General Football Thread

[Colly]

Am I the only one who doesn't know what the hell you're all going on about?

No idea whatsoever. Let's all make up a random word and talk about it...

[IAceI]

The Blizzard is a book/magazine edited by Guardian writer Jonathan Wilson. Most people would agree that Wilson is one of the better football writers on the go and was the author of the 'Inverting the pyramid' book. Basically you can download the PDF on a pay-what-you-like basis or you can get the actual hard copy for £5 + p&p. It's basically stuff that wouldn't get into newspapers or the like because it's too niche for the basic fan, there's stuff about teams other than the big names we're used to and just better standard of writing and interest from some of the better football writers. It's as if Wilson basically said "lets prove that there are people making a living writing about football who actually know something' and got his friends together and wrote a piece.

There's stuff from the likes of Tim Vickery and Sid Lowe included as well, it's just an interesting read and I figured it'd appeal to EWB given there's a higher standard of football knowledge here than the average fan. Check it out and you can download it for pennies, although it's well worth a decent donation if you ask me, ensures we'll keep getting issues and it's going to worthwhile writers.

[Colly]

Ask a lazy question, but whats the best format to download to read on Android? Not very mobile savvy these days, going to take Issue 0 on the train with me later this week to give it a go.

[Matt]

Ask a lazy question, but whats the best format to download to read on Android? Not very mobile savvy these days, going to take Issue 0 on the train with me later this week to give it a go.

PDF, I'd have thought. You might need to download a PDF reader.

[IAceI]

Wouldn't have a clue mate. I have the hard copy. My phone doesn't even have internet access I know so little about the things. Not my area technology.

[Lineker]

I'll probably check it out then, thanks.

John Toshack returns to football as Macedonia manager.

[Pesci]

The Blizzard is a book/magazine edited by Guardian writer Jonathan Wilson. Most people would agree that Wilson is one of the better football writers on the go and was the author of the 'Inverting the pyramid' book. Basically you can download the PDF on a pay-what-you-like basis or you can get the actual hard copy for £5 + p&p. It's basically stuff that wouldn't get into newspapers or the like because it's too niche for the basic fan, there's stuff about teams other than the big names we're used to and just better standard of writing and interest from some of the better football writers. It's as if Wilson basically said "lets prove that there are people making a living writing about football who actually know something' and got his friends together and wrote a piece.

There's stuff from the likes of Tim Vickery and Sid Lowe included as well, it's just an interesting read and I figured it'd appeal to EWB given there's a higher standard of football knowledge here than the average fan. Check it out and you can download it for pennies, although it's well worth a decent donation if you ask me, ensures we'll keep getting issues and it's going to worthwhile writers.

This sounds magnificent and I will be investing.

[Lineker]

I've been oblivious as to how screwed Russian football has actually been financially in recent years. Not good for the image of Sochi at all.

[IAceI]

Kerem Bulut of the Australia U20 squad. Wouldn't surprise you if I told you he's been arrested, would it?

[Starvinho]

1525: FOOTBALL - Newly-promoted Atalanta will start the new Serie A season with a six-point deduction while their captain Cristiano Doni has received a three-and-a-half-year ban from the game after the Italian Football Federation announced the punishments for alleged match-fixing.

I know the guy is like 40 but 3 and a half years? Has there ever been a ban that long before in football?

[IAceI]

So was this match fixing just last year, matches they fixed to ensure they got promoted? I know I shouldn't be surprised, but still, it seems silly allowing them to keep the money, docking them only 6 points and telling them to get on with it.

Mind you that is a rather lengthy ban for Doni. Certainly the longest I can think of off the top of my head, unless I'm missing a blatantly obvious one.

[9 to 5]

Others have had life bans, but we are going back far into time there.

[IAceI]

You seem to get long bans for match fixing, then lesser bans for screwing up contracts (sometimes find players out in east Europe on a year long ban for just pretty much quitting their contracts and stuff) and drugs, and then lesser bans for kicking, punching or stamping on people.

I'm not sure it's entirely without flaw.

[Lineker]

So what matches is everyone else watching instead?

Wales/Australia for me. Come on the Roos.

[Baddar]

Which channel is Wales-Australia on? If it isn't in HD, I'm not gonna bother.

[Lineker]

Sky Sports 4

[Baddar]

Only got 1 and 2 in HD - stupid Virgin Media.

Oh well, a film it is.

[Lineker]

I'm sure you can find it online somewhere.

Talking of finding things online, Italy are 1-0 against Spain already.

[Starvinho]

Scotland and Northern Ireland both 1-0 up at the moment.

[Lineker]

Torres subbed after just 15 minutes. Injury?