Brad Posted June 13, 2018 Report Share Posted June 13, 2018 Spain have just fired their manager, because he was going to become Real's coach after the World Cup. The new manager is Fernando Hierro, a Real legend, whom I watched many times. A strange decision on the eve of the WC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjazzg Posted June 13, 2018 Report Share Posted June 13, 2018 Guardian's reporting that Ramos (my favourite player, as you probably remember from upthread ) and other team members were arguing for Lopetegui so one wonders what that will do to team morale. Looks very much like the Federation couldn't take the public undermining which I can understand - they were evidently informed of his appointment five minutes before Real's announcement. Elite club football's long had more clout than international and when the club's Real Madrid well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulpope Posted June 13, 2018 Report Share Posted June 13, 2018 (edited) 16 minutes ago, mjazzg said: Guardian's reporting that Ramos (my favourite player, as you probably remember from upthread ) and other team members were arguing for Lopetegui so one wonders what that will do to team morale. Looks very much like the Federation couldn't take the public undermining which I can understand - they were evidently informed of his appointment five minutes before Real's announcement. Elite club football's long had more clout than international and when the club's Real Madrid well... Can`t believe Real could not wait with the announcement for the time after the World Cup .... or did they feel at risk - in case Spain shouldn`t be successful in Russia - this could put a cloud on their new hiring .... ? Edited June 13, 2018 by soulpope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erwbol Posted June 13, 2018 Report Share Posted June 13, 2018 25 minutes ago, soulpope said: Can`t believe Real could not wait with the announcement for the time after the World Cup .... or did they feel at risk - in case Spain shouldn`t be successful in Russia - this could put a cloud on their new hiring .... ? You might have hit the nail on the head here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjazzg Posted June 13, 2018 Report Share Posted June 13, 2018 49 minutes ago, erwbol said: You might have hit the nail on the head here. Yes, I think you have, especially considering Spain's disastrous exit in Brazil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted June 13, 2018 Report Share Posted June 13, 2018 (edited) Frankly, I don't see why the Spanish Federation got all upset.  Did they have a right to be told? Not really. To me, it's a question of vanity on the part of the Federation. They have now put the team's chances at risk. Moreover, if you read the following story, their statements don't make sense. Spain Fires Coach Edited June 13, 2018 by Brad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjazzg Posted June 14, 2018 Report Share Posted June 14, 2018 Maybe not a right but a reasonable expectation, I think. Just imagine if the reverse had happened to Real a day before the Kiev final. Real would have been spitting feathers at the undermining of their preparations and rightly so. Whether the Federation overreacted will probably best be assessed when we see how far Spain progress Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmitry Posted June 14, 2018 Report Share Posted June 14, 2018 Why couldn't the management at Real wait till the end of WC, you ask? My answer is this - let's say Spain bombs under Lopetegui, and then Real announces he's their new Head Coach! Would that look good for them, to hire a loser coach? I don't think so...  Today's the Day. Russian team is really weak, the keeper is good, the striker's ok, defence is awful. Saudis have a shot!    Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted June 14, 2018 Report Share Posted June 14, 2018 RM is not shy about making changes so if Lopetegui bombed, Perez would move fast. I don’t think that’s much of a factor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted June 14, 2018 Report Share Posted June 14, 2018 The Saudi defense is rather poor, to be charitable about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmitry Posted June 14, 2018 Report Share Posted June 14, 2018 2 hours ago, Brad said: The Saudi defense is rather poor, to be charitable about it. You are a generous man... This Saudi team is the weakest performer I've seen in the WC. They made the Russians look competent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmitry Posted June 15, 2018 Report Share Posted June 15, 2018 Egypt put up an admirable fight. Uruguay was underwhelming, even though they [barely] won. They may win the group, but after today's game I don't see them in the quarter-finals, unless they get their s*it together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted June 15, 2018 Report Share Posted June 15, 2018 The Egyptian defense was very disciplined and almost pulled off the tie. They are going to need to win their next two matches to go through. Playing Russia will be no easy task and the Russians will probably gamble for a tie since they have a very large goal differential. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmitry Posted June 15, 2018 Report Share Posted June 15, 2018 Salah is obviously not well. They clearly missed him today.  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted June 15, 2018 Report Share Posted June 15, 2018 I have a feeling they were hoping to get a point without using him. I’d be surprised not to see him in their next match. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjazzg Posted June 15, 2018 Report Share Posted June 15, 2018 Sensational match between the Iberian neighbours. Costa and Nacho scored very very good goals and then Ronaldo trumps them. I'd say it was unbelievable but as he prepared to take the free kick it looked likely he'd score somehow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted June 15, 2018 Report Share Posted June 15, 2018 A disappointing tie. Pique cost them the match.  Looks like both are positioned to pass through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjazzg Posted June 15, 2018 Report Share Posted June 15, 2018 I'm not sure it's that fair to lay the blame solely at one player's feet. Not least because De Gea's mistake was a lot greater than anyone elses 21 minutes ago, Brad said: A disappointing tie. Pique cost them the match.  Looks like both are positioned to pass through. Ha! Just realised, that's Pique of Barcelona. I hope you're not letting club allegiance colour your view Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted June 15, 2018 Report Share Posted June 15, 2018 Not at all as this is the WC and I am for Spain although the people in Barcelona or Cataluña probably cheered the tie because they like it when the national team does poorly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clunky Posted June 15, 2018 Report Share Posted June 15, 2018 5 minutes ago, mjazzg said: I'm not sure it's that fair to lay the blame solely at one player's feet. Not least because De Gea's mistake was a lot greater than anyone elses Ha! Just realised, that's Pique of Barcelona. I hope you're not letting club allegiance colour your view As a neutral I thought it was as good an advert for World Cup football that could ever be wished for. Spain were sensational and would have deserved victory until that free kick. Ronaldo is unbelievable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted June 15, 2018 Report Share Posted June 15, 2018 3 minutes ago, Clunky said: As a neutral I thought it was as good an advert for World Cup football that could ever be wished for. Spain were sensational and would have deserved victory until that free kick. Ronaldo is unbelievable. This I agree with. If you weren’t rooting for either team, you saw a sensational match, with a little of everything. Tomorrow is an early day in the States. France Australia starts at 5am.  Not sure I will make that, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjazzg Posted June 15, 2018 Report Share Posted June 15, 2018 It would have graced any stage of the competition. To watch the quality of the likes of Iniesta, Isco and Silva is just a pure pleasure. And Ronaldo is just a force of nature. It's what the WC should be all about Looking forward to Monday now when the Three Lions will show the world how to really play the game... 3 minutes ago, Brad said: This I agree with. If you weren’t rooting for either team, you saw a sensational match, with a little of everything. Tomorrow is an early day in the States. France Australia starts at 5am.  Not sure I will make that, though. Can't say I blame you. THE French squad is ridiculously strong but we'll have to see if Deschamps can forge a team from it. If he does they could go a long way. I Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmitry Posted June 15, 2018 Report Share Posted June 15, 2018 (edited) Here's my summary of this historic match: SPAIN 3 - RONALDO 3 This will be viewed as one of the great bouts in the history of the game. He just cemented his "Best player ever" plaque...the narcissistic bastard. Edited June 15, 2018 by Dmitry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted June 16, 2018 Report Share Posted June 16, 2018 14 hours ago, Dmitry said: ...the narcissistic bastard. That' what he is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clunky Posted June 16, 2018 Report Share Posted June 16, 2018 Peru unlucky as they had the better game Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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