The Beautiful Game

[geordiesouth]

Yes let’s be proud for a change. They did so well and just couldn’t get to the line as good old JB would sing.

My money is on France to win a second title but I’ll be hoping Croatia get it.

[Slutty Rimmer]

...and worth reflecting that the English team went further than Brazil, Germany, Spain, Argentina, Portugal...Holland and Italy !

Depressing not to get to the final, but not too shabby.

It does occur to me though how unlikely it is for any team to win a knockout tournament unless they are head and shoulders above the competition. All the teams in the last eight will be capable of lifting the trophy with a bit of luck, which then makes it a 1 in 8 lottery for those getting to the quarter-finals. Think how many multiples of 4 years could pass before a team wins ! Will it be up to 60 years of hurt by 2026 ?

After Italia 90 I stopped investing passion on an outcome over which I impose no influence whatsoever. Spectating on sport really is a futile waste of emotion and energy...or is it ?

Kind Regards,
Rimmer.

[Barstool]

Not a footy fan but loved watching the last two games and disappointed we lost, but as everone else is saying a great effort and to get to the semis too is an achievement....no `celeb` twats either, just decent honest sportsmen.

Also the Itchies played well and fairly so my hopes are that they win....

[posh-sub]

Originally Posted by Slutty Rimmer

Spectating on sport really is a futile waste of emotion and energy...or is it ? Rimmer.

Of course it is. That's why people do it.

Isn't it?

Peace 7 Love
poshie

[geordiesouth]

We keep hearing how young the squad is, how they will only get better etc etc

It was disappointing to see how they faded coming to the end of the tournament.
Roll on the European and let’s see how well they fare.

Personally I think we held the ball a lot better than in the past. But a huge amount of time was spent getting it up to the opponents end in open play, only for nothing to happen.....

Corners, free kicks and penalties being what we looked best at. That’s not going to win the big prizes.

[geordiesouth]

It looks like The Toon are getting ready to ward of relegation once again and it’s only the start of the season.

A manager who must feel like he is banging his head against a brick wall. He won’t be there to guide Newcastle back up if we do go down.

[geordiesouth]

The fat controller came to watch The Toon play at Selhurst Park.
Must have something to do with the fact they were playing in London........ well sort of. Thornton Heath to be exact...... or is it South Norwood, I can never remember.

He tried to catch my attention but I ignored him.

[geordiesouth]

Have not chatted f00tball for ages.

So here’s a laugh if anyone saw it.
Sterling running into the box last night, kicks the ground instead of the ball, trips over in the penalty area and the ref blows for a penalty.
Now everyone in the ground, including the players and especially Sterling.knows this is not a penalty. All apart from the ref, two linesmen, that other bloke who stands beside the goalposts most of the time and not forgetting the fourth official.

So it was discussed by the experts afterwards.

If the ref blows for a penalty so be it. Even if it is blatantly wrong. Players do not have to fess up and be honest.
Once the ref makes a decision, that’s it. He can’t go back on it.

Takes me back reading Roy of the Rovers. He was tripped and awarded a pen.

But wait a mo. What’s this. Roy is talking to the ref. It’s not a penalty after all. Roy pointed out his boot lace was loose and the opposing player accidentally stood on it.
Good old Roy.

Bring on VAR for gods sake.

[Lisal]

Awful decision

Wise words from Sean Dyche after the game on Saturday. West Ham player (Grady Diangana) blatantly tripped in the box - no penalty given. Dyche had a lot of respect for Diangana who went down naturally and didn't milk it. As he said if he had flung himself down and rolled around he would have probably got a penalty

[Slutty Rimmer]

Originally Posted by geordiesouth

Have not chatted f00tball for ages.

So here’s a laugh if anyone saw it.
Sterling running into the box last night, kicks the ground instead of the ball, trips over in the penalty area and the ref blows for a penalty.
Now everyone in the ground, including the players and especially Sterling.knows this is not a penalty. All apart from the ref, two linesmen, that other bloke who stands beside the goalposts most of the time and not forgetting the fourth official.

So it was discussed by the experts afterwards.

If the ref blows for a penalty so be it. Even if it is blatantly wrong. Players do not have to fess up and be honest.
Once the ref makes a decision, that’s it. He can’t go back on it.

Takes me back reading Roy of the Rovers. He was tripped and awarded a pen.

But wait a mo. What’s this. Roy is talking to the ref. It’s not a penalty after all. Roy pointed out his boot lace was loose and the opposing player accidentally stood on it.
Good old Roy.

Bring on VAR for gods sake.

This reminds me of the original great British Stirling back in 1958, and it only highlights how the values of Sterling have fallen over the decades.

In 1958 no British driver had ever won the the Formula 1 World Championship and with just a few races of the season left the only two drivers still in contention were the two Brits; Mike Hawthorn driving for Ferrari and Sirling Moss driving for the inferior British Vanwall team. Moss being a traditional patriot had refused to drive for Ferrari and had to rely on his greater ability to make up the difference.

Come the Portuguese Grand Prix over the cobbled and tram lined streets of Oporto it was Moss in the lead having lapped Hawthorn who was languishing in second place with an unreliable Ferrari. Moss allowed Hawthorn to repass and unlap himself just before he himself took the chequered flag, and in so doing allowed Hawthorn one more chance to be able to try for the extra point which used to be awarded for fastest lap of the race. Hawthorn took off whilst Moss cruised around taking the applaud of the 120,000 strong crowd.

On a troublesome right hand corner Moss came upon Hawthorn who had spun and stalled his car. Stopping to see if his fellow driver was alright he witnessed a couple of nearby officials rush over to give Hawthorn assistance, only for Hawthorn to wave them away because outside assistance was not permitted. Instead the Ferrari driver got out of his car and managed to push start it before jumping back in the cockpit and crashing a gear to then complete his last lap and take the 6 points awarded for second place.

Later in the day Moss heard that Hawthorn had been disqualified because he had been reported by the officials to have pushed his car wrong direction against the flow of cars on the circuit, which was against the rules. On hearing the news he marched off to the stewards and informed them he had indeed witnessed Hawthorn pushing in the wrong direction but pointed out this was on the pavement of the street and was therefore not a part of the actual circuit. This was correct and the 6 points were reinstated.

Two races later Hawthorn won the championship by a single point to become the first Britain ever to do so, whilst Moss didn’t and so went on to be the greatest driver never to do so.

Sixty years on when asked if he regretted his good sportmanship and his missed glory his look of incredulity made the words unnecessary...

“I had no hesitation in doing it. I can’t see how this is open to debate. He was not on the circuit. The fact that he was my only rival didn’t come into my thinking. Absolutely not.”

In this age of selfish ego and material obsessed narcissism shadowing any pride in fairness or honesty, will we see this type of nobility again ?

It does occassionally exist in small isolation. In the sport of cycling it is still considered (although increasingly contentious) unsporting and unacceptable to attack the Yellow Jersey when the rider is having a mechanical problem, and the peloton soft peddles until the leader rejoins.

The examples are hard to find though.

Kind Regards,
The Fireman.