I didn't include that 'we' reached the euro semi-final 2nd most often, behind Germany. That #3 rank in the Elo since 1970 (which actually leans on mid-60s results as well) is no mumbo jumbo. Why has that been only once converted in a final place and trophy (with a 'favorable' French referee)... I think I know an important factor behind this. Also for World Cups + euros since 1974 there is only Germany ahead (level with France). On twitter I've seen charts that for adjusted Xg created 'we' are level or ahead of the other semi-finalists, but not Spain, that was class of the field. Aligns again with the Sofascore 'power rankings', Elo and other things. Even if you're seen as the best and can credibly have that sort of thought, in this direction, there is a risk you'll be frozen out anyway, by the pretending/posturing Cox whisperers et al. (will this call be changed too?). Take PSV 2004-05; seen as better on the ball as all the opponents in the knock-out stages, later in the thread "deserved to be in the final" instead of Milan even, but as ever they get reduced to nothings in the final product (the notes on certain players put aside, esp. the notes for Cocu). I see now transfermarkt (yes, I know some have questions; there are a number of articles about them, I think in terms of integrity it looks fine to me) value him as the 3rd most expensive player of Turkey now. Another one born and trained here is 5th. It has something like Morocco in 2022, yes. That had at times the appearance of a Benelux team as the spine + Hakimi as the big star ("Morocco in 2018 is more Oranje than Oranje in 1909"). His Oranje youth team coach Van de Looi appears here (who also appears here, in the Van Dijk at Groningen story; the advice to play in front of a huge crowd instead of a mid-tier Italian or French team). "Everything seems to be going well in the career of the nineteen-time Turkish international, who left NEC for the Turkish top club as an eighteen-year-old rookie, for a number of years now. At that club, Kadioglu - born in Lent in Gelderland - has been a regular player for several years after a difficult start. Nalbantoglu [team manager NEC]: "Ferdi took the plunge. He persevered and succeeded. That's what characterizes him. Ferdi is a gutsy guy." This gutsy guy could easily have played for the Dutch national team at this European Championship. Kadioglu - Turkish father, Canadian mother - played his youth internationals for the Netherlands and played eighteen times for Jong Oranje. His teammates included Cody Gakpo and Brian Brobbey. In 2021, Kadioglu played at the European Youth Championship with Jong Oranje, after which he was too old for the team. "And at that time he was not good enough for the big Dutch team," says then Jong Oranje national coach Erwin van de Looi. Turkish Football Association board member Hamit Altintop (ex-Bayern and -Real Madrid) approached Kadioglu about playing for Turkey. "At final tournaments I always supported the Netherlands and then Turkey. But now I had to choose and Turkey was preferred," Kadioglu said in an interview with VI . Van de Looi did not try to talk Kadioglu out of it. "What did we have to offer him as the Netherlands? That he would play for the Dutch national team in three or five years? You never know. Ferdi looked at it from a business perspective. We encourage you to make your own decisions. He was in the picture with Turkey and could play international matches. They gave him a better perspective. The medical profession has a Hippocratic Oath. As a coach working with adolescents you cannot think only about your own interest." Few people would have thought then that Kadioglu could now also have been considered for the Dutch national team. He developed strongly at Fenerbahçe, although he needed a considerable lead time. The step from Nijmegen to Istanbul proved to be a big one for Kadioglu, partly because he did not speak Turkish. "And as a Dutch Turk, you are seen as an outsider in Turkey," Nalbantoglu explains. "They can see from the way people dress and hold their money that you are not from Turkey. As a young boy, you have to be able to deal with that. You are immediately at a disadvantage." Moreover, Kadioglu only went to Istanbul with his father Feyzullah. His mother and sister stayed behind in the Netherlands. In his first year he only played thirteen minutes and in the seasons after that he was mainly a substitute. Kadioglu only became a regular in his fourth year in Turkey. "It characterizes Ferdi that he never gave up," says Van de Looi. "He always had a good mentality and drive. I always called him up for the Dutch Juniors, even when he didn't play much. Why did I do that? He never made a fuss and had the poison in him to prove me wrong. A nice guy to work with." Over the years, Kadioglu has undergone a transformation in many ways, from a puny boy to a powerhouse, complete with an impressive head of hair and a beard. And where Kadioglu was a frivolous left winger at NEC, he has been a conscientious left back in Turkey since his breakthrough in 2022. Van de Looi: "I can now boldly say that I saw him as a left back, but that is not the case. I would never have put him there. Although he can still show his footballing qualities in that position." [...] Kadioglu enjoys star status in Turkey. He can no longer walk the streets undisturbed. During the warm-up for Fenerbahçe home games, he is the first to be called forward by the supporters. Nalbantoglu: "Believe me, then you are a big man." [...] There is a good chance that Kadioglu will also play for a top club next season. He is linked to clubs such as Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich. "He is certainly worth 40 million euros," says Nalbantoglu. "I would like it if he goes to Bayern. Win trophies. I want Ferdi to do that." First up for Kadioglu is the match against the Dutch national team. "This is great, my first tournament with Turkey and then reaching the quarter finals. For me it will be a very special match," Kadioglu told NOS . Nalbantoglu is also looking forward to the confrontation between the Netherlands and Turkey. "I am curious to see how Ferdi will present himself in that match. He would not have been out of place in this Oranje. Special, isn't it? If you had told me six years ago that Ferdi would be at this point now, I wouldn't have believed you." [...] Former Jong Oranje coach Erwin van de Looi told NU.nl that Kadioglu would not have been out of place in the current Oranje. The player himself did not agree. "Oranje has Aké there as the incumbent. I chose Turkey. That is the most important thing." ---------------- December 2023: "The first team of the Dutch national team seemed far away at the time, while Turkey did attract the player. 'I thought about it carefully and also talked about it with the people around me. Both countries are dear to me. At final tournaments I always supported Turkey and the Netherlands. It depended on who had to play, and often one of the two was not there, so that made it easy. But now I had to choose and in the end Turkey got my preference.
I felt more electrified and aware of historic talent when watching 17 year old Mbappe than 17 year old Yamal. But then again I've only really watched Yamal at Euro 2024.
It appears that Orkun Kökçü's agent, when he was young, told him he was never going to be good enough for the Orange Squad.
That's to an extent an understandable advice. Look four years later, and think of the five injured midfielders, and you can say there is a point. If he was a center-forward or winger though there is a different discussion. On the other hand, Kokcu was seen as a central midfielder or number ten. He has been advised to be more like the former, that the 'lazy' and languid number ten is not the way forward. See how Ozil was put aside at Real Madrid and then immediately entered their golden era afterward. We can at any rate use a number ten even though Simons and some others can also play there. Much more than Kadioglu, Kokcu was a stalwart in the underage teams. He was the captain since under-15 onward (u-17, u-18, u-19). That's largely symbolic but just as the 'klassenleider' ('class leader') in high school, it has a certain role. You are tracked into a certain direction. It wasn't a case of "he doesn't play but I keep him inside because he has such a fine mentality" (previous post). For some reason his agent was convinced he wouldn't be good enough for the big Oranje (or that this is not certain) and so switched to Turkey. He couldn't speak or read Turkish, just as Kadioglu. Was seen as a foreigner there. Is now probably among the four or five Turks with the highest market value (with Kadioglu also there). To add insult to injury, another with the name Kokcu debuted with #14 in the under-21 team. Seriously? He doesn't set the indexes on fire - Sofascore, Whoscored - but for me he was a good player (for Feyenoord, in the higher level matches). Now also Benfica? But that Feyenoord saw this as the next step for Kokcu was seen by his agent as a sign of reduced trust as well (the OneLove armband drama maybe doesn't help, you can say - but I think he is unlike Ozil/Gundogan/Calhanoglu no Erdogan fan isn't he?).
This Kokcu (a different one) plays for Azerbeijan against France under-21 yes - the French youth teams are world famous. This Kokcu is also from here and born here.
World Soccer XI Mamardashvili; Kimmich, Pepe, Saliba, Cucurella; Rodri, Fabián; Yamal, Musiala, Willams; Olmo Menciones de honor: Gunok, Diogo Costa, Pickford, Verbruggen, Posch, Cancelo, Carvajal, Koundé, Kakabadze, Akanji, Calafiori, Ghehi, Bijol, Dragusin, Rudiger, Kadioglu, Nuno Mendes, Aebischer, Kroos, Kanté, Xhaka, Reijnders, Bellingham, Kochorashvili, Vitinha, Lobotka, Mikautadze, Guler, Doku, Gakpo, Sabitzer, Ndoye, Schranz, Saka.
World Soccer has always been a hostile entity towards us, and fully pro Germany (1990: "Deutschland über alles" they wrote and celebrated while the 1988 winners wasn't a patch on 1974 team etcetera; the team which itself, in 1974, was seen as inferior to the best Brazil, Hungary and Germany teams by World Sucker. No I am not lying here; it's like that 2024 vs 2004 comparison while 2004 at the time itself was also not well rated). They are desperate to be close to The Establishment, or to be the establishment. Shallow publication in general, with the usual pretense. Doesn't matter if it is 1974, 1988, 2010 or 2024, it has always been the same. Even if five of us are included in the first eleven, in 1989, the commentary is for all lukewarm and negative (where do we see that pattern too?) https://beyondthelastman.com/2014/03/10/eric-battys-world-xis-the-eighties-and-nineties/ Euro 1996, seizing the chance to be merciless (in SC that forward they bash down is still the #3 forward of the tournament, but whatever) https://football-ratings.blogspot.com/2024/07/euro-1996s-best-players.html?m=1 In a nutshell, I am not surprised, again.
I thought this was an interesting list, with comments, and showed how varied the opinions on this tournament are. A few players (almost all Spanish) really did stand out and the lots of others played well without being exceptional.
Important variation in the ranking of the XI, since after the last votes, Nico Williams overtakes Rodri and Fabián. This is the qualification on the maximum of 100 %..: 1.- Yamal (Spain): 92,68 % 2.- Nico Williams (Spain): 84,39 % 3.- Fabian Ruiz (Spain): 82,44 % Rodri (Spain) 5.- Dani Olmo (Spain): 80 % 6.- Cucurella (Spain); 70,24 % 7.- Gakpo (Netherlands): 61,95 % 8.- Saliba (France): 58,05 % 9.- Mamardashvili (Georgia): 53,17 % 10.- Musiala (Spain): 42,93 % 11.- Carvajal (Spain): 41,95 % 12.- Kimmich (Germany): 35,61 % 13.- Akanji (Switzerland): 34,63 % 14.- Guler (Turkey): 28,78 % 15.- Koundé (France): 28,29 % 16..- Guehi (England): 24,88 % 17.- Laporte (España): 23,90 % 18 - Pepe (Portugal): 19,02 % 19.- Maignan (France): 16,59 % 20. - Kanté (French): 16,10 % Mikautadze (Georgia): 16,10 % 22 - Bijol (Eslovenia): 15,12 % Kroos (Alemania): 15,12 % Donnarumma (Italy): 15,12 % 25.- Nuno Mendes (Portugal): 14,15 % 26 - Theo Hdez. (France): 13,17 % 27 - Xavi Simons (Holanda); 11,71 % Pickford (Inglaterra); 11,71 % 29 - Rudiger (Alemania): 10,73 % 30.- Oblak (Eslovenia): 10,24 % 31 - Kadioglu (Turquía): 10,24 % 32 - Havertz (Alemania): 9,27 % 33 - Saka (Inglaterra): 9,27 % 34 - Stones (Inglaterra): 9,27 % 35.- De Bruyne (Bélgica): 7,32 % Van Dijk (Holanda): 7,32 % Bellingham (Inglaterra): 7,32 % Walker (Inglaterra): 7,32 % 39 - Xhaka (Suiza): 6,83 % 40 - Lobotka (Eslovaquia): 6,34 % Rubén Dias (Portugal): 6,34 % 42 - Gunok (Turquía): 5,85 % 43 - Mbappé (France): 5,37 % Demiral (Turquía): 5,37 % 45 - Sabitzer (Austria): 4,88 % Kane (Inglaterra): 4,88 % 47 - Fullkrug (Alemania): 4,39 % Ake (Holanda): 4,39 %
With the addition of Guerin Sportivo's ratings, this is how the average rating of 13 complete sources looks like: 1.- Mamardashvili: 7.60 2.- Dani Olmo: 7.48 3.- Lamine Yamal; 7.48 4.- Fabian Ruiz: 7.42 5.- Donnarumma: 7,30 6.- Musiala: 7.29 7.- Rodri: 7.27 8.- Oblak: 7.19 9.- Nico Williams: 7,17 10.- Xhaka: 6,99 11.- De Bruyne: 6.94 12.- Gakpo: 6.94 13.- Lobotka: 6,92 14.- Mikautadze: 6,92 15.- Pepe: 6,90 16.- Sabitzer: 6,89 17.- Cucurella: 6,89 18.- Nuno Mendes: 6,88 19.- Carvajal: 6,87 20.- Maignan: 6,87 21.- Guler: 6.85 22.- Eriksen: 6,85 23.- Wirtz: 6,84 24.- N'Doye: 6,79 25.- Vitinha: 6,79 26.- Laporte: 6.78 27.- Kvarestkhelia: 6.78 28.- Casteels: 6,77 29.- Kimmich: 6,77 30.- Akanji: 6,76 31.- Soucek: 6,76 32.- Kroos: 6,73 33.- Diogo Costa: 6,72 34.- Schranz: 6,69 35.- Bijol: 6,69 36.- Rubén Días: 6,67 37.- Rajkovic: 6,63 38.- Gundogan: 6,63 39.- Baumgartner: 6,62 40.- Saliba: 6,62 41.- Unai Simón: 6,62 42.- Freuler: 6,60 43.- Joao Cancelo: 6,59 44.- Bernardo Silva: 6,59 45.- Kanté: 6,56 46.- Verbruggen: 6,56 47.- Kochorashvili: 6,55 48.- Koundé: 6,55 49.- Janza: 6,54 50.- Strakosha: 6,54 51.- Calafiori: 6,54 52.- Neuer: 6,52 53.- Duda: 6,51 54.- The Hernández: 6,50 55.- Seiwald: 6,50 56.- Aebischer: 6,50
Other players who might be interested in your rating: Rudiger: 6.49 Aké: 6.47 Havertz: 6.45 Xavi Simons: 6.44 Pickford: 6.44 Calhanoglu: 6.40 Szoboszlai: 6.37 Van Dijk: 6.34 Bruno Fernandes: 6.34 Bellingham: 6.33 Rice: 6.33 Saka: 6.32 Mbappé: 6.26 Bastoni: 6.22 Sommer: 6.18 Memphis Depay: 6.15 Foden: 6.09 Walker: 5.99 Gvardiol: 5.97 Kane: 5.96 Cristiano Ronaldo: 5.84 Lukaku: 5.78 Griezmann: 5.69
All of them played at least 270 minutes. It is interesting to know the average of some who, although they did not reach that number of minutes, also did well: Trubin: 6.97 (180 minutes). Demiral: 6.84 (206) Haraslin: 6.72 (264) Pedri: 6.62 (187) Fullkrug: 6.72 (164) Mikel Merino: 6.63 (158) Palmer: 6.62 (150) Mudryck: 6.62 (175)
The end of the season Ballon d'Or nominees list of yesterday supports many of my previous theories (or even hard facts, like the hard *fact* that Argentina and England have not officiated each other at senior level for club or country since 1966). It is for the full season plus the euros. As usual - and for reference there are similar actual newspaper articles about this for 1994 and 1995 (now seen as part of the golden period) - the Benelux is at a handicap. Lookman in but not Koopmeiners, for starters. Van Dijk out, Hummels and friends in. The Establishment and the marketeers saw us again as a credible threat (not for the first time), can plan and wheel&deal in advance behind the scenes, yet also saw us like Greece winning in 2004. That is what broadcasters, sponsors, the various cultural blocs (Hispanic world, German bloc etc.) do not prefer. Back in 2004 the European Union commissioner for sports also made this clear and voiced the 'consensus' among the ones running the show (and they are in close contact with UEFA all the time, sit at the table): "The EURO 2004 cup final can provide a starting point for discussion, given the economic weight of football in European sport and that the need for sporting content in Europe will lead to similar business models for other sports. The unexpected final Greece-Portugal involving two small countries represents, from a strictly sporting point of view, a triumph for the true values of sport. But was it positive from the point of view of the economy of sport and of television? From an economic point of view, it is a huge problem to cope with the early elimination of France, Italy, Spain, Germany and England, which represent potential audiences of 280 million viewers. Let’s be clear: a Greece-Portugal final attracts a potential audience of 22 million viewers. Are these audience levels the ones expected by sports sponsors and advertisers? The answer is clearly “no” and the same applies to Champions’ League finals without star-clubs. This, ladies and gentlemen, raises the need for a serious debate on the real background to the question: are current competitions adapted to the economic context of European sport? Of course, changes always produce fear, namely a fear of the unknown. But, at the end of a five-year mandate, I am convinced that we cannot continue much longer without facing up to reality." So it is rigged. When Nike entered football it was pitched to them in this manner ("it is guided so that eventually you get an interesting final like Italy vs Brazil"). There are special perks and privileges. It doesn't work all the time (like 2014 vs Spain with the penalty), you can still win a match, but very often it does. Careers are not at risk. The top level careers of the officials do not end. On the contrary. Very often the foul of Goikoetxea on Maradona is recalled but he actually received a multi-months ban for that, and the referee had his career hurt. Do the opposite, give a Sterling-Denmark 2021 penalty against England, be a whistle-blower, and your career ends. England will not even accept three times in a row the same dude on their game (whose country has overseen an awful loss record for one of the nations involved). They veto that. When I see Kyle Walker laughing last week about the match - and then saying he'd be out of his mind if it happens against him - it only triggers my anger, dislike and hate. The career of the officials will end immediately if it was against him. Walker would've been 'raging' at Kane penalty decision https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0jk9dch#:~:text=England star Kyle Walker said,available now on BBC Sounds. https://www.vi.nl/nieuws/walker-reageert-op-penalty-engeland-tegen-oranje-harry-was-heel-slim The 'reward' is a swathe of BdO nominations for them and their German establishment friends (Havelange knew about this), zero nominations for us and our Belgian friends. Exactly according to plan. This is also how they hijack or naturalize the dual nationals: come play for us, more sponsorships, the best medical facilities & we cover you, immediately higher transfer fees with just a different flag behind your name, more chance for the awards (which is also tied to sponsorships and bonuses). As is also the case in sports where it is just about passing the finish line first (e.g. Belgian hepathletes at #1 and #3 get nothing, the Brit at #2 is placed into the sun by Laureus, supposedly international and neutral). That is literally their pitch and stump speech. The new Champions League cycle delivers at least 400 million extra, and we (the 6th-7th league) will see very little of that extra money. The (development) gap and power difference, the power to make and upheld the rules, will only grow.
Oh hello its the English hater again! Did your Mrs run off with an Englishman by any chance? Whatever happened with regards to decisions is simply karma to the injustices of Koeman and 1994.......which was by far a much bigger injustice to anything that happened this summer. So go away.