Football Focus

[Parkdrive]

I've always been club before country, I don't go to watch England week in week out, I've not followed then home and away and I've not spent time, money and emotion on the national side in the same way that I have with my club side.

[Parkdrive]

The resignation of Capello and the not guilty verdict for the nodding Churchill dog both arriving in close proximity to each other would suggest...............nah!! It couldn't ............could it?

[Chippy Minton]

In my experience it's usually supporters of the top six Premiership sides that put club before country because it still offers that glimmer of hope of winning something.

If, by some miracle, we got to the final of the Euros or a World Cup, I wonder how Utd, Chelsea, Arse etc fans would swap a win in that final for winning the Premier league (again)?

[El Pibe]

I'd say that's back to front.

I've often said I love england for offering the supporters of the top clubs the opportunity to feel like what it's like to be a normal club supporter.

Always the hope, rarely the results, which mke the good times all the sweeter.

I think in the past hey understood that in their bones because they actually had ups and downs.

Nowadays a down is not getting past the group stage of the Champions league; they're simply not normal anymore in this money soaked world of only the big fishes matter.

I don't think it's club before country anymore for those supporters, I think they reject country these days because they're so spoilt they can't hack supporting perennial losers anymore.

Glory hunters the lot of them. Bah!!

[Jah Lush]

Well I go to the occasional England game at Wembley and of course I'd love it if we actually won something. Fat chance of that happening though. I always find watching England frustrating compared to watching Tottenham Hotspur, though that to at times can be frustrating as well. I agree with everything that Quids said earlier. We've been crap since '98. (cue Atila saying Spurs have been crap since '61 blah blah blah).

I'm old enough to remember watching the World Cup final in '66 but even the joy of winning was offset by my boyhood idol Jimmy Greaves not playing. I was gutted he wasn't in the side that day though probably not as much as he was.

[maxxi]

red devil Wrote:

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>

> Maxxi, friendly question, you don't strike me as a

> knuckle-dragging bonehead, so I just wondered how

> you squared your obvious liking for Di Canio and

> his well known pro-Mussolini/fascist views...

I don't.

[red devil]

You could flip that over again EP...

A lot of the England flags at matches have lower league teams names written on them...maybe as bad as England are, they are

offering the supporters of the lower clubs the opportunity to feel like what it's like to be a big club supporter.

;-)

Despite being a bigger fan of Utd than England, I'd still willingly give up Utd winning the League for England to win the World Cup, I think it would be great for the country, I'm all for sharing the love.

Friendly question to PD, is your allegiance/emotional attachment to Turkey greater than England?

[Chippy Minton]

That's how I see it Red. It always strikes me that England games are littered with flags from lower league clubs - often very low league!

I think it gives a lot of people the opportunity to go to games in grounds, in big cities, in countries they would never normally visit.

Supporters of top Premiership clubs have the opportunity to go the big grounds week in week out in England and up to a dozen times in Europe every season.

Having said all that, every top Premiership club supporter I've met would still swap a league title for a World Cup.

[Alan Medic]

I've noted with interest that it was Chelsea who wrote the letter requesting JT's trial be put back. Funnily enough it was, but until after the Euro's, though their season ends in May. I presume JT was in agreement with this thinking that with Capello as his guardian angel he wouldn't be in danger of missing the Euros. The case could have been heard in March.

With the latest developments I can't see Terry going to the Euros at all regardless of who is managing the team. I think he will have become persona non grata in the England set-up. I think the FA finally made a decision with a bit of backbone to it. Many other sports suspend people who are up for trial. It's the right thing to do.

[Parkdrive]

red devil Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> You could flip that over again EP...

> A lot of the England flags at matches have lower

> league teams names written on them...maybe as bad

> as England are, they are

> offering the supporters of the lower clubs the

> opportunity to feel like what it's like to be a

> big club supporter.

> ;-)

>

> Despite being a bigger fan of Utd than England,

> I'd still willingly give up Utd winning the League

> for England to win the World Cup, I think it would

> be great for the country, I'm all for sharing the

> love.

>

> Friendly question to PD, is your

> allegiance/emotional attachment to Turkey greater

> than England?

Fair question, but I was born and bred in London but my late dad and ma, who is still here bless 'er, came over from Cyprus in the middle 50's. As a result, and having spent the early part of my life in north London not far from Highbury, my allegiance has always been the Arsenal first, and England second. The Cypriot side is made up entirely of Greek players because of political situation in Cyprus so I've no allegiance there, which is a shame but until the political landscape changes that's the way it is. Oh and I have seen England win the world cup and am lucky enough to remember it albeit partially. I remember the England mascot was world cup willy and you could buy tins of sweets with the logo emblazoned on the lid. Happy times.

[El Pibe]

I actually agree with you RD, sometimes two hundred folk and a dog down the Hill isn't enough ;)

I rather think it supports my argument rather than detract from it.

An awful lot of would be Bristol Rovers, Cambridge United, Leicester City types garbed in Chelsea/man U/man city tops (I wonder what ever happened to that surfeit of Newcastle tops doing the rounds 15 years ago) who should be down their respective grounds, doing the whole club versus country discussion.

Do me a favour is all I can say. Glo-ry-Hun-ters ;)

[Chippy Minton]

That's the point EP - they are down at their respective grounds, but England gives them the chance to experience something else.

Hardly glory hunters - England haven't had any of that for two generations.

[El Pibe]

I think you've missed my point entirely. Never mind, it was a pretty garbled sentence.

[????]

...Nick Griifin for England Manager (the Mash)

[red devil]

maxxi Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> red devil Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> >

> > Maxxi, friendly question, you don't strike me as

> a

> > knuckle-dragging bonehead, so I just wondered

> how

> > you squared your obvious liking for Di Canio

> and

> > his well known pro-Mussolini/fascist views...

>

> I don't.

Hmmmm, any other 'appy Hammers out there care to expand on this particular moral maze.

For me it's zero tolerance.

Paulo hails the No. 88 to the Pantheon...

http://web.orange.co.uk/images/ice/sports/di_canio_pa_419c234ed09644f0d9d4dc02786b73b9.jpg

[red devil]

BR, Re. your post on the EDF T-Shirt thread...

The club selling unsold tickets has been going on for years.

Along with thousands of others I eventually gave up my season ticket in protest at the Glazers and the way they are running (ruining) the club.

What did it for me was the compulsory purchase scheme for home mid-week cup and CL games. Whether you wanted a ticket or not, the club would 'sell' you one, and deduct the money by direct debit. Since moving to London, mid-week games have always been difficult to get to and back from, so I would've been throwing money away. The further Utd progressed in these competitions, the more money it would cost me...it was a no-brainer.

Most season tickets were snapped up by those on the waiting list, but a few hundred remained unsold...it may be a few thousand now what with the recession, I don't know for sure.

I used to get direct calls/texts/emails from the club asking me to rejoin and buy tickets for specific matches.

What tends to happen is that daytrippers will snap up any unsold seats on matchdays.

[Bluerevolution]

I know what you mean, costs us about ?1,000 to go home for a game (We do do luxury though :)-D) You know it's just banter ?

[Atticus]

BR, I seem to remember a half-empty Ethiad in the league-cup semis...

[maxxi]

red devil Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> maxxi Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > red devil Wrote:

> >

> --------------------------------------------------

>

> > -----

> > >

> > > Maxxi, friendly question, you don't strike me

> as

> > a

> > > knuckle-dragging bonehead, so I just wondered

> > how

> > > you squared your obvious liking for Di Canio

> > and

> > > his well known pro-Mussolini/fascist views...

> >

> > I don't.

>

> Hmmmm, any other 'appy Hammers out there care to

> expand on this particular moral maze.

> For me it's zero tolerance.

>

So you'll be against Psycho then? And, presumably, wanting any and all managers (and [players etc.) to state their personal political beliefs before they are allowed to work?

Good luck with that.

[red devil]

Of course, just wanted to show that it's not all fun and games being a 'glory hunter' ;-)

[Bluerevolution]

Atticus Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> BR, I seem to remember a half-empty Ethiad in the

> league-cup semis...

And OT had 30,000 empty seats in LC too

[????]

red devil Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> maxxi Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > red devil Wrote:

> >

> --------------------------------------------------

>

> > -----

> > >

> > > Maxxi, friendly question, you don't strike me

> as

> > a

> > > knuckle-dragging bonehead, so I just wondered

> > how

> > > you squared your obvious liking for Di Canio

> > and

> > > his well known pro-Mussolini/fascist views...

> >

> > I don't.

>

> Hmmmm, any other 'appy Hammers out there care to

> expand on this particular moral maze.

> For me it's zero tolerance.

>

> Paulo hails the No. 88 to the Pantheon...

> http://web.orange.co.uk/images/ice/sports/di_canio

> _pa_419c234ed09644f0d9d4dc02786b73b9.jpg

Do i Think PDC is a Nazi? no. Do I think he's a hot headed, emotional guy who was giving the Curva North their traditional salute, the Roman Salute (unfortunately centuries later ADOPTED by Mussollini). Sttooopid tribal, behaviour by a bloke prone to it...I do not think he's a fascist at all, anymore than i Think Gascoigne wants to bathe in blood of Fenians (and at least Paulo is actually from the tradition). He's clearly not Karl Marx but the media love this old chestnut....well the traditional suspects do anyway.

[maxxi]

Harry's latest briefing makes him sound a little cooler about the England job... what if he DOESN'T take it? Who next? (long term not stop gap).

*wonders how long left to make best profit on signed copy of Harry's autobiography*

[red devil]

maxxi Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> red devil Wrote:

> > Hmmmm, any other 'appy Hammers out there care

> to

> > expand on this particular moral maze.

> > For me it's zero tolerance.

> So you'll be against Psycho then? And, presumably,

> wanting any and all managers (and [players etc.)

> to state their personal political beliefs before

> they are allowed to work?

>

> Good luck with that.

Yes, on the grounds he's a shit manager.

But joking aside, what are you specifically referring to?

His racist remark to Paul Ince? He admitted to it at the time, apologised, heat of the moment etc, both players moved on...take note Suarez.

Or the fact his brother was a BNP member?..irrelevent in my eyes.

No I wouldn't want all players/managers to be forced to state their political beliefs, for a start that would in itself be 'fascist', but once someone with dodgy politics sticks their head above the parapet, then they shouldn't be surprised to get shot at.

My 'zero tolerance' refers specifically to PDC and anyone else who held similar political beliefs. Had he been a Utd player he would be persona non grata in my books, thanks for the memories and all that, but fook off to the rest of your career, I certainly wouldn't follow his career hoping he was successful.

To me it stinks of another case of football tribalism blinding fans.

Shankley was wrong, there are more important things in life than football.

[red devil]

???? Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> red devil Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> > Hmmmm, any other 'appy Hammers out there care

> to

> > expand on this particular moral maze.

> > For me it's zero tolerance.

> >

> > Paulo hails the No. 88 to the Pantheon...

> >

> http://web.orange.co.uk/images/ice/sports/di_canio

>

> > _pa_419c234ed09644f0d9d4dc02786b73b9.jpg

>

>

> Do i Think PDC is a Nazi? no. Do I think he's a

> hot headed, emotional guy who was giving the Curva

> North their traditional salute, the Roman Salute

> (unfortunately centuries later ADOPTED by

> Mussollini). Sttooopid tribal, behaviour by a

> bloke prone to it...I do not think he's a fascist

> at all, anymore than i Think Gascoigne wants to

> bathe in blood of Fenians (and at least Paulo is

> actually from the tradition). He's clearly not

> Karl Marx but the media love this old

> chestnut....well the traditional suspects do

> anyway.

Quids, you're confusing National Socialism with Fascism. They are separate political ideologies.

I didn't say PDC was a Nazi...or a racist.

He's a self-proclaimed Fascist, his words, not mine...

PDC is intelligent, Gascoigne is a drunk.

Still, at least the football specials will run on time, eh ;-)