To me, there are the biggest of the big (the first 5 I mentioned), and then the next 10. To me, Porto in 2004 does not count as a big club, and maybe Ajax in 1994 (certainly today they would not be a big club). Marseille are also no longer a big club.
And how about United. Losing 2-0 at home to relegated Cardiff on the final day of the season. Solskjaer really put United in a rough spot. Got the early results that made it difficult not to appoint him full time, but they really should have shown more patience. Glad they did, you know they’d be sniffing around Pochettino already distracting us from the final. Still might this summer, I would.
And Poch recently said that Spurs ownership needs to have a plan that is not just about prioritizing profit.
If he leaves, he goes to a serious powerhouse with vast and available resources like Real Madrid, Barca, Bayern, maybe Man City. He won't go to any team that has any restriction on resources, he's already living that life with a great club. But, I believe him when he says that he retires to coaching in Argentina if we win Champion's League. What's left to prove? (That's another example of why international club competitions are ruining domestic club competitions.)
Because I watch F1 and Rally clips on Youtube, I get the occasional NASCAR clip as well. Got hooked on to some guy who does some really good documentaries. The latest one was about some shady decision which favored big and well known drivers. Reading the Man City all this morning, seems to be the same. NASCAR, F1, UEFA, FIFA...they all favor the big teams/players.
Join me, won't you, next season for a full year of actively hoping that Brighton go down. Brighton & Hove Albion, it turns out, have just sacked Chris Hughton after having kept them up yet another year after having taken them up the year before. They did, admittedly, go through a rough patch toward the end, and it may not be the harshest of sackings I've ever heard of - but it's harsh enough, to my thinking, and I'll have no good wishes for them in the campaign to come. Good luck to Chris, who I'm sure will land on his feet - probably in the Championship. But he's a solid manager and won't be out of work for long.
he has really gotten the short end of it several times now. Newcastle and Norwich both sacked him and then got relegated after, didn't they?
West Brom's captain Chris Brunt has just been sent off in the 80th minute with Aston Villa needing a goal to advance to the final. Gonna be tense.
West Brom hanging on. If it ends as it is, they're through on away goals. edit: scratch that. I thought away goals broke an aggregate draw. it does not.
brilliant stuff at the Hawthorns! Villa pouring it on. a couple of brilliant saves from the keeper. 88th. tune in if you're not watching.
Villa were hanging on for a stretch, there, in the second half. it all turned on Brunt's sending off. shame.
I hate that Chelsea have won another European trophy … but I'm certainly pleased with the result. Arsenal would have equaled our European trophy haul had they won - not that we wouldn't re-pass them shortly, mind. Roll on Saturday.
Lesser of 2 evils I guess. With Hazard halfway out the door, Chelsea will be weaker next year. And no CL for l'Arse means the Wednesday Night song lasts another year at least...
it also makes it that much more difficult for them to land real talent, without which it's difficult envisioning much improvement. They're fairly shite, if we're honest.