The Round Ball Game - II

[teamsaint]

Welcome to the ‘nearly men’ club. Somehow getting close is worse that an earlier wipeout!

Guess you need the music I’m currently listening to - 100 Blues Hits (subtiltle should be for those who’ve just missed)!

I just bought the Rubble 20 CD collection. Loving it.

[johncorrigan]

Welcome to the ‘nearly men’ club. Somehow getting close is worse that an earlier wipeout!

Guess you need the music I’m currently listening to - 100 Blues Hits (subtiltle should be for those who’ve just missed)!

We've had a 'nearly' season, cloughie. Knocked out of the league cup in the semis after beating Rangers in the quarters; fell at the final hurdle to get into the top 6 (St Johnstone overtook us); and then today...Perth Saints AGAIN! Now the aim is to finish 7th in the league.

[cloughie]

We've had a 'nearly' season, cloughie. Knocked out of the league cup in the semis after beating Rangers in the quarters; fell at the final hurdle to get into the top 6 (St Johnstone overtook us); and then today...Perth Saints AGAIN! Now the aim is to finish 7th in the league.

I think our nearly season included nearly getting out of the bottom three, jc. A disappointing day for you today but overall you’ve had a not too bad season.

[cloughie]

I just bought the Rubble 20 CD collection. Loving it.

Just checked that out ts - looks a very interesting mix!

[teamsaint]

Just checked that out ts - looks a very interesting mix!

Comes with two terrific booklets and nice replica sleeves. A nice package altogether. Some of the info about band members, will be right up your street Cloughie.

[Alison]

Foxes 2 Toon 4

No way I saw that coming .......

Belated congratulations. Heck we were poor. But then you looked like Brazil.

Some cup finals coming up now for Foxes!

[jayne lee wilson]

Excellent teams of the past 40 years who would have made the CL with four qualifying, but for who it is just a pipe dream now.
QPR, Ipswich, Norwich, WBA, Southampton to name but a few.
Its a rich mans plaything, for big city clubs.

So it goes, but don’t be surprised at indifference and sniping Jayne. Seriously, supporters of many clubs like mine used to really think they had a shot at the title in a very good year . Now its just about mid table security. Sad, really.

( the Wolves / Tottenham final was massive...seemed to grip the whole country....).

Well, the European Cup was always pretty hard to win or even progress in, whatever the format. After Celtic and United won in 1967 and 1968, it took Liverpool almost ten years more to do it, with some pretty heartbreaking reversals.
That's why we've always had the UEFA Cup or the Europa League. Glance around Europe for the 2020-21 qualifiers, you'll see many little-known names. Or look at the various EU top fours.... you see Wolfsburg, Leipzig, Atalanta, Napoli, Seville.... some of whom learnt much and progressed from the Europa League.

Its tough but it can be done. Leicester won the Premiership only a few years ago, and here they are in contention for the top four again... as are West Ham......but its almost impossible to predict anything on the basis of the bizarre current season!

[teamsaint]

Well, the European Cup was always pretty hard to win or even progress in, whatever the format. After Celtic and United won in 1967 and 1968, it took Liverpool almost ten years more to do it, with some pretty heartbreaking reversals.
That's why we've always had the UEFA Cup or the Europa League. Glance around Europe for the 2020-21 qualifiers, you'll see many little-known names. Or look at the various EU top fours.... you see Wolfsburg, Leipzig, Atalanta, Napoli, Seville.... some of whom learnt much and progressed from the Europa League.

Its tough but it can be done. Leicester won the Premiership only a few years ago, and here they are in contention for the top four again... as are West Ham......but its almost impossible to predict anything on the basis of the bizarre current season!

Oh yes, European football is very tough. We never really learned how to do it,endless dispiriting failure against apparently mediocre opposition barring a dizzying moment or two in the Cup Winners Cup where we failed in heroic and truly European style.

I have to disagree about the big clubs though. Leicester have achieved miracles, and West Ham are potentially a big hitter. But look at the long list of ex League winners who aren’t even knocking on the door. Perhaps things will change for the better .

[teamsaint]

I think our nearly season included nearly getting out of the bottom three, jc. A disappointing day for you today but overall you’ve had a not too bad season.

Didn’t you lose both Cup finals one year ?

[jayne lee wilson]

Oh yes, European football is very tough. We never really learned how to do it,endless dispiriting failure against apparently mediocre opposition barring a dizzying moment or two in the Cup Winners Cup where we failed in heroic and truly European style.

I have to disagree about the big clubs though. Leicester have achieved miracles, and West Ham are potentially a big hitter. But look at the long list of ex League winners who aren’t even knocking on the door. Perhaps things will change for the better .

Its not always about money though, is it? United after 1969 or when Ferguson left, Ipswich after Robson, Liverpool after 1990 (not to mention this season...), Arsenal now.... often after the demise of a long-term inspirational manager or coaching team (e.g. the Anfield Boot Room)...even extensive injuries.... sometimes very hard to come back from.

Or just the sheer difficulty after getting to the top, of "staying there"....look at Mourinho. Or conversely, look at the patience United showed to Solskjaer after a very inconsistent first season or so...(that Europa League semi against Roma was extraordinary - 8-5 aggregate! 33-year old Cavani the star again...)

[antongould]

Belated congratulations. Heck we were poor. But then you looked like Brazil.

Some cup finals coming up now for Foxes!

Next week we’ll be back to looking like Bacup .....

[cloughie]

Didn’t you lose both Cup finals one year ?

Rub it in why don’t you - I sometimes think what’s happened to us and what’s happened to Arsenal - the sequence of mistakes in the 90s - sacking Trevor Francis who had been a very good manager, then replacing him with Pleat - not so good, then instead of Big Ron for a second term - Wilson, who was taken on after Barnsley had been relegated, couldn’t handle the Di Canio situation, bought a load of too well paid lazy, many of them ageing players and the rest you know - failure to spend our way out of trouble - broken rules - bad management by the owner - we’ll see what next season brings. What is it about football - switching allegiance isn’t an option, though I reckon there are big six ‘fans?’ Who are there because they’ve done that but then they are probably either rich or young! Anyway we’ll be back sometime but I do wonder if I’ll lve to see the Owls will fly again in the Prem. All three EFL divs currently have ex Prem teams there so anything can happen - Luton have cllmbed back from a season or three in the National league to the Championship ( we gave them 6 points this season). Barnsley could be battling with you in the Prem next season!

[teamsaint]

Its not always about money though, is it? United after 1969 or when Ferguson left, Ipswich after Robson, Liverpool after 1990 (not to mention this season...), Arsenal now.... often after the demise of a long-term inspirational manager or coaching team (e.g. the Anfield Boot Room)...even extensive injuries.... sometimes very hard to come back from.

Or just the sheer difficulty after getting to the top, of "staying there"....look at Mourinho. Or conversely, look at the patience United showed to Solskjaer after a very inconsistent first season or so...(that Europa League semi against Roma was extraordinary - 8-5 aggregate! 33-year old Cavani the star again...)

There is competition within the elite group.And that competition can be fantastic viewing . But the post Sky, C 21 game is almost all about the deepest pockets, in the sense that there is an entry barrier that is exceptionally hard to break through. League championships for non - big city clubs were rare enough before this century. But now that dream really has died. Yes WHU can realistically aim to break in to the top group for a while (as Spurs did after a very long time knocking on the door) and possibly stay there. But are they really dreaming of winning the league as they did back in their glory days ?

Incidentally there was a good interview with Lawron on Adrian Chiles radio show recently, well worth hearing.

[teamsaint]

Rub it in why don’t you - I sometimes think what’s happened to us and what’s happened to Arsenal - the sequence of mistakes in the 90s - sacking Trevor Francis who had been a very good manager, then replacing him with Pleat - not so good, then instead of Big Ron for a second term - Wilson, who was taken on after Barnsley had been relegated, couldn’t handle the Di Canio situation, bought a load of too well paid lazy, many of them ageing players and the rest you know - failure to spend our way out of trouble - broken rules - bad management by the owner - we’ll see what next season brings. What is it about football - switching allegiance isn’t an option, though I reckon there are big six ‘fans?’ Who are there because they’ve done that but then they are probably either rich or young! Anyway we’ll be back sometime but I do wonder if I’ll lve to see the Owls will fly again in the Prem. All three EFL divs currently have ex Prem teams there so anything can happen - Luton have cllmbed back from a season or three in the National league to the Championship ( we gave them 6 points this season). Barnsley could be battling with you in the Prem next season!

Back to back promotions can happen. We did it, but Pardew had decent cash to spend, and he spent it really well. Lambert and Fonte at £1m each were key signings. Those two plus Lallana and Schneiderlin who were already with us, and some solid cheaper buys like Dean Hammond did the trick. But it is a tough league, with some good football played. The quality of the strikers lets a lot of teams down IMO.

( Sorry, didn’t mean to rub it in. You had a really good side then .)

[LMcD]

There is competition within the elite group.And that competition can be fantastic viewing . But the post Sky, C 21 game is almost all about the deepest pockets, in the sense that there is an entry barrier that is exceptionally hard to break through. League championships for non - big city clubs were rare enough before this century. But now that dream really has died. Yes WHU can realistically aim to break in to the top group for a while (as Spurs did after a very long time knocking on the door) and possibly stay there. But are they really dreaming of winning the league as they did back in their glory days ?

Incidentally there was a good interview with Lawron on Adrian Chiles radio show recently, well worth hearing.

Sadly true. Mind you, I'm nowhere near as knowledgeable about footie as some folk on the Forum, as my first visit to Portman Road didn't take place until April 8th 1961.