Village Idiot

Kalu Uche hat trick, surely that's a sign of the apocalypse.

Heh, Espanyol fans celebrating Tamudo's goal against them. Probably wouldn't be doing that if they weren't 4-1 up.

Coutinho looking like Messi against Rayo Vallecano. How come Inter weren't using him? He's been dynamite since he arrived at La Liga.

Why has this thread been pinned?

Still though http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZnLRPzucw1Y/TdKLT6MwkqI/AAAAAAAADj4/FfrWgOT7xNU/s1600/delap6.jpg "The two Buddhas", what a partnership they had

He couldn't handle the pressure, plus he was quite injury prone. He was absolute class but game after game he was trying to live up to the incredible hype put on him, which ended ruining his game and his morale. He found his feet at Espanyol, in a much less demanding environment. I personally don't mind him going there, I always liked him a lot and I am happy that he was able to get his career back on track. He ended up being called for Spain again and together with Tamudo was the absolute king of that cesspit.

Yeah he was of the opinion there was a lot of subliminal top down pressure in La Liga. Another thing of interest was that Pep was in SA for the WC and the main 'mind' behind the team, although it was played down. He visited the Spanish camp in several occasions from the first knockout stage onwards, but I wouldn't give it much importance. Rumors at the time were wild: secret meetings with Cesc, Mata, and half the players in the NT to sign them, secret meetings with Del Bosque for counsel, conspiracies to take down the US and implement a socialist world government... At the end, Barça and Spain actually play quite differently.

It's true, the place is filled by scouts from English teams. And the current Spanish president is a Real Madrid fan, where the previous one was a Barça fan. At the end, Spain still has a pretty authoritarian culture, so there's always this perception that "they'll do as they are told". Merengues were always saying that our glorious cycle was because the president was pulling the strings, and now it's the opposite.

Lovely picture http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/04/16/article-1265747-0908C801000005DC-647_634x325.jpg Barça closed the old La Masia building this year, by the way (it now holds club's offices) and moved to a larger facility in the outskirts of Barcelona. Gotta say that we spend a fair wad on our youth system (around €25m IIRC), but certainly is worth it.

Recreativo de Huelva manager Cervera left the team bus while travelling for a Liga Adelante game against Almería to sign for Racing Santander, after receiving a call offering him the job. Some people have no sense of shame.

You get a bonus per game shown, but it's not a huge amount.

Always liked his brother when I have seen him play, actually the first time I saw this thread I thought you were linked with him instead. Hope he's as good. Now I think I'll have a salad for lunch.

You're probably signing him in June when his contract runs out. You're allowed to sign a contract with an international player six months or less before it expires. EDIT: madras beat me to it.

To be frank, I didn't like that book much. The Barça part at least.

Bielsa is one of Pep's biggest influences.

I posted this on La Liga thread yesterday, Sid Lowe on Bielsa. It's a great read: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/mar/07/marcelo-bielsa-athletic-bilbao-manchester-united

Awww, pen.

This is beautiful, so beautiful. I don't think I have enjoyed a non-Barça game as much as this one in my life. Take a team made out of lads from your region, a manager that loves attacking football, a set of great fans and go and rape Manchester United at Old Trafford. This is football

JAJAJAJAJAJAJAAJJAA

Bobby Charlton looks shocked, like.

U CAN'T C ME! http://www.miathletic.com/media/galeria/6/8/4/9/3/o_athletic_de_bilbao_toquero-203948.jpg

This is ridiculous, it's like Athletic are playing at home

GET THE FUCK IN!!!!

Bielsa should bring in Toquero, so he scores and does that John Cena celebration.

To be frank, the version I always heard referring to Athletic's kit is that is was based off the Southampton one, not Sunderland.