Now, let's talk some SOCCER!

Hey, wake up everyone! Leagues starting up in a couple of weeks.

big ed

 

Better be awake NOW:

German league (Bundesliga) has just started tonight ( after 1 hour delay because of a huge power black out..)

Full Time score:

Werder Bremen vs. Schalke '04 1-0

 

Wesley Sneijder gets punished and fined after misbehaviour on pitch.


After scoring the 2-1 goal to lead against FC Utrecht in the "Johan Cruijff-schaal 2004", Wesley Sneijder of Ajax showed his frustration of becoming a substitute, by shouting out loud -and for all televisionviewers clearly to 'lip-read', the following words: f**k you. He pointed this reaction towards the bench (ie his coach Ronald Koeman).

This behaviour is really unacceptable - especially for a player of noble Ajax Amsterdam. These players should realise their responsibility to the youth, they are regarded as role-models. So, no matter the frustration, and though considering the emotion and adrenaline of the game, there really is no excuse for such things practised on camera, for a (world-) audience to see...
Shame on you, Wesley...take your loss as a man and....grow up.

By the way... the game was given away by Ajax in the final 9 minutes:
FC Utrecht won 2-4 and took the trophy
(Which, hopefully is a good smack in the face and a warning for upcoming seasonstart next weekend against FC Twente.
Come on, Ajax!)

grtz
slammer

 

Hey, I remember Koeman. He's the guy who used to take those blistering free kicks 30/40 yards from goal. I also remember that he was a pretty big guy so I don't think I would be giving him any lip. You could check out the wise guy to see if he has any extra bruises after Koeman gets done w/ him.

Play on!

big ed

 

Thát's the one, allright!

I'll give you a short biography:

Ronald Koeman started his professional carreer at only 17 years old with my proud home-town club: FC GRONINGEN (see b/w picture , clubcolors are Green & White).
That's where I saw his debut game against Ajax, featuring his later-to-become trainer/coach/neighbour in Barcelona and personal friend; Johan Cruijff. What a thrilling experience that was to me, a boy aged 12 (1981...), going to the stadium with my dad, to watch the old genius of Dutch soccer actually play on the pitch!!! WOW

Together with his older brother Erwin Koeman -which at that time was regarded a more skillfull player; remember being member of his fanclub- Ronald lead FC Groningen in 1983 to a high ranking to achieve their first European Cup participation;playing in the UEFA-cup, the proud highlight of this humble clubs' history; suprisingly beating ATLETICO de MADRID and INTERNAZIONALE MILAN.

Season 1983-84 Ronald Koeman moved to my favourite club AJAX AMSTERDAM to join J.C.
With AJAX he won the Dutch title (and many other trophies) in 1985 after which he transfered to PSV EINDHOVEN, to do it again three years in a row: Dutch champion in 1987, 1988, 1989 (!)
With PSV he won his first European Cup (later to be named Champions league) in 1988.
And in the same year, reunited again with his brother Erwin, and a.o. the great Gullit, Rijkaard en Van Basten, he lead Holland to their biggest succes: Winning the EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP 88.

In 1989 he followed his trainer Johan Cruijff again to play with BARCELONA F.C.
Four more championships would follow: 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994.

By that time, indeed Ronald already was notorious for his "canon-ball"-free kicks, one of which gave Barcelona their first, and hìs second, European cup in 1992.

In 1995 he went back to Holland to come to play with the 3rd topclub (only one other player has done that beside him), namely Feyenoord ROTTERDAM. In 1996 he ended his playing carreer, later to become assistent-coach of the Dutch national team in worldcup 1998 France; head-coach of Vitesse Arnhem and from 2002 on: Head-coach of AJAX AMSTERDAM (first championship in 2002, second in 2004)

His biggest ambition is to become head-coach of Barcelona.
(And words on the street are..... this will take less than 2 years from now...)


regards,
slammer

 

Bring on the new season !!!
Have fun you all
regards,
slammer (football-junkie)

 

Credit where credit is due...

Dutch league, opening weekend- 1st round:

Feyenoord Rotterdam rocket-starts -with crushing 6-1 win over De Graafschap Doetinchem- to top of the Dutch First Division.
Seems the boys are boosted by new coach Ruud Gullit's charisma, and have refound their self-confidence.
Nice; now 'we' can expect some competition again this season (for a change...! )

Congrats,
slammer (AJAX-fan)

 

Geez Slammer, are we the only two interested in the "Beautiful Game"? Lets see if I can pin you down. Which two teams will play the final match in World Cup '06? I will have to go with Brasil and, um, somebody!

Play on, big ed

 

Excuse me Ed, but I'll have to come back to you on that one.... let us first see how "San Marco & his attacking Oranges" are coming along against the Czechs in the worldcup qualifier, next month....

 

Hey Slammer, I would be very shocked if "Oranje" were not one of the favorites. The USA team should qualify as they have a much easier schedule and depending on the draw for the finals they may even win a game or two. I lost a lot of sleep in '02 when the games were shown @ 2,4 and 7AM.

Play on, big ed

 

Tonight, wednesday sept. 8,

Qualifying starts for WORLDCUP 2006 GERMANY!!!

And yet again, 'we' kick off against our most feared opponents - they stick like glue onto us in every (qualifying) group stage for the last years...

20:30 PM (GMT+1) Amsterdam ArenA, Amsterdam:

The Netherlands vs. Czech Republic

The refreshed and more juvenale new Orange squad of motivating coach Marco van Basten has yet to show what they'll be worth. Plagued with some injuries, and with doubts about the defensive strength (but hey; attack is the best defense ...) the youngsters will face their well-known Czech opponents; who also lack a couple of their stars (Smicer, Poborsky, Nedved) due to various reasons.
Expect only veteran among the kids, and 'supersub' Pierre van Hooydonk to start in line-up. He may play a decisive role in the frontline as an assist-giver.
Sure deserved this credit after so many years of altruistic services as a substititute. Role-model international.

There's no shame if it will take some more time to build a new team, but the country has high hopes and expectations (as always...) and demand qualification for the worldcup (what's new? ).
So... losing is no option.
My forecast: Difficult game with a narrow escape for the Dutch.
It will be tight... let's say 1-1.

For more info see:
http://www.knvb.nl/oran/news/default.sps?home=true&LanguageID=9

For more European Topsoccer at clublevel, see:

http://www.g14.com/intro.htm Experience Excellence Emotion.


Regards and have fun!
slammer

 

after 33 minutes 1-0 for Holland yeaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...........

 

after 83 minutes: 2-0

 

Van Basten says farewell to the Czech-trauma

Yesssssss!!! And who scored both goals?
Pierre van Hooijdonk, indeed!
(Always nice to have a fine 'forecasting-sense'... )

Finally we've beaten them! It wasn't good (yet), but it's a superstart for the road to Germany
The hand of the master (Johan Cruijff) is definitely showing through his disciple (Marco van Basten). He just got succes glued all over him.
Long live the "Ajax-school".
Van Basten came up with a surprising rarity in modern-age soccer: 3 defenders instead of the usual 4. Fantastic; I love the guts.

And next time let's ATTACK some more; "AANVALLUUUUUUUUUH!"

I'm a very very happy Slammer!

 

Hey, good for you slammer!
I can easily understand why you're happy !
Hooray for slammer's team!

 

Attention, folks:

World Cup 2006 QUALIFYING night again, tonight!!!

So, invite your friends, tune in your telly and put a load of beers in the fridge;
the balls will be rolling again tonight.
Among others, we await the 3rd qualifying game of our still formseeking heroes:

The Netherlands vs. Finland

Especially am looking forward to see former Ajax star Jari Litmanen (Finland) in action again. By looking at the worldranking this should be a piece of cake for the Dutch, but....I fear it won't be so easy (again...)
My hope: 4-0
My forecast: 1-1

Newsfact: The Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) has seen its members increased last year, and now has got a total of 1.060.598 members.
I stand corrected, but this means some 6% of the total population of appr. 16 million Dutch are playing this beautiful sport!
(some OZ 'loud-mouths' dare to refer to as...sissy voetbal ...tsssss what would they know? )


Have fun everybody!

regards,
slammer

 

..the balls will be rolling again tonight..

One correction Slammer: this is soccer which means it is played with one ball


Ok I hope it will be a good game but the Dutch have not won this on the beforehand. The team is still more or less in an experimental phase.
I hope Litmanen (Finland) is not injured and able to play.....very nice.
Have lots of fun tonight.
Greetz,

Gerard

 

ahem...I'd really like to respond in a funny way to this one, but fear I might get LWM on my neck again for offensive posting ROFL so I better leave it with...you're right, Gerard

Yep, and that's just fine: no need to rush. Would be nice to get in shape the sooner the better though

Yes, he is one of my alltime favourites, and certainly the best non-Dutch Ajax player of the last decade. A very nice person as well. Good luck, Jari. Once Ajacied; forever Ajacied.

I will.


regards,
slam

 

Well deserved 0-1 lead for Finland. 13th minute

 

But in the second half Holland took care of business :

Final score:

The Netherlands vs. Finland 3-1

Wesley Sneijder (39") Tainio (14")
Ruud van Nistelrooy (41")
Ruud van Nistelrooy (63")

"Van-The-Man" did it again... yeah!

 

Just thought I'd add my English penny's worth....

http://img42.exs.cx/img42/7103/niko_liverpool.gif

 

Hey Slammer, I guess the "Orange" did a lot of hupping for their win. ( I hope I got that statement right)
Have you read the bit on Beckham's latest folly. He was carrying a yellow card into his last game against Wales. Knowing that he had a broken rib and would miss the next WC qualifier anyways he deliberately fouled an opponent to get his second yellow. This way he would get his one game suspension out of the way in a game he would not be fit to play in. His statement to the Press was that he is not as dumb as he looks. Duh! Since the death penalty is no longer in use in England he should be banned for at least 5 games. What say you?

Regards, big ed

 

Was there any doubt?

As usual!

A lot of HUP HUP at work today.


snowbound

 

Also, Azzurri wins.

That's always a good thing.



snowbound