The International Football Federations Thread

[METALMAN]

Well, if Man City bring on five substitutes they will probably be better than any Burnley players, but also worse than Man City’s starters. Burnley’s subs are more likely to be around the same level as the starters so the gap between the ability of Burnley and Man City after five subs will be less than the gap between the starting elements of the two teams.

Obviously there are variables like quality of fitness training and squad rotation but if anything that strengthens the case: Burnley are more likely to have poorer fitness training and conditioning and will be in more of a position to benefit from bringing off tired players. I think the idea that five subs is better for big clubs has been accepted too unquestioningly.

[Colly]

10 hours ago, METALMAN said:

Well, if Man City bring on five substitutes they will probably be better than any Burnley players, but also worse than Man City’s starters. Burnley’s subs are more likely to be around the same level as the starters so the gap between the ability of Burnley and Man City after five subs will be less than the gap between the starting elements of the two teams.

Obviously there are variables like quality of fitness training and squad rotation but if anything that strengthens the case: Burnley are more likely to have poorer fitness training and conditioning and will be in more of a position to benefit from bringing off tired players. I think the idea that five subs is better for big clubs has been accepted too unquestioningly.

Honestly can't agree with this at all, it's too similar to whoever it was the other year who tried to argue the standard is the same from Championship to League 2. I can't speak for Burnley's squad, but up until this window at Newcastle if Callum Wilson came off our option was Dwight Gayle. Our defensive backups were horrific, the idea of bringing on a teenager to get fresh legs once City brought on a Mahrez is terrifying. The difference between top clubs and those below isn't training and conditioning (bloody hell, look at Leeds), it's quality of players and the budget to populate a 25 man squad (plus spend on top youth prospects) rather than just have a strong first 11. I think we may have to agree to disagree on this one...

Edited February 18, 2022 by Colly

[METALMAN]

PFFFFFFT. I don't want to draw a bloody diagram here so I'm just going to end this. 

But bloody hell I thought you were one of the good guys. Next you'll be telling me that expected pass completion is a useless stat.

[Colly]

I understand what you're saying (I'm an analyst so your relative differences make perfect sense), I just don't agree. I'm the goodest guy.

[Szumi]

New Zealand defender Meikayla Moore scored a 36 minute perfect hat trick today against the USWNT. 

 

It was a perfect hat trick of own goals, however.

[Bobfoc]

It would probably be more accurate to say that she scored a hat-trick for the USWNT.

[gunnar hendershow]

I just felt awful for her. Two in the span of a minute has to ruin someone's confidence. Every decision the manager can make at that point is bad. Leave her on and see if she shatters her psyche by playing poorly the rest of the match? Take her off and shatter her psyche by not letting her redeem herself?

Of course she then had the 3rd one and then got immediately substituted.

[Lineker]

Quote

Fifa has decided that Russia can continue their bid to qualify for this winter’s World Cup, despite their opponents refusing to play against them. As England became the latest country to say they will boycott matches against Russia following the invasion of Ukraine, Fifa finally ended days of silence on the subject only to effectively endorse the status quo.

Under a series of “initial measures” agreed by the Fifa council on Sunday, next month’s World Cup play-off between Russia and Poland will go ahead but at a neutral venue and with no spectators. Russia will also be forced to go by the name “Football Union of Russia (RFU)” in an echo of the punishment imposed on the country at the Olympics. No Russian flag will be flown either, nor will the anthem be played.

In a statement Fifa said they would be willing to consider further actions, including expulsion from the World Cup, should “the situation not be improving rapidly”. They said they had already “been in dialogue” with the Polish FA about the match, having “taken good note of the positions expressed via social media”.

But Fifa’s proposal was immediately rejected by the Polish football authorities, who earlier this weekend had declared their determination to boycott any fixture with Russia, a sentiment shared by individual players including star striker Robert Lewandowski. The Poles were then joined in a boycott by Sweden and the Czech Republic, one of whom are scheduled to meet the winner of that tie in a play-off final.

The president of the Polish FA, Cezary Kulesza, described Fifa’s decision as “unacceptable”.

“In the situation of war in Ukraine, we are not interested in the game of appearances,” he said. “Our position remains unchanged: the national team Polish will NOT play against Russia in the play-off match, regardless of the name of the Russian team.”

The Polish FA also took the step of writing formally to Fifa to reject the measures and call for Russia to be expelled from the World Cup.

“The Polish Football Association inform that as a result of the brutal aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and the war that continues there, we do not see any possibility of competing with the Russian national team in play-off matches for promotion to the World Cup in Qatar in 2022 regardless of the name of the team consisting of Russian footballers and the place of the match”, the letter read.

“In the face of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which was condemned almost all over the world, this is the only decision we can make. A performance in a match against the Russian national team would be a shameful act not just for our players but for the entire football community, contrary to solidarity with the Ukrainian nation. As football association, we refuse to participate in play-off matches in which the Russian national team appears.

“At the same time, we call on the Fifa authorities to react immediately to the brutal violence that we observe daily on the territory of independent Ukraine. If Fifa’s Human Rights Policy is more than just words on a paper now is the time to put it into practice by excluding the Russian Football Association from the qualifiers for the World Cup in Qatar in 2022.”

On Sunday England joined that group. In an intervention made less than an hour before Fifa published their conditions, the Football Association said they would not play any international fixtures against Russia at any level “for the foreseeable future”.

“Out of solidarity with the Ukraine and to wholeheartedly condemn the atrocities being committed by the Russian leadership, the FA can confirm that we won’t play Russia in any international fixtures for the forseeable future,” read a statement on Sunday evening. “This includes any potential match at any level of senior, age group or para football.”

Earlier this weekend, each of Russia’s possible play-off opponents confirmed that they would refuse to fulfil the fixture. Poland and Sweden were joined on Sunday by the Czech Republic who said both officials and staff had agreed they would not play. “It’s not possible to play against the Russian national team in the current situation, not even on the neutral venue”, the Czech FA said, “We all want the war to end as soon as possible.”

World champions France also said they supported the expulsion of Russia from international football, with Noël Le Graët – president of the French Football Federation – saying the sport “cannot remain neutral” following the invasion of Ukraine. “The world of sport, and especially football, cannot remain neutral. I certainly would not oppose the expulsion of Russia,” Le Graët told the French newspaper Le Parisien.

As yet, Fifa has taken no action regarding the upcoming World Cup play-offs, due to be held next month, nor the possibility of Russia qualifying for the final tournament itself. In a statement last week, the world governing body would say only that it continued “to monitor the situation” and that “updates … will be communicated in due course”.

Uefa took the decision to strip St Petersburg of the Champions League final on Friday and has also moved all fixtures involving Russian sides to neutral venues. Only one Russian club side, Spartak Moscow, remain in European competition this season, but on Sunday their upcoming opponents RB Leipzig said they were pressing for greater action from the governing body.

“RB Leipzig is currently in intensive discussions with Uefa on the further course of action for the Europa League knockout-round matches against Spartak Moscow and expects a timely decision by the association,” the club said.

 

Quote

Fifa has told Russia to complete their upcoming games in neutral territory under the name the Football Union of Russia without their flag and anthem following the invasion of Ukraine.

Several nations have announced that they will refuse to play Russia, including England, as well as Poland, the Czech Republic and Sweden.

World Cup 2022 play-offs would see Russia face Poland before facing either the Czech Republic or Sweden if they win - and are scheduled to be played in March.

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a military invasion of neighbouring Ukraine on Thursday.

Polish football association president Cezary Kulesza said Fifa's decision was "totally unacceptable".

"We are not interested in participating in this game of appearances. Our stance remains intact: Polish National Team will not play with Russia, no matter what the name of the team is," he said.

Swedish FA president Karl-Erik Nilsson told Fotbollskanalen they were "not satisfied" with Fifa's decision.

He said: "Our opinion is not different today and the situation has not changed in Ukraine just because we have received the message from Fifa, so we have no other opinion today.

"We also want to talk to Poland and the Czech Republic so that we can give back to Fifa what we think, but we had expected a sharper stance from Fifa. We would have done so."

The women's European Championship takes place in England in July and Sweden, along with Netherlands and Switzerland, are in the same group as Russia.

Fifa said talks will take place with other sporting organisations over whether Russia should be expelled from competitions.

"Fifa would like to reiterate its condemnation of the use of force by Russia in its invasion of Ukraine," world football's governing body said in a statement on Sunday.

"Violence is never a solution and Fifa expresses its deepest solidarity to all people affected by what is happening in Ukraine.

"Fifa will continue its ongoing dialogue with the International Olympic Committee, Uefa and other sport organisations to determine any additional measures or sanctions, including a potential exclusion from competitions, that shall be applied in the near future should the situation not be improving rapidly.

"Fifa's thoughts remain with everybody affected by this shocking and worrying situation."

Earlier on Sunday, the Football Association announced England will not play any international matches against Russia at any level following the invasion of Ukraine.

The FA said they "wholeheartedly condemn the atrocities being committed by the Russian leadership".

English football's governing body said the boycott of matches will be "for the foreseeable future".

 

[Colly]

I think I say this on a monthly basis now, but this is a new low for Draw Baldy.

Just did a boardwide search on Draw Baldy. I can't quote it for some reason but my 2015 posts on him have aged badly. Which is an anagram of Baldy.

[gunnar hendershow]

Let's at least consider ourselves fortunate he didn't bring up a biennial World Cup as a possible solution to this war. Yet.

[gunnar hendershow]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/athletics/60560567

Quote

Ukraine crisis: Fifa to suspend Russia as IOC calls for athletes' suspension

Football's governing body Fifa is set to suspend Russia until further notice as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommends that Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials are banned from participating in any organised international competitions.

The suspension would mean Russia's exclusion from the men's World Cup qualification play-offs in March.

The IOC has urged sport governing bodies not to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete because of a "breach of the Olympic Truce" by those countries' governments.

It comes after Russia, supported by Belarus, launched a military invasion of neighbouring Ukraine last Thursday.

FIFA's old decision didn't even make it a full day.

[METALMAN]

So they manage to suspend Russia and look morally bankrupt and weak while doing it. Classic FIFA.

[Lineker]

1 hour ago, damhausen said:

https://www.bbc.com/sport/athletics/60560567

FIFA's old decision didn't even make it a full day.

The old decision was madness. They wanted to give them the same punishment that the IOC gave them for doping violations!

[Baddar]

They've banned clubs too.

This means Spartak Moscow have been kicked out of the Europa League.

[Hobo]

Bad news for all the Gazprom fans

[Lineker]

Quote

The UK and Republic of Ireland football associations have submitted a joint expression of interest in staging the European Championships in 2028.

The five associations has previously considered seeking to stage the World Cup in 2030 and conducted a £2.8m feasibility study into a potential bid.

But in February they decided to focus their efforts on Euro 2028.

The associations said they felt it "would be one of the greatest sporting events held in the UK and Ireland".

In a joint statement, the FAs of England, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Wales said submitting an expression of interest to Uefa - European football's governing body - was "an important step".

The statement read: "The governments of the UK, Ireland, Scotland and Wales have confirmed their support for the expression of interest submission and, given the Northern Ireland Executive is currently not meeting formally, officials there continue to observe the process closely.

"This unprecedented partnership of five associations offers something special to European football, including the potential for an expanded tournament, and we are passionate about maximising the sustainability and legacy benefits for communities across the UK and Ireland."

The joint bid team will now wait to receive Uefa's technical specification for bidding for the tournament and expects to engage in conversations with potential host cities and stadiums.

Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) committee chair Julian Knight had previously encouraged the focus on bidding for Euro 2028 rather than the 2030 World Cup, describing the latter bid as a "giant, expensive vanity project".

We're likely to get it too - unless Turkey choose to submit a last-minute bid, it's going to be uncontested.

[Lineker]

Quote

Russia has declared an interest in rivalling the UK and Republic of Ireland for the right to host Euro 2028 despite their current ban from international football.

Russian clubs and national teams are suspended by Fifa and Uefa over the country’s invasion of Ukraine, pending the outcome of an appeal by the Football Union of Russia to the court of arbitration for sport.

However, that has not stopped the union’s executive committee giving its backing for a bid for 2028 and 2032, with the deadline for expressions of interest set for Wednesday.

A post on the union’s official website outlined a number of results from Wednesday’s executive committee meeting which included to “support the decision to declare interest in hosting the European Championship 2028 or 2032 in Russia”.

On Wednesday the UK and Ireland submitted its initial bid to host Euro 2028 to Uefa. A joint statement pointed out the five-nation bid’s capability to host a 32-team finals, should Uefa increase the number of teams from the current 24.

“We believe Euro 2028 would be one of the greatest sporting events ever held in the UK and Ireland,” the statement said.

Uefa had no immediate response to the Russian declaration but is expected to issue a statement when the deadline for declarations of interest passes at 5pm GMT.

 

[stokeriño]

I'm mildly fascinated to see whether UEFA put much effort into that statement, or if they just upload a clip of some guy laughing.

[Baddar]

More chance of my local stadium being chosen to host games than Russia getting it.

[Lineker]

Quote

UEFA today confirmed that it has received declarations of interest to host the 2028 and 2032 editions of the UEFA EURO from four potential bidders following the deadline of 23 March.

A joint declaration of interest was submitted by the football associations of England, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Wales for UEFA EURO 2028.

Russia and Turkey declared their interest in hosting either the 2028 or 2032 edition of UEFA’s flagship national team competition, while Italy announced its intention to bid for UEFA EURO 2032.

The appointment of host(s) of UEFA EURO 2028 and UEFA EURO 2032 will be made in September 2023.

UEFA.com