General Football Thread

[Bobfoc]

I'm a little surprised that Owen's goal against Argentina in 1998 wasn't on there. That was played over and over again that year, and he ended up winning Sports Personality of the Year a few months later. He even got his own programme on BBC2, which gave us this great segment:

"Well done. He's 13." Pure Partridge.

Owen was definitely a world class player for a while, and I think that he'd have eclipsed Bobby Charlton's England goalscoring record if he had remained injury-free for more of his career. It's amazing to me how little a splash his retirement made in the end. I suppose that's what comes of not only annoying Newcastle fans, but also alienating Liverpool supporters by joining Man United.

[Lineker]

I had that series on VHS!

[The Lusophone]

I picked up Tackle Soccer This Way, a book written by Duncan Edwards in 1957 and published after his death in the Munich air crash - it's interesting to see the similarities and differences between the game then as it is now. Edwards talks about how the game of football is a "rich and precarious" business, which considering this was before even the salary cap was lifted, is interesting in itself, and also how some of the then 'common knowledge' about how to break in new books was faulty - dunking them in a bowl of water before being worn, or drying them by putting them in front of the fire. That latter one I seem to recall having survived to at least the 90s/early 2000s, where we were told to dry them on radiators, which had much the same effect that Edwards' complains about - they crack and dry out the leather too much.

He also talks about how goalkeepers should have know when to punch the ball out from, I assume, a cross, and says some keepers of the time are able to do so with enough accuracy that it can be directed to a forward, having dropped back, can trap the ball and start an attack. And it's not a skill I can remember seeing in the modern day. Are there any goalkeepers that even do this any more?

[Baddar]

Karius tried it in the CL final but fucked it. 🤣

But seriously, you don't really see it an awful lot now. They seem to take less risks on a poor punch and more risks with the ball at their feet, which is usually down to the manager.

[Gazz]

Modern keepers are coached to punch as a last resort if they've misjudged the flight of the ball etc., even then a tip would be preferred due to the unpredictable nature of trying to punch a moving ball. The aim of any keeper coming to the ball should always be a two-handed catch. Most elite keepers now can make a two-handed catch and an accurate one-handed overarm throw to halfway line distance as one movement as a minimum now.

[Adam]

This "Three Musketeers" doc on BBC about France '98 has been alright, an interesting trip down memory lane. Plus it's narrated by Christopher Eccleston.

Presume it will be on the iPlayer afterwards.

[The Lusophone]

THE BEAUTIFUL GAME pic.twitter.com/f0V6RR9m9l

— Ball Street (@BallStreet) July 9, 2020

[Colly]

Jack Charlton's died.

just came across as very likeable, and while he hasn't been very public in recent years an absolute legend of the game.

True story, when I got my first Panini sticker album (god knows when), I had no idea that Charlton was a place so pretty much assumed Charlton Athletic was a youth club he'd set up.

[Hobo]

Sad news. He became a beloved figure in Ireland for his time managing the national team and qualifying ireland for its first Euros and World Cups. Italia 90 and USA 94 are burned into Irish cultural memory.

 

[Gazz]

There's not many people who can claim to be a bona fide legend in both England and Ireland.

[Colly]

Mrs Brown?

[Adam]

7 minutes ago, Colly said:

Mrs Brown?

Don't even.

Sad to hear of Jack Charlton's death - he is revered in Leeds and Ireland and I have always personally grown up loving everything to do with the England World Cup winning team. Read a lot of their autobiographies and accounts of the tournament etc. so it is always sad when a member of that famous team passes.

[TCO]

8 minutes ago, Colly said:

Mrs Brown?

That made me twitch in irritation at the thought. 

Jack is a total legend here and a cultural icon in many ways.. There was a brilliant documentary about his time here produced very recently, well worth a watch.

It was before my time but everyone who was around for 90 and 94 speak of it as a magical time for Irish sport and two of the best summers the country has ever seen. He put together a very talented squad and had got some amazing results out of them. People will talk about his Irish team for generations and he'll never be forgotten. Thanks for everything Jack. 

[Bobfoc]

Euro '88 was the first major tournament Ireland qualified for, and Charlton was at the helm. His achievement of three tournament qualifications out of four was very impressive when you consider Ireland's record before 1988. I know Bobby gets more plaudits, but I think Jack had a more influential long-term career.

[Hobo]

16 minutes ago, Colly said:

Mrs Brown?

Yes but only the version with Angelica Houston 

9 minutes ago, TCO said:

It was before my time but everyone who was around for 90 and 94 speak of it as a magical time for Irish sport and two of the best summers the country has ever seen. He put together a very talented squad and had got some amazing results out of them. People will talk about his Irish team for generations and he'll never be forgotten. Thanks for everything Jack. 

Euro 88 was most certainly before my time but I can certainly remember the atmospheres around the world cups. I remember very little if anything from the actual games in Italia 90 and much more from USA 94 - but I've not seen as many people as interested in football in Ireland since, not in the same way.  It was one of those times when everything just came together in a way I don't think it ever will again.  He probably had some of Ireland's best ever groups of players (or players of Irish descent, at least, in the case of a good lot of them).

Charlon had a very grounded and normal presence about him which you don't get, I think, in football these days for the most part (with the exception maybe of Jurgen Klopp - and like Klopp, Jack wasn't above doing ads and TV show appearances).

 

[Baddar]

ITV have dropped Clive Tyldesley as their #1 commentator, replacing him with Sam Matterface. And Clive is livid.

He'll still be working major tournaments, but won't be doing the England qualifiers etc. any more.

[The Lusophone]

Bad decision imo. Clive is as iconic a voice as John Motson or Jonathan Pierce.

His commentary is as important to the big moments in our treble season - Keane's "captains goal", and in the final "Can United score, they always score" and also "And Solskjaer has won it". 

[Baddar]

He was always my favourite growing up watching ITV's CL coverage.

[DavidMarrio]

If i was one of the other TV companies I'd try and snatch him up. He's such a good commentator and has commentated on such big moments. 

Sam Matterface is such a shite choice as well.

[Bobfoc]

I used to enjoy his clipped commentary on CM2.