World Cup and European leagues

[Spence]

Man U is the more popular club in England (and pretty much everywhere) so I don't think it's a great surprise that they have more English.

I don't think this argument holds any weight.  In fact, being one of the more popular clubs in England (bigger and better),

It goes like this. If Manchester United has first choice of most English players, even from other youth systems and clubs (Wayne Rooney for example), then the choice for teams like Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool is to either take the 2nd best domestically, or go out and find some of the best in other places. Or, put another way, who would you rather have: Craig Bellamy or Fernando Torres?

Man U is also the only one of the clubs that currently has an English manager (one knighted by the queen no less). Hard to believe that doesn't make a difference. But there again, do you take the 2nd best the country has to offer, or one of the best in the world? England's national team manager isn't even English.

[Hoosier Titan]

...who would you rather have: Craig Bellamy or Fernando Torres?

Man U is also the only one of the clubs that currently has an English manager (one knighted by the queen no less). Hard to believe that doesn't make a difference...

Careful!  Bellamy isn't English, he's Welsh (as is Man U's Ryan Giggs).  And Ferguson isn't English, he's Scottish.  They are both British, not English.  And this is not splitting hairs.  In the eyes of Uefa and the FA, they are both internationals every bit as much as any South American, African, or North American player.

I think the amount of money available is one big factor that hasn't been mentioned yet.  Man U, Arsenal, and, of course, Chelsea are much wealthier than the rest of the EPL.  Liverpool's sale to the American owners was an attempt to get into the same spending category as the others, and what brought them Fernando Torres instead of Craig Bellamy.  On that front, they succeeded spectacularly.  They also got themselves a ton of debt, thanks to the machinations of Hicks and co., but that's another topic.

I think both Arsenal's and, to a lesser extent Liverpool's choices of players come down to wanting the best players available (and, as I said before, English football fans don't seem particularly troubled by foreigners in the EPL).  In Liverpool's case, the majority of foreigners are either Spanish speakers (Torres, Reina, Alonso, Arbeloa, Mascherano) or from countries where many people speak English from an early age (Riise, from Norway, Hyypia, from Finland, and Agger, from Denmark, come to mind).  It's been said in interviews with reputable papers that Torres rejected approaches from Man U, Arsenal, and Chelsea specifically because he wanted to play for Rafa Benitez.

I don't really think Man U's "buying local" has made them more popular, nor do I think they have the pick of the English players simply because they have been the most  popular side in recent years.  They MAY have a more successful youth program--I'm not up on those--and they certainly have the resources.  So, Tom, if you see having the most English players as a big virtue, that's fine--but the English FANS themselves don't particularly see it that way. 

[Spence]

...who would you rather have: Craig Bellamy or Fernando Torres?

Man U is also the only one of the clubs that currently has an English manager (one knighted by the queen no less). Hard to believe that doesn't make a difference...

Careful!  Bellamy isn't English, he's Welsh (as is Man U's Ryan Giggs).  And Ferguson isn't English, he's Scottish.  They are both British, not English.  And this is not splitting hairs.  In the eyes of Uefa and the FA, they are both internationals every bit as much as any South American, African, or North American player.

It's all the UK, they're valued practically the same and looked up to the same. SAF was knighted by the Queen, hard to get a helluva lot more British than that. Bellamy is all too Welsh, as the fight with Riise last year would attest. One might argue that Liverpool is more popular in Wales than Man U because of proximity, but I don't know if that is actually the case or not.

  In Liverpool's case, the majority of foreigners are either Spanish speakers (Torres, Reina, Alonso, Arbeloa, Mascherano) or from countries where many people speak English from an early age (Riise, from Norway, Hyypia, from Finland, and Agger, from Denmark, come to mind).  It's been said in interviews with reputable papers that Torres rejected approaches from Man U, Arsenal, and Chelsea specifically because he wanted to play for Rafa Benitez.

Have no problem believing that. Benitez seems to have the in on the Spanish/Argentine players, which is why I'm hoping that they'll have a shot at Aguero.

I don't really think Man U's "buying local" has made them more popular, nor do I think they have the pick of the English players simply because they have been the most  popular side in recent years.

The second part sure can't hurt.

[Greek Tragedy]

Man U won today, 3-0.  I forgot who it was, but a Liverpool player got sent off around the 34th minute.  He was booked earlier and then got sent off for decent.  Getting your 2nd bookable offense on dissent is uncalled for.  You can't do that as a player.  Man U was already up 1-0 and then sealed it in the 79th and 81st minutes, I think...

[Spence]

Man U won today, 3-0.  I forgot who it was, but a Liverpool player got sent off around the 34th minute.  He was booked earlier and then got sent off for decent.  Getting your 2nd bookable offense on dissent is uncalled for.  You can't do that as a player.  Man U was already up 1-0 and then sealed it in the 79th and 81st minutes, I think...

It was Mascherano. Just been that kind of year for Liverpool I guess. Didn't see the match to see if it was a well-earned red or not.

[Greek Tragedy]

I read his 2nd bookable offense, the dissent, was well deserved, didn't see his challenge for the first yellow.

Arsenal lost to Chelsea after taking the lead in the 2nd half and then losing the game after giving up two.  I'm still not sure how I feel about it, Chelsea taking maximum points or had it been better if they drew...I'm thinking the latter now.

I'll have to check out FSC for highlights at 9 pm local time!

[ScotsFan]

I read his 2nd bookable offense, the dissent, was well deserved, didn't see his challenge for the first yellow.

I just watched Super Sunday Plus on FSC and they said that Mascherano's first booking wasn't deserving of a yellow.  They said it was a hard challenge, but it was pretty clean and nothing you wouldn't expect from a defensive midfielder like Mascherano.  But they went on to say that, not only he should have been well aware, but Gerrard and Benitez should have been more involved in controlling Mascherano after his original booking.  They too said that his booking for dissent was definitely well deserved.  And as TB pointed out, getting your 2nd booking for dissent in a game where you are trying to climb back into the championship race is unacceptable.  And from the highlights I saw, Liverpool is fortunate that Reina was somewhat on his game or the final score could have been much much worse...

[Greek Tragedy]

7 to go.

Man Utd:  73 pts
Chelsea:  68 pts
Arsenal:  67 pts

Man Utd	Chelsea	Arsenal
Aston Villa (7th)	Middlesbrough (12th)	@ Bolton (18th)
@ Middlesbrough (12th)	@ Man. City (9th)	Liverpool (4th)
Arsenal (3rd)	Wigan (14th)	@ Man Utd (1st)
@ Blackburn (8th)	@ Everton (5th)	Reading (15th)
@ Chelsea (2nd)	Man Utd (1st)	@ Derby (20th)
West Ham (10th)	@ Newcastle (13th)	Everton (5th)
@ Wigan (14th)	Bolton (18th)	@ Sunderland (16th)

[ScotsFan]

Nice showing by the MNT yesterday as they recorded their 2nd straight W on Euro soil beating Poland 3-0 in front of a sellout crowd in Krakow!

Two US defenders scored the 1st 2 goals of the match with Bocanegra scoring in the 12th minute and Gooch scoring in the 35th minute.  Both goals were assisted by Donovan with the 1st coming off a free kick and the 2nd off a corner.

Eddie Lewis added the 3rd goal in the 73rd minute scoring on a free kick from 20 yards out.

I  think the next action for the MNT won't come until the end of May when they are back in Europe to face England at Wembley.  And then a week later they face Spain.  Those 2 games should be quite telling as to just how far this team has come.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Don't forget the EPL relegation battle either.  There are still five or six teams fighting to stay out of those last two spots (Derby is done) and they play each other quite a bit down the stretch.  I think 33 will be the magic point total to stay out, so it will be interesting to see who can manage it first.

[Greek Tragedy]

Arsenal comes from 2-0 down in the 61st minute to score three times in the last half hour.  An own goal in the 90th gives Arsenal 3 pts they didn't think they'd get.  Nice job Bolton, that's why you're getting relegated.

[ScotsFan]

Arsenal comes from 2-0 down in the 61st minute to score three times in the last half hour.  An own goal in the 90th gives Arsenal 3 pts they didn't think they'd get.  Nice job Bolton, that's why you're getting relegated.

You forgot to mention that Arsenal made their comeback after they were down to 10 men!  They scored all three 2nd half goals a man down!!!

Guess we can't write off the Gunners just yet!

It might not matter though as good as ManU looks!  Ronaldo is just amazing.  What a talent he is!  He had a hand in 3 of ManU's 4 goals scoring one and assisting on both of Rooney's goals!  Ronaldo is really in rare form!  That's about all you can say and it is fun to watch!

[Greek Tragedy]

6 to go.

Man Utd:  76 pts
Chelsea:  71 pts
Arsenal:  70 pts

Man Utd	Chelsea	Arsenal
W 4-1 Aston Villa (7th)	W 1-0 Middlesbrough (12th)	W 3-2 @ Bolton (18th)
@ Middlesbrough (12th)	@ Man. City (9th)	Liverpool (4th)
Arsenal (3rd)	Wigan (14th)	@ Man Utd (1st)
@ Blackburn (8th)	@ Everton (5th)	Reading (15th)
@ Chelsea (2nd)	Man Utd (1st)	@ Derby (20th)
West Ham (10th)	@ Newcastle (13th)	Everton (5th)
@ Wigan (14th)	Bolton (18th)	@ Sunderland (16th)

[Browneagle64]

Hey folks,

I thought that i share this with you folks after Papa B.E. and I had a debate on how poorly Coach "Hugol" Sanchez made decisions for his national team.
After a long debate, i was just happy that he understood why Coach Sanchez needed to be let go and why this team needs a field general who can use his players more wisely.

MEXICO CITY, April 1 (Reuters) - Mexico fired coach Hugo Sanchez on Monday after only 16 months in the job, the Mexico Football Federation (FMF) said.


The former Real Madrid striker, widely regarded as the finest player Mexico has produced, was sacked two weeks after the under-23 team, which he also coaches, failed to qualify for the Beijing Olympics.


The FMF said the decision had been taken by a meeting of the federation's executive committee, which is made up of the presidents of the 18 first division clubs.

'By a unanimous decision, the contractual relationship with the technical staff of the national team has been ended,' FMF general secretary Decio de Maria told a news conference.

De Maria said that Jesus Ramirez, who coached the Mexico team which won the World Under-17 championship in Peru in 2005, would take over on an interim basis for next month's friendly against China in the United States.

Mexican media have identified a list of possible long-term replacements, including Brazilian Luiz Felipe Scolari, currently with Portugal, Argentine Jose Pekerman and Italy's 2006 World Cup winning coach Marcelo Lippi.

Sanchez, appointed in November 2006 after lobbying intensively for the job for years, was in charge for 23 full internationals, winning 12, drawing three and losing eight.

[WLCALUM83]

In UEFA Cup action today, Getafe gets a goal in approx the 90th minute to tie Bayern Munich 1-1 in the first leg.