ThePortForum.com

A article in our french daily puts the question :
Is the tremendous amount of foreiners on clubs a detriment to the developpment of local talent and does It explain the pathetic results of the national team ?

It goes on to mention , that for the 1st time in the history of the Premier League , more than ½ the players are foreners . ( 332 )

Btw , Scotland defeated France 1-0 in Qualifications for EURO 2008

The Basque club Bilbao Athletic maintained Its Premier Division status . Big deal . . . For the 76th consecutive yr !!!
What makes this exploit all the more extraordinary is the fact that all the players were either born or trained in the Basque region . . .

Any thaughts ?

I have one thought, and that is that Scotland have just achieved their greatest home and away result in their entire history. 15 months ago France were runners-up in the World Cup Final. Last week a team of Scots with limited talent and a huge amount of passion completed a double home and away victory over one of the best teams in the world. Remarkable. Where is Ally McLeod when we need him

My only regret is that on the night of this great event I was stuck in a London pub watching England beat Russia by 3 lucky goals to Nil.

At this point in a qualifying group Scotland are normally 3rd, needing to win all their remaining games and have other results go in their favour. More often than not that does not happen and we stay in 4th place, missing qualification by a whisker. This time we are top of the group with 3 games to go and our destiny is in our own hands. Although it pains me to say so my belief is that we will finish 4th I hope I am horribly wrong

Derek

Bizzarely, I was in a Portuguese bar watching Scotland. They got hammered, but were magnificent. I have a sneaking feeling they've got one more performance in them and they might sneak through. Fingers crossed.

With regards to Lukes point, did you get a break down of those figures? If Foreigners are Welsh, Irish or Scottish, we dont really consider them foreign.
I personally dont consider it a bad thing either. Look how succesful Italy was through the 80's and 90's when their League was also over run with foreigners. You might restrict opportunities for some, but those that do make it, suddenly play at the highest level possible. Throw 11 of them together and you've got one hell of a National team. So its swings and roundabouts.

Alan

Derek , the way I see It , since Scotland is at the top of their qualifying group , a different and positive outcome is plausible . . .

Luc wrote:Derek , the way I see It , since Scotland is at the top of their qualifying group , a different and positive outcome is plausible . . .

Luc,

You obviously haven't spent 42 years being Scottish

My nation's football team are experts in what is known as Glorious Defeat. For as long as I remember we have almost been good enough to qualify, almost scored enough goals to win on goal differance, almost managed to snatch a goal in the last 2 minutes, almost, almost, almost. almost......

Watch this space

Derek

Derek,

You may not have noticed, but I'm not bad at betting on Golf, Football and Rugby League. Sadly, I'm seriously skint at the moment, but having watched the obvious team spirit against France, I'd definitely have a £20 punt on them qualifying.

Mark my words, I dont waste my betting money easily...

Alan

True , been in Canada for 45 yrs .
But couldn't there be a glimmer of hope for Scotland to qualify ?
I mean , isn't this situation out of the ordinary ?
Or have all these years of pathetic outcomes mean that Scotland is doomed never to know glory during your lifetime . . .
At least you have Port . . .

To show how much this topic has changed, in 1967 The Lions of Lisbon won the European Cup with all 11 players born within 20 miles of their home pitch. An Awesome achievement that will probably never be repeated.
A better team won it the year afterwards, mind.

That would be The Lisbon Lions

I feel a song coming on...

We're on the march wae Ally's A-a-a-rmy
We're goin tae the Argenteen
und wull really shake thum up
when wae win the Wuruld Cup
'cos Scotland are the greatist fitbaw team

Aaaah, those were the days

Derek

PS: I hope you guys are right and we qualify, but then I'll just have to go through the pain of losing to Lichtenstien in the first round of the real competition

Team songs :

Halte la , halte la , halte la
Les Canadiens , les Canadiens .
Halte la , halte la , halte la , les Canadiens sont la !!
Les Canadiens , les Canadiennnnn Sont laaaaaaaaaa !!!!

The Flying Frenchmen of the 70's . . .

Luc,

Like the Avatar. They didn't lose to my teams enemy... Liverpool , last night. 1-1 draw.

Tonight its our turn, coincidently against more Portuguese opposition, Sporting Lisbon. Fingers Crossed.

Alan

By the way , FC PORTO was founded in 1893 by a dude named d'Almeida , who happened to be a wine trader . . .

Conky wrote:Luc,

Like the Avatar. They didn't lose to my teams enemy... Liverpool , last night. 1-1 draw.

Tonight its our turn, coincidently against more Portuguese opposition, Sporting Lisbon. Fingers Crossed.

Alan

A 1-1 draw .
Chelsea controled the ball 70% of the time !!
Control of the play in any sport is an over rated stat .
The number of scoring chances and the ability to finish is a much more telling stat . . .

Luc,

Chelsea played Rosenberg. 1-1

The game I was on about was Oporto v Liverpool Which was also 1-1.

Do you get to see these games in Canada, for example the United game tonight?
We certainly dont get to see ice hockey, or baseball. You can catch the odd NFL game if you know where to look.

Alan

Alan , yes we can get almost all the games .
Some , unfortunately are tape delayed .

Good Game.

United won by the only goal. Scored by the Portuguese player we pinched off them, Ronaldo.
Due respect though. He didn't celebrate, and the home crowd applauded him off. Manners not normally associated with Football.

On to Chelski at home at the weekend...

Alan , do you mean to say that football fanatics are going soft ??