Australia is set to join the AFC :love:

I heard something about this today, can you link me? Is it official? FUCKING HOPE SO :y:

the sydney morning herald reported it apparently, it's all over the world game forum.

Yeah I'm reading all this shit on theworldgame forum but half the shit doesn't make sense cos I haven't had any background reading about the issue so yeah. Plus half the cunts there write fucking essays which I can't be arsed reading. :o

But yeah this sounds really good. Having said that, not getting too excited as FIFA will probably turn around at the last second and give the entire thing the arse, just like last time.

This should have been done so many years ago. Oceania being it's own confederation deserves to have at least a full direct entry place (especially considering other regions like the American region has fucken 3 direct qualifying spots which is bullshit). However, being in the Asian Football Confederation has always been the better option I believe. This way, we can afford to lose a few games yet still qualify, unlike other qualifying attempts such as 1997 where we didn't lose at all yet still didn't get through! Plus Australia is more than capable of matching it with Asian teams, I think it's a great idea and sincerely hope that it goes ahead without FIFA or any other arsehole knocking it back.

I'm hearing New Zealand is against the move for some reason. Dunno why, just being annoying cunts seems to be the only reason I can think of - us moving out of their confederation does them the world of good

They're fucking idiots if that's the case. Can't see why they should be annoyed about it. :|

Oceania has never deserved its own spot really. That would basically have said to Austrialia right you've got guarenteed entry

Ogen that's what I'm saying. Technically Oceania, as a confederation, deserves at least 1 entry spot. Having said that, it would be all too easy for Australia to get into the World Cup every time. So joining Asia is the way to go for Australia, it would mean more quality and meaningful games and we could afford to slip a few times yet still qualify.

I just get fucking pissed off that such a big fuss is made by FIFA over Oceania yet these cunts give CONCACAF 3 and a half spots! For what? Fucking means the USA is a shoe-in every time. If anything, FIFA should merge Oceania and CONCACAF so that there are 4 qualifying spots. But I'm happy to take the Asian route. Anything other than fucking playing off against South Americans over 2 legs.

The point is, moving into Asia is the best chance Australia has.

Ogen's exactly right, of the 200 or whatever registered football associations around the world, 32 of them make the world cup finals. It wouldn't be right to gift us a place, but there's no perfect answer here. One spot is too much, half isn't enough. Basically we piss through the oceania qualifying groups beating island teams 30-0 - a foregone conclusion every time, and our whole chance of qualifying hinges on 2 results in the space of a week.

Ah well lifes a bitch :D

Let's just have another pint hey? :D

Gutted about Keegan leaving :( top bloke who's Newcastle team was great to watch. I remember when they won promotion on the last day of 92/93, they beat us 7-0 (but we still beat Pompey in the play off semi's :cool: ).

Did he get the arse or did he just bail himself?

Probably bailed, he said he'd leave when his contract was up, which was at the end of next season, which rarely works out anyway. They've had a bad season really, just pretty inconsistent, like coming back from 2 down to win at Norwich and then not having a shot on target and losing at home to Bolton.

He always says how vital Shaun Wright-Phillips is to them and now he's out for 2 months (that Bolton game was the first without him) so he probably thought it might be better to jump before results get too bad and they drop down the table.

Who else is in Oceania, out of curiousity?

Also, Job's goal yesterday was classy (even if he does suck :p Owen) however Lisbon were on good form and deserved the win, they should go through unless Boro get a few players back and pull their fingers out.

FA Cup 1/4 finals this weekend

Bolton vs Arsenal
Southampton vs Man U
Blackburn vs Leicester
Newcastle vs Spurs

Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has angrily dismissed speculation linking him with the vacancy at Manchester City.

The Hoops' boss has been installed as one of the favourites to take over at the City of Manchester Stadium after Kevin Keegan left the club on Friday morning, but O'Neill insists he has no intention of leaving the Glasgow giants, where his focus is on the Scottish domestic double.

O'Neill said: "You are talking to the longest-serving manager in the SPL. Why would you ask me about this job at this stage of the season when you know we have some important games coming up?"

He added: "I have answered the question, I am here and I would imagine that I will be here next week and the week after that.

"Who knows? At one stage, you will ask me and I might have some different news for you.

"I have been asked this question umpteen times over a period of years and now I am sitting here being asked the same old questions.

"At some stage, if results don't go well, you will be sitting here with someone else. I think the fans realise that I am still here at the football club.

"I have been asked whether I will be leaving this football club every single day since I have been here and I'm still here and I am very pleased to be here.

"I don't think this has any affect on the dressing room, I just think this is journalistic spiel."

Dowie and Strachan have also been linked.

Best of Keegan

* "You get bunches of players like you do bananas...though that is a bad comparison."

* "Argentina won't be at Euro 2000 because they're from South America."

* "People will say that was typical City, which really annoys me. But that's typical City, I suppose..."

* "By the end he [Asprilla] was knackered-o. I think that's the Spanish for it."

* "They're the second best team in the world and there's no higher praise than that."

* "One of his strengths is not heading."

* "He's using his strength and that is his strength, his strength."

* "My father was a miner and he worked down a mine."

* "If I had a blank piece of paper there'd be five names on it."

* "Hungary is very similar to Bulgaria. I know they're different countries..."

* "I didn’t see a lot. When Benitez learns a bit more English someone have to tell him to sit down."

* "England have the best fans in the world and Scotland's fans are second to none."

* "Against France we'll have to be at our best both technically, tactically and spirit-wise."

* "You can't do better than go away from home and get a draw."

* "We deserved to win this game after hammering them 0-0 in the first half."

* "I don't think there's anyone bigger or smaller than Maradona."

* "He [SWP] is now getting paid what he deserves to be paid. I don't approve of using kids as cheap labour."

* "The 33 or 34 year olds will be 36 or 37 by the time the next World Cup comes around, if they're not careful."

* "Maine Road was a great football stadium but as time moved on it stayed where it is..."

* "Chile have three options - they could win or they could lose."

* "Gary always weighed up his options, especially when he had no choice."

* "The tide is very much in our court now."

* "The Germans only have one player under 22, and he's 23."

* "You don't get two chances at this level, or at any other level for that matter."

* "He can't speak Turkey, but you can tell he's delighted."

* "Batistuta is very good at pulling off defenders."

* "There'll be no siestas in Madrid tonight."

* "It's understandable that people are keeping one eye on the pot and another up the chimney."

* "England can end the millennium as it started - as the greatest football nation in the world."

* "I know what is around the corner - I just don't know where the corner is. But the onus is on us to perform and we must control the bandwagon."

* "They compare Steve McManaman to Steve Heighway and he's nothing like him, but I can see why - it's because he's a bit different..."

* "In some ways, cramp is worse than having a broken leg."

* "Should Al-Fayed get a British passport? 1000 per cent yes."

* "The good news for Nigeria is that they're two-nil down very early in the game..."

* "Despite his white boots, he has real pace..."

* "That would have been a goal if it wasn't saved."

* "Goalkeepers aren't born today until they're in their late 2Os or 3Os."

* "The substitute is about to come on - he's a player who was left out of the starting line-up today."

* "The ref was vertically 15 yards away."

* "Sir John Hall was a multi-millionaire when I came back to Newcastle. With all the players I've bought, I'm trying to make him just an ordinary millionaire."

* "Football's always easier when you've got the ball."

* "People still have the concept of one big bath, but the way forward hygeine-wise is single baths."

* "It's like a toaster, the ref's shirt pocket. Every time there's a tackle, up pops a yellow card."

* "I'd love to be a mole on the wall in the Liverpool dressing room at half-time."

* "I'm not trying to make excuses for David Seaman, but I think the lights may have been a problem..."

* "The game has gone rather scrappy as both sides realise they could win this match or lose it."

* "I'm not disappointed - just disappointed."

* "There's a slight doubt about only one player, and that's Tony Adams, who definitely won't be playing tomorrow."

* "I came to Nantes two years ago and it's much the same today, except that it's totally different."

* "We managed to wrong a few rights."

* "It's my job not to get beheaded."

* "I'll never play at Wembley again, unless I play at Wembley again."

* "Sometimes there are too many generals and not enough people waving to the generals as they walk past."

* "A tremendous strike which hit the defender full on the arm - and it nearly came off."

* "That decision, for me, was almost certainly definitely wrong."

* "Danny Tiatto is not going to make a mistake on purpose."

* "He'll also be very dangerous from set-pieces. That means he'll be a threat from free-kicks and corners in the final third of the field."

* "He’s [Shaun Wright-Phillips] got a heart as big as his size, which isn’t big, but his heart’s bigger than that."

* "The problem in our country is that we use hindsight as our judge. When she [Margaret Thatcher] was in power, there were a lot of good things done, but people will always pick out bad things. She was a good lady."

Yeah, god would never go to them with their debt, and then he'd probably have to sell SWP. Man Utd when Ferguson retires should be his destination.

Australia
American Samoa
Cook Islands
New Caledonia
Papua New Guinea
Solomon Islands
Tonga
Fiji
New Zealand
Samoa
Tahiti
Vanuatu

Some good games. I'm gonna tip Bolton, Man U, Blackburn and Newcastle. :y:

I hope you get 1 from 4, yianni :mad:. That 1 being Newcastle :D

:D

Arsenal 1-0 up with stoppage time gone, Ljundberg after 3, Diouf off after 9 :$

afadf ROFLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL Arsenal won but Ljungberg spooned it over from 6 yards right at the end, unbelievable [/Kammy]

yianni :(

it was more like four yards I thought, and yeah it was an aweful miss.

I really do hate El Hadj Douif, what a prick

yianni better be wrong about all of them then :mad:

hahaha yeah, bad miss by Ljunberg which was a shame really, as the football beforehand deserved a goal. Given the criticism given to refs i thought Bennett had a good game :y: maybe could have sent Stelios off but all in all he did well.

I reckon he got the Pires booking wrong but what can I say, Pires' reputation precedes him.

Reyes :nono:

Also, Diouf is a cunt, Bolton are cynical, boring etc.

Comfortable win for United, at least that means we should be allowed to play Kenton against Blackburn.

It doesn't matter who you play, you are going out.

My extreme bad. :( :'(

Dunno about spurs, on one hand it'll be fantastic to see them lose, but then again it'll be good to see them win so we can cream them later on.

:mad:

South Melbourne sucks

yianni

LOL Y2Ant...bastard :p

Btw I just read an article about some Man United cunt chucking a flare on the pitch after one of the goals in the 0-4 last night, sorry if this has already been mentioned on here cos I didn't notice. Aren't strenuous (sp?) checks put in place in the turnstiles in the UK since flares are banned?

Don't worry mate, I'll have my revenge...you know what I mean.

u wont do nothing, pussy boy

You have been warned.

:rofl: oh fuck I'm great

im scurred. im sorry yianni

they're*

see im better

Get the fuck out of this thread

no. free country :p

:yes:

Well it ain't a free shop, is it? So fuck off! [/Doug the Head from Lock Stock]

made an appearance on page 92

That's not an order. It's a threat.

to what? gunna fly on a plane over to u.s.a, go through customs, hunt me down, kill me, fly back without being caught. That will cost a pritty penny.

Try me

go 4 it

Hey arsehole, this is a football thread. Keep the casual posts for the casual thread.

NOW FUCK OFF!

that was not a football post yianni. free conutry.

south melbourne sux cuz they can never win, and their goalie is dating a cheerleader

Fuck it, warning number 2.

eek what happens at 3?

Sunderland won...again.

Dunno, shall we find out?

:foc: from this thread.

Any ref would have given that it was stupid tackle to make in your box.

Who you gunna blame this time HardKore and Wengerland?

I remember that time you blamed Erland Johnsen :rofl:

It wasn't a penalty though, i couldn't have blamed him if he'd have gave it originally because it was a stupid challenge, but he didn't, Kenton moved out the way and Pederson's fell over him.

It was a good run anyway, just a bit annoyed we didn't bring any subs on earlier. Oh well, last time we got this far we lost to Wycombe. Shut up Dazz.

Whoever gets Blackburn may aswell have a bye to the final.

Yianni my friend whats up? Just another fellow Greek here, wishing the league in greece got slightly better, what an embarassment, greece wins euro 2004 and everyone laughs at their league for violence and unorganization.. *sigh*

Who's laughing, the violence in the Greek league is fantastic.

its sad... but funny at the same time

Wengerland is just annoyed he aint going to Cardiff....EVER

I was just using the same thing as you when i said Lampard wasn't great in Europe, and Erland Johnsen, well... :mad:

Wembley all the way anyway, last team to win the League Cup there :cool:

-edit- just remembered Chelsea were the last to win the FA Cup there aswell :(

Ah man the Greek league is balls...I'm a PAOK supporter in any case, you?

South Melbourne had another win tonight, another 1-0 win to maintain a 3 point lead at the top of the ladder. 6 games played, 5 wins 1 draw 0 losses, 6 goals for, 1 goal against. 16 points. :yes:

10 minutes until the draw. Will you be watching Dazz :lol:

Trevor Brooking is the man to ensure it's Man U vs Newcastle and Arsenal vs Blackburn.

Make it happen Trev.

Will you be watching Friday's draw, you peice of shit.

We have been to Cardiff already this year, also, I hope you get Arsenal.

I know, Wengerland, I know. I just wanted to highlight the fact that you won't be going to Cardiff.

Just like we were the last team to win it at Wembley, will will be the first to next season.

I think you can win the Champ's League. I have a few quid on that fact. Draw is on, and why does Wembley look so fucking rediculous. Nou Camp and Maracana will still be bigger and don't have a bit suspension eye-sore over the touch line sides.

1- new

2 - man u

3 - arse!

4 - BR

SCORE IN LA MANGA, YOU COULDN'T SCORE IN LA MAAAANGA

draw's just about to start...

Arsenal at home

Arsenal vs Blackburn
Newcastle vs Man Ud

Arsenal in the final then, should be against United.

will play Blackburn, we go away to Newcastle - So I was right.

I'm pleased.


Both to be played at the Millenium Stadium. How strange.

Damn, I wanted you to play Arsenal. SOME ON SHEAERER, I would love it if they beat you. LOVE IT.

That's why i was so annoyed about yesterday, i knew we had little chance of getting to the final, but we'd still go to Cardiff if we won.

Just gonna have to get to the play off final next season then :(

Blackburn could beat Arsenal. I think Newcastle are the weakest team still in.

Much love for Sparky though.

I think Blackburn and Newcastle are equal.

Nah, Blackburn have the edge. the edge being Mark Hughes.

Newcastle's attack and keeper are better.

Freidel is losing it.

The hell are you people talking about, Blackburn are shoddy. When you rely on Dickov for goals you're in trouble.

At least Newcastle have players that if they're on form can really trouble any team (i.e. Robert, Dyer, Kluivert)

Also do you not think Nicky Butt is going to have extra incentive (assuming he's playing) to beat Man U.

Newcastle will still lose MMM, Fuck Butt.

The only thing they have going for them is that Given will keep the scoreline down

Not saying they won't, but they're better than Blackburn :|

Yes, Newcastle are much better than Blackburn, Rovers played one up front against a team struggling in the championship.

Then again Arsenal's players won't particularly like a physical game and Blackburn will give them that. Man United should beat Newcastle, but i would prefer to see Newcastle win the cup.

Ex-player banned from prison team

Former Premiership footballer Lee Hughes has been banned from playing for his prison's team for the rest of the season after being sent off in a match.

Hughes, 28, who was given a six-year sentence last August for causing death by dangerous driving, was in action for Featherstone jail near Wolverhampton.

One challenge led to a player going to hospital, a spokesman for opponents Fegg Hayes, from Stoke-on-Trent, said.

The ex-West Bromwich Albion striker was sent off for two bookable offences.

'High tackle'

The player who went to hospital needed stitches to his chin, the spokesman added.

Hughes has been in action for Featherstone in the Staffordshire County League since being moved to the jail and scored twice in the 5-2 home victory on Saturday.

Spokesman for the prison, Stuart Bennett, said: "He was sent off for two bookable offences.

"For the first one it was quite a high tackle definitely. For the second one in the second half he didn't stamp on the player but gave the impression that he did.

Contract terminated

"Featherstone Prison has a policy of banning all players for the rest of the season if they are sent off.

"But if he remains with us, the slate would be wiped clean ahead of next season."

Hughes was convicted of causing the death of father-of-four Douglas Graham, 56, by dangerous driving and fleeing the scene of the accident near his home in Meriden in November 2003.

Coventry Crown Court heard he had gone to a post-match drinking session before his £100,000 Mercedes sports car smashed into a Renault Scenic.

The striker, who has also played for Coventry City and Kidderminster Harriers, spent most of his career at Albion before having his contract terminated following his conviction.

Blackburn are battlers though, Newcastle are just a team of plater who think they are better than they are. Blackburn know they are crap but try to work out of it.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...ls/4347821.stm

<font face=verdana size=3 color="#ff6600">Robbie Savage in whiney little bitch shock.</font>

At the end of the day no-one likes being dropped, and arguably he's better than all the midfielders in that squad.

Didn't Berkovic moan when Zajec left him out, before quitting Portsmouth?

I'm sorry :$ I'm just sticking up for Sav :(

Pretty much like he said when they interviewed him at half time on Sunday, our fans are pretty mixed towards him because i think he kissed the badge of Birmingham's shirt last season when theyt played here or something, or put himself about as usual. I didn't go so i'm not sure, but he was part of a great team and gave 110%.

We'd like Dickov if he'd had conducted himself in the same manner when leaving. I mean i read in the paper before the game that a number of premiership clubs wanted him, but he'd said if the move to Blackburn fell through then he'd have stayed with Leicester and i just thought ':| why is Blackburn so special?' :$