General football musings

[Zizou]

It's probably been brought up by barca fans tbf. Bit like unionist weirdos bringing stuff up mhairi black tweeted when she was a Bairn.

[Shuto Makino]

It's probably been brought up by barca fans tbf. Bit like unionist weirdos bringing stuff up mhairi black tweeted when she was a Bairn.

Yeah, it was fans that found it. Still oddballs for looking up his tweets from 2013.

[Sarkozabal]

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/live...h-10676601

A lovely, tasteful tribute to the Hillsborough disaster.

[CritchSmile]

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/live...h-10676601

A lovely, tasteful tribute to the Hillsborough disaster.

He wants the 96 to gain more exposure?

They never stop banging on about it.

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

Rafa Benitez has supposedly been sacked.

[Jeff Resnick]

Rafa Benitez has supposedly been sacked.

Announcement later this afternoon according to a variety of sources including, AS, Marca, Balague and Graham Hunter.

Hunter says Zidane to take over in the interim.

[Johnny]

Rafa has been sacked in Madrid and Zidane is now in charge

Will end in tears imo

[Zizou]

Could be the Madrid pep

[Hank Scorpio]

No surprise there - Rafa was a dreadful appointment.

[Shteve]

Yehh, not sure how that will go to be honest, obviously the players will have instant respect for him bit that can fade away pretty quickly.

[Cheeky Gnando’s]

Going back to what Lawson was saying about Benitez's record standing up to anyone's, but him never getting the respect he deserves for his achievements - I think the issue is that he's won nothing notable domestically in a decade, despite managing some huge clubs with massive budgets. His sides also play ganting football, so he doesn't even have that to fall back on. What he did to that amazing Napoli side was tragic to watch. He's a busted flush now, and that's why it was so baffling that Real appointed him in the first place.

I very much doubt Zizou will be the Pep of Real, because it's not the same set up. Pep, Vilanova and Enrique were bred to be managers there. I don't see Real as having the same education in place, but fingers crossed they do, as I'd love to see Zidane make it as a manager.

[dokratrow]

Misread Partridge's post and thought it said Pep to Real. Never happen?

[Zizou]

Going back to what Lawson was saying about Benitez's record standing up to anyone's, but him never getting the respect he deserves for his achievements - I think the issue is that he's won nothing notable domestically in a decade, despite managing some huge clubs with massive budgets. His sides also play ganting football, so he doesn't even have that to fall back on. What he did to that amazing Napoli side was tragic to watch. He's a busted flush now, and that's why it was so baffling that Real appointed him in the first place.

I very much doubt Zizou will be the Pep of Real, because it's not the same set up. Pep, Vilanova and Enrique were bred to be managers there. I don't see Real as having the same education in place, but fingers crossed they do, as I'd love to see Zidane make it as a manager.

He's been manager of their b side for a while so it's a similar path.

Obviously not on the same level but you get the comparison.

[Cheeky Gnando’s]

He's been manager of their b side for a while so it's a similar path.

Obviously not on the same level but you get the comparison.

I know he's done that, what I meant was that I get the feeling (not based on much tbh) that Barcelona actually develop these guys with a view to them being future managers, where that is not the impression I get with Madrid at all i.e. Pep would have been the first choice for Barcelona and it was the natural step up as it has been with others down the years, whereas Zidane is the exception and has been done out of necessity.

[shaun.lawson]

I know he's done that, what I meant was that I get the feeling (not based on much tbh) that Barcelona actually develop these guys with a view to them being future managers, where that is not the impression I get with Madrid at all i.e. Pep would have been the first choice for Barcelona and it was the natural step up as it has been with others down the years, whereas Zidane is the exception and has been done out of necessity.

Exactly. With Madrid, they have a long term plan for breakfast; throw it all out and appoint some anti-football 0-0 obsessed idiot for lunch; then go all Galactico for dinner. No planning, they just make it up as they go along. But they're the only club in the world who can do that and somehow still win big trophies regularly.

Zidane was yet another man ostracised by Mourinho for 'disloyalty' - but unlike Jorge Valdano, who I actually think they should bring back, at least they didn't get rid of him altogether. Remember that Zizou effectively managed France to the 2006 World Cup Final too: it had fuck all to do with Domenech, everything to do with Zidane dragging them there by sheer force of personality on the pitch, and him and a group of senior players making all the decisions off it.

Also, sometimes these things can just work out unexpectedly. In November 1999, bleary-eyed Lawson sat watching World Sport Special ("it's the number one show in the world! World Sport Special!") in the small hours on ITV, and they had a feature on crisis club Real Madrid - who'd already sacked John Toshack, and had just lost 5-1 at home to Real Zaragoza under their obscure, moustachioed youth team coach, who was surely just holding the fort.

At the time, they were here in the league table:

http://www.statto.com/football/teams/rea...1999-12-12

One point above the bottom three; a total circus of a club whose 1998 European Cup win, essentially out of nowhere, already felt like it hadn't happened. And who was this softly spoken, humble man with the magnificent facial growth being interviewed on ITV? Surely he couldn't possibly hope to get a hold of Madrid's collection of overpaid, egotistical brats? Surely they needed a big name?

By the end of the season, Madrid had won the Champions League by an enormous margin; a new great side had been born; and one of the greatest managers of all time had his first major trophy. Funny old game, Saint.

[Prancer]

https://twitter.com/talkingbaws/status/6...39040?s=07

[Herman Boyce]

I know he's done that, what I meant was that I get the feeling (not based on much tbh) that Barcelona actually develop these guys with a view to them being future managers, where that is not the impression I get with Madrid at all i.e. Pep would have been the first choice for Barcelona and it was the natural step up as it has been with others down the years, whereas Zidane is the exception and has been done out of necessity.

I've been told by a couple of folk that's exactly what happens at Barcelona and its Xavi who's next in line.


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[shaun.lawson]

I've been told by a couple of folk that's exactly what happens at Barcelona and its Xavi who's next in line.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Guardiola >> Vilanova >>* Enrique >> Xavi. Rather impressive tbh.

*we'll ignore Martino as the brainfart it obviously was.

Because I'm the most pathetic sadsack in the history of anything - because I really, really need to get my hole - the other day, I tried compiling an end of year top ten world clubs going back to 1999, when the Champions League expanded, La Liga suddenly began to dominate and what we know as modern football really began.

According to my completely subjective assessment, after not even being in the top 10 at the end of 2000, 2001, 2002 or 2003, Barcelona were the year-end world number 1 in 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015. This is a club which didn't win its first European Cup until 1992 or its second until 2006; whose very culture seemed to militate against long term dominance because of the fans' demand for glorious football ahead of constant titles and the way the hothouse would wear down any manager; and which spent the twentieth century continually overshadowed by Madrid.

But if Real Madrid were the club of the twentieth century, Barcelona are the club of the twenty-first. It seems like they'll always be the benchmark now. And by gum, Florentino Perez just cannot deal with that at all.

[Shteve]

Exactly. With Madrid, they have a long term plan for breakfast; throw it all out and appoint some anti-football 0-0 obsessed idiot for lunch; then go all Galactico for dinner. No planning, they just make it up as they go along. But they're the only club in the world who can do that and somehow still win big trophies regularly.

Zidane was yet another man ostracised by Mourinho for 'disloyalty' - but unlike Jorge Valdano, who I actually think they should bring back, at least they didn't get rid of him altogether. Remember that Zizou effectively managed France to the 2006 World Cup Final too: it had fuck all to do with Domenech, everything to do with Zidane dragging them there by sheer force of personality on the pitch, and him and a group of senior players making all the decisions off it.

Also, sometimes these things can just work out unexpectedly. In November 1999, bleary-eyed Lawson sat watching World Sport Special ("it's the number one show in the world! World Sport Special!") in the small hours on ITV, and they had a feature on crisis club Real Madrid - who'd already sacked John Toshack, and had just lost 5-1 at home to Real Zaragoza under their obscure, moustachioed youth team coach, who was surely just holding the fort.

At the time, they were here in the league table:

http://www.statto.com/football/teams/rea...1999-12-12

One point above the bottom three; a total circus of a club whose 1998 European Cup win, essentially out of nowhere, already felt like it hadn't happened. And who was this softly spoken, humble man with the magnificent facial growth being interviewed on ITV? Surely he couldn't possibly hope to get a hold of Madrid's collection of overpaid, egotistical brats? Surely they needed a big name?

By the end of the season, Madrid had won the Champions League by an enormous margin; a new great side had been born; and one of the greatest managers of all time had his first major trophy. Funny old game, Saint.

Never underestimate star signs Shaun.

[Timothy Dugshite]

Barca are a far, far better oiled football machine than Real.