The 2023-2024 Football Thread

[pachyderm]

Messi helps the Swedish club Mallbackens IF ♥️👍🏼

Haven’t heard much about them in recent years, makes sense. But I have actually played against them long time ago. They were fairly good then. Good that the club gets help to continue and regenerate.

Lionel Messi & Inter Miami Help Save Crisis-Ridden Swedish Women's Soccer Club Mallbackens IF

Argentine star Lionel Messi and his club Inter Miami deliver unexpected aid to a women's soccer club in Sweden.

www.essentiallysports.com

Well done Lionel!

 

[laptech]

Seeing news articles of Newcastle being out of Europe due to their loss in their champions league game it got me thinking. Does being out of Europe really matter to mega rich clubs such as Newcastle who do not need to rely on the money being in the champions league can generate? because if it's all about PR/marketing exposure to the masses, I believe from past articles I've read that the English PL get's beamed into the houses of more countries in the world than any other football league and European cup competition thus from a PR/marketing perspective, Newcastle will be getting more exposure to the world's masses being in the PL than being in the ECL.

Which leads me nicely onto my next point. Does having a mega rich club winning nearly everything diminish peoples views about the clubs success? Take Man United's treble. PR/marketing and merchandising went through the roof. It was in our faces for months. Books being written about the treble, VHS tapes and DVD's tributes being made, pins, badges, posters, glasses, cups, kitchen ware, dinning ware and on and on it went. Special editions of tabloid papers being made about the treble, t-shirts, shirts, night wear, all sorts of clothing being made to highlight the treble. Interviews with the players and reactions from ex-players and managers and this went on for months and months. Now compare that to Man City's treble and you will notice the obvious difference. There was hardly anything out there celebrating Man City's treble, no where near on the scale and level of Man United's treble. Remember the customary periodical magazines you used to get in the barbers/hairdressers or the waiting rooms of doctors? I remember looking through them (as you do) and remember seeing adverts for Man United treble merchandise, in magazines that had no connection to sport at all. I did not see one when City won the treble.

Is it a sign of the times that companies are no longer interested in being apart of such an historic treble win like they were when United won it or could it be a case of because City are owned by mega rich owners that companies do not see an sense in supporting a club that is mega rich or could it be a case that City does not have the PR/marketing potential in 2023 that United had back in 1999?

 

[fanboy-ish]

Seeing news articles of Newcastle being out of Europe due to their loss in their champions league game it got me thinking. Does being out of Europe really matter to mega rich clubs such as Newcastle who do not need to rely on the money being in the champions league can generate? because if it's all about PR/marketing exposure to the masses, I believe from past articles I've read that the English PL get's beamed into the houses of more countries in the world than any other football league and European cup competition thus from a PR/marketing perspective, Newcastle will be getting more exposure to the world's masses being in the PL than being in the ECL.

Which leads me nicely onto my next point. Does having a mega rich club winning nearly everything diminish peoples views about the clubs success? Take Man United's treble. PR/marketing and merchandising went through the roof. It was in our faces for months. Books being written about the treble, VHS tapes and DVD's tributes being made, pins, badges, posters, glasses, cups, kitchen ware, dinning ware and on and on it went. Special editions of tabloid papers being made about the treble, t-shirts, shirts, night wear, all sorts of clothing being made to highlight the treble. Interviews with the players and reactions from ex-players and managers and this went on for months and months. Now compare that to Man City's treble and you will notice the obvious difference. There was hardly anything out there celebrating Man City's treble, no where near on the scale and level of Man United's treble. Remember the customary periodical magazines you used to get in the barbers/hairdressers or the waiting rooms of doctors? I remember looking through them (as you do) and remember seeing adverts for Man United treble merchandise, in magazines that had no connection to sport at all. I did not see one when City won the treble.

Is it a sign of the times that companies are no longer interested in being apart of such an historic treble win like they were when United won it or could it be a case of because City are owned by mega rich owners that companies do not see an sense in supporting a club that is mega rich or could it be a case that City does not have the PR/marketing potential in 2023 that United had back in 1999?

It doesn't matter financially, but it does matter form a prestige perspective. The UCL is what you need to win to claim you're a successful team, it took City like 10 years and billions of £ spent to win it, PSG hasn't won it yet despite their crazy spending, Chelsea won the UCL after years of spending. The UCL is what makes a team acknowledged. When a team spends that kind of money you almost expect them to win domestically, maybe not as much in England since the competition is fierce (rich), but if Bayern or PSG win domestically it's hardly newsworthy.

If you spend money, if your team is buying whatever player, but you don't win the UCL, it will always feel unaccomplished.

I think that more than what you win is the players you have that give you media exposure, players like CR7, Messi, Mbappé, Neymar (?) today, Beckham, Zidane, Ronaldo, Henry in the past are the big merchandise sellers. I feel the same goes for other sports, in the 90s people in Europe bought Chicago Bulls' merch not because they were winning multiple titles, but because they had Michael Jordan. A charismatic player will sell even if the team doesn't win, PSG sells merchandise and they haven't won anything meaningful, they sell because they have - and had - charismatic players.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Financial Fair Play may be a joke, but clubs still try to present the appearance of complying, even if that is a thin veneer. Being in the Champions League means more revenue, which in turn permits more spending. Also, the top tier of players usually expect to be playing Champions League football. And finally, the UEFA Champions League is arguably club football’s most prestigious trophy.

So for different reasons, the Champions League is a high priority for most owners, players and fans at elite clubs.

 

[laptech]

@fanboy-ish and @Lord Blackadder , both of you in your own words mention about how prestigious and important the ECL is but is it actually? Real Madrid won the ECL and there is hardly any mention about it and immediately it get's forgotten about. Man City win the ECL and again it's immediately forgotten about. Therefore is the importance of the ECL only in relation to it's financial benefits and advantages? because with regards to everything else the ECL gives, it seems no one gives a damn 'oh we won another trophy, put it with the rest, now what's for dinner'.

 

[Abdichoudxyz]

Seeing news articles of Newcastle being out of Europe due to their loss in their champions league game it got me thinking. Does being out of Europe really matter to mega rich clubs such as Newcastle who do not need to rely on the money being in the champions league can generate? because if it's all about PR/marketing exposure to the masses, I believe from past articles I've read that the English PL get's beamed into the houses of more countries in the world than any other football league and European cup competition thus from a PR/marketing perspective, Newcastle will be getting more exposure to the world's masses being in the PL than being in the ECL.

Which leads me nicely onto my next point. Does having a mega rich club winning nearly everything diminish peoples views about the clubs success? Take Man United's treble. PR/marketing and merchandising went through the roof. It was in our faces for months. Books being written about the treble, VHS tapes and DVD's tributes being made, pins, badges, posters, glasses, cups, kitchen ware, dinning ware and on and on it went. Special editions of tabloid papers being made about the treble, t-shirts, shirts, night wear, all sorts of clothing being made to highlight the treble. Interviews with the players and reactions from ex-players and managers and this went on for months and months. Now compare that to Man City's treble and you will notice the obvious difference. There was hardly anything out there celebrating Man City's treble, no where near on the scale and level of Man United's treble. Remember the customary periodical magazines you used to get in the barbers/hairdressers or the waiting rooms of doctors? I remember looking through them (as you do) and remember seeing adverts for Man United treble merchandise, in magazines that had no connection to sport at all. I did not see one when City won the treble.

Is it a sign of the times that companies are no longer interested in being apart of such an historic treble win like they were when United won it or could it be a case of because City are owned by mega rich owners that companies do not see an sense in supporting a club that is mega rich or could it be a case that City does not have the PR/marketing potential in 2023 that United had back in 1999?

Man U were the first English club to recognise the potential in commercial ventures beyond football. They were able to successfully manipulate the FA into allowing the formation of the Premier League, along with all the lucrative TV rights etc, and the first English club to 'buy' success. This enhanced their already huge image, and enabled them to become one of the richest clubs on the planet. This heralded the new era of rich businessmen and oligarchs buying up football clubs as a means of sportwashing their dubious finances. Along came Abramovitch who bought success with Chelsea. So by the time Man City were bought by the UAE, people were quite fed up of the idea. City have a far, far smaller presence in global football compared to Man U, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Barcelona. So a lot less people are interested in their exploits.

@fanboy-ish and @Lord Blackadder , both of you in your own words mention about how prestigious and important the ECL is but is it actually?

If you have to ask that, then I'm going to assume your chosen club have never won it. Arsenal fan, by any chance? 🤣

 

[fanboy-ish]

@fanboy-ish and @Lord Blackadder , both of you in your own words mention about how prestigious and important the ECL is but is it actually? Real Madrid won the ECL and there is hardly any mention about it and immediately it get's forgotten about. Man City win the ECL and again it's immediately forgotten about. Therefore is the importance of the ECL only in relation to it's financial benefits and advantages? because with regards to everything else the ECL gives, it seems no one gives a damn 'oh we won another trophy, put it with the rest, now what's for dinner'.

From a sports perspective, it is important. I'm a Juventus fan, we recently won 9 straight Serie A titles, 4 straight League Cups, but something is missing, the UCL, we lost it twice, against two better teams, but teams that we were able to beat in other occasions, that streak is tainted in the eyes of the fans because we couldn't win the UCL, considering, also, that we basically had no competition at home. The same goes for the Juventus of the 90s, losing two finals, against two weaker teams, has tainted the memories fans have of that team. It's always "Yes, we won, but the UCL..." or "Yes, what a great team we had, but we lost two finals...".

It's also a matter of country, football media is very local, so for example in Italy they did report City winning, they did report that it was almost an unstoppable machine, but that's pretty much it, the same for any other non Italian team.

I am not from the UK, I have no explanation why the British press is not giving City the same kind of attention they gave to United, could it be that, if I'm not mistaken, Manchester United was the first English club winning the UCL and the first club to win the former European Cup since the 80s ban?

 

[Lioness~]

Charging for Chelsea - Häcken, slowly - late match that starts 20:55 CET
Hope for a really good game ⚽️🔥

 

[Scepticalscribe]

From a sports perspective, it is important. I'm a Juventus fan, we recently won 9 straight Serie A titles, 4 straight League Cups, but something is missing, the UCL, we lost it twice, against two better teams, but teams that we were able to beat in other occasions, that streak is tainted in the eyes of the fans because we couldn't win the UCL, considering, also, that we basically had no competition at home. The same goes for the Juventus of the 90s, losing two finals, against two weaker teams, has tainted the memories fans have of that team. It's always "Yes, we won, but the UCL..." or "Yes, what a great team we had, but we lost two finals...".

It's also a matter of country, football media is very local, so for example in Italy they did report City winning, they did report that it was almost an unstoppable machine, but that's pretty much it, the same for any other non Italian team.

I am not from the UK, I have no explanation why the British press is not giving City the same kind of attention they gave to United, could it be that, if I'm not mistaken, Manchester United was the first English club winning the UCL and the first club to win the former European Cup since the 80s ban?

Very good post, and you make some good points.

I think that Manchester City - for all of their technical prowess, superb (and expensively assembled) team, skill, strength and undoubted success - are a hard team to love outside of the blue quarters and areas of Manchester.

Moreover, they lack the tradition and tragedy of Manchester United's freighted history, - dashing football and appalling tragedy inextricably blended in a tapestry of tradition that is simultaneously boon, blessing and burden.

Above all, the fact is that they don't need (not financially) to be loved and supported worldwide, - they don't need an international fanbase - as they are a platform for sports-washing that is owned by a state.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Absolutely delighted to see this: Terrific news for women and for people of colour.

A quote from a piece in the Guardian this evening:

"Rebecca Welch will become the first woman to referee a Premier League match when she takes charge of Fulham’s home game against Burnley on 23 December.

Three days later Sam Allison will also make history as the first black referee to officiate in the top flight for 15 years when he steps out at Bramall Lane for Sheffield United v Luton."

 

[Apple fanboy]

West Ham currently 2-0 up and looking to top the group in the Europa League. Just as well we won't have to play those big teams falling out of the Champions League like Manchester United.
Oh wait, they aren't in Europe anymore.....!

Actually I really detest the system that helps teams who finish third in their CL group drop into another competition. Yes another system designed to keep the money flowing to the bigger richer clubs. As 95% of the Champions League teams aren't even champions in their own country, why not rename it? We could call it the greedy league!

 

[laptech]

I bet the TV executives will be bemoaning United not being in Europe because they know the viewing figures will drop regardless of the other UK teams being in there because even when they play bad, United can still draw in large TV viewing figures.

 

[laptech]

You know you've made it in football when you get a football sticker album made of you and that is what has just happened with the English Women's Super League. Footballer sticker album maker Panni have just announced they have produced a sticker album for the WSL.

WSL: Panini and FA to release first Women's Super League football sticker collection

The album will feature the league's players and icons of the game and will be launched in December.

www.bbc.co.uk

Spain was the first country to get a sticker album of a women's domestic league.

I have no doubt Panni and followers/critics of football for both the men and women's game will be closely following the fortunes of the sticker album to see which one becomes the more popular, the men's premier league sticker album or the women's WSL sticker album.

 

[Lioness~]

Charging for Chelsea - Häcken, slowly - late match that starts 20:55 CET
Hope for a really good game ⚽️🔥

0 - 0

Häcken faught wonderfully all the way. Chelsea pushed and pushed, it didn’t help.

Funny thing, both our 1st and 2nd national goalkeepers was in this match.
Our 2nd in Häcken and our 1st in Chelsea.

But lately Gerhardsson our National-team Captain have picked our 2nd to guard our goal a lot more.
I get it now, she was heroic in this game. While Musovic had a restful day at work.

Look forward to the 2nd meeting between these next week on Swedish ground this time ⚽️♥️

 

[pachyderm]

VS

I feel better about the rest of the season...

 

[pachyderm]

0 - 0

Häcken faught wonderfully all the way. Chelsea pushed and pushed, it didn’t help.

Funny thing, both our 1st and 2nd national goalkeepers was in this match.
Our 2nd in Häcken and our 1st in Chelsea.

But lately Gerhardsson our National-team Captain have picked our 2nd to guard our goal a lot more.
I get it now, she was heroic in this game. While Musovic had a restful day at work.

Look forward to the 2nd meeting between these next week on Swedish ground this time ⚽️♥️

Nice.

I like your kits... I'm assuming you're a Häcken fan?

 

[Lioness~]

Nice.

I like your kits... I'm assuming you're a Häcken fan?

I am a Swede and Häckem is a Swedish club. But a fan, not sure about that.
Been into women’s football too much to be a fan. It would be a very limited perspective to me.
Häcken is a Swedish club, in my own city, so of course I am rooting for them. No doubt.
But thing is with Women’s club football today, there are Swedes in a lot of clubs today that I consider really great players that I enjoy watching, and cheering on.
So I wouldn’t consider myself a fan of any particular club. But I love my country.

I played in a few clubs myself, and it was no difficulty to change club at all, even though it didn’t take long before you usually played against your old club. No hard feelings most of the time.
I really enjoy good football and see great players play, the most.
Football is one big family, complex and in constant change. It’s how I see it.

 

[pachyderm]

I am a Swede and Häckem is a Swedish club. But a fan, not sure about that.
Been into women’s football too much to be a fan. It would be a very limited perspective to me.
Häcken is a Swedish club, in my own city, so of course I am rooting for them. No doubt.
But thing is with Women’s club football today, there are Swedes in a lot of clubs today that I consider really great players that I enjoy watching, and cheering on.
So I wouldn’t consider myself a fan of any particular club. But I love my country.

I played in a few clubs myself, and it was no difficulty to change club at all, even though it didn’t take long before you usually played against your old club. No hard feelings most of the time.
I really enjoy good football and see great players play, the most.
Football is one big family, complex and in constant change. It’s how I see it.

Nice. Well done!

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I am a Swede and Häckem is a Swedish club. But a fan, not sure about that.
Been into women’s football too much to be a fan. It would be a very limited perspective to me.
Häcken is a Swedish club, in my own city, so of course I am rooting for them. No doubt.
But thing is with Women’s club football today, there are Swedes in a lot of clubs today that I consider really great players that I enjoy watching, and cheering on.
So I wouldn’t consider myself a fan of any particular club. But I love my country.

I played in a few clubs myself, and it was no difficulty to change club at all, even though it didn’t take long before you usually played against your old club. No hard feelings most of the time.
I really enjoy good football and see great players play, the most.
Football is one big family, complex and in constant change. It’s how I see it.

Agree with @pachyderm; nice and very well done.

 

[Lioness~]

I actually think that the Football, and even sport-communities in general, handle disagreements, and various bad energy better then society at a hole.
As long as there’s people there will probably be people who don’t get along out of various reasons.
It’s a reality in football too, and difficult especially if in the same team.
I'm in fact I have many mostly good memories out of this kinds.

If things wasn’t solvable within the team, then a transfer to another team could be favorable to work out those things.
Some players play better when get triggered, and it’s a real fact that when players meet old clubs. Some love and some emotions of another kind spurs 🔥😂

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I actually think that the Football, and even sport-communities in general, handle disagreements, and various bad energy better then society at a hole.
As long as there’s people there will probably be people who don’t get along out of various reasons.
It’s a reality in football too, and difficult especially if in the same team.
I'm in fact I have many mostly good memories out of this kinds.

If things wasn’t solvable within the team, then a transfer to another team could be favorable to work out those things.
Some players play better when get triggered, and it’s a real fact that when players meet old clubs. Some love and some emotions of another kind spurs 🔥😂

What position did you play when you played football?

You sound as though you played seriously.

I recall that - earlier in this thread - a few individuals discussed (briefly) where they had played, in their youthful playing days.

As a kid, I played with my brothers and neighbours, or - occasionally - some cousins.

While my parents had both excelled at sport, I didn't, plus, as someone who wears glasses, (contact lenses were almost unknown when I was a child), sports (above all, school sports, and team sports) weren't really my thing.

However, I was good at distance running, and - as a kid - wasn't that bad as a goalie.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

At the Etihad, Manchester City - who were playing at home, and were leading Crystal Palace by two goals to nil - ended the game on level terms, Crystal Palace scoring two goals to make the match two goals apiece, with both teams claiming a point.

An excellent result for Palace.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Luton’s game abandoned after a medical emergency with their captain, Tom Lockyer.
He appears to be responding well in hospital.
I wish him a speedy recovery.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Luton’s game abandoned after a medical emergency with their captain, Tom Lockyer.
He appears to be responding well in hospital.
I wish him a speedy recovery.

Just saw your post and have just noticed that the game (Bournemouth vs Luton) has been abandoned following the collapse of Luton's captain, Tom Lockyer, which gave rise to a medical emergency.

That must be terrifying.

The very best of luck to him, and hopefully, he is able to make a full recovery.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I remember when Christian Eriksen collapsed, - that was shocking, and must have been distressing - and how he was able to make a full recovery, subsequently.

Apparently, this is not the first time that Tom Lockyer has suffered in this way.

Reports suggest that something similar occurred in the play-off final last season, and, more recently, he also went down at half time against Brentford a few weeks ago.

Glad to hear that he is responding well in hospital, and hope that he makes a rapid recovery.