2015/16 International Football

[marble21]

Now, it's time to go and get Klopp.

The fifth-biggest club in England sacks its manager after a slow start following two seasons where they finished second and fifth. sixth

Talk about being delusional.

Sixth not fifth... but you're right. They are delusional to think that they should be doing better than they actually are. They've lost touch with the top 4 through their own negligence in transfer dealings both in and out. There should be a collective blame rather than just on Rodgers.

You would like to think that the board have already lined up the replacement (Klopp or otherwise) and that his appointment will be a formality early this week rather than just sacking Rodgers and hoping they can appoint someone quickly.

There comes a point where someone has to realize they aren't getting anywhere.

I don't think they are going to win the league this year and they probably aren't going to advance out of the CL group. The point of playing in a league is to actually win, not just settle for third or fourth.

Why should Arsenal expect more than a fourth-place finish every year? That’s what their spend reflects on a regular basis — you can’t fault a manager for something he doesn’t have the resources to achieve.

Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United all have significantly better resources than Arsenal. The fact Wenger has kept them consistently in the top four for so long is an astounding accomplishment.

I agree with your points Crash. To stay consistently in the top 4 for so long is a massive achievement. The club is definitely ran in a far more sustainable way than Chelsea, City and United too. It's hard to imagine them ever finishing outside of the top 4 -which is painful to say as a Spurs fan. If they were to replace Wenger, who is to say that they would improve though? I think they would be far more likely to repeat what happened to United when Sir Alex retired.

The only counter argument is that Arsenal definitely have the finances to go out and get a top striker and a proper DM which most people see as the missing links to them becoming a title winning team.

[Crabcake]

I had an extremely busy day (of course) so I had to DVR the game and watch it waaay later than it originally aired (mainly because I went to see The Martian - what an awesome movie). I said a week ago that Rodgers wouldn't make it past this game. While he isn't necessarily to blame for some of Liverpool's poor results, the team spirit suffered. With Rodgers, I felt like Liveprool had a good chance to lose most of the games they played. I realize that over the last three or so weeks I may have been overly critical of him. The heat of the moment, especially the Carlisle game, got to me. However, I do think it's best for both parties to move on. I am quite confident that he'll land another job possibly with a lower level Premier League team, and I feel he could definitely succeed with a smaller club. I wish him all the best.

Now, it's time to go and get Klopp.

The fifth-biggest club in England sacks its manager after a slow start following two seasons where they finished second and fifth.

Talk about being delusional.

I would like to point out that the fifth-biggest club in England is also just one of two jobs in the premier league currently open, the other being Sunderland. And yes, while I realize it's a bit of a step down from BVB to Liverpool, I think that a manager like Jurgen Klopp would value a project just as much as a big club. In the end I think his loyalty to BVB would prevent him from every taking the Bayern job.

[Crabcake]

Bump for a Twitter account that shows great character, if you haven't already seen it, check it out now. It has special poignancy now.

https://mobile.twitter.com/deludedbrendan

Oh and according to BBC, transfer negotiations between Liverpool and Klopp are progressing well and an announcement could come by the end of the week. I'll take a "wait and see" approach.

https://mobile.twitter.com/BenSmithBBC/status/651108912335323136

[Crabcake]

@crashcarson15

Delusional, huh?

http://www.espnfc.us/liverpool/story/2653529/jurgen-klopp-agrees-to-become-liverpool-manager-sources

[raysox]

Ireland beats the big bad Germans 1-0 in Dublin

[Jaffa]

And Norn Iron qualify!

That's as good a reason as any to post a picture of Stuart Elliott.

[Crabcake]

Portugal also qualified today.

Anyway, now that it's official, I'm already thinking how nice it will be to not have to watch a Liverpool game where Anfield is about as loud as a high school match. Klopp will bring emotion and passion that Rodgers simply did not bring. I'm looking forward to it immensely.

[ninersdd]

Ireland visits Poland next. They have to win, or else Poland gets the auto slot. At least they won today and are guaranteed the playoffs. Germany isn't automatically in, but they should beat the Bulldogs at home next .

[crashcarson15]

@crashcarson15

Delusional, huh?

http://www.espnfc.us/liverpool/story/2653529/jurgen-klopp-agrees-to-become-liverpool-manager-sources

Not sure what brining Klopp in has anything to do with my original point? Rodgers achieved finishes of 7th, 2nd and 6th at Liverpool. That shouldn’t be grounds for sacking.

Portugal also qualified today.

Anyway, now that it's official, I'm already thinking how nice it will be to not have to watch a Liverpool game where Anfield is about as loud as a high school match. Klopp will bring emotion and passion that Rodgers simply did not bring. I'm looking forward to it immensely.

“Emotion and passion” are probably the two buzzwords every Liverpool fan would’ve thrown around 18 months ago to describe Brendan Rodgers and the football they were playing.

It’s a funny thing, that.

[Crabcake]

@crashcarson15

Delusional, huh?http://www.espnfc.us/liverpool/story/2653529/jurgen-klopp-agrees-to-become-liverpool-manager-sources

Not sure what brining Klopp in has anything to do with my original point? Rodgers achieved finishes of 7th, 2nd and 6th at Liverpool. That shouldnt be grounds for sacking.

Portugal also qualified today.

Anyway, now that it's official, I'm already thinking how nice it will be to not have to watch a Liverpool game where Anfield is about as loud as a high school match. Klopp will bring emotion and passion that Rodgers simply did not bring. I'm looking forward to it immensely.

Emotion and passion are probably the two buzzwords every Liverpool fan wouldve thrown around 18 months ago to describe Brendan Rodgers and the football they were playing.

Its a funny thing, that.

1. My bad. I thought you meant delusional in the sense that it was delusional for me to think that we'd ever convince Klopp to be the manager. My bad.

2. Yes, you're right. But let's not pretend Liverpool is the only fickle fanbase in the Premier League. And, 18 months after the period you're describing, Rodgers would celebrate a goal by a raised fist.

[AnPheitseog]

Great job France, 4-0 victory against Armenia.

[IanC]

The whole thing with Liverpool is they expect so much because of thier history. The same fans still think this year is our year to win the leaguie and see it on forums time and time again. Being out the top four for Liverpool is seen as a failure amongst their fans. My biggest gripe with Rodgers was over the snidey comment he made towards Spurs when we sold Bale and pumped the money back into the team and I agree with certain players that were poor in the Premier League but to then say if you spend that amount of money then you should be winning the league. Rodgers has spent three times as much money and now he is feeling that he feels it was wrong to sack him.

The golden rule in any league is that it's a results business and his results were not that good and only got a top four placing when he had a world class player in Suarez scoring for them. He relied too heavily on that fact for one season. The other players he had signed had been poor and he had lost his biggest players in Suarez, Carragher and Gerrard. This is why the new manager will struggle also. Those style replacements are not around to join a club like Liverpool anymore or unwilling to as they know Liverpool will probably not make the Champions League again especially with the teams already in the CL doing poorly we are looking at losing a spot in the competition and will leave three places available unless English teams buck thier ideas up.

Not too sure how Klopp will turn Liverpool around to be honest and I am very suprised he has taken a job like that on when the players are not actually of a decent class to get a top four placing. It's alright having passion but you need the personnel to do the job. He might lift them for the first few games ( I am hoping that is not the case ) but his last season at Dortmund was awful and failed to motivate them. He had far better players at Dortmund than Liverpool have also.

My feeling is it's another false dawn for the bin dippers and within a couple of years the same fans will be calling for yet another manager and the whole cycle will be repeated.

[Crabcake]

The whole thing with Liverpool is they expect so much because of thier history. The same fans still think this year is our year to win the leaguie and see it on forums time and time again. Being out the top four for Liverpool is seen as a failure amongst their fans. My biggest gripe with Rodgers was over the snidey comment he made towards Spurs when we sold Bale and pumped the money back into the team and I agree with certain players that were poor in the Premier League but to then say if you spend that amount of money then you should be winning the league. Rodgers has spent three times as much money and now he is feeling that he feels it was wrong to sack him.

The golden rule in any league is that it's a results business and his results were not that good and only got a top four placing when he had a world class player in Suarez scoring for them. He relied too heavily on that fact for one season. The other players he had signed had been poor and he had lost his biggest players in Suarez, Carragher and Gerrard. This is why the new manager will struggle also. Those style replacements are not around to join a club like Liverpool anymore or unwilling to as they know Liverpool will probably not make the Champions League again especially with the teams already in the CL doing poorly we are looking at losing a spot in the competition and will leave three places available unless English teams buck thier ideas up.

Not too sure how Klopp will turn Liverpool around to be honest and I am very suprised he has taken a job like that on when the players are not actually of a decent class to get a top four placing. It's alright having passion but you need the personnel to do the job. He might lift them for the first few games ( I am hoping that is not the case ) but his last season at Dortmund was awful and failed to motivate them. He had far better players at Dortmund than Liverpool have also.

My feeling is it's another false dawn for the bin dippers and within a couple of years the same fans will be calling for yet another manager and the whole cycle will be repeated.

It is true we see outside of the top four usually as a failure, rightly or not, but there are better reasons than just "we used to be good so w should be good now". We are one of the top ten richest clubs in Europe, over the last few years we have had stars like Suarez, Gerrard, and now Coutinho. We have some excellent young prospects below them. We shouldn't be finishing in sixth or seventh. I think at the end of the day Liverpool fans should be satisfied with fifth considering the quality of the usual top four teams.

As for Klopp, it's very true he doesn't have better players than at Dortmund, and quite frankly, while I'm excited, we as Liverpool fans need to temper our expectations. We're not going to win the league in our first season. Heck, we may never win it. But if Liverpool fans and especially FSG are patient with him, we will once again be a very very good team in the BPL.

[IanC]

The whole thing with Liverpool is they expect so much because of thier history. The same fans still think this year is our year to win the leaguie and see it on forums time and time again. Being out the top four for Liverpool is seen as a failure amongst their fans. My biggest gripe with Rodgers was over the snidey comment he made towards Spurs when we sold Bale and pumped the money back into the team and I agree with certain players that were poor in the Premier League but to then say if you spend that amount of money then you should be winning the league. Rodgers has spent three times as much money and now he is feeling that he feels it was wrong to sack him.

The golden rule in any league is that it's a results business and his results were not that good and only got a top four placing when he had a world class player in Suarez scoring for them. He relied too heavily on that fact for one season. The other players he had signed had been poor and he had lost his biggest players in Suarez, Carragher and Gerrard. This is why the new manager will struggle also. Those style replacements are not around to join a club like Liverpool anymore or unwilling to as they know Liverpool will probably not make the Champions League again especially with the teams already in the CL doing poorly we are looking at losing a spot in the competition and will leave three places available unless English teams buck thier ideas up.

Not too sure how Klopp will turn Liverpool around to be honest and I am very suprised he has taken a job like that on when the players are not actually of a decent class to get a top four placing. It's alright having passion but you need the personnel to do the job. He might lift them for the first few games ( I am hoping that is not the case ) but his last season at Dortmund was awful and failed to motivate them. He had far better players at Dortmund than Liverpool have also.

My feeling is it's another false dawn for the bin dippers and within a couple of years the same fans will be calling for yet another manager and the whole cycle will be repeated.

It is true we see outside of the top four usually as a failure, rightly or not, but there are better reasons than just "we used to be good so w should be good now". We are one of the top ten richest clubs in Europe, over the last few years we have had stars like Suarez, Gerrard, and now Coutinho. We have some excellent young prospects below them. We shouldn't be finishing in sixth or seventh. I think at the end of the day Liverpool fans should be satisfied with fifth considering the quality of the usual top four teams.

As for Klopp, it's very true he doesn't have better players than at Dortmund, and quite frankly, while I'm excited, we as Liverpool fans need to temper our expectations. We're not going to win the league in our first season. Heck, we may never win it. But if Liverpool fans and especially FSG are patient with him, we will once again be a very very good team in the BPL.

They were patient with Rodgers and it still failed to work. I have seen Liverpool fans already over social media claiming this is the one again to return us to winning the league. Liverpool though a big club are no better than a top five or six and even seventh placing in the league these days.

[Crabcake]

The whole thing with Liverpool is they expect so much because of thier history. The same fans still think this year is our year to win the leaguie and see it on forums time and time again. Being out the top four for Liverpool is seen as a failure amongst their fans. My biggest gripe with Rodgers was over the snidey comment he made towards Spurs when we sold Bale and pumped the money back into the team and I agree with certain players that were poor in the Premier League but to then say if you spend that amount of money then you should be winning the league. Rodgers has spent three times as much money and now he is feeling that he feels it was wrong to sack him.

The golden rule in any league is that it's a results business and his results were not that good and only got a top four placing when he had a world class player in Suarez scoring for them. He relied too heavily on that fact for one season. The other players he had signed had been poor and he had lost his biggest players in Suarez, Carragher and Gerrard. This is why the new manager will struggle also. Those style replacements are not around to join a club like Liverpool anymore or unwilling to as they know Liverpool will probably not make the Champions League again especially with the teams already in the CL doing poorly we are looking at losing a spot in the competition and will leave three places available unless English teams buck thier ideas up.

Not too sure how Klopp will turn Liverpool around to be honest and I am very suprised he has taken a job like that on when the players are not actually of a decent class to get a top four placing. It's alright having passion but you need the personnel to do the job. He might lift them for the first few games ( I am hoping that is not the case ) but his last season at Dortmund was awful and failed to motivate them. He had far better players at Dortmund than Liverpool have also.

My feeling is it's another false dawn for the bin dippers and within a couple of years the same fans will be calling for yet another manager and the whole cycle will be repeated.

It is true we see outside of the top four usually as a failure, rightly or not, but there are better reasons than just "we used to be good so w should be good now". We are one of the top ten richest clubs in Europe, over the last few years we have had stars like Suarez, Gerrard, and now Coutinho. We have some excellent young prospects below them. We shouldn't be finishing in sixth or seventh. I think at the end of the day Liverpool fans should be satisfied with fifth considering the quality of the usual top four teams.

As for Klopp, it's very true he doesn't have better players than at Dortmund, and quite frankly, while I'm excited, we as Liverpool fans need to temper our expectations. We're not going to win the league in our first season. Heck, we may never win it. But if Liverpool fans and especially FSG are patient with him, we will once again be a very very good team in the BPL.

They were patient with Rodgers and it still failed to work. I have seen Liverpool fans already over social media claiming this is the one again to return us to winning the league. Liverpool though a big club are no better than a top five or six and even seventh placing in the league these days.

You are absolutely right. The difference between Rodgers and Klopp that I think is pretty plain to see is that Klopp is a better manager and has proven he can take teams to the top if they give him time. But you're right - Liverpool's absolute ceiling is fourth, and fifth or sixth is more realistic. The Liverpool fans who claim that the hiring of Klopp will immediately take us to the top of the table are out of their minds.

[Crabcake]

Spain and Switzerland qualify for Euro 2016 with wins, while Sweden and Russia book their places in the playoffs.

[Jaffa]

And Wales are the latest of the Home Nations to qualify. There's lovely.

[WelshSteeler]

And Wales are the latest of the Home Nations to qualify. There's lovely.

Mission accomplished finally and with a game to spare!

[Seadragon76]

Today starts the final games of qualifying for the 2016 Euro Championship.. scenarios? Sure.

Group D: Germany, Poland and Ireland are all assured to be in the top 3, but who ends up where depends on what happens today. Poland and Ireland play each other today... the winner will get one of the two auto bids while the loser goes to the Playoff round. Germany just needs to beat Georgia to clinch an auto bid.

Group F: Northern Ireland has already clinched a spot, so it comes down to Romania and Hungary. Romania can clinch the auto bid with a win today over the Faroe Islands... but, should they lose or tie, then Hungary can leapfrog them with a win over Greece.

Group I: Similar to Group F, you have a team who has already clinched a spot in Euro 2016 (Portugal) and two teams fighting for the other auto bid (Denmark and Albania). The big difference is that Denmark is done with group play while Albania faces Armenia today. A win for Albania would make them the fourth nation to make their Euro debut in 2016 (joining Iceland, Northern Ireland and Wales) while anything else gives Denmark the auto bid.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Congrats to the winners, now for the second part of the final round...

Group C: With Spain already in, it's down to Slovakia and Ukraine for the other auto bid. They're tied at 19 points, but the Slovaks have the tiebreaker thanks to a 1-0 win over Ukraine in September of last year. All Slovakia has to do to clinch the auto bid is win (or draw) against Luxembourg. Ukraine... well, to steal it, they need either a draw or loss from Slovakia and a win over Spain.

Group E: With England and Switzerland already taking the auto bids, it comes down to a three horse race for the playoff spot. Slovenia holds a three point cushion over Estonia and Lithuania and they also have the easiest game of the three as they host hapless San Marino. Just a draw against this proverbial punching bag is enough to get them into the playoff. Should the unthinkable happen, then either Estonia or Lithuania can level them on points (but would fall in the goal tiebreaker)

Group G: With Austria already in, it's down to Russia and Sweden for the other spot... but, both teams get cupcakes for the final game, so it looks like Russia will snatch the auto bid and Sweden will be playoff bound unless Montenegro does the the impossible.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The final day of Qualifying is upon us...

Group A: With Iceland and the Czech Republic already in, the focus is on the playoff spot as Turkey and the Netherlands are fighting for it. The Turks just need a draw and a Dutch loss to earn the spot while the Dutch need a win and a Turk loss or draw to get in. The catch? Both teams are facing the top two in the group (Turkey faces Iceland while the Netherlands meet the Czech Republic).

Group B: Like Group A, the top two spots are taken and Belgium and Wales are in. But, the drama is in the race for the playoff spot as Bosnia is currently in front with Israel a point back and Cyprus being two points back. Israel takes on Belgium and if the Israelis win that game, they must have a Cypriot victory over Bosnia or else it will be for naught. An Israel loss knocks them out and turns the Bosnia-Cyprus game into a winner takes all match.

Group H: Italy has already earn a spot, so it's down to Norway and Croatia for the other auto bid. Norway can get that with a win over Italy. Anything else means the Croatians can leapfrog them easily as they face hapless Malta.

[Berlin Wall]

It's as easy as it never was for European teams to qualify for a major tournament. So it's funny how Albania, Northern Ireland and Austria made it to Euro 16 and the Dutch don't.