The Carling Cup Is A Joke

[StevieH]

i've met plenty of sound barcodes fans who just want to enjoy going to watch the match and i've met plenty who think for some reason that they have a gods given right to a top four place and regular champions league football. as you can probably imagine there's an age difference in the two types of fan.

FWIW i think that 'big club' status should really be measured on trophies won, not purely on the size of your attendance each match. plus there's the geographical factor to consider, clubs like newcastle and leeds for example get massive support because they're the only teams in their respective cities.

it's a shame that the league cup has become as devalued as it has, likewise the uefa cup. they were great competitions when i was a kid and it was an honour to play in them or win them.

[spiderman2]

i've met plenty of sound barcodes fans who just want to enjoy going to watch the match and i've met plenty who think for some reason that they have a gods given right to a top four place and regular champions league football. as you can probably imagine there's an age difference in the two types of fan.

FWIW i think that 'big club' status should really be measured on trophies won, not purely on the size of your attendance each match. plus there's the geographical factor to consider, clubs like newcastle and leeds for example get massive support because they're the only teams in their respective cities.

it's a shame that the league cup has become as devalued as it has, likewise the uefa cup. they were great competitions when i was a kid and it was an honour to play in them or win them.

Newcastle are a big club if its on trophies won, its more a case of when they won them.

Newcastle are a bigger club then Chelsea always have been always will be, as are Man City, Villa, Leeds, Sheff Wed, Spurs, Everton, West Ham, Arsenal.

Liverpool and Man U are without doubt the biggest clubs and almost a licence to print money, the rest it just depends on how successful they are at the time,

As for the geographical factor, other then Liverpool and Man U, Newcastle have had the best away following of any team in England for my 25 years of watching them, this despite them doing terribly and being in the 2nd Division for many years.

Also the recent goings on at Newcastle made it onto the front pages of all national newspapers for a couple of weeks, as well as being main slots on the TV news, again this shows theyre not some small insignificant club.

Theyve changed the format of the UEFA cup for next season so its similar to the Champions League, but they still get the Champions League cast offs entering the group stages which continues to belittle the competition, so the rich clubs still get 2 bites at the pie.

[bkkjames]

One thing that gets to me is that if you are a supporter of the so-called top 4, you are a branded a glory chaser.

Isn't that the whole point of sports - to win?

If we left it to the non-glory chasers, all we would have is a bunch of long-ballers who can't string 3 passes together without turning it over or losing it out of bounds. (exciting stuff to watch I might add)

Anyways there is an old saying..."show me a good loser and I will show you a loser"

Perhaps if some of the other non-glory chasers would look to Hull as an example of what could be, instead of Newcastle, who seem to think because they are a big team, they should automatically be in or near the top, someday these non-glory hunters could look at themselves in the mirror and say "Glory Glory Shefield United, Leeds and so on."

Not all James...

Just the one's generally with absolute no Historical, Geographical or Family connection at all to the Club who follow Teams not because of what they represent, but how many Goals they score & how many Goals they beat the likes of Stoke by..

I'm not digging you personally, i swear i'm not, even though you fall into the above category ( ) but for some people, their Football Team represents them, generations of their Family, where they are from & who they are, win, lose or draw..

That includes some Top 4 Fans too, of course it does.

But the main thing you've lost me on James is, why the <deleted> are Newcastle a big Team cos i haven't a <deleted> clue ??

Ok they get big attendancies, but so do Red Star Mumbai, probably bigger than Newcastle & you don't see them thinking they're better than they really are.

Newcastle Fans for me, like Spurs, are deluded & why, i really don't know..

I will let you debate with the Toon fans why they consider themselves a big club.

As for your other stuff, I don't like playing games like the one against stoke, not exciting at all. I like games like the Arsenal game (which we lost btw) because it was exciting end to end stuff. Great to watch.

I already said before I don't come from the UK so have no birthright to any team (although family comes from that lovely beach town of Blackpool), but then again I've liked the Miami Dolphins American football team for 30 years and I don't come from there either. I remained a loyal fan even when we hit our lowest of lows last year as we stumbled to a 1-15 record. Should my UTD suffer a similar fate, I won't abandon them for a City or other 'winning' side.

You can say money honey is the reason for our success, a West Ham fan I would not expect less. I like the way we play football, short quick passing, lots of chances and yes this forward play causes us to give up chances. It's the way of SAF, suspect it would be the same no matter who he brought into the team. I like this style of football and I don't care to watch teams like those of Big Sam.

Glory hunter? Perhaps that comes with the territory. But I like UTD because of the way they play. If they go to a long ball - 10 men behind the ball kind of team week after week, then I will turn to a team like Hull.

At the end of the day, we can look at it this way. Someone born in a Muslim country will likely end of up being Muslim. You are a product of your environment. Born a Hammer fan, always a Hammer fan eh!

For moi, I prefer the right to choose my religeon (and my football team). I don't care if my father was a Blues fan. I can't hold his bad taste against him, but I sure as f8ck won't follow his path either just because it's the way he and his father before him did it.

You feel obligated to follow West Ham, good for you.

BTW, tell your coach that Hollywood called, and when he retires from coaching he can get job as Ben Stillar's double.

[MSingh]

But the main thing you've lost me on James is, why the <deleted> are Newcastle a big Team cos i haven't a <deleted> clue ??

Ok they get big attendancies, but so do Red Star Mumbai, probably bigger than Newcastle & you don't see them thinking they're better than they really are.

Newcastle Fans for me, like Spurs, are deluded & why, i really don't know..

When i was growing up Spurs were always regarded as being a bigger club the Arsenal, whats so deluded about wanting to finish 4th after theyve spent 70 million GBP? or should everyone just accept the status quo?

I was at the game yesterday, along with 46000 others, spending 35GBP to sit in the freezing cold watching a team get played off the park by the 10 men of Wigan for 80 minutes.

Newcastle fans dont have some delusions that the club are huge, all they want is a club that is ran properly and the money the club generates which everything being equal will be in the top 5 enables them to reach that position in the league or at least come close, and maybe to win a tournament such as the League Cup once in a blue moon.

You shouldnt take as gospel the voxpops quotes of idiots outside the ground, the southern based media and skysports to get your opinions.

It seemed to me that thousands upon thousands & every Geordie i met thought that Keegan was your savious & a good Manager & for that reason only, i'd say that you're ( the majority of the Toon ) deluded..

[MSingh]

I will let you debate with the Toon fans why they consider themselves a big club.

As for your other stuff, I don't like playing games like the one against stoke, not exciting at all. I like games like the Arsenal game (which we lost btw) because it was exciting end to end stuff. Great to watch.

I already said before I don't come from the UK so have no birthright to any team (although family comes from that lovely beach town of Blackpool), but then again I've liked the Miami Dolphins American football team for 30 years and I don't come from there either. I remained a loyal fan even when we hit our lowest of lows last year as we stumbled to a 1-15 record. Should my UTD suffer a similar fate, I won't abandon them for a City or other 'winning' side.

You can say money honey is the reason for our success, a West Ham fan I would not expect less. I like the way we play football, short quick passing, lots of chances and yes this forward play causes us to give up chances. It's the way of SAF, suspect it would be the same no matter who he brought into the team. I like this style of football and I don't care to watch teams like those of Big Sam.

Glory hunter? Perhaps that comes with the territory. But I like UTD because of the way they play. If they go to a long ball - 10 men behind the ball kind of team week after week, then I will turn to a team like Hull.

At the end of the day, we can look at it this way. Someone born in a Muslim country will likely end of up being Muslim. You are a product of your environment. Born a Hammer fan, always a Hammer fan eh!

For moi, I prefer the right to choose my religeon (and my football team). I don't care if my father was a Blues fan. I can't hold his bad taste against him, but I sure as f8ck won't follow his path either just because it's the way he and his father before him did it.

You feel obligated to follow West Ham, good for you.

BTW, tell your coach that Hollywood called, and when he retires from coaching he can get job as Ben Stillar's double.

Fair play Jimbo...;thumbsup

[tw25rw]

It seemed to me that thousands upon thousands & every Geordie i met thought that Keegan was your savious & a good Manager & for that reason only, i'd say that you're ( the majority of the Toon ) deluded..

I agree. It was appalling how they drove out Mike Ashley just because Kev the Quitter couldn't work under his terms. Cockney Mafia, LOL. He's from Berkshire!

I'd love it if Ashley decided to buy West Ham. He'd be a great fit for us. Newcastle's biggest problem isn't their management, it's the fact that their fans have the IQs of real magpies!

[tw25rw]

I think the League cup is a good competition. I don't care if the big 4 see it as a nuisance. Football is bigger than they. If they don't take it seriously, it's their loss not for the rest of us.

[tw25rw]

When i was growing up Spurs were always regarded as being a bigger club the Arsenal, whats so deluded about wanting to finish 4th after theyve spent 70 million GBP? or should everyone just accept the status quo?

I always though of them as similar size with West Ham and Chelsea a bit smaller. These days, Chelsea are big because of Abramovich's money, but much of their old support has lost interest and they are a rich man's plaything/tourist attraction.

It wasn't that long ago that Tottenham and Everton were part of the big 5, so it's only temporary. Even Sunderland were a big club at one time!

[spiderman2]

It seemed to me that thousands upon thousands & every Geordie i met thought that Keegan was your savious & a good Manager & for that reason only, i'd say that you're ( the majority of the Toon ) deluded..

I agree. It was appalling how they drove out Mike Ashley just because Kev the Quitter couldn't work under his terms. Cockney Mafia, LOL. He's from Berkshire!

I'd love it if Ashley decided to buy West Ham. He'd be a great fit for us. Newcastle's biggest problem isn't their management, it's the fact that their fans have the IQs of real magpies!

South = Poncy mouthy cockneys, all the men are queer down there its all the same.

IMO it was an over reaction to Ashley, but my god he has fcuked the club up big time by selling or trying to sell everyone he can, not buying a Left Back a Creative midfielder, A fit centre forward, a right winger after selling Milner or a central midfielder, but we did get Xisco for 6 million and the other gadgy we signed on transfer day who has been injured from day one, and a French reserve player.

But no worries we've Ashleys best mate Dennis travelling the planet looking for youth player just whats needed when youre in the bottom 3, Wise hasnt a fcuken clue.

My worry is whoever buys the club will buy it using credit and use money the club generates to pay the debt back, the only teams that could do this without ballsing up are Man U and Liverpool as theyre pretty much cash cows no matter how theyre doing, Newcastle arent.

[MSingh]

It seemed to me that thousands upon thousands & every Geordie i met thought that Keegan was your savious & a good Manager & for that reason only, i'd say that you're ( the majority of the Toon ) deluded..

I agree. It was appalling how they drove out Mike Ashley just because Kev the Quitter couldn't work under his terms. Cockney Mafia, LOL. He's from Berkshire!

I'd love it if Ashley decided to buy West Ham. He'd be a great fit for us. Newcastle's biggest problem isn't their management, it's the fact that their fans have the IQs of real magpies!

South = Poncy mouthy cockneys, all the men are queer down there its all the same.

Just a little Geography lesson for you which you need as i don't think Schooling or Education has reached your part of the Country yet......

I am a Cockney, Millions of other " Southerners " aren't ( including Mike Ashley who's from Berkshire ) & i'm certainly not Queer & neither are Millions of other " Southerners " or Cockney's..

The term Cockney has both geographical and linguistic associations. Geographically and culturally, it often refers to working class Londoners, particularly those in the East End. Linguistically, it refers to the form of English spoken by this group.According to traditional definition, a "true" Cockney is someone born within earshot of the Bow Bells, i.e. the bells of St. Mary-le-Bow church in Cheapside in the City of London (which is not itself in the East End). However, the bells were silent from the outbreak of World War II until 1961. Also, as the general din in London has increased, the area in which the bells can be heard has contracted. Formerly it included the City, Clerkenwell, Finsbury, Shoreditch, Hoxton, Stepney, Bethnal Green, Limehouse, Mile End, Wapping, Whitechapel, Shadwell, Bermondsey, Rotherhithe, Surrey Quays and The Borough, although according to the legend of Dick Whittington the bells could also be heard from as far away as Highgate. The association with Cockney and the East End in the public imagination may be due to many people assuming that Bow Bells are to be found in the district of Bow, rather than the lesser known St Mary-le-Bow church.

[spiderman2]

When i were a lad getting my first rate education we went on a school trip to this part of London to learn about vegetarians, shandy drinking and male buggery and Dick Van Dyke was more of a cockney then most there, good place for a curry though.

[2008bangkok]

It seemed to me that thousands upon thousands & every Geordie i met thought that Keegan was your savious & a good Manager & for that reason only, i'd say that you're ( the majority of the Toon ) deluded..

I agree. It was appalling how they drove out Mike Ashley just because Kev the Quitter couldn't work under his terms. Cockney Mafia, LOL. He's from Berkshire!

I'd love it if Ashley decided to buy West Ham. He'd be a great fit for us. Newcastle's biggest problem isn't their management, it's the fact that their fans have the IQs of real magpies!

South = Poncy mouthy cockneys, all the men are queer down there its all the same.

Just a little Geography lesson for you which you need as i don't think Schooling or Education has reached your part of the Country yet......

Thats a tad rich for somebody who has just copied/pasted straight from wikipedia!!!!

[patklang]

come on your stoke reserves lol.had a bit of luck with the draw but its not just the top 4 who are playing reserve sides.some of the top 4 dont even play fringe players in the reserve league <deleted>.too expensive to get injured no doudt.just wait until the semi the top 4 will play a stronger side especialy if they dont do well in the champions league.

stoke reserves for the carling cup.

[MSingh]

When i were a lad getting my first rate education we went on a school trip to this part of London to learn about vegetarians, shandy drinking and male buggery and Dick Van Dyke was more of a cockney then most there, good place for a curry though.

[MSingh]

It seemed to me that thousands upon thousands & every Geordie i met thought that Keegan was your savious & a good Manager & for that reason only, i'd say that you're ( the majority of the Toon ) deluded..

I agree. It was appalling how they drove out Mike Ashley just because Kev the Quitter couldn't work under his terms. Cockney Mafia, LOL. He's from Berkshire!

I'd love it if Ashley decided to buy West Ham. He'd be a great fit for us. Newcastle's biggest problem isn't their management, it's the fact that their fans have the IQs of real magpies!

South = Poncy mouthy cockneys, all the men are queer down there its all the same.

Just a little Geography lesson for you which you need as i don't think Schooling or Education has reached your part of the Country yet......

Thats a tad rich for somebody who has just copied/pasted straight from wikipedia!!!!

Ligfhten up Sweetheart <deleted>...

Bet you're a right giggle on a night out...

[tw25rw]

IMO it was an over reaction to Ashley, but my god he has fcuked the club up big time by selling or trying to sell everyone he can, not buying a Left Back a Creative midfielder, A fit centre forward, a right winger after selling Milner or a central midfielder, but we did get Xisco for 6 million and the other gadgy we signed on transfer day who has been injured from day one, and a French reserve player.

But no worries we've Ashleys best mate Dennis travelling the planet looking for youth player just whats needed when youre in the bottom 3, Wise hasnt a fcuken clue.

My worry is whoever buys the club will buy it using credit and use money the club generates to pay the debt back, the only teams that could do this without ballsing up are Man U and Liverpool as theyre pretty much cash cows no matter how theyre doing, Newcastle arent.

Forgot about Wise. You can keep him.

As for transfers, who did Keegan want to bring in?

[MSingh]

IMO it was an over reaction to Ashley, but my god he has fcuked the club up big time by selling or trying to sell everyone he can, not buying a Left Back a Creative midfielder, A fit centre forward, a right winger after selling Milner or a central midfielder, but we did get Xisco for 6 million and the other gadgy we signed on transfer day who has been injured from day one, and a French reserve player.

But no worries we've Ashleys best mate Dennis travelling the planet looking for youth player just whats needed when youre in the bottom 3, Wise hasnt a fcuken clue.

My worry is whoever buys the club will buy it using credit and use money the club generates to pay the debt back, the only teams that could do this without ballsing up are Man U and Liverpool as theyre pretty much cash cows no matter how theyre doing, Newcastle arent.

Forgot about Wise. You can keep him.

As for transfers, who did Keegan want to bring in?

He'd probably want Asprilla, Les Ferdinand & Andy Cole to all come out of Retirement given the fact that he didn't watch a Premier League Game for 3 years ( & he admitted it LOL ) before Managing the Geordies again..

[spiderman2]

Keegan hadnt watched a live game for 3 years, but he also didnt want any player in his first transfer window.

According to Wises mob he wanted Beckham, Henry, Ronaldinho and players of this ilk.

But in reality it is said he wanted the Blackburn left back Warnock, the Bayern Munich Left winger name i forget, a creative central midfielder, Owen to get a contract and me.

Newcastle have the shittest LB in England, no central midfielder who can control or pass a ball, Duff who plays football like a headless chicken and is crap, and 4 forwards who are either injured (Owen, Martins Viduka) or are sh7t (Ameobi).

[galowgala]

Liverpool and Chelsea go out, Man U and Arsenal survive though with mainly reserves playing.

Is it not right to say the priority for the Big 4 is the Premier League and Champions' League?

Apart from these two latter league competitions all else are treated by the top 4 as Mickey Mouse and if they don't take the Carling Cup seriously then why should we......?

I am open to be persuaded otherwise, but am I correct or not?

Couldn't care less!

of course u couldnt care less when chelseas full team couldnt beat rock bottom spurs at wembley and drogba , terry and co were cryin there eyes out, with drogba throwin his dummy out of the pram a bit of money over the last few years and u think ur a big club haha

[tw25rw]

Liverpool and Chelsea go out, Man U and Arsenal survive though with mainly reserves playing.

Is it not right to say the priority for the Big 4 is the Premier League and Champions' League?

Apart from these two latter league competitions all else are treated by the top 4 as Mickey Mouse and if they don't take the Carling Cup seriously then why should we......?

I am open to be persuaded otherwise, but am I correct or not?

Couldn't care less!

of course u couldnt care less when chelseas full team couldnt beat rock bottom spurs at wembley and drogba , terry and co were cryin there eyes out, with drogba throwin his dummy out of the pram a bit of money over the last few years and u think ur a big club haha

I'm sure the players care. It's just that the clubs see it as an annoyance. Not everyone sees a trip to Wembley in that light fortunately.

[MSingh]

Keegan hadnt watched a live game for 3 years, but he also didnt want any player in his first transfer window.

According to Wises mob he wanted Beckham, Henry, Ronaldinho and players of this ilk.

But in reality it is said he wanted the Blackburn left back Warnock, the Bayern Munich Left winger name i forget, a creative central midfielder, Owen to get a contract and me.

Newcastle have the shittest LB in England, no central midfielder who can control or pass a ball, Duff who plays football like a headless chicken and is crap, and 4 forwards who are either injured (Owen, Martins Viduka) or are sh7t (Ameobi).

Who's the Left back, Bebe ??

[tw25rw]

I thought LB was the Argie with the curly hair.. He was their best player v us. Or should I say, he was their good player.

[MSingh]

I thought LB was the Argie with the curly hair.. He was their best player v us. Or should I say, he was their good player.

Colocini, the Keegan looking Fella with the Serengeti Sunset coloured hair do ??

I'm pretty sure he's a Center Back..

[tw25rw]

I thought LB was the Argie with the curly hair.. He was their best player v us. Or should I say, he was their good player.

Colocini, the Keegan looking Fella with the Serengeti Sunset coloured hair do ??

I'm pretty sure he's a Center Back..

I'm not sure they knew themselves where they were playing.