Fitba is on

[pje16]

I'm up for that

[gryffron]

Amazed France are favourites. They're never better than a 25% bet. Same in the rugby. It depends which French team turns up. If suitably motivated they sweep all before them, like their home world cup in 98. But mostly they just can't be bothered [gallic shrug]. But no-one, especially including French team coaches, ever seems to have worked out exactly what it is that spurs them into action.

Are they playing at home? That might just do it. [edit]Just checked, no matches in France. Very unlikely they'll be up for it then[/edit]

What's this gripe about "English billionaires"? We don't get to import players like club tournaments. AFAIK all the English players were born in England. And the players donate all their national team fees to charity.

Gryff

[pje16]

AFAIK all the English players were born in England
Gryff

one exception Raheem Sterling (Jamaica)
At least we don't use the Jack Charlton (RIP) method for Republic of Ireland, which practically meant if you had been there on your hols you could play for them

[AsleepInYorkshire]

I need some clarification first - are we talking about Scotland or Scottish Football?

I don't want to stray off topic

AiY

[BobbyD]

AFAIK all the English players were born in England
Gryff

one exception Raheem Sterling (Jamaica)
At least we don't use the Jack Charlton (RIP) method for Republic of Ireland, which practically meant if you had been there on your hols you could play for them

Better than that. Tony Cascarino qualified to play under the grandparents rule, except he was, unknowingly, adopted so his grandparents weren't actually his grandparents and he was ineligible to represent Ireland.

A country with 12 times the population or Ireland probably shouldn't have to fish around for eligible players if they want to make the major tournies, despite which off the top of my head I can think of 3 Jamaican born, 2 Channel Island born, and a Canadian born player with England caps. Can you name the ex-England player who was born in France?

[pje16]

Can you name the ex-England player who was born in France?

Cyrille Regis (RIP)

[AleisterCrowley]

Interestingly he was born in South America - in French Guiana, an overseas department and region of France (according to the ever-reliable Wikipedia)
He played for Wolves in the early 90s towards the end of his playing career but I'll always associate him with the Baggies

[csearle]

Are we allowed to have a light heatered, pub based friendly chat about the Euros....or do we risk being sheparded off to the Sports boards?

Oi, we are not here to antagonist you! "England for the Cup!"

[Moosehoosenew]

Sorry Snorvey,

I struggle to get up for this, in fact happy to see Scotland humiliated whilst Sturgeon in charge of Scotland, she has stolen our flag and makes our nation less effective by the day.

From a man that can remember well 74 in Germany I was only 13(watched Yugoslavia game in a french bar and was surprised the French supported the opposition). 78 in Argentina (we watched the Holland game in the garden due to the unusually warm weather with card board boxes shielding the telly from the sun, did not really work, spent a lot of the game praying having found a short term interest in God).

82 and David Narey. Spent that Summer is Stuttgart where took some stick from German friends when we went out, so supported Italy in the final.

Come on Scotland..................to heck with Nicola

[pje16]

Interestingly he was born in South America - in French Guiana, an overseas department and region of France (according to the ever-reliable Wikipedia)
He played for Wolves in the early 90s towards the end of his playing career but I'll always associate him with the Baggies

I stand corrected
I too remember him well for the Baggies including this "goal of the season" from 81/82
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Pf0wHuw6AU

[GrahamPlatt]

I don’t follow the “fitba” myself, but came across this elsewhere: https://beta.dectech.co.uk/news-insight ... ming-home/

Apparently Dectech crunch the numbers for the FT.

[pje16]

Interesting link
France are the bookies favourites
BUT forecast to finish 3rd in their group
Someone has it wrong

[AleisterCrowley]

Interestingly he was born in South America - in French Guiana, an overseas department and region of France (according to the ever-reliable Wikipedia)
He played for Wolves in the early 90s towards the end of his playing career but I'll always associate him with the Baggies

I stand corrected
I too remember him well for the Baggies including this "goal of the season" from 81/82
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Pf0wHuw6AU

It's not really a correction! I think the French would consider overseas departments to be 'France' in the same way we consider the Isle of Wight to be England, although not on the mainland

[swill453]

It's not really a correction! I think the French would consider overseas departments to be 'France' in the same way we consider the Isle of Wight to be England, although not on the mainland

Maybe more like the Falkland Islands...

Scott.

[AleisterCrowley]

Or Gibraltar ...

[pje16]

found this in another TLF thread
no offence to the OP or others from north of the border
https://www.thedailymash.co.uk/sport/le ... 1113202493

[pje16]

Im pretty sure the Mash writers are from Scotland anyway

Great knowledge - spot on
I wiki'd it
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Daily_Mash

[nimnarb]

Belgium always promise but fail. Could this year be the year. They have the experience and talent?

[BobbyD]

It's not really a correction! I think the French would consider overseas departments to be 'France' in the same way we consider the Isle of Wight to be England, although not on the mainland

Maybe more like the Falkland Islands...

Scott.

French Guiana is one of the 101 Departments of France just like Paris, Pas de Calais, Calvados and Dordogne.

[gryffron]

It's not really a correction! I think the French would consider overseas departments to be 'France' in the same way we consider the Isle of Wight to be England, although not on the mainland

Maybe more like the Falkland Islands...

No, not like the Falkland Islands. 11 French overseas territories including French Guiana and Reunion are parts of France proper. They're in the EU. They vote for the president and send MPs to the French parliament.
https://everything-everywhere.com/frenc ... rritories/

So despite being thousands of miles away, they are more "parts of France" than the Channel Islands or Isle of Mann are of the UK.

Ssssh! Nobody mention Matt Le Tissier.

Gryff