General Football Thread

[Lineker]

It really was great to see Ronaldo winning the Ballon d'Or last night. He was so emotional!

Shit, Pele was also when given the lifetime achievement award. Worth catching the repeat if Eurosport air it again.

[GoN_]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=45ulMh-Ihyc

[Lineker]

Hyde won a match!!

[9 to 5]

[Gazz]

Brilliant. They've been on a Hyde-ing to nothing all season.

[brenchill]

They took a real Hydeing in their previous 31 games.

[King Ellis]

It was a real Jeykll and Hyde performance.

[Gazz]

That kind of performance had been Welling up inside them for a long time.

[Lineker]

+1 to Gazz for not recycling the same obvious joke for the millionth time!

[Lineker]

Ossie Ardiles says he is "fine and doing well" after a car crash left the ex-Tottenham midfielder needing more than 20 stitches in his head.

Ardiles, 61, was believed to have been driving on the Falkland Islands , with fellow ex-Argentina midfielder Ricky Villa a passenger.

"The attention and care we have received from the police, the RAF helicopter team, the doctors and nurses has been world class," said Ardiles.

"Thanks to everyone for your concern."

Ardiles is understood to have been hospitalised overnight after the accident.

He and Villa are in the Falkland Islands to film a television documentary, which is being directed by Freddie Ardiles, the youngest of the former footballer's two sons.

Four passengers have been released from hospital after treatment for minor injuries. Three others have been detained.

"Ricky Villa and my brother were out there but they are OK and are back in the hotel," said Ardiles' eldest son, Pablo, speaking from his home in England.

"I don't know the exact details, but I understand my dad was driving and that he lost control somehow. I've heard reports he swerved to avoid a sheep but I can't confirm that.

"The main thing is he is fine, they are all OK."

Local emergency services and the British military attended the scene of the accident with those involved flown to King Edward Memorial hospital in Stanley.

"I can confirm that there was a road traffic accident involving seven passengers last night in the Islands," a spokesperson from the Falkland Islands Government said.

"Thankfully, due to the fast action of our rescue services and the British forces, they were successfully evacuated to hospital in Stanley, where their injuries were assessed.

"Three members of the party remained in hospital overnight for observations and further treatment, and the remaining four were released from hospital following treatment for minor injuries."

Ardiles moved to Tottenham in 1978 from Argentine club Huracan just a few months after winning the World Cup with his country.

He spent 10 years at White Hart Lane, apart from a brief spell on loan at Paris St-Germain, and won both the FA Cup and Uefa Cup during his time with the London club.

The diminutive midfielder went on to have spells with Blackburn, QPR and Swindon Town.

He took over as manager of the Robins in 1989 before periods in charge of Newcastle, West Brom and Spurs.

[Lineker]

Mido has been appointed as the new Zamalek manager.

Wonder if they're paying him in chicken or beef.

[MDK]

Mido'nt know

[The Lusophone]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25972945

Welp.

[Lineker]

Former Spain national team manager Luis Aragones has died, aged 75. Aragones led Spain to their first major trophy at an international tournament in 44 years with victory in the 2008 European Championship. He also managed several of Spain's top clubs, including Barcelona and Atletico Madrid where he won the La Liga title in 1977. As a player, he scored 172 goals in 372 games when at Atletico and represented his country on 13 occasions. The Spanish Football Federation issued a statement that "expressed its grief and shock at the death of Luis Aragones".

[METALMAN]

Cuddly old racist!

[Colly]

Crazy old guy at work pointed this out to me today and I did check, Metropolitan Police FC in the Isthmian Premier League currently have a WLD record of 9-9-9. Lols.

[Lineker]

Players of Brazilian club Corinthians are threatening to strike unless they get protection - from their own fans.

A group of about 100 supporters, some armed with sticks and bars, broke into the training ground in Sao Paulo after a 5-1 defeat by Santos.

Peru striker Paolo Guerrero was grabbed around the neck and other players had money and mobile phones stolen.

"We Corinthians players demand that we get security in which to work in peace," a players' statement said.

"We publicly offer our support to an imminent strike proposed for this weekend by the professional players' union of Sao Paulo state in a bid to improve working conditions for the employees of the country's football teams."

Corinthians players believe more violence is imminent unless action is taken. The club says they are co-operating with the police and called on fans and media to help them identify the culprits.

[Lineker]

Shakhtar Donetsk striker Maicon Pereira de Oliveira died in a car crash in the Ukrainian city on Saturday, the club have announced.

In a statement on their website, Shakhtar said that the Brazilian, 25, was a "wonderful person".

"He was a talented footballer, open and friendly guy," the club added. "It is a terrible bereavement for each of us."

Maicon was on loan to Ukrainian league club Illichivets Mariupol until the end of the season.

He joined Shakhtar Donetsk on a free transfer in 2012 from fellow Ukrainian side Volyn Lutsk and made six appearances, scoring one goal.

The club have released no further details about the crash.

[brenchill]

[EddieG]