(Just to please Queenie (apologies for my over-familiarity, ma'am))

Who will win the Premiership this year?

Who will win the UEFA Champions League?

Arsenal winning either of these will activate Chessbot3000's pleasure circuits!

Incidentally, on the subject of that chap Beckham....

I saw the MLS All-Star game on tv a week or two ago, and they had a half-time interview with Beckham. I suspect he'd been instructed by PR advisors to say that he admired Americans' patriotism, but the fool followed it up with "They're not just patriotic about their sports, they're also patriotic about their country."

It makes one proud to be a UK citizen, doesn't it?

Doesn't it just!

hahaha that isnt football! you would fall over int tears if you get touched!!! real football is ausy rules! geelong is the hardest team going around just look at the 2007 grand final! we went in hard and came out with the cup!

Crying?  Guess you have never heard of my Sunday morning-hangover induced-slightly embarrassed at my lack of fitness-if only the referee saw it-parental guidance advised-kneebreaking-crunching tackles. 

The gooners are going to do it this year, I have a good feeling about it..

I agree with HotFlow. Maybe Darth Rabidus is basing his opinion on the overpaid footballers on TV, who like to roll about to impress the ref if touched.

Sunday football (AKA "pub" football) is much different. I must have made thousands of "firm" sliding tackles on my previous Sunday mornings, and I think I may have touched the ball once or twice (and I never received a yellow or red card.) I manage a Sunday League side to this day, so if the bold Darth Rabidus cares to come and play, I'll give him an opportunity to find out what football is really like.

Hotflow, I hope you're right about the gooners!

Darth, AFL is the sport no one knows about but us :P. Though even thats a bit sissier then good old NRL or Rugby union. Go manly. but unlike geelong, we lost our final. Dam you storm.

Glad to hear not all football (soccer over here) is for cry-babies. I couldn't watch the World Cup because of all the rolling and wincing and knee-grabbing. When that happens in hockey the whiner is the one that gets penalized.

 

Beckham is a sell-out, and I'm not even from the UK. 

I love watching the Premiership and the UEFA Champions League. Sadly living in the states it is hard to see it on television. 

Beckham? A sell-out?

I thought he played football just to see the smiles on the children's faces, and willingly gave up his free time to appear on television recommending a cornucopia of shiny consumer goods for us all to covet!

IMHO, Beckham is as famous for advertising things as he is for football, but that's his choice. The money he earns from football is a sure sign that that LA Galaxy can earn enough to pay him and make a profit.

The older I get, the more I love "organic" football. Picture this:

A dozen or so bleary-eyed men, of different backgrounds, get up too early after a Saturday night, make their way to the park, unite for two hours to run around and revive their childhood dreams. For those two hours, these men cease to be plumbers, accountants, or whatever, and become footballers; part of a team; a band of brothers. Then they have a quick drink together, if time allows, before returning to their wives, children and responsibilities.

Amateur sports are much more noble.

Well Beckham has always been overrated as a player. He's really just a regular player with a good kick.

Etienne wrote: Well Beckham has always been overrated as a player. He's really just a regular player with a good kick.

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Weaknesses: Tackling, Defending, Temper.

Strengths: Free-kicks, crosses, spectacular goals, good hair, PR skills, celebrity wife, surrounds himself with good business advisors.

No suprises then that he's earned a fortune.

 

Beckham runs 8 miles per game. You can't say he's not a great athlete.

 I don't care how many t-shirts you sell, you don't make the Real Madrid first team because of great hair. So what if he needs a great wing-back to cover him. He's quality (well was. Playing in the U.S. is only gong to weaken him).

 

I say this as an unbiased Palace fan. Go eagles.

Arsenal are going to win the premiership this year. I doubt they are experienced enough to win the champions league though. Did anyone watch the champions league last night (2nd oct), Man u were lucky. Also beckham may have been a little over rated but he did work hard for man u and his motherland (He'd even shave his head when he let us down :))

Beckham looked a class apart for England becuase of the sad truth that there isn't actually that much class in the England team.  Most of team is overrated.  And that includes Gerrard and Lampard and what not, good solid players for their clubs surrounded by "flair" filled classy internationals, but lets face it they hardly produce magic everytime they pull on the England shirt.  Rooney has potential but he has to many quite games.  Joe Ciole has abit about him can actually produce abit of flair but he is greedy and doesn't show enough composure.  Next world cup unless we see some young gifted players coming through I think we will be lucky to qualifying.

Well I wouldve went with Manchester United, but after watching the game against Roma yesterday Im not so sure. Now Im just back to being confused.

I would have to disagree there HotFlow. The players England have at the moment are some of the best in my 41 years of life. David Beckham is one of the best players in the world. Spurs will do the double this year as they are surely the best football team the world have ever seen... and its very difficult to type whilst wearing a strait jacket!

Hotflow you simply cant say that, all of the england team is talented. Even when england play bad the score generally isnt embarassing. I think the problems we are having now is down to poor management rather than individual players.

We can go on blamming the managers for the next decade, but I think we have to face facts.  We all like to think the England team is great and is gonig to do well but I think that is down to the press hyping them up.  True they are not the worse, we are a solid strong team but with plenty of good players but noone "special" if you get my meaning, no one who produces the magic touch on the big occasions.  Which most of the countries around the world have.  Bottom line is I think we are overrated, and we see that everytime we play.

I actually find it painfull to watch how rubbish the team plays at times.

Also I don't think the main problem has been down to the managers, the job is impossible with all the pressure from sponsors to play certain individuals and clubs being protective over their players.  Even the players are at it pulling out of friendlies with bs injuries, you can't get the team gelling if they hardly ever paly together.  I don't know a bout you but I'd give my "right one" to pull on the England shirt.

 

frenchduke wrote: Darth, AFL is the sport no one knows about but us :P. Though even thats a bit sissier then good old NRL or Rugby union. Go manly. but unlike geelong, we lost our final. Dam you storm.

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but come on!!! geelong are the premiers... hahaha i tipped storm to win by five tries!! and they did!!!!

 

and plus soccer is gay... and weak... and all of the above...

ps leeds united rock!!!!

chessbot3000 wrote:

I agree with HotFlow. Maybe Darth Rabidus is basing his opinion on the overpaid footballers on TV, who like to roll about to impress the ref if touched.

Sunday football (AKA "pub" football) is much different. I must have made thousands of "firm" sliding tackles on my previous Sunday mornings, and I think I may have touched the ball once or twice (and I never received a yellow or red card.) I manage a Sunday League side to this day, so if the bold Darth Rabidus cares to come and play, I'll give him an opportunity to find out what football is really like.

Hotflow, I hope you're right about the gooners!

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i would love to... but i think they wouldnt appreciate it once i pick up the ball and kick a goal through the big sticks!!