@OakwoodExile said:
I'm sorry - I've only just caught up with this thread and so missed the stuff about portmanteau words. After giving appropriate kudos to Dr Congo for "utopiary", can I just say that one of my absolute favourite things is that the French for a portmanteau word is "mot valise", which makes absolutely no sense unless you understand the etymology.
The French saw portmanteau word and thought "that's a useful concept". But they couldn't call it a portmanteau, because, obviously, a portmanteau is a suitcase with a separate compartment for carrying your cloak (manteau). So "mot valise", which is a back translation of the English.
Highlights my own stupidity but I think I'd understand it more if you translated the English words to French and the French to English.
@JohnBoy said:
Perplexed by the Tjay situation. Who would turn down playing in a World Cup qualifier for their country for 20 mins off the bench in the pizza cup?
Didn't he get some league minutes after his last cup goal?
I see where you are going but there's only so much you can do in training. If he'd played, scored or generally impressed tonight he'd be closer to a bench slot. With Wheelers versatility and Hanlon impressing he is probably down the order a bit.
@JohnBoy said:
Perplexed by the Tjay situation. Who would turn down playing in a World Cup qualifier for their country for 20 mins off the bench in the pizza cup?
Didn't he get some league minutes after his last cup goal?
I see where you are going but there's only so much you can do in training. If he'd played, scored or generally impressed tonight he'd be closer to a bench slot. With Wheelers versatility and Hanlon impressing he is probably down the order a bit.
He did, but he’s clearly well down the pecking order with the attacking talent we have. If we had a lot of players out and he had a very good chance of starting these two games, it would make more sense. Just very surprised he would drop out for a chance to be closer to a bench slot.
Must be pretty soul destroying travelling long distances to play a game of football knowing that your team will lose heavily and you as a forward are very unlikely to see much of the ball.
Honestly what is the point of a football match between Netherlands and Gibraltar?
For the potential joy and excitement felt by the players and fans of the underdogs who could take an unexpected lead, maybe around the 22nd minute. Even if it is short lived (for example, 7 minutes) and they end up losing something like 6-1 then I'm sure that moment will live long in the memory of all involved and so the match would have been worthwhile...
@DevC said:
Must be pretty soul destroying travelling long distances to play a game of football knowing that your team will lose heavily and you as a forward are very unlikely to see much of the ball.
Thing is though FmG they never have even taken an unexpected lead against anything like a major footballing country. The biggest team they have even scored against is probably Poland but they were 8-0 down at the time. They did equalise (briefly) against Scotland, Greece and Montenegro. The biggest team I can see them ever leading is Latvia.
Incidentally may have been mentioned before but I wasn't aware but they have three joint all time record goalscorers - with three goals apiece - two of whom have played for us - Styche and De Barr.
How will they ever better themselves if they never get to play the likes of the Netherlands?
I bet Davide Gualtieri, nearly 30 years on, still cherishes the moment he put San Marino a goal up against England within 9 seconds. And I'd imagine so do a lot of people from that country. Doesn't matter that they lost 9-1 - that moment became local legend.
Yeah true. Must be hard though to maintain that hope and pride when you have trecked all the way from UK to Latvia back to Gibraltar and then to Norway full of hope and pride only to have those dreams dashed yet again with three more defeats. Not sure how keen I would be to get on the planes to Gibraltar, then Holland then Turkey all in five days this time round expecting the same.
I'm not not sure how accurate it is...but I heard a rumour that playing Internationals against some of the best teams in Europe is quite exciting for young footballers.
If it were me - and it never will be - my pride in being selected to play for my country would override any other emotions. To simply give all you have against all odds - isn't that just the greatest achievement?
@MindlessDrugHoover said:
How will they ever better themselves if they never get to play the likes of the Netherlands?
I bet Davide Gualtieri, nearly 30 years on, still cherishes the moment he put San Marino a goal up against England within 9 seconds. And I'd imagine so do a lot of people from that country. Doesn't matter that they lost 9-1 - that moment became local legend.
It was only 7-1 - otherwise we'd have qualified for the World Cup!
@FmG said:
For the potential joy and excitement felt by the players and fans of the underdogs who could take an unexpected lead, maybe around the 22nd minute. Even if it is short lived (for example, 7 minutes) and they end up losing something like 6-1 then I'm sure that moment will live long in the memory of all involved and so the match would have been worthwhile...
There are some differences between domestic club football and the international qualifying matches.
Having the match against City was reward for beating teams at our level, and the first time (I think) we've played PL opposition in the League Cup since playing Chelsea in the SF in 2006-07.
European qualification for the World Cup is seeded in such a way that it is the equivalent of putting into one group one team from the PL, one team from each of the 3 divisions of the FL, one team from the National League and one team from the National League North/South. You are guaranteed 8 or 10 matches every four years irrespective of how good/bad you are, including matches against Italy, France, Germany, England etc. I think they should look at a two stage qualification process where the weaker European countries compete against each other with the best making it into the main qualification. Perhaps they could use Level D of the European Cup of Nations to do this?
@MindlessDrugHoover said:
How will they ever better themselves if they never get to play the likes of the Netherlands?
I bet Davide Gualtieri, nearly 30 years on, still cherishes the moment he put San Marino a goal up against England within 9 seconds. And I'd imagine so do a lot of people from that country. Doesn't matter that they lost 9-1 - that moment became local legend.
It was only 7-1 - otherwise we'd have qualified for the World Cup!
@MindlessDrugHoover said:
If it were me - and it never will be - my pride in being selected to play for my country would override any other emotions. To simply give all you have against all odds - isn't that just the greatest achievement?
My point exactly, amazes me that people don't see it like that
@MindlessDrugHoover said:
How will they ever better themselves if they never get to play the likes of the Netherlands?
I bet Davide Gualtieri, nearly 30 years on, still cherishes the moment he put San Marino a goal up against England within 9 seconds. And I'd imagine so do a lot of people from that country. Doesn't matter that they lost 9-1 - that moment became local legend.
It was only 7-1 - otherwise we'd have qualified for the World Cup!
Actually, no, that didn't matter because we needed Poland to beat the Netherlands. My bad! I wasn't even born at the time.
@DevC out of interest, would you turn down a spot in an Olympic squad knowing that you were unlikely to win a medal ? Or would you feel massive pride in being good enough to be selected in the first place and go for the experience and the hope of causing an upset.
@DevC said:
Must be pretty soul destroying travelling long distances to play a game of football knowing that your team will lose heavily and you as a forward are very unlikely to see much of the ball.
Honestly what is the point of a football match between Netherlands and Gibraltar?
The question was "what is the point" of them playing against each other, not whether or not they deserve the "reward" of playing against the Netherlands.
I also happen to disagree with the thinking that 'small' nations shouldn't get the opportunity to play against 'big'. I don't really take much interest in the International qualifying matches but that doesn't mean countries shouldn't be given the opportunity to play. That's the International equivalent of the European Super League thingy. I'd seen people saying Sherrif shouldn't be in the Champions League but they've just beaten Real Madrid. I
@DevC said:
Must be pretty soul destroying travelling long distances to play a game of football knowing that your team will lose heavily and you as a forward are very unlikely to see much of the ball.
Honestly what is the point of a football match between Netherlands and Gibraltar?
By the same logic what is the point in us playing in the third round of the league cup against city?
The question was "what is the point" of them playing against each other, not whether or not they deserve the "reward" of playing against the Netherlands.
I also happen to disagree with the thinking that 'small' nations shouldn't get the opportunity to play against 'big'. I don't really take much interest in the International qualifying matches but that doesn't mean countries shouldn't be given the opportunity to play. That's the International equivalent of the European Super League thingy. I'd seen people saying Sherrif shouldn't be in the Champions League but they've just beaten Real Madrid. I
I fully support Sheriff having the opportunity to play Real Madrid - and they won through four qualifying rounds to do so. Clubs below the Championship who enter the FA Cup have to win at least two matches before they get the potential opportunity to play one of the larger teams, and I see no good reason why that shouldn't happen at international level as well.
Gibraltar won promotion from Nations League D anyway, so even if there was a preliminary qualifying round for WC qualifiers there is a fair chance they would have progressed to this stage anyway.
Comments
Would it help if I used a sarcasm font?`
Highlights my own stupidity but I think I'd understand it more if you translated the English words to French and the French to English.
Thanks @OakwoodExile, this is exactly the kind of content I come to the gasroom for.
Perplexed by the Tjay situation. Who would turn down playing in a World Cup qualifier for their country for 20 mins off the bench in the pizza cup?
Didn't he get some league minutes after his last cup goal?
I see where you are going but there's only so much you can do in training. If he'd played, scored or generally impressed tonight he'd be closer to a bench slot. With Wheelers versatility and Hanlon impressing he is probably down the order a bit.
He did, but he’s clearly well down the pecking order with the attacking talent we have. If we had a lot of players out and he had a very good chance of starting these two games, it would make more sense. Just very surprised he would drop out for a chance to be closer to a bench slot.
I’d have said the post was shouting sarcasm but then what do I know.
A goal against Netherlands probably wouldn't have done him any harm at getting into our team!
Obviously never been in that position myself, but I don't know how anyone could turn down representing their country
Must be pretty soul destroying travelling long distances to play a game of football knowing that your team will lose heavily and you as a forward are very unlikely to see much of the ball.
Honestly what is the point of a football match between Netherlands and Gibraltar?
For the potential joy and excitement felt by the players and fans of the underdogs who could take an unexpected lead, maybe around the 22nd minute. Even if it is short lived (for example, 7 minutes) and they end up losing something like 6-1 then I'm sure that moment will live long in the memory of all involved and so the match would have been worthwhile...
You don't remember the John Gregory era?
Thing is though FmG they never have even taken an unexpected lead against anything like a major footballing country. The biggest team they have even scored against is probably Poland but they were 8-0 down at the time. They did equalise (briefly) against Scotland, Greece and Montenegro. The biggest team I can see them ever leading is Latvia.
Incidentally may have been mentioned before but I wasn't aware but they have three joint all time record goalscorers - with three goals apiece - two of whom have played for us - Styche and De Barr.
Football is often about sadly unfulfilled hope and pride @DevC
How will they ever better themselves if they never get to play the likes of the Netherlands?
I bet Davide Gualtieri, nearly 30 years on, still cherishes the moment he put San Marino a goal up against England within 9 seconds. And I'd imagine so do a lot of people from that country. Doesn't matter that they lost 9-1 - that moment became local legend.
Yeah true. Must be hard though to maintain that hope and pride when you have trecked all the way from UK to Latvia back to Gibraltar and then to Norway full of hope and pride only to have those dreams dashed yet again with three more defeats. Not sure how keen I would be to get on the planes to Gibraltar, then Holland then Turkey all in five days this time round expecting the same.
I'm not not sure how accurate it is...but I heard a rumour that playing Internationals against some of the best teams in Europe is quite exciting for young footballers.
If it were me - and it never will be - my pride in being selected to play for my country would override any other emotions. To simply give all you have against all odds - isn't that just the greatest achievement?
It was only 7-1 - otherwise we'd have qualified for the World Cup!
There are some differences between domestic club football and the international qualifying matches.
Having the match against City was reward for beating teams at our level, and the first time (I think) we've played PL opposition in the League Cup since playing Chelsea in the SF in 2006-07.
European qualification for the World Cup is seeded in such a way that it is the equivalent of putting into one group one team from the PL, one team from each of the 3 divisions of the FL, one team from the National League and one team from the National League North/South. You are guaranteed 8 or 10 matches every four years irrespective of how good/bad you are, including matches against Italy, France, Germany, England etc. I think they should look at a two stage qualification process where the weaker European countries compete against each other with the best making it into the main qualification. Perhaps they could use Level D of the European Cup of Nations to do this?
No we wouldn't
My point exactly, amazes me that people don't see it like that
Actually, no, that didn't matter because we needed Poland to beat the Netherlands. My bad! I wasn't even born at the time.
@DevC out of interest, would you turn down a spot in an Olympic squad knowing that you were unlikely to win a medal ? Or would you feel massive pride in being good enough to be selected in the first place and go for the experience and the hope of causing an upset.
He's caught between a rock and a low place
@bicester_blue
The question was "what is the point" of them playing against each other, not whether or not they deserve the "reward" of playing against the Netherlands.
I also happen to disagree with the thinking that 'small' nations shouldn't get the opportunity to play against 'big'. I don't really take much interest in the International qualifying matches but that doesn't mean countries shouldn't be given the opportunity to play. That's the International equivalent of the European Super League thingy. I'd seen people saying Sherrif shouldn't be in the Champions League but they've just beaten Real Madrid. I
By the same logic what is the point in us playing in the third round of the league cup against city?
I fully support Sheriff having the opportunity to play Real Madrid - and they won through four qualifying rounds to do so. Clubs below the Championship who enter the FA Cup have to win at least two matches before they get the potential opportunity to play one of the larger teams, and I see no good reason why that shouldn't happen at international level as well.
Fine, we disagree. But this is definitely off on a tangent - the question I responded to initially was "what is the point"
Gibraltar won promotion from Nations League D anyway, so even if there was a preliminary qualifying round for WC qualifiers there is a fair chance they would have progressed to this stage anyway.