England Euro 2020

[UniFox21]

5 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

That's the right decision to call up Ben White. Him to start alongside Stones please.

We know it'll be Mings and Stones and the pundits will "wonder" where defensive scare after scare comes from.

[Corky]

Correct decision to bring in a CB given Maguire looks like he'll struggle to make it and Mings looks out of his depth.

 

Ward-Prowse should be in, probably for Henderson.

[Voll Blau]

23 minutes ago, Cujek said:

Do you take the knee every morning at 08:59 (or when ever you start work) with all your colleagues to "oppose racism" ?  

 

if no, then what good is football players doing it? its just a virtue signal and bandwagon jumping, as all the big corporations and media do all the time

 

Also it isnt to "oppose racism" its a salute to a marxist organisation that wants to defund police and all manner of horrible things.

 

and if players are abused on social media and they are still taking a knee, it also shows it isnt working in the way intended by im sure 99% of the players.

 

No one in their right mind will say racism should exist, but taking a knee is seen as a political stance and it is.

 

no one boo's kick out racism, or what ever other initiative they have taken up, but people have a very genuine right to boo a political stance that they do not agree with.

 

to put it so its understood, no one is booing anti racism and if they are then they can do one.

I'm a nobody who works from home. If I took the knee, the only creatures I'd be making a point to are two guinea pigs in the same room as me. Footballers, on the other hand, have a global audience and are often themselves the victims of racism. You're hardly a "bandwagon jumper" if you have personal experience of the issue you're raising awareness of and actually have the platform to do something, whatever it may be, about it.

 

People are very definitely booing anti-racism and they're using this Marxist bollocks as a cover-up. You're absolutely deluded if you seriously think 22 millionaire footballers are making a gesture every week supporting Marxism - let alone that the billionaire-owned organisations they work for would back them in doing that. It's been explained many times over that the gesture is taken in support of the cause of Black Lives Matter, not in support of the self-appointed group that gives itself that name. It's just willful ignorance and excuse-making on behalf of racists to suggest otherwise.

 

I'd also take issue with the idea that it's doing no good because black players continue to be abused. It's prompted a whole conversation around racism that has allowed black players to finally feel brave enough to speak out about the abuse they're receiving, when previously they didn't. In turn, more pressure than ever before is now being put on agencies with the ability to actually make a difference (government, police, social media companies etc) to do something about it.

 

To bring this back on topic, on a basic sporting level it's unbelievably counter-productive for fans in grounds to boo England's players for taking the the knee. We all want them to succeed on the pitch and yet some would rather show their opposition to the team (whatever weasel excuse they come up with for doing it) than support them - or at the very least keep their gobs shut. My heart sank at the Cup final when I heard some of our fans doing it, and I'm dreading it happening again when I'm at Wembley for England v Scotland.

Edited 7 June 2021 by Voll Blau

[KFS]

29 minutes ago, Cujek said:

Also it isnt to "oppose racism" its a salute to a marxist organisation that wants to defund police and all manner of horrible things.

Stopped reading here. Fvcking hell how did the whole of the U.K. read this part about defunding the police which is very relevant for the US BLM movement and take ‘Marxism’ as the take away. 
 

Complete non argument this. The booing is coming across as Neanderthal-like. 

[Guest Cujek]

2 minutes ago, Voll Blau said:

I'm a nobody who works from home. If I took the knee, the only creatures I'd be making a point to are two guinea pigs in the same room as me. Footballers, on the other hand, have a global audience and are often themselves the victims of racism. You're hardly a "bandwagon jumper" if you have personal experience of the issue you're raising awareness of and actually have the platform to do something, whatever it may be, about it.

 

People are very definitely booing anti-racism and they're using this Marxist bollocks as a cover-up. You're absolutely deluded if you seriously think 22 millionaire footballers are making a gesture every week supporting Marxism - let alone that the billionaire-owned organisations they work for would back them in doing that. It's been explained many times over that the gesture is taken in support of the cause of Black Lives Matter, not in support of the self-appointed group that gives itself that name. It's just willful ignorance and excuse-making on behalf of racists to suggest otherwise.

 

I'd also take issue with the idea that it's doing no good because black players continue to be abused. It's prompted a whole conversation around racism that has allowed black players to finally feel brave enough to speak out about the abuse they're receiving, when previously they didn't. In turn, more pressure than ever before is now being put on agencies with the ability to actually make a difference (government, police, social media companies etc) to do something about it.

 

To bring this back on topic, on a basic sporting level it's unbelievably counter-productive for fans in grounds to boo England's players for taking the the knee. We all want them to succeed on the pitch and yet some would rather show their opposition to the team (whatever weasel excuse they come up with for doing it) than support them - or at the very least keep their gobs shut. My heart sank at the Cup final when I heard some of our fans doing it, and I'm dreading it happening again when I'm at Wembley for England v Scotland.

Money, money, money.

 

all of these Liberal band wagons that people jump on are all about money.

 

How many things with rainbows on that people wouldn't ever normally buy are sold in June? or chose one company over another because it has a rainbow or 3 letter slogan as their current twitter picture?

 

how many people donate to a political group so the owner can buy a $4 million house that would never normally donate to a political party?

 

there absolutely nothing wrong with the message of any of this stuff, no one should ever be abused because of what or who they are (maybe Cov fans) and if people think they have the right to do that, then as i have said previously they can do one.

 

i dont really have a lot to say on the matter, i dont support leftist groups, especially ones who want to defund the police and bri ng about some kind of Orwellian dystopia.

 

i will continue to support anti racism, by not being racist. 

[Guest Cujek]

4 minutes ago, KFS said:

Stopped reading here. Fvcking hell how did the whole of the U.K. read this part about defunding the police which is very relevant for the US BLM movement and take ‘Marxism’ as the take away. 
 

Complete non argument this. The booing is coming across as Neanderthal-like. 

 

[KFS]

1 minute ago, Cujek said:

 

Not sure how this is a response to what I said. Odd image tbh. I’m not left by any means, just think people that are booing are jumping to silly conclusions and coming across in one way only. 

[Voll Blau]

2 minutes ago, Cujek said:

Money, money, money.

 

all of these Liberal band wagons that people jump on are all about money.

 

How many things with rainbows on that people wouldn't ever normally buy are sold in June? or chose one company over another because it has a rainbow or 3 letter slogan as their current twitter picture?

 

how many people donate to a political group so the owner can buy a $4 million house that would never normally donate to a political party?

 

there absolutely nothing wrong with the message of any of this stuff, no one should ever be abused because of what or who they are (maybe Cov fans) and if people think they have the right to do that, then as i have said previously they can do one.

 

i dont really have a lot to say on the matter, i dont support leftist groups, especially ones who want to defund the police and bri ng about some kind of Orwellian dystopia.

 

i will continue to support anti racism, by not being racist. 

 

 

Not sure how any of that is a response to the points of I've raised. Well done on not being racist - let's hope the dickheads who keep booing an England team trying to with the Euorpean Championships for them follow your example in time, eh?

 

[Bert]

1 hour ago, Unabomber said:

Wow how pathetic from Henderson,

Yep, doesn’t scream team player this does it. 

[ClaphamFox]

1 hour ago, Cujek said:

Do you take the knee every morning at 08:59 (or when ever you start work) with all your colleagues to "oppose racism" ?  

 

if no, then what good is football players doing it? its just a virtue signal and bandwagon jumping, as all the big corporations and media do all the time

 

Also it isnt to "oppose racism" its a salute to a marxist organisation that wants to defund police and all manner of horrible things.

 

and if players are abused on social media and they are still taking a knee, it also shows it isnt working in the way intended by im sure 99% of the players.

 

No one in their right mind will say racism should exist, but taking a knee is seen as a political stance and it is.

 

no one boo's kick out racism, or what ever other initiative they have taken up, but people have a very genuine right to boo a political stance that they do not agree with.

 

to put it so its understood, no one is booing anti racism and if they are then they can do one.

Do you actually believe that football players take the knee because they aspire to live in a Marxist country? Do you genuinely suppose that they want to defund the police? Even when they tell you over and over again that it isn't about either of those things, but merely to oppose racism and show solidarity with their black teammates? 

 

Yesterday we witnessed the miserable spectacle of England players being booed by their own fans in their last warm-up game ahead of a major tournament. And for what? Because of a simple gesture of solidarity. Anybody who boos and claims it's because they want to 'keep politics out of football' is as stupid as they are cowardly and dishonest.

[Dan]

4 hours ago, ttfn said:

The format is hopeless, you don’t need a 24 team euros. Half the confederation has qualified for the finals. Football has homogenised significantly over the last 20 years or so but having a 32 team World Cup can still work because there is at least a bit of diversity there.

 

A 16 team euros is done and dusted in 3 weeks and ensures at least 1 top quality group match in each group. As it is there are whole days in the group stage where I don’t think I will watch any of the 3 games. 

The restructuring of international tournaments, every one of them without fail for the worse, sums up how little the people in charge actually care, or have a clue what they're doing.

 

Euro 2016 was the worst tournament I can remember and the format was a big contributor.

 

And yet it's still comfortably better than the absolutely ridiculous 48 team World Cup. 16 groups of 3. An almost certain situation likely to arise where the final group game is a farce. Just fed up of them ruining things that worked.

 

24 team Euros and 48 team World Cups are about quantity over quality. Sums them up.

[Dan]

Oh and if you think that's bad, Copa America next week is even worse. 10 teams are in it, 2 groups of 5, the top 4 go through  what on earth is the point of that, 20 games or whatever to eliminate Venezuela and Bolivia. Unbelievable.

Edited 7 June 2021 by Dan LCFC

[fox_up_north]

If people are booing the knee, then that probably means they should keep doing it. Though I respect Zaha's stance.

[Leicesterpool]

1 hour ago, TK95 said:

This. Didn't Capello take Beckham to travel with the squad anyway despite missing out.

Yes that's right, tbf Beckham should have played was still better than some of the trash we sent out to that to that world cup.

[RonnieTodger]

Agree about the 24-team tournament being shite. You only need to fill out a form to qualify these days.

 

Portugal won Euro 2016, having only won one game in 90 minutes.

[Mickyblueeyes]

46 minutes ago, Cujek said:

Money, money, money.

 

all of these Liberal band wagons that people jump on are all about money.

 

How many things with rainbows on that people wouldn't ever normally buy are sold in June? or chose one company over another because it has a rainbow or 3 letter slogan as their current twitter picture?

 

how many people donate to a political group so the owner can buy a $4 million house that would never normally donate to a political party?

 

there absolutely nothing wrong with the message of any of this stuff, no one should ever be abused because of what or who they are (maybe Cov fans) and if people think they have the right to do that, then as i have said previously they can do one.

 

i dont really have a lot to say on the matter, i dont support leftist groups, especially ones who want to defund the police and bri ng about some kind of Orwellian dystopia.

 

i will continue to support anti racism, by not being racist. 

After all the press around why the players do and continue to do the "Knee" and you see responses like this you got to wonder WTF sometimes. 

 

 

[Dan]

Just now, RonnieTodger said:

Agree about the 24-team tournament being shite. You only need to fill out a form to qualify these days.

 

Portugal won Euro 2016, having only won one game in 90 minutes.

Was quite fitting. I'm sure Platini had something to do with it, so watching his country beaten in the final by a team that drew their way there was karma.

[Voll Blau]

The only positive I can think of about 24 teams is it giving underdogs like Finland the chance at playing in a major tournament, which is great to see. Qualifiers in multiples of both four and eight work best for a reason. They allow for a neat and tidy format which leaves no room for confusion, and in the case of the Euros when it was just 16 made for the most exciting, toughest group stages of an international tournament going.

[CosbehFox]

20 minutes ago, Dan LCFC said:

The restructuring of international tournaments, every one of them without fail for the worse, sums up how little the people in charge actually care, or have a clue what they're doing.

 

Euro 2016 was the worst tournament I can remember and the format was a big contributor.

 

And yet it's still comfortably better than the absolutely ridiculous 48 team World Cup. 16 groups of 3. An almost certain situation likely to arise where the final group game is a farce. Just fed up of them ruining things that worked.

 

24 team Euros and 48 team World Cups are about quantity over quality. Sums them up.

Albania waiting three days to find out they couldn't make the Round of 16 said it all. Football's reaching a point where there's simply too much of it. I heard a podcast what made the point that every TV exec thinks that everyone wants to watch every game - in reality all does is expose that at least of half of the games are utter toss and watching a ten minute highlights packages of such games is the ideal. 

 

A 16 Euros would have the following pots based on rankings

POT 1 - Belgium, France, England, Portugal

POT 2 - Spain, Italy, Denmark, Germany

POT 3 - Switzerland, Croatia, Netherlands, Wales

POT 4 - Poland, Austria, Ukraine, Serbia 

 

What a tournament that would be. Genuinely think they could beat each other. 

 

 

1 hour ago, Cujek said:

if no, then what good is football players doing it? its just a virtue signal and bandwagon jumping, as all the big corporations and media do all the time

 

Also it isnt to "oppose racism" its a salute to a marxist organisation that wants to defund police and all manner of horrible things.

 

I dunno. The captain of England team yesterday suffered racist abuse in the aftermath of his last club game of the season. I'd like to think he was making a stand against that more than anything else. 

[CosbehFox]

4 minutes ago, Voll Blau said:

The only positive I can think of about 24 teams is it giving underdogs like Finland the chance at playing in a major tournament, which is great to see. Qualifiers in multiples of both four and eight work best for a reason. They allow for a neat and tidy format which leaves no room for confusion, and in the case of the Euros when it was just 16 made for the most exciting, toughest group stages of an international tournament going.

Agreed on that. Genuinely great that North Macedonia get to play at a tournament too. Personally if they want to shake this about - have a play-in tournament for the final two spots, a week before the main stuff starts. Final two spots played for in a mini tournament. 

 

If you have a 24 team tournament, I prefer the 1982 World Cup format but it's still subject to three team groups. 

 

The 48 team World Cup is wank for the point that some teams literally play one game and know they are out. 

[davieG]

Roy Keane on Jordan Henderson 🗣: 
“Clearly Jordan’s not fit - I don’t think he should be involved… I’ve heard people say they want him around the place - for what? Does he do card tricks? Does he have a sing song? Does he do quizzes in the evenings?”

[ClaphamFox]

1 minute ago, davieG said:

Roy Keane on Jordan Henderson 🗣: 
“Clearly Jordan’s not fit - I don’t think he should be involved… I’ve heard people say they want him around the place - for what? Does he do card tricks? Does he have a sing song? Does he do quizzes in the evenings?”

There are times when Keane nails it in a way that nobody else is willing or able to. That was one of them.

[davieG]

1 minute ago, ClaphamFox said:

There are times when Keane nails it in a way that nobody else is willing or able to. That was one of them.

Probably helps that Henderson is a Liverpool man.

[ClaphamFox]

Just now, davieG said:

Probably helps that Henderson is a Liverpool man.

Yes it does. But Keane is still right on this.

[SouthStandUpperTier]

England trying to shoehorn unfit players into tournaments. Keegan and Brooking in '82, Beckham in '02, Rooney in '06. We never learn.