• The KillerFrogs

2024-2025 European Football Thread

K

kaiser soze

Active Member
Unfortunate news on Dest. Serious and knee injury are not good in the same report. Let's hope its better than it sounds.

On the positive side, Gio has been earning more minutes at NFO since USMNT break and even started the last pair. Gio needs to help NFO finish better than Luton Town above the relegation line and find a club that will commit and feature him so he is ready for 2026.
 
Purp

Purp

Active Member
kaiser soze said:
Unfortunate news on Dest. Serious and knee injury are not good in the same report. Let's hope its better than it sounds.

On the positive side, Gio has been earning more minutes at NFO since USMNT break and even started the last pair. Gio needs to help NFO finish better than Luton Town above the relegation line and find a club that will commit and feature him so he is ready for 2026.
Click to expand...
True, and our depth at right back is less of a concern than at other positions. Replacing Dest makes us better defensively, but ot certainly limits our offensive potency from the right flank. You can't replace his ability to drive at defenders and create lanes to pass into.
 
E

EVOfrogMR

Active Member
Chongo94 said:
Thought it interesting Aston Villa was one of the dissenting votes here…

www.espn.com

Prem clubs agree to spending cap 'in principle'

Premier League clubs have agreed in principle to implement a spending cap after receiving majority support with a final vote expected in June, the BBC reported on Monday.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
Click to expand...
Perhaps you're not familiar with their ownership.

www.birminghammail.co.uk

A deep dive into Villa owner Nassef Sawiris & billionaire family

Inside Aston Villa's owners | All you need to know about the man with a $7.5 billion fortune to his name who owns Aston Villa alongside business partner Wes Edens
www.birminghammail.co.uk www.birminghammail.co.uk

www.birminghammail.co.uk

NSWE enter 'next phase' of Aston Villa ownership

BirminghamLive takes a deep dive into what Aston Villa's future looks like under billionaire owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens
www.birminghammail.co.uk www.birminghammail.co.uk

They didn't get better just by hiring a coach.
 
Chongo94

Chongo94

Active Member
EVOfrogMR said:
Perhaps you're not familiar with their ownership.

www.birminghammail.co.uk

A deep dive into Villa owner Nassef Sawiris & billionaire family

Inside Aston Villa's owners | All you need to know about the man with a $7.5 billion fortune to his name who owns Aston Villa alongside business partner Wes Edens
www.birminghammail.co.uk www.birminghammail.co.uk

www.birminghammail.co.uk

NSWE enter 'next phase' of Aston Villa ownership

BirminghamLive takes a deep dive into what Aston Villa's future looks like under billionaire owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens
www.birminghammail.co.uk www.birminghammail.co.uk

They didn't get better just by hiring a coach.
Click to expand...
No, I know of their ownership. But they’ve been more calm for lack of a better term with their transfers than a City or Paris. I mean they’ve had some big transfers but most were rather reasonable priced ones I thought for them. Unless they’ve suddenly decided to randomly start throwing transfer buy bombs this summer, it seemed as they were trying a smart, calm approach to things even with their moneybags backing.

As to the actual development, I think this could be good for the league.
 
Last edited:
Purp

Purp

Active Member
Chongo94 said:
No, I know of their ownership. But they’ve been more calm for lack of a better term with their transfers than a City or Paris. I mean they’ve had some big transfers but most were rather reasonable priced ones I thought for them. Unless they’ve suddenly decided to randomly start throwing transfer buy bombs this summer, it seemed as they were trying a smart, calm approach to things even with their moneybags backing.

As to the actual development, I think this could be good for the league.
Click to expand...
I'm not sure this is good for the league unless the cap is set higher than other leagues are willing to spend. This could elevate other European leagues and close the gap between them and the EPL. Competitive balance will improve and make for a better league to watch, but European competition results will suffer.
 
Chongo94

Chongo94

Active Member
Purp said:
I'm not sure this is good for the league unless the cap is set higher than other leagues are willing to spend. This could elevate other European leagues and close the gap between them and the EPL. Competitive balance will improve and make for a better league to watch, but European competition results will suffer.
Click to expand...
That’s why I am a supporter of it. I am not a EPL apologist or super fan. I enjoy watching it and Arsenal but I think it’s outsized influence has been bad for the overall progress of other European leagues.
 
Last edited:
Purp

Purp

Active Member
Chongo94 said:
That’s why I am a supporter of it. I am not a EPL apologist or super fan. I enjoy watching it and Arsenal but I think it’s outsized influence has been bad for the overall progress of other European leagues.
Click to expand...
I'm not an EPL apologist either and love the Bundesliga just as much. But if those leagues don't have the foresight to open up to the American marketplace for the obvious financial windfalls that's on them. I see that as the biggest difference in the financial success of those leagues. This also is going to make clubs in England far more profitable and attract more stale and dispassionate ownership. That will, in turn, widen the gap between the huge clubs and the smaller ones that started when the EPL launched.
 
Purp

Purp

Active Member
In other news Dest confirmed his ACL is torn. Probably won't see him until 2025 and I think this may screw up PSV's plans to sign him on a permanent deal this summer.
 
Chongo94

Chongo94

Active Member
Purp said:
I'm not an EPL apologist either and love the Bundesliga just as much. But if those leagues don't have the foresight to open up to the American marketplace for the obvious financial windfalls that's on them. I see that as the biggest difference in the financial success of those leagues. This also is going to make clubs in England far more profitable and attract more stale and dispassionate ownership. That will, in turn, widen the gap between the huge clubs and the smaller ones that started when the EPL launched.
Click to expand...
It’s not necessarily foresight. For some yes, for others, however, language and culture impacted it as well. It’s far easier to have an on-ramp into another sporting space when the language and culture like England is already shared.
Personally, the Bundesliga’s biggest mistake was to go to this all in streaming option with espn after leaving Fox. Horrible decision in my opinion.
 
Chongo94

Chongo94

Active Member
Purp said:
In other news Dest confirmed his ACL is torn. Probably won't see him until 2025 and I think this may screw up PSV's plans to sign him on a permanent deal this summer.
Click to expand...
Per my understanding, they already stated they want to stand by him and keep him at the club and this was after the injury occurred. They could change their minds though, bidness is bidness after all.
 
Purp

Purp

Active Member
Chongo94 said:
Per my understanding, they already stated they want to stand by him and keep him at the club and this was after the injury occurred. They could change their minds though, bidness is bidness after all.
Click to expand...
Can't remember where I read it after the injury occurred, but Earnie Stewart said something along the lines of they really wanted to keep him and fully intended to, but some part of his loan terms required a successful physical, which he clearly won't pass this summer, if they were to keep him. In other words they wouldn't be able to keep him even if they wanted to b/c he wouldn't pass a medical.

Maybe they're renegotiating the loan terms to eliminate that clause? Not sure how that would work bc I don't think I've ever seen it done, but I supposed anything could be done legally if both sides are in agreement on the end state.
 
Purp

Purp

Active Member
Chongo94 said:
It’s not necessarily foresight. For some yes, for others, however, language and culture impacted it as well. It’s far easier to have an on-ramp into another sporting space when the language and culture like England is already shared.
Personally, the Bundesliga’s biggest mistake was to go to this all in streaming option with espn after leaving Fox. Horrible decision in my opinion.
Click to expand...
I agree. I think the Bundesliga was be as big or bigger in America as the EPL if they'd been on network TV 3-4 times a weekend like the EPL. You have to seek them out if you want to watch them where you can accidentally stumble upon the EPL.

I disagree that culture and language has as much to do with it. If the games are broadcast in English the audience can understand just as well what's going on. It's not like we see a ton of postgame interviews from EPL games on TV. And fans want to see the best players in the world. If they're playing in Italy, Germany, France, Spain, or England they really don't care as long as the product is entertaining.

I'd much rather go watch a game in Germany than England and I don't speak hardly any German beyond 3-4 basic words. The games are generally more exciting to watch, the food is better in and around the stadiums, and so is the beer. And German's dental work is better than Arkansas country folk. I'd rather watch one on TV too if it's broadcast in English and was convenient to watch.
 
Chongo94

Chongo94

Active Member
Purp said:
Can't remember where I read it after the injury occurred, but Earnie Stewart said something along the lines of they really wanted to keep him and fully intended to, but some part of his loan terms required a successful physical, which he clearly won't pass this summer, if they were to keep him. In other words they wouldn't be able to keep him even if they wanted to b/c he wouldn't pass a medical.

Maybe they're renegotiating the loan terms to eliminate that clause? Not sure how that would work bc I don't think I've ever seen it done, but I supposed anything could be done legally if both sides are in agreement on the end state.
Click to expand...
Given Barca’s finances, they may be more than willing to do so (renegotiate the language and whatnot) to get him off the payroll, particularly if he won’t be playing.
 
Chongo94

Chongo94

Active Member
Purp said:
I agree. I think the Bundesliga was be as big or bigger in America as the EPL if they'd been on network TV 3-4 times a weekend like the EPL. You have to seek them out if you want to watch them where you can accidentally stumble upon the EPL.

I disagree that culture and language has as much to do with it. If the games are broadcast in English the audience can understand just as well what's going on. It's not like we see a ton of postgame interviews from EPL games on TV. And fans want to see the best players in the world. If they're playing in Italy, Germany, France, Spain, or England they really don't care as long as the product is entertaining.

I'd much rather go watch a game in Germany than England and I don't speak hardly any German beyond 3-4 basic words. The games are generally more exciting to watch, the food is better in and around the stadiums, and so is the beer. And German's dental work is better than Arkansas country folk. I'd rather watch one on TV too if it's broadcast in English and was convenient to watch.
Click to expand...
Ain’t that the truth about the dental stuff, will never understand it!
 
dawg

dawg

Active Member
The offsides call that negated Bayern’s equalizer. Bayern dude’s shoulder does look a bit offside, but is Rüdiger’s arm playing them on? Legit IDK



Both semis were good drama. Madrid… this sort of thing only happens to them.
 

Latest posts

Top