Australia to leave OFC for Asian federation

[hamish]

Hamish I'd never dream of doing that. My mother taught me to respect the elderly.

Sensible lady - you keep listening to your mother or I'll be round with my walkin' stick!!!!

[hamish]

Gerrit - knew there was something to tell you that will really interest you.

The two countries rated the bottom two in FIFAs rankiings held their own alternative world cup final during the 2002 World Cup.

It was organised, I think, by a number of Dutch fans and I've seen the film on something like the Discovery channel a few times. It's brilliant. Huge crowds and terrific scene all round. It would make your day to see it as it ties in with evrything you've said about football beyond the big guns,
I wish I could remember the teams and the programme. I'm sure there's a DVD of it somewhere. Sorry I can't remember the details - I've a terrible memory.

I think it was Bhutan or Nepal where it was held. Not sure and I think it was an small island nation from the Caribbean region was the visiting country. The mix of cultures and sharing of experiences was awesome. Everything that's good about football was there.

[Gerrit]

Bhutan vs Montserrat : 4-0

"The Other Final" as they called it. I'd have watched it instead of France vs Brazil (the real WC final) if only it was broadcasted live. Unfortunately, football romantics such as me and the ones that agree with my statements here, are such a minority that we will never see these games on TV if a big one plays. Same for the European cups: I'd much much rather see two teams I still have to discover, e.g. Dinamo Tbilissi vs Skopje, rather than watching Real and Juventus playing each other for the thousandth time... Unfortunately, the TV blokes seem to think everyone is drooling with the idea alone that two rich teams full of overpaid stars are gonna play each other once again just like every season...

[hamish]

Bhutan vs Montserrat : 4-0

"The Other Final" as they called it. I'd have watched it instead of France vs Brazil (the real WC final) if only it was broadcasted live. Unfortunately, football romantics such as me and the ones that agree with my statements here, are such a minority that we will never see these games on TV if a big one plays. Same for the European cups: I'd much much rather see two teams I still have to discover, e.g. Dinamo Tbilissi vs Skopje, rather than watching Real and Juventus playing each other for the thousandth time... Unfortunately, the TV blokes seem to think everyone is drooling with the idea alone that two rich teams full of overpaid stars are gonna play each other once again just like every season...

Was it 1998?? Did you see the video/DVD? Wonder if it's available?

My best European memory is Athlone's first against Valerenga - 20 years ago. The excitment - over 4,000 at an afternoon game in Mel's Park.

Norwegian football was below Irish at that stage and I remember being somewhat disappointed that Athlone only drew 1-1 away. How times change.

On the subject of Norway, bought 4 4 2 yesterday and see Rosenburg are in fifth or sixth place. Early days yet but that is a surprise. Since they have won the last 10 or twelve Leagues up there would be good for Norwegian football for a new club to win.

Agree with you - Eurosport used to show a lot of UEFA games between the smaller clubs a few years ago but, sadly, not now.

People unfairly decry the Moldovas of this world. England played them a few years ago - it wasn't packed but there was a good sized crowd. When one consuders that it costs a months wages for Moldovans to attend that game it amazes me that there was any locals there at all. It must be the same when a Moldovan or Slovenian or Rumanian regional club gets into Europe. Even if they only draw 2 or 3 or 4 thousand to the home games, given the peoples' finances, that's a major crowd.

[hamish]

I remember I was excited when I read about then saw the highlights of this game. And I'm not Faroese! The Faroes are incredible really. They rarely get hammered and have taken points of some decent teams in the past. Thats why I'm a little worried about next Wednesday

Actually, davey, you have me digging up 1980s copies of World Soccer.
They used to show the Faroese leagyes before they had grass pitches. Hope I can find the mags as the team names were very strange.

I'm doing this from memory and making up examples but the teams used to be called B1157 or Y2150 or something like that. If I get the real names I'll post. I never recall an actual club name being used just letters and numbers. I'll et back to you on this.

[davey]

Actually, davey, you have me digging up 1980s copies of World Soccer.
They used to show the Faroese leagyes before they had grass pitches. Hope I can find the mags as the team names were very strange.

I'm doing this from memory and making up examples but the teams used to be called B1157 or Y2150 or something like that. If I get the real names I'll post. I never recall an actual club name being used just letters and numbers. I'll et back to you on this.

I think it must be a Danish thing - I seem to remember a Danish team called B930 Copenhagen many years ago.

BTW, I don't know how many of you here have heard of the Island games. These are held every 2 years by a bizarre assortment of islands and are of a general sporting nature. They include a football tournament which was won in 2003 by Guernsey. The event will be held this year in Shetland. They're taken very seriously by the participants as evidenced by the huge fight that took place after a crucial Guernsey v Rhodes game

Anyway here are the participating islands

Aland
Alderney
Bermuda
Cayman Islands
Falkland Islands
Faroe Islands
Froya
Gibraltar
Gotland
Greenland
Guernsey
Hitra
Isle of Man
Isle of Wight
Jersey
Orkney
Prince Edward Island
Rhodes
Saaremaa
Sark
Shetland Islands
St. Helena
Western Isles
Ynys Mon


Btw, Gerrit, if you love northern places, you could do a lot worse than Shetland. Not the arctic but you get the midnight sun and even the Northern lights at the right time of year. You can even go to Foula, easily the remote inhabited part of the British Isles

[Poor Student]

When one consuders that it costs a months wages for Moldovans to attend that game it amazes me that there was any locals there at all. It must be the same when a Moldovan or Slovenian or Rumanian regional club gets into Europe. Even if they only draw 2 or 3 or 4 thousand to the home games, given the peoples' finances, that's a major crowd.

Hamish Slovenia is not comparable to those countries. It is the richest of the EU acession states aside from Malta and Cyprus with a better road infrastructure than our own. When Olimpija Ljubljana played Liverpool after knocking out Shels in the UEFA Cup a few years ago their 15k stadium was jam packed. Probably had more than the capacity.

[Macy]

Hamish Slovenia is not comparable to those countries. It is the richest of the EU acession states aside from Malta and Cyprus with a better road infrastructure than our own.

Yeah, Slovenia probably don't really need to join the EU. More a political thing than an economic one in their case.

[hamish]

[QUOTE=Poor Student]Hamish Slovenia is not comparable to those countries. It is the richest of the EU acession states aside from Malta and Cyprus with a better road infrastructure than our own. When Olimpija Ljubljana played Liverpool after knocking out Shels in the UEFA Cup a few years ago their 15k stadium was jam packed. Probably had more than the capacity

Point taken Poor Student. Sorry about that. I meant to replace Slovenia as I knew it was a bad example but it was half twelve in the morning so the two brain cells weren't in full working order. I forget to correct it and have no excuse as I know well that Slovenia is one of the more progressive nations. Still you know what I mean in general re small clubs/countries etc. Crowd wise their clubs don't get regular large attendances = isn't that true???
The again isn't the population something like Dublins?

I could have chosen Ajerbijan (you can spell it right for me) or suchlike.

Just occurred to me. Remember when Liam Buckley's Pats were beaten 5-0 home and away by a Moldovan club a few years ago. I recall that this club had spent a week or two at a training camp in Switzerland leading up to the game. Remember thinking at the time - where did they get the finance to cover all that given Moldovas impoverished state.

[Poor Student]

Point taken Poor Student. Sorry about that. I meant to replace Slovenia as I knew it was a bad example but it was half twelve in the morning so the two brain cells weren't in full working order. I forget to correct it and have no excuse as I know well that Slovenia is one of the more progressive nations. Still you know what I mean in general re small clubs/countries etc. Crowd wise their clubs don't get regular large attendances = isn't that true???
The again isn't the population something like Dublins?

No prob Hamish. It was always the most economically advanced region of the former Yugoslavia so upon independence it was able to establish itself as well doing little nation. The population is somewhere between 1.9-2.1 million. Attendences are highly sporadic ranging from low hundreds, to thousands for derbies and even over 10k for massive European games. Soccer ranks quite low in terms of priorities of people and is seen by older people as a Yugoslav sport belonging to those of Serb or Croat origin. The capital city has suddenly found itself without a club in the last few weeks with the death the shtting down of Olimpija who couldn't get a licence and the relegation of NK Ljubljana. Slovenian football had a sort of golden age of football from the late 90's to 2002 where they qualified for Euro 2000 and World Cup 2002 and Maribor qualified for the CL in 99/00. But now they're having huge licencing difficulties with the clubs and the national team is crap again so interest has heavily waned.

[Poor Student]

It's Azerbijan by the way Hamish.

[Gerrit]

Hamish, you're right, The Other Final was in 2002.


The Island Games are known to me yes, incredible that even Sark (600 inhabitants) formed its own football team ! Somehow they got 11 guys together and though they lost every game with nearly 20-0 they are entering the competition again... Class, respect ! That's the true spirit of football.



We also have another alternative WC this year with non-FIFA affiliated countries hoping to get attention and backbone in their struggle to enter FIFA. Amongst the participants: Tibet, Greenland, Lapland, Vatican City, Monaco, ... Probably also Northern Cyprus, Falklands, maybe Western Sahara.

(There's also the World Cup for gay men this year, but since that has nothing to do with this topic I limit my comments to the other alternative WC)

[Gerrit]

On the subject of Norway, bought 4 4 2 yesterday and see Rosenburg are in fifth or sixth place. Early days yet but that is a surprise. Since they have won the last 10 or twelve Leagues up there would be good for Norwegian football for a new club to win.

I am Rosenborg fan since 12 years, the early stages of their 13-in-a-row success. I hope of course that they'll add a few more to this series, though apart from the Rosenborg support (mainly based in Trondheim area + this lad who somehow fell for the team) everyone is hoping for another team to win.
Valerenga are rivals, Molde are even enemies - couldn't stand them grabbing the crown. The only other club I sympathise with is Tromso, Europe's northernmost top flight team (if you don't include Qanaaq from Greenland's league). My ideal ranking would be Rosenborg champions and Tromso runners-up

Rosenborg always start slowly, we're a diesel Once the engine starts to roll (usually just before halfway the season) we're like a rocket launched sky-high to the top of the Tippeligaen. We just like to give Molde false hopes I guess

[hamish]

Just thinking Gerrit, when Athlone played Valerenga the spelling on our programme was Valerengen?? This was September 1975, Even the papers spelt it Valerengen,???

Probably a spelling/translation error or did they change their name slightly?. Silly question I know.

I've no excuses poor Student as I read a lot of what you stated on Slovenia somewhere recemtly - damned If I can remember where - I have a book, among others, by David Goldblatt called DK Football Yearbook, 2003-04 edition. I'm just looking at it now and, yeah, it hasn't a great deal on Slovenia, just a map with some clubs and the date they were founded and little else. Must start going through the other books I have as I'm sure I have better than that.

By the way still appreciate all the information on Slovenia you posted.

It's very good for the big countries but even it's detail on France is not complete. There were some French Cup ties on Setanta and Eurosportrecently and I couldn't find much on some of the lower leagues clubs playing.

[shedite]

I haven't actually contributed anything at all to this thread really but it is one of the most interesting I have read on any football forum. Keep it up lads...

[Poor Student]

I've no excuses poor Student as I read a lot of what you stated on Slovenia somewhere recemtly - damned If I can remember where - I have a book, among others, by David Goldblatt called DK Football Yearbook, 2003-04 edition. I'm just looking at it now and, yeah, it hasn't a great deal on Slovenia, just a map with some clubs and the date they were founded and little else. Must start going through the other books I have as I'm sure I have better than that.

By the way still appreciate all the information on Slovenia you posted.

Hamish feel free to ask me anything. I have great time for the elderly.

[hamish]

Hamish feel free to ask me anything. I have great time for the elderly.

Young Pup.

Spell in the army do you a power of good I say.

In my time, young people........(contd. page 94)

[Poor Student]

Young Pup.

Spell in the army do you a power of good I say.

In my time, young people........(contd. page 94)

You're good craic Hamish.

[hamish]

You too young man.

Love the banter but usually, correction always, outwitted by you smart young things - certainly better than the dentist thread

Actually, to get back on theme remember that Celtic tournament in the RDS a good few years ago.? I think there was a Breton team in it - didn't Didier Six play in it? - I always felt that kind of competition had great potential but better held in say Inishowen and in conjunction with a festival of music/culture etc.

How about, say, the FAI Junior Cup Winners plus the best similar clubs/teams from Brittany, Cornwall, Isle of Man, Scotland, Norn Iron, Wales etc.

There could be an under age element too plus womens tournament.

The reason I picked Inishowen is that there is/was a plethora of big tournaments up there so might be a good spot but I'm sure there are loads of other places it could be played in Ireland.

[Poor Student]

Also along the little country trend. I see FC Vaduz are once again in the playoffs to reach the top division in Switzerland. They drew the first leg of the playoff 1-1 away and they play Schaffhausen at home on June 12th. They lost a bit of ground when they played their 2nd team in the league to play in the Liechtenstein Cup which they won yet again to secure their place in the UEFA Cup next season. I've always been interested in the progress of this club as they are a sort of oddity. They could well be in the Swiss top division next year.