Football Related Random Thoughts Thread 2.0

[5DOM]

Potential season-long calendar for 2012:

Spoiler:

Blatter insisted today 2022 World Cup won't be Jan-Feb. He wants Nov-Dec. I worked out how that could work with minimal disruption to European leagues >>>

May 2022: European season ends as usual.

June: When the World Cup would usually be played, footballers will have the month off.

July: Champions League qualifiers as normal. Gandini says there might have to be fewer qualifying entrants to cope with the earlier start.

Mid-July: Start of season for leading European leagues.

August 2-3: Champions League playoff round.

August 9-10: Champions League playoff round.

Mid-August: European transfer window closes.

Aug 23-24: Champions League group stage begins.

Sept 2: Euro 2024 qualifiers.

Sept 6: Euro 2024 qualifiers.

Sept 13-14: Champions League group matchday 2.

Sept 20-21: Champions League group matchday 3.

Sept 30: Euro 2024 qualifiers.

Oct 4: Euro 2024 qualifiers.

Oct 11-12: Champions League group matchday 4.

Oct 18-19: Champions League group matchday 5.

Nov 1-2: Champions League group matchday 6.

Nov 4: Mandatory release of players two weeks before World Cup. There would be no need for the usual postseason rest period before the World Cup given the event falls in the middle of the season when they would usually be playing up to three times a week. There would be space for the usual World Cup warm-up games, which would take the place of the regular November international date.

Nov 18: World Cup begins in Qatar.

Dec 1: World Cup group stage ends. 368 of the 736 players exit.

Dec 4: World Cup round of 16.

Dec 6: World Cup round of 16 ends. 184 players exit.

Dec 9: World Cup quarterfinals.

Dec 10 World Cup quarterfinals. 92 players exit.

Dec 13: World Cup semifinals.

Dec 14: World Cup semifinals.

Dec 17: World Cup 3rd-4th place. 46 players exit.

Dec 18: World Cup final, which falls on Qatar National Day. The final 46 players exit the tournament.

Dec 26: The Premier League could return to start its traditional packed Christmas fixture program. Other leagues could chose to resume later if they determine that players returning from the World Cup after reaching the final or third-place game need a longer break.

Mid to late June: European leagues end.

August 2023: Premier League season starts as usual after a two-month break. In 2014, the Premier League season is starting just a month after the World Cup final in Brazil.

[Maex]

Former Germany international footballer Thomas Hitzlsperger has revealed he is gay.

"In England, Germany or Italy [where Hitzlsperger played] the issue of homosexuality is not treated seriously - at least, not in the dressing room," he said.

"I was never ashamed of being who I am but it was not always easy to sit on a table with 20 young men and listen to jokes about gays. You let them get on with it as long as the jokes are somewhat funny and not too insulting."

The now retired international played for Bayern's youth team, Aston Villa, Stuttgart, Lazio Rom, West Ham, Wolfsburg and Everton.

[Next Coming]

Potential season-long calendar for 2012:

Spoiler:

Blatter insisted today 2022 World Cup won't be Jan-Feb. He wants Nov-Dec. I worked out how that could work with minimal disruption to European leagues >>>

May 2022: European season ends as usual.

June: When the World Cup would usually be played, footballers will have the month off.

July: Champions League qualifiers as normal. Gandini says there might have to be fewer qualifying entrants to cope with the earlier start.

Mid-July: Start of season for leading European leagues.

August 2-3: Champions League playoff round.

August 9-10: Champions League playoff round.

Mid-August: European transfer window closes.

Aug 23-24: Champions League group stage begins.

Sept 2: Euro 2024 qualifiers.

Sept 6: Euro 2024 qualifiers.

Sept 13-14: Champions League group matchday 2.

Sept 20-21: Champions League group matchday 3.

Sept 30: Euro 2024 qualifiers.

Oct 4: Euro 2024 qualifiers.

Oct 11-12: Champions League group matchday 4.

Oct 18-19: Champions League group matchday 5.

Nov 1-2: Champions League group matchday 6.

Nov 4: Mandatory release of players two weeks before World Cup. There would be no need for the usual postseason rest period before the World Cup given the event falls in the middle of the season when they would usually be playing up to three times a week. There would be space for the usual World Cup warm-up games, which would take the place of the regular November international date.

Nov 18: World Cup begins in Qatar.

Dec 1: World Cup group stage ends. 368 of the 736 players exit.

Dec 4: World Cup round of 16.

Dec 6: World Cup round of 16 ends. 184 players exit.

Dec 9: World Cup quarterfinals.

Dec 10 World Cup quarterfinals. 92 players exit.

Dec 13: World Cup semifinals.

Dec 14: World Cup semifinals.

Dec 17: World Cup 3rd-4th place. 46 players exit.

Dec 18: World Cup final, which falls on Qatar National Day. The final 46 players exit the tournament.

Dec 26: The Premier League could return to start its traditional packed Christmas fixture program. Other leagues could chose to resume later if they determine that players returning from the World Cup after reaching the final or third-place game need a longer break.

Mid to late June: European leagues end.

August 2023: Premier League season starts as usual after a two-month break. In 2014, the Premier League season is starting just a month after the World Cup final in Brazil.

We can't let this happen.

[Point forward]

Former Germany international footballer Thomas Hitzlsperger has revealed he is gay.

"In England, Germany or Italy [where Hitzlsperger played] the issue of homosexuality is not treated seriously - at least, not in the dressing room," he said.

"I was never ashamed of being who I am but it was not always easy to sit on a table with 20 young men and listen to jokes about gays. You let them get on with it as long as the jokes are somewhat funny and not too insulting."

The now retired international played for Bayern's youth team, Aston Villa, Stuttgart, Lazio Rom, West Ham, Wolfsburg and Everton.

Extremely interesting: in 2012, he was already interviewed on the topic "homophobia in soccer". Some quotes:

"I once heard of a gay player who had a pretend GF and outed himself to his team mates. The team accepted it, but he doesn't out himself to the public b/c fans can be so cruel."

"IMHO only a retired player can come out safely. But actually, I think the fans are pretty open minded now."

"If a gay player outs himself, IMHO the public will try to 'prove' how tolerant they are. But hypocritical kindness can be very tiring."

I have a gut feeling that in the next 5 years, the first BL gay player will out himself. Don't ask me why.

http://www.zeit.de/sport/2012-09/hitzls ... 9#comments

[MaliBrah]

PSG's alex with some stupid comments... "God created adam and eve not adam and yves". Should just keep it to himself really , no point in making that statement.. nothing to gain and it gets you in hot waters.

[MaliBrah]

Potential season-long calendar for 2012:

Spoiler:

Blatter insisted today 2022 World Cup won't be Jan-Feb. He wants Nov-Dec. I worked out how that could work with minimal disruption to European leagues >>>

May 2022: European season ends as usual.

June: When the World Cup would usually be played, footballers will have the month off.

July: Champions League qualifiers as normal. Gandini says there might have to be fewer qualifying entrants to cope with the earlier start.

Mid-July: Start of season for leading European leagues.

August 2-3: Champions League playoff round.

August 9-10: Champions League playoff round.

Mid-August: European transfer window closes.

Aug 23-24: Champions League group stage begins.

Sept 2: Euro 2024 qualifiers.

Sept 6: Euro 2024 qualifiers.

Sept 13-14: Champions League group matchday 2.

Sept 20-21: Champions League group matchday 3.

Sept 30: Euro 2024 qualifiers.

Oct 4: Euro 2024 qualifiers.

Oct 11-12: Champions League group matchday 4.

Oct 18-19: Champions League group matchday 5.

Nov 1-2: Champions League group matchday 6.

Nov 4: Mandatory release of players two weeks before World Cup. There would be no need for the usual postseason rest period before the World Cup given the event falls in the middle of the season when they would usually be playing up to three times a week. There would be space for the usual World Cup warm-up games, which would take the place of the regular November international date.

Nov 18: World Cup begins in Qatar.

Dec 1: World Cup group stage ends. 368 of the 736 players exit.

Dec 4: World Cup round of 16.

Dec 6: World Cup round of 16 ends. 184 players exit.

Dec 9: World Cup quarterfinals.

Dec 10 World Cup quarterfinals. 92 players exit.

Dec 13: World Cup semifinals.

Dec 14: World Cup semifinals.

Dec 17: World Cup 3rd-4th place. 46 players exit.

Dec 18: World Cup final, which falls on Qatar National Day. The final 46 players exit the tournament.

Dec 26: The Premier League could return to start its traditional packed Christmas fixture program. Other leagues could chose to resume later if they determine that players returning from the World Cup after reaching the final or third-place game need a longer break.

Mid to late June: European leagues end.

August 2023: Premier League season starts as usual after a two-month break. In 2014, the Premier League season is starting just a month after the World Cup final in Brazil.

We can't let this happen.

that club season will be so awkward ahaha

[J-Mezzy]

Wow. This is ridiculous.

[Baphomet]

PSG's alex with some stupid comments... "God created adam and eve not adam and yves". Should just keep it to himself really , no point in making that statement.. nothing to gain and it gets you in hot waters.

Disappointing, but sadly I think most people expected these kind of comments following Hitzlsperger's announcement. People need to stop perpetuating this idiotic 'Adam & Eve not Adam & [male name]' rhetoric, it's utterly offensive to prop up personal prejudices with something so archaic. I'd like to think that we have advanced beyond that line of thinking as a people, but I suppose that's delusion on my part.

[Baphomet]

Speaking of idiotic footballers, what is Chris Smalling doing?



http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-ma ... r-25663771

[Mirjalovic]

Everyone have their opinion, Alex comment is not utterly stupid or something, but thats so unnecessary, he just need to STFU.

And call out another people religion also very offensive and unnecessary

Props to The Hammer.. always thought he should play more instead Ledesma


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

[blkout]

PSG's alex with some stupid comments... "God created adam and eve not adam and yves". Should just keep it to himself really , no point in making that statement.. nothing to gain and it gets you in hot waters.

Was he asked about it? If so then I can't be mad at him for saying it. I don't agree but you can't ask a guy a question then get mad when the answer isn't what you want to hear. If he just came out and said it he's an idiot.

[Baphomet]

PSG's alex with some stupid comments... "God created adam and eve not adam and yves". Should just keep it to himself really , no point in making that statement.. nothing to gain and it gets you in hot waters.

Was he asked about it? If so then I can't be mad at him for saying it. I don't agree but you can't ask a guy a question then get mad when the answer isn't what you want to hear. If he just came out and said it he's an idiot.

From what I can gather, the interview is from a French documentary called 'Jesus Football Club' where a number of French league players talk about religion. I suppose given that context, these comments are much less outlandish, though not any less ignorant. It seems likely that the topic was brought up and Alex gave those comments.

It sounds a lot like asking Wayne Rooney for his opinion on deficit spending or the current opera season.

[magik9113]

religious views must be respected also
don't sht on a guy for his opinion.

Although he's one of my favorite players and my sig for quite a while, Cassano's remarks during the past Euro were more outrageous...
When asked about gay players he said something like I hope there's no f*gg*ts in football

[Mr Grant Hill]

Alex comment is not utterly stupid or something

adam and eve?
come on, man. that sounds like something a 5-year old would have said in a romanian village around the year 1300.

[magik9113]

Alex comment is not utterly stupid or something

adam and eve?
come on, man. that sounds like something a 5-year old would have said in a romanian village around the year 1300.

it's a simple religious reference. obviously i see where it could be taken as offensive...but no

[treiz]

Alex comment is not utterly stupid or something

adam and eve?
come on, man. that sounds like something a 5-year old would have said in a romanian village around the year 1300.

Even though it sounds silly(and I agree with you) most people around the world still have this in their beliefs. No need to downplay its importance amongst a huge population of the world just because you don't believe in it

[Mr Grant Hill]

Even though it sounds silly(and I agree with you) most people around the world still have this in their beliefs. No need to downplay its importance amongst a huge population of the world just because you don't believe in it

well, i can accept any religious belief.
because it doesn't have any meaning nowadays, at least not where i'm living.
we won.
the liberal society won.
we had thousands of years of religious terror.
but not anymore. it's over. they lost. alex lost.
if they can't cope with it... a lot of countries would welcome them with open arms.
but religious oppression doesn't fly anymore in europe/the west. deal with it.

[treiz]

Even though it sounds silly(and I agree with you) most people around the world still have this in their beliefs. No need to downplay its importance amongst a huge population of the world just because you don't believe in it

well, i can accept any religious belief.
because it doesn't have any meaning nowadays, at least not where i'm living.
we won.
the liberal society won.
we had thousands of years of religious terror.
but not anymore. it's over. they lost. alex lost.
if they can't cope with it... a lot of countries would welcome them with open arms.
but religious oppression doesn't fly anymore in europe/the west. deal with it.

Like I said I agree with you. But then again in other areas that you didn't mention, religion still plays a major role in their lives, heck even in the western world there are still plenty of religious zealots. Heck most athletes, actor, media personalities whenever they win awards they attribute it to their respective deities and base their lives around superstitions, but then you have others like scientology, obviously it's not "over".

[Baphomet]

Wasn't given (due to being out), but this is pretty cool regardless.

[Man of Steel]

That's only 5 inches less

There was also this little nifty bit of skill from Bale