The Football Thread

[gordian_knot]

I don't have much time for the Ched Evanses oif this world. Personally I think his morals, and those of his friends, are in the gutter. But from my own experience I can't see how she could be alcohol-free the next morning if she was as drunk as the prosecution maintain. Or be able to speak without slurring the night before.

There is no real evidence that this was a rape at all. The change in the law was always as likely to convict innocent men as it was to convict more of the guilty.

As for his being re-employed by Sheffield Utd (or any other team), it's all very well to say he shouldn't be allowed to play again, but this is his profession. He has a legal right to work. And why wouldn't he want to be a highly-paid footballer rather than, for example, a brickie, assuming he could get a job anywhere else?

I don't like him, but banning him from football is the equivalent of a life-time punishment for something that might not even have occured.

[snowy25]

Sex offenders in all their guises are barred from certain roles as they pose a risk to vulnerable people or certain members of society. Their legal right to work is restricted due to the need to protect some members of society, children and vulnerable adults for example. A convicted paedophile cannot teach again because of these restrictions. However as far as Evans is concerned, there are no such restrictions in place for football. So he has a legal right to go back to work as a footballer whether people agree with it or not. This does not mean he will work as a footballer, thats up to any interested clubs, but there is nothing to stop him doing do.

[Markus R]

Originally Posted by snowy25

Sex offenders in all their guises are barred from certain roles as they pose a risk to vulnerable people or certain members of society.

The FA, UEFA and FIFA could be classed as sex offenders - they've been screwing fans for years.

[Meini Hirion]

Originally Posted by Jeff Vader

OK, based on your time with offenders, can rehabilitation ever happen if they are not sorry for what they did ?

From my experience, self-knowledge goes a long, long way.

They don't need to be remorseful, nor apologetic ~ because those are expresions that can be falsified. But to understand why they behaved as they did, and hopefully be given a chance to leave that environment, both physical and mental, is the key I think.

"Sorry" comes eventually with self knowledge and rehab does work better in those cases ~ imo of course.

[IngramJohn]

Originally Posted by Markus R

It is typical of UEFA - when Spain landed Gibraltar in the same group they were moved to another group to avoid tensions (I doubt the tensions would have ever amounted to anything like that of Serbia and Albania). Likewise, Russia and Ukraine were going to be kept apart at the qualifying draw for 2016.

Some sort of fix from UEFA?

Mmmmmmm .... I am now even thinking the "Eurovision Song Contest" might be slightly false!

[buttsie]

West Ham into 4th - BFS now 2nd in line for the England managers job - in his dreams

Until they play Man City at Home next

Burnley 1 West Ham 3
http://www.sportinglife.com/football...est-ham-united

Southampton 8 Sunderland 0

Kind of result you'd expect from Man City versus anyone at their home

http://www.sportinglife.com/football...n-v-sunderland

[victor meldrew]

Originally Posted by buttsie

West Ham into 4th - BFS now 2nd in line for the England managers job - in his dreams

Until they play Man City at Home next

I wanted to go to Man City at home but tickets start at £55 with top price of £76 and restricted view £57.

I have followed the Hammers since my short trouser days and know that things can go from good to bad at the tip of a hat, expectations will always outweigh our ability, but regardless of my rants they will always be in my blood and 100% support on match days.

I will watch at the pub, as for birthday boy and the England job, he would be worse than Roy and I have all but given up on the international flops.

For me this is a sad place as I loved following England, then we got the Golden Generation who failed so spectacularly followed by Crapello.

[Greenman]

QPR v Liverpool. Sheesh! Those Pool boys put us fans through the ringer time and time again and let's face it QPR were unlucky not to score in the first half. What drives me mad is the dithering about, just lump the ball upfield, don't try and take on the man because you are going to lose to a better player. Try and close the game out. Liverpool were less than impressive but the best player again was Sterling-didn't look too tired as he raced around the field. However, as I said a few weeks ago, we have Real Madrid coming to Anfield on Wednesday and if we play the way we have done this past month & September we will be DESTROYED by Real. We are not the side that look like challengers for a title let alone a Champions League trophy last season and okay we lost Suarez, but we signed some good players(Balotelli the exception whom I think is a liability at times) and we should be able to play well - the loss of Sturridge has been a blow, but good teams are about all 11 players not just 1. We shall see come Wednesday just how good Liverpool can be against a real quality European side. Hold your breath, but don't have too high expectations.

[buttsie]

Liverpool are about as good as you'd expect them to be with so many new players brought in and yet to really gel

4 points off 2nd with how up and down they've been playing
sitting 5/6th you'd take that everytime

Suarez wouldnt have made a difference as the little fool would still have been suspended

This Liverpool is comparable to the one last year at the end of last year that when put under pressure leaks goals too easily.

They replaced the new guys with Johnson & Enrique and same outcome
2 goals in 3 minutes

All too much like Crystal Palace 3-3 revisited

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/27184083

[gordian_knot]

Originally Posted by buttsie

This Liverpool is comparable to the one last year at the end of last year that when put under pressure leaks goals too easily.

They replaced the new guys with Johnson & Enrique and same outcome
2 goals in 3 minutes

All too much like Crystal Palace 3-3 revisited

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/27184083

Hardly a fair comparison. Liverpool played well in that match last season, they came a cropper because they were trying to score 10 goals in order to catch Man City. If they'd got the draw against Chelsea my guess is they'd have won comfortably.