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it was only san marino on 00:40 - Nov 16 by CLAREMAN1995
If Harry Keane is re born under Conti and England avoid any major injuries they will be a huge threat to win that long awaited World Cup next year IMO
I just saw the result from the San Marino game it looks like Harry is back already
[Post edited 16 Nov 2021 0:48]
I have issues with the current format. To think Kane could overtake gerd Muller, greaves, cryuff etc playing these Mickey mouse teams. It's just not cricket
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it was only san marino on 02:10 - Nov 16 with 2815 views
I agree on the decisions......but its not VAR. The technology is fine...its still the idiots making the decisions.
How that was a yellow for Abrahams, i will never know. A couple for their players yellows were was harsh. Two good goals not given. That was just a poor ref and supporting officials.
[Post edited 16 Nov 2021 2:12]
Smells like a trout farm in here
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it was only san marino on 07:43 - Nov 16 with 2642 views
it was only san marino on 01:13 - Nov 16 by bob566
I have issues with the current format. To think Kane could overtake gerd Muller, greaves, cryuff etc playing these Mickey mouse teams. It's just not cricket
Not sure this is fair.
A) They pretty much played the same teams except Gibraltar and some of the Balkan sides. B) Many of the decent sides of today (the majority of African and Asian qualifiers) weren’t so decent then.
Swings and roundabouts for me. He’s earned it.
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it was only san marino on 08:07 - Nov 16 with 2566 views
Why I’ve stopped watching qualifying games and to think we have to have two week breaks four times a season so we can cram 7 games every 21 days for this rubbish.
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it was only san marino on 08:09 - Nov 16 with 2583 views
it was only san marino on 02:10 - Nov 16 by HAYESBOY
I agree on the decisions......but its not VAR. The technology is fine...its still the idiots making the decisions.
How that was a yellow for Abrahams, i will never know. A couple for their players yellows were was harsh. Two good goals not given. That was just a poor ref and supporting officials.
[Post edited 16 Nov 2021 2:12]
I thought that the first penalty was harsh too. No intention to touch the ball, no appreciable change in direction of the ball and the ball was going well wide so no advantage for him to touch it. Dixon was adamant that it was a penalty but I couldn't even see if he touched it, seemed like a good old fashioned ball to hand for me.
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it was only san marino on 08:47 - Nov 16 with 2508 views
I did really feel for San Marino. Demoralising for them but England were ruthless. The two disallowed goals were a joke. The penalty where it brushed the defender's thumb while going wide was a joke. The ref was appalling. Well done England.
it was only san marino on 01:13 - Nov 16 by bob566
I have issues with the current format. To think Kane could overtake gerd Muller, greaves, cryuff etc playing these Mickey mouse teams. It's just not cricket
I'm sure there was a lot of crap teams about in their day as well. Lineker scored a lot of goals against shit teams as has Ronaldo.
Kane has been brilliant for England and is breaking records very quickly, he's only been in the team for 6 years and one of those years we hardly played due to covid.
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it was only san marino on 10:19 - Nov 16 with 2327 views
I agree with Liew, and would probably go further: as long as the less successful Nations want to continue playing against the more successful, then it should continue. It should be their choice, and not the choice of the indulged 'Big' Nations. It goes to the heart of sport, of diplomacy and of decency. It requires humility and grace. These Nations are Nations too, and deserve the same respect as any other Nation that requests it.
It's International Sport not Intersomenational Sport.
"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
I agree with Liew, and would probably go further: as long as the less successful Nations want to continue playing against the more successful, then it should continue. It should be their choice, and not the choice of the indulged 'Big' Nations. It goes to the heart of sport, of diplomacy and of decency. It requires humility and grace. These Nations are Nations too, and deserve the same respect as any other Nation that requests it.
It's International Sport not Intersomenational Sport.
Exactly.
I’d be less sniffy about playing minnows if I didn’t support a team who lost to Vauxhall Motors once. Might not have been pleasant for us, but it did immeasurable good for the grassroots game.
I also note Ireland only just scraped past San Marino a couple of years ago Bri!
Great article.
[Post edited 16 Nov 2021 10:38]
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it was only san marino on 10:43 - Nov 16 with 2260 views
it was only san marino on 10:32 - Nov 16 by BazzaInTheLoft
Exactly.
I’d be less sniffy about playing minnows if I didn’t support a team who lost to Vauxhall Motors once. Might not have been pleasant for us, but it did immeasurable good for the grassroots game.
I also note Ireland only just scraped past San Marino a couple of years ago Bri!
Great article.
[Post edited 16 Nov 2021 10:38]
Italy and the Portugal can only hope they get a San Marino type in their qualifing games left .
It is tough on the minnows but as a player to be able to tell your kids/grandkids you once steopped on the same pitch as some of the best players in the world no matter what the final outcome is itself a wonderful memory.
World wide TV coverage of every game has taken away a lot of the mystery you used to get at a World Cup, for me as a kid watching players you had never seen or let alone pronounce their names was magical every four years, now is used purely as a shop window no matter what country they play for.
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it was only san marino on 11:22 - Nov 16 with 2194 views
it was only san marino on 08:07 - Nov 16 by stevec
Why I’ve stopped watching qualifying games and to think we have to have two week breaks four times a season so we can cram 7 games every 21 days for this rubbish.
Totally agree, summed up nicely by the BBC
"The scoreline again raises questions about the worth of fixtures such as this.
San Marino are ranked 210th out of 210 in the Fifa rankings and the only bonus for their players may be that they can say they shared a pitch with stellar names such as Kane, because otherwise this was simply an exercise in humiliation for a country that has won only one fixture out of 186."
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it was only san marino on 11:43 - Nov 16 with 2172 views
it was only san marino on 11:22 - Nov 16 by PinnerPaul
Totally agree, summed up nicely by the BBC
"The scoreline again raises questions about the worth of fixtures such as this.
San Marino are ranked 210th out of 210 in the Fifa rankings and the only bonus for their players may be that they can say they shared a pitch with stellar names such as Kane, because otherwise this was simply an exercise in humiliation for a country that has won only one fixture out of 186."
San Marinio playing these games is a bit like putting Slough Town in the Premier League and never relegating them so they just have to get beat every time and keep going. It's difficult to exclude them though as some of these small nations have gone on to do quite well likes of North Macedonia and Albania gone from whipping boys to being competitive.
You could though use the bottom rank of the Nations League to qualify for the qualifiers for these bigger tournaments and would cut down on the number of qualifiers.
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it was only san marino on 12:02 - Nov 16 with 2140 views
San Marinio playing these games is a bit like putting Slough Town in the Premier League and never relegating them so they just have to get beat every time and keep going. It's difficult to exclude them though as some of these small nations have gone on to do quite well likes of North Macedonia and Albania gone from whipping boys to being competitive.
You could though use the bottom rank of the Nations League to qualify for the qualifiers for these bigger tournaments and would cut down on the number of qualifiers.
Think that last idea is very sensible Dave
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it was only san marino on 12:15 - Nov 16 with 2112 views
it was only san marino on 10:51 - Nov 16 by wood_hoop
Italy and the Portugal can only hope they get a San Marino type in their qualifing games left .
It is tough on the minnows but as a player to be able to tell your kids/grandkids you once steopped on the same pitch as some of the best players in the world no matter what the final outcome is itself a wonderful memory.
World wide TV coverage of every game has taken away a lot of the mystery you used to get at a World Cup, for me as a kid watching players you had never seen or let alone pronounce their names was magical every four years, now is used purely as a shop window no matter what country they play for.
That’s EXACTLY why I used to love watching the WC, and only 1 of the reasons I won’t be watching next year.
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it was only san marino on 13:02 - Nov 16 with 2041 views
San Marinio playing these games is a bit like putting Slough Town in the Premier League and never relegating them so they just have to get beat every time and keep going. It's difficult to exclude them though as some of these small nations have gone on to do quite well likes of North Macedonia and Albania gone from whipping boys to being competitive.
You could though use the bottom rank of the Nations League to qualify for the qualifiers for these bigger tournaments and would cut down on the number of qualifiers.
This would hammer them financially though Dave. I presume the San Marinese FA got a big dollop last night. Don’t think San Marino v Faroe Islands would have the same draw.
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it was only san marino on 13:28 - Nov 16 with 1982 views
There's been the odd game when England laboured to 2 or 3, this type of result, 10-0 - is the sort of thing truly world class sides do like France, and Germany, so in that respect there is something in this result.
As for Kane - worth pointing out he's scored a fair few goals in WC and Euros - unlike Mr Rooney who did very little after 2004 World Cup in the tournments themselves.
That said he did save England many times in a qualifier that ensured they actually got there.
Otherwise ultimately it is how it is.
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it was only san marino on 13:35 - Nov 16 with 1947 views
San Marinio playing these games is a bit like putting Slough Town in the Premier League and never relegating them so they just have to get beat every time and keep going. It's difficult to exclude them though as some of these small nations have gone on to do quite well likes of North Macedonia and Albania gone from whipping boys to being competitive.
You could though use the bottom rank of the Nations League to qualify for the qualifiers for these bigger tournaments and would cut down on the number of qualifiers.
Next thing is all comps will be totally seeded as in tennis, yes you get the odd upset but the beauty of our FA Cup a reknowned comp world wide is so respected.is there is no seeding.
I know it is seeded to a certain extent as the two top divisions dont enter until the third round but the magic to me starts in the 1st round, the prize of getting a top club in the 3rd round is such an incentive for a little club it is a good enough reason its qualfying rules are never changed.
The WC is slightly different in that the pride of pulling on your national shirt must be immence, hopefully some of the smaller countries will improve and in the future maybe sneak into a place in the qualfying comp.
The main draw still a distant dream, but if some of the players can get into a few of the clubs in lower divisions in Europe then little steps, but invaluble experience rather than playing part time, and then expecting to look like a prem defender when coming out against Kane etc.
For now we will have to put up with qualifying, but doubt some of the teams still left and looking for a place could not care less who they meet, a home advantage is a good start, but you can bet Scotland will go it and give it a good go and you cannot rate them as one of the rated teams.
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it was only san marino on 13:40 - Nov 16 with 1925 views
it was only san marino on 08:09 - Nov 16 by QPR_Jim
I thought that the first penalty was harsh too. No intention to touch the ball, no appreciable change in direction of the ball and the ball was going well wide so no advantage for him to touch it. Dixon was adamant that it was a penalty but I couldn't even see if he touched it, seemed like a good old fashioned ball to hand for me.
Surely the point is the position of the arm not whether it was ball to hand. Ball going well wide does not effect handball
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it was only san marino on 17:45 - Nov 16 with 1729 views
it was only san marino on 13:02 - Nov 16 by BazzaInTheLoft
This would hammer them financially though Dave. I presume the San Marinese FA got a big dollop last night. Don’t think San Marino v Faroe Islands would have the same draw.
yeah money is why they will not change anything but really it needs to be changed.
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