Futbol Talk

[brewcity77]

Really glad for Luton. Meteoric rise, they have a great fanbase. I have a number of old Hatters buddies that are undoubtedly overjoyed today.

[JWags85]

Watching the championship playoff. I'm setting the o/u on total points next year in the prem for 20. Smart money will be on the under.

I think a better O/U might be goals scored...and the same total may apply.  Luton scored 57 in 46 matches in the Championship, lowest in the top 10.  Unless they somehow bring in a legit EPL strike force, they are gonna be scare ripples in their opponents net.  Coventry was 58 in 46, so it would have been the same there.  Gonna be a worse version of what Huddersfield tried to do a few years ago

[panda]

I think a better O/U might be goals scored...and the same total may apply.  Luton scored 57 in 46 matches in the Championship, lowest in the top 10.  Unless they somehow bring in a legit EPL strike force, they are gonna be scare ripples in their opponents net.  Coventry was 58 in 46, so it would have been the same there.  Gonna be a worse version of what Huddersfield tried to do a few years ago

Take all Luton unders. They may be the worst promoted team since derby in the mid 2000s.

They're a team built to withstand the grind of the championship. Route 1 direct play with no creative players or speed on the width is a recipe for complete disaster in the prem. They'll need extremely intelligent recruitment. Can't miss on any of their signings. Will most likely end up going loan route with younger talented players and risky signings in hopes they pay off. No established players in their prime will go to a team which will most likely drop down in one season.

The fairy tale is over.

[panda]

Really glad for Luton. Meteoric rise, they have a great fanbase. I have a number of old Hatters buddies that are undoubtedly overjoyed today.

finally what im sure is lifelong fandom paying off in spades.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Really glad for Luton. Meteoric rise, they have a great fanbase. I have a number of old Hatters buddies that are undoubtedly overjoyed today.

Luton Town is Wrexham without the American/Canadian actor ownership and an FX show.

[brewcity77]

finally what im sure is lifelong fandom paying off in spades.

It is, I got some fantastic accounts of the Luton Littlewoods Cup runs in the late 1980s & the Reading/Luton Simod Cup final in 1988. The site we all used to chat on is gone, and the last time we talked regularly Luton was out of league football.

Luton Town is Wrexham without the American/Canadian actor ownership and an FX show.

They are, as a club they've yo-yoed up and down the football leagues, and won improbable cups along the way. It'll be interesting to see if Wrexham can match Luton's rise in terms of speed. 9 years is crazy fast, but I'm not sure a TV audience will be that patient.

[The Sultan]

Also, Wrexham has some well monied owners for non-league football, but not sure they compare well to the other owners in Leagues One and Two.

[panda]

It is, I got some fantastic accounts of the Luton Littlewoods Cup runs in the late 1980s & the Reading/Luton Simod Cup final in 1988. The site we all used to chat on is gone, and the last time we talked regularly Luton was out of league football.

They are, as a club they've yo-yoed up and down the football leagues, and won improbable cups along the way. It'll be interesting to see if Wrexham can match Luton's rise in terms of speed. 9 years is crazy fast, but I'm not sure a TV audience will be that patient.

Ooooohhhhhhh internet friends !

[panda]

Also, Wrexham has some well monied owners for non-league football, but not sure they compare well to the other owners in Leagues One and Two.

It's seems like half their team migrated down from league 1/2 because of salary and the marketing potential. They're also doing a US pre season tour playing Chelsea and United which will net them more money than most teams in their comp will make for all of their gate revenues for the season. They'll be totally fine.

[The Sultan]

If by totally fine you mean survive in 1/2 and possibly contend for the championship, I agree. I was comparing them to Luton Town's rise to the PL.

[brewcity77]

Also, Wrexham has some well monied owners for non-league football, but not sure they compare well to the other owners in Leagues One and Two.

They were getting L1/2 level players in conference, so I think they can probably earn another promotion, maybe two with luck, but there are a lot of millionaires/billionaires that use the football league like roulette, thinking they can gamble their way to the Prem. Their financial edge diminishes as they go up, but it'll be interesting to see if being the real life football version of The Office is an additional enticement for talent.

[panda]

If by totally fine you mean survive in 1/2 and possibly contend for the championship, I agree. I was comparing them to Luton Town's rise to the PL.

If wrexham continue to compete/make good tv, advertising dollars will roll in. They'll make the top dollar compared to the others in whatever competition they're in and it seems like owners  genuinely care and will reinvest in the club/recruitment. I can see them climbing the ladder quickly.

[panda]

They were getting L1/2 level players in conference, so I think they can probably earn another promotion, maybe two with luck, but there are a lot of millionaires/billionaires that use the football league like roulette, thinking they can gamble their way to the Prem. Their financial edge diminishes as they go up, but it'll be interesting to see if being the real life football version of The Office is an additional enticement for talent.

I really think it will increase as it goes up. Even though some clubs have those billionaire owners, they're not funding the club extraordinarily well.

[panda]

What a weird season. Leicester probably the team with the most talent to go down in a long time. They'll be ravaged in the off season. Chelsea and spurs miss out on Europe. Newcastle in champions league. Everton pulling another Houdini to avoid the drop. first ever Manchester derby in the fa cup. I'm sad this season is ending ! 

[21Jumpstreet]

Absolute scenes at Wembley after a last touch stunner of a header from Josh Windass in the 123' of extra time. Sheffield Wednesday are goin up!

[The Sultan]

Heh. Windass...

[Pakuni]

New (interim) USMNT coach alert:

https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2023/05/sporting-director-crocker-elevates-bj-callaghan-to-head-coach-of-usmnt-as-anthony-hudson-departs

[Skatastrophy]

Anyone interested in TST that kicks off today? I have a friend playing for the Cincinnati squad, and I'm interested in how the USWNT does against the boys.

https://tst-stats.com/landing/index

[JWags85]

Anyone interested in TST that kicks off today? I have a friend playing for the Cincinnati squad, and I'm interested in how the USWNT does against the boys.

https://tst-stats.com/landing/index

I think it will be kind of a fun thing to watch like TBT.  The reduced field player golden goal set up towards the end is interesting. Pumped to see one of my HS crushes Cat Whitehill lace up the boots again.

Today I think could be competitive, unfortunately, I don't see how they don't get shellacked tomorrow.  The Wrexham team has a bunch of dudes that were playing League One and League Two in the last 2-3 years whereas the US Women are mostly long since retired players.

[lawdog77]

Indianapolis broke ground on their new soccer stadium this week:

https://populous.com/populous-design-revealed-for-indy-eleven-stadium

[jesmu84]

"Karim Benzema is reportedly signing a three-year, $643 million contract to join Al Ittihad. "

#sportswashing

[JWags85]

"Karim Benzema is reportedly signing a three-year, $643 million contract to join Al Ittihad. "

#sportswashing

I had this queued up before the big LIV bomb today, but I don't see this as sportwashing as much as a vanity project.  The Qatar WC? Sportwashing.  LIV, sportwashing.  If they had bought WWE, sportwashing.  Visit Saudi being the biggest and most notable in game sponsor for IPL cricket this year?  Definitely.

But this feels no different than what the Chinese League did a few years ago.  Or the Russian dudes who fund a couple women's basketball teams and pay WNBA stars 3-4x what they make in the WNBA,  It's just backing up Brinks trucks of cash to get secondary super stars to play in their crappy domestic league.  If Saudi tried to fire the Super Leauge back up and add their top 4 Saudi teams to United, City, Real, Barca, etc.... Then I'd change my tune.


Speaking of Saudi soccer, I randomly sat next to Alexander Isak, from Newcastle United, on a flight back from Vegas to Chicago yesterday.  Took me a good 20 min initially to place it.  Really nice guy, humble guy, wanted to sleep but chatted happily for a bit, took multiple peoples bags down from the overhead after the flight.  Was traveling with a friend who got bumped back to coach due to some issue.  Also made me realize how much those guys have to love traveling in the US.  One of the biggest young stars in the EPL, making $10MM a year, likely gets mobbed daily in the Toon... flying more or less solo without an entourage and during our flight and 5-10 min after that I saw in ORD, I was the only one who recognized him.

[jesmu84]

I had this queued up before the big LIV bomb today, but I don't see this as sportwashing as much as a vanity project.  The Qatar WC? Sportwashing.  LIV, sportwashing.  If they had bought WWE, sportwashing.  Visit Saudi being the biggest and most notable in game sponsor for IPL cricket this year?  Definitely.

But this feels no different than what the Chinese League did a few years ago.  Or the Russian dudes who fund a couple women's basketball teams and pay WNBA stars 3-4x what they make in the WNBA,  It's just backing up Brinks trucks of cash to get secondary super stars to play in their crappy domestic league.  If Saudi tried to fire the Super Leauge back up and add their top 4 Saudi teams to United, City, Real, Barca, etc.... Then I'd change my tune.


Speaking of Saudi soccer, I randomly sat next to Alexander Isak, from Newcastle United, on a flight back from Vegas to Chicago yesterday.  Took me a good 20 min initially to place it.  Really nice guy, humble guy, wanted to sleep but chatted happily for a bit, took multiple peoples bags down from the overhead after the flight.  Was traveling with a friend who got bumped back to coach due to some issue.  Also made me realize how much those guys have to love traveling in the US.  One of the biggest young stars in the EPL, making $10MM a year, likely gets mobbed daily in the Toon... flying more or less solo without an entourage and during our flight and 5-10 min after that I saw in ORD, I was the only one who recognized him.

I happen to believe those Chinese and Russian attempts were also attempt at sports washing.

Sure, they weren't creating leagues or trying to control international competition. But they're trying to trade money for goodwill/propaganda.

[Hards Alumni]

I had this queued up before the big LIV bomb today, but I don't see this as sportwashing as much as a vanity project.  The Qatar WC? Sportwashing.  LIV, sportwashing.  If they had bought WWE, sportwashing.  Visit Saudi being the biggest and most notable in game sponsor for IPL cricket this year?  Definitely.

But this feels no different than what the Chinese League did a few years ago.  Or the Russian dudes who fund a couple women's basketball teams and pay WNBA stars 3-4x what they make in the WNBA,  It's just backing up Brinks trucks of cash to get secondary super stars to play in their crappy domestic league.  If Saudi tried to fire the Super Leauge back up and add their top 4 Saudi teams to United, City, Real, Barca, etc.... Then I'd change my tune.


Speaking of Saudi soccer, I randomly sat next to Alexander Isak, from Newcastle United, on a flight back from Vegas to Chicago yesterday.  Took me a good 20 min initially to place it.  Really nice guy, humble guy, wanted to sleep but chatted happily for a bit, took multiple peoples bags down from the overhead after the flight.  Was traveling with a friend who got bumped back to coach due to some issue.  Also made me realize how much those guys have to love traveling in the US.  One of the biggest young stars in the EPL, making $10MM a year, likely gets mobbed daily in the Toon... flying more or less solo without an entourage and during our flight and 5-10 min after that I saw in ORD, I was the only one who recognized him.

Also the NFL when they trot out troops and military crap before during and after every game.

Everything is propaganda.

[Its DJOver]

I'm with Wags on this.  Think a much bigger threat is their plan to try to co-host the 2030 WC.  It feels a lot like the MLS about a decade ago, where they overpay for superstars that are in the twilight of their career.  They're never going to be able to touch the prestige that Europe has so they're targeting players that have really accomplished everything there is to accomplish in Europe.  Ronaldo's done it all a few times over, Benzema same thing, Messi same thing.  Then you look at their rumored targets, Modric has won everything, Kroos same thing, Kante same thing, Gundogan almost same thing (could cross of Champions League next week).  They're not targeting the Mbappe's or Haaland's, or whoever is the next superstar, because they know that at this point in their career's the money isn't as important as the prestige, and I don't see that changing any time soon.