I’ve been watching the six nations over the weekend and wanted to post this then, but of course Tim Sherwood’s appointment and the Leicester game were far more important, hence it’s had to go on the back burner.
I’ll hold my hands up and say that I’m not a Rugby fan at all and don’t really watch it.
It just doesn’t grab me in the same way as football does, but the missus loves it, especially the England games, hence we have it on the telly and you can’t help having a glance when the crowd starts winding up and something’s happening.
But there are things that I think Rugby does way better than Football.
First off, is being able to hear the referee. This for me, is brilliant, as you get an explanation of what he’s thinking. Whether you agree with the explanation is another thing, but at least you get one.
That’d put a stop to any not understanding why a decision was made.
There’s also the plus point where you can hear how the players speak to the ref in response.
Perhaps we’ve got to the stage where footy players give refs total abuse and it’s accepted, hence putting a mike on is not a good idea?
I’m not sure, but whatever, it strikes me football referees don’t have the same authority as it seems Rugby referees do, where the decision is final and just not up for debate.
Any slight sign of dissent is met with a reprimand and then a sending off.
I’d love this in football.
Second is where the clock gets stopped when there’s an injury or whatever.
Why this doesn’t happen in Football, is just beyond me.
It cuts out time-wasting at a stroke, something I’m sure we’d all like to see.
Or is that just part of the drama, that is all part of the Premier league/Champions league design, that is there purely to help wind us up?
Finally, there’s the video replays.
I know the criticism here. It stops the flow of the game.
My response to that is “so what?”
The referee gets a second opinion, where things are viewed from multiple angles.
Surely this can only be good, as we get more accurate decisions?
Even with slow motion shots, thing can still be debatable in my opinion, so it’s not like we’d be sanitizing the game entirely.
I know we have goal line technology, but how often has it been used?
Not much, I’d suggest.
No, I think we have to accept that Football is way behind the times in these areas.
Thoughts?
MacDonald’s appointment is a bit of a strange one.
I’ll bet it was Lerner who at least recommended him, as who else at the club now would know him?
Either that or Sherwood asked the players for suggestions, which is doubtful, I’d have thought.
Good point Badger he was highly thought of by lerner from memory. Got his fingerprints all over this imo.
Sherwood said in his Stoke presser he would choose his number two being right for Tim Sherwood and right for Aston Villa.Old MacDonald is a good man with a good footballing brain right for Tim Sherwood and he is a fav at the Villa right for Aston Villa good appointment utv
I’d say maybe both? Sherwood was clearly always getting the final decision on his assistant and maybe Lerner and a few players put in the word for MacDonald. My guess is it also had Fox’s name on it. While Fox might not know MacDonald, he probably realizes that we need someone who knows the inner workings still. And someone who would be looked up too.
maybe all the ppl sherwood would like are busy being involved other teams. also hes only had 6months as boss big chief, himself so hes hardly got a wealth of former coaching and assisting colleges available
why is it ppl think sherwoods gonna be a puppet like past puppets
Exactly what I said, good at being lead, but not right to take the rains, same as Cowan’s.
Great intelligent appointment, knows the club inside out, great assistant (not so great in the hot seat) fantastic at bringing younger players through!
What young players has he bought through that are any good?
See we’re at it already. Sherwood brings in the back room staff he wants and already for dome ‘fans’ he doesn’t know what he’s doing, it’s a big disappointment and it’s all down to our interfering owner. I despair!
* some fans
Lerner is the real problem. We could have mourinho here and I still wouldn’t fancy to do much more than an 8th to 12th place finish. We have at least 4-5 years maybe longer off lerner and I refuse to step foot in VP until he’s gone. I’m not lining his pockets. The guy has single handily lowered expectations. The Sherwood factor will give us all a feel good factor for a month or 2 before reality sets in yet again. Lerner must be the most naive clueless chairman in the Prem imo.
Rugby is dull as dish water these days, but because there’s too much kicking and not enough flair players, in my opinion. I think football would benefit from some decisions being taken to a video ref. I think they keep it as it as, as this allows the big teams to corrupt the officials in big matches.
diassagree completely about that, can I ask how often you watch rugby games? I have been a Villa fan since for 20 years now but I think Rugby is a more complete sport and less tainted than football .. it may not always be that way but that is the fact. It uses all parts of the body, legs speed, balance, hands and handling, touch, upper bod strength, core body strength, the brain, decision making on the fly in the face of intense physical and mental pressure, its played in hand, on the ground, with the body, in the air and in the mind. Has any here mastered the spiral kick or is able to judge the flight of an oval ball, or its bounce? It has speed, skill, ridiculous physicality, tactical intricacy, and which is rare nowadays and lost by football for over a decade, an exciting international level, the internationals are the the highest level of rugby. it also has far more honourable, decent ethos that runs throughout the game and has just as much tribalistic fan passion as any football club, for a neutral pound for pound .. its a more all round and exciting sport, that is not to say its for everyone and its faultless, far from it, but it is well policed and there will alway be offenders – but they do not have the pandemic diving, cheating .. the rugby world is far less affected by the financial doping and dilution that football suffers from.
to the uninitiated its impossible to follow with so much technical rules and refereeing. It can be stop start, but the counter argument is when it is open play its more exciting than most football games of course but you still get dudd games as in any sport, I would argue far far less than football however.
I am not placing Rugby above villa or football or anything like that, I am simply saying if we all started watching and following sport tomorrow for the first time, Rugby (union anyways) would be more attractive in general to sports fans. Thats not how the world works though and I would hate to lose one or the other, right now we are spoiled! we get to have both!
its a good time to be a sports fan in the age of TV and travel!
long may that continue, VTID ( & Connacht, Maigh Eo, is Eireann abú,!)
When England play at Twickenham it’s pact to the rafters you can’t brag the same for the footy team at Wembley.rugby I’d say has taken the mantle of a family sport no bad language rival fans can sit side by side & as for racism football could really take a leaf out of the book of rugger fans.for being dull as dish water pre Sherwood well watching the VILLA was really enthralling LMAO.
True enough!
Well, nothing beats growing up in a rugby town, where they dare each other to shit in a pint glass and leave it on a punters table (true) for a laugh. Arrogant, elitist, partisan and obnoxious to say the least. A bit like us football supporters really! 🙂
So apparently Sherwood is sidelining Westwood for this game and Cleverly will be benched if reports are anything to go by. Interesting to see what the line up will be.
I think Sherwoods a fan of gabby so I think he’ll be in the starting line up personally I hope not. It will be nice to see who & how he puts his team out.
Reports from where exactly?
I think on the OS mate talking about his fit again & how threatening gabby was on the counter attack when he managed spurs.he seemed to praise him up quite abit.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/aston-villa/11426203/Tom-Cleverley-and-Ashley-Westwood-axed-as-Tim-Sherwood-stamps-his-mark-on-Aston-Villa.html
GOOD
Thanks Darren; interesting read. Just as important is a refreshing of the fans interest and excitement – need the Holte to live up to it’s twelth man role. UTV
Possibly a full house at VP????
I can actually say in ages I’m really looking forward to today’s game,I hope it’s not all an anti climax.UTV
Me too Giddy. How different it feels to have hope again at last!!! Three points today. Will be interesting to see what formation and tactics Tim employs as well as the personnel.
Even I have gotten off my arse and traveled across the sea to watch this one (ok I was coming over anywhere) so no dodgy streaming and the real thing. Mind you I am still 150 miles away. We know these guys can play football and today there are no excuses with the real fans behind them. Good luck lads and UTV
can’t wait to see how the style changes made.philosophy of our new manager words into action. can our great players pull it off. if his spurs days all 6months are anything to go by. he’ll play 442 like all the fans on here wanted. i think they could play this against the bottom 8 but not the others. anyway looking forwards reading the players tweets about mcdonald return most are welcoming him back, seems like he’s well liked and respected.
they better win as i splashed out on them to win 13/8 i got just for the win against a stoke side apparently depleted with injuries. and 2 hammering defeats one against a championship club
3 nil to the villa
I thought with an upbeat feeling now on the site we’d have a stoke preview LADS. 😀
Soz lads just got the alert.
Looks like 4 4 2. Surprised he’s gone for Richardson but probably prefers his forward runs and crossing ability over Sishoko’s defending
I’m amazed he’s picked gabby. Strange one that.