Your unpopular footballing opinions Mod warnings - post#128

Ken Shamrock

pickarooney wrote: »

Some countries (maybe even Ireland) should just forgo the world cup qualifiers altogether and play a "division 2" World Cup amongst themselves. Andorra, Liechtenstein, Bhutan... what's the point of them getting mullered year in year out?

I'd prefer if they got rid of the continent qualifiers, i think it would make for a much more i dunno competitive world cup? Weed out the teams like Honduras, Iran and England.

jonnyfingers

Roy Keane was right to walk away in Saipan!

Zico

The 1966 World Cup was rigged by MI5.

chrissb8

Suarez biting someone is no different then players hitting each other when the ref isn't looking. A lot more worse going on at the worlcup and with FIFA and people latch on to what really is a small incident and blow it out of the water.

I think sky sports news is one of the worst thing to happen to football. Americanized sensationalism spoon fed to the masses. Destroying players privacy and far too much power to make life hell for players around the transfer window. Just an ever watching eye. Relentless.

Utd should have built a team around Berbatov when Rooney showed signs of declining. Clearly the fast paced goal scoring had left once Tevez and Ronaldo went. Looking at utd now who take forever around the box it would've suited Berba' style of play.

brevity

Liverpool and Gerrard would both have won the Premier League had they parted ways.

Turtyturd

Agree about Gerrard..it's funny to see his defenders pop up with a 'to think some posters wanted to get rid of him' line any time he scores a peno, or gets an assist, then completely no-show when he is anonymous/has a nightmare.

The LOI should stop using English football as a scapegoat for the state it's in.

Paul Scholes only developed into the player many think he is during his 6month WWE retirement.

PiE

Celtic and Rangers are thinly veiled hate groups and should be abolished.

Paul Scholes' ability gets exaggerated more each year.

This forum is terrible.

castletownman

Ryan Giggs by and large was over-rated. To quote Keane (his former team-mate and captain to boot) just because he had a great career doesn't mean he was a great player.

Cesc Fabregas should be regarded as a Barcelona flop. Went from having Barcelona DNA during his rise at Arsenal and being the heir-apparent to Xavi to the club willing allowing him to leave, and not being able to get a run in an ageing Spanish squad crying out for fresh legs. In fact, I think his time at Arsenal is over-hyped too.

Mikel Arteta is not a defensive midfielder and shouldn't be anywhere near the Arsenal first 11. Gets over-ran far too often and has a tendency to pick up stupid yellow cards. I think it gets largely ignored though due to the fact he is a Spanish midfielder.

Those great Spanish and Barcelona teams ruined the art of good defending. In fact, defending as a whole has diminished as teams base their approach largely on possession stats and being able to pass it out from the back. I genuinely believe that there are only a handful of world-class CB's in world football today. The 90's was the golden age of good defenders.

gosplan

jonnyfingers wrote: »

Roy Keane was right to walk away in Saipan!

Lol. Not posting this as a response to you but was going to say

Roy Keane walking away ultimately cost Ireland the only chance we'll ever have to medal at a World Cup.

Not sure which the unpopular opinion is? Maybe both.

brevity

Tiki-taka is exciting!

Alfred Borden

pep guardiola isnt the top manager everyone makes him out to be. Very good, but not one of the best.

Nuigforce

Ronaldo is my favourite player in the game but overall messi is better.

eh i dunno

Alan shearer was the prems best ever striker

GBXI

eh i dunno wrote: »

Alan shearer was the prems best ever striker

I think this is more popular than unpopular.

WesternZulu

Love the EPL but I believe that 99% of the reasons that most Irish fans give for supporting 'their club' is pure cr*p and deep down they know it :pac:

retalivity

The world cup should be a straight knockout competition between all countries in the world with no division by seeding or continent. Once it gets down to the last 32 or 16, stage all games in one country. Run it every 1-2 years then too, as the amount of games needed to win it would only be 7-8

Zico

Most people on this board have never played a 90 minute 11-a-side game with a referee and linesmen but have never considered that fact until reading this.

DebDynamite

The majority of Irish fans of EPL clubs only support them because they're successful.

The whole suarez biting thing is the most tedious, tabloid issue.

The ones who get off on it are Sky Sports News and certain elements of this forum. Witness the breathless excitement in threads such as 'how much of a ban will Suarez get?'. Voyeuristic drama queens.

Schwiiing

Michael Owen would be the premiership record scorer had he stayed at Liverpool. Wayne Rooney would be in with a shout of it had he been left to play as an out and out striker. Last year was Liverpools best chance of winning the league and they won't get as close this season.

Ulysses Gaze

Some of mine:

Jack Wilshere is overrated and is the new Joe Cole

Roy Keane was a good, not great player.

Lionel Messi is not, and will never be, as good a player as Diego Maradona

Paul McGrath is the best player to ever come out of the Republic of Ireland

What Alex Ferguson achieved at Aberdeen was greater than what he achieved at Man Utd

GBXI

Ulysses Gaze wrote: »

Some of mine:

Jack Wilshere is overrated and is the new Joe Cole

Roy Keane was a good, not great player.

Lionel Messi is not, and will never be, as good a player as Diego Maradona

Paul McGrath is the best player to ever come out of the Republic of Ireland

What Alex Ferguson achieved at Aberdeen was greater than what he achieved at Man Utd

I don't know where to start with these!

DebDynamite

Playing the second leg of a tie away is more of an advantage then playing at home.

Ulysses Gaze

Ulysses Gaze wrote: »

Some of mine:

Jack Wilshere is overrated and is the new Joe Cole

Roy Keane was a good, not great player.

Lionel Messi is not, and will never be, as good a player as Diego Maradona

Paul McGrath is the best player to ever come out of the Republic of Ireland

What Alex Ferguson achieved at Aberdeen was greater than what he achieved at Man Utd

These are not unpopular really. And the last point is just hipster, in my opinion (which may be unpopular!)

risteard7

Liverpool won't make the top 4 next season and have no chance of challenging for the league.

The_Kew_Tour

Sturridge did not finish top scorer last season:P

Richard Hillman

I dont think Maradona should be considered one of the great players because he was caught doping. Even though he was caught late in his career, I dont think it would be too outlandish to say he wasnt doing it in the 80s. Amazing talent though.

Skylinehead

eh i dunno wrote: »

Alan shearer was the prems best ever striker

GBXI wrote: »

I think this is more popular than unpopular.

In terms of longevity, yeah. Henry and van Nistelrooy had more ability.

Hammer Archer

There are just as many (if not more) football fans that are 'anti other sport' as there are in GAA or rugby yet the GAA especially are always slated for this.

yohan the great

Zidane and the Brazilian Ronaldo were both better than Cristiano Ronaldo.

Leo Messi is carrying this Argentina team just as much as Maradona was in 86.

Arjen Robben is the 3rd best player in the world at present.

James McCarthy has never played well for Ireland.

Verratti is going to be the best midfielder in the world in 5 years

Ken Shamrock

yohan the great wrote: »

Zidane and the Brazilian Ronaldo were both better than Cristiano Ronaldo.

Leo Messi is carrying this Argentina team just as much as Maradona was in 86.

Arjen Robben is the 3rd best player in the world at present.

James McCarthy has never played well for Ireland.

Verratti is going to be the best midfielder in the world in 5 years

With the exception of Veratti i agree 100% with all of them.

Sheepy99

Gerrard not signing for Chelsea in '05 after his transfer request was a good thing (for Chelsea)

Sheepy99

Davei141 wrote: »

Shout at the ref and ask for the booking and you are fine. Wave the imaginary card and everyone loses their minds!

Robbie Fowler was complete scat after he done his knee in.

In english please.. . .

Mantis Toboggan

Ulysses Gaze wrote: »

Some of mine:

Jack Wilshere is overrated and is the new Joe Cole

Roy Keane was a good, not great player.

Lionel Messi is not, and will never be, as good a player as Diego Maradona

Paul McGrath is the best player to ever come out of the Republic of Ireland

What Alex Ferguson achieved at Aberdeen was greater than what he achieved at Man Utd

Unpopular or ridiculous, but I'm not sure which!

Sheepy99

Ryan Giggs should have retired at 36

Sheepy99

People who give out about people not attending LOI games just can't accept that some would prefer the higher quality that's easily available to them and aren't willing to pay €15 to watch a mostly atrocious standard of football (waits for 'but how can it improve if you don't support it' etc.)

I like it though

Sheepy99

GBXI wrote: »

I don't know where to start with these!

By acknowledging (in your mind, not on your keyboard) that you disagree with his opinion, and go away :pac:

NomadicGray

risteard7 wrote: »

I think it's ok to follow English football and have an interest but it's embarrassing when you hear Irish people saying "we" and "us". Your not from England let alone Manchester or Liverpool etc! Your from some bog down in Longford or somewhere.

This, especially getting involved in rivalries

Sheepy99

Playing at home shouldn't give you much of an advantage, apart from the slight strain that flying long distances might have on your body.
Players from the away side should be just as able to be inspired or spurred on by the same sounds of "go on" that the home players are using for their own inspiration. There are obviously a few stadiums that playing at would be difficult due to the their fans doing some actual singing, when they do get going (United, Liverpool, Celtic, Galatasaray if anyone's heard how loud they are on tv, couple else in Europe) but not many

ankaragucu

Ireland wont qualify for Euro 2016.

Dozen Wicked Words

John Terry is still a world class defender but is only loyal to Chelsea because of the huge wages he gets.

tastyt

This is the worst and most unlikeable Brazil team I have ever seen and I really hope Chile knock them out

risteard7

I am a brilliant footballer and could have played at the very top if I wanted!

Sheepy99

French Chile

Diabhal Beag

Robbie Keane will still be our best option up front in 3 years time.

lordgoat

That Suarez has had his one good season and he's going to fade away and be remembered as someone who could have been a great player but was more entertaining for non footballing reasons.

Disclaimer: Not trying to piss anyone off or wanting a tit for tat argument. This probably won't be well received but this is the unpopular opinions thread so i guess it's where it goes.

Cienciano

PiE wrote: »

Celtic and Rangers are thinly veiled hate groups and should be abolished.

Paul Scholes' ability gets exaggerated more each year.

This forum is terrible.

I think I agree with them all! This forum is good for match threads, but the way almost every subject gets turned into United V Liverpool gets so bloody boring.

efb

Paul Scholes legendary status does grow by the day

hjkl

lordgoat wrote: »

That Suarez has had his one good season and he's going to fade away and be remembered as someone who could have been a great player but was more entertaining for non footballing reasons.

Disclaimer: Not trying to piss anyone off or wanting a tit for tat argument. This probably won't be well received but this is the unpopular opinions thread so i guess it's where it goes.

I have to say that I thought his 23 goals in 33 league games and finishing as runner up for Player of the year in 2012/13 made for a very good season. And his 17 goals in all competitions in 2011/12 wasn't too bad either.
Not to mention scoring 81 goals in 110 league games for Ajax.

You say he has only ever had one good season and he will be remembered as someone who could have been a great player, well that just shows how little you know about football doesn't it.

Smithwicks Man

The Premiership is not near as high of a standard as it is made out to be, La liga is arguably a better league