The International Football Thread

[Bosnian Blue 2,471]

Ireland through, congrats.

Gifted a pen but still wanted it more and deserved it in the end. We were atrocious.

[lucio 5,371]

Ireland through, congrats.

Gifted a pen but still wanted it more and deserved it in the end. We were atrocious.

unlucky Bosnia, hope you get to the next world cup.

[Johnnyeye 7,405]

HUGE day for Hungary.. We were extremely unlucky not to qualify straight to the Euros but the playoff is still a huge thing for us.

It's also a sad day as Hungarian goalkeeper Márton Fülöp has died today at the age of 32. He played for Spurs, Sunderland, Manchester City, West Brom, Stoke, Leicester, Coventry and Chesterfield in the UK.

RIP Fülöp, very sad to hear that, still very young, cancer is a horrible disease, condolences to his family and friends many congrats to Hungary for qualifying for Euro 2016, it´s a tribute to Fülöp. Good luck to you guys in Euro 2016. Cheers and all the best

[Johnnyeye 7,405]

@Kieran. , @lucio and other irish members of talk chelsea, congrats to Ireland for qualifying for Euro 2016, good luck guys. Cheers

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

Tonight's international friendly Belgium - Spain has been cancelled due to the terror threat.

Belgian government decided late last night to raise the "terror threat level" from 2 to 3.

They advised the belgian football association to cancel the event as they felt it was too big of a risk.

[kellzfresh 7,226]

Another absolute shite showing again by England I read from Friday. As long as the people like the scouts in this country concentrate on heat maps, people with 'good engines' and 'he's got stacks of pace' the country will be fucked. The outlook from scouts at grass roots level in this country fucking mazes me, it really does.

It's very bad. They're focused on the wrong things instead of technical ability, passing, ability on the ball and vision. Very poor from the scouts

[Special Juan 27,093]

It's very bad. They're focused on the wrong things instead of technical ability, passing, ability on the ball and vision. Very poor from the scouts

You wouldn't believe what I saw and read last week. A lad who used play alongside my boy last year joined his team, he came from Congo and his father was studying engineering at a local University. They arrived here around a year and a half a go, he joined the team and began playing. Now let me make this clear, this kid is tall and very energetic, but he cannot kick a ball to save his life, has no tactical awareness what so ever and cannot speak a word of English. About 4 weeks ago I was watching a game with him involved, on the sideline was a scout from Middlesbrough and Newcastle, following the game I went home and to later find out the scout approached his manager and father and both teams want him. Since then he has trained at both teams academies and the fight is on for him it seems.

Now I am not for one minute dismissing the fact these coaches at Newcastle and Boro cannot work with him to get better, but he's played football for 4 years, and still cannot kick a ball but his athleticism and size is the key factor he was chosen, I was told that by both scouts. Is this where we are it? Is this the sort of thing this country/scouts are looking for, athleticism and size being factors that kids are chosen over technically brilliant ones? It fucking boggles my mind so much I cannot figure it out. And this is exactly my point, the starting point is one that is so blatantly wrong that the foundations are already set before a balls is kicked.

In that team in question was 3/4 unbelievable kids, and I mean incredibly talented in every department and not one has been looked at or even approached yet all of them on another level of footballing ability compared to the kid that has been scouted.

So from Grass Roots level, this is exactly where we are at. Make your own assessment.

[Fulham Broadway 16,386]

You wouldn't believe what I saw and read last week. A lad who used play alongside my boy last year joined his team, he came from Congo and his father was studying engineering at a local University. They arrived here around a year and a half a go, he joined the team and began playing. Now let me make this clear, this kid is tall and very energetic, but he cannot kick a ball to save his life, has no tactical awareness what so ever and cannot speak a word of English. About 4 weeks ago I was watching a game with him involved, on the sideline was a scout from Middlesbrough and Newcastle, following the game I went home and to later find out the scout approached his manager and father and both teams want him. Since then he has trained at both teams academies and the fight is on for him it seems.

Now I am not for one minute dismissing the fact these coaches at Newcastle and Boro cannot work with him to get better, but he's played football for 4 years, and still cannot kick a ball but his athleticism and size is the key factor he was chosen, I was told that by both scouts. Is this where we are it? Is this the sort of thing this country/scouts are looking for, athleticism and size being factors that kids are chosen over technically brilliant ones? It fucking boggles my mind so much I cannot figure it out. And this is exactly my point, the starting point is one that is so blatantly wrong that the foundations are already set before a balls is kicked.

In that team in question was 3/4 unbelievable kids, and I mean incredibly talented in every department and not one has been looked at or even approached yet all of them on another level of footballing ability compared to the kid that has been scouted.

So from Grass Roots level, this is exactly where we are at. Make your own assessment.

I think you can work with athleticism and prowess, but you wont attain the heights that you would get from a talented all rounder.

It says something that they were scouts from Newcastle and Boro were that interested. No Barca , Bayern ?

[Fulham Broadway 16,386]

Wasnt impressed with our U21 contingent last night -they need to perform in games like that.

On the positive young Watmore was superb when he came on

[Kieran. 6,317]

Wasnt impressed with our U21 contingent last night -they need to perform in games like that.

On the positive young Watmore was superb when he came on

I caught the end of that game, saw all 3 England goals. Watmore was very impressive.

[Atlas Lion 1,223]

Anyone catch Beckham's charity match?

My word, Scholes and Beckham. They still have it. Once in a lifetime those two.

[MefiX19 1,092]

Alli

[Magic Lamps 11,446]

Anyone catch Beckham's charity match?

My word, Scholes and Beckham. They still have it. Once in a lifetime those two.

Have to disagree. Beckham had always been an average player with a decent cross or freekick in him but without the athleticism and ball control to be up there. And yes it has become a kind of fashion to praise Scholes for what he has achieved but the truth is he was into decline for most of his career becoming more of a mascot to Manchester United after turning 30. Both are perfect examples of the English completely misjudging their players.

[Atlas Lion 1,223]

Have to disagree. Beckham had always been an average player with a decent cross or freekick in him but without the athleticism and ball control to be up there. And yes it has become a kind of fashion to praise Scholes for what he has achieved but the truth is he was into decline for most of his career becoming more of a mascot to Manchester United after turning 30. Both are perfect examples of the English completely misjudging their players.

Sorry. You couldn't be more wrong.

[Magic Lamps 11,446]

Sorry. You couldn't be more wrong.

Opinions are never wrong.

[Fulham Broadway 16,386]

Platinin facing life ban for corruption

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/34910753

Good

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Have to disagree. Beckham had always been an average player with a decent cross or freekick in him but without the athleticism and ball control to be up there. And yes it has become a kind of fashion to praise Scholes for what he has achieved but the truth is he was into decline for most of his career becoming more of a mascot to Manchester United after turning 30. Both are perfect examples of the English completely misjudging their players.

Agree about Beckham and Scholes, but only to an extent with the latter. Scholes was definitely more influential in his early United years, his peak was more in the 99/00 era. But I wouldn't go as far as to say he was in decline for most of his career. His role adapted in United and he was still very important in the tactical approach to the game, gave that United team a good sense of balance. Especially how when they went so long without a recognised CM. You can't deny that even top coaches and players in that time gave him enormous amounts of respect. England does misjudge mismanage a lot of players and it's unfortunate that Ferguson convinced Scholes to retire at 29, I think they could've done with him in 2006.

[iseah100 5,612]

Opinions are never wrong.

Damn it. I've stumbled onto reddit again.