JoetheRam

Got him to sign my Trainspotting vinyl  at Mickleover Sports about 6 years ago if you remember the film.  Took a bit of convincing. ?

I think VAR is what confirmed football is rubbish to me.
Arguing over offsides, penalties and red cards has to be me the most banal conversation that could be had about the game. It's such a surface level, everyman chat that you can even imagine a colleague mentioning it the day after an England defeat, or a friends wife bringing it up at a dinner party. "What did you think about that penalty decision? More wine anyone?".
Has anyone, who has ever kicked a ball themselves, gone to see a game involving Messi or Ronaldo or Mbappe, or Jake Buxton come out of the ground and spoke not of their skill, artistry, heart and technical ability but instead about the referee?  It would be like watching a Porno and commenting on the plumbers shoddy groutwork.
What the ref gives, he gives, what he doesn't, he doesn't. Get on with the game and accept you win some, you lose some and ultimately it doesn't matter. That's the beauty of football. It's really important for 90 minutes and then it stops.
Unfortunately, somewhere along the line football started to take itself seriously. Lost it's fun. Lost it's sense of humour. Inevitable really when there's so much money at stake.
The introduction of VAR and goal line technology is the administrators confirming that every decision matters, because football matters and therefore every effort must be made to ensure a decision (which is open to interpretation) is made "correctly".
Boring.
 
 

I think VAR is what confirmed football is rubbish to me.
Arguing over offsides, penalties and red cards has to be me the most banal conversation that could be had about the game. It's such a surface level, everyman chat that you can even imagine a colleague mentioning it the day after an England defeat, or a friends wife bringing it up at a dinner party. "What did you think about that penalty decision? More wine anyone?".
Has anyone, who has ever kicked a ball themselves, gone to see a game involving Messi or Ronaldo or Mbappe, or Jake Buxton come out of the ground and spoke not of their skill, artistry, heart and technical ability but instead about the referee?  It would be like watching a Porno and commenting on the plumbers shoddy groutwork.
What the ref gives, he gives, what he doesn't, he doesn't. Get on with the game and accept you win some, you lose some and ultimately it doesn't matter. That's the beauty of football. It's really important for 90 minutes and then it stops.
Unfortunately, somewhere along the line football started to take itself seriously. Lost it's fun. Lost it's sense of humour. Inevitable really when there's so much money at stake.
The introduction of VAR and goal line technology is the administrators confirming that every decision matters, because football matters and therefore every effort must be made to ensure a decision (which is open to interpretation) is made "correctly".
Boring.
 
 

Bellingham and Henderson by far our two best players tonight. Kane and Foden played well too. 
I feel quite sorry for the Welsh. Who wants to come from Wales.

Assuming it's Kingsway...
01332 290617
https://www.google.com/amp/s/customerservicecontactnumber.uk/currys/amp/

Isn't VAR kind of a product of constant analysis and criticism from fake tan knob heads in studios and "journalists"?
All the crying with 50 replays, a magic pen and lasers for 3 hours after a match surely played a role in referees being under constant scrutiny. So VAR came to protect them? To iron out these faults? 
I think quite a lot of football fans of a certain age are now fair weather fans. They watch their team. They go because it's part of their social circle. They go out of habit. 
But I think a lot of people are fed up of the slap in the face that football gives them. 
The obscene wages, the horrific life changing tackles that happen every 3 seconds, the fake tan men telling you what you just watched, the organisations (and their lack of humour was a great shout) trying to be social media savvy, up to date with the latest politics, all politically correct yet utterly failing on every single level to put words into action. 
Then of course there are the super clubs and super stars. Mbappe has a testicle worth more money than every club in League 1. Man City now have 3 teams better than Derby. And we make sure they can play those teams in a fully competitive match and make 5 subs to keep everyone happy. 
VAR is perfect. I'm not smart enough to think of the words. But it's suited for a game where everything is in a bubble and they can all play up a simple beautiful game to be some kind of science. 
There's a generation that will know no difference though. So rest assured Sir Neymar. You can continue doing 50 rolls after being knocked over by a brush on the the arm. And you can collect hundreds of millions for it. Just remember don't bring the game into disrepute. Because reputation has to be upheld. 

I'm sure that must be a euphemism for summat, but I'm damned if I can work it out!  ?
must be proper pervy!  
#sicko!
  
 

I think VAR is what confirmed football is rubbish to me.
Arguing over offsides, penalties and red cards has to be me the most banal conversation that could be had about the game. It's such a surface level, everyman chat that you can even imagine a colleague mentioning it the day after an England defeat, or a friends wife bringing it up at a dinner party. "What did you think about that penalty decision? More wine anyone?".
Has anyone, who has ever kicked a ball themselves, gone to see a game involving Messi or Ronaldo or Mbappe, or Jake Buxton come out of the ground and spoke not of their skill, artistry, heart and technical ability but instead about the referee?  It would be like watching a Porno and commenting on the plumbers shoddy groutwork.
What the ref gives, he gives, what he doesn't, he doesn't. Get on with the game and accept you win some, you lose some and ultimately it doesn't matter. That's the beauty of football. It's really important for 90 minutes and then it stops.
Unfortunately, somewhere along the line football started to take itself seriously. Lost it's fun. Lost it's sense of humour. Inevitable really when there's so much money at stake.
The introduction of VAR and goal line technology is the administrators confirming that every decision matters, because football matters and therefore every effort must be made to ensure a decision (which is open to interpretation) is made "correctly".
Boring.
 
 

Agree with everything mate apart from the order of your quoted players , Sir Jake should be first in that list , hes a football genius,  our Jake would put the other three in there place no messing

I think VAR is what confirmed football is rubbish to me.
Arguing over offsides, penalties and red cards has to be me the most banal conversation that could be had about the game. It's such a surface level, everyman chat that you can even imagine a colleague mentioning it the day after an England defeat, or a friends wife bringing it up at a dinner party. "What did you think about that penalty decision? More wine anyone?".
Has anyone, who has ever kicked a ball themselves, gone to see a game involving Messi or Ronaldo or Mbappe, or Jake Buxton come out of the ground and spoke not of their skill, artistry, heart and technical ability but instead about the referee?  It would be like watching a Porno and commenting on the plumbers shoddy groutwork.
What the ref gives, he gives, what he doesn't, he doesn't. Get on with the game and accept you win some, you lose some and ultimately it doesn't matter. That's the beauty of football. It's really important for 90 minutes and then it stops.
Unfortunately, somewhere along the line football started to take itself seriously. Lost it's fun. Lost it's sense of humour. Inevitable really when there's so much money at stake.
The introduction of VAR and goal line technology is the administrators confirming that every decision matters, because football matters and therefore every effort must be made to ensure a decision (which is open to interpretation) is made "correctly".
Boring.
 
 

This is the price for living in the sticks and not having to put up with the constant noise, pollution and crime. 
You can't have it all.

This is the price for living in the sticks and not having to put up with the constant noise, pollution and crime. 
You can't have it all.

This is the price for living in the sticks and not having to put up with the constant noise, pollution and crime. 
You can't have it all.

This is the price for living in the sticks and not having to put up with the constant noise, pollution and crime. 
You can't have it all.

Sure I remember when a penalty had to involve an element of actually intentionally fouling a a player rather than tickling them with a feather or an attacker deliberately running into a leg when they're about to lose the ball.
 
I blame Harry Kewell. Leeds knobber.

Gonna be a huge pedant here, but its saved. Really grinds my gears that one.
Fantastic double stop from Szczesny.

Intercontinental usa pre match venue... had my own flag protection as there was issued of certain fans taking down flags others than a blue bird variety ??

Well deserved for Iran.
Wales have been abysmal.

I tend to look at things like this as a question of what's in your heart, not where you landed or ended up.
So whilst its the Scottish national teams for me, I still have my Derby accent, I lived in Wales for quite a few years and I'll "banter level" ABE or nominally Wales it's not a big emotional connection.
However, there's lots nations or international teams I like or dislike so I'd hypothetically want to do well or not. 

Well deserved for Iran.
Wales have been abysmal.

Well deserved for Iran.
Wales have been abysmal.

C'mon you Rans

I wonder why anyone would think it a good idea to dress up as a crusader in the middleast.
Then I remember that it's England supporters we're talking about here.

I saw the great Roger Milla play for Montpellier SC with Carlos Valderama in 88/89 I think. I couldn't tell you who they played or what was the score. The warm up will stay with me forever though. Whilst the squad was hard at it warming up, Valerama was doing keepy uppy in the centre circle, Roger was lying down, face up, in the shape of a cross for a good 10 minutes, when he eventuall stood up, he kicked one ball which was left there and that was it!

13 years old sitting up late with my Dad one Friday night in March 1975.
My old man was into Mississippi blues amongst other genre and the delight of seeing the look on his face when this came on will live with me forever.