and Croatia 4th Brazil are in 19th. Friendlies are worth less ranking points than competitive games, even if you win them. Hence why at the last 3 tournaments we've had this rhetoric about 'the hosts being the worst side' going into it. At least I think that was the case with Poland, South Africa and Austria. Basically once a team wins the right to host a competition they inevitably slide right down the rankings.

This is why I don't really want Ecuador getting out of SA qualifying. They benefit massively from home advantage and will offer little at a WC (certainly less than Uruguay, Chile etc)

Bender LOL

Without watching it.... Could it probably just be, just maybe, that Ecuador aren't just THAT good actually? Just asking. They're not a bad side. Admittedly much poorer away from altitude. 0-3 now.

In other news, turns out bears periodically defecate in forest areas.

cool

11/12

He's out for four months? He's becoming pretty injury prone.

Did you go to any matches when you were there VI?

Ridiculous exaggeration to say he's awful.

Knew you'd like that one Disco. Always secretly one for cynical play/handbags etc.

How much do you think it would cost to get both? Does ter Stegen get loaned out?

They're signing Carvalho too. Also Mendes.

No league title but they'll finish top 4 easy.