Oh ya 100 % Our fault (our coach) for being in this situation, UEFA fault for making the playoff round a joke
It's very suspect, that's for sure. Russia and Poland and the Czech's in the same path. Scotland and Wales in the same path. Portugal and Italy in the same path. All the relatable countries are in the same path.
So, either they fail to qualify and Santos resigns or gets sacked, or they squeak through to Qatar where they no doubt will have another 3 or 4 mediocre games and that's it. This is a lose-lose for Portugal. Be rid of Santos at the cost of missing the World Cup (as much as I want him gone that's not acceptable to me), or make it and have another waste of a tournament under him where he will probably even get to stay on after that as well. It's outrageous that they're in this position in the first place. I have no confidence at all they're going to pull through. The talent at his disposal keeps getting better and better but somehow they keep playing worse. And the fact that the FPF isn't even considering getting rid of him is maddening and grossly incompetent. Consider this: The last two qualifying cycles, the only decent competition they've had are Ukraine, Ireland, and Serbia x2. They won 2 out those 8 games. TWO. And one was a smash-and-grab win in the last minutes against Ireland at home. Atrocious results. Yet somehow this is acceptable because he won a tournament before, a win which is looking more and more like a fluke with each passing cycle. A tournament where even there, in the easiest group ever, they only managed to scrape by in 3rd place. I see Portuguese players and managers doing well all over Europe. Portuguese football is probably at the highest level it's ever been. Yet there's a good chance they might not even qualify for the World Cup, something that they never failed to accomplish in over 20 years with considerably worse teams, and nothing is being done about it. That's insane to me.
As Much as we blame Santos and our shit tactics , the fact is a horrendous refereeing decision (Ronaldo winner against Serbia) was determinative in our likely failure to qualify.
Portugals only hope is that they play their games at Jose Alvalade and Amorim is there to teach Santos what to do
If Portugal and Italy make the "finals" of this playoff, we should just make it the unofficial World cup Finals of Little Portugal, Little Italy, Portugal village, Corso Italia, Woodbridge and Bradford and have fun with it. The Portuguese and Italians in the Toronto area will know what I mean.
LOL It had to eventually happen but there are two things that I fear happening in Toronto. Leafs winning the stanley cup. (city will burn) Italy vs Portugal final in anything. The idiots come out. Not even true soccer fans. Just idiots wanting to make trouble.
The Portuguese side is way more talented and have more depth than the Italian. Unfortunately, we don't have a coach that can't get the best out of our players. When you see players like Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva who are not playing to their potential on Santos squad. I was also watching the Champions League post game show on BEIN sports. Amongst, the players talking was Henry and Carrick. They both said when you are playing top level football you need all 11 guys defending. They were talking about PSG having three guys who don't defend and even mentioned Ronaldo at Manchester United. Carrick said that Ronaldo is still scoring goals but he's still detrimental to the team because when he's not scoring he's not helping his team on the back end. The Serbian game they had two guys who weren't helping out the defense. I doubt that Jota ever came back and defend.
It is disgraceful. They should have had a pot one with the top 3 teams to place them in diff paths. also what are you guys smoking in here. Turkey is shit
We are not getting past Turkey so don't worry we won't have to suffer losing to Italy. But this is fantastic karma to all the Portuguese in Toronto who rubbed the euro in Italians face and then celebrated them not making the WC in one fell swoop they won a Euro from out of nowhere and will be taking the spot that could have been for Portugal. The lesson is we do not have the team or history to act like a big untouchable team.
We suck. Turkey will beat us just like how we lose every single time there’s a potential matchup with Italy .
What happened the last time we faced a Mediterranean team with a German coach? Angelos Charisteas. What will happen when we face a Mediterranean team with a German coach this time around? Burak Yilmaz. I predict 1-0 Turkey.
This forum and the Italian forum from what I gather is that it's going to be Macedonia vs Turkey final
Im not sure what happened to you guys after the euros . But remember we have dinosaur Santos and no team chemistry or identity to speak of.
Is all in the mind, Portugal still equals weak mentally, unfortunately ....they better gird their loins vs Italy, if it comes to that!...lol....talent is there, but also, the ability to crap their pants has never left. I thought 2016 purged that devil !
In the future, there will be no managers. Teams will be managed by a super-computer and its algorithms, simulations, etc. A logic machine. I believe Germany will be the first to implement this and there are rumblings that they are already working on one. I cannot wait for this day. Managers are always being sacked and signed to long term unwarranted contracts because human beings are quite honestly, flawed and really dumb.