The round ball game
san Guine, you have to put up two posts on a new thread as the first doesn't' show up on the home page. As a Liverpool fan from birth (Crosby, to be precise) I was tempted to leave your post where it was but in the spirit of Klopp and Pep I thought I would help you out. And yeh, it was a sensational game and Foden ate Milner alive, just as Mo toyed with your centre backs.
Was a cracking game BB. Salahs' goal was top drawer. Rate both Klopp and Pep as coaches too...
I'm kind of lucky, as I 'm a neutral, and can just appreciate any team and any player (apart from CR7, who just winds me up despite his brilliance). Just love the game.
Have a soft spot for Southampton, as my wife is from The New Forest area.
Yeh I played a huge amount until I hit 15 but then with winter being prime surf season I gave it away. All for the best as I still have two good knees.
I’ve actually spent quite a bit of time in Crosby BB. My dad’s originally from Liverpool and I’ve stayed with my relos in Crosby a few times over the past couple of decades. Just near Moorside Park. Lovely spot.
(Most of the family are Liverpool fans, except for one cousin who’s obstinately Everton aligned)
Same, played till I was about 20, then realised it ate into surfing time, plus injuries.
Played some indoor for a while.
Have been fortunate on my travels to see a few great players...Messi in particular springs to mind. In his case, only saw him live once (at the Camp Nou) but came on as a sub for Barce in the 55th minute (return from injury). Got the ball on the right side of the field just near half way, a jinking swerving run, leaving 5 defenders in his wake and slams the ball off his left foot into the back of the net from about 20 metres out...it was the 57th minute! Breathtaking...
Booooring...AFL kicks soccer and rugby butt all day every day (compare the scintillating mighty Dees' GF win with the Penrith snooze-fest or A-League - did they have a GF? - if you are in any doubt).
D-Rex,
Football (soccer) is a game of finesse, maybe not your forte?
etarip, my childhood home was in Courtenay Rd, across the tracks from Victoria Park. It was my maternal grand-parents house. I had a look a couple of years ago and it hadn't changed much. Also got to see Liverpool v Man City that trip .......the only nil all game I can remember in recent years at Anfield, but a great experience anyway. I was behind the goal at the Anfield end when Mahrez blasted a penalty into the top row but the biggest cheer was when Joe Gomez dropped Sterling on his arse.
Never got to Anfield… in 2000 I’d ended up lobbing onto my uncle’s doorstep at late notice. My cousin was heading out… to Anfield… tickets seemed like an absolute motza at the last minute, so I passed it up. Regretted it ever since.
Your old digs are about a km from my uncles place.
Blindboy, shouldn't you be a Toon fan with your NE heritage? Been a lean 14 years since Ashley took over but looks like things are about to change on Tyneside, Saudi backed takeover set to go through after several years of wrangling. Should mean much needed investment in the club, good news. Human rights abuses notwithstanding.
upnorth we lived at Whitley Bay for a couple of years but I was born in Liverpool and also spent nearly 6 months there when I was 14 so LFC is my first loyalty but Newcastle are in there. Pity they lost Rafa. Have you read The King In The North by Max Adams? The story of Oswald of Northumbria.
Was a shame about Rafa but having quality managers is a waste of time under the current ownership, destined to end badly. Once Ashley sells I'd like to see Eddie Howe have a crack, Bruce is done, just waiting for his £6m payout. When we have some proper investment in the club we'll be back up the top of the table, won't be over night but it'll happen.
Haven't read that one but its on the list. Fascinating period, so much change during the seventh century. Got into metal detecting during lockdown, found some nice hammered coins in Northumberland including a Henry VII sovereign penny, York mint and an Edward I penny London mint. Probably 13th century the last time that coin was handled, incredible.
up north,
I reckon Eddie Howe would do a great job at Newcastle. Got the best out of Bournemouth with a 'bare bones' squad.
Looks like the Saudis are taking over. Good for the club...not so sure about it being good for the game.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/oct/06/newcastle-takeover-gets...
Soccer is a game for people who like to fall over, scream in agony and then get up like a rocket when they a. get awarded a free, or b. fail to get a free. Finesse huh?
Ha ha I'd like to see your reaction to getting kicked in the shins by Ronaldo!
Even the refs take a dive.
https://wwos.nine.com.au/football/brazilian-soccer-player-arrested-for-k...
D-Rex if you think.the Brazilians are serious about surfing wait until you meet the football fans. I surfed with a group of Brazilians in Bali during the 1994 World Cup (which they won) . I called out "Viva Romario" the day after the final and that was it, any wave I wanted for the rest of my stay.
The best thing about football is that it is the world game. Start kicking a ball around on the beach or in a park most places in the world and you can end up with a scatch game really quickly.
From a life time Liverpool fan, with a soft spot for the Hammers, I recently watched The United Way with Eric Cantona and it was entertaining. There is one on Liverpool too which I can't remember the name of. Jurgen Klopp is a refreshing voice.
owgoodaquads wrote:From a life time Liverpool fan, with a soft spot for the Hammers, I recently watched The United Way with Eric Cantona and it was entertaining. There is one on Liverpool too which I can't remember the name of. Jurgen Klopp is a refreshing voice.
I'm forever blowing bubbles...
D-Rex wrote:Soccer is a game for people who like to fall over, scream in agony and then get up like a rocket when they a. get awarded a free, or b. fail to get a free. Finesse huh?
AFL is so needy of scoring points that they give you 1 point for missing the goal. LOL
...and if we ever get to travel again I'd love to go to a Boca Juniors v River Plate
The Argentinians (actually all South Americans) take their football very seriously
Taking your life in your hands there San Guine. Make sure you go in with the home supporters.
My I make the point that the AFL is the name of the elite competition of Australian Rules Football, and is also the name of the governing body. It is not the name of the game. The name of the game is Aussie Rules, Australian Football, Football, Footy etc. The ABC's excellent Warwick Hadfield should run a course in Australian sporting nomenclature for every sporting journalist in the country - in order to keep this unique but disappearing part of our culture alive.
And while I'm on my hobby horse, why do we have to refer to the round ball game as 'football'? Football refers to other sports in our country, depending on where you come from. Who says we have to call the round ball game 'football'? FIFA? FFS! It's always been soccer in Australian sporting culture and we should keep it that way - and hang on to the odd thing or two that hasn't been made bland and generic in our culture.
I dig the way Warwick Hadfield refuses to be part of the flock of sheep and calls it soccer-football.
Ha'way the lads!
Olé olé oléee
Hellas, hellas...
Yep soccer, not football. Footy is Aussie Rules ;p
I know it's difficult for you soccer fans to comprehend that a point can be scored for missing a goal but I'm happy to educate. Such a point is called a 'behind' (either side of the goal posts) rather than a 'goal' (through them without touching). It means the result of a game can be decided when goals are even but behinds are uneven, as opposed to soccer with it's endless draws.
The other point (pardon the pun) to be made is that AFL is very egalitarian salary-wise, unlike top-level soccer, which even Genghis Khan would argue has taken capitalism to the extreme (hence my surprise that ardent socialists like BB and san G are so enarmoured).
Football is the round ball game. End of story.
No one cares about AFL, unless you're Victorian.
D-Rex wrote:I know it's difficult for you soccer fans to comprehend that a point can be scored for missing a goal but I'm happy to educate. Such a point is called a 'behind' (either side of the goal posts) rather than a 'goal' (through them without touching). It means the result of a game can be decided when goals are even but behinds are uneven, as opposed to soccer with it's endless draws.
The other point (pardon the pun) to be made is that AFL is very egalitarian salary-wise, unlike top-level soccer, which even Genghis Khan would argue has taken capitalism to the extreme (hence my surprise that ardent socialists like BB and san G are so enarmoured).
Should be called a 'side' then. See! Dumb game. Next!
Johknee wrote:Football is the round ball game. End of story.
No one cares about AFL, unless you're Victorian.
Actually AFL is also more popular than other football codes in Tas, SA, WA (NT?) too.
Has the biggest membership of any sport in Australia
Largest crowds of any sport in Australia with an average crowd of 30k+ which is much bigger than any sport in Australia but can go as big as 90K for in season games at MCG, finals see over 100K crowds, record is over 120K crowd
Outside of Australia no one cares about AFL, but that's half the beauty its truely an Aussie game.
Haven't watched a game of footy, any code, in years, but at various times I've played (at least a season, sometimes more) every single code and I reckon AFL is far and away the most fun game to play.
There's the Irish Indo, they play a very similar game. I can enjoy an AFL game and it is a bit like football in that it is open and flowing rather than drawn up.in battle lines. Just my preference of course.
Aussie Rules ( AFL ) is the only male game in the world were 50% of spectators are female .
The Melbourne Football Club , established in 1859 , is older than any soccer , base ball , basket ball ,gridiron club .
The game caters to All shapes and sizes .
Nearly everyone in Vic supports a football team .
A truly unique game .
And with a great indigenous heritage.
Hutchy 19 wrote:Aussie Rules ( AFL ) is the only male game in the world were 50% of spectators are female .
The Melbourne Football Club , established in 1859 , is older than any soccer , base ball , basket ball ,gridiron club .
The game caters to All shapes and sizes .
Nearly everyone in Vic supports a football team .
A truly unique game .
That is a good point. When I attended my first VFL match, after spending my formative years in the stands and occasionally on the terraces of my local English soccer club, I was shocked (in the most pleasant of ways) to see that supporters of opposing clubs mingled together in the stands and overwhelmingly engaged in good natured banter.
A far cry from seeing the opposition supporters marched into the ground by a police escort and then enclosed in a cage for the duration of the match.
The females are better singers ( much better than me ) to Roker . Port Adelaide have started , by singing " Never Tear Us Apart " , a new craze that I am sure will catch on .
The anthems must be one of the highlights of a soccer game .
blindboy wrote:And with a great indigenous heritage.
I understand that is highly contested/controversial.
But when you see indigenous players playing - the Krakouers, Winmar, Goodes et al - it surely is a wonderful sight, and it is easy to take Martin Flanagan's side, and believe that there must be some ancient and fey connection going way back into the Dreamtime.
It also makes you wonder about all the talented players up north that will never have the opportunity to develop their potential and profit from their talents.
The sooner the AFL gets a team up north the better.
D-Rex,
"hence my surprise that ardent socialists like BB and san G are so enarmoured."
Thanks for the compliment, I'm almost blushing. But, much to my chagrin, I think I maybe an ardent centrist.
Don't deny Aussie Rules (thanks Roker) has many qualities, but I just find it dull
I'm a born again footy lover.
Grew up in playing a bit of oz rules then moved overseas for many years.kinda lost interest.moved back to south oz 8years ago and tried hard to abstain from watching games.didnt want the stress and frustration that comes with winning and losing.
When the women's footy started up a few years ago i started watching a bit and loved it.last year watched a bunch of games.this year i'm so addicted.
Every weekend i'm beer bbq and watching da footy!umpires bad calls get me yelling at the t.v. and i dont even care who's playing,as long as there is a game on.i dont really even have a team but i'm usually going for the underdog.
why do Aussies do it doggy style?
so they both can watch the footy!.
So this is Messi last month
Blush you may san G but the definition of 'dull' to me is a nil-all. Happily, doggy style didn't work for the 'scrays in the GF troppo.
Messi over Ronaldo any day!
Took him a while to get off the mark for PSG - and relatively speaking, probably just an okay goal for him.
I think the question of headers is going to a big problem for soccer. I notice the charity 'Head for Change' held a trial match without headers the other day. Not sure how it went.
Roker wrote:Messi over Ronaldo any day!
Took him a while to get off the mark for PSG - and relatively speaking, probably just an okay goal for him.
I think the question of headers is going to a big problem for soccer. I notice the charity 'Head for Change' held a trial match without headers the other day. Not sure how it went.
I just count myself lucky to have seen them both (not live unfortunately).
Headers is an interesting one. I ended up having to give soccer away a couple of years ago because of them - with a long history of concussions (none header-related), doc told me best not to head the ball anymore. Tried dropping down to a lower "social" division for a season so I wouldn't be letting more competitive teammates down, but the reflex was too ground-in.
Wonder if there's been any studies looking at long-term impact of years of headers (similar to the study into retired NFL footballers and head trauma)?
Pops the data is building up that heading is bad for the brain. They are experimenting with rule variations in some lower leagues in England (eg only in the penalty area) to see what can be done. Until they come up with a solution my advice would be don't play centre back. The players might hate it but I think well designed headgear would be a good start.
Oh and for pure footballing genius (ignoring other factors) you really can't go past Suarez.
Not surprising BB.
Seems the game (at least at the upper echelons) is evolving in a way that lessens the importance of heading anyway - Pep's on-the-carpet possession game being the extreme. Wouldn't be a bad thing if that stayed trendy.
Hard to play that way on our local-government-maintained cow paddocks though. I was a winger (far too short for a centre back), but even then heading was pretty well unavoidable. On headgear, thought it had gone out of fashion in rugby due to not really doing anything. Seemed to work for Petr Cech though.
Good shout re. Suarez.
Best I've ever seen live was Zola (was fortunate enough to see a game at Stamford Bridge as a little tacker).
Agree Pops,
Saw Zola at the end of his career, at the first match at (St Marys) Southhamptoms' home and he was still so talented. Ran rings around players 15 years his junior.
Raul Jimenez at Wolves has an interesting variation on the headgear, after his nasty head clash with David Luiz.
Zola > Suarez
Suarez is a clinical finisher, as long as he's playing at home. Zola was a wizard and a gentleman. Definitely can't say the same about Suarez!
For all the baked bean shaped ballers,P'orf
Real ball sports are round,Hockey,tennis,golf,cricket AND AssociationFootball!
Played till i was 40 but filled in a couple of times in my 50s.Still watch a bit of local park stuff and try not to miss any A league.
Speaking of A league,Paramount+ is a newish streaming service that will cover all the international mens/womens games,FFA cup,Mens/womens A league.Its cheap at 90bux a year,a few ok movies too.
blindboy wrote:Looks like the Saudis are taking over. Good for the club...not so sure about it being good for the game.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/oct/06/newcastle-takeover-gets...
Its bitter sweet. Newcastle fans hoping that it will give the club similar spending power to Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain, Abu Dhabi and Qatar don't stand up to much scrutiny either and under normal circumstances there would be more of a backlash from fans. As it is the Saudi takeover is unpalatable for some fans. But because it will bring an end to the 14 year reign of Mike Ashley and should also lead to Steve Bruce being replaced who between them are sapping the life out of the club a takeover is largely welcome. Newcastle and melodrama seem to go hand in hand though so no doubt this will just be the start of another episode, albeit while we're winning the Premier league.
Probably not big with the SN crew, but this guy is the real deal. With UK 1.5 Billion pounds on the pitch (Liverpool v City, great game also) he totally shone
https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2021/oct/03/phil-foden-manches...