Unpopular Football Opinions

[Toony]

18 hours ago, Cannabis said:

I said this on the old forum but Joey Barton is criminally underrated because people don't like him. If you forget what he has done wrong in his career you will find a very good player.

Agree - he was very good for us up here in the period where we needed big characters.

I like him but can understand why many don't.

[Danny]

If Joey Barton was that good he wouldn't be playing for clubs like Newcastle and QPR. Average Prem footballer with a decent eye for a pass.

[Honey Honey]

He ruined his own career with his antics. They destroyed the momentum he could have created, particularly with form. Spent too many years trying to recover form suspensions and injuries and had to move around positions to try and rekindle something. 

 

[Dickie]

8 hours ago, Stan said:

this isn't an unpopular opinion?

Everyone I ever talk to always says Messi is.

7 hours ago, Danny said:

If Joey Barton was that good he wouldn't be playing for clubs like Newcastle and QPR. Average Prem footballer with a decent eye for a pass.

There are alot of bang average players that play mid table and make the england squad that shouldn't. If Barton didn't have a poisonous attitude he could have done so much more. 

[Dan+]

Messi is the better footballer but Ronaldo is seriously starting to push him I think in terms of winning things. He's delivering in more big moments than Messi is lately.

[Stan]

3 hours ago, Dan said:

Messi is the better footballer but Ronaldo is seriously starting to push him I think in terms of winning things. He's delivering in more big moments than Messi is lately.

this is funny after tonight's events  

[Guest]

The best player in the world right now is neither Messi or Cristiano. Its Neymar.

[Dan+]

2 hours ago, Stan said:

this is funny after tonight's events  

I am genuinely on a par with Merson when it comes to things like this. I jinx absolutely everything.

[Guest]

Argentina vs Brazil is a made up rivalry. The 2 teams are historically the best in the continent but there isn't much context. Argentina'srivalry in my eyes is with Uruguay, because back before the World Cup started they were the only real competitors, where as Brazil began dominating a bit later. 

From what I've noticed, Brazilians don't tend to care compared to the Argentinians. I could be wrong on this but I see it as a clash of giants rather than a "clásico". For me the 2 main clásicos in SA are Peru vs Chile and Argentina vs Uruguay. The former because both teams care (although the Chileans a bit less) but mostly because Peru and Chile were involved in war in the past.

[Spike]

That's weird. Whenever I talk to my Brazilian buddies they say the opposite; they adore the rivalry and relish every moment of it.

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, Spike said:

That's weird. Whenever I talk to my Brazilian buddies they say the opposite; they adore the rivalry and relish every moment of it.

I could be wrong, but I don't see a context in it like say Peru vs Chile, Japan vs South Korea, Australia vs New Zealand (you can confirm me on this one). I would even say USA vs Mexico. 

Peru and Chile were in one of the most famous South American wars. You also need to see how partisan the nations are towards one another. South Koreans detest the Japanese for similar reasons and Kiwis to the Aussies are sheep shaggers although you'd know better in this case.

As an example, I haven't heard the Chilean anthem here in Peru. That's because it's so loudly booed. Don't see that in Brazil vs Argentina.

Im on mobile now so I'm not expressing myself best but I hope you see where I'm getting at.

[Spike]

10 minutes ago, LaSambadeStGermain said:

I could be wrong, but I don't see a context in it like say Peru vs Chile, Japan vs South Korea, Australia vs New Zealand (you can confirm me on this one). I would even say USA vs Mexico. 

Peru and Chile were in one of the most famous South American wars. You also need to see how partisan the nations are towards one another. South Koreans detest the Japanese for similar reasons and Kiwis to the Aussies are sheep shaggers although you'd know better in this case.

As an example, I haven't heard the Chilean anthem here in Peru. That's because it's so loudly booed. Don't see that in Brazil vs Argentina.

Im on mobile now so I'm not expressing myself best but I hope you see where I'm getting at.

Australia and New Zealand are literally best friends but that doesn't mean I don't love seeing them smacked. A rivalry doesn't need to have deep-seated hatred as the fuse, that is ridiculous. Australian and Japan have a fantastic sporting rivalry in football, for instance. England and Australia is another rivalry, we don't hate eachother but we do hate losing to eachother. 

[Stan]

36 minutes ago, LaSambadeStGermain said:

Argentina vs Brazil is a made up rivalry. The 2 teams are historically the best in the continent but there isn't much context. Argentina'srivalry in my eyes is with Uruguay, because back before the World Cup started they were the only real competitors, where as Brazil began dominating a bit later. 

From what I've noticed, Brazilians don't tend to care compared to the Argentinians. I could be wrong on this but I see it as a clash of giants rather than a "clásico". For me the 2 main clásicos in SA are Peru vs Chile and Argentina vs Uruguay. The former because both teams care (although the Chileans a bit less) but mostly because Peru and Chile were involved in war in the past.

 

23 minutes ago, LaSambadeStGermain said:

I could be wrong, but I don't see a context in it like say Peru vs Chile, Japan vs South Korea, Australia vs New Zealand (you can confirm me on this one). I would even say USA vs Mexico. 

Peru and Chile were in one of the most famous South American wars. You also need to see how partisan the nations are towards one another. South Koreans detest the Japanese for similar reasons and Kiwis to the Aussies are sheep shaggers although you'd know better in this case.

As an example, I haven't heard the Chilean anthem here in Peru. That's because it's so loudly booed. Don't see that in Brazil vs Argentina.

Im on mobile now so I'm not expressing myself best but I hope you see where I'm getting at.

you say this, but when you're called out up on it, you don't like it. 

[Guest]

10 minutes ago, Spike said:

Australia and New Zealand are literally best friends but that doesn't mean I don't love seeing them smacked. A rivalry doesn't need to have deep-seated hatred as the fuse, that is ridiculous. Australian and Japan have a fantastic sporting rivalry in football, for instance. England and Australia is another rivalry, we don't hate eachother but we do hate losing to eachother. 

Exactly why I'm posting this in the unpopular football opinions thread. It depends on the person, but for example I love beating Chile. We also have a "rivalry" with Ecuador and I put that in quotes because its hardly a rivalry compared to ours with Chile where fans are beat up, anthems are booed and cut in half, literally every time we play them there's always campaigns by the Chileans or Peruvians to not boo the anthems or do other shit. Chileans like to write off the rivalry with us, but we all know they hate us as much as we do.

Back to Brazil - Argentina, it turns out they did have a war with each other that I wasn't aware of, but even then I've always seen it as having that competitiveness but not as fierce as some others, and that's just my view of it. Even for footballing reasons I see it as more of a rivalry with Uruguay. You can choose to agree with it or not but I find that rivalry a bit overrated. This is a neutral view though and I'm not going to research for the sake of a football argument on a forum. We can leave it there.

[Vegan Kel]

The best player to have played in the Premier League is Roy Keane

[Vegan Kel]

Teams should have at least 8 players from their own nation on the pitch at any one time. So many clubs now have no identity (or even worse, an identity that has no connection to their local fans and, in many cases, their own country). This was the case in Serie A in the late 80s/early 90s when all the best players went to Italy. It also meant that relatively small clubs had top players because Italy was where the money was and the top clubs couldn't have more than three on their books (later extended to three in the matchday squad).

This would definitely be unpopular but one I think would be great

 

[ScoRoss]

11 minutes ago, Salford Kel said:

Teams should have at least 8 players from their own nation on the pitch at any one time. So many clubs now have no identity (or even worse, an identity that has no connection to their local fans and, in many cases, their own country). This was the case in Serie A in the late 80s/early 90s when all the best players went to Italy. It also meant that relatively small clubs had top players because Italy was where the money was and the top clubs couldn't have more than three on their books (later extended to three in the matchday squad).

This would definitely be unpopular but one I think would be great

 

Easy to say that when coming from a country the size of England / Italy / Germany / Spain. Would make it even more difficult for clubs from smaller countries to compete.

[Devil-Dick Willie]

8 is a bit far. 5 in the starting line up and 3 on the bench is probably more reasonable, and also a step in the right direction.

[Vegan Kel]

5 minutes ago, ScoRoss said:

Easy to say that when coming from a country the size of England / Italy / Germany / Spain. Would make it even more difficult for clubs from smaller countries to compete.

How many foreigners did Aberdeen have under Ferguson when they beat Real Madrid in the Cup Winners Cup final?

Or Celtic in 1967?

[ScoRoss]

3 minutes ago, Salford Kel said:

How many foreigners did Aberdeen have under Ferguson when they beat Real Madrid in the Cup Winners Cup final?

Or Celtic in 1967?

So it wouldn't be more difficult then?

Trust me, I'd love to have lots of homegrown players but that doesn't stop me enjoy watching the current team.

Doesn't matter where people like Jonny Hayes was born, I just enjoy watching him play.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Salford Kel said:

Teams should have at least 8 players from their own nation on the pitch at any one time. So many clubs now have no identity (or even worse, an identity that has no connection to their local fans and, in many cases, their own country). This was the case in Serie A in the late 80s/early 90s when all the best players went to Italy. It also meant that relatively small clubs had top players because Italy was where the money was and the top clubs couldn't have more than three on their books (later extended to three in the matchday squad).

This would definitely be unpopular but one I think would be great

 

I agree. I don't know what to say about the limit of players, but it feels weird saying that Manchester City's biggest legend is Argentinian. 

Universitario are irrelevant on a world stage but I rather have a team full of Peruvians and continue to be irrelevant then have a team full of foreigners and no connection with the fans whatsoever.

[Stan]

19 minutes ago, LaSambadeStGermain said:

I agree. I don't know what to say about the limit of players, but it feels weird saying that Manchester City's biggest legend is Argentinian. 

Universitario are irrelevant on a world stage but I rather have a team full of Peruvians and continue to be irrelevant then have a team full of foreigners and no connection with the fans whatsoever.

Just like Napoli's was last season?

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, Stan said:

Just like Napoli's was last season?

Not last season but you do have a point given Napoli doesn't have many Italian legends, although even in Maradona's time there were Italian players.

I have no issue with foreign talent but I rather not have a ton of them. 

[Vegan Kel]

Napoli's best ever player was Argy ffs but that's because Maradona was the greatest footballer of all time and played for Napoli in their most successful period

[Smiley Culture]

Having more English and UK born players in matchday squads would weaken the reputation of the Premier League and would have little, if any, effect on the International side.