All-Purpose, Never-Ending Soccer Thread

Nick Hornby sweats Arsenal, so the book has to be shiite....

Saw "Goal" the other day...not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. In fact, pleasently surprised despite all the bad reviews...

 

I'm curious - did they mention anything about work permits in the film? Or does a Mexican-American just waltz in and win a roster spot?

 

Nothing about work permits, which I think states you have to be playing semi-regularly with your country's national team....

I know that's what kept Bobby Convey away from Tottenham a while back...

 

Yeah, that probably kills my suspension of reality. I'll still rent it on DVD.

To get a UK work permit, you need to have played in 75 percent of your country's "A" internationals over the previous 18 months, plus your country has to be above a certain FIFA ranking (the number escapes me) in order to qualify. They occasionally make exceptions for injuries, which is how Carlos Bocanegra got his, and special circumstances, which is how Tim Howard got his.

 

Webster, you are correct. Just more teams to beat the Red Bulls. :'(

I don't see expansion as a bad thing. The league needs more teams.

Now, the movie Goal was an interesting one. There were many leaps of faith occurring in that film. But, in the end, it is a children's movie. That is why it gets a pass and I don't worry about it.

 

More teams? Maybe.

Right now, more diversified ownership and soccer-specific stadia are of more pressing importance. I'm pretty sure we've had that discussion before, though, so I'll stop there.

 

They apparently think more teams is the best way to get more diversified ownership and more stadiums.

Toronto is supposed to have a stadium, so's Philly. San Jose will get no team if it has no stadium. The league is starting to play as much hardball as it can with prospective owners when it comes to stadia.

 

I really like the spots ESPN is running to promo the World Cup. I gotta stop and watch every time they're on.

That is all.


Carry on.

 

What's Pavel Neved doing playing football for the Czechs? Didn't he play hockey for the Canucks?

 

You are 100% correct on the diversified ownership portion. No question that it is the most important aspect.


Agate_Monkey, the ESPN commercials are great. I just wish they would contain more USMNT stuff in them. I also wish they would run equally good promos for the MLS games they show.

Additionally, I like the Gatorade USMNT commericail. They have Take Me Out to the Ballgame playing as they show the trials and tribulations of the team's road to qualifying and culminate it with the fireworks that were overhead at Crew Stadium in Columbus.

 

The Gatorade spot is definitely good.

 

Agreed. Using Bono and U2's music for every clip is a great way to reach a world audience.