**OFFICIAL Association Football 2012/2013 Season thread**

[Rageman]

[pieceofme]

Who would be better than Moyes?

He has barely had anyone on his squads that was worth a shit.

If he was repeatedly given stud player after stud player to form his roster and then finished mid-table I would say you guys have a point. But since he has repeatedly finished in the top half of the table with much less . . . who would be better?

When was the last time he was in a relegation battle?

There are only seven squads in the EPL with a winning record and they are also the only seven with a positive goal differential. Wanna guess which of those seven has the smallest payroll?

He is a mid table manager. at when was the last time he was in a relegation battle. Very useful for Manchester United!
He also has no experience in Europe. Well, he's been knocked out at early stages. And he has been at Everton for over 10 years he should have won a cup in that time for such a 'good' manager. Even something like the league cup!

At the end of the day Manchester United are one of the biggest clubs in the world, and we've got a manager from a team that isn't even the biggest in its own city. Not to mention he has won nowt. For someone so good I would expect some-kind of trophy haul. FInishing top ten is hardly a glowing reference. Plus at a bigger team, I have doubts about him dealing with players with potentially larger egos.

I am do depressed at this decision.

[pieceofme]

Hiddink
Klopp
Mourihno
Conte
Ancelotti
Capello
to name a few would be better.

[Hellsinkey]

Contract for six fucking years.

[MickeyG]

Yeah, not overjoyed at this appointment, but fuck it I'll give him a chance. Good managers make the most of what they've got, and are adaptable.

Hopefully, he has some new ideas and doesn't have a blind spot for the midfield. The Nani situation needs sorting, as does Rooney and the deadwood like Anderson needs shipping out. Moyes isn't afraid to give youth a chance, and that is the United way. Making some signings this summer will be important to how Moyes is perceived.

I think big players sign for clubs and for the money, not so much because of who is the manager anymore. Because managers don't last as long as they used to, and because they're more a coach than a manager nowadays.

Six years does seem a bit long, but shows the commitment of the board to Moyes.

[Rageman]

http://www.fifa.com/associations/associ ... sociations

Yo, Hellsinkey . . . which one of these squads would classify as "your" team?

[Hellsinkey]

http://www.fifa.com/associations/associ ... sociations

Yo, Hellsinkey . . . which one of these squads would classify as "your" team?

HJK from Helsinki. I used to play in HJK as a kid too.

Small trivia, my uncle was the manager of VPS, back in the 70's.

Just watched the FA Cup, good for Wigan.

Citeh end up getting sweet FA.

[Rageman]

Cool. Always like hearing which local squads people root for.
A buddy in Perth told me about his Aussie Rulles squad "You either root for the Fremantle Dockers or fuck off!"

Poor Everton. What a week.
Lose their manager.
More and more obvious they are losing both Fellaini and Baynes.
Knocked out of Europa League by Wigan.
At least they're still ahead of Liverpool.

[MickeyG]

Back to normal at the Etihad. City trophyless once again.

[pieceofme]

Maybe we should have gone for Martinez. At least he has won a major trophy.

[demolition23]

At the end of the day Manchester United are one of the biggest clubs in the world, and we've got a manager from a team that isn't even the biggest in its own city. Not to mention he has won nowt. For someone so good I would expect some-kind of trophy haul. FInishing top ten is hardly a glowing reference. Plus at a bigger team, I have doubts about him dealing with players with potentially larger egos.

With very rare exceptions, you can't win shit without immense financial investment. I don't for a second believe that the ten best coaches in the world, let alone the ten best candidates fora specific opening, all happen to sit with sides that can afford to win consistently. I just don't think it's fair to point to lack of titles in a sport that's stacked so heavily towards 3-5 teams.

Besides, Joe Torre was a midding manager, and Phil Jackson a rookie who'd been turned down for many jobs when they began their most famous tenures.

[MickeyG]

Mancini sacked!

[Hellsinkey]

On the anniversary of Citeh's championship.

[Rageman]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013 ... verage-epl
Interesting look into the changing mindset about broadcasting "sawker" at the ESPN offices

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013 ... ted-regret
This was at the bottom of that article and thought most of you here would enjoy it.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/ ... -repulsive
For some reason . . . this was also at the bottom of the article.

[Rageman]

America loves footy!

[Morning Already?]

Out you go Fergie + Becks, you tossers!

[Hellsinkey]

Suspect defending and goalkeeping. I don't remember that many goals from both sides. That was the season.

[MickeyG]

Hopefully Moyes knocks the casualness out of them. United have been slack like this for a while now.

[Rageman]

Hopefully Moyes knocks the casualness out of them. United have been slack like this for a while now.

One difference between SAF and Moyes . . . this one was titled "11 Years Standing In The Same Place"
Not sure what his tactics will look like but, one thing is for sure, he won't be coaching from the seats.

[Tenacious_Dio]

It’s official: Manchester City and the Yankees will own and operate Major League Soccer’s newest expansion team.

May 21, 2013, 11:16 AM EDT

Major League Soccer has told everyone for two years that a second team in New York City would soon become the league’s 20th franchise – and that dogged drive to make it happen did not always sit well with fans or media, many of whom wondered if expanding the league’s national footprint wasn’t more important.

After all, wasn’t there already a team in New York?

But maybe the masses didn’t understand the powerhouse ownership group being assembled.

Major League Soccer today announced that English Premier League club Manchester City, a recently fortified club now flush with oil money, and Major League Baseball’s powerful and influential New York Yankees will own and operate the league’s newest expansion club.

Branded as New York City Football Club (NYCFC), the league’s 20thy club is expected to kick its first ball in 2015.

“We proudly welcome two of the most prestigious professional global sports organizations to Major League Soccer,” MLS commissioner Don Garber said in a statement issued this morning. “This is a transformational development that will elevate the league to new heights in this country. The New York area is home to more than 19 million people, and we look forward to an intense crosstown rivalry between New York City Football Club and the New York Red Bulls that will captivate this great city.”

Assuming NYCFC does get going by 2015, the league’s 20th club will require an interim venue, pending a permanent home.

Major League Soccer had attempted to get ahead in the venue game, working for more than two years to secure land and develop a facility within the city, helping distinguish this club from the New York Red Bulls, who have been with the league since its inaugural 1996 season but has always played in New Jersey. But the land and facility discussions long under way with community and business leaders in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens remain bogged down. That leaves MLS officials continuing to search for suitable sites.

This is unlikely to make fans happy in other markets thought to be in contention for Major League Soccer’s next expansion, including Miami and Orlando, which have moved aggressively over the past months to position themselves for a run at No. 20.

Garber said almost two years ago that Major League Soccer’s expansion fee for the second New York club would be $100 million.

[Rageman]

New York Citeh

[SebastianLeeDanzig]

Bayern looking pretty overwhelmed so far. Which probably means they'll win.

[SebastianLeeDanzig]

How have Dante and Ribéry not been sent off yet? Can't they fucking lose already?

And winning goal from the Dutch cocksucker of all people. Most hateworthy Bayern night in a long time.

[pieceofme]

How have Dante and Ribéry not been sent off yet? Can't they fucking lose already?

And winning goal from the Dutch cocksucker of all people. Most hateworthy Bayern night in a long time.

Ribery is a thug.

I guess Robben and Bayern can lose their choker tag now.

[Hellsinkey]

Robben has been mostly shite in big games, that wasn't a great goal either.

[pieceofme]

Robben has been mostly shite in big games, that wasn't a great goal either.

I concur. He missed a couple of good chances earlier as well. Good goal or not, he scored the winner and they all count.

[MickeyG]

Barca sign Neymar.

Meanwhile, United are linked to Fellaini. Yeah, United could do with a ball winner, but surely Moyes can do better than Fellaini who he played further forward at Everton. United have better players for that role.

[Hellsinkey]

Fellaini commented on his role:

"Fellaini also revealed that Moyes had told him that he wanted him to become a deep-lying midfielder - rather than the forward he has emerged as in recent years.

"I'm happy with my season, although I didn't play in my best position," said Fellaini.

"I'm not a number 10. David Moyes predicts my future as a defensive midfielder, but due to a lack of offensive power, he plays me up front.

"In the future I want to play as a six or an eight. From there, I can create danger and score goals."

http://www.football365.com/manchester-u ... ter-United

[pieceofme]

Barca sign Neymar.

Meanwhile, United are linked to Fellaini. Yeah, United could do with a ball winner, but surely Moyes can do better than Fellaini who he played further forward at Everton. United have better players for that role.

We're doomed i tell ya. Doomed!

[MickeyG]

Fellaini commented on his role:

"Fellaini also revealed that Moyes had told him that he wanted him to become a deep-lying midfielder - rather than the forward he has emerged as in recent years.

"I'm happy with my season, although I didn't play in my best position," said Fellaini.

"I'm not a number 10. David Moyes predicts my future as a defensive midfielder, but due to a lack of offensive power, he plays me up front.

"In the future I want to play as a six or an eight. From there, I can create danger and score goals."

http://www.football365.com/manchester-u ... ter-United

That would be the role he'd have to play at United, he'd never play behind the striker.