2011/2012 English Premier League thread

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Krack Korn

Ain't that the truth. I, a born and raised Albertan, became a Liverpool fan a number of years ago when I was overseas for work and met and became fast friends with a Scouser. I was never a big footy fan before, but through our friendship, I became a LFC fan and he became a Flames fan. We both curse each other these days.

I always found that too. Cheering for Liverpool and Calgary has been a tough test but my way into sports fandom as through a very good friend as well and you just have to support your team even though its hard.

[Barnet Flame]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

every set of supporters sings that song, usually with Wembley in place of Germany if they are close to a cup final

I never realised Spurs were so universally hated.

Mind you, I remember the Hammers fans sang it the last time they were at the Emirates. That, and 'we hate Tottenham more than you'.

[Barnet Flame]

Originally Posted by NBC

^ Just like Yorkshire Cricket.

They scrapped that rule over ten years ago when they kept getting their asses handed to them on a plate.

[NBC]

Joey Barton facing upwards of a ten game suspension. Automatically gets 4 as it was his second straight red. Check the BBC.

[SeoulFire]

Originally Posted by SoCalFlamesFan

Have you forgotten that Man United have broken the modern day transfer record more times than any other team?

Andy Cole for £7 million.
£28 million on Juan Sebastian Veron.
£29 million acquisition of Rio Ferdinand

To put those figures into context, it should be reiterated that Ferdinand cost more than Samir Nasri, Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko.

For all the talk of City’s incredible spending, it should be noted that United paid £25.5 million for a 19 year old Wayne Rooney – the highest fee ever paid for a player under the age of 20 – while spending £20.4 million on Anderson and €25.5 million on Nani (in the same month).

Ferguson has also paid upwards of £15 million on players like Michael Carrick (in a deal possibly rising to £18.6 million), Antonio Valencia (£16 million), and Dimitar Berbatov (£30 million).

United only have two home grown players playing regularly (and both are over 35) - though City don't have many more.

In 2007 they spent £61.7 million on Carlos Tevez, Nani, Anderson, Owen Hargreaves, Rafael and Fabio Da Silva, Rodrigo Possebon, Tomasz Kuszczak and Manucho.

They just bought De Gea for £19 million, Ashley Young for £17 and Phil Jones for £17 million.

On GD 37, Man City's starting line-up cost 161 million. Uniteds cost 169 million.

The only difference really between the teams as I see it are this: United spent over 6 or more seasons while City did it in 3. And City paid inflated prices due to the huge inflation in transfer prices in the last few years. No way you could buy Rooney for 25 million today.

United have been buying the title for years. So did Chelsea. So did Blackburn. So does Real Madrid and Barcelona. All teams 'buy' championships. And I agree - without the money and the buying of the players City too wouldn't have won. It doesn't make their win any less deserved just because they're new to the game of 'buying' championships.

I don't think anybody would claim otherwise about buying championship teams - the main complaints are about the balance sheet.

I think it is quite great that the win turned long time City fans into giant hypocrites


And unrelated to the above, I can't believe believe people are actually explaining their reasons why they became a fan to a loud mouth on a message board.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by SeoulFire

I think it is quite great that the win turned long time City fans into giant hypocrites

while simultaneously giving United fans amnesia.

[NBC]

I must have touched a nerve with the whole glory hunter angle no?

And that's Dr. Loud Mouth to you my good man.

[The Big Chill]

Originally Posted by NBC

I must have touched a nerve with the whole glory hunter angle no?

And that's Dr. Loud Mouth to you my good man.

Like I said, it wasn't the glory hunter comment that bothered me (because you're right, there are plenty of bandwagon type fans in all sports), it was that you claimed that a foreign supporter shouldn't be as invested as a local one. That, my friend, is garbage.

[d_phaneuf]

classy Carlos

[NBC]

Actually it wasn't to you that I was referring, but the more recent United fan who has managed to grace us with his (assumption again I know) presence.

I think we are going to have to agree to disagree here. While I think that everyone is free to support whomever they wish, myself and many others of my ilk find the level of zeal that some foreign fans display somewhat puzzling. The people that I know that have taken football losses heavily or even personally, have some sort of connection to the city or the club in question ergo it can be viewed as a personal or civic failing of sorts. Trust me I've been around far too long to not have even the most basic understanding of the relationships people have with their clubs/teams. Yet I still have to admit that the emotional level to which some people manage to find themselves at after wins/losses, etc is odd, and not only to me. For example, there were a good many posters here yesterday that were really bent out of shape with MCFC winning the title. That surprises me. Why that level of frustration, disgust and anger? Why feel the need to resort to ad hominem attacks? Why feel the need to vent your spleen and refer to a proud franchise with a great history as Manchester sh*tty? That all seems a bit much, especially from thousands of miles away.

People can and do have opinions on most things, I'm fine with that. All I can say is that after living here for a number of years, I find if odd when I see/hear of so many international supporters getting as upset over English football results as I do. I don't know, call me, well whatever you wish, but it just seems strange to me. As it does to many others.

I do not think that you should put too much stock into what one poster so eloquently referred to as, a "loud mouth on a message board." People can have their reasons and others can simply ponder those very same reasons. But I digress good sir.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by NBC

Actually it wasn't to you that I was referring, but the more recent United fan who has managed to grace us with his (assumption again I know) presence.

I think we are going to have to agree to disagree here. While I think that everyone is free to support whomever they wish, myself and many others of my ilk find the level of zeal that some foreign fans display somewhat puzzling. The people that I know that have taken football losses heavily or even personally, have some sort of connection to the city or the club in question ergo it can be viewed as a personal or civic failing of sorts. Trust me I've been around far too long to not have even the most basic understanding of the relationships people have with their clubs/teams. Yet I still have to admit that the emotional level to which some people manage to find themselves at after wins/losses, etc is odd, and not only to me. For example, there were a good many posters here yesterday that were really bent out of shape with MCFC winning the title. That surprises me. Why that level of frustration, disgust and anger? Why feel the need to resort to ad hominem attacks? Why feel the need to vent your spleen and refer to a proud franchise with a great history as Manchester sh*tty? That all seems a bit much, especially from thousands of miles away.

People can and do have opinions on most things, I'm fine with that. All I can say is that after living here for a number of years, I find if odd when I see/hear of so many international supporters getting as upset over English football results as I do. I don't know, call me, well whatever you wish, but it just seems strange to me. As it does to many others.

I do not think that you should put too much stock into what one poster so eloquently referred to as, a "loud mouth on a message board." People can have their reasons and others can simply ponder those very same reasons. But I digress good sir.

Isn't that how you grow the game though? Would you rather the PL be exclusive to England?

[NBC]

In an ideal world, yes. Unfortunately all it seems to be doing these days is growing the brand(s) of a select few clubs.

I've long thought that one key difference between European football and the big 4 North American professional leagues is that in North America the health of the league is more important than any one of its constituent parts. That is not the same here. It probably has a lot to do with the promotion/relegation system, but my sense is that no one really gives a hoot about other clubs' problems. That is evident right now in Scotland where the most successful and arguably biggest club is fighting to stay solvent and the other 11 clubs are ready to deliver the death blow to RFC.

I don't like it.

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by Barnet Flame

I never realised Spurs were so universally hated.
.

Racism against Judaism?

Originally Posted by NBC

In an ideal world, yes. Unfortunately all it seems to be doing these days is growing the brand(s) of a select few clubs.

I've long thought that one key difference between European football and the big 4 North American professional leagues is that in North America the health of the league is more important than any one of its constituent parts. That is not the same here. It probably has a lot to do with the promotion/relegation system, but my sense is that no one really gives a hoot about other clubs' problems. That is evident right now in Scotland where the most successful and arguably biggest club is fighting to stay solvent and the other 11 clubs are ready to deliver the death blow to RFC.

I don't like it.

Your anger is misdirected, and should be aimed at the FA & FIFA, not the casual fan. (that superleague is an example, of top clubs flexing against their governing bodies)
Unfortunately, the top clubs in the Prem, dictate the league, and not the other way around. I'm sure you see the contrast between the NHL vs EPL, and the competitive disparity differences of each.

[SeoulFire]

Originally Posted by NBC

I must have touched a nerve with the whole glory hunter angle no?

And that's Dr. Loud Mouth to you my good man.

No nerves were touched and loud mouth was the nicest way I could put it without it being censored.

What you were blathering about is by no means original and it is also not limited to fans of opposing teams. It actually seems to be a fairly standard (and tired) battle cry of Brits.

Strictly Championship (or lower) supporters are probably the worst of the lot as they seem to think it is a badge of honor to be a fan of a lower tier team. To them pretty much everybody is a glory hunter and this especially applies to the followers of the big clubs.

The clubs that are fighting for relegation hold the same chip as they seem to think they are better fans as well. It is likely that they will never get above mid table and they are proud of it. Anybody who follows a big club is a glory hunter.

The clubs who used to be good but now suck also sing this song about the clubs who are good now or in the recent past. If they ever get good again, they will start calling their own fans glory hunters as well (see below).

The clubs that are now good and have been for awhile will get it from both other team's fans as well as their own. The others will bash them for following a good club and discount the reasons why (you are not even from there!). This one is especially interesting as it will even come from fans of big clubs that have a large international following. The local fans of the club will also discount the internationals as being glory hunters and try to use it to feel superior as a fan (your are not a fan if you have never been to [insert grounds here].). The fact is, that to Brits, the fans of any other team as well as their own are glory hunters if they are not from the region.

God forbid if you ever meet a non Ranger or Celtic SPL fan....

In short, it is a pathetic attempt by people with a geographic or historical connection to a certain club to try and feel superior as a fan. I have never really been able to figure out why that is important but I suppose that is not my concern. Keep spewing your nonsense if it helps you sleep at night.

Originally Posted by rubecube

Isn't that how you grow the game though? Would you rather the PL be exclusive to England?

Originally Posted by NBC

In an ideal world, yes. Unfortunately all it seems to be doing these days is growing the brand(s) of a select few clubs.

...

I don't like it.

Sometimes I wish that this would happen. I am sure that most Brits would not like the result.

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by Barnet Flame

I never realised Spurs were so universally hated.

Mind you, I remember the Hammers fans sang it the last time they were at the Emirates. That, and 'we hate Tottenham more than you'.

that's because West Ham think they are Spurs biggest rival, and the Hammers fans also don't like "are you West Ham in disguise" being sung at every team losing at WHL

[NBC]

Wow, you sure are an angry little fella.

If that was our attempt at some sort of analysis - and if I was grading it - it'd rate a C- at best. Full of conjecture, innuendo and bereft of any fact.

[cam_wmh]

Glory hunter. Lol

Why I'm a United fan?

I've been a goalkeeper since i was 7 or 8 years old.

I played & grew up with a very prominent footy family (brothers/father), and constantly nagged the dad(father/coach) into who the best goalie in the world was at the time. I was all of 11 years old. He would say "Peter SChalksjfals" what?
I must've asked their father Colin, a dozen times growing up.

My parents didn't understand soccer (like they do hockey), so paying $15 for a foreign magazine, when money was tight was out of the question. So I'd voyage over to Fish Creek library and read up on the EPL, and my newfound favourite goalkeeper.

And now, ~20 years later, I've been fortunate enough to watch them play at OT.

[SeoulFire]

Originally Posted by NBC

Wow, you sure are an angry little fella.

If that was our attempt at some sort of analysis - and if I was grading it - it'd rate a C- at best.

Not an analysis - an observation

Full of conjecture, innuendo and bereft of any fact.

Somewhat like your statements?

Angry? No. I stopped taking English windbags seriously 15 years ago.

[NBC]

When you were 4? Impressive.

Edit: I take that back. It was rude, demonstrative and condescending.

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by NBC

My personal favourite comes from another witless wonder Wayne Rooney. But fair play to him for this:

@Joey7Barton back on the super are you? Send my love to your murdering racist brother will you... Apple doesn't fall far from the tree

That made me laugh.

You got a link to connect that to Rooney?