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News thread for the 2017-2018 season

andyt said:
Leeds haven't played in the Premier League since being relegated after the 2003-04 season.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/44236885
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Which is patently ridiculous when you consider their level of support and their history. Leeds were always able to find a way back from their down cycles until the aftermath of their insane financial mismanagement in the late 90s. They picked a bad time to get bad ... right as the money was getting so big at the top, making it much harder and more expensive to advance.
 
jeffbear said:
Which is patently ridiculous when you consider their level of support and their history. Leeds were always able to find a way back from their down cycles until the aftermath of their insane financial mismanagement in the late 90s. They picked a bad time to get bad ... right as the money was getting so big at the top, making it much harder and more expensive to advance.
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The other teams relegated that year were Leicester and Wolves. Wolves came back up for the 09-10 season and went back down after the 11-12 season. Leicester didn't come back up until 14-15.

Leeds had the 2nd highest average attendance in the Championship in 2017-18, behind only Aston Villa and played to 83% capacity.
 
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andyt said:
The FA will institute a winter break of sorts for the 2019-20 season. The break will be staggered across late January and early February so the leagues won’t be completely dark like the other European leagues.

http://www.espn.com/soccer/english-...reak-plans-confirmed-by-fa-chief-martin-glenn
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Other than not ticking off their TV partners, I'm not sure what the staggered breaks do for them. I'd rather just see a 2 week break and then back to work like everybody else has. The market would get used to it in a couple of years, although I'm certain there would be short term complaints.
 
jeffbear said:
Other than not ticking off their TV partners, I'm not sure what the staggered breaks do for them. I'd rather just see a 2 week break and then back to work like everybody else has. The market would get used to it in a couple of years, although I'm certain there would be short term complaints.
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I don't think it does anything for them. They'd either have to extend the season or schedule more mid-week matches if they did a traditional break like the other European leagues. France is the only other country with 2 domestic cup competitions and Ligue 1 runs 1 week longer than the Premier League with a 16 day break. I also don't think the other leagues try to cram 10 matches into 42 days as the Premier league did between 11/24 and 1/4.

Premier League - start 8/11, end 5/13. Total 39 weeks. There are 2 domestic cups.
Bundesliga - start 8/18, winter break 12/20 - 1/12 (22 days), end 5/12. Total 38 weeks. The Bundesliga only has 18 teams so there are only 34 match weeks. They also only compete for 1 domestic cup.
La Liga - start 8/18, winter break 12/23 - 1/3 (11 days), end 5/20. Total 39 weeks. Spain has 1 domestic cup.
Serie A - start 8/19, winter break 1/6 - 1/21 (14 days), end 5/20. Total 39 weeks. Italy has 1 domestic cup.
Ligue 1 - start 8/4, winter break 12/20 - 1/6 (16 days), end 5/19. Total 41 weeks. France has 2 domestic cups.
 
Zinedine Zidane is leaving Real Madrid after 3 years andm3 Champions League titles.
 
andyt said:
Zinedine Zidane is leaving Real Madrid after 3 years andm3 Champions League titles.
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Dude makes a habit of going out on top, doesn't he?

There was talk mid season of discontent between Zidane and the ownership. So why not go out with 3 big trophies in a row and take some time to plot your next move?
 
jeffbear said:
Dude makes a habit of going out on top, doesn't he?

There was talk mid season of discontent between Zidane and the ownership. So why not go out with 3 big trophies in a row and take some time to plot your next move?
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The only high profile job that's open, or will be, is Chelsea. But if he had issues with the Real Madrid ownership, does he want to get in bed with Abramovich? Since taking control in 2003, Chelsea has had 14 managers, including 2 caretakers and 3 interim managers. Only Mourinho (both times), Ancelotti and Conte have lasted more than 100 matches.
 
andyt said:
The only high profile job that's open, or will be, is Chelsea. But if he had issues with the Real Madrid ownership, does he want to get in bed with Abramovich? Since taking control in 2003, Chelsea has had 14 managers, including 2 caretakers and 3 interim managers. Only Mourinho (both times), Ancelotti and Conte have lasted more than 100 matches.
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IMO there's no way he goes to Chelsea's eternal hot seat. He sounded a lot like a guy that would be willing to sit on his deck with a nice glass of wine waiting for a job he actually wants to come open.

PSG or Bayern down the road aways maybe? IMO there's no way Tuchel lasts very long in Paris and nobody seems to last that long in Munich even though nobody seems to think it's a bad job. Honestly, if I was the Arsenal board, I'd have loved a shot to at least talk to the guy. Who better to follow Arsene than a French living legend?
 
jeffbear said:
IMO there's no way he goes to Chelsea's eternal hot seat. He sounded a lot like a guy that would be willing to sit on his deck with a nice glass of wine waiting for a job he actually wants to come open.

PSG or Bayern down the road aways maybe? IMO there's no way Tuchel lasts very long in Paris and nobody seems to last that long in Munich even though nobody seems to think it's a bad job. Honestly, if I was the Arsenal board, I'd have loved a shot to at least talk to the guy. Who better to follow Arsene than a French living legend?
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Emery was probably the best available, but how much teeth gnashing and second guessing is going on in that boardroom if they has waited a week?

Bayern has chewed through almost as many managers as Chelsea. Since Ottmar Hitzfeld left after the 2003-04 season, only Pep has lasted 3 seasons.
 
andyt said:
Bayern has chewed through almost as many managers as Chelsea. Since Ottmar Hitzfeld left after the 2003-04 season, only Pep has lasted 3 seasons.
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True ... but for whatever reason most of them seem to walk away happy. It's weird. I think that board know that it's a tough enough job with the huge expectations and don't expect more than 2-3 years out of a manager.
 
jeffbear said:
True ... but for whatever reason most of them seem to walk away happy. It's weird. I think that board know that it's a tough enough job with the huge expectations and don't expect more than 2-3 years out of a manager.
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And Jupp Heynckes has been there 4 times...
 
The winter break in the Premier League is official starting with the 2019-20 season. It will be staggered over 2 weeks in January and February. The 5th round if the FA Cup will be moved to midweek and there won’t be replays for draws. The rest of the EFL isn’t affected.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44414487

One other thing in the article is that Amazon will broadcast 20 matches starting in the 2019-20 season. They get 10 matches on a bank holiday and 10 matches on Boxing Day.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/44400005
 
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