International Football General Talk Thread

[Shoei]

Donovan? Can't think of many others.

Tim Howard, Clint Dempsey, Brad Guzan, Jozy Altidore, Carlos Bocanegra, Brian McBride, DaMarcus Beasley, DeAndre Yedlin, Eddie Johnson all would have played in the premier league I believe.

There's quite a few in Germany now IIRC.

I'd say there's probably more Americans in Europe than Australians atm.

 

[Fryer Tuck]

Tim Howard, Clint Dempsey, Brad Guzan, Jozy Altidore, Carlos Bocanegra, Brian McBride, DaMarcus Beasley, DeAndre Yedlin, Eddie Johnson all would have played in the premier league I believe.

There's quite a few in Germany now IIRC.

I'd say there's probably more Americans in Europe than Australians atm.

That's the funny one. All of those guys started their careers in Germany, and to this day, still remain in Germany (I think technically Bobby Wood counts under this.)

Most of those names seem to be from the old school. 2003-2012. It seems the trend these days is for them to come back earlier in their prime years, or to not move out.

I had noticed that MLS started to hit its 'hype' in recent times, and that's when we're starting to see more of them in MLS.

 

[Magma]

fabian johnson and timothy chandler were both born in germany

 

[TubbsFarquhar]

UEFA world cup play-offs:

Northern Ireland vs Switzerland
Croatia vs Greece
Denmark vs Rep. of Ireland
Sweden vs Italy

Great draw for Ireland, they are a very decent chance of qualifying over the Danes. Pretty tough on the Swedes but they could cause Italy a bit of a scare. Switzerland and Croatia should qualify.

 

[SM]

Winnable for Ireland, about the best we could have hoped for.

 

[Andonis1997]

I'm happy with that. Greece's defence should hold up alright in the first match in Croatia.

 

[Latro]

Lord Bendtner and eriksen will thrash Ireland.

 

[Donnie Darko]

UEFA world cup play-offs:

Northern Ireland vs Switzerland
Croatia vs Greece
Denmark vs Rep. of Ireland
Sweden vs Italy

Great draw for Ireland, they are a very decent chance of qualifying over the Danes. Pretty tough on the Swedes but they could cause Italy a bit of a scare. Switzerland and Croatia should qualify.

I got
Switzerland
Croatia
Denmark
Sweden

 

[Fryer Tuck]

UEFA world cup play-offs:

Northern Ireland vs Switzerland
Croatia vs Greece
Denmark vs Rep. of Ireland
Sweden vs Italy

Great draw for Ireland, they are a very decent chance of qualifying over the Danes. Pretty tough on the Swedes but they could cause Italy a bit of a scare. Switzerland and Croatia should qualify.

Well... darn. Lots of teams I want to see through.

The only one I hope for is for Italy to smack Sweden for 6... well, OK, Greece to trump Croatia too.

The other two games... I want to see them all in. Aargh.

OK... I either want both Irelands to make it in, or no Irelands to make it. No inbetweens. (You can't just send one Ireland to the WC, that's just not on.)

 

[JRyan23]

Switzerland
Croatia
Denmark
Italy

 

[SM]

Ireland will smash Denmark.

 

[Fryer Tuck]

Ireland will smash Denmark.

Only if you're taking freekicks... sigh. Always the free kicks.

 

[Jatz]

They've got Schmeichel in goal, they'll be fine

 

[Kompany]

fellaini may have also done ligament damage too.

belgium really do have a massive obsession with playing guys who aren't properly fit in games that aren't vital.

We had the win those games to end up in pot 1 for the WC draw so they were important.

I don't think we're any different from other countries. Maybe players want to play for the NT more than before and that may make a difference but that would be it. If you're still thinking of that time Kompany played, well he was fully fit and wanted to play. When players are rested to please their clubs, it usually goes unnoticed.

 

[Magma]

We had the win those games to end up in pot 1 for the WC draw so they were important.

I don't think we're any different from other countries. Maybe players want to play for the NT more than before and that may make a difference but that would be it. If you're still thinking of that time Kompany played, well he was fully fit and wanted to play. When players are rested to please their clubs, it usually goes unnoticed.

it was gibraltar. they could've put a div 2 of the belgian league side out there and they would've won.

 

[Kompany]

Like I said, the players want to play. Belgium also has very limited training and playing time to improve as a team. I'm sure you'll agree that being knocked out by Wales in '16 was embarrassing and frustrating for this group of players. Belgium has absolutely no interest in sending players back injured, making life harder for the player, their club but also Belgium themselves. But if a player is fit and wants to play, why should he be rested?

 

[RossFC]

 

[moomba]

LOL.

 

[moomba]

 

[SM]

How the * does Rose get in?

 

[HolyRioli]

Feel bad for Sweden, that's twice in a row they've drawn one of the harder opponents in the playoff spots (ran into Portugal last time)

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Still pretty strong despite a couple being out.
First call up for N’Zonzi

 

[Fryer Tuck]

Yay, Vardy is back!

Vardy-Kane up front, Maguire as a CB.

Rock it!

 

[Cruyff14]

View attachment 434266

Still pretty strong despite a couple being out.
First call up for N’Zonzi

No Kante is surprising. Unless he's injured?

 

[chef]

No Kante is surprising. Unless he's injured?

Hamstring. Hopefully back against United