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[liquid_gears]

I heard abut the court case earlier and although I have every sympathy with Ben,I really, really don't like the outcome.

Football is a physical game so accidents can be expected to happen. Eery time you walk onto a football pitch you run the risk of serious injury.

Plus, how they come up with the figure of £4.5 million I will never know. They awarded him compensation based upon what he might have developed into. Wtf is this shit?

Unless it was proved that Gary Smith deliberately went out to injure Collins then I fail to see how any compensation/case could be mounted.

What happens if I break my leg playing for my local team? Could I say I had the potential to be 'bigger' than David Beckham and demand tens of millions of pounds?

I'm just gob smacked at this ruling. I really hope it doesn't set a precedent.

 

[Cedeo]

Well the injury stopped him from getting a contract.

 

[Manager]

¤/()%/(%) shit all City forums are meltdowned, no access to anything

edit
Also fuck you Spurs, first for destroying Leeds and now citye

 

[Cedeo]

Bluemoon is some funny shit.

 

[Manager]

Here's an article about the City situation without being "omg I work for citieh"

http://www.epltalk.com/are-manchester-city-about-to-go-into-meltdown/2880

Prior to the Saturdays match, rumours then broke regarding Stephen Ireland, who was nowhere to be seen in the build up to the friendly against AC Milan, was concluding a transfer to Sunderland. This was obviously against the wishes of Hughes who had only found out when he arrived at the ground that Ireland had been sent to Sunderland to discuss contract terms. He quickly called him back to Eastlands to discuss the situation further.

Add to this fact that all City’s new arrivals are being paid for in installments and payments have now begun to bounce, the club don’t own the Eastlands ground, so can’t use that as collateral to raise funds and the £200 million loan that Shinawatra borrowed on the proviso that his frozen assets would be released is also due for payment and the worries begin to grow for this great club. Any new buyer would have to pay at least £200 million immediately to clear Shinawatra’s debt’s and make the club secure and the current financial climate doesn’t make an immediate rescue package seem too viable.

Also, comments from Corluka's agent:
http://www.thesoccerblog.org/premiership/city-defender-desperately-wants-spurs-move/

“Vedran is very unhappy with the events of the last few days,” stated Corluka’s agent in The Sun.

“He still wants to go to Tottenham.

“He had a medical and agreed personal terms with them over the weekend.

“Vedran hopes the situation can be resolved soon so he can resume his career at Tottenham.”

 

[Batongen]

yay, I'm all setup for the premership start \o/. I now have a channel that frequently broadcasts PL matches and where some of those will be in HD (although, "only" in 1080i).
No more crappy streams for me

Spoiler

but I will still have to stream CL matches .

 

[Wes]

So the drama at city is basically to do with money and the lack of it?

 

[Blablurn]

http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=bvkIkFcehAs&feature=related

the highlights of yesterdays match against erfurt (bayern won 4:3)

 

[celestial body]

How the shit did Spurs manage to sell Kaboul for £6M?? and they then buy Corluka for 8, unbelievable.

their goals yesterday btw: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ct7yVZJC34&feature=related
:lol roma keeper.

 

[Cornballer]

Lalas, Gullit shown door by Galaxy

Lalas, Gullit shown door by Galaxy
JASON DECROW / AP

The Los Angeles Galaxy removed Alexi Lalas as team president and general manager.
After seven straight winless games, Alexi Lalas exits before his contract is up at year's end and coach Ruud Gullit resigns for 'personal reasons.'

By Grahame L. Jones, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
11:01 AM PDT, August 11, 2008

In a pair of sweeping changes brought about by a Major League Soccer season in meltdown, the Los Angeles Galaxy today removed Alexi Lalas as team president and general manager and Ruud Gullit as coach.

In its official statement on the changes, AEG, which owns the team, said that Gullit had resigned "for personal reasons" and that Lalas' contract was up at the end of the year and that the team decided to part company now rather than wait.

Cobi Jones will take over from Gullit as the Galaxy's interim coach. The team's longest-serving and best-known player before the arrival of David Beckham, Jones had served as assistant coach under Gullit since November.

Tom Payne, the team's assistant general manager will take over Lalas' duties on an interim basis, concentrating more on the business side. Payne will be assisted on the soccer side by Paul Bravo, the Galaxy's director of soccer.

The changes were not altogether unexpected. The Galaxy has not won its last seven games and is 6-8-5 overall in a season in which, with a healthy Beckham, it had been expected to contend for the MLS title. The team also failed to qualify for the U.S. Open Cup.

In recent weeks, the atmosphere in the locker room has been anything but cohesive, with finger-pointing common among the players. Also, the relationship between Lalas and Gullit was not a positive one, with the former U.S. international star trying to maintain control and the former Dutch international player frustrated by the constraints imposed by MLS.

Tim Leiweke, chief executive officer of AEG, a couple of weeks ago described the team as "dysfunctional," and in a face-to-face meeting with the players he gave the team two weeks to turn things around.

The Galaxy then promptly lost at San Jose, giving up a goal in the closing minutes to apparently seal Lalas' and Gullit's fate.

A sign that Gullit might be on his way out came a couple of weeks ago when he sold his house. At the time, Gullit said merely that his wife had not liked it, denying that it meant he was leaving.

Lalas has been AEG's point man at the San Jose Earthquakes and New York Red Bulls when the sports and entertainment giant owned those teams. He came to the Galaxy in April 2006 after playing for the team from 2001 to 2003.

Neither Lalas nor Gullit were immediately available for comment.

The Galaxy's next game is against rival Chivas USA on Thursday at the Home Depot Center.

 

[hadareud]

wow, very bad news for the MLS

 

[On The Edge of Insanity]

Gullit never lasts anywhere, so it's not a great surprise, although I expected him to at least stick it out until the end of the season.

Also fuck you Spurs, first for destroying Leeds and now citye

How's it our fault?

 

[hadareud]

there aren't many things that aren't Spurs' fault

 

[Cornballer]

Gullit had been trying to sell his house for a few weeks, so this isn't entirely unexpected. I'm assuming that if he decided to resign, the Galaxy don't have to pay him the rest of his contract either. There will probably be some fun stories from behind the scenes here - sounds like things got ugly towards the end.

 

[brain_stew]

Here's an article about the City situation without being "omg I work for citieh"

http://www.epltalk.com/are-manchester-city-about-to-go-into-meltdown/2880



Also, comments from Corluka's agent:
http://www.thesoccerblog.org/premiership/city-defender-desperately-wants-spurs-move/

Doesn't sound good. Can't see many ways out other than administration if all that is true (and its looking increasingly likely), which I'd imagine would mean a points reduction and a firsale of players. Could be a good bet for relegation actually as the odds will be quite long atm, but if all goes tits up that'll change quite sharpish.

 

[QVT]

wow, very bad news for the MLS

This is fantastic news for MLS. They need their number one team to win games.

 

[Manager]

Hughes doesn't sound too pissed about the Ireland/Corluka thing:

Mark Hughes ready to spend before deadline

Mark Hughes insists Manchester City are in the market to buy players before the new season kicks off.

And the new City manager says that he is as enthusiastic as ever about his job.

Croatian full-back Vedran Corluka, who had been linked with a £7 million move to Spurs, will now stay at Eastlands and Hughes described it as a boost for the club.

“I am a huge admirer of Vedran,” he said. “He is a top-class player with a bright future ahead of him and I am delighted that he continues to be a part of our plans at Manchester City.”

Mystery continues to surround midfielder Stephen Ireland, however, after he was linked with a move to Sunderland, as well as the long-term commitment of Thai owner Thaksin Shinawatra.

But Hughes insisted he has money to spend before the transfer window closes this month.

Hughes said: “I’m excited by what’s ahead of us, we have a group of players who are determined to be successful this year and we have just beaten Milan, in case you didn’t notice!

“I know which direction the club is going, I’m trying to push things forward and trying to be successful. That hasn’t changed since I walked through the door.

He added: “We showed notice of intent with the players we have brought in already, we have made significant investments and are looking to add players.

“We are working to that end. There is not that much of the window left but you can do business right until the last minute and that is what we will try and do.”

Bulgarian striker Valeri Bojinov continued his impressive return from nearly a year out injured with a crisp finish before being brought off at the interval due to a slight hamstring strain.

“He will be fine,” said Hughes. “It was a great goal, a fantastic finish and you saw his enthusiasm. He is desperate to do well.”

But fellow striker Darius Vassell injured a knee and is a doubt for their Premier League opener at Aston Villa.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...o-spend-again-before-deadline---Football.html

 

[Cornballer]

Pursuing Feilhaber

Through e-mails, phone calls and text messages, I've been following USA midfielder Benny Feilhaber's situation closely the last few days -- not his status with the Olympic team in China, but his future employer.

Now I can tell you what club is aggressively chasing him: AGF Aarhus of Denmark. Derby County would be more than happy to let him go on a free transfer because it would mean dumping his salary. Aarhus already has one American (forward Jeremiah White) and just signed a Guatemalan (defender Gustavo Cabrera).

One source with strong European ties says Aarhus is very serious about signing him at the conclusion of the Olympics.

Meh. I guess it's better that he gets playing time somewhere than rot in the reserves at Derby.

 

[TDG]

This is fantastic news for MLS. They need their number one team to win games.

Absolutely. Having the team that's supposed to be the jewel of the MLS consistantly underperforming is not good for the MLS at all.

 

[Cornballer]

This is fantastic news for MLS. They need their number one team to win games.

True. This and the debacle in NY are black eyes for MLS in their two most important media markets.

A couple youtube vids....
MLS Goal of the Week Candidates. A couple nice free kicks, but nothing too spectacular otherwise.
Girl getting drilled in the face with the ball during a friendly. Ouch.

[b]2008 MLS Power Rankings: Week 20[/b]
Rk(Pr) 	Team 		(W-L-T) Comment
1 (1) 	New England 	10-5-3 	Things unraveled in spectacular fashion in the last 10 minutes in a loss to the Fire -- only the second loss in 18 games for the Revs.
2 (6) 	Chicago 	9-5-5 	The Fire own New England; yet another "W" for the Revs' nemesis.
3 (2) 	Houston 	6-4-8 	Dynamo licking their wounds after finally losing to Revs in a final.
4 (4) 	Columbus 	9-6-4 	Crew hanging tough in a three-way fight for the East.
5 (3) 	Real Salt Lake 	7-6-6 	Haven't played since July 28; half these guys could have retired by now and we wouldn't know it.
6 (7) 	Dallas 		6-6-7 	The Hoops take a gamble on perennial problem child Jeff Cunningham.
7 (8) 	Chivas USA 	6-8-4 	Could have used some of the Sacha Kljestan-magic in a loss to the Wizards.
8 (5) 	DC United 	8-9-1 	D.C.'s defense falls apart in hideous fashion three days before an Open Cup semifinal.
9 (10) 	Toronto FC 	7-8-4 	Perhaps Chad Barrett wasn't such a bad deal for Toronto after all.
10 (9) 	Los Angeles 	6-8-5 	Good news: Galaxy defense doesn't allow any goals in off week. Bad news: The Galaxy has neither a coach or a GM.
11 (11) Kansas City 	6-6-7 	2-1-2 in league play over the last month -- maybe a corner has been turned.
12 (13) RBNY 		6-6-7 	Juan Pablo Angel has been outstanding of late -- he might single-handedly save Juan Carlos Osorio's job.
13 (12) San Jose 	4-9-6 	A hot streak down the stretch could keep Earthquakes alive in playoff hunt.
14 (14) Colorado 	6-10-3 	Surely this is the year that Fernando Clavijo finally gets fired?

 

[gigapower]

Bad day for Citeh. Good day for LAG.

 

[Cornballer]

Question du Jour: What's the proper technique for the wall when a free kick is taken just outside the box? I assume that McBride is doing it the right way because he gets some lift, but doesn't leave enough space underneath for the ball to sneak through. Not sure if that's what's typically coached. Just curious what football-GAF thinks about this.

 

[gigapower]

Thinking more about the "personal reasons" for Gullit's leaving, I remember him talking about how he had to pull people from the office to get enough people on the pitch for a practice squad. I'm sure that really sunk his desire to work in MLS. When you can't get enough money for a practice squad sad times are ahead.

 

[Cornballer]

Grant Wahl on the US draw with Holland. A couple quick points:
- Altidore's ankle is still bothering him, which is part of the reason why he isn't starting. Troubling news - that injury is months old.
- Szetela and Feilhaber will probably replace Bradley and Adu in the starting lineup

 

[GHG]

Question du Jour: What's the proper technique for the wall when a free kick is taken just outside the box? I assume that McBride is doing it the right way because he gets some lift, but doesn't leave enough space underneath for the ball to sneak through. Not sure if that's what's typically coached. Just curious what football-GAF thinks about this.

With a freekick from that position you have 3 options.

1. Curl it up and over the wall and into the corner furthest from the GK. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSC_kw_-SGA

2. Smash it as hard as you can into the top corner where the keeper is standing. You have to have the ability to strike the ball REALLY hard to pull this off. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnti6zDiEx0

3. Strike the ball low and hard along the ground under the wall. For this one you just have to hope the wall jumps or breaks and the shot is well struck. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzZBwANw2cg&feature=related

Whoever is in that picture taking the kick is using option 3.

I'd say if you practice enough and have good enough technique option 1 is always the best bet. If you can get the ball to come down quick enough its almost a certain goal since the keeper wont see the ball till late. The other 2 are more based on luck than anything else IMO. Too many external factors.

EDIT: FFS I misread it and thought you were talking about the technique for the kicker.

For the wall its dictated by what you and your team-mates decide. You can have one person designated as a charger who will run the ball down if its layed off. You can have the wall stand there in the case that its thought the shot type will be number 3 above. But usually its just a case of everyone jump together as high as you can. If you're gonna jump you've got to do it properly, none of this pansy turn your back on the ball jump rubbish that you're seeing in the pic. Plus half the wall isn't even jumping properly. Its a badly drilled wall all in all.

 

[Zoolaga]

Villa are going to sign Carlos Cuellar from Rangers tomorrow for £7.8m.

link

 

[AndersTheSwede]

This is fantastic news for MLS. They need their number one team to win games.

Seriously. As Seattle is coming in, and we will be in the same division and all with LA, I'm supposed to root against them.

But this is just ridiculous. The most visible team in MLS, key to increasing it's profile, cannot but such a shitbird of a club. And a club doesn't get this bad without serious front-office management problems.

If things continue like this even after replacements, The Don needs send his black helicopters to save the Gals.

 

[Falch]

PSV is either getting Milan Jovanovic or Mevlut Erding this week. Both are in the pricerange of 5-8 mil EUR.

Both seem decent additions. Jovanovic's currently plays for Standard Luik and has scored 30 goals in the last 2 seasons. He was Belgium's player of the year last year, and has played several international matches for Serbia. Erding is a 21 year old striker from Sochaux, who scored 11 goals last season in Ligue 1.

If Standard Luik and PSV do not reach an agreement over Jovanovic before wednesday evening, and Jovanovic plays for Luik in the CL qualifying, than he won't be very intestesting for us anymore since we than won't be able to use him in the CL.

 

[Cornballer]

EDIT: FFS I misread it and thought you were talking about the technique for the kicker.

For the wall its dictated by what you and your team-mates decide. You can have one person designated as a charger who will run the ball down if its layed off. You can have the wall stand there in the case that its thought the shot type will be number 3 above. But usually its just a case of everyone jump together as high as you can. If you're gonna jump you've got to do it properly, none of this pansy turn your back on the ball jump rubbish that you're seeing in the pic. Plus half the wall isn't even jumping properly. Its a badly drilled wall all in all.

In this situation, since it was right on the edge of the box, I'm wondering if you're supposed to jump or not. I don't know that many players that can get it up and over the wall in such a short distance, so it seems like going underneath is a better option for most takers. I'm just trying to figure out if players are typically drilled to take a full jump in close kicks like this one, or if they're supposed to come up a tiny bit but not leap as high as they can (which would allow the ball to slide underneath.)

Villa are going to sign Carlos Cuellar from Rangers tomorrow for £7.8m.

link

Nice pickup. He looked great last season.

 

[Wes]

We're buying Cuellar because he's Spanish and he'll be a mate for De La Red

 

[FeedTheYak]

Pienaar has broke his foot

...ffs

 

[Falch]

Pienaar has broke his foot

...ffs

Karma:

=)

 

[Osorio]

Seriously. As Seattle is coming in, and we will be in the same division and all with LA, I'm supposed to root against them.

But this is just ridiculous. The most visible team in MLS, key to increasing it's profile, cannot but such a shitbird of a club. And a club doesn't get this bad without serious front-office management problems.

If things continue like this even after replacements, The Don needs send his black helicopters to save the Gals.

Seriously, Lalas is the worst person you can have in your FO. We had to put up with his bullshit a while ago and look at him now, same old Alexi.

 

[Cornballer]

Seriously, Lalas is the worst person you can have in your FO. We had to put up with his bullshit a while ago and look at him now, same old Alexi.

The problem is the guy turns on the charm and keeps on getting rehired. Surely people have figured him out by now? Wouldn't be a bad person to have in PR for the league, but as a GM....

 

[Osorio]

The problem is the guy turns on the charm and keeps on getting rehired. Surely people have figured him out by now? Wouldn't be a bad person to have in PR for the league, but as a GM....

Oh he's fantastic PR but that's because he knows how to bullshit.

 

[Wes]

Friedel
Guzan
Shorey
Young
Cuellar
Davis
Sidwell

Now we need some attacking flair purcahses MON!

 

[FeedTheYak]

Karma:

=)

have you been waiting for a chance to use that for a while

 

[Cornballer]

Oh he's fantastic PR but that's because he knows how to bullshit.

Yup, which is fine for someone working for the league office. Have him go around and shake hands and talk up the league. He'd do a good job with it, but keep his hands off the teams.

 

[sw26]

We're buying Cuellar because he's Spanish and he'll be a mate for De La Red

As a Rangers season ticket holder, I'm fucking raging right now. I absolutely guarantee that the stuff about him demanding to go and refusing a new deal is 100% Grade A bullsh*t, and I would bet good money on the fact that he was pushed out the door just like Hutton was.

I'm so disillusioned with this club right now.

 

[Wes]

Why would he be pushed out? Is McCoist really that crazy?

 

[lochnesssnowman]

Why would he be pushed out? Is McCoist really that crazy?

I'm not going to read too much into the situation right now.

He will be sorely missed. Rest assured Wes, you are getting a genuinely world class defender. He's fantastic - dominant in the air, comfortable on the ball, passes out of defence, great positioning and not short of pace. I'm somewhat glad he's not going to Newcastle at least - heaven knows what they do to defenders.

 

[sw26]

Why would he be pushed out? Is McCoist really that crazy?

Because Moonbeams Murray (our chairman) needed to recoup some cash after we went out of Europe last week, just like Alan Hutton was pushed out when he categorically stated multiple times that he was happy to stay at the club at the time.

Murray loves his smoke and mirrors, hence my suspicion about the 'release clause' thing. I'm especially suspicious in light of Murray's comments during a meeting with our Supporters Association last Friday when he said that Cuellar would not under any circumstances be sold to balance the books, and this was echoed by Walter Smith when he said that that only an offer which was 'to good to refuse' would result in his leaving.

Would he really say that if he had a release clause which none of the fans have heard about before, particularly as he was linked with Spurs for £12 million as recently as last weekend?

 

[Blackhead]

With a freekick from that position you have 3 options.

1. Curl it up and over the wall and into the corner furthest from the GK. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSC_kw_-SGA

2. Smash it as hard as you can into the top corner where the keeper is standing. You have to have the ability to strike the ball REALLY hard to pull this off. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnti6zDiEx0

3. Strike the ball low and hard along the ground under the wall. For this one you just have to hope the wall jumps or breaks and the shot is well struck. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzZBwANw2cg&feature=related

Whoever is in that picture taking the kick is using option 3.

I'd say if you practice enough and have good enough technique option 1 is always the best bet. If you can get the ball to come down quick enough its almost a certain goal since the keeper wont see the ball till late. The other 2 are more based on luck than anything else IMO. Too many external factors.

EDIT: FFS I misread it and thought you were talking about the technique for the kicker.

For the wall its dictated by what you and your team-mates decide. You can have one person designated as a charger who will run the ball down if its layed off. You can have the wall stand there in the case that its thought the shot type will be number 3 above. But usually its just a case of everyone jump together as high as you can. If you're gonna jump you've got to do it properly, none of this pansy turn your back on the ball jump rubbish that you're seeing in the pic. Plus half the wall isn't even jumping properly. Its a badly drilled wall all in all.

4. Jay Jay Okocha; Cubillas
http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=ojIK4mI0EJw
http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=d3D16kwXcaM

5. Rivelino
http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=TIcw8EFbNZM

 

[Karakand]

Bad day for Citeh. Good day for LAG.

Fucking typical.

P.S. RIP sexy football. 2008-2008

 

[Yazan]

4. Jay Jay Okocha; Cubillas
http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=ojIK4mI0EJw
http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=d3D16kwXcaM

5. Rivelino
http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=TIcw8EFbNZM

6. Japanese wonderkick
http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=0lOZ-n-afY0&feature=related

 

[Falch]

have you been waiting for a chance to use that for a while

Years and years. I've got a whole harddisk full of disgusting actions by (former) Ajax players.

Spoiler

google was my friend

 

[Hixx]

Baines linked with Sunderland again today in a few rags. Probably lazy journalism but I would love to see him here, no chance of signing Taiwo.

 

[brain_stew]

Baines linked with Sunderland again today in a few rags. Probably lazy journalism but I would love to see him here, no chance of signing Taiwo.

Would be a great signing. Everton don't seem to be too flush at the moment so it might be a goer. We're still desperate for a centre half and forward like, I shudder to think what Torres and Keane are going to do to our current back 4 if we don't get someone in by Saturday.

 

[gigapower]

I've decided Colorado should take one for the MLS team and send Clavagina to LAG to help out CJ with his coaching duties, it's really a win/win for everyone.

Sorry Kara I have no brilliant ideas as to how to help Citeh out. Maybe Roman has a friend who would be interested in a deal.

 

[QVT]

Why doesn't Roman just buy City too? Or do the Championship and Premiership still count as the same competition according to the bylaws?