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Replying To supersub15: "Over the past little while I began to notice how the ever-growing TikTokzation of football punditry has crept into club and in particular professional international games, more worryingly into the personal lives of some hand-picked people who they think needs their comeuppance, in this instance it is Ronaldo. I am referring to some TV pundits, presenters and sporting journalists, all in the name of tam ratings and winning back lost viewers and readers etc.
GreenandRed (Mayo) That is a good and sporting post of yours and I agree with some of it but not it all, for example, Hamann was not spot on in my view in fact he himself was the one that was whinging non stop about how Ronaldo broke down in tears when he missed the penalty, Hamann can call it what he likes as in crying or whinging, my own view is that he was emotionally shattered because he is human and he felt he let his country down first then his team possibly realizing he won't get the same chance again. Again you are correct when you say his body language told the keeper what side of him he would send in the ball.
NB You say Sesko wouldn't find his boots that may very well be, but I say Baby Sesko would have scored that goal.
NB arís. I was a little bit surprised when you referenced Costa in saying he saved 3 penalties but that's his job. ??
MesAmis. Your post is honest and pulls no punches, however I do not agree when you say Ronaldo has turned himself into a laughing stock, not so, for starters Ronaldo has an Instgram following of 633,000,000 loyal followers, I breeze in and out of it myself sometimes. There is no player perfect or sometimes near it, France one of the favorites to win it out had to wait minutes from the end for the winning goal and one of my favorite players Mbappe was awol all night as was 7 or 8 others, but like Portugal they are through and that is all that matters, for now. I will agree he is on the wane and his playing days are nearing an end whether he is picked to play or not is another thing,
Lockjaw. Ronaldo is in the Elvis-In-Vegas stage. If that is the case he is not on his own, by a long shot..
Santos said he dropped Ronaldo for tactical reasons only. You say the Portuguese FA in their wisdom went & appointed Ronaldo's biggest fan, so they now find themselves in the quarter final against France. You say it will be more of the same against France, perhaps it will.
The game between Portugal and Slovenia was in my opinion the most physical, tenacious, mental sapping game of the tournament, for sure, so if Portugal can come to terms with the bumps, bruises, aches, pains etc and get their heads ready anything can happen. Keeping in mind it was a deflective shot listed as an own goal in the 85 min that gave France victory over the Belgians." I thought it was nauseating the way from early in the Portugal game how obsessed the commentator - not so much Whelan - was with when Ronaldo was going to be substituted. I thought the only problem Ronaldo had was that he tried too hard. There is no guarantee that any replacement would have scored or even got the scoring chances that he made and there were three or four brilliant players around him who couldn't score either. I was very disappointed with Didier's reaction and comments re Ronaldo "breakdown". The panel all fell over themselves decrying Ronaldo's continuing presence in the team. Perhaps the manager feels that he is the glue that holds them together. Portugal didn't exactly set the world on fire without him when the previous manager dropped him. But then, RTE's punditry is a pretty tatty affair anyway, in my opinion. It's ok when they bring on seasoned internationals who have an idea of what those players are experiencing, we get a useful insight. Then they bring on a few who seem as they are reading from a textbook on how football should be played. A bit Kennyesque.
Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 1166 - 03/07/2024 08:46:30
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Replying To Freethinker: "I thought it was nauseating the way from early in the Portugal game how obsessed the commentator - not so much Whelan - was with when Ronaldo was going to be substituted. I thought the only problem Ronaldo had was that he tried too hard. There is no guarantee that any replacement would have scored or even got the scoring chances that he made and there were three or four brilliant players around him who couldn't score either. I was very disappointed with Didier's reaction and comments re Ronaldo "breakdown". The panel all fell over themselves decrying Ronaldo's continuing presence in the team. Perhaps the manager feels that he is the glue that holds them together. Portugal didn't exactly set the world on fire without him when the previous manager dropped him. But then, RTE's punditry is a pretty tatty affair anyway, in my opinion. It's ok when they bring on seasoned internationals who have an idea of what those players are experiencing, we get a useful insight. Then they bring on a few who seem as they are reading from a textbook on how football should be played. A bit Kennyesque." Trying to hard is one thing, but do you think Ronaldo played well? I thought he was the worst player on the pitch, and would have been taken off after 60 minutes if he was anyone else.
Also I'm not sure if he's the glue that holds the team together. He wept buckets after missing the penalty (though that might have been for the cameras), and the preferential treatment given to him can't be good for team morale. Leao was visibly disgusted when he was taken off, and rightly so as he was playing way better than Ronaldo.
Galway9801 (Galway) - Posts: 1942 - 03/07/2024 09:33:34
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Replying To supersub15: "Over the past little while I began to notice how the ever-growing TikTokzation of football punditry has crept into club and in particular professional international games, more worryingly into the personal lives of some hand-picked people who they think needs their comeuppance, in this instance it is Ronaldo. I am referring to some TV pundits, presenters and sporting journalists, all in the name of tam ratings and winning back lost viewers and readers etc.
GreenandRed (Mayo) That is a good and sporting post of yours and I agree with some of it but not it all, for example, Hamann was not spot on in my view in fact he himself was the one that was whinging non stop about how Ronaldo broke down in tears when he missed the penalty, Hamann can call it what he likes as in crying or whinging, my own view is that he was emotionally shattered because he is human and he felt he let his country down first then his team possibly realizing he won't get the same chance again. Again you are correct when you say his body language told the keeper what side of him he would send in the ball.
NB You say Sesko wouldn't find his boots that may very well be, but I say Baby Sesko would have scored that goal.
NB arís. I was a little bit surprised when you referenced Costa in saying he saved 3 penalties but that's his job. ??
MesAmis. Your post is honest and pulls no punches, however I do not agree when you say Ronaldo has turned himself into a laughing stock, not so, for starters Ronaldo has an Instgram following of 633,000,000 loyal followers, I breeze in and out of it myself sometimes. There is no player perfect or sometimes near it, France one of the favorites to win it out had to wait minutes from the end for the winning goal and one of my favorite players Mbappe was awol all night as was 7 or 8 others, but like Portugal they are through and that is all that matters, for now. I will agree he is on the wane and his playing days are nearing an end whether he is picked to play or not is another thing,
Lockjaw. Ronaldo is in the Elvis-In-Vegas stage. If that is the case he is not on his own, by a long shot..
Santos said he dropped Ronaldo for tactical reasons only. You say the Portuguese FA in their wisdom went & appointed Ronaldo's biggest fan, so they now find themselves in the quarter final against France. You say it will be more of the same against France, perhaps it will.
The game between Portugal and Slovenia was in my opinion the most physical, tenacious, mental sapping game of the tournament, for sure, so if Portugal can come to terms with the bumps, bruises, aches, pains etc and get their heads ready anything can happen. Keeping in mind it was a deflective shot listed as an own goal in the 85 min that gave France victory over the Belgians." Look, I am no Ronaldo hater. He has been a phenomenal player for club and country for two decades. His goal scoring record is mind boggling and he will undoubtedly go down as one of the all-time greats. But even the most ardent Ronaldo fan can surely see his best days are behind him.
I'm not for one minute suggesting he should just be cast aside. He could still make a very big contribution from the bench. In a tight game for example, if Ronaldo entered the fray with 15 minutes to go he'd certainly still spook the best of defenders by his presence, and perhaps open up gaps for Portugal to exploit.
But this craic of demanding every free-kick, shooting from out near the sideline, whinging and waving his arms around is really self-indulgent behaviour that is not helping Portugal's cause at all. Noone is saying that the likes of Jota, Felix or Ramos are ever going to be anywhere near the level Ronaldo once operated at. But what they do offer is way more pace and movement than current Ronaldo does. Ronaldo is now purely a penalty box player, who can't press and doesn't have the spring of old either.
BTW - I have backed Portugal to win the tournament.
Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9449 - 03/07/2024 09:48:26
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StopTheLights (Galway) - Posts: 375 - 03/07/2024 10:05:32
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Some people following the Euros and some others seem to be playing Ronaldo's career documentary in their own head instead. He's been below his previous standards this tournament and this tournament is what the pundits get paid to give an opinion on. What do people want, an episode of 'This is your life' every time Ronaldo is on the pitch, even if he's in his 40's?
SaffronDon (Antrim) - Posts: 2470 - 03/07/2024 10:46:06
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Replying To SaffronDon: "Some people following the Euros and some others seem to be playing Ronaldo's career documentary in their own head instead. He's been below his previous standards this tournament and this tournament is what the pundits get paid to give an opinion on. What do people want, an episode of 'This is your life' every time Ronaldo is on the pitch, even if he's in his 40's?" Exactly. Pundits are paid to analyse what they're seeing on the pitch.
The other night it was Ronaldo wildly spanking free-kicks and failing to make any sort of meaningful contribution. This isn't taking away from what Ronaldo has previously done in the game. But we're talking about the here and now. And right now Ronaldo is struggling - the numbers don't lie.
Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9449 - 03/07/2024 11:49:07
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Only slagging you about Costa. He was class. Did what had to be done in the game when called upon. Kept his concentration when he wasn't that busy. Sign of a good keeper. Was thinking after penalties that he did good research on the Estonian penalty takers and it paid off.
GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7571 - 03/07/2024 13:00:17
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Replying To GreenandRed: "Only slagging you about Costa. He was class. Did what had to be done in the game when called upon. Kept his concentration when he wasn't that busy. Sign of a good keeper. Was thinking after penalties that he did good research on the Estonian penalty takers and it paid off." Well, it certainly paid off. Although, I can't see what Estonian penalty takers have to do with Slovenia. :)
Cockney_Cat (UK) - Posts: 2643 - 03/07/2024 13:32:36
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Replying To Lockjaw: "Look, I am no Ronaldo hater. He has been a phenomenal player for club and country for two decades. His goal scoring record is mind boggling and he will undoubtedly go down as one of the all-time greats. But even the most ardent Ronaldo fan can surely see his best days are behind him.
I'm not for one minute suggesting he should just be cast aside. He could still make a very big contribution from the bench. In a tight game for example, if Ronaldo entered the fray with 15 minutes to go he'd certainly still spook the best of defenders by his presence, and perhaps open up gaps for Portugal to exploit.
But this craic of demanding every free-kick, shooting from out near the sideline, whinging and waving his arms around is really self-indulgent behaviour that is not helping Portugal's cause at all. Noone is saying that the likes of Jota, Felix or Ramos are ever going to be anywhere near the level Ronaldo once operated at. But what they do offer is way more pace and movement than current Ronaldo does. Ronaldo is now purely a penalty box player, who can't press and doesn't have the spring of old either.
BTW - I have backed Portugal to win the tournament." Your post is well balanced, sportingly fair and very honest which is well received.
supersub15 (Carlow) - Posts: 2978 - 03/07/2024 13:34:22
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Replying To GreenandRed: "Only slagging you about Costa. He was class. Did what had to be done in the game when called upon. Kept his concentration when he wasn't that busy. Sign of a good keeper. Was thinking after penalties that he did good research on the Estonian penalty takers and it paid off." To revisit and qualify a previous speaks volumes about the poster, nice touch about it.
supersub15 (Carlow) - Posts: 2978 - 03/07/2024 13:40:29
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Replying To Lockjaw: "Look, I am no Ronaldo hater. He has been a phenomenal player for club and country for two decades. His goal scoring record is mind boggling and he will undoubtedly go down as one of the all-time greats. But even the most ardent Ronaldo fan can surely see his best days are behind him.
I'm not for one minute suggesting he should just be cast aside. He could still make a very big contribution from the bench. In a tight game for example, if Ronaldo entered the fray with 15 minutes to go he'd certainly still spook the best of defenders by his presence, and perhaps open up gaps for Portugal to exploit.
But this craic of demanding every free-kick, shooting from out near the sideline, whinging and waving his arms around is really self-indulgent behaviour that is not helping Portugal's cause at all. Noone is saying that the likes of Jota, Felix or Ramos are ever going to be anywhere near the level Ronaldo once operated at. But what they do offer is way more pace and movement than current Ronaldo does. Ronaldo is now purely a penalty box player, who can't press and doesn't have the spring of old either.
BTW - I have backed Portugal to win the tournament." Shhh...some people get upset when you mention who you've backed. That said. I backed the Netherlands e/w before the completion started. Up until yesterday, I didn't see anything to impress me, but the win over Romania showed great improvement. I think their match against Turkey on Saturday night should be a cracker. I've had a small bet on Turkey to go through (14/5), this will cover my stake on the Netherlands.
Cockney_Cat (UK) - Posts: 2643 - 03/07/2024 13:47:59
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Replying To Cockney_Cat: "Shhh...some people get upset when you mention who you've backed. That said. I backed the Netherlands e/w before the completion started. Up until yesterday, I didn't see anything to impress me, but the win over Romania showed great improvement. I think their match against Turkey on Saturday night should be a cracker. I've had a small bet on Turkey to go through (14/5), this will cover my stake on the Netherlands." Yeah the Turks have a knack of going far in tournaments when everything clicks for them. World Cup 2002 and Euro 2008 for example. They have a fervent support and a bit of momentum behind them now, plus in Arda Guler they have a bit of X-Factor about them. I think their match against Holland could be a cracker as well. It's quite refreshing to see a team having a good go in comparison to the overly tactical, constipated tactics of some of the bigger teams.
For example, France v Portugal should be a cracker on paper. But it will instead more likely be a niggly, cynical match with both teams hell bent on out-*^#%housing the other.
Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9449 - 03/07/2024 13:58:20
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Replying To Lockjaw: "Look, I am no Ronaldo hater. He has been a phenomenal player for club and country for two decades. His goal scoring record is mind boggling and he will undoubtedly go down as one of the all-time greats. But even the most ardent Ronaldo fan can surely see his best days are behind him.
I'm not for one minute suggesting he should just be cast aside. He could still make a very big contribution from the bench. In a tight game for example, if Ronaldo entered the fray with 15 minutes to go he'd certainly still spook the best of defenders by his presence, and perhaps open up gaps for Portugal to exploit.
But this craic of demanding every free-kick, shooting from out near the sideline, whinging and waving his arms around is really self-indulgent behaviour that is not helping Portugal's cause at all. Noone is saying that the likes of Jota, Felix or Ramos are ever going to be anywhere near the level Ronaldo once operated at. But what they do offer is way more pace and movement than current Ronaldo does. Ronaldo is now purely a penalty box player, who can't press and doesn't have the spring of old either.
BTW - I have backed Portugal to win the tournament." At least Ronaldo cares enough to cry because he hates missing penalties. Joao Felix is an overpriced, overrated nomad. Has plenty of talent but not the attitude to be a top player. Simeone can't wait to get him out the door.
GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7571 - 03/07/2024 13:59:36
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OK it is now time for the QF predictions here are mine Spain . France . Netherlands and Switzerland to advance to the Semi Finals
Redhot (Cork) - Posts: 739 - 03/07/2024 17:16:12
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Germany, Portugal, Switzerland and Turkey 35/1 all to "qualify" for Semi Finals!!
katser (Galway) - Posts: 2426 - 03/07/2024 17:40:37
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Replying To Redhot: "OK it is now time for the QF predictions here are mine Spain . France . Netherlands and Switzerland to advance to the Semi Finals" Germany, Portugal, England and Netherlands.
Cockney_Cat (UK) - Posts: 2643 - 03/07/2024 18:29:56
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Replying To katser: "Germany, Portugal, Switzerland and Turkey 35/1 all to "qualify" for Semi Finals!!" You'd deserve 35/1 if those four land.
Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 3829 - 03/07/2024 20:28:17
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England couldn't beat Denmark, Slovenia and Slovakia in 90mins.....Switzerland are better team than those 3!
Netherlands couldn't beat Austria but Turkey could!
Portugal couldn't score against Georgia ranked 67th and Slovenia ranked 56th but France haven't scored a goal in open play!
Spain look good but have played bad teams ie Croatia and Italy
katser (Galway) - Posts: 2426 - 03/07/2024 21:39:52
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Replying To GreenandRed: "At least Ronaldo cares enough to cry because he hates missing penalties. Joao Felix is an overpriced, overrated nomad. Has plenty of talent but not the attitude to be a top player. Simeone can't wait to get him out the door." What has him crying got to do with anything? He missed a penalty, so what? His team were still in the game & in the competition.
None of the rest of the squad, or indeed any player in the whole tournament are as good, or will ever be as good as Ronaldo. Noone is disputing that.
But what's clear is that him remaining the focal point of Portugal's attack is hindering their chances.
Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9449 - 03/07/2024 22:03:00
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Replying To Lockjaw: "What has him crying got to do with anything? He missed a penalty, so what? His team were still in the game & in the competition.
None of the rest of the squad, or indeed any player in the whole tournament are as good, or will ever be as good as Ronaldo. Noone is disputing that.
But what's clear is that him remaining the focal point of Portugal's attack is hindering their chances." 100%. But I don't think Felix would be any improvement, not the most motivated of footballers. Atletico paid €126m for him when he was 19 and they were robbed. At this stage though he couldn't be much worse and can always subbed out. Ramos isn't a whole pile better. I think they'd be better off putting Jota up front. Not excusing Ronaldo's behaviour or lack of form, but Portugal don't have many alternatives to Ronaldo.
GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7571 - 04/07/2024 02:53:28
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