Survey 2000 Results (Long)
Tim Leidecker
their way through it ! Note that the % doesn't always exactly come to
100% as I rounded the figures up and down respectively.
1. Who do you think is the world's best keeper
going into the year 2000 ?
# Name Votes % Club Nation League
1 Kahn 19 27,5% Bayern Germany Bundesliga
2 Van der Sar 9 13,0% Juventus Holland Serie A
3 Abbiati 8 11,6% Milan Italy Serie A
4 Chilavert 7 10,1% Velez Paraguay 1a Div Arg
5 Dida 5 7,2% Corinthians Brazil Cmp Bra
6 Buffon 4 5,8% Parma Italy Serie A
7 Baía 2 2,9% Porto Portugal Cmp Pt
- Barthez 2 2,9% Monaco France Fr 1ère
- Dutruel 2 2,9% Celta France La Liga
- Toldo 2 2,9% Fiorentina Italy Serie A
11 Bosnich 1 1,4% Man United Australia Eng P'ship
- Dudek 1 1,4% Feyenoord Poland Eredivisie
- Keller 1 1,4% Rayo USA La Liga
- Király 1 1,4% Hertha Hungary Bundesliga
- Martyn 1 1,4% Leeds England Eng P'ship
- Pagliuca 1 1,4% Bologna Italy Serie A
- Palop 1 1,4% Valencia Spain La Liga
- Schmeichel 1 1,4% Sporting Denmark Cmp Pt
- Seaman 1 1,4% Arsenal England Eng P'ship
Total 69 99,4%
After receiving World Keeper honors by FIFA, ESM and IFFHS Bayern's
Oliver Kahn is now the "people's keeper" too. He received twice as
many votes as his runner-up Edwin Van der Sar who placed 2nd.
According to the poll the 3rd best keeper in the world is Milan
youngster Christian Abbiati who has 0 caps, has yet to complete
a full Serie A season and can't kick a ball straight, but hey,
this is what (over)hyping can do for you.
South American standouts José Luis Chilavert (despite retiring from
the national team) and Dida (despite a poor ConFed Cup but because
of strong showings in the Campeonato Brasileiro, the Copa
Libertadores and the World Club Championship) complete
the Top 5.
2. Who do you think is the best left back going into the year 2000 ?
# Name Votes % Club Nation League
1 Lizarazu 18 26,1% Bayern France Bundesliga
2 Maldini 16 23,2% Milan Italy Serie A
3 R Carlos 11 15,9% Real Madrid Brazil La Liga
4 Sergi 7 10,1% Barcelona Spain La Liga
5 Candela 4 5,8% Roma France Serie A
6 Irwin 3 4,3% Man United Ireland Eng P'ship
7 Aranzábal 1 1,4% R Sociedad Spain La Liga
- Babayaro 1 1,4% Chelsea Nigeria Eng P'ship
- Carboni 1 1,4% Valencia Italy La Liga
- Chivu 1 1,4% Ajax Romania Eredivisie
- Felipe 1 1,4% Vasco Brazil Cmp Bra
- Filipescu 1 1,4% Betis Romania La Liga
- Jarni 1 1,4% Las Palmas Croatia Spa 2a Div
- Mihajlovic 1 1,4% Lazio Yugoslavia Serie A
- Mykytyn 1 1,4% Shaktar Ukraine Ukr Cmp
- Numan 1 1,4% Rangers Holland Sco P'ship
Total 69 99,4%
Bayern and France defender Bixente Lizarazu replaces everybody's
default choice Paolo Maldini as "numero uno" by two votes. Real's
Roberto "Can't defend but attack quite handily" Carlos finishes
third.
Despite being relegated to the bench by Oranje lover Van Gaal
Barça's Sergi finished 4th in front of Roma's Vincent Candela,
Liza's understudy in the French national team.
For those of you who are wondering what business "holidaymaker"
Robert Jarni has on this list, I received the vote for him
before he moved to the holiday island.
3. Who do you think is the best central back going into the year 2000 ?
# Name Votes % Club Nation League
1 Nesta 21 30,4% Lazio Italy Serie A
2 Stam 20 29,0% Man United Holland Eng P'ship
3 Desailly 8 11,6% Chelsea France Eng P'ship
4 Gamarra 5 7,2% Atl Madrid Paraguay La Liga
- Hierro 5 7,2% Real Madrid Spain La Liga
6 F De Boer 2 2,9% Barcelona Holland La Liga
- Campbell 2 2,9% Tottenham England Eng P'ship
- Cannavaro 2 2,9% Parma Italy Serie A
9 Ferrara 1 1,4% Juventus Italy Serie A
- Montero 1 1,4% Juventus Uruguay Serie A
- Nowotny 1 1,4% Leverkusen Germany Bundesliga
- Samuel 1 1,4% Boca Jrs Argentina 1a Div Arg
Total 69 99,7%
What a race ! The very final vote decided in favor of Lazio captain
Alessandro Nesta and against Man United monster defender Jaap Stam.
But when you think of it it's probably deserved since Stam himself
has admitted he often has trouble defending smaller, faster forwards
while Nesta is able to mark anybody out of the game thanks to his
greater pace.
Marcel Desailly is the best of the rest: Even though he has
become soft and slow compared to his Milan heyday he still does
a remarkable job for both club and country leading France to
Euro 2000 and Chelsea into the 2nd stage of the Champions
League.
The "main men" in defense for Spanish capitol teams Atlético and
Real Madrid round up the Top 5. Gamarra needs to leave the sinking
ship and come to Serie A to show his stuff. For Fernando Hierro
it's probably to late, he has become quite slow and injury prone,
this year's Champions League and Euro 2000 might be his final
hurray.
To my surprise no one has voted for Bayern's Sammy Kuffour who is
rated very high by many top teams and coaches (Trap!) throughout
Europe.
4. Who do you think is the best right back going into the year 2000 ?
# Name Votes % Club Nation League
1 Thuram 32 46,4% Parma France Serie A
2 Cafú 14 20,3% Roma Brazil Serie A
3 Torricelli 6 8,7% Fiorentina Italy Serie A
4 Reiziger 4 5,8% Barcelona Holland La Liga
5 Petrescu 3 4,3% Chelsea Romania Eng P'ship
6 Arce 2 2,9% Palmeiras Paraguay Cmp Bra
- M Salgado 2 2,9% Real Madrid Spain La Liga
- Panucci 2 2,9% Inter Italy Serie A
- Simic 2 2,9% Inter Croatia Serie A
10 Aguilera 1 1,4% Atl Madrid Spain La Liga
- Starostiak 1 1,4% Shaktar Ukraine Ukr Cmp
Total 69 99,9%
Thuram by a mile ! The French back is so good at what he does it's
about time get gets some recognition. Oliver Bierhoff said in an
interview recently that Lilian is not only the toughest defender
he ever had the dubious pleasure to play against but also in his
eyes currently the best player in the world overall. But since
it's all about goals and flashy tricks these days...
The "attacking choice" Cafú comes in 2nd with respective 14 votes.
Taking over the captains armband from Dunga for Brazil shows that
he also become an influential and respected player.
The third spot is owned by Viola's energetic but unfortunately far
too often injured defender Moreno Torricelli. "The worst good
right back" Michael Reiziger is 4th in front of Romania's Dan
Petrescu who has been quite impressive for Chelsea in the
Champions League so far.
Before you ask, Shaktar Donet'sk is the 2nd force in the Ukraine
Championship behind Dynamo Kiev.
5. Who do you think is the best left midfielder
going into the year 2000 ?
# Name Votes % Club Nation League
1 Nedved 28 40,6% Lazio Czech Rep Serie A
2 Cocu 14 20,3% Barcelona Holland La Liga
3 Ziege 6 8,7% M'brough Germany Eng P'ship
4 Berger 4 5,8% Liverpool Czech Rep Eng P'ship
- Georgatos 4 5,8% Inter Greece Serie A
- J Stankovic 4 5,8% Mallorca Yugoslavia La Liga
7 Heinrich 3 4,3% Fiorentina Germany Serie A
8 Bode 1 1,4% Werder Germany Bundesliga
- Di Francesco 1 1,4% Roma Italy Serie A
- Giggs 1 1,4% Man United Wales Eng P'ship
- Jørgensen 1 1,4% Udinese Denmark Serie A
- Rapaic 1 1,4% Perugia Croatia Serie A
- V Bronckhorst 1 1,4% Rangers Holland Sco P'ship
Total 69 99,7%
Pavel Nedved is the people's favourite, even after a (for his standards)
"modest" 98/99 season where he wasn't always a first choice regular for
Lazio. But the little Czech returned to people's minds with great games
and goals in the last ever (?) Cup Winners' Cup Final as well as the
European Super Cup.
2nd on the chart is Barça's awesome alrounder Philip Cocu. If Nedved is
really "that much" better than him is another question, perhaps there is
a slight Serie A bias after all. Football fans can find out in a few
months time when the Dutch take on the Czech Republic in Euro 2000.
Christian Ziege is back on track after a (red and) black time in Milano
delighting the fans in Middlesbrough. His hattrick in the Euro 2000
qualifyer against Nothern Ireland also marked his comeback on the
international scene. Joining him in the Top 5 is another Czech,
Liverpool's Patrick Berger and Inter's "new Greek" Grigoris
Georgatos.
6. Who do you think is the best right midfielder
going into the year 2000 ?
# Name Votes % Club Nation League
1 Beckham 37 53,6% Man United England Eng P'ship
2 Zanetti 10 14,5% Inter Argentina Serie A
3 Karpin 5 7,2% Celta Russia La Liga
- Mendieta 5 7,2% Valencia Spain La Liga
5 S Conceição 3 4,3% Lazio Portugal Serie A
- D Stankovic 3 4,3% Lazio Yugoslavia Serie A
7 Deisler 2 2,9% Hertha Germany Bundesliga
- McManaman 2 2,9% Real Madrid England La Liga
9 Anderton 1 1,4% Tottenham England Eng P'ship
- Conte 1 1,4% Juventus Italy Serie A
Total 69 99,7%
Is he really that good or do we all believe the hype the media
spreads about him by now ?
There is a well-known chant in Italy (at least in Milan) which
goes like this:
"What will happen, what will happen, what will happen
What will happen with this Inter who knows ?"
The one thing I know is that their Argentine midfielder Zanetti has
been one of the few (if not even *the*) constant highlight in the
meagre play of the "Black & Blue" in the past couple of years.
Liga greats Valery Karpin and Gaizka Mendieta (he needs to break
into the national team now) share the 3rd spot as do Lazio
colleagues Sergio Conceição and Dejan Stankovic with the
5th.
7. Who do you think is the best defensive midfielder
going into the year 2000 ?
# Name Votes % Club Nation League
1 Davids 24 34,8% Juventus Holland Serie A
2 Keane 22 31,9% Man United Ireland Eng Pre'ship
3 Emerson 5 7,2% Leverkusen Brazil Bundesliga
4 Petit 4 5,8% Arsenal France Eng P'ship
5 Ambrosini 3 4,3% Milan Italy Serie A
- Guardiola 3 4,3% Barcelona Spain La Liga
7 Jeremies 2 2,9% Bayern Germany Bundesliga
- Simeone 2 2,9% Lazio Argentina Serie A
9 Ferguson 1 1,4% Rangers Scotland Sco P'ship
- Kaladze 1 1,4% Dynamo Kiev Georgia Ukr Cmp
- Nowak 1 1,4% Wolfsburg Poland Bundesliga
- Vogel 1 1,4% PSV Switzerland Eredivisie
Total 69 99,7%
Edgar Davids has edged out Roy Keane but the problem I have with the
"Bulldog" is that he simply doesn't score the crucial goals the
Fighting Irishman does.
Roma target and Dunga successor Emerson Ferreira Da Rosa takes 3rd
place after putting on a World Class show for Leverkusen (and Brazil)
in the last 1½ years, especially in the Champions League where he
simply outclassed Lazio's Juan Verón. Oh, I'm looking forward to the
Roma derby next season...
World Cup hero Emanuel Petit still has his fans even after an
injury-plagued time at Arsenal recently. Up and coming fighter
Massimo Ambrosini shares the 5th spot with currently out of form
Barça capitano Pep Guardiola.
Interestingly Diego Simeone is still rated higher by the fans than
Gazzetta and Eriksson darling Matias Almeyda who is starting in front
of him. Nobody rates Redondo anymore ?
8. Who do you think is the best offensive midfielder
going into the year 2000 ?
# Name Votes % Club Nation League
1 Luis Enrique 30 43,5% Barcelona Spain La Liga
2 Leonardo 6 8,7% Milan Brazil Serie A
3 Poyet 5 7,2% Chelsea Uruguay Eng P'ship
4 Giovanni 4 5,8% Olympiakos Brazil Grk Cmp
- Mostovoi 4 5,8% Celta Russia La Liga
- Seedorf 4 5,8% Inter Holland Serie A
7 Juninho 3 4,3% M'brough Brazil Eng P'ship
8 Beinlich 2 2,9% Leverkusen Germany Bundesliga
- Hadji 2 2,9% Coventry Morocco Eng P'ship
- Rivaldo 2 2,9% Barcelona Brazil La Liga
11 Aguinaga 1 1,4% Necaxa Mexico Mex Cmp
- Deco 1 1,4% Porto Brazil Cmp Pt
- Mendieta 1 1,4% Valencia Spain La Liga
- Micoud 1 1,4% Bordeaux France Fr 1ère
- Möller 1 1,4% Dortmund Germany Bundesliga
- Tomasson 1 1,4% Feyenoord Denmark Eredivisie
- Totti 1 1,4% Roma Italy Serie A
Total 69 99,6%
Basically this category was meant to include midfielders who score
a lot of goals and don't have any real playmaking skills but in the
end some players that could also be described as playmakers (Seedorf),
wingers (Hadji) or (support) strikers (Rivaldo, Totti) ended up there
as well.
Anyway, I'm glad Luis Enrique won because it was long overdue that his
achievements and contribution for Barça and Spain were recognized. Van
Gaal is an absolute §$@%&! for benching him.
Milan's Leo who has been playing injured for the last 1½ years,
Chelsea's jack of all trades Poyet, "Jimmy Spitts" Giovanni who has
finally found a home in Greece, the "Czar of Vigo" and headcase
Seedorf are placed next.
I think it's time for Egor Titov to come to Serie A so people will
start realizing his genius...
9. Who do you think is the best playmaker going into the year 2000 ?
# Name Votes % Club Nation League
1 Verón 18 26,5% Lazio Argentina Serie A
2 Zidane 16 23,5% Juventus France Serie A
3 Rui Costa 10 14,7% Fiorentina Portugal Serie A
4 Boban 8 11,8% Milan Croatia Serie A
5 Effenberg 3 4,4% Bayern Germany Bundesliga
6 Hagi 2 2,9% G'saray Romania Trk Cmp
- Herzog 2 2,9% Werder Austria Bundesliga
- Rivaldo 2 2,9% Barcelona Brazil La Liga
9 De La Peña 1 1,5% Marseille Spain Fr 1ère
- Mihajlovic 1 1,5% Lazio Yugoslavia Serie A
- Prosinecki 1 1,5% Croatia Croatia Cro Cmp
- Riquelme 1 1,5% Boca Jrs Argentina 1a Div Arg
- Sergen 1 1,5% Fenerbahçe Turkey Trk Cmp
- Sousa 1 1,5% Parma Portugal Serie A
- Totti 1 1,5% Roma Italy Serie A
Total 68 100,1%
It came like it had to, Juan "Valor Excesivo" Verón, Zinedine
"Article Truqué" Zidane and Rui "Preguiçoso Twat" Costa who
would make my "All Overrated Team" without any problems
finished Top 3.
But who can blame the people, after all they had little to chose
from, a "Zorro" Boban who has seen only limited action in the
last couple of months, be it because of injuries or "tactical
reasons" (Zac).
Or a Stefan Effenberg who was brilliant last season but sucked
just like the rest of Bayern this year after picking up an
injury in preseason.
10. Who do you think is the best 9½ (support striker)
going into the year 2000 ?
# Name Votes % Club Nation League
1 Del Piero 15 22,1% Juventus Italy Serie A
2 Scholes 8 11,8% Man United England Eng P'ship
- Totti 8 11,8% Roma Italy Serie A
4 Recoba 7 10,3% Inter Uruguay Serie A
5 Djorkaeff 5 7,4% K'lautern France Bundesliga
6 Gallardo 4 5,9% Monaco Argentina Fr 1ère
- Litmanen 4 5,9% Barcelona Finland La Liga
- Nakata 4 5,9% Roma Japan Serie A
- Ortega 4 5,9% Parma Argentina Serie A
10 Rivaldo 2 2,9% Barcelona Brazil La Liga
- Scholl 2 2,9% Bayern Germany Bundesliga
12 Cruz 1 1,5% Feyenoord Argentina Eredivisie
- Ilie 1 1,5% Valencia Romania La Liga
- Okocha 1 1,5% PSG Nigeria Fr 1ère
- Saviola 1 1,5% River Plate Argentina 1a Div Arg
- Zola 1 1,5% Chelsea Italy Eng P'ship
Total 68 100,3%
Alex Del Piero is king again in people's eyes. And he is the one
making a difference, even for a club like Juve. His crown princes
are United's fiery redhead Paul Scholes and Roma's "Little Prince"
(how fitting) Francesco Totti.
Inter supersub Recoba and DJ Djorkaeff, the best offensive player
in the Bundesliga (kicker) complete the Top 5. Notice that there
are 4 Argentineans to make this list, the South Americans still
have the monopoly in that position after all. The problem of
these players is though, that they are by far not as good
protected and encouraged to "play" then a Del Piero.
11. Who do you think is the best winger going into the year 2000 ?
# Name Votes % Club Nation League
1 Figo 33 48,5% Barcelona Portugal La Liga
2 Overmars 13 19,1% Arsenal Holland Eng P'ship
3 Giggs 7 10,3% Man United Wales Eng P'ship
4 Denílson 5 7,4% Betis Brazil La Liga
5 Ginola 3 4,4% Tottenham France Eng P'ship
6 Sávio 2 2,9% Real Madrid Brazil La Liga
7 C López 1 1,5% Valencia Argentina La Liga
- José Marí 1 1,5% Milan Spain Serie A
- Kewell 1 1,5% Leeds Australia Eng P'ship
- Neuville 1 1,5% Leverkusen Germany Bundesliga
- Serginho 1 1,5% Milan Brazil Serie A
Total 68 100,1%
Luis Figo has stepped up his game even more from last season finally
breaking into the World Class. Gunner Marc Overmars has taken a longer
"timeout" after a most impresse World Cup but is now almost as good as
before again.
One trick pony Ryan Giggs and the most expensive flop in football
history Denílson follow at #3 and #4. Après: Flamboyant Spur David
Ginola.
Is it only me or is Serie A seriously lacking some World Class
wingers ? It's all Liga and Premiership in here !
12. Who do you think is the best central forward
going into the year 2000 ?
# Name Votes % Club Nation League
1 Rivaldo 15 22,1% Barcelona Brazil La Liga
- Shevchenko 15 22,1% Milan Ukraine Serie A
3 Batistuta 13 19,1% Fiorentina Argentina Serie A
4 Vieri 7 10,3% Inter Italy Serie A
5 Raúl 6 8,8% Real Madrid Spain La Liga
6 Kluivert 3 4,4% Barcelona Holland La Liga
7 Jardel 2 2,9% Porto Brazil Cmp Pt
8 Claudio López 1 1,5% Valencia Argentina La Liga
- Hakan Sükür 1 1,5% G'saray Turkey Trk Cmp
- Hasselbaink 1 1,5% Atl Madrid Holland La Liga
- Morientes 1 1,5% Real Madrid Spain La Liga
- Phillips 1 1,5% Sunderland England Eng P'ship
- Salas 1 1,5% Lazio Chile Serie A
- V Nistelrooij 1 1,5% PSV Holland Eredivisie
Total 68 100,2%
Shevy ties the FIFA Player Of The Year and Golden Ball winner Rivaldo
on the final vote. Both players edge out "Batigol" Batistuta by only
2 votes. The pride of the Italian and Spanish attack, Vieri and Raúl
respectively claim the other places in the Top 5.
La Liga and Serie A have the best forwards. The rest of Europe (and
the world ?) is clearly lacking World Class ones in a greater
quantity.
Surprisingly no votes for Bierhoff, Élber or Ronaldo...
13. Who do you think is the best coach going into the year 2000 ?
# Name Votes % Club/Team Nation League
1 Ferguson 13 18,8% Man United Scotland Eng P'ship
2 Lobanovskyi 9 13,0% Dynamo Kiev Ukraine Ukr Cmp
3 Hitzfeld 8 11,6% Bayern Germany Bundesliga
4 Van Gaal 7 10,1% Barcelona Holland La Liga
5 Eriksson 6 8,7% Lazio Sweden Serie A
6 Capello 5 7,2% Roma Italy Serie A
7 Ancelotti 3 4,3% Juventus Italy Serie A
- Fernández 3 4,3% Celta Spain La Liga
9 Eggen 2 2,9% Rosenborg Norway Nor Cmp
- Irureta 2 2,9% La Coruña Spain La Liga
- Zaccheroni 2 2,9% Milan Italy Serie A
12 Bianchi 1 1,4% Boca Jrs Argentina 1a Div Arg
- Heynckes 1 1,4% Benfica Germany Cmp Pt
- Johansson 1 1,4% Denmark Denmark n/a
- Mazzone 1 1,4% Perugia Italy Serie A
- Pua 1 1,4% Uruguay Uruguay n/a
- Röber 1 1,4% Hertha Germany Bundesliga
- Sacchi 1 1,4% None Italy n/a
- Trapattoni 1 1,4% Fiorentina Italy Serie A
- Wenger 1 1,4% Arsenal France Eng P'ship
Total 69 100,1%
Sir Alex has led Man United to the Triple so he has to be the best
coach. Lobanovskyi is rated highly because of his ability to play
effective and (partly) attractive football with mostly only local
players and the "of one piece" style of his teams.
Bayern's Ottmar Hitzfeld, one of the winningest coaches of the 90s
(1x Champions League, 1x Intercontinental Cup, 3x Bundesliga) came
in 3rd before Barçajax' Van Gaal who although being criticised a
lot by media and local fans seems to have his followers.
Lazio "genius" Sven-Göran Eriksson edges out his cross-city rival
Fabio Capello for the final Top 5 spot.
14. What do you think is currently the best league in the world ?
# League Votes %
1 Serie A 44 61,1%
2 La Liga 13 18,1%
3 Premiership) 9 12,5%
4 Bundesliga 3 4,2%
5 Brasileiro 2 2,8%
6 Scottish Div 2 1 1,4%
Total 72 100,1%
Serie A is still first but La Liga is catching up. Premiership at
3 is wishful thinking by the English, I guess I shouldn't have
posted this to a.s.s.e.u. ;-)
Bundesliga and Brasileiro also receiving (some) votes, Scottish
Division 2 dead last is reality I guess... :-)
15. What do you think is the best tactical formation ?
# System Votes %
1 4-4-2 26 38,2%
2 3-5-2 15 22,1%
3 3-4-3 13 19,1%
4 4-3-3 6 8,8%
5 3-4-1-2 4 5,9%
6 4-1-3-2 1 1,5%
- 4-2-3-1 1 1,5%
- 4-2-4 1 1,5%
- 4-3-1-2 1 1,5%
Total 68 100,1%
The traditional lineups (4-4-2 and 3-5-2) are still top but one can't
deny the offensive evolution of the 3-4-3 (if you count 3-4-3 and
3-4-1-2 together it has already gotten more votes than 3-5-2).
4-3-3 is sort of an unbalanced system these days as the team playing
it often has trouble controlling midfield and when it rushes the
wingbacks up the defense gets exposed oftenly.
France's World Cup system (4-2-3-1) as well as the ultra-offensive
4-2-4 and the ultra-defensive 4-3-1-2 will IMO remain exceptions for
special teams in the future.
16. What is more important for you: Club or Country ?
# Opinion Votes %
1 Club 42 58,3%
2 Country 30 41,7%
Total 72 100,0%
Club competition has outstripped national team action but not by such
a large margin that it is necessary to stage a World Cup every 2nd
year like Blatter planned.
17. Do you think there is too much football on TV ?
# Opinion Votes %
1 No 50 69,4%
2 Yes 22 30,6%
Total 72 100,0%
The majority still can't get enough but the fact that a 3 out of 10
football fans, especially in Western Europe where there's basically
a football game every day on free tv, already have enough which is
an alarming fact IMO. If you have champagne and caviar every day
some time it won't taste good anymore...
18. What do you think about the increasing wages and transfer fees ?
Is it getting out of hand or are players finally receiving their
piece of the cake ?
# Wages & Fees Votes %
1 Out of Hand 51 71,8%
2 Piece of Cake 20 28,2%
Total 71
The "cake" argument is that the offer decides the demand (or vice
versa) and if the teams are willing to pay that much it is only
fair that the players receive that kind of money.
But even the blindest advocate who cites the fees paid in US sports
(these have gone outlandish long time ago) cannot disregard that
something is going terribly wrong - or when was the last time the
pope got engaged in a football matter ?
19. How do you rate the level of play compared to 10 years ago ?
# Opinion Votes %
1 Better 36 52,2%
2 Same 20 29,0%
3 Worse 8 11,6%
4 Much Better 5 7,2%
Total 69 100,0%
The general opinion was that it's better than 10 years ago but worse
compared to the 70s. The standard of attacking is higher these days
(also thanks to some of the new rules and tougher enforcement of
some of the old ones) but the level of defending has dropped
dramatically because of that. Overall the game has become
faster and more athletic but unfortunately also less
creative.
20. Do you think the "3-foreigners-only"-rule should be reintroduced ?
# Opinion Votes %
1 No 42 59,2%
2 Yes 29 40,8%
Total 71 100,0%
There may be several reasons for it e.g. Barça turning Dutch, Arsenal
turning French or smaller clubs getting more and more into trouble
because they don't get a compensation for their lenghtily trained
players who can be snapped up for free by the big clubs once their
contract is up.
One thing's for sure, there will be a change again, after all
football or rather FIFA makes it's own rules. I don't think it will
go back to 3 foreigners a side but maybe 5 ?
21. Which competition is more entertaining and exciting ?
# Competition Votes %
1 Champions League 54 76,1%
2 UEFA Cup 17 23,9%
Total 71 100,0%
The overwhelming majority of more than ¾ (still) like the CL better
but 23,9% voting for the "meaningless Micky Mouse Cup", for the
"Cup of Losers" indicate that people are pretty pissed off about
the lot of boring group stage games in the Kings' Class and that
the UEFA Cup has produced some exciting matches this year with the
Cup Winners' and CL Stage 1 3rd's also participating.
22. What do you think about the number of teams currently
participating in the Champions League ?
# N° of Teams Votes %
1 Too Much 42 58,3%
2 Just Right 29 40,3%
3 Could Be More 1 1,4%
Total 72 100,0%
Although 4/10 are content with the current format and one confused soul
even advocated increasing it even more the majority is of the opinion
that 32 teams are too much.
This is also reflected in the average attendances for the Champions
League, some games, especially in big "football capitols" like Munich,
Milan, Barcelona or Madrid have taken place in front of half to two
thirds empty stadiums.
23. Do you think the level of play has suffered since the
increase of teams in the Champions League ?
# Opinion Votes %
1 No 46 63,9%
2 Yes 26 36,1%
Total 72 100,0%
The majority disagrees but almost 4 out of 10 agree with King Johan
and think the likes of Maribor, Molde and Willem II have done the
Champions League more harm than good.
24. Do you think it's good or bad that the 3rd-placed teams from the
1st stage of the Champions League get "relegated" into the UEFA
Cup ?
# Opinion Votes %
1 Bad 40 56,3%
2 Good 31 43,7%
Total 71 100,0%
I'm a little surprised by the response because this innovation has
paid off big time already this season: Teams in the Champions
League have given an efford until the final matchday even though
they couldn't qualify for the 2nd stage anymore (I only say
Galatasaray against Milan) and the UEFA Cup has received a great
"injection" of quality as well.
The purists will of course disagree and state the UEFA Cup becomes
watered down even more, becomes the "Cup of Losers" even more and
loses its independence but overall I'd say this rule has done far
more good than harm (otherwise people would have been robbed of
the great Dortmund - Rangers games for example).
25. Who do you think is going to win the Champions League this year ?
# Team Votes %
1 Barcelona 28 38,9%
2 Lazio 21 29,2%
3 Bayern 7 9,7%
4 Man United 5 6,9%
5 Porto 3 4,2%
6 Real Madrid 2 2,8%
7 Chelsea 1 1,4%
- Feyenoord 1 1,4%
- Fiorentina 1 1,4%
- Marseille 1 1,4%
- Rosenborg 1 1,4%
- Valencia 1 1,4%
Total 72 100,1%
Barcelona VS. Lazio, yep that would a great Final. But how does that
saying go ? First it comes different and second than you think. More
people show faith in Bayern to make the Final again than in the
reigning Champions repeating.
Teams which have not been voted for: Bordeaux, Hertha, Kiev
and Sparta Prague.
26. Who do you think is goin to win the UEFA Cup this year ?
# Team Votes %
1 Juventus 30 42,3%
2 Roma 9 12,7%
3 Leeds 6 8,5%
4 La Coruña 5 7,0%
5 Arsenal 4 5,6%
- Celta 4 5,6%
- Parma 4 5,6%
8 Bremen 3 4,2%
- Monaco 3 4,2%
10 Galatasaray 2 2,8%
11 Atl Madrid 1 1,4%
Total 71 99,9%
We may very well have the 5th all-Italian UEFA Cup Final since 1990
this year. Outsider chances are given to the (former) league leaders
of England (Leeds), Spain (Depor) and France (Monaco). Only around
3 out of 50 people believe in a title defense of holders Parma.
27. Do you miss the Cup Winners' Cup ?
# Opinion Votes %
1 Yes 42 58,3%
2 No 30 41,7%
Total 72 100,0%
Blatter, you have stolen us the CWC, give it back ! It was a stage for
the smaller clubs (Zaragoza, Mallorca or Vicenza! only to name a few) to
present themselves and advance to the later rounds, something which has
become impossible now with the CWC/UEFA Cup mix.
28. Who do you think is going to win Euro 2000 ?
# Team Votes %
1 Holland 29 40,8%
2 Spain 18 25,4%
3 Germany 6 8,5%
4 Czech Rep 4 5,6%
- Portugal 4 5,6%
6 England 2 2,8%
- Italy 2 2,8%
- Romania 2 2,8%
9 France 1 1,4%
- Sweden 1 1,4%
- Turkey 1 1,4%
- Yugoslavia 1 1,4%
Total 71 99,9%
Let's drop the group stage and the knockout phase and go straight to
the Final between co-host Oranje and Spain. But ah-ah, that's not how
it works. As I've said before, my dark horse is the Czech Republic
anyway (lots of talent in every part of their team, Nedved,
underrated again and have no pressure).
Interestingly nobody thinks Belgium has a prayer.
29. How many football matches do you attend live at the stadium
every season ?
# Total Votes %
1 01-05 34 47,2%
2 0 14 19,4%
3 10-19 8 11,1%
4 20-29 7 9,7%
5 06-09 5 6,9%
6 30-39 4 5,6%
Total 72
Fortunately 8 out of 10 fans have already seen a football stadium in
person from the inside.
To the ones who don't have the chance to see live games on a regular
basis: Think about going to Europe or South America for your holidays.
To the ones who have the chance but don't use it: Shame on you !
Against the common belief you can also be a "hardcore fan" i.e. also
travelling to away matches and still be on the internet.
30. What do you think of Sepp Blatter as President of FIFA ?
# Opinion Votes %
1 Moron 28 38,9%
2 Same as Havelange 24 33,3%
3 I don't care 14 19,4%
4 Doing a good job 6 8,3%
Total 72
The opinion on him is split like the things he did since becoming
FIFA president: On one side he had good ideas like the unified
worldwide football calendar or the World Club Championship (even
though the jury is still pretty much on that one) and on the other
hand he wants to stage a World Cup every 2 years (even more strains
for players, coaches and fans) and increase the size of the goals...
If I may borrow a quote of Daniele Paserman:
"He is volcano of new ideas: some good, some less."
That's it for me for the moment, I will make some graphic diagrams
as well as an even deeper analysis of the data with quotes from the
people participating and put it on the web as soon as I have time
(and drive).
Ciao,
Tim
--
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Aber reissen wir nicht alle auch dann unser Maul auf ?
Wo Zurueckhaltung angebracht waere ?
Wir Menschen sind doch seltsame Geschoepfe.
- Rolf Schmitz 1930-1999
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Paul Mettewie
> 6. Who do you think is the best right midfielder
> going into the year 2000 ?
>
> # Name Votes % Club Nation League
>
> 1 Beckham 37 53,6% Man United England Eng P'ship
> 2 Zanetti 10 14,5% Inter Argentina Serie A
> 3 Karpin 5 7,2% Celta Russia La Liga
> - Mendieta 5 7,2% Valencia Spain La Liga
> 5 S Conceição 3 4,3% Lazio Portugal Serie A
> - D Stankovic 3 4,3% Lazio Yugoslavia Serie A
> 7 Deisler 2 2,9% Hertha Germany Bundesliga
> - McManaman 2 2,9% Real Madrid England La Liga
> 9 Anderton 1 1,4% Tottenham England Eng P'ship
> - Conte 1 1,4% Juventus Italy Serie A
>
> Total 69 99,7%
>
> Is he really that good or do we all believe the hype the media
> spreads about him by now ?
>
> There is a well-known chant in Italy (at least in Milan) which
> goes like this:
>
> "What will happen, what will happen, what will happen
> What will happen with this Inter who knows ?"
It is a sad spectacle when the lurid and deranged imagination
of a Milanista spews forth from an otherwise rationale mind!
Seek counseling Tim - you have strayed to the Dark Side.
> The one thing I know is that their Argentine midfielder Zanetti has
> been one of the few (if not even *the*) constant highlight in the
> meagre play of the "Black & Blue" in the past couple of years.
1997-98 wasn't meager - Inter battled Juve all the
way for the scudetto, finished second and won the
UEFA Cup. So we move on to......
Inter had a bad 1998-99 - this season they are ahead
of a certain other Milanese team (even if only on goal
differential.) So if Inter is having yet another meagre
(or meager as us bloody Yanks spell it) year then I
would hate to think (on the other hand I don't hate
to think about it that way!) what kind of year the
Other Team of Milano (tm) is having.
But yes, "El Tractor", "Saverio", "Capitan" has been
the most long-lived and consistent of Inter players. He
recently signed an extension with a raise so he is off the
market until 2004 hopefully. May Real Madrid turn
green with envy.
> One trick pony Ryan Giggs and the most expensive flop in football
> history Denílson follow at #3 and #4. Après: Flamboyant Spur David
> Ginola.
Maybe Riggs' game is not the most balanced - but if the
one trick he does have is working, why be so snotty?
He remains the only Welshman worth his salt in the
world arena. Of course this might be "damning with faint
praise."
> Is it only me or is Serie A seriously lacking some World Class
> wingers ? It's all Liga and Premiership in here !
Moriero is the best Serie A winger when he is on his
game - but injuries and the tactical manueverings of
Lippi have marginalized him. At his best last season
Checco was quite good, reminding some of Bruno
Conti, the little winger who helped Italy to the 1982
WC. I have no idea what Inter will do with him with
all the shenanigans going on about starters on attack.
In a 3-5-2, Lippi's preferred formation, Moriero fits
in best as the flanking halfback on the right, but this
makes Inter vulnerable to strikes from the left wing of
the opponent since Panucci, the right back, also loves
to wander up on attack.
> 13. Who do you think is the best coach going into the year 2000 ?
>
> # Name Votes % Club/Team Nation League
>
> 5 Eriksson 6 8,7% Lazio Sweden Serie A
I doubt if the opinion of Eriksson amongst fans of Serie A
in Italy is anywhere near this high.
> 6 Capello 5 7,2% Roma Italy Serie A
> 7 Ancelotti 3 4,3% Juventus Italy Serie A
Ancelotti has done a good job re-interesting Juve's players
in pursuing the scudetto.
> - Zaccheroni 2 2,9% Milan Italy Serie A
Residual support from last year?
> - Mazzone 1 1,4% Perugia Italy Serie A
Considered by many who follow Serie A closely as
the manager who gets the most from the least in Italy.
He is not photogenic and probably won't be managing
much longer, but he remains an excellent soccer mind.
> - Sacchi 1 1,4% None Italy n/a
Managing his Championship Manager team?
> - Trapattoni 1 1,4% Fiorentina Italy Serie A
Trap is good, there is no doubt of that, but he needs all
his starters to be healthy because the reserves the Viola
have are less than overwhelming.
> 15. What do you think is the best tactical formation ?
>
> # System Votes %
>
> 1 4-4-2 26 38,2%
> 2 3-5-2 15 22,1%
> 3 3-4-3 13 19,1%
> 4 4-3-3 6 8,8%
> 5 3-4-1-2 4 5,9%
> 6 4-1-3-2 1 1,5%
> - 4-2-3-1 1 1,5%
> - 4-2-4 1 1,5%
> - 4-3-1-2 1 1,5%
>
> Total 68 100,1%
>
> The traditional lineups (4-4-2 and 3-5-2) are still top but one can't
> deny the offensive evolution of the 3-4-3 (if you count 3-4-3 and
> 3-4-1-2 together it has already gotten more votes than 3-5-2).
The 3-4-1-2 was very popular in Italy a few years back
but now only a few clubs use it - the dominant formations
being the 4-4-2 and 3-5-2. Juve can make the 3-4-1-2 work
when Zidane is on form, but other than that, this formation
is not the big factor in Italy it once was.
> 4-3-3 is sort of an unbalanced system these days as the team playing
> it often has trouble controlling midfield and when it rushes the
> wingbacks up the defense gets exposed oftenly.
This can happen with the 3-5-2 as well.
> France's World Cup system (4-2-3-1) as well as the ultra-offensive
> 4-2-4 and the ultra-defensive 4-3-1-2 will IMO remain exceptions for
> special teams in the future.
The 5-3-2 still rears its' ugly head from time to time in
Italy. Inter has played it in the past although I have yet to
see Lippi use it, even at the end of matches.
I am also waiting for the 1-3-3-3 to come back into vogue! ;)
(now there was a classic catenaccio formation!)
> 16. What is more important for you: Club or Country ?
>
> # Opinion Votes %
>
> 1 Club 42 58,3%
> 2 Country 30 41,7%
>
> Total 72 100,0%
>
> Club competition has outstripped national team action but not by such
> a large margin that it is necessary to stage a World Cup every 2nd
> year like Blatter planned.
I am surprised it was this close! To me the average Italian
Serie A fan regards all but the most attractive international
matches as a rude interruption to league play. I know I do!
> 17. Do you think there is too much football on TV ?
>
> # Opinion Votes %
>
> 1 No 50 69,4%
> 2 Yes 22 30,6%
>
> Total 72 100,0%
>
> The majority still can't get enough but the fact that a 3 out of 10
> football fans, especially in Western Europe where there's basically
> a football game every day on free tv, already have enough which is
> an alarming fact IMO. If you have champagne and caviar every day
> some time it won't taste good anymore...
Crikey - I wish this was a problem for me!!! :-(
> 18. What do you think about the increasing wages and transfer fees ?
> Is it getting out of hand or are players finally receiving their
> piece of the cake ?
>
> # Wages & Fees Votes %
>
> 1 Out of Hand 51 71,8%
> 2 Piece of Cake 20 28,2%
>
> Total 71
>
> The "cake" argument is that the offer decides the demand (or vice
> versa) and if the teams are willing to pay that much it is only
> fair that the players receive that kind of money.
So why should only the TV barons and owners get the
big bucks? No Rivaldo, no Vieri and there is a heckuva
lot less spectacle - the players should get their piece of
the pie.
I find those who regard player wages as being out
of hand out of step with the reality of today's soccer
marketplace - billions are being made on the sport
and yet some of us insist that the very core of it should
be left out of the pot of gold?
It doesn't make sense to leave the players out!
> But even the blindest advocate who cites the fees paid in US sports
> (these have gone outlandish long time ago) cannot disregard that
> something is going terribly wrong - or when was the last time the
> pope got engaged in a football matter ?
Sure, things are out of hand, but blaming the players
is very one-dimensional. Blame the managers, blame
the media, hell, blame ourselves while we're at it!!!
> 19. How do you rate the level of play compared to 10 years ago ?
>
> # Opinion Votes %
>
> 1 Better 36 52,2%
> 2 Same 20 29,0%
> 3 Worse 8 11,6%
> 4 Much Better 5 7,2%
>
> Total 69 100,0%
>
> The general opinion was that it's better than 10 years ago but worse
> compared to the 70s. The standard of attacking is higher these days
How did you determine this? (Play is better now than 10 years
ago, but worse than 20 years ago....) Is this as a result of your
thread with Karel? Gee....talk about our destiny being determined
by a moneyed few......;-)
> 21. Which competition is more entertaining and exciting ?
>
> # Competition Votes %
>
> 1 Champions League 54 76,1%
> 2 UEFA Cup 17 23,9%
>
> Total 71 100,0%
>
> The overwhelming majority of more than ¾ (still) like the CL better
> but 23,9% voting for the "meaningless Micky Mouse Cup", for the
> "Cup of Losers" indicate that people are pretty pissed off about
> the lot of boring group stage games in the Kings' Class and that
> the UEFA Cup has produced some exciting matches this year with the
> Cup Winners' and CL Stage 1 3rd's also participating.
The CL is better, but only because of the late stages - as a
balanced competition the UEFA Cup is far better.
Your "Losers Cup" comment is typical Milanista Tim!
So to give you a typical Interista chant.......
Mai stati in B!
> 27. Do you miss the Cup Winners' Cup ?
>
> # Opinion Votes %
>
> 1 Yes 42 58,3%
> 2 No 30 41,7%
>
> Total 72 100,0%
>
> Blatter, you have stolen us the CWC, give it back ! It was a stage for
> the smaller clubs (Zaragoza, Mallorca or Vicenza! only to name a few) to
> present themselves and advance to the later rounds, something which has
> become impossible now with the CWC/UEFA Cup mix.
I am no Blatter fan, but......
while I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiment that the
CWC should never have been dropped - I still feel that blaming
Blatter is somewhat like blaming the bearer of ill tidings
and not those really responsible. Blame the media barons
who forced Blatter's hand. UEFA was running scared
from the SuperLeague Bogeyman.
> 28. Who do you think is going to win Euro 2000 ?
>
> # Team Votes %
>
> 1 Holland 29 40,8%
> 2 Spain 18 25,4%
> 3 Germany 6 8,5%
> 4 Czech Rep 4 5,6%
> - Portugal 4 5,6%
> 6 England 2 2,8%
> - Italy 2 2,8%
> - Romania 2 2,8%
> 9 France 1 1,4%
> - Sweden 1 1,4%
> - Turkey 1 1,4%
> - Yugoslavia 1 1,4%
>
> Total 71 99,9%
>
> Let's drop the group stage and the knockout phase and go straight to
> the Final between co-host Oranje and Spain. But ah-ah, that's not how
> it works. As I've said before, my dark horse is the Czech Republic
> anyway (lots of talent in every part of their team, Nedved,
> underrated again and have no pressure).
>
> Interestingly nobody thinks Belgium has a prayer.
Belgium has a prayer......but a prayer doesn't get
you a vote! (well, maybe in Chicago it does, but
then being a corpse gets you a vote here......;)
> 29. How many football matches do you attend live at the stadium
> every season ?
>
> # Total Votes %
>
> 1 01-05 34 47,2%
> 2 0 14 19,4%
> 3 10-19 8 11,1%
> 4 20-29 7 9,7%
> 5 06-09 5 6,9%
> 6 30-39 4 5,6%
>
> Total 72
>
> Fortunately 8 out of 10 fans have already seen a football stadium in
> person from the inside.
Fortunately, there is enough of an ethnic population to
attract several international-level fixtures to Chicago
every year. And the Fire and MLS are slowly getting
better and better.
> To the ones who don't have the chance to see live games on a regular
> basis: Think about going to Europe or South America for your holidays.
To those in the USA - support your local A-League of MLS team.
> To the ones who have the chance but don't use it: Shame on you !
Well, for once I agree with you Tim - convergence at last. :)
> 30. What do you think of Sepp Blatter as President of FIFA ?
>
> # Opinion Votes %
>
> 1 Moron 28 38,9%
> 2 Same as Havelange 24 33,3%
> 3 I don't care 14 19,4%
> 4 Doing a good job 6 8,3%
>
> Total 72
I voted for #2, thinking it pretty much the same as
#1 and #3. You should have given us a real choice
Tim! Too much like Gore vs. Bradley or Bush vs.
McCain..... :-(
- Paul
Tim Leidecker
> > There is a well-known chant in Italy (at least in Milan) which
> > goes like this:
> >
> > "What will happen, what will happen, what will happen
> > What will happen with this Inter who knows ?"
>
> It is a sad spectacle when the lurid and deranged imagination
> of a Milanista spews forth from an otherwise rationale mind!
I'll just take that as a compliment... ;-)
> Seek counseling Tim - you have strayed to the Dark Side.
It was about time ! I'll give you my meanest smiley...
...oops :-F (bucktoothed vampire with one tooth missing)
Wait...I'll try again:
...errr >:) (a little devil)
Darn, it simply doesn't get any better...
> > The one thing I know is that their Argentine midfielder Zanetti has
> > been one of the few (if not even *the*) constant highlight in the
> > meagre play of the "Black & Blue" in the past couple of years.
>
> 1997-98 wasn't meager - Inter battled Juve all the
> way for the scudetto, finished second and won the
> UEFA Cup. So we move on to......
>
> Inter had a bad 1998-99 - this season they are ahead
> of a certain other Milanese team (even if only on goal
> differential.) So if Inter is having yet another meagre
> (or meager as us bloody Yanks spell it) year then I
> would hate to think (on the other hand I don't hate
> to think about it that way!) what kind of year the
> Other Team of Milano (tm) is having.
You're right about 97/98. I forgot. I guess that's the problem with
the human brain, the most most recent impression simply prevails. So
I unfortunately couldn't remember the time when Inter played a bit
successful and attractive football anymore. ;-)
As for Milan, our season is nothing short of meagre too. But we won
the scudetto last season, our 16th, this makes up for a lot. If we
manage to finish 4th this year, the season's still a success (at
least sort of). When was the last time Inter won the scudetto BTW ?
> > One trick pony Ryan Giggs and the most expensive flop in
> > football history Denílson follow at #3 and #4.
>
> Maybe Riggs' game is not the most balanced - but if the
> one trick he does have is working, why be so snotty?
You're right, I was too harsh on him. But that's the problem I have
with players who have so much talent but don't make nearly enough
out of it. I hate it when blessed players underachieve.
> > Is it only me or is Serie A seriously lacking some World Class
> > wingers ? It's all Liga and Premiership in here !
>
> Moriero is the best Serie A winger when he is on his
> game - but injuries and the tactical manueverings of
> Lippi have marginalized him. At his best last season
> Checco was quite good, reminding some of Bruno
> Conti, the little winger who helped Italy to the 1982
> WC. I have no idea what Inter will do with him with
> all the shenanigans going on about starters on attack.
> In a 3-5-2, Lippi's preferred formation, Moriero fits
> in best as the flanking halfback on the right, but this
> makes Inter vulnerable to strikes from the left wing of
> the opponent since Panucci, the right back, also loves
> to wander up on attack.
Moriero should have joined 'Boro when he had the chance two years ago.
After all the injuries last year he was almost forgotten.
> > 13. Who do you think is the best coach going into the year 2000 ?
> >
> > # Name Votes % Club/Team Nation League
> >
> > 5 Eriksson 6 8,7% Lazio Sweden Serie A
>
> I doubt if the opinion of Eriksson amongst fans of Serie A
> in Italy is anywhere near this high.
At least the ones reading r.s.s. The one thing you can't deny Eriksson
is a sympathetic gentleman. I think that's the reason Cragnotti doesn't
want to give the "Neapolitan Swede" the long overdue sack.
> > 6 Capello 5 7,2% Roma Italy Serie A
> > 7 Ancelotti 3 4,3% Juventus Italy Serie A
>
> Ancelotti has done a good job re-interesting Juve's players
> in pursuing the scudetto.
Didn't you know this is all part of the grand Rossonero masterplan ?
Silvio has told Carlo to accept the coaching job at Juve, lead the
old bitch to the Scudetto and then flop in the CL !
> > - Zaccheroni 2 2,9% Milan Italy Serie A
>
> Residual support from last year?
I guess so. Have to be from some Malaysian fans who haven't paid close
attention.
> > - Mazzone 1 1,4% Perugia Italy Serie A
>
> Considered by many who follow Serie A closely as
> the manager who gets the most from the least in Italy.
> He is not photogenic and probably won't be managing
> much longer, but he remains an excellent soccer mind.
I was the one who voted for him. I was most impressed what he achieved
with the Rossoblu last season. Bologna management should be given the
finger for making him walk out of the club. I don't even want to think
about what he could do with the squad they have now.
> > - Sacchi 1 1,4% None Italy n/a
>
> Managing his Championship Manager team?
That was Loris, he still adores good ol' Arrigo.
> > - Trapattoni 1 1,4% Fiorentina Italy Serie A
>
> Trap is good, there is no doubt of that, but he needs all
> his starters to be healthy because the reserves the Viola
> have are less than overwhelming.
I heard the chances are good Trap won't be around next season.
Only making a big impact in the Champions League could change
his mind to stay with the Tuscan's I read.
> The 3-4-1-2 was very popular in Italy a few years back
> but now only a few clubs use it - the dominant formations
> being the 4-4-2 and 3-5-2. Juve can make the 3-4-1-2 work
> when Zidane is on form, but other than that, this formation
> is not the big factor in Italy it once was.
In Germany the 1-2-5-2 is still the favourite system of the "little"
teams (Rostock, Duisburg, 'Haching, Frankfurt). Interestingly also
Dortmund uses it. Hertha, Lautern, Bielefeld and 1860 use its scion,
the 1-2-4-1-2 which is only logical if you have players like Wosz,
Djorkaeff, Weissenberger or "Icke" Häßler.
A flat back 4 is only used by Werder, Stuttgart and Ulm with different
success. Leverkusen tried it for a short spell last season but Nowotny
is even able the run the show at the back on his own so they changed
to 3-5-2 (or sometimes even 3-4-3).
The only two teams who have constantly fielded 3 attackers this season
are Bayern and Hamburg. Although many teams have tried to copy Bayern's
successful 3-4-3 (which in reality is a 4-1-2-3 when Babbel and Liza
are playing on the wings) at first, only HSV has also stuck to it.
> > 4-3-3 is sort of an unbalanced system these days as the team playing
> > it often has trouble controlling midfield and when it rushes the
> > wingbacks up the defense gets exposed oftenly.
>
> This can happen with the 3-5-2 as well.
When you rush one of the defenders in a 3-5-2 up and lose possession
it's S.O.S at the back !
> I am also waiting for the 1-3-3-3 to come back into vogue! ;)
> (now there was a classic catenaccio formation!)
You'll laugh, this is what Hamburg is going to play on Sunday at home
to Bayern: Butt - Gravesen - Hertzsch, Hoogma, Panadic - Hollerbach,
Cardoso, Kovac - Präger, Yeboah, Mahdavikia
> > 16. What is more important for you: Club or Country ?
> >
> > # Opinion Votes %
> >
> > 1 Club 42 58,3%
> > 2 Country 30 41,7%
> >
> > Total 72 100,0%
> >
>
> I am surprised it was this close! To me the average Italian
> Serie A fan regards all but the most attractive international
> matches as a rude interruption to league play. I know I do!
It's the same here in Germany but you have to look to countries
like the Balkan's or the Northern European ones where the local
league doesn't offer "that" much and not everybody has the
chance to follow one of the "Big 4" regularly.
> > 17. Do you think there is too much football on TV ?
> >
> > # Opinion Votes %
> >
> > 1 No 50 69,4%
> > 2 Yes 22 30,6%
> >
> > Total 72 100,0%
> >
> > The majority still can't get enough but the fact that a 3 out of 10
> > football fans, especially in Western Europe where there's basically
> > a football game every day on free tv, already have enough which is
> > an alarming fact IMO. If you have champagne and caviar every day
> > some time it won't taste good anymore...
>
> Crikey - I wish this was a problem for me!!! :-(
It really is here in Germany. When it became really "bad" like in the
European Cup weeks I haven't even watched "minor competition" like
the UEFA Cup or the DFB-Pokal anymore.
> > 18. What do you think about the increasing wages and transfer fees ?
> > Is it getting out of hand or are players finally receiving their
> > piece of the cake ?
> >
> > # Wages & Fees Votes %
> >
> > 1 Out of Hand 51 71,8%
> > 2 Piece of Cake 20 28,2%
> >
> > Total 71
> >
> > The "cake" argument is that the offer decides the demand (or vice
> > versa) and if the teams are willing to pay that much it is only
> > fair that the players receive that kind of money.
>
> So why should only the TV barons and owners get the
> big bucks? No Rivaldo, no Vieri and there is a heckuva
> lot less spectacle - the players should get their piece of
> the pie.
>
> I find those who regard player wages as being out
> of hand out of step with the reality of today's soccer
> marketplace - billions are being made on the sport
> and yet some of us insist that the very core of it should
> be left out of the pot of gold?
>
> It doesn't make sense to leave the players out!
Agreed.
> > But even the blindest advocate who cites the fees paid in US sports
> > (these have gone outlandish long time ago) cannot disregard that
> > something is going terribly wrong - or when was the last time the
> > pope got engaged in a football matter ?
>
> Sure, things are out of hand, but blaming the players
> is very one-dimensional. Blame the managers, blame
> the media, hell, blame ourselves while we're at it!!!
The problem is: You can't turn back the hands of time. I really wait
until the moment when one of the "big" clubs go broke, if Real Madrid,
Barça or Benfica wouldn't be protected because of their big name by
the local FA's it would've happened already. I don't know how the
situation is in Serie A but I guess not every club is writing black
figures either with the kind of money being invested...
> > 19. How do you rate the level of play compared to 10 years ago ?
> >
> > # Opinion Votes %
> >
> > 1 Better 36 52,2%
> > 2 Same 20 29,0%
> > 3 Worse 8 11,6%
> > 4 Much Better 5 7,2%
> >
> > Total 69 100,0%
> >
> > The general opinion was that it's better than 10 years ago but worse
> > compared to the 70s. The standard of attacking is higher these days
>
> How did you determine this? (Play is better now than 10 years
> ago, but worse than 20 years ago....) Is this as a result of your
> thread with Karel? Gee....talk about our destiny being determined
> by a moneyed few......;-)
That's called democracy ! ;-)
No frankly, I have also read from other people stating the same and
since nobody disagreed...
But you've got the chance now to disagree, you only need to bear in mind
that the 70s actually featured some of the most brilliant players to
ever kick a football, Beckenbauer, Cruijff, Rivera, Netzer, Keegan,
only to name a few.
> > 21. Which competition is more entertaining and exciting ?
> >
> > # Competition Votes %
> >
> > 1 Champions League 54 76,1%
> > 2 UEFA Cup 17 23,9%
> >
> > Total 71 100,0%
> >
> > The overwhelming majority of more than ¾ (still) like the CL better
> > but 23,9% voting for the "meaningless Micky Mouse Cup", for the
> > "Cup of Losers" indicate that people are pretty pissed off about
> > the lot of boring group stage games in the Kings' Class and that
> > the UEFA Cup has produced some exciting matches this year with the
> > Cup Winners' and CL Stage 1 3rd's also participating.
>
> The CL is better, but only because of the late stages - as a
> balanced competition the UEFA Cup is far better.
>
> Your "Losers Cup" comment is typical Milanista Tim!
I put it into quotation marks because it was meant ironically.
I would even go as far and say the UEFA Cup has produced better
and more dramatic games than the Champions League so far.
> So to give you a typical Interista chant.......
>
> Mai stati in B!
Non abbiamo ottenuto mai una Coppa Mitropa, voi volontà!
(I hope AltaVista translated this correctly...)
> > 27. Do you miss the Cup Winners' Cup ?
> >
> > # Opinion Votes %
> >
> > 1 Yes 42 58,3%
> > 2 No 30 41,7%
> >
> > Total 72 100,0%
> >
> > Blatter, you have stolen us the CWC, give it back ! It was a stage for
> > the smaller clubs (Zaragoza, Mallorca or Vicenza! only to name a few) to
> > present themselves and advance to the later rounds, something which has
> > become impossible now with the CWC/UEFA Cup mix.
>
> I am no Blatter fan, but......
>
> while I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiment that the
> CWC should never have been dropped - I still feel that blaming
> Blatter is somewhat like blaming the bearer of ill tidings
> and not those really responsible. Blame the media barons
> who forced Blatter's hand. UEFA was running scared
> from the SuperLeague Bogeyman.
I blame the clubs. For example when Stuttgart were in the Final of the
Cup Winners' Cup 2 years ago and finished 4th in the league they asked
DFB if there wasn't a chance to participate in the UEFA Cup even if
they won the CWC (because they could have earned a few Mark more
because of one more round of play in the EC3).
> > 29. How many football matches do you attend live at the stadium
> > every season ?
> >
> > # Total Votes %
> >
> > 1 01-05 34 47,2%
> > 2 0 14 19,4%
> > 3 10-19 8 11,1%
> > 4 20-29 7 9,7%
> > 5 06-09 5 6,9%
> > 6 30-39 4 5,6%
> >
> > Total 72
> >
> > To the ones who have the chance but don't use it: Shame on you !
>
> Well, for once I agree with you Tim - convergence at last. :)
Benny is really a sinner here. Rolling in money and an attractive
team across the street but can't get his ass out of the chair !
On one hand I can understand him, I wouldn't fork out £M50 (or even
more ?!) either to see 'Boro demolish Watford but on the other hand
I really wouldn't mind experiencing the top games against Man United
or Liverpool live...
> > 30. What do you think of Sepp Blatter as President of FIFA ?
> >
> > # Opinion Votes %
> >
> > 1 Moron 28 38,9%
> > 2 Same as Havelange 24 33,3%
> > 3 I don't care 14 19,4%
> > 4 Doing a good job 6 8,3%
> >
> > Total 72
>
> I voted for #2, thinking it pretty much the same as
> #1 and #3. You should have given us a real choice
> Tim! Too much like Gore vs. Bradley or Bush vs.
> McCain..... :-(
Actually I gave you black, white and two grey tones. #3 is actually
a very dangerous choice because if the fans don't pay attention to
what the desk jockeys are doing they are forfeiting the chance
criticise.
Sven Mischkies
> > I am also waiting for the 1-3-3-3 to come back into vogue! ;)
> > (now there was a classic catenaccio formation!)
>
> You'll laugh, this is what Hamburg is going to play on Sunday at home
> to Bayern: Butt - Gravesen - Hertzsch, Hoogma, Panadic - Hollerbach,
> Cardoso, Kovac - Präger, Yeboah, Mahdavikia
HSV usually plays with that tactic against teams who have more offensive
power then HSV. IIRC in the 1st part of the season in Bayern (2:2) and
in Leverkusen (2:2). It's the usual tactic with one change: the DMC is
changed against a sweeper.
IIRC in all other games it was 3-4-3 (with a diamond in midfield, so one
could call it a 3-1-2-1-3).
One question: Isn't this 1-3-3-3 (with 3 forwards) to offensive for a
catenaccio formation (at least the 2 games were everything else than
boring)? How did they play it in Italy at the high-time of catenaccio?
Ciao,
SM
--
Wer sich wirklich nach seinem Ableben bemerkbar machen will,
kann sich in der Anatomie melden -- dann spielen später mehr
hübsche Studentinnen an einem herum, als man sich das zu
Lebzeiten hätte träumen lassen. --->Ralf Muschall in dsa
Paul Mettewie
> As for Milan, our season is nothing short of meagre too. But we won
> the scudetto last season, our 16th, this makes up for a lot. If we
> manage to finish 4th this year, the season's still a success (at
> least sort of). When was the last time Inter won the scudetto BTW ?
Low blow Tim - we were talking about the last two years.
> > > One trick pony Ryan Giggs and the most expensive flop in
> > > football history Denílson follow at #3 and #4.
> >
> > Maybe Riggs' game is not the most balanced - but if the
> > one trick he does have is working, why be so snotty?
>
> You're right, I was too harsh on him. But that's the problem I have
> with players who have so much talent but don't make nearly enough
> out of it. I hate it when blessed players underachieve.
Well, I can't say that I agree with your contention that
Ryan Giggs is wasting his talent. Maybe Tim this is what
he can do and that is all. And "that is all" ain't too bad
- to those who accuse players of using the same tricks
I cite Garrincha, who used the same fake-step over-fake
move for years and years to devastating effect. The
defenders would desperately be looking at the ball trying
to stay on their feet, but they would still stumble!
Recently Seedorf did a similar brilliant move against
Perugia - here is a URL with an MPEG of a great goal
in the tradition of Garrincha:
http://www.raisport.rai.it/mcalcio/1999_2000/a/m0000692.html
If that is a "one-trick" pony, I'll order a herd! :)
Max Attar - eat your heart out!
> Moriero should have joined 'Boro when he had the chance two years ago.
> After all the injuries last year he was almost forgotten.
And the sad thing is that in classic Inter tradition Lippi had
to make a choice of whether to play Recoba or Moriero
this week. So far indications are that Recoba will play -
but it is sad that two of the four truly inventive players
on Inter (Seedorf and Baggio being the other two) are
forced to contend with one another instead of playing
side by side. (To those of you wondering why I don't
include Ronaldo and Vieri in these ranks I classify Ronaldo
as more power than skill with the same going for Vieri - but
then there is no reason to not appreciate power as a defining
soccer skill either! There have been other great "power"
players - Muller and Neeskens for example.)
> > I doubt if the opinion of Eriksson amongst fans of Serie A
> > in Italy is anywhere near this high.
>
> At least the ones reading r.s.s. The one thing you can't deny Eriksson
> is a sympathetic gentleman. I think that's the reason Cragnotti doesn't
> want to give the "Neapolitan Swede" the long overdue sack.
Eriksson is a prince of a guy - and that might be exactly
why he hasn't had quite enough success for the tastes of
Serie A fans!!!
> Didn't you know this is all part of the grand Rossonero masterplan ?
> Silvio has told Carlo to accept the coaching job at Juve, lead the
> old bitch to the Scudetto and then flop in the CL !
Delusions....delusions. And isn't the scenario you just
described what Juve designed for Milan???
hee hee hee.....tear yourselves apart! We will return
what is rightfully ours - la benamata trionfera'!
> > > - Mazzone 1 1,4% Perugia Italy Serie A
> >
> > Considered by many who follow Serie A closely as
> > the manager who gets the most from the least in Italy.
> > He is not photogenic and probably won't be managing
> > much longer, but he remains an excellent soccer mind.
>
> I was the one who voted for him. I was most impressed what he achieved
> with the Rossoblu last season. Bologna management should be given the
> finger for making him walk out of the club. I don't even want to think
> about what he could do with the squad they have now.
Bologna pushed him out in much the same way
some companies treat senior staff - they dump
them, preferring energy to wisdom. Fools!
The reasons I didn't vote him are somewhat sad
-- he won't be around long enough to make an
impact at Perugia, and doesn't have the resources
there to be a factor. While neither really speaks to
as his skill as a manager - they do effect what kind
of impact he has and to me a great manager must
have impact. Unfair, but then so is Serie A! (life)
> I heard the chances are good Trap won't be around next season.
> Only making a big impact in the Champions League could change
> his mind to stay with the Tuscan's I read.
That is the only hope they have left - they are already
virtually removed from any impact in the scudetto.
Too bad -- Trap remains amongst the best Italian
managers ever.
> In Germany the 1-2-5-2 is still the favourite system of the "little"
> teams (Rostock, Duisburg, 'Haching, Frankfurt). Interestingly also
> Dortmund uses it. Hertha, Lautern, Bielefeld and 1860 use its scion,
> the 1-2-4-1-2 which is only logical if you have players like Wosz,
> Djorkaeff, Weissenberger or "Icke" Häßler.
I assume that DJ is playing mezzapunta for FCK - a position
he plays extremely well when supported by rigorous midfielders
(rigorous = cover midfielders). I will always have a soft spot
in my heart for Youri - he was a class player and man. Too nice
for the likes of Inter I am afraid to admit.....
> A flat back 4 is only used by Werder, Stuttgart and Ulm with different
> success. Leverkusen tried it for a short spell last season but Nowotny
> is even able the run the show at the back on his own so they changed
> to 3-5-2 (or sometimes even 3-4-3).
And you wonder why I am so enamored of his skills!?!?
Nowotny is a superior central defender - Massimo, do
you hear me??? Buy him! Please!!! He has the stature
and skill to do for a defense in the center what the likes
of Giacinto Facchetti did on the left wing for Inter more
than a generation ago. High praise - but I think Jens is
a player who could become legendary on a worthy team.
And Inter is worthy (in my mind at least!)
> When you rush one of the defenders in a 3-5-2 up and lose possession
> it's S.O.S at the back !
Tell me about it...... :-\
> You'll laugh, this is what Hamburg is going to play on Sunday at home
> to Bayern: Butt - Gravesen - Hertzsch, Hoogma, Panadic - Hollerbach,
> Cardoso, Kovac - Präger, Yeboah, Mahdavikia
I have not seen Hamburg play - is Gravesen a technician
or a hard man?
(I vote for hard man.)
> It's the same here in Germany but you have to look to countries
> like the Balkan's or the Northern European ones where the local
> league doesn't offer "that" much and not everybody has the
> chance to follow one of the "Big 4" regularly.
Good point - I was being too "italocentric" there.
> The problem is: You can't turn back the hands of time. I really wait
> until the moment when one of the "big" clubs go broke, if Real Madrid,
> Barça or Benfica wouldn't be protected because of their big name by
> the local FA's it would've happened already. I don't know how the
> situation is in Serie A but I guess not every club is writing black
> figures either with the kind of money being invested...
Benfica in particular was in desperate straits.
Inter has been bleeding red for a while now - making large
sums with big crowds and good sales of trinkets, but spending
even more on facilities and, of course, players. But there is
no sign Moratti and his investors are slowing down - I have
heard rumors of some *huge* buys being floated - let me
say this - they are after the two best defenders in Serie A
and in a serious way!
> No frankly, I have also read from other people stating the same and
> since nobody disagreed...
>
> But you've got the chance now to disagree, you only need to bear in mind
> that the 70s actually featured some of the most brilliant players to
> ever kick a football, Beckenbauer, Cruijff, Rivera, Netzer, Keegan,
> only to name a few.
I won't disagree since I was a youngster in Milano at this
glorious time - I went to the San Siro to see Rivera and
Mazzola play on alternate Sundays - not to mention the
spectacle of seeing Nereo Rocco's Milan go up against
my heroic Nerazzurri like Facchetti-Boninsegna-Burgnich
and of course "il baffo" (the mustache) - Sandrino Mazzola.
I also was a big Netzer fan and saw his battle with Overath
on the 1974 WC side under Schoen as very similar to the
struggle of Mazzola and Rivera in 1970 WC side of Valcareggi.
I was on different sides in both - favoring Netzer in 1974, and
Mazzola in 1970. Those who criticize Mazzola for not being as
inventive as Rivera forget that the very reason Italy survived
to get to the final was his selfless and meticulous play in the
midfield. This coming from a player whom I still consider to be
the best dribbler I have ever seen - no one could juggle like
"il baffo"! And that includes Rivera.....
Having said that I will admit that Rivera had the vision
and inventiveness to best use the superb attacking
tool that Luigi Riva was - what a left foot! Riva was
such a giant - it took genius like his to bring a scudetto
to Cagliari in 1970 - a landmark moment in Italian soccer.
> I put it into quotation marks because it was meant ironically.
> I would even go as far and say the UEFA Cup has produced better
> and more dramatic games than the Champions League so far.
Whew - I thought you were parroting the idiotic theme
of some rossoneri that UEFA Cups are without value.
(Benny - are you listening?)
> Non abbiamo ottenuto mai una Coppa Mitropa, voi volontà!
> (I hope AltaVista translated this correctly...)
I get the drift. But watch - this year blue will
be in front of red in scudetto and Coppa Italia.
> I blame the clubs. For example when Stuttgart were in the Final of the
> Cup Winners' Cup 2 years ago and finished 4th in the league they asked
> DFB if there wasn't a chance to participate in the UEFA Cup even if
> they won the CWC (because they could have earned a few Mark more
> because of one more round of play in the EC3).
The clubs are seeking larger revenues to offset
the larger wages and transfer fees to players whom
they buy to get larger crowds and tv audiences....
a vicious cycle indeed.
> Actually I gave you black, white and two grey tones. #3 is actually
> a very dangerous choice because if the fans don't pay attention to
> what the desk jockeys are doing they are forfeiting the chance
> criticise.
I think the power is really elsewhere (witness your
writings above) - Blatter is reacting more than pro-
acting. The teams, media and sometimes governments
determine the course of soccer - not FIFA.
- Paul
Benny
> From : Tim Leidecker <t...@milanmania.com>
>According to the poll the 3rd best keeper in the world is Milan
>youngster Christian Abbiati who has 0 caps, has yet to complete
>a full Serie A season and can't kick a ball straight, but hey,
>this is what (over)hyping can do for you.
Hype has nothing to do with it, his performances got him noticed.
The Italian media spend more time hyping Toldo, Buffon and Peruzzi.
It's the die hards that have been praising Abbiati. Especially on
RSS and I value the opinions of Paul and Daniele more than the
bullshitter journalists that hype Albertini, Almeyda and the rest.
>Thuram by a mile ! The French back is so good at what he does it's
>about time get gets some recognition. Oliver Bierhoff said in an
>interview recently that Lilian is not only the toughest defender
>he ever had the dubious pleasure to play against but also in his
>eyes currently the best player in the world overall. But since
>it's all about goals and flashy tricks these days...
Forwards decide more matches than defenders that's why.
>Is he really that good or do we all believe the hype the media
>spreads about him by now ?
Of course he's really that good. He's the best in the World at what he
does.
>There is a well-known chant in Italy (at least in Milan) which
>goes like this:
>
>"What will happen, what will happen, what will happen
> What will happen with this Inter who knows ?"
>
>The one thing I know is that their Argentine midfielder Zanetti has
>been one of the few (if not even *the*) constant highlight in the
>meagre play of the "Black & Blue" in the past couple of years.
Well he works hard but that's about it. He can't cross and over
dribbles. How many matches does Zanetti decide in a season? Nowhere near
as many as Beckham.
>Interestingly Diego Simeone is still rated higher by the fans than
>Gazzetta and Eriksson darling Matias Almeyda who is starting in front
>of him. Nobody rates Redondo anymore ?
Almeyda is the latest Italian media bullshit project, following
Zola, Albertini and Zidane.
>Milan's Leo who has been playing injured for the last 1½ years,
>Chelsea's jack of all trades Poyet, "Jimmy Spitts" Giovanni who has
Jimmy Smitts.
>One trick pony Ryan Giggs and the most expensive flop in football
>history Denílson follow at #3 and #4. Après: Flamboyant Spur David
>Ginola.
Ginola is easily the best winger in the Premiership. Giggs is too
inconsistent and doesn't supply enough quality crosses.
>Is it only me or is Serie A seriously lacking some World Class
>wingers ? It's all Liga and Premiership in here !
Serie A teams don't like wingers, they prefer left sided and right
sided midfielders. The only genuine wingers in Serie A are Serginho,
Guly and Moriero (sort of) and maybe Mayele but I'm not sure of his
exact role.
>Shevy ties the FIFA Player Of The Year and Golden Ball winner Rivaldo
>on the final vote. Both players edge out "Batigol" Batistuta by only
>2 votes. The pride of the Italian and Spanish attack, Vieri and Raúl
>respectively claim the other places in the Top 5.
If Rivaldo screws up in the Champions League Shevchenko is a dead cert
for next season's award if he keeps scoring.
>Serie A is still first but La Liga is catching up. Premiership at
>3 is wishful thinking by the English, I guess I shouldn't have
>posted this to a.s.s.e.u. ;-)
Well at least they can defend in the Premiership.
>Club competition has outstripped national team action but not by such
>a large margin that it is necessary to stage a World Cup every 2nd
>year like Blatter planned.
It's only a matter of time. The new Champions League will change the
'traditional' thinking.
>The majority still can't get enough but the fact that a 3 out of 10
>football fans, especially in Western Europe where there's basically
>a football game every day on free tv, already have enough which is
>an alarming fact IMO. If you have champagne and caviar every day
>some time it won't taste good anymore...
True but I'm not complaining. It's about choice. As with everything in
life if you want the good stuff you have to pay for it which means
satellite or digital TV.
>The "cake" argument is that the offer decides the demand (or vice
>versa) and if the teams are willing to pay that much it is only
>fair that the players receive that kind of money.
>
>But even the blindest advocate who cites the fees paid in US sports
>(these have gone outlandish long time ago) cannot disregard that
>something is going terribly wrong - or when was the last time the
>pope got engaged in a football matter ?
People don't realise how much money the clubs generate. Everyone
deserves their fair share and as this is the most popular sport in the
whole World how can you begrudge the best players earning £4-5 million
a year when pieces of shit with zero talent like those
'actors/actresses' in Hollywood get far more as do other entertainers.
Beckham's wife earns more than he does and she can't even sing!
>The general opinion was that it's better than 10 years ago but worse
>compared to the 70s. The standard of attacking is higher these days
How do you figure it's worse than the 70's? You didn't ask that question
so you can't make such a statement!
>dramatically because of that. Overall the game has become
>faster and more athletic but unfortunately also less
>creative.
It's far easier for forwards so it all evens out.
>One thing's for sure, there will be a change again, after all
>football or rather FIFA makes it's own rules. I don't think it will
>go back to 3 foreigners a side but maybe 5 ?
No chance. FIFA are pissing in the wind, a spokeswoman for the
European Court? has already stated that this rule cannot be changed,
freedom of movement will be allowed in Europe and FIFA are in no
position to change it.
>Blatter, you have stolen us the CWC, give it back ! It was a stage for
Bladder had nothing to do with it, blame the big clubs and UEFA
President Lennhart Johansson (sp?).
>Interestingly nobody thinks Belgium has a prayer.
They have a chance of making the 2nd round.
>The opinion on him is split like the things he did since becoming
>FIFA president: On one side he had good ideas like the unified
>worldwide football calendar or the World Club Championship (even
The unified calendar is a stupid idea. It doesn't take into account
the differing climates around the World which just highlights Bladder's
stupidity.
Players received votes in several categories because you didn't clearly
define the criteria.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
"My opinions may have changed, but not the fact that I'm right."
Ashleigh Brilliant
Max Attar Feingold
<neraz...@mediaone.net> broadcast:
Followups set.
>Recently Seedorf did a similar brilliant move against
>Perugia - here is a URL with an MPEG of a great goal
>in the tradition of Garrincha:
>
>http://www.raisport.rai.it/mcalcio/1999_2000/a/m0000692.html
>
>If that is a "one-trick" pony, I'll order a herd! :)
>
>Max Attar - eat your heart out!
Ouch, but that's a beautiful move. Left the defender floored in a
heartbeat. I'd like to think that I can do that, but it would be at one
tenth of the speed and I'd probably trip over the ball.
Now, I said it before and I'll say it again - enjoy it while it lasts,
'cause it's not going to.
Max Attar Feingold
maf6 at cornell dot edu
http://almonaster.netpedia.net/mfeingol/
"One crucial issue for voters to ponder is this:
Whose finger do you want on the Alt-Control-Delete button?" - Al Gore
Tim Leidecker
> > When was the last time Inter won the scudetto BTW ?
>
> Low blow Tim - we were talking about the last two years.
I didn't want to be mean. Even though our Milan list pope Loris tells
us we should hate the evil neighbours every day I haven't got any hard
feelings towards the Nerazzurri...as long as they're behind us in the
standings. I guess this comes from the fact that I have only met nice
and intelligent Interisti yet. ;-)
[Giggsy]
> > You're right, I was too harsh on him. But that's the problem I
> > have with players who have so much talent but don't make nearly
> > enough out of it. I hate it when blessed players underachieve.
>
> Well, I can't say that I agree with your contention that
> Ryan Giggs is wasting his talent. Maybe Tim this is what
> he can do and that is all. And "that is all" ain't too
> bad.
I remember only 3 years ago when he was touted to be the
new George Best !
> > Moriero should have joined 'Boro when he had the chance two years
> > ago. After all the injuries last year he was almost forgotten.
>
> And the sad thing is that in classic Inter tradition Lippi
> had to make a choice of whether to play Recoba or Moriero
> this week. So far indications are that Recoba will play -
> but it is sad that two of the four truly inventive players
> on Inter (Seedorf and Baggio being the other two) are
> forced to contend with one another instead of playing
> side by side.
Francesco made little impact against Hamtown. He was controlled by
the revived-looking Benarrivo in 90% of all cases. Additionally he
prevented Panucci from going forward (like you had already
predicted in another post), "Christian Dior" was much better after
Moriero left the pitch at the beginning of the 2nd half. I guess
it's Premiership for him after the season after all...
> > Didn't you know this is all part of the grand Rossonero masterplan ?
> > Silvio has told Carlo to accept the coaching job at Juve, lead the
> > old bitch to the Scudetto and then flop in the CL !
>
> Delusions....delusions. And isn't the scenario you just
> described what Juve designed for Milan???
Since when was Zaccheroni Bianconero ?
[il grande Carlo Mazzone]
> Bologna pushed him out in much the same way
> some companies treat senior staff - they dump
> them, preferring energy to wisdom. Fools!
The way I heard it is he left after a row with the president
who had sold many top performers from last season.
> > I heard the chances are good Trap won't be around next season.
> > Only making a big impact in the Champions League could change
> > his mind to stay with the Tuscan's I read.
>
> That is the only hope they have left - they are already
> virtually removed from any impact in the scudetto.
I guess it's either going to be "la viola" or "el quipo ché" ?!
> Too bad -- Trap remains amongst the best Italian managers ever.
At least the most winningest coach ever !
> I assume that DJ is playing mezzapunta for FCK - a position
> he plays extremely well when supported by rigorous midfielders
> (rigorous = cover midfielders).
He gets terribly little protection, sometimes he gets Strasser or
Komljenovic as "bodyguards" but often FCK plays with him, Sforza,
Basler and Hristov (the Bulgarian Vieri) and nobody wants to do
the dirty work.
Still he has 6 goals and 5 assists, the most dangerous mezzapunta
in the league (although there aren't that many -- only Scholl,
Weissenberger, Sellimi, Wosz and Róbson Ponté come to mind).
> I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Youri - he was
> a class player and man. Too nice for the likes of Inter I am
> afraid to admit.....
I always used to hate him when he was at Inter and thought he was
an asshole but since I saw some reports and interviews with him
now that he's in the Bundesliga I also can't help but like him.
> > A flat back 4 is only used by Werder, Stuttgart and Ulm with
> > different success. Leverkusen tried it for a short spell last
> > season but Nowotny is even able the run the show at the back
> > on his own so they changed to 3-5-2 (or sometimes even 3-4-3).
>
> And you wonder why I am so enamored of his skills!?!?
>
> Nowotny is a superior central defender - Massimo, do
> you hear me??? Buy him! Please!!! He has the stature
> and skill to do for a defense in the center what the likes
> of Giacinto Facchetti did on the left wing for Inter more
> than a generation ago. High praise - but I think Jens is
> a player who could become legendary on a worthy team.
There are only two little things that stand in his way of
becoming a legend:
1. He is not a leader. He is not the player to verbally kick his
teammates ass when things are not going well. He has stated
himself he is too shy and introvert to do it even though he
is working hard to change it.
2. He is too loyal to his club and thus too loyal to Leverkusen
where he can never become a legend. Milan made a 25 million
DM offer for him last season and promised him a royal salary
but he just said he is flattered and happy to stay with Bayer.
Jens turned 26 in January, I can only hope that Leverkusen will
suck next season (and chances are good with Emerson and Beinlich
leaving and Kirsten on his last legs) so he will demand a transfer
in 2001. At the age of 27 he could still have 5-6 years at the
very top level which indeed should be enough to make him legendary
for a worthy club.
> > You'll laugh, this is what Hamburg is going to play on Sunday at
> > home to Bayern: Butt - Gravesen - Hertzsch, Hoogma, Panadic -
> > Hollerbach, Cardoso, Kovac - Präger, Yeboah, Mahdavikia
>
> I have not seen Hamburg play - is Gravesen a technician
> or a hard man?
>
> (I vote for hard man.)
Mainly a hard man but also blessed with some unexpected technical
and offensive skills. The Danish "Humörbombe" (humor bomb) is sort
of a "jack of all trades" kind of player, he can play every position
in both defense and midfield but his best is probably sweeper or
defensive midfield. Has yet to hold down a permanent first team
spot for both Hamburg and Denmark.
> > I really wait until the moment when one of the "big" clubs go broke,
> > if Real Madrid, Barça or Benfica wouldn't be protected because of
> > their big name by the local FA's it would've happened already.
> > I don't know how the situation is in Serie A but I guess not
> > every club is writing black figures either with the kind of
> > money being invested...
>
> Benfica in particular was in desperate straits.
Benfica was in dire straits, they even had to go as far and sell
their stadium (da luz) back to the city of Lisbon IIRC.
> Inter has been bleeding red for a while now - making large
> sums with big crowds and good sales of trinkets, but spending
> even more on facilities and, of course, players. But there is
> no sign Moratti and his investors are slowing down - I have
Moratti's "oil" is not drying up so to speak...
> heard rumors of some *huge* buys being floated - let me
> say this - they are after the two best defenders in Serie A
> and in a serious way!
You mean Paganin and Tarantino are set to rejoin Inter ?
Or are you serious and they are after "the real big guns" like
Billy Costacurta and Pietro Vierchowod this time around ?!?
Don't keep us guessing like this, that's not fair ! :-)
[beautiful history lecture about Rivera, Mazzola, Netzer & Co. snipped]
That's unfair ! And I have to grow up in a time where a Mario Basler
is lashing out on TV reporters and Andy Möller gets suspended for
diving. It's simply not fair, I was born 20 years too late !
> > Non abbiamo ottenuto mai una Coppa Mitropa, voi volontà!
> >
> > (I hope AltaVista translated this correctly...)
>
> I get the drift. But watch - this year blue will
> be in front of red in scudetto and Coppa Italia.
Not as long as "blue" will dig out some 3 pointers on the road.
After I was already afraid we'd miss the CL this year because
of Zac's "heroics" things are now looking better than ever with
Shevy firing on all cylinders and with Chamot a defender at the
back who has at least heard of how to defend.