Football 2010-2011

[TheGayTent]

Outraged FC Basel and FC Luzern fans were so angry at a change to the kick-off time for their match at the weekend that they staged a protest by throwing thousands of tennis balls on to the pitch.

A Swiss TV company had engineered the early kick-off to allow them to broadcast both the Swiss Super League match in Emmenbruecke and Roger Federer's final against Novak Djokovic at the ATP Basel tennis tournament, with the football match moved to 12.45pm to ensure that it would be finished in time for the tennis to begin at 3pm.

That prompted the fans of the two clubs - who occupy the top two spots in the Swiss top flight - to protest their treatment with a flurry of tennis balls.

And, with the pitch almost covered in them, the referee had no choice but to send the players back to the dressing rooms.

But as soon as they were cleared by stewards and security staff, the crafty fans began to rain a second wave of balls on to the pitch - forcing a further delay at the Sportanlage Gersag stadium.

[The Nal]

Anyone know if theres any truth to these Reina rumours? He wants out apparently, he wants out big time.

[Steve P]

Anyone know if theres any truth to these Reina rumours? He wants out apparently, he wants out big time.

[eFestivals]

Anyone know if theres any truth to these Reina rumours? He wants out apparently, he wants out big time.

It he does, he's no different to Rooney.

And so I'm sure you blinkered reds will welcome him with open arms and believe him when he kisses the badge.

And of course the stories won't have anything to do with Utd in desperate need of a new keeper of course. It definitely won't be anything to do with fergie tapping him up just as Mancini tapped Rooney up, cos fergie just doesn't do that.

[The Nal]

Certainly a lot of talk, but is it just to force the new owners to bring in players in January? What I don't get is why he was happy to sign a new contract a year ago, and then now he wants out. Very little has changed player wise so I don't see why things are so different now.

[Wooderson]

And of course the stories won't have anything to do with Utd in desperate need of a new keeper of course. It definitely won't be anything to do with fergie tapping him up just as Mancini tapped Rooney up, cos fergie just doesn't do that.

[pink_triangle]

I suspect reinas heard what some of his colleagues are earning and wants a pay rise. I doubt the story will go anywhere.

[The Nal]

Club are releasing a statement on it shortly. Hopefully there will be quotes from the player himself to confirm or deny this. Though with the buffoon we have in charge at the moment involved I'm not expecting much. If its proven to be true well who would blame Pepe for leaving with Woy f*cking Hodgeson as his manager? Not me certainly.

Gut instinct tells me that John W Henry will have something to say about us selling one of our best players to Manchester United. I wouldnt put a bent cent on that happening.

Arsenal on the other hand? Who knows. Player has been shamelessly & relentlessly persued. Hardly a guarantee of success down there either though, right?

- - -

Side issue - Schmeichel interview about Reina show what a classless ignorant gobshite he actually is. Kinda backs up your comments above Neilo.

Edited November 12, 2010 by The Nal

[Steve P]

Arsenal on the other hand? Who knows. Player has been shamelessly & relentlessly persued. Hardly a guarantee of success down there either though, right?

[eFestivals]

What a surprise. Neils blinkered and baseless ABU anti football idiot opinions have started again. In a conversation about Liverpools goalkeeper which didn't mention Man Utd!

But how well he interwove it in the conversation!

Who was the last major player to do similar?

And just as soooo many Utd fans couldn't grasp that he'd always been a mercenary and he was doing nothing different at Utd and to Utd to what had brought him to Utd in the first place, then if Reina signed for Utd - hardly the most unlikely scenario given the praise that fergie has given him at times - he'd be no less of a mercenary, but welcomed with open arms by blinkered reds just as Rooney was.

It was an equal knock at Reina and Rooney for both doing the same thing. And a knock at the ridiculousness of Utd fans who see such things as mercenary if a player wants to leave Utd, but never for a player joining Utd cos they like to wrongly believe that every player wants to be there.

Do keep up, eh?

[eFestivals]

Milan Mandaric, football club whore.

If an arms trader is buying footie clubs on a serial basis, then you can be damned sure that most aren't the loss making businesses that are claimed for them .... somehow (and it's not hard to do - see John Halls & Freddie Shepard) there's a way to suck money out of any club unseen as that by the majority of fans.

[The Nal]

Who was the last major player to do similar?

And just as soooo many Utd fans couldn't grasp that he'd always been a mercenary and he was doing nothing different at Utd and to Utd to what had brought him to Utd in the first place, then if Reina signed for Utd - hardly the most unlikely scenario given the praise that fergie has given him at times - he'd be no less of a mercenary, but welcomed with open arms by blinkered reds just as Rooney was.

It was an equal knock at Reina and Rooney for both doing the same thing. And a knock at the ridiculousness of Utd fans who see such things as mercenary if a player wants to leave Utd, but never for a player joining Utd cos they like to wrongly believe that every player wants to be there.

Do keep up, eh?

[Wooderson]

A tad strong that buddy. For shameless and relentless persuit see Barca and Fabregas (which I think can only be a few weeks away from starting up again ahead of the next transfer window). I'd certainly love to see him at the club, but would be very surprised. We've just signed our reserve keeper Szczsney to a new 5 year contract (for a rumoured 30k a week), who i'm sure has been given assurances about becoming first choice fairly soon. Doesn't tie in with a keeper like Reina coming in.

[eFestivals]

What a load of irrelevant waffle!!

As for having a go at Reina, he hasn't said anything in public yet. You assume quite a lot. Notice you didn't mention the Arsenal link, considering thats where hes been rumoured to be going since the summer. But with your ABU hat on, you're the most blinkered fan around.

You felt able to make a post about something Reina's not said anything about publicly yet - and so did I.

Yes, he's been rumoured for Arsenal, but he's been rumoured for Utd almost as much (and Utd are mentioned first in today's stories) ... but Rooney the mercenary only plays for one of those clubs, I wonder which it is.

It was a knock at the ridiculousness of footballers, at Reina in particular, and at Utd's ridiculous fans - which so many showed themselves to be over the similar antics of Rooney - and at fergie's double-standards (again, displayed over Rooney).

But to a blinkered red it's only an anti-Utd rant, and there's nothing about what Reina's supposedly doing that has any Utd link.

[ralph250]

then if Reina signed for Utd - hardly the most unlikely scenario given the praise that fergie has given him at times -

[pink_triangle]

So surely the conclusion is.

1. All big teams tap up players

2. Most big name footballer are greedy.

3. Most football fans have double standards when comparing what other clubs to do their team and vice versa.

Im not sure we have learned anything new!

[Wooderson]

considering the last player Liverpool sold directly to Utd was in 1938, I'd say it was a pretty f**king unlikely scenario.

Fergie wouldn't have wasted his breath trying to tap up Reina. Both rivalries intensified by both being on 18, and new owners who won't want their first action to be selling one of their best players to Utd.

Chelsea and City are set, so if staying in the prem, only really Arsenal. Spurs as a massive outside bet, if he felt they could get 4th again. Barca and Madrid are good with Valdez and Casillas both young, Inter are good with Julio Cesar. Atletico got De Gea (though possible he may move this summer) but Asenjo likely to step up.

Milan probably the best shout, or possibly Juve considering Buffon's injury problems last 3-4 years.

(1964 for last time, United to Liverpool)

[ralph250]

And Id prefer to see Buffon at Utd anyway if I had a choice.

[The Nal]

You felt able to make a post about something Reina's not said anything about publicly yet - and so did I.

Yes, he's been rumoured for Arsenal, but he's been rumoured for Utd almost as much (and Utd are mentioned first in today's stories) ... but Rooney the mercenary only plays for one of those clubs, I wonder which it is.

It was a knock at the ridiculousness of footballers, at Reina in particular, and at Utd's ridiculous fans - which so many showed themselves to be over the similar antics of Rooney - and at fergie's double-standards (again, displayed over Rooney).

But to a blinkered red it's only an anti-Utd rant, and there's nothing about what Reina's supposedly doing that has any Utd link.

Edited November 12, 2010 by The Nal

[eFestivals]

considering the last player Liverpool sold directly to Utd was in 1938, I'd say it was a pretty f**king unlikely scenario.

Fergie wouldn't have wasted his breath trying to tap up Reina.

yeah, fergie has no interest in good players, and nothing here could be decided by the supposed sell-on clause in Reina's contract - tho of course Arsenal will happily stump up £20M.

All possibilities are possible.

[eFestivals]

So surely the conclusion is.

1. All big teams tap up players

2. Most big name footballer are greedy.

3. Most football fans have double standards when comparing what other clubs to do their team and vice versa.

Im not sure we have learned anything new!

I wasn't foolish enough to think I was saying anything new.

But I was saying the things that people like to conveniently forget, as a gentle reminder.

[funkymp]

Rumours that Jay Bothroyd might be in the england squad.

Carroll, Phil Jones, Henderson, Daniel Sturridge are the other 4 names being banded around.

[The Nal]

But I was saying the things that people like to conveniently forget, as a gentle reminder.

[pink_triangle]

Rumours that Jay Bothroyd might be in the england squad.

Carroll, Phil Jones, Henderson, Daniel Sturridge are the other 4 names being banded around.

[funkymp]

Boothroyd would be a joke, he has no premiership track record. The vast majority of top championship strikers have made no impact on the premiership, never mind international football.

Edited November 12, 2010 by funkymp