I'll be interested in seeing how he does when he comes back after his sabbatical, and when he has to take over a different team. A good chunk of Barcelona's success is a result of the setup at the club, and while it needs a good manager to take advantage of it, it's already primed. Not saying Pep isn't a great manager, he obviously is, but what he does in his next job will be interesting.
I was going to do a joke post with before/afters of Arsene and Sir Alex but Arsene's '96 glasses almost made me spit-take my coffee all over my computer so I decided it's too dangerous.
Here you have. This is what 4 years as a Barça manager does to you.
Edit: By the way, Tito Vilanova takes over.
Eh, he's smiling in one picture and frowning in the other..I bet if you look at any regular pic from 4 years back and compare it to a present day one I doubt you'll notice much of a difference.
Sure, those 4 years have been exhausting and I totally get that he needs a break but I doubt you can tell from outward appearance.
Here you have. This is what 4 years as a Barça manager does to you.
Edit: By the way, Tito Vilanova takes over.
Eh, he's smiling in one picture and frowning in the other..I bet if you look at any regular pic from 4 years back and compare it to a present day one I doubt you'll notice much of a difference.
Sure, those 4 years have been exhausting and I totally get that he needs a break but I doubt you can tell from outward appearance.
Fair enough. Here you have it in videos: First Day Today
Mostly, he tends to joke saying that he pulls his hair out when players don't do what he says.
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GoslingLooking Up Soccer In Mongolia Right Now, ProbablyWatertown, WIRegistered Userregular
And now it's Kenny Dalglish whining that the final shouldn't be in Munich anymore because Bayern Munich qualified for the final. As evidence, he points to the 1984 final in which his Liverpool team played Roma in Rome, a game which the away team won so shut the fuck up Dalglish. You all knew it was going to be in Munich. You should have brought it up then if you didn't like it. Now? Suck it up.
God. So much bitching and moaning going into this final already. Would you two like separate trophies next? That way everyone's a winner!
I have a new soccer blog The Minnow Tank. Reading it psychically kicks Sepp Blatter in the bean bag.
God. So much bitching and moaning going into this final already. Would you two like separate trophies next? That way everyone's a winner!
There's always the occasional comment to dampen expectations and lay groundwork for the Please-Don't-Blame-Me-Or-Us-For-This-Loss post-game speech, but yeah, this is pretty stupid.
Last pint: Turmoil CDA / Barley Brown's - Untappd: TheJudge_PDX
You know that was a Daglish quote right? He won't have to explain anything whoever wins the game. He's not the first person to say so and I'm not sure why it is so laughable anyway. The same question has been raised by somebody a few times before when the hosts have had a realistic chance of making the final (so, 2001, 2003 and 2010 at least). Obviously nothing should change this year but I do think that if it is logistically possible then in the future when something like this occurs they should switch with the next host city (or whatever would be easiest for them to organise). It does go against the spirit of the competition and as far as Kenny quotes go this season that's about as measured as I've seen. No conspiracy theories, just an opinion that he has formed on the basis of being placed in the same situation as a player.
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The JudgeThe Terwilliger CurvesRegistered Userregular
Right - guess I meant the comment could be touched on by the actual post-game personnel. "Well, of course we lost - even Kenny was saying we shouldn't have played here."
Last pint: Turmoil CDA / Barley Brown's - Untappd: TheJudge_PDX
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TavIrish Minister for DefenceRegistered Userregular
Moving the final because of who's in it isn't really fair for the spectators. Most fans headed to the final book their flights as soon as they find out where the final is going to be held and then hope their team is going to be in the final. Leaving less than a month to organize traveling arrangements for the people going wouldn't be fair or logistical at all.
What are you going to do? You'd have to have 3 stadiums booked to get around it. And UEFA take over the stadium for a week, so that's a week that all 3 stadiums have to keep free for years in advance, just incase the home team gets through. It doesn't happen anywhere near often enough to warrent a change.
Apologies in advance to anyone planning to watch the olympics football this year.
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AssuranIs swinging on the SpiralRegistered Userregular
30 minutes into the morning games and there is an absolute barrage of goals. Wish I could watch the Swansea/Wolves goal fest. It's 4-2 Swansea at the moment.
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AssuranIs swinging on the SpiralRegistered Userregular
Also, what the hell, Wigan up 3-0 over Newcastle. Shocker.
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AssuranIs swinging on the SpiralRegistered Userregular
I know I'm talking to myself at this point, but 17 goals in the first half in the early game is just stunning.
Wigan up 4-0. Everton up 3-0. Swansea 4-2. Just insane scoring.
You know that was a Daglish quote right? He won't have to explain anything whoever wins the game. He's not the first person to say so and I'm not sure why it is so laughable anyway. The same question has been raised by somebody a few times before when the hosts have had a realistic chance of making the final (so, 2001, 2003 and 2010 at least). Obviously nothing should change this year but I do think that if it is logistically possible then in the future when something like this occurs they should switch with the next host city (or whatever would be easiest for them to organise). It does go against the spirit of the competition and as far as Kenny quotes go this season that's about as measured as I've seen. No conspiracy theories, just an opinion that he has formed on the basis of being placed in the same situation as a player.
You know what we do in America when someone's set to play a championship final in a neutral-site that just so happens to be their home stadium? Absolutely jack squat. In fact, we ROOT for it to happen. It's extra incentive for the host to play their butts off so they can get to play the final in their own hometown.
Gosling on
I have a new soccer blog The Minnow Tank. Reading it psychically kicks Sepp Blatter in the bean bag.
Asian Champions League the final must be played at one of the finalists grounds.
Which is fine for the ACL, because there isn't as much attendance or travelling support. The UCL needs a pre-set location that doesn't change though, because of the sheer number of travelling fans.
Dalglish, with his comments, is being what he always is and always will be... a fucking idiot.
With the UCL final, the other part with the final is that while it's Bayern's home stadium they don't control the ticketing. So with the capacity being 60-odd thousand Chelsea and Bayern will have the same allocation of tickets (I've heard around 17k each) and the rest are corporate tickets that UEFA handles. So it's not necessarily the massive advantage a normal home tie would be
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TavIrish Minister for DefenceRegistered Userregular
With the UCL final, the other part with the final is that while it's Bayern's home stadium they don't control the ticketing. So with the capacity being 60-odd thousand Chelsea and Bayern will have the same allocation of tickets (I've heard around 17k each) and the rest are corporate tickets that UEFA handles. So it's not necessarily the massive advantage a normal home tie would be
Roman should buy em all and give em away to Chelsea Pitch Owners.
Also check out Fernando Torres. Brace at the half. Did the Barcelona goal flip a switch or is it just random variation?
“Reject your sense of injury and the injury itself disappears.”
― Marcus Aurelius
Torres and Mata both had really good games today and Chelsea seemed to be playing in a way that suited him more than usual. Mata was playing the sorts of passes Alonso or Gerrard would back at Liverpool, allowing him to run in behind the defence and make the most of his pace. He definitely looked like he had a lot more confidence too, I don't think he would have scored any of those goals a month ago. The second was down to some poor defending by QPR but after he scored his first goal he looked like he was going to keep scoring and the third was a really great finish, it was from a tight angle and he found the only place that Paddy Kenny just couldn't reach.
West Brom have given the FA permission to discuss terms with Roy Hodgson about taking over the England job at the end of the season.
Totally deserved, and by all reports it's a done deal. Hodgson gets a bit of a bad rap, but I would say he's a good manager to turn the England setup around. Better than Redknapp, at least...
WBA's season is over, so their chairman let the FA approach Hodgson. Spurs' season is far from over, so there's no way their chairman would let the FA approach Redknapp yet.
I'll believe Hodgson is the new manager once it's official and he's in the press conference. I still think there's every chance that Redknapp will get the job.
West Brom have given the FA permission to discuss terms with Roy Hodgson about taking over the England job at the end of the season.
Totally deserved, and by all reports it's a done deal. Hodgson gets a bit of a bad rap, but I would say he's a good manager to turn the England setup around. Better than Redknapp, at least...
Hodgson* is going to get a raw deal from the press because he isn't Redknapp (people remember he left Pompey to manage Southampton to get them relegated before going back to Pompey who are now in a completely sorry state), which is a shame. Hodgson has generally done well with teams with limited resources (Fulham / Switzerland) and he basically kept WBA up when he took over, so I'd say he's actually a pretty good fit for England. He'd probably do more for the St George's football centre.
*Note, I don't really care what Liverpool fans have to say about the guy.
Yeah the press clearly want Redknapp because he's very amiable with them and is always prepared to talk to them, Roy's a bit stand-offish. I like him as England manager though, this England squad is nowhere near as good as some people seem to think it is and I think he'll be able to take them as far as they deserve to go (so probably quarter finals this summer) and hopefully put together a better team for 2014.
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I think in this instance, it is less about "is he going to get sacked" and more like "he feels he needs a break".
The other team is Real Madrid, no one in their right mind expects to beat them every single year.
This makes sense, the pressure at that level must be immense.
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Here you have. This is what 4 years as a Barça manager does to you.
Edit: By the way, Tito Vilanova takes over.
Eh, he's smiling in one picture and frowning in the other..I bet if you look at any regular pic from 4 years back and compare it to a present day one I doubt you'll notice much of a difference.
Sure, those 4 years have been exhausting and I totally get that he needs a break but I doubt you can tell from outward appearance.
First Day
Today
Mostly, he tends to joke saying that he pulls his hair out when players don't do what he says.
God. So much bitching and moaning going into this final already. Would you two like separate trophies next? That way everyone's a winner!
― Marcus Aurelius
Path of Exile: themightypuck
Oh whoooops the CL final is now in Qatar
You can't blame UEFA that England doesn't have enough good stadiums!
There's always the occasional comment to dampen expectations and lay groundwork for the Please-Don't-Blame-Me-Or-Us-For-This-Loss post-game speech, but yeah, this is pretty stupid.
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Right - guess I meant the comment could be touched on by the actual post-game personnel. "Well, of course we lost - even Kenny was saying we shouldn't have played here."
Apologies in advance to anyone planning to watch the olympics football this year.
Wigan up 4-0. Everton up 3-0. Swansea 4-2. Just insane scoring.
Also, please God, let Everton keep Jelavic.
You know what we do in America when someone's set to play a championship final in a neutral-site that just so happens to be their home stadium? Absolutely jack squat. In fact, we ROOT for it to happen. It's extra incentive for the host to play their butts off so they can get to play the final in their own hometown.
Which is fine for the ACL, because there isn't as much attendance or travelling support. The UCL needs a pre-set location that doesn't change though, because of the sheer number of travelling fans.
Dalglish, with his comments, is being what he always is and always will be... a fucking idiot.
Roman should buy em all and give em away to Chelsea Pitch Owners.
Also check out Fernando Torres. Brace at the half. Did the Barcelona goal flip a switch or is it just random variation?
― Marcus Aurelius
Path of Exile: themightypuck
3DS friend code: 4811-7214-5053
3DS friend code: 4811-7214-5053
Wigan's forth goal was fantastic, as was Suarez's third.
Totally deserved, and by all reports it's a done deal. Hodgson gets a bit of a bad rap, but I would say he's a good manager to turn the England setup around. Better than Redknapp, at least...
WBA's season is over, so their chairman let the FA approach Hodgson. Spurs' season is far from over, so there's no way their chairman would let the FA approach Redknapp yet.
I'll believe Hodgson is the new manager once it's official and he's in the press conference. I still think there's every chance that Redknapp will get the job.
Hodgson* is going to get a raw deal from the press because he isn't Redknapp (people remember he left Pompey to manage Southampton to get them relegated before going back to Pompey who are now in a completely sorry state), which is a shame. Hodgson has generally done well with teams with limited resources (Fulham / Switzerland) and he basically kept WBA up when he took over, so I'd say he's actually a pretty good fit for England. He'd probably do more for the St George's football centre.
*Note, I don't really care what Liverpool fans have to say about the guy.
3DS friend code: 4811-7214-5053