Champions league draw

~Rebel~

chdpoker wrote: »

But whats there to gain by having the best 3 squads? when porto and monaco went all the way it was one of the more exciting and great to watch tournaments.They werent the best squads and there was no loss.

Even though that was awesome from the people who would be interested regardless of the draw's point of view, just as the FA cup is class this year, having big glamour ties definately gets more revenue, which is all that matters to them's that are in charge.

sailorfoley

Hey everyone,

given the crooked, money filled situation of world footie i wouldn't be surprised if this was rigged for some reason. There is a potential Chelsea vs liverpool semi-final. the 3rd in 4 years and a potential Barca vs Man Utd. These ties would generate some serious cash for UEFA in terms of tv coverage, sponsorship, advertising, etc.

It wouldn't surprise me if UEFA rigged this to get rid of the so called "smaller teams" in order to have the glamour filled, money generating ties.

The fact that the draw was not only predicted accurately but the order it came out in along with who was at home first, etc. is all a little too convenient.

The draw is on youtube somewhere. watch it again. the same dude draws all the teams. Usually there are 2 people, 1 drawing the home teams, the other drawing the away teams. Plus the camera was never on the dude drawing the balls at all.

It has to be rigged.

---

Now playing: Foo Fighters - M.I.A.
via FoxyTunes

CHD

~Rebel~ wrote: »

Even though that was awesome from the people who would be interested regardless of the draw's point of view, just as the FA cup is class this year, having big glamour ties definately gets more revenue, which is all that matters to them's that are in charge.

But stadiums will still fill, jerseys will still be sold, TV companys are still going to show the matches there isnt really any extra income to be made out of the top teams making it to the semi's is there?

BrandonBlock

chdpoker wrote: »

But stadiums will still fill, jerseys will still be sold, TV companys are still going to show the matches there isnt really any extra income to be made out of the top teams making it to the semi's is there?

I think they would definitely appeal to a wider audience. Take my girlfriend for example who is a "casual" football supporter (and doesn't support any particular team). If Man utd were playing Arsenal/Barcelona/etc in the final, she would tune in. Whereas if Fenerbahce were playing Schalke in the final, she probably wouldnt be bothered. People like you and me who are football fans will tune in regardless, but its those "casual" supporters I think would tune in a lot more for big-name teams.

CHD

BrandonBlock wrote: »

I think they would definitely appeal to a wider audience. Take my girlfriend for example who is a "casual" football supporter (and doesn't support any particular team). If Man utd were playing Arsenal/Barcelona/etc in the final, she would tune in. Whereas if Fenerbahce were playing Schalke in the final, she probably wouldnt be bothered. People like you and me who are football fans will tune in regardless, but its those "casual" supporters I think would tune in a lot more for big-name teams.

True but theres no real benefits in that to UEFA the clubs are hardly rigging for the sake of a few extra jersey sales because some casual supportes saw them in the final.It makes no sense to rig it

Jesus Wept

The most likely reason it would be rigged is the same thing anything is rigged: Money.
Not money for UEFA, money in peoples pockets, a betting ring.
UEFA are going to make money regardless, it's not worth the risk.

It's hard to imagine it being rigged from the top down. If it was rigged from the top down, I would imagine a Liverpool v Man United final wouldn't be on the cards for safety reasons.

If the bookies got stung, it was rigged.
But the bookies probably won't want to stick their neck out and say they were stung (i.e: it was rigged), the resulting loss of confidence from punters would
cost them far far more in future earnings. And they would have little to nothing to gain by bringing it to public attention. There's no upside to it. Don't sh1t where you eat.

Incidentally, who was picking the balls in the draw??

Mr Alan

some russian lad if i'm not mistaken?

good evening Mr Abramovich!

Jesus Wept

mmm, never trust anyone who has $$$ eleventybillion $$$ but won't spent €8 on a haircut.

I didn't see the draw. Was Abramovich doing it?
It's strange to have the owner of a club still involved in the competition doing the draw.

Mr Alan

never has a more accurate word been been spoken

CHD

Mr Alan wrote: »

some russian lad if i'm not mistaken?

good evening Mr Abramovich!

yep that must be it.

ironingbored

PHB wrote: »

Oh yeh, this is gona be the first time (of many I think, especially with Ronaldo eventually going to Madrid) that Messi and Ronaldo will face each other This will be a fun game

Don't count your chickens...

I think Roma will be a much harder prospect for United this time round. You dont beat Real Madrid home and away if you're a crap team. Also, I think Roma will have learned how to play against english teams a little bit more. With United at home in the return leg there's always the possibility of Roma getting an away goal.

PHB

How would Roma have learned how to English teams a little bit more, when they haven't played an English team

There's no doubt there's a possibility of Roma scoring, and even winning, but imo, Roma will lose for two reasons.

A. Totti is the focal point of their attack, if you stop him, you stop Roma. Fletcher was able to do that, as was Hargreaves.

B. Their defense is dodgy as ****. Ronaldo has field days against them. We beat them 7-1, that was an odd result, but it shows how that their defense just isn't up to it at the highest level.

Also, they beat Madrid, no doubt, but Madrid had massive injury problems. Ruud and Robben were out, they had to play Baptista instead! If Ruud or Robben had played, Real would have won I think.

I'm not saying its a dead cert, but I'm still fully expecting to go through, especially cause we play away first.

cooker3

If they rigged the draw then that is the worst rigging ever.
The draw is disappointing. Arsenal vs Liverpool is the only good tie of the round, rest of them are meh and predictable.
I see no conceivable reason for rigging it, stadiums for both semis will be sold out irresepective, tv rights were sold years ago for it, sponsorship rights were sold years ago. I don't see 1 reason for UEFA to do it.

PHB

Lads, there is one great reason to rig it, and it's already been mentione but everyones ignoring it, if the draw is rigged, the people who rig it, can make lots and lots of money betting on it!

Unearthly

Didn't realise we had a conspiracy theory topic in the soccer forum full of accusations with no proof to back it up except for some random guy who predicted the draw and got lucky

cooker3

So the matches are rigged as well?
Might explain how Kuyt keeps getting his game

Jesus Wept

Unearthly wrote: »

Didn't realise we had a conspiracy theory topic in the soccer forum full of accusations with no proof to back it up except for some random guy who predicted the draw and got lucky

It's not quite as random as you are making it out to be.

Lots of people posted their 'predictions' :rolleyes: for how the draw would turn out.

He posted that he had heard that the draw had already been decided, that it had leaked, and that this is what he had heard the draw outcome would be: and then posted the draw exactly.

He has 2500+ posts on the forum, if he had a habit of posting random Nostradamus type stab-in-the-dark predictions, he would of been called out on that aspect by now.

There is a difference between how you portray it, and the nature of it.

Unearthly

Well if we are allowed to post conspiracy theories, then mine is

The poster went to many different forums, posting every possible combination so that he would get it right atleast once.

I have no proof of this, but it wouldn't be a conspiracy theory then

pd101

IF they were going to rig it for money reasons, would it not make more sense to try a get a Spanish team v an English team in the final. A La Liga v Premiership final would generate more interest than an all Premiership final.

Jesus Wept

pd101 wrote: »

IF they were going to rig it for money reasons, would it not make more sense to try a get a Spanish team v an English team in the final. A La Liga v Premiership final would generate more interest than an all Premiership final.

See post #307 for my feelings on that.

unearthed wrote:

Well if we are allowed to post conspiracy theories, then mine is

The poster went to many different forums, posting every possible combination so that he would get it right atleast once.

I have no proof of this, but it wouldn't be a conspiracy theory then

Do you think that has occurred to the rest of us? It's very possible, however I would of expected by now that people would be posting links to similar posts made on other football forums, (not random predictions - preceding it by saying the draw had been leaked, etc)
I haven't read the thread since yesterday, has that happened?

The term conspiracy theory is thrown around a lot these days, it means 'an agreement to perform together an illegal, wrongful, or subversive act.'
But nowadays it's a derogatory way of suggesting that someone is a tin-foil hat wearing fantasist.

The guy has claimed that he had heard what the draw draw result would be.
His post raises questions, there maybe a simple explanation, hopefully we will hear it.

I haven't claimed to to believe or disbelieve it.

LuckyCharms

Im pretty chuffed with the draw. I can't see us losing to roma.I realise they beat real but lets face it, madrid are a spent force in europe just like milan, they havent got past the quarters for 4 years now i think.There squad is poor, made up of players offloaded by other clubs and with an inexperienced manager compared to their counterparts.

Roma's shakey backline and one dimenional strikeforce will be their downfall.Barca on the other hand are a totally different proposition.The league campaign for them is over so all they have is the cl which is worrying even though they are missing messi.I think injuries will be key over the 2 legs.

Nunu

The-Rigger wrote: »

Incidentally, who was picking the balls in the draw??

Mr Alan wrote: »

some russian lad if i'm not mistaken?

good evening Mr Abramovich!

It was Rinat Dasaev....one of the greatest goalkeepers of all-time.

cooker3

Nunu wrote: »

It was Rinat Dasaev....one of the greatest goalkeepers of all-time.

No match for Ronnie Whelan though!

Mr Alan

Nunu wrote: »

It was Rinat Dasaev....one of the greatest goalkeepers of all-time.

:rolleyes:
So i was correct in saying some Russian bloke?

Unearthly

The-Rigger wrote: »

See post #307 for my feelings on that.



Do you think that has occurred to the rest of us? It's very possible, however I would of expected by now that people would be posting links to similar posts made on other football forums, (not random predictions - preceding it by saying the draw had been leaked, etc)
I haven't read the thread since yesterday, has that happened?

The term conspiracy theory is thrown around a lot these days, it means 'an agreement to perform together an illegal, wrongful, or subversive act.'
But nowadays it's a derogatory way of suggesting that someone is a tin-foil hat wearing fantasist.

The guy has claimed that he had heard what the draw draw result would be.
His post raises questions, there maybe a simple explanation, hopefully we will hear it.

I haven't claimed to to believe or disbelieve it.

How dare you tinker with my username. Hope you know I reported you cause of that!:pac:

Going a bit off topic here but it sort of explains why I think this is rubbish

and I do hate conspiracy theorys, I find them ludicrous alterations and lies of what really happened, catering for people who want to believe real life is as interesting and mad as an episode of 24/prison break etc

As far I saw, the person who 'leaked' the draw posted just the quarter final draw(why not semi final to? what's so special about the QF matches that they were rigged?), and he didn't even get the home and away fixtures in order. It's been a while since I've done statistics but what does that equate to? Not that much I would imagine.

Also if there were people willing to leak information such as this, that would completely ruin uefa's credibility, would the media not of got hold of the leak and ran the story on all their front pages? Or do Uefa control the media?

colly10

Unearthly wrote: »

Well if we are allowed to post conspiracy theories, then mine is

The poster went to many different forums, posting every possible combination so that he would get it right atleast once.

I have no proof of this, but it wouldn't be a conspiracy theory then

Id say that's what happened but I cant find any early "leaks" on any other forum, google would have picked them up

Unearthly

Maybe he deleted all the posts straight after the draw;)

Jesus Wept

Unearthly wrote: »

How dare you tinker with my username. Hope you know I reported you cause of that!:pac:

Going a bit off topic here but it sort of explains why I think this is rubbish

and I do hate conspiracy theorys, I find them ludicrous alterations and lies of what really happened, catering for people who want to believe real life is as interesting and mad as an episode of 24/prison break etc

As far I saw, the person who 'leaked' the draw posted just the quarter final draw(why not semi final to? what's so special about the QF matches that they were rigged?), and he didn't even get the home and away fixtures in order. It's been a while since I've done statistics but what does that equate to? Not that much I would imagine.

Also if there were people willing to leak information such as this, that would completely ruin uefa's credibility, would the media not of got hold of the leak and ran the story on all their front pages? Or do Uefa control the media?

I think you've missed most of everything I've said on the subject.

If (if if if) the draw was rigged - imo It is incredibly unlikely to have been from the top down. (as previously stated.) So the "Do Uefa control the media? " is a mute point.
It would of been by a few people who are not in charge, but were able to gain enough influence to make it happen, and the reason would of been to line their own pockets by way of the betting markets.



Note the if's.

Unearthly wrote: »

Maybe he deleted all the posts straight after the draw

Deleted posts show to moderators on this forum, and probably most/all others.
That type of post would be quoted within minutes, he would need to leave it up for a couple of hours as happened with the post on the thread we have all linked too.

I haven't read the thread in 2 days, I dunno what is being said since, has anyone else?

vorbis

lads, can we stop with this "the guy must have posted all the possible combinations" line.
This is by far the most unbelievable scenario!

• No one has yet to quote even ONE other post about someone claiming a leak in the draw and posting the pairings
• It would take 105 posts to cover all possible combinations. I know of less than 10 soccer forums. Is there even 105 major soccer forums in english????
• The guy has over a thousand posts on the forum in question. A sure sign that he's probably genuine.

I reckon its being rigged for money reasons. This draw if it goes to form sees Barcelona, Man Utd, Chelsea and Arsenal / Liverpool in the semis.

Look at the teams that are supposed to go out.

Roma - limited fanbase outside Italy. Inter, Juve and AC are all significantly bigger.

Schalke 04 - even smaller than Roma in terms of European wide appeal.

Fenerbache - Turkish, enough said

Jesus Wept

I'm confused, were all tonights posts deleted on this thread?
Why not close it also if it can't be discussed?

Thanks.

/confused.

CHD

It was probably because it was off topic.

Jesus Wept

My post wasn't....

It's just confusing as no mod posted saying that.

CHD

Mine was so sorry!

AFAIK nothing more ever happened anyway.