San Marino...and other minnows.

[hybrid_x]

Same here- I find the champions league dull and uninspiring. However with the Euros and World Cup I watch every game I can as there is always a good chance of an upset.

good chance of an upset in nearly every game of football where there is an underdog. not sure how anyone can find the champions league standard of football dull - admitted if one does not root for either team it can be dull.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

good chance of an upset in nearly every game of football where there is an underdog. not sure how anyone can find the champions league standard of football dull - admitted if one does not root for either team it can be dull.

I can be bothered to keep up with it all for a year to be honest. Whereas the Euros and the WC are nice and compact tournaments at a good time of the year with some quality games. The cultural aspect and supporter impact of the international tournaments should not be over looked either; I'd rather see some Brasilian lovelies in tight yellow tops than a load of goons from Chelsea.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

admitted if one does not root for either team it can be dull.

How do you choose the team you root for then? English teams is an obvious choice but who do choose now?

 

[beorhthelm]

Get yourself the book "soccernomics" - a very good read and explains exactly this scenario very well

pray give a (brief) overview

 

[ATFC Seagull]

Apologies for trying to start a conversation about the varying levels of football around the world. Obviously in San Marino's case it will be down to low population, but the rankings and quality of football don't always follow that logic. A random country like Montenegro, which has a population of just over 600,000, is ranked 28th in the world... and other larger countries can be found towards the bottom of the rankings.

Sorry if ive offended you're obviously vast intelligence. ****.

I think the Montenegro thing has a lot to do with it's history. Whilst 600k isn't a lot, it's a fair chunk of what was Serbia, and previously Yugoslavia so has had all of the resources and infrastructure that went with that. It's a bit like if you took Sussex out of England suddenly and it became an international team - it wouldn't qualify for international tournaments but could no doubt give a decent-ish account of itself and win a few matches against other European teams, which is basically what they have done (28th in the world is a joke).

 

[ATFC Seagull]

I can be bothered to keep up with it all for a year to be honest. Whereas the Euros and the WC are nice and compact tournaments at a good time of the year with some quality games. The cultural aspect and supporter impact of the international tournaments should not be over looked either; I'd rather see some Brasilian lovelies in tight yellow tops than a load of goons from Chelsea.

Great post.

And sums up exactly what will be wrong with 2020.

 

[marshy68]

Watching the England game and the level football you see from San Marino really is appalling.. Its 5-0 at the moment and looks like it could end up being a cricket score.

Got me thinking about why countries at their level seem to have such a low level of ability in the sport. On this viewing the players at my local 5-a-side would have a better chance...

Is it down to countries like San Marino not really seeing football as priority?
Is it down to their relatively low population?
Lack of funding into the sport?
Or are we and other countries at the top of the world rankings just blessed with better players?

30k live there about the same as in burgess hill.

 

[marshy68]

I can be bothered to keep up with it all for a year to be honest. Whereas the Euros and the WC are nice and compact tournaments at a good time of the year with some quality games. The cultural aspect and supporter impact of the international tournaments should not be over looked either; I'd rather see some Brasilian lovelies in tight yellow tops than a load of goons from Chelsea.

indeed I went to Italy vs Sweden in Portugal 2004 lovely lovely ladies....

 

[Commander]

Why is it dying? It's the other way round for me. I rarely watch Champions League but do watch the Euros and the World Cup.

Same here, but the quality of the football in the Champions League is much higher.

I can't actually remember the last time I watched a non Albion game of football all the way though on the TV. It must have been the England v Italy quarter final, thinking about it.

 

[Commander]

Watching the England game and the level football you see from San Marino really is appalling.. Its 5-0 at the moment and looks like it could end up being a cricket score.

Got me thinking about why countries at their level seem to have such a low level of ability in the sport. On this viewing the players at my local 5-a-side would have a better chance...

Is it down to countries like San Marino not really seeing football as priority?
Is it down to their relatively low population?
Lack of funding into the sport?
Or are we and other countries at the top of the world rankings just blessed with better players?

Players from your local 5-a-side would lose about 40-0 to England. And I bet if any of these San Marino players played in your 5-a-side they'd look ****ing good!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

indeed I went to Italy vs Sweden in Portugal 2004 lovely lovely ladies....

Winner

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Which nation had a bobble hatted 'keeper and they used to cadge lifts on container ships? And one of the players was a bus driver used to drive the team coach. We need to keep these countries in football IMHO.

 

[ATFC Seagull]

Which nation had a bobble hatted 'keeper and they used to cadge lifts on container ships? And one of the players was a bus driver used to drive the team coach. We need to keep these countries in football IMHO.

Got to be the Faroes surely?

 

[Finchley Seagull]

San Marino are terrible. I did wonder last night if England could run a competition to be selected as goalkeeper against them. Joe Hart barely touched the ball so you might as well play some random Sunday League player in goal.

 

[aldershot village]

Which nation had a bobble hatted 'keeper and they used to cadge lifts on container ships? And one of the players was a bus driver used to drive the team coach. We need to keep these countries in football IMHO.

Jens Martin Knudsen is his name

 

[aldershot village]

I can be bothered to keep up with it all for a year to be honest. Whereas the Euros and the WC are nice and compact tournaments at a good time of the year with some quality games. The cultural aspect and supporter impact of the international tournaments should not be over looked either; I'd rather see some Brasilian lovelies in tight yellow tops than a load of goons from Chelsea.

Well The Harlem Globe Trotter's of Football are at The Bridge Monday.

 

[Worthingite]

I'm more interested in the bigger countries that have little to no impact on the world stage. The likes of India, China, Canada, and to a degree, USA and Australia vastly underperform given the size and population of the countries. I would be interested to know more about why they can't seem to find 11 players that can perform consistentlly.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Well The Harlem Globe Trotter's of Football are at The Bridge Monday.

You will have to enlighten me.

 

[aldershot village]

Brazil they are Footballs Globetrotters prepared to prostitute themselves for money to play home games anywhere in the world.They are playing Russia at Stamford Bridge Monday Night.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Brazil they are Footballs Globetrotters prepared to prostitute themselves for money to play home games anywhere in the world.They are playing Russia at Stamford Bridge Monday Night.

Most of the big nations do similar though and accept invitations to play around the world for which I presume they get paid handsomely. England hawked themselves around the world trying to get World Cup votes a few years back as well.