[FUTBOL] International Fixtures, 22nd - 27th March

[Reg]

There's some other stuff like League 1 etc. http://www.live-footballontv.com

Wales are playing in the 'China Cup', start the countdown to their huge semi-final now!

Thursday
China v Wales 11:35 BBC1 Wales

Friday
Russia v Brazil 16:00 FreeSports
Netherlands v England 19:45 ITV
Germany v Spain 19:45 BTS
Scotland v Costa Rica 19:45 SS

Saturday
Northern Ireland v South Korea 14:00 FreeSports

Monday
Wales v somebody (kick off time and opponent TBD) S4C
Edit: China Cup final confirmed as:-
Wales v Uruguay 12:35 S4C

Tuesday
Hungary v Scotland 19:00 BBC1 Scotland
Germany v Brazil 19:45 BTS
England v Italy 20:00 ITV
Spain v Argentina 20:30 SS

[Giggles]

We're out in Turkey Friday night. Fair few new faces.

Colin Doyle (Bradford City), Kieran O'Hara (Manchester United), Aaron McCarey (Ross County)

Seamus Coleman (Everton), Cyrus Christie (Fulham), Matt Doherty (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Declan Rice (West Ham United), Shane Duffy (Brighton & Hove Albion), Ciaran Clark (Newcastle United), Kevin Long (Burnley), Alex Pearce (Derby County), Darragh Lenihan, Derrick Williams (Blackburn Rovers), Enda Stevens (Sheffield United)

Alan Judge (Brentford), Conor Hourihane (Aston Villa), Jeff Hendrick (Burnley), David Meyler (Hull City), Eunan O'Kane (Leeds United), Alan Browne, Daryl Horgan (Preston North End), James McClean (West Bromwich Albion)

Shane Long (Southampton), Scott Hogan (Aston Villa), Sean Maguire (Preston North End)

Hoping to see Browne, Maguire, Doherty, and Stevens get some action.

[Magic]

Seriously boring.

[Giggles]

Seriously boring.

Makes a nice change from the weekly seriously boring.

[Baz]

Monday
Wales v somebody (kick off time and opponent TBD) S4C

Seriously?

[Giggles]

Seriously?

That they don't know the opponent until after China, or that it's on S4C?

[Baz]

Both, really. Mainly opponent TBD.

[Reg]

Well it's a pretend cup so they've got the China game and then Monday they'll play either the final or third place playoff.

[Giggles]

Is this 'tournament" more of their world rankings game or what? Doesn't every friendly they play work towards that system?

[Ian]

Maybe they think they're too big time for it now. Or felt the pinch from not playing any money-spinners.

Either that or it's just Giggsy's well-documented love of the international friendly.

[Bob Sacamano]

We're out in Turkey Friday night. Fair few new faces.



Hoping to see Browne, Maguire, Doherty, and Stevens get some action.

Maguire has been fantastic for Preston, he really needs to be first choice going forward.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Maguire started his career at Waterford United, making his debut in July 2011 against Mervue United. During his career at Waterford he scored 14 goals in 32 games. Waterford's chairman, John O'Sullivan said of Maguire, "I'm a great fan of Lionel Messi at Barcelona. When I look at Seanie, he really reminds me of him."

John O'Sullivan sounds like a legend.

[Giggles]

He wouldn't be the first to make that stupd comparison about a player. Not by a long way.

Then again, most chairmen here are nutjobs.

[Giggles]

Maguire has been fantastic for Preston, he really needs to be first choice going forward.

Been flying since the return from the injury. Been reading great things about Browne on the match reports/forums etc too, he's been their best player a good few times apparently.

[Smiffy]

I can't help but think Giggs is going to fuck it. I just don't see him as managerial material. Fuck sake. Just as we were getting decent.

[Jimmy Floyd]

China should not be losing 6-0 at home to Wales. What a shit tip.

[Lewis]

'Zlatan' is off. It's a shame he never won the league, but he was a pretty good signing, so good luck to him thieving a couple of years out of the Americans.

[Ian]

He was ace last year. He'd probably have been on his way toward 40 goals if he hadn't got injured in March given he was basically the only reliable goalscorer we had.

Also I've only just realised that I don't think I'll see either of the England friendlies.

What a crushing disappointment.

[Shindig]

I can't help but think Giggs is going to fuck it. I just don't see him as managerial material. Fuck sake. Just as we were getting decent.

I can never tell with International stints. The other home nations can strike gold from the likes of Jack Charlton and Lawrie Sanchez.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I'm stunned, Jack 'Jack' Wilshere has had to pull out of the squad.

[Jimmy Floyd]

International management is a totally different game. You don't see Claude Le Roy working the phones on deadline day.

[Jimmy Floyd]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Saintfiet

Some of these people are amazing. Accumulating shit third world teams must be like a drug. One day you're happily chugging up and down the left flank in the Belgian fourth division, then the wanderlust creeps in just a tad, and the next thing you know you're winning the Tanzanian league with six national team offers in the drawer, all with a GNP per capita lower than your daily bill for room service.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

A real life Journeyman game

[Kikó]

Can you make sure we follow the rest of his life? I'm happy to become a Tom fanboy.

[Shindig]

It's Africa. He'll have managed everyone bar South Africa twice over inside five years.

[Ian]

Keeping us up to date on #TomWatch would possibly make up for Jimmy's callous abandonment of Roy "The Crush" Krishna's goalscoring exploits.

[phonics]

Kyle Walker is playing at centre back.

[Jimmy Floyd]

That's probably the most England thing ever. Why play anyone in their correct position.

[niko_cee]

A bold gambit to play one of the worst actual defenders we've had for years (he has other qualities obviously) in that role.

Jesus, Walker, Stones and Gomez in a back three? Would be better as a four, obviously, but there can't have been many more collective bombscare backlines than that.

Pickford on set pieces I assume (or, even worse, Rashford).

"The Ox" and "Hendo" as a two in the midfield as well? Man alive.

[Shindig]

Let's just hold it together until James Milner manages us in 2024.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I think there will be a huge decline in the number of (English at least) top players who go on to be managers. Why put yourself through all that stress when you don't need the money.

The only exceptions will be those who do need the money, or those with massive egos (John Terry intersecting the Venn diagram to perfection).

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

This intro

It's almost as mental as the England team.

[Pleb]

What's with the lighting in the stadium then?

Botching the british anthem. Classic stuff.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Christ this is shit.

[Pleb]

Not to worry Scotlol is getting dicked on by Costa Rica so normal service has resumed.

[Reg]

I'm quite hopeful. I'm a Southgate fan. (Feel free to quote me when we lose to Panama. )

Perhaps @Max Power can answer, but is Maguire actually a good 'ball playing defender'? How much of that reputation is down to him looking a bit of an awkward lump so being better than you expect with the ball? A 'good feet for a big man' situation.

[niko_cee]

I do love this growing hope.

We're utter bilge and better sides would put our 'playing out from the back' to the sword.

That said, trying to stink it up and nick a goal is probably our only route to anything near decent in the world cup so, here's hoping Gareth has coached them up well on penalties . . .

[Max Power]

I'm quite hopeful. I'm a Southgate fan. (Feel free to quote me when we lose to Panama. )

Perhaps @Max Power can answer, but is Maguire actually a good 'ball playing defender'? How much of that reputation is down to him looking a bit of an awkward lump so being better than you expect with the ball? A 'good feet for a big man' situation.

Better at bringing the ball out and into midfield than he is actually passing the ball. As you say a bit of it is just shock that such an oaf is so comfy but still very decent.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Messi Lingard

[Ian]

I'm quite hopeful. I'm a Southgate fan.

You're building up to some long-awaited punchline this summer, I assume.

[-james-]

What a desperately shit game of football. There's nobody in this England team that can play a pass, they all just run around a lot.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Jesse you've scored some big goals in your short career but where do you place that? Your first goal for England and the winner.

It's a fucking friendly against a shit Dutch team.

[Magic]

What a desperately shit game of football. There's nobody in this England team that can play a pass, they all just run around a lot.

"Dominated the game".

[Reg]

Better at bringing the ball out and into midfield than he is actually passing the ball. As you say a bit of it is just shock that such an oaf is so comfy but still very decent.

Ah that's good to know, especially since they seem very committed to playing it out.

I'd rather Walker played wingback and have his pace going forward.

You're building up to some long-awaited punchline this summer, I assume.

Nah I quite like how he's done and I think the way we're set up to be solid and use our pace on the break is sensible. I should maybe clarify that I'm 'quite hopeful' we beat Belgium and/or someone else decent, not that we'll win the World Cup.

I'd be quite happy seeing us win one knockout game even if it were against someone dreadful.

[Ian]

Have you not the lessons of every qualifier and friendly of the last, oh, decade? They're an indicator of nothing.

[Reg]

Let me have a tinge of hope and ignore the past three decades of evidence, dammit, Ian!

[Ian]

I wish I wasn't a jaded husk of a football fan these days.

[Jimmy Floyd]

How bad must Holland be to lose at home to that? Rob Rensenbrink schmoking in his grave.

[Baz]

I wish I wasn't a jaded husk of a football fan these days.

Start supporting Liverpool; it’s awesome.

[Ian]

Oh yeah, just what I need is a manager who describes his style as "heavy metal football."

I hate basically all of them.

Other than Eric Bailly, obviously.