The British & Irish Football Thread

[OceanBlue]

Have seen that on the BBC News channel tonight, Crystal Palace sacking Alan Pardew. Sam Alladyce is rumoured to be the next manager.

It seems so far this season like there haven't been as many manager sackings in the Premiership. Which is a good thing.

[OceanBlue]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

That's not just you mate. It happens to Geoff and I also. Also, the ex-player coming back and scoring.

It's like a drinking game, the cliches with football matches. Another one is when the referee's decisions go against the club you support, and also when you wonder where they get several minutes of extra time from (then the opposing team score just before the referee's whistle is blown).

Just to balance things out, I don't condone the drinking of alcohol (and I have nothing to do with any drinks company). But if I did drink alcohol while watching a football match on TV, it would be either Mackeson stout and Vimto, some wine or a special ale (for example, Hobgoblin).

I was hesitant about replying to your post, as I thought I was being challenged over what I said about the West Brom cliche (and I was thinking back to what I said about the quality of West Brom's squad, including James McLean. I was commenting from the West Brom fan's perspective. Yes, it is the same for other football club fans. I appreciate the thread invite, but yesterday my faith in human nature was dented, and there was this thought creeping in that I was having the mickey taken out of me, and that I was having to backtrack on what I said. We can comment on the Premiership football, but I get hesitant about criticising anything). But I can see that that wasn't the case, and I shouldn't have been thinking negative.

[tob]

Originally Posted by OceanBlue

The best of luck Tob on Boxing Day. I can't see us (West Brom) getting anything out of that game. But Match of the Day should still be worth watching and enjoyable to watch (it's one of the Christmas and New Year TV staples in my opinion).

Should be a good game OceanBlue.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by OceanBlue

It's like a drinking game, the cliches with football matches. Another one is when the referee's decisions go against the club you support, and also when you wonder where they get several minutes of extra time from (then the opposing team score just before the referee's whistle is blown).

Just to balance things out, I don't condone the drinking of alcohol (and I have nothing to do with any drinks company). But if I did drink alcohol while watching a football match on TV, it would be either Mackeson stout and Vimto, some wine or a special ale (for example, Hobgoblin).

I was hesitant about replying to your post, as I thought I was being challenged over what I said about the West Brom cliche (and I was thinking back to what I said about the quality of West Brom's squad, including James McLean. I was commenting from the West Brom fan's perspective. Yes, it is the same for other football club fans. I appreciate the thread invite, but yesterday my faith in human nature was dented, and there was this thought creeping in that I was having the mickey taken out of me, and that I was having to backtrack on what I said. We can comment on the Premiership football, but I get hesitant about criticising anything). But I can see that that wasn't the case, and I shouldn't have been thinking negative.

Yeah mate, you are reading way too much into things. All I was saying is that what you mentioned about certain scenarios playing out exactly as you expect them is something Geoff and I have talked about for a long time. For example, everyone in Sunderland knew Whickham would score against us when he came up here with Palace!

As for the mickey taking, I have read and re-read the posts and honestly mate, I have no idea what you are talking about. anyway, you should never hold back on your views, that's the point of this thread. It can lead to arguments, heck, a member and I virtually ignore each other on this thread because of a big blow out a while back but even then, that's life. I don't hate anyone or bad mouth them to other members because I don't even know them personally. What I am saying is, the worst that can happen is that you will not be speaking terms with a member and that's no different to real life lol.

So mate, post away and don't worry about offending anyone and if you ever feel like someone is out of order, tell them on here like you have just done. More often than not, it will be a misunderstanding or someone in a huff because their team lost!

Finally, all the best mate and please do post over the coming months and years.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Yep, Merry Bloody Christmas!

You are a stick on for survival if big Sam takes over Geoff. I think he will.

[Penton-Man]

Merry Christmas and/or Happy Holidays to all.

May your team do better than your expectations.

[tob]

Happy Christmas everyone.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Merry Christmas and/or Happy Holidays to all.

May your team do better than your expectations.

My lot can't do any worse. Let's see what Fat Sam can do. Our traditional gift of three points to Arsenal will be a little bit after Christmas, New Year's Day to be exact. You're welcome.

Merry Chrimble y'all!

[gvortex7]

Merry Christmas fellas!

[Geoff D]

Oh, balls. Any optimism I had for this game - as if it being on TV wasn't ominous enough - has evaporated completely thanks to seeing who's refereeing the game: Mark ****ing Clattenburg. FFS

[gvortex7]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Oh, balls. Any optimism I had for this game - as if it being on TV wasn't ominous enough - has evaporated completely thanks to seeing who's refereeing the game: Mark ****ing Clattenburg. FFS

It was a shame about that 71th minute penalty. It was definitely looking like you guys were getting a win in Allardyce's debut.

[Geoff D]

Palace are the architects of their own downfall, you just KNEW they'd be punished for missing that penalty and they never really got back into it. I'd have taken a point at the start of play but I also KNEW we'd somehow oblige Deeney to get his 100th Watford goal, given that he's been waiting for it for so long. Surprise ****ing surprise.

At least the teams around us are losing.

[tob]

Happy with our win today against West.B to keep up with the others and we got Palace next at home which be hard to try and break them down under Allardyce now.

[Geoff D]

Don't you believe it. If you can beat a Pulis side you can beat an Allardyce side. A point will be beyond my wildest dreams on New Year's Day.

[tob]

Swansea sack Bob Bradley.
http://www.skysports.com/football/ne...ames-in-charge

[gvortex7]

Originally Posted by tob

Swansea sack Bob Bradley.
http://www.skysports.com/football/ne...ames-in-charge

I sort of saw this coming. There has been way too much chatter in the past few weeks about his job security, about him losing the locker room and not being able to communicate well with his players, about him making way too many changes in formations that haven't led to improvements in their defense, and lastly about the owners not trusting him with spending in the January transfer window. The writing was on the wall so to speak.

[tob]

Originally Posted by gvortex7

I sort of saw this coming. There has been way too much chatter in the past few weeks about his job security, about him losing the locker room and not being able to communicate well with his players, about him making way too many changes in formations that haven't led to improvements in their defense, and lastly about the owners not trusting him with spending in the January transfer window. The writing was on the wall so to speak.

I saw it coming too gvortex7 but surprised they appointed him in October and didn't trust him to bring in his own players in January and again looking for a new manager if they are not careful the way Swansea is going they could end up like Leeds.

[gvortex7]

Originally Posted by tob

I saw it coming too gvortex7 but surprised they appointed him in October and didn't trust him to bring in his own players in January and again looking for a new manager if they are not careful the way Swansea is going they could end up like Leeds.

The ironic thing is that the squad was terrible before he got there, it was terrible under him, and it will be terrible going forward unless they make a lot of changes. I hear chatter about Giggs maybe coming in as their new coach. I feel bad for the guy if it's true.

And yeah, you may be right about that Leeds comparison.

[tob]

Originally Posted by gvortex7

The ironic thing is that the squad was terrible before he got there, it was terrible under him, and it will be terrible going forward unless they make a lot of changes. I hear chatter about Giggs maybe coming in as their new coach. I feel bad for the guy if it's true.

The media have Chris Coleman, Gary Rowett, Ryan Giggs and Alan Pardew as the top favourites for the job.

[Bucky]