Tonight's football thread

[Derby Tup]

Championship stuff Colin

[Witton Park]

Does anyone else feel sorry for Van Gaal?
I know he has a big pay off, but I think there are comparisons between the Manchester Clubs this year, the main difference being that one announced in advance that they were changing managers and the other let it leak out but never made it official.

I think his biggest error was not sorting out the centre of defence. He lost Vidic and Ferdinand and sold Evans and yet in his two years he didn't sign a specialist central defender.
I know the defensive record looks OK this year and people point to lack off goals, but I think that is largely down to having the best keeper around, and also having to play too many holding midfielders, which helped them in the possession and defensive stats, but cost them in the offensive stats.

[Travs]

Personally I don't really know what United fans expect. They have just won their first trophy since Ferguson.

They are up against Manchester City who have far more spending power, and Spurs & Arsenal & Leicester are quite frankly better sides than them at the moment, so what do they expect. 5th, possibly 4th, is their level at the moment.

They seem to be becoming 'just another big club' who chop and change managers every couple of years. Hopefully Mourinho makes a right hash of it and they slide even further.

[CalFerguson]

Even though I'm a Liverpool fan, I'll certainly miss LVG's press conference's, haha...Apparently he was told they weren't playing the right style/attract enough football! What happened to a results based game eh?

[Graham Breeze]

The irony in any appointments process is that the applicants, by definition, cannot know what the job really entails (because they have not done it) but the appointing panel should be absolutely clear of the requirements so they can make the right choice.

So the failures of Moyes and VG - if failures they were - is a failure of judgment by the Board of Man U, and notably Mr walks-on-water Ferguson: and it follows that mass Man U Board resignations will follow shortly.

[Derby Tup]

Resignations to be followed by under-performing players suggesting the have their salaries docked too?

[RichardB]

Even though I'm a Liverpool fan, I'll certainly miss LVG's press conference's, haha...Apparently he was told they weren't playing the right style/attract enough football! What happened to a results based game eh?

Also as a Liverpool fan, I'll miss LVG in the same way that I wish Moyes was still there - playing their limited unambitous football and spraying money on mediocre players. Not sure what to expect from Mourinho there (obviously apart from the guaranteed tiresome preening narcissism) - hoping he's damaged goods and will fail, but could go either way.

[Heaning Hobbler]

Why is it that football fans always seem to wish misfortune on other clubs ? Is it fear or jealousy, I dont know. As a rugby league fan I enjoy good rugby by any team without needing to slag off rival clubs, players or fans.

[Witton Park]

Also as a Liverpool fan, I'll miss LVG in the same way that I wish Moyes was still there - playing their limited unambitous football and spraying money on mediocre players. Not sure what to expect from Mourinho there (obviously apart from the guaranteed tiresome preening narcissism) - hoping he's damaged goods and will fail, but could go either way.

Pots and Kettles

[Travs]

I care a lot less than I used to, but certain teams still rile me (United, Liverpool, Leeds, Sunderland, wolves, villa, Sheffield Utd to name just a handful that immediately come to mind.

I think for the 'hardcore' football fan it just seeps in through the years. For me it's the years spent growing up watching football at Highfield Road in the 90's when there was still often trouble at football, most of my dislike is aimed at the fans rather than the actual teams.when you support someone like Coventry there's more to it than just the football or we'd all just support then'big4' wouldn't we.

Personally I can barely bring myself to go to our sterile, retail park, modern stadium, even though it's only a mile and a half away. But the thought of going to a historical ground on an away trip still keeps me interested.

But I cannot understand your casual glory hunting fan who lives round here, supports United, and claims to hate Liverpool and Man City, just because they think they should.

I think that in Rugby (and I may be wrong) it seems that everyone is behind the national side first and foremost, and their clubs are secondary.

To be quite honest, when it comes to football, I would of course like to see England do well, but they don't represent football for me and I couldn't really care when they inevitably bow out of their next tournament in yet another anti-climax.