The Soccer Thread

[NAHSTE]

Ahh... funny, but no. See, anyone who has been a Prem fan for more than a season or two has been through all of this before with Chelsea. Except Chelsea did it better and actually succeeded. What you would like to see as jealousy isn't. Its bemused experience at already having seen a trove of bandwagon fans jump on board to crow about how "their" club can buy all this talent. But winning and being a truly great club takes more than just money and talent. Man City may get there but how "sweet" is that going to really be for someone who just jumped on board?

Good question. For me it will be just as sweet as it would be for any other club I may have arbitrarily decided to support. I started following City a few years ago, knowing full well they were pretty much just Chelsea 2.0 and nobody would like me for it. But I figured, who gives a shit, I'd be jumping on some club's bandwagon either way. If I just chose to follow Arsenal or Man U or Liverpool, it's not like I get to take pride in their history anyway. (Well I could, but I'd still be pretending.) So I figure if I'm going to be a a bloody "glory hunter" no matter what, I might as well get in on the ground floor somewhere.

And my original comment was purely a joke, I don't think anyone is jealous of City. The hatred is probably justified, but I am not ashamed to admit I'm a dirty bandwagoner for a historically shitty club that owes its current international relevance almost solely to a billionaire. I'm fine with nobody respecting City or their fans, be them old or new. They're still my squad.

I don't get how an American jumping on the City bandwagon is somehow worse than jumping on that of the more traditional clubs. Sure, they spend a ton of money and have no real history of success. But why does it matter? Should I really be basing who I cheer for in 2011 on who was good in 1960 or 1980 or 1990? I have only been following the Prem for 4 or 5 years and at first I never found a connection with any one EPL team. Then I fell in love with City through a video game. We all have our reasons.

[mgoblue2290]

I chose my team because of its over the top, ridiculously dedicated fan base. I like watching soccer but for me a lot of the fun is because the fans are more into the game then any other sport in the world.

I think if you consider yourself a true fan and actually take some time to learn about the club and watch the matches, you can take pride in its history.

Also I dont really recall all this Man City support from you over the past few years.

[NAHSTE]

I chose my team because of its over the top, ridiculously dedicated fan base. I like watching soccer but for me a lot of the fun is because the fans are more into the game then any other sport in the world.

I think if you consider yourself a true fan and actually take some time to learn about the club and watch the matches, you can take pride in its history.

Also I dont really recall all this Man City support from you over the past few years.

I did not really post in this thread until this season. I'd say this was probably my second full year of actively following them/waking up early to watch the games/etc.

No offense, but I've always felt like Yanks who support Arsenal or Liverpool come across as having a hipster-esque "I'm cooler than you because my club is really cool" mentality. I'd say they'd be well served to admit they are bandwagoners as well and stop looking down on other fans of other clubs.

[Chrispy]

It's all about Fulham

[Bigpapa42]

Being so realistic and honest about why a team is chosen seems rare. We all gotta start somewhere. And I'd rather have someone support Citeh than not bother with the game. The issue most fans - and even a lot of long-time City fans, it seems - have with the new Citeh fans is the degree of arrogance and lack of respect for the history. Not saying that's true of any new fan, but its true of more than a few.

That kind of thing is aggravating in any facet of life. Whether its a friend or co-worker or random acquaintance proclaiming their love and support of whatever team, then proving to know nothing about them, or someone declaring they are a huge fan of whatever band, then having almost zero club about anything but their newest work... Its an annoyance. Maybe it shouldn't be, but it is.

[mgoblue2290]

I did not really post in this thread until this season. I'd say this is probably my second full year of actively following them.

No offense, but I've always felt like Yanks who support Arsenal or Liverpool come across as having a hipster-esque "I'm cooler than you because my club is really cool" mentality.

Really? Yanks? Please stop.

There hasn't been very much that has been cool about Liverpool the past couple years. I don't think I'm "cooler" because I like Liverpool. However their is no denying we are a pretty damn cool club.

[NAHSTE]

Being so realistic and honest about why a team is chosen seems rare. We all gotta start somewhere. And I'd rather have someone support Citeh than not bother with the game. The issue most fans - and even a lot of long-time City fans, it seems - have with the new Citeh fans is the degree of arrogance and lack of respect for the history. Not saying that's true of any new fan, but its true of more than a few.

That kind of thing is aggravating in any facet of life. Whether its a friend or co-worker or random acquaintance proclaiming their love and support of whatever team, then proving to know nothing about them, or someone declaring they are a huge fan of whatever band, then having almost zero club about anything but their newest work... Its an annoyance. Maybe it shouldn't be, but it is.

True. Just so we're clear, I wasn't trying to be THAT GUY who is obnoxiously talking about "his team". I was purely joking with my arrogance in the "butthurt" post and trying to be that caricature of a douche bag fan.

I am really excited about the prospect of Kun signing though, because he's one of my favorite players. If I'm premature in my excitement, so be it, but if he does make it to Eastlands (swear I knew this before I read the fan guide) I'll be on cloud 9 for as long as he's there.

Really? Yanks? Please stop.

There hasn't been very much that has been cool about Liverpool the past couple years. I don't think I'm "cooler" because I like Liverpool. However their is no denying we are a pretty damn cool club.

Is Yank not a term for an American soccer fan? Is there a fan guide somewhere I can consult?

And yeah, I can't explain but I always felt like Liverpool and Arsenal were the "trendy" clubs that Americans gravitated towards, as if supporting Man U was beneath them. Kind of like how Red Sox fans think they are more noble than Yankees fans when in actuality the rest of baseball thinks they can both fuck off. If my assessment is off base, so be it, but that's my perception. It could just be I know a lot of douches who happened to be Arsenal or Liverpool fans. But complaining about another club's spending while also supporting one of the four or five richest clubs in the league is having your cake and eating it too, no?

[Bigpapa42]

True. Just so we're clear, I wasn't trying to be THAT GUY who is obnoxiously talking about "his team". I was purely joking with my arrogance in the "butthurt" post and trying to be that caricature of a douche bag fan.

Fair enough.

There are a ton of THAT GUY's around at this point. True enough for every top club, but Man City is attracting a ton of them right now.

[mgoblue2290]

True. Just so we're clear, I wasn't trying to be THAT GUY who is obnoxiously talking about "his team". I was purely joking with my arrogance in the "butthurt" post and trying to be that caricature of a douche bag fan.

I am really excited about the prospect of Kun signing though, because he's one of my favorite players. If I'm premature in my excitement, so be it, but if he does make it to Eastlands (swear I knew this before I read the fan guide) I'll be on cloud 9 for as long as he's there.



Is Yank not a term for an American soccer fan? Is there a fan guide somewhere I can consult?

And yeah, I can't explain but I always felt like Liverpool and Arsenal were the "trendy" clubs that Americans gravitated towards, as if supporting Man U was beneath them. Kind of like how Red Sox fans think they are more noble than Yankees fans when in actuality the rest of baseball thinks they can both fuck off. If my assessment is off base, so be it, but that's my perception. It could just be I know a lot of douches who happened to be Arsenal or Liverpool fans. But complaining about a club spending and also supporting one of the four or five richest clubs is having your cake and eating it too, no?

Yank just means American and I don't think it has a soccer connotation too it. Seeing as you live in America, you wouldn't call another American a Yank.

Ah fuck it, we are way cooler than you Man Shitty fans.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I_crD6Oqsw"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I_crD6Oqsw[/ame]

[calgaryballer]

Question, why does it seem that the only teams you considered following were 'Big 6' clubs? There are 20 teams in the Premier League you know, and following each of them is rather easy. On this board alone with have 3 Newcastle fans, an Everton fan, a Fulham fan apparently and a dirty dirty Sunderland fan.

While I obviously don't get the same attention from sites like the Guardian and such, it just makes it a bit more fun to go find an NUFC board I enjoy reading. Plus, I get to hate everyone who posts in to the F365 mailbox equally.

'Whaaaa, why doesn't anyone give Liverpool the respect they deserve, this is our year!'
'Whaaa, there is such a Man United bias, just because we are the best doesn't mean the refs favour us!
'Whaaa, Arsene isn't spending all the millions our supremely well run team brings in and we have to suffer to third place every year!'
'Whaaa, our billionaire Russian only cares enough to spend £75 million. Real Madrid spent twice that!'
'Whaaa, everyone hates us because we are covered in dirty oil money and bought our way in to the Champions League'
'Whaaa, Harry Redknaap is a giant twat'

Only one of those is a real complaint (the Redknaap one, fuck him in the face)

Come on down to a club where you see every single one of your best players get sold and they are actively trying to turn themselves in to a Triple A baseball team. At least Sunderland fans get the enjoyment of watching Steve Bruce fuck up 38 different signings every year.

[Rudi]

I'm in the same boat as Nahste as far as my City fanhood goes. I aint gunna front I just started watching the EPL last year. I had to decide on a team basically a year ago today, and I chose City. Why? No specific reason really. I didn't want to jump on the Chelsea or Man U wagon because they were winners already. City had some guys I enjoy watching, and they are still in the "building" process, so to speak. Sure my allegiance doesn't run years back, but damnit I nearly caught every City game last year which is hard to do due to the time difference. I know my dedication isn't anything to brag about, but damnit waking up at 7 AM on Saturday mornings hungover as shit to watch City play isn't always easy!

[NAHSTE]

Question, why does it seem that the only teams you considered following were 'Big 6' clubs? There are 20 teams in the Premier League you know, and following each of them is rather easy. On this board alone with have 3 Newcastle fans, an Everton fan, a Fulham fan apparently and a dirty dirty Sunderland fan.

Funnily enough I was introduced to the game by a Newcastle fan (his dad is from there, mom still lives there). I could never compete with his actual connection to them so I didn't really consider them. I always wish them success though, mainly for the sake of my friend and his dad's liver. I like Fulham okay, Craven Cottage is fucking sweet and it's awesome that Clint Dempsey is their star, but I don't know, they just never grabbed me.

[Chrispy]

I've been waiting 3 weeks for my Clint Dempsey Fulham jersey, but it is from China

[calgaryballer]

Funnily enough I was introduced to the game by a Newcastle fan (his dad is from there, mom still lives there). I could never compete with his actual connection to them so I didn't really consider them. I always wish them success though, mainly for the sake of my friend and his dad's liver. I like Fulham okay, Craven Cottage is fucking sweet and it's awesome that Clint Dempsey is their star, but I don't know, they just never grabbed me.

That's when you go with Sunderland just to piss him off and be a real cock

[Rudi]

Anyone know legit sites to get cheap futbol jerseys?