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5 hours ago, Rafalove said:

Hadn’t previously heard of this journalist. But this will hopefully receive an open and transparent investigation.


He set the standard for American soccer journalism. And he did so much to challenge injustice in the game. It’s a shocking loss.

 

Everyone in the game that I follow on Twitter has something nice to say about the guy. He knew everybody and everybody loved him.

 

 

Edited by Tomato Deuce

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45 minutes ago, Miggys First Goal said:

Just listening to the commentator there talking about the next WC. 40 extra games with all the extra teams. Insane

 

My idea from earlier in this thread would have 8 games less and no team in 3rd place would qualify. The new idea is better than 3 team groups (it's basically a beefed up version of the 24 team Euros) but I really prefer the symmetry of 2 teams from every 4 team group qualifying. 

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2 hours ago, Tomato Deuce said:


He set the standard for American soccer journalism. And he did so much to challenge injustice in the game. It’s a shocking loss.

 

Everyone in the game that I follow on Twitter has something nice to say about the guy. He knew everybody and everybody loved him.

 

 

 

One of the few great writers who follow the sport. Been reading him for 20 years. 48 is no age.

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On 09/12/2022 at 11:17, WilliamPS said:

Why is it sad?

 

I don’t think ordinary Brazilians are duty bound to give a retired footballer some sort of special status. if you saw England record goal scorer  Wayne Rooney on the street would you give him any special treatment?


What an absurd comparison. [emoji38]

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On 09/12/2022 at 11:17, WilliamPS said:

Why is it sad?

 

I don’t think ordinary Brazilians are duty bound to give a retired footballer some sort of special status. if you saw England record goal scorer  Wayne Rooney on the street would you give him any special treatment?

 

:lol: one won the World Cup, one scored a bunch of goals against divvies and farmers and then looked absolutely fucking crap in every single major tournament other than Euro 2004 (and he played in 7 tournaments). How can you compare?

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4 minutes ago, Mike said:

Been an absolutely class tournament, tbf.


Other than our boy Grant dying, I agree.

 

And as much as I loathe this being in December, I think this being mid-season, and the players being fit and ready to go, has to be factored in to the entertainment factor.

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Yeah. I absolutely love how competitive international football is, and it constantly feels like it's getting closer and closer. At something like a World Cup, all but the very weakest sides now have squads with at least a sprinkling of players who feature at the highest club levels; whether that's in European club competition or just at teams who play in reputable/the best domestic leagues. 

 

There is of course an issue with the lopsidedness of wealth and progress - with everything funnelled towards Europe, and then funnelled again towards a small number of leagues, and then funnelled again to England - but the quality across this competition really demonstrates a rising tide worldwide imo. I assume it's a lot to do with globalisation and the ease of which it is for the best coaches and technicians to work far away from home/ their home set-ups.

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8 minutes ago, Yorkie said:

Yeah. I absolutely love how competitive international football is, and it constantly feels like it's getting closer and closer. At something like a World Cup, all but the very weakest sides now have squads with at least a sprinkling of players who feature at the highest club levels; whether that's in European club competition or just at teams who play in reputable/the best domestic leagues. 

 

There is of course an issue with the lopsidedness of wealth and progress - with everything funnelled towards Europe, and then funnelled again towards a small number of leagues, and then funnelled again to England - but the quality across this competition really demonstrates a rising tide worldwide imo. I assume it's a lot to do with globalisation and the ease of which it is for the best coaches and technicians to work far away from home/ their home set-ups.

 

A lot of it is down to FIFA significantly relaxing their nationality rules over the last couple or decades, too. It used to be that even U21 games tied you for good. Now full friendlies don’t lock players in and even players with competitive caps have been given amnesty to switch at times. It has contributed to much greater depth and more players able to play international footy in some form.

 

Morocco have about half the squad drawn in from the diaspora - many of them key players.

 

 

Edited by ponsaelius

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7 minutes ago, ponsaelius said:

Morocco have about half the squad drawn in from the diaspora - many of them key players

 

Didn't know that; just looked it up and yeah there's loads. I can't decide if I think that 'matters' or not (and to what).

 

Didn't Qatar try and take the piss and FIFA had to step in? Ailton was it, a few years back? :lol:

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It doesn’t matter at all imo. It’s very much a good thing. Stops big countries hoarding loads of players and allows players to play for different set ups at youth level without feeling the need to commit at such a young age. Citizenship and national identity is very nuanced thing and shouldn’t be completely rigid.

 

Obviously there is limits, like has been tried to exploit in the past. But generally now I think it is about right what is allowed and what isn’t.

 

 

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