So do any of you Gents like real football (aka soccer)?

[RK2007]

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

Over here in Scotland how they work out how to calculate stoppage time is very simple.

If your unlucky enough to be playing either of the "forces of darkness" aka Rangers and Celtic, the referee simply adds on enough time at the end to ensure that the Glasgow team wins.

If 10 mins is not sufficient then he has no choice but to give them a penalty, we don't want a wee diddy team winning anything now do we.

That's what all the folk who support the wee teams say. I think there's only one referee in Scotland who does that and that's the 'good' Reverend Mike McCurry. He only seems to do that for the one team though; you should see his refereeing statistics vs Celtic, they are shocking - he's awarded more yellows, reds and penalties against Celtic than all the other teams in the SPL combined.

Can ye tell am a Celtic fan much?

[Tiro]

I thought I read somewhere that he was no longer being allowed to referee?

[JigOvLife]

Now then Iloow, I lived 12 years in Oughtibridge,you know,just up the road from Hillsborough. So....


....Swords or pistols.

[RK2007]

Originally Posted by Tiro

I thought I read somewhere that he was no longer being allowed to referee?

Nah, there was a recent scandal about him and a younger woman he was having an affair with (whilst he was her minister) and people calling for his conduct on and off the pitch to be reviewed with but he's still a ref as far as I know.

[windysan]

LOL@gents

[chris k]

I played rugby once! That was enough.

Originally Posted by Iloow

I expected the mocking

I was really rubbish at football also at school. I was too short and skinny. When I bulked up I played as a goalkeeper in 5 aside and was pretty good at that.

I would imagine that Americans would prefer the code of rugby I watch which is rugby league. There you have a maximum of six tackles to get the ball over the opponents line for a try. It is fast paced and there tends to be reasonable scores. It is mainly played in the north of England. Rugby Union is slow and basically it is about territory so it involves a lot of kicking as far as they can out of the pitch and involves a lot of scrummaging and players sticking their heads around the posterior of their teammate. It is very, very dull but is very physical. I think the USA were in the last Rugby Union World Cup.

[windysan]

Now rugby I can watch. Soccer I fall asleep watching that.

[Tiro]

Originally Posted by RK2007

Nah, there was a recent scandal about him and a younger woman he was having an affair with (whilst he was her minister) and people calling for his conduct on and off the pitch to be reviewed with but he's still a ref as far as I know.

Ok, thanks for the update .

[Peter]

I see the USA mens team are off to a fair start beating Japan and draw with Holland. Is there hope for USA as a footballing nation..?.......nah.......

[RK2007]

Originally Posted by Peter

I see the USA mens team are off to a fair start beating Japan and draw with Holland. Is there hope for USA as a footballing nation..?.......nah.......

I dunno Peter, I think the MLS is underrated by a lot of people in Europe - especially in countries with the best leagues like England, Spain and Italy. My team had it's pre-season friendlies in the States 2 years in a row and the competition was of a very, very high standard.

MLS teams are attracting better and better players as time goes on and I find it a very entertaining league to watch any time I see highlights from it.

Won't be long before I adopt a team from over there and start following them I'm pretty sure.

[Peter]

[QUOTE=RK2007;1866643]I dunno Peter, I think the MLS is underrated by a lot of people in Europe - especially in countries with the best leagues like England, Spain and Italy. My team had it's pre-season friendlies in the States 2 years in a row and the competition was of a very, very high standard./QUOTE]

Yeah, I know, I was just kidding really. I believe USA can go a long way in football.

[paulmh]

Iloow, Wigan Athletic season ticket holder....:sorry (about Tevez, rather than sending you down..)

Also go to the odd RL game - hard to avoid here.

But - raised a "weegieDon". The sweatys here will tell you what that is I'm sure.....

[Peter]

is a "weegieDon"..?

[windysan]

go Saints

[paulmh]

A weegie Don is an Aberdeen supporter from Glasgow. And for the sweaty socks (Jocks) here, no, not a glory hunter but preceded the days of Sir Alex.

[RK2007]

Am just a Weegie. Or a WeegieTim maybe.

[digderidoo]

A Wolves fan here!

Originally Posted by harryb

I'm a very distant relative of the great Billy Wright.

HarryB, may i kneel in your presence?

Paul

[Jamietttt]

im a massive liverpool supporter...my dad grew up supporting them and is from there...wen he moved too canada he passed it down the ladder too me.....i find it difficult staying sober during the matches as i am so used too drinking during the game.

[Isaiah]

Originally Posted by Peter

I see the USA mens team are off to a fair start beating Japan and draw with Holland. Is there hope for USA as a footballing nation..?.......nah.......

I just looked out my window... no sign of any flying pigs yet!

[Peter]

I predict USA will win WC 2014.

[pogle]

Originally Posted by Iloow

I am a Sheffield United supporter

oh dear, i don't dare tell you who my team are.

i'll give you a clue, it's not wednesday!

[windysan]

Soccer doesn't have cheerleaders in skimpy outfits. There's something really wrong with that.

[pogle]

Originally Posted by windysan

Soccer doesn't have cheerleaders in skimpy outfits. There's something really wrong with that.

wanna bet!

[NickP3]

My son grew up a huge soccer/football fan. It may have been being born in Munich. So, I spent many, many weekends at tournaments (usually sneaking a few beers while watching). He focused on goalkeeping beginning at about age 12, but kept up his field skills.

In high school he got hooked on English Premier League football, and while I was working with a client in London, I managed to fly him over for a Chelsea-Middlesbrough match in 2005. He became even more hooked and just last week finished up his sophomore year at University of St. Andrews in Scotland. He plays on three teams, the best of which was just "promoted" to the school's "premier" league. I must say, I do like the promotion/relegation aspect of non-US soccer.

While the game takes a bit of getting used to, I now love it. We have season's tickets to the local New England Revolution -- a great deal for the family.

I'm expecting US soccer to improve steadily. When I was in school -- 60s and 70s -- the coaches generally knew next to nothing. By contrast, the good players in my son's generation have been coached since their early years by guys who actually played the sport at a high level -- generally either US college Division 1 or, often, European. A neighbor played in a lower-level Italian league when he was younger, and before he blasted out his knee.

Should the world look out? Probably not. But the US is sure to get more competitive over the next decade or so.

[spen71]

Football and cricket I watch and follow. Any American Sport i cannot handle (maybe ice hockey). A lot of it is beacuase of what you grow up with.