Your unpopular football opinion?

[JS96]

Well I saw a tweet response and it's gotten some fire going. The topic could be its own thread.

One bloke said the NSL would have thrived had Australia qualified for WC 2002.

I've got plenty. One that comes to mind is Sergio Ramos one on one is bang average and had to pull and cheat and would moan at any contact on himself. Sure he won duels but being around other good players and the aura of Real made him better.

Same with Busquets. Fine in a single system but would be out of sorts at another club.

Not sure it's even an unpopular opinion but the best coaches are probably in the middle of the curve of a minimum budget and players they can change. A lot of the big names have a chequebook and ready made players.

 

[grazorblade]

Epl doesnt underperform on the continent due to the higher intensity of the league and england doesnt underperform on the international stage

They just arent as good as their fans think they are

 

[RIMB]

I think how my team plays is more important than winning.

 

[melbcityguy]

There's probably more.games being rigged and dodgy stuff going on then we know but we love the sport so we also ignore it

 

[BA81]

One bloke said the NSL would have thrived had Australia qualified for WC 2002.

Mark Bowman on #SokkahTwitter wrote an alternate-history novel w/that premise(except that it was France ‘98 as the sliding-doors moment instead of ‘02)

The link to it is here: https://www.fairplaypublishing.com....e-yawning-giant-a-sliding-doors-football-tale

 

[patjennings]

I think we should celebrate both eras of 'National Leagues' we have now had 48 seasons of a national league in one form or another.

All of these clubs have won a national title of some sort (with the exception of Wellington who are listed because they are in the national league of the present day.

We need both the NST and the ALM - it is not an either/or situation. And we need a a semi-pro league for access to the top two tiers (even if it is conference based).

Club	P'ships	C'ships	OFC/AFC Champions League	AFC CUP	Aus / NSL Cup	Total
South Melbourne	5	4	1	0	2	12
Sydney FC	4	5	0	0	2	11
Melbourne Victory	3	4	0	0	2	9
Marconi	3	4	0	0	1	8
Central Coast Mariners	3	3	0	1	0	7
Adelaide United	2	1	0	0	3	6
Melbourne Knights	4	2	0	0	1	7
Sydney City	2	4	0	0	1	7
Melbourne City	3	2	0	0	1	6
Adelaide City	3	2	0	0	0	5
Perth Glory NSL	3	2	0	0	0	5
Brisbane Roar	2	3	0	0	0	5
Sydney Olympic	1	2	0	0	2	5
Sydney United	3	0	0	0	1	4
Wollongong Wolves	1	2	0	0	0	3
Apia Leichhardt	0	1	0	0	2	3
Western Sydney Wanderers	1	0	1	0	0	2
Brisbane City	0	0	0	0	2	2
Parramatta Eagles	0	0	0	0	2	2
Auckland FC	1	0	0	0	0	1
Perth Glory	1	0	0	0	0	1
Brisbane Strikers	0	1	0	0	0	1
Brunswick Juventus	0	1	0	0	0	1
Newcastle Jets	0	1	0	0	0	1
St George	0	1	0	0	0	1
West Adelaide	0	1	0	0	0	1
Western United	0	1	0	0	0	1
Brisbane Lions	0	0	0	0	1	1
Collingwood Warriors	0	0	0	0	1	1
Heidelburg United	0	0	0	0	1	1
Macarthur FC	0	0	0	0	1	1
Newcastle Rosebud United	0	0	0	0	1	1
Wellington Phoenix	0	0	0	0	0	0

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

I think we should celebrate both eras of 'National Leagues' we have now had 48 seasons of a national league in one form or another.

All of these clubs have won a national title of some sort (with the exception of Wellington who are listed because they are in the national league of the present day.

We need both the NST and the ALM - it is not an either/or situation. And we need a a semi-pro league for access to the top two tiers (even if it is conference based).

Club	P'ships	C'ships	OFC/AFC Champions League	AFC CUP	Aus / NSL Cup	Total
South Melbourne	5	4	1	0	2	12
Sydney FC	4	5	0	0	2	11
Melbourne Victory	3	4	0	0	2	9
Marconi	3	4	0	0	1	8
Central Coast Mariners	3	3	0	1	0	7
Adelaide United	2	1	0	0	3	6
Melbourne Knights	4	2	0	0	1	7
Sydney City	2	4	0	0	1	7
Melbourne City	3	2	0	0	1	6
Adelaide City	3	2	0	0	0	5
Perth Glory NSL	3	2	0	0	0	5
Brisbane Roar	2	3	0	0	0	5
Sydney Olympic	1	2	0	0	2	5
Sydney United	3	0	0	0	1	4
Wollongong Wolves	1	2	0	0	0	3
Apia Leichhardt	0	1	0	0	2	3
Western Sydney Wanderers	1	0	1	0	0	2
Brisbane City	0	0	0	0	2	2
Parramatta Eagles	0	0	0	0	2	2
Auckland FC	1	0	0	0	0	1
Perth Glory	1	0	0	0	0	1
Brisbane Strikers	0	1	0	0	0	1
Brunswick Juventus	0	1	0	0	0	1
Newcastle Jets	0	1	0	0	0	1
St George	0	1	0	0	0	1
West Adelaide	0	1	0	0	0	1
Western United	0	1	0	0	0	1
Brisbane Lions	0	0	0	0	1	1
Collingwood Warriors	0	0	0	0	1	1
Heidelburg United	0	0	0	0	1	1
Macarthur FC	0	0	0	0	1	1
Newcastle Rosebud United	0	0	0	0	1	1
Wellington Phoenix	0	0	0	0	0	0

Hellas boys are still #1

 

[Muz]

Going to be roasted here probably but here goes.

I'd rather watch the A League than the EPL.

To my eyes it's so boring. Hardly anyone gets tackled, it's a slow and patient build up 9 times out of 10, they tiki taka it for 5 minutes in their own half before they go forward. There' doesn't seem to be any sort of edge to the game. No jeopardy, hardly any crunching tackles.

If a good team plays a shit team the possession stats are 70/30 or some such. If 2 good teams play each other the ball is rarely in dispute.

I'm convinced 90% of the people raving about the EPL in Australia are watching the highlights only and getting a skewed impression of it. You watch 16th vs 18th and it's rubbish.

That's not to say that those teams wouldn't give any team in Australia a hiding but it's just not what I would call that entertaining.

I was talking to a bloke about it from England and he said he agrees. He said he watches the Championship because it's much more rough around the edges and more of a spectacle. (Glad I wasn't the only one thinking that way.)

Thoughts?

Flame away.

 

[melbcityguy]

Going to be roasted here probably but here goes.

I'd rather watch the A League than the EPL.

To my eyes it's so boring. Hardly anyone gets tackled, it's a slow and patient build up 9 times out of 10, they tiki taka it for 5 minutes in their own half before they go forward. There' doesn't seem to be any sort of edge to the game. No jeopardy, hardly any crunching tackles.

If a good team plays a shit team the possession stats are 70/30 or some such. If 2 good teams play each other the ball is rarely in dispute.

I'm convinced 90% of the people raving about the EPL in Australia are watching the highlights only and getting a skewed impression of it. You watch 16th vs 18th and it's rubbish.

That's not to say that those teams wouldn't give any team in Australia a hiding but it's just not what I would call that entertaining.

I was talking to a bloke about it from England and he said he agrees. He said he watches for the Championship because it's much more rough around the edges and more of a spectacle. (Glad I wasn't the only one thinking that way.)

Thoughts?

Flame away.

Well said also find epl robotic they don't make mistakes so it's a bit boring

 

[JS96]

Going to be roasted here probably but here goes.

I'd rather watch the A League than the EPL.

To my eyes it's so boring. Hardly anyone gets tackled, it's a slow and patient build up 9 times out of 10, they tiki taka it for 5 minutes in their own half before they go forward. There' doesn't seem to be any sort of edge to the game. No jeopardy, hardly any crunching tackles.

If a good team plays a shit team the possession stats are 70/30 or some such. If 2 good teams play each other the ball is rarely in dispute.

I'm convinced 90% of the people raving about the EPL in Australia are watching the highlights only and getting a skewed impression of it. You watch 16th vs 18th and it's rubbish.

That's not to say that those teams wouldn't give any team in Australia a hiding but it's just not what I would call that entertaining.

I was talking to a bloke about it from England and he said he agrees. He said he watches for the Championship because it's much more rough around the edges and more of a spectacle. (Glad I wasn't the only one thinking that way.)

Thoughts?

Flame away.

I read that wrong EPL>>>A League. I mean, there's a lot I agree with here. I'll have an EPL game on but it's not the tight, riveting style but more so a lot of resetting and passing it around at the back.

Something I've noticed in decent leagues is you've got to wait until 55min for the game to start opening up. German Bundesliga Conference where they cross to goals, penalties and set plays give you more of the action. German Sky have it for EPL and it's a nice addition.

On the matter of roughness, yep. Love that every throw or pass it met with a yell and jeer from the crowd. Went to Carlisle at Leyton Orient. scored in 3rd min. What a day.

 

[Son of Sam]

Mark Bowman on #SokkahTwitter wrote an alternate-history novel w/that premise(except that it was France ‘98 as the sliding-doors moment instead of ‘02)

The link to it is here: https://www.fairplaypublishing.com....e-yawning-giant-a-sliding-doors-football-tale

1998 was the pivotal tournament. The NSL was on its way out by 2002.

Anyone read this yet? Or will I be forced to buy it?

 

[LFC]

Going to be roasted here probably but here goes.

Nothing to be roasted about it’s your pov and others have theirs

I'd rather watch the A League than the EPL.

Chalk and cheese

To my eyes it's so boring. Hardly anyone gets tackled, it's a slow and patient build up 9 times out of 10, they tiki taka it for 5 minutes in their own half before they go forward. There' doesn't seem to be any sort of edge to the game. No jeopardy, hardly any crunching tackles.

Boring eh ? Your description mirrors my view on AL that mirrors a lot how our NT plays - as for tackling beg to differ even though the whole game has gone soft as just watch highlights of LFC Toon game just played AL re roughness tackling doesn’t get near it.

If a good team plays a shit team the possession stats are 70/30 or some such. If 2 good teams play each other the ball is rarely in dispute.

That’s pretty normal always when a better team plays a lower table team more possession - 2 good teams cancel each other out it’s a chess match.

I'm convinced 90% of the people raving about the EPL in Australia are watching the highlights only and getting a skewed impression of it. You watch 16th vs 18th and it's rubbish.

I couldn’t say 90% wouldn’t have a clue maybe so and bottom club games will always vary re play standards again pretty normal.

That's not to say that those teams wouldn't give any team in Australia a hiding but it's just not what I would call that entertaining.

Absolutely they give ours a rubbing up if played in true comp form not Mickey Mouse exhibitions - real comp game against our would be entertaining.

I was talking to a bloke about it from England and he said he agrees. He said he watches the Championship because it's much more rough around the edges and more of a spectacle. (Glad I wasn't the only one thinking that way.)

That’s again pretty normal describing top down styles of play - each level lower changes due to abilities/finesse.
I like either level for its own different spectacle - championship has resemblance of the ol days - faster aggressive and it applies next level down and onwards.
Every league is the same regards to usual P/R the beauty of our wonderous game.

Thoughts?

I like being at the local park playing or watching Prem 1 just as much - raw, good skill, errors, banter, good ref bad ref, you have the same good team out play the other just that your right there on the sideline compared to being in a stand like Allianz.

Flame away.

Like I said nothing to flame just the way you see it.

 

[LFC]

Well said also find epl robotic they don't make mistakes so it's a bit boring

robotic ? look in the mirror MCG what you watch week in week out here my friend.
Besides we can't compare top shelf players who are that "tuned" in every aspect of their game your bored ? lol.....
DeBruyne/Silva/a crafter like Bowen, Wirtz, Szobo, Macca, MO you can list a book of players but Boring ? omg.
I suppose Messi CR7 are robots as well.

OK like I quoted to Muz's post, horse's for course's, boredom is harsh but the league you follow as top flight is quite soso for top flight, the amount of resetting drive me nuts when I've watched, the errors galore, not boring but cringing what I would expect for Pro levels.
Whereas I enjoy the rawness of NPL and lower levels to Prem 1.

Like I said horse's for course's.

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

1998 was the pivotal tournament. The NSL was on its way out by 2002.

Anyone read this yet? Or will I be forced to buy it?

Not yet, but it looks interesting.

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

Going to be roasted here probably but here goes.

I'd rather watch the A League than the EPL.

To my eyes it's so boring. Hardly anyone gets tackled, it's a slow and patient build up 9 times out of 10, they tiki taka it for 5 minutes in their own half before they go forward. There' doesn't seem to be any sort of edge to the game. No jeopardy, hardly any crunching tackles.

If a good team plays a shit team the possession stats are 70/30 or some such. If 2 good teams play each other the ball is rarely in dispute.

I'm convinced 90% of the people raving about the EPL in Australia are watching the highlights only and getting a skewed impression of it. You watch 16th vs 18th and it's rubbish.

That's not to say that those teams wouldn't give any team in Australia a hiding but it's just not what I would call that entertaining.

I was talking to a bloke about it from England and he said he agrees. He said he watches the Championship because it's much more rough around the edges and more of a spectacle. (Glad I wasn't the only one thinking that way.)

Thoughts?

Flame away.

Not sure about Aleague OVER EPL but I share some of your sentiments on the prem... I find myself watching replays more than full matches more and more these past few years... Bundi and Serie A neutral matches are a lot more enjoyable (at least to me) to watch... Less predictability.... Even though the EPL does throw up its fair share of shock results and moments of absolute brilliance, its a little too slick for my liking....

Like @LFC mentions, horses for courses... The ones really watching EPL do so for the love of their club more than the "style" on display I think... The rest just buy a knockoff jersey and pretend to know what they are talking about....

 

[LFC]

Not sure about Aleague OVER EPL but I share some of your sentiments on the prem... I find myself watching replays more than full matches more and more these past few years... Bundi and Serie A neutral matches are a lot more enjoyable (at least to me) to watch... Less predictability.... Even though the EPL does throw up its fair share of shock results and moments of absolute brilliance, its a little too slick for my liking....

Like @LFC mentions, horses for courses... The ones really watching EPL do so for the love of their club more than the "style" on display I think... The rest just buy a knockoff jersey and pretend to know what they are talking about....

Correct mate, I mentioned in some other thread that should have been here on the subject.
Like you say for yourself about SMH, its my club what else matters.
APIA, my local Club, LFC.
I've been following LFC since the '70's.
I don't care what Fenway do as long as they support/invest otherwise I hardly care to read about them but I'm all in following the Reds on their mediums AND due to modern times broadcasting I am UP watching "live" every single game for years, I do not bother with replays and quick highlights unless I'm on a flight or some circumstance out of my hands.

 

[melbcityguy]

robotic ? look in the mirror MCG what you watch week in week out here my friend.
Besides we can't compare top shelf players who are that "tuned" in every aspect of their game your bored ? lol.....
DeBruyne/Silva/a crafter like Bowen, Wirtz, Szobo, Macca, MO you can list a book of players but Boring ? omg.
I suppose Messi CR7 are robots as well.

OK like I quoted to Muz's post, horse's for course's, boredom is harsh but the league you follow as top flight is quite soso for top flight, the amount of resetting drive me nuts when I've watched, the errors galore, not boring but cringing what I would expect for Pro levels.
Whereas I enjoy the rawness of NPL and lower levels to Prem 1.

Like I said horse's for course's.

I mean the epl rarely make mistakes so it's like watching robots compared to a league where you either see a display a of brilliance or a mess up makes it more interesting for me

 

[LFC]

I mean the epl rarely make mistakes so it's like watching robots compared to a league where you either see a display a of brilliance or a mess up makes it more interesting for me

fark there's plenty of mistakes in EPL, how else do you score most goals, from errors/mistakes, loss of possession, bad pass, bad defending, being out smarted, badly taken pen miss's, GK errors, its all the same in the end.

 

[erogenouszone]

1998 was the pivotal tournament. The NSL was on its way out by 2002.

Anyone read this yet? Or will I be forced to buy it?

You can never hate Peter Hoare enough. I'm going to buy it as I was at that game and the subsequent calamity.

 

[Son of Sam]

You can never hate Peter Hoare enough. I'm going to buy it as I was at that game and the subsequent calamity.

I was there too with 19 others.