Official Premiership 2008/09 thread

[Summers]

JOHN CAREW

CAREW

HE'S BIGGER THAN ELLIS

AND KOUUU

HE'S GONNA SCORE ONE OR TWOO

JOHN CAREW, CAREW!

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

STILIAN PET-ER-OV!

I LOVE HIM BE-COZ

HE'S ONLY TWENTY EIGHT

BUT LOOKS EIGHTY TWO!

[stokeriño]

JOHN CAREW

CAREW

HE'S BIGGER THAN ELLIS

AND KOUUU

HE'S GONNA SCORE ONE OR TWOO

JOHN CAREW, CAREW!

(Y)

[Crybaby Bunting]

So can anyone update me on the West Ham situation? I know the owner lost somewhere along the lines of potentially 230 million pounds from Iceland's 2nd bank getting taken over by the government and his ensuing sack, but what about the Tevez ordeal with Sheffielf United, and the chances of the club going into administration? Is the club definitely for sale?

I'm having a hard time getting a clear picture of what's going on, so I figure the boys who know the most about footy and have more coverage of it, can let me know what's going on.

I really hope that the club gets sold, only because the owner we have now has a name that's impossible to spell... and he's a right douche.

From the looks of things the owner's taken a considerable hit (he did say that West Ham would probably have to sell to buy new players) and that in itself could be enough to justify selling the club. No-one would really want to buy a Championship club (and that's what it could be if they have to sell a considerable amount of players) so it's probably best for Gujosighsnfjhfjghsighwnfiiofnmfooofi to just cut his losses and escape with a little pot of gold that's guaranteed rather than wait for everything to go to hell.

Pompey could technically be sold for £20m according to some sources because of the debt problem the new owner would have to take on so I wouldn't be surprised to see a buyer pick up West Ham for around the same amount

And all of this could be made much worse if Sheffield United win their case and add another £20-£50M to the debt, paying £100ish million for a club before having to buy new players could be considered too risky to happen. But in reality I see West Ham just getting a little slap on the wrist and maybe a £5M fine or something to cover legal costs and give Sheffield United something else to moan about for eternity

[Baddar]

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=C2QEm028lKA

Lolz. Some guy impersonating Rafa, Gerrard, Carra, Owen and Crouch. In what appears to be his local shop. Great stuff.

[britneyspearsisgod]

Liverpool fans fume at Uefa move

Supporters' plans for the match against Atletico have been thrown into disarray

Liverpool fans' plans for next week's Champions League match against Atletico Madrid are in "tatters" after Uefa switched the game to a neutral venue.

Uefa has imposed a two-match home ban on Atletico after trouble at their last Champions League game versus Marseille.

It means the Reds' match next Wednesday must be played 200 miles from Madrid.

"It is an utterly ridiculous decision so late in the day," chairman of the Liverpool Supporters' Club Richie Pedder told BBC Sport.

"We probably have three to four thousand fans going out to Madrid for the match. The flights will have been booked, the hotels will have been arranged, and now it's in tatters. What are they supposed to do now?

"I guess we're left with two options - change the destination of where the fans are flying in to, or to arrange coaches or some other form of transport from Madrid to wherever the new venue will be.

"But who does that? Uefa? The club? The fans themselves through the travel agents? It's a mess."

The timing of the decision to switch the match, just eight days before the game, could be worsened by the fact Atletico have the right to appeal until 17 October, meaning a final decision may not be made until the weekend.

Should the ruling be upheld, supporters will be denied the chance to witness former Atletico striker Fernando Torres turning out at what used to be his home stadium.

"Don't forget this is Torres's return to Atletico and his former home ground," said Pedder, "and a lot of people will have booked to see the match on the strength of that. Now it's been taken away and that is another added disappointment.

"If Uefa were going to make this decision, they should have given some thought to the fans. Let's be honest, when it comes down to it, Uefa have erred."

Liverpool have written to Uefa to express their concerns over the switch, with chief executive Rick Parry admitting: "If the match is played at least 300km from Madrid, it will cause major disruption, inconvenience and large additional expense for our fans."

However, Pedder is keen for the club to address any potential travel and accommodation problems the fans may encounter, saying: "The hope is that the club will put out a statement looking at those issues.

"We don't want them waiting a day or two to decide what to do. All Liverpool fans will want to know what is going to happen should the game be switched as soon as possible and will want things put in motion."

CREDIT: BBC Sport

Oh, yeah, never mind the racism. What an inconvenience for us all

Not that it's nice to have things disrupted or anything, but I'd rather UEFA deal with racism first and foremost.

[Crybaby Bunting]

Well considering that both Liverpool and Athletico fans are usually really charged for any of their teams games, add the fact that the past two Athletico matches have been very edgy and the possibility that Torres could score past his former club and knock Athletico out.

I see nothing there that would cause a full-on riot

[IAceI]

Do Liverpool have any blacks? Might as well just let them play it there if no ones going to get abused.

[Matt]

Liverpool fans fume at Uefa move

Supporters' plans for the match against Atletico have been thrown into disarray

Liverpool fans' plans for next week's Champions League match against Atletico Madrid are in "tatters" after Uefa switched the game to a neutral venue.

Uefa has imposed a two-match home ban on Atletico after trouble at their last Champions League game versus Marseille.

It means the Reds' match next Wednesday must be played 200 miles from Madrid.

"It is an utterly ridiculous decision so late in the day," chairman of the Liverpool Supporters' Club Richie Pedder told BBC Sport.

"We probably have three to four thousand fans going out to Madrid for the match. The flights will have been booked, the hotels will have been arranged, and now it's in tatters. What are they supposed to do now?

"I guess we're left with two options - change the destination of where the fans are flying in to, or to arrange coaches or some other form of transport from Madrid to wherever the new venue will be.

"But who does that? Uefa? The club? The fans themselves through the travel agents? It's a mess."

The timing of the decision to switch the match, just eight days before the game, could be worsened by the fact Atletico have the right to appeal until 17 October, meaning a final decision may not be made until the weekend.

Should the ruling be upheld, supporters will be denied the chance to witness former Atletico striker Fernando Torres turning out at what used to be his home stadium.

"Don't forget this is Torres's return to Atletico and his former home ground," said Pedder, "and a lot of people will have booked to see the match on the strength of that. Now it's been taken away and that is another added disappointment.

"If Uefa were going to make this decision, they should have given some thought to the fans. Let's be honest, when it comes down to it, Uefa have erred."

Liverpool have written to Uefa to express their concerns over the switch, with chief executive Rick Parry admitting: "If the match is played at least 300km from Madrid, it will cause major disruption, inconvenience and large additional expense for our fans."

However, Pedder is keen for the club to address any potential travel and accommodation problems the fans may encounter, saying: "The hope is that the club will put out a statement looking at those issues.

"We don't want them waiting a day or two to decide what to do. All Liverpool fans will want to know what is going to happen should the game be switched as soon as possible and will want things put in motion."

CREDIT: BBC Sport

Oh, yeah, never mind the racism. What an inconvenience for us all

Not that it's nice to have things disrupted or anything, but I'd rather UEFA deal with racism first and foremost.

But 8 days before the game? Why not just ban all home fans or something. Why inconvenience Liverpool fans who had fuck all to do with it (arguably) more than the Atletico fans.

[stokeriño]

UEFA should have set the two match home ban to start in a couple of weeks' time, so that travelling fans for those match would be able to know enough in advance. No punishment lost and it wouldn't have been so ridiculously inane from logistical and administrative standpoint either.

[IAceI]

Jeez when did we all start caring about Liverpool fans? ¬_¬

[Crybaby Bunting]

Since we realised we can no longer watch them getting beat up on television...

[stokeriño]

Because they'll never walk alone? [/cheap]

[therockbox]

Heard it described earlier as trying to put a fire out by pouring petrol on it. What better way to ensure a calm game than to force fans to travel an extra two hundred miles for a match and have the away supporters' arrangements in tatters?

It isn't the ground itself that's racist, and the racists will still be allowed in regardless of what stadium they choose to play it in. UEFA are fucking useless.

[The Future]

Fernando Torres expressed his disappointment at UEFA's imposed sanction on Atlético Madrid this week but it now looks as though El Niño will be receiving the welcome home he deserves as the stadium suspension is postponed.

Originally it was meant to be for two games starting with the Liverpool clash but now after complaints from both clubs, largely about the fact they would have to find a new stadium for next Wednesday, UEFA appear to have backed down.

The news will come as fantastic relief to Liverpool fans who were fearing they would have to change travel plans with the original sanction demanding that the game be played at least 300km from the Spanish capital.

Although there has not yet been an official release from UEFA Spanish daily Marca has spoken to sources from Atlético Madrid and they have confirmed the decision.

It is not yet known for how long the ban will be postponed until or what games it will cover but there are no signs that the overall decision by UEFA itself will change.

From Goal.com

[stokeriño]

As long as they don't drop it altogether: good decision.

[Guest Kou]

And Zayatte's stay at Hull is now permanent. He'll be ours in January for 2.5m, which by the way he's been playing with Turner is another Phil Brown M-M-M-M-MASTERSTROKE.

[Joey Eire]

Well considering that both Liverpool and Athletico fans are usually really charged for any of their teams games, add the fact that the past two Athletico matches have been very edgy and the possibility that Torres could score past his former club and knock Athletico out.

I see nothing there that would cause a full-on riot

Actually, I believe the trouble with Marseille was due to the police, not because of the Atletico fans.

[IAceI]

Why were the police aiming monkey chants at the Marseille players too?

[Joey Eire]

I remember now actually, one of the Marseille fan groups had a banner with a skull or something which is banned in Spanish stadiums, I dont think its that Nazi skull because Marseille fans are generally left wing, so I dont know why it is banned. The police ordered them to take it down which they did but then just held it up themselves anyway and the police moved in. The spanish police are notoriously strict on foreign fans.

I didnt see the match, was the trouble reffered to to do with the Athletico fans? I assumed it was with the incident I mentioned as I hadnt heard anything else. I imagine it wouldnt have helped anyway.

Edited October 16, 2008 by Joey Eire