Club World Cup — First Group Games

Bayern Munich are 6-0 up at half time against Auckland City in this useless Club World Cup, and Kane has not scored or had an assist in any of the goals.

Bayern Munich hit Auckland for 10, with 5 minutes added time left to play. What the Fuck? Why play 5 minutes added time?

Unfortunately I never saw one of them as I was watching the England U21s v Slovenia U21s in a dull 0-0 draw.

So it finished 10-0. I suppose goal difference could be a factor in the final group table, so I can kinda understand the five minutes added on time.

10-0 is just ridiculous. U12s stuff that.

Makes a mockery of the competition. No doubt Auckland were delighted to be involved, but really?

Liam, Auckland will receive some kind of prize money, but I can’t see it being much.

A win in a group match is worth £1.5M, while a draw is £800k. They will get neither!!

The whole Club World Cup is ridiculous, the fact the winners get $97M is an outrage.

I can see this competition taking over normal leagues in the future. It's simply all about money. I won't be watching a single minute of it.

I'm sure Auckland were pleased. to be there, but that wasn't pleasant to watch.

The highlight for me were the commentators trying their best to keep the message going.

Quote of the match was "Auckland need to stay calm, keep the ball and move it forward".

It was 9 - 0 in the 85th minute!!!

PSG v Athletico

Stadium half empty...

Why play this in LA? Why play this at all?

Are these clubs playing full strength teams?

Yes. It's very competitive tbf in the early stages.

Some finish that.

Anyone rate Lee Kang-in of PSG?

I dunno, Paul @1, that PSG #7 — Kvaratskhelia is some player.

Wonderful to watch. Set up both goals, just had a tremendous shot pushed onto the bar with an incredible save.

But you're right. I'm not watching any more.

PSG are just relentless

Best team in Europe, if not the world at the moment, Liam.

Tevez would walk into our team.

I just can't get interested in this non-event.

So, for the sake of playing three games, travelling halfway around the world, to get hammered in the three games, Auckland City stand to win £2.6M.

I wouldn't bother getting me arse out of bed for that!

Especially for an amateur club, Rob. Some of the Auckland City guys had to miss the tournament because of their jobs.

And hey, for the rest of their lives, they get to say they played Bayern. I'd brag on that until I was 90, no matter what the score was!

Apart from the experience and the exposure, £2.6M would be massive for a club like Auckland City.

Fair play to them.

The irony of Fifa and Uefa trying to force the Premier League to reduce the size of the league to make more time for shite like this.

It's all about the money, has been for the last 3 decades. Backed by oil money, it's got fuck all to do about fans. They'd happily play in empty stadiums (as we're seeing here) as long as they get the broadcast and sponsor money they need.

Yeah, the money is actually significant for Auckland City. Fifa pay for everything, I imagine, and the club will get around NZ$5-5.5M, some will go to the players and the rest will go to local development and make a difference. Their annual budget would only be around $500k, if that.

Nevertheless, it is totally pointless as it stands. Still, a few World Cups ago, there were some hidings delivered… but that seldom happens now as exposure and funding help to develop the game in non-traditional places.

It's sportswashing — the event is bankrolled by the Saudi government, with a team playing owned by the Saudi government.

Auckland City aren't even the best team from Auckland!
Their city "rivals" Auckland FC play in the Aussie A League which is in the Asian football league, not the Oceania League.

For some reason, Auckland FC aren't allowed to play in the Asian Champions league, which is why they can't qualify for the Club World Cup.

By the way, there's also a team called Birkenhead United in the New Zealand Northern League.

My god, this stadium for the Chelsea game is empty.

Glad I'm not watching it.

Well, you must be watching it if you know the ground is empty!

And what's with this introduction of each player? Jeez, we'll be here all night!

Not watching it, Rob.

Found it on Channel 5 while flicking. Turned off now

I see Delap has already found his position on the Chelsea bench!

The commentary matches the level of interest in this cash cow competition.

Well so far it’s 25 minutes of tedious shit!!

Half time in this bore fest with Chelsea leading 1-0.

The match stats so far are a bit confusing, with the possession stat being Chelsea 54% and LAFC 38%. We're missing 8% of possession, unless the yanks count the ball being out of play as a %age of play?

Auckland are only getting around £300k with the rest going to their league. The £300k isn't even enough to cover all the expenses and some of the players are paying their own way.

Highest paid player is on around £70 a week.

Mark,

We were in New Zealand back in 2017 and discovered Birkenhead is on the other side of the water from Auckland.

There is a "Birkenhead Ferry". I did photo it and post on FB with the comment "Royal Iris has sailed a long way".

Earlier that morning I am sure I saw a car which had a registration plate "EVERTON".

A while ago NZ made it to the World Cup. Predictably they didn't win a game. Drew the others & went home. A DVD called 'Unbeaten' was proudly punted around the football clubs all over the country. It's all about perspective isn't it?
We have a few ex All Whites in our club in Nelson. I watched them regularly and they were several cuts above most of us cloggers in the lower leagues.

I've not managed to watch one of these matches all the way through yet.

Last night, I put on Gary Neville's Soccerbox on Sky. I really entraining one with him and Phil Neville, going through our former captain's Everton career.

I'll the damp squib of a competition another go later. Manchester City and Real Madrid, although looking at the opposition, I won't brace myself.

Have not watched any games. Will not watch any games. This is an ego driven, fantasy project by infantino to further ingratiate himself with the worlds richest clubs.

I thought the Swiss -German was bad, but this Swiss-Italian has taken his moral corruption to another level.

Hobnobbing with dictators, wannabe dictators and blood soaked sheiks seems to be this little dwarf’s raison d’etre, not the good of the game.

What is it about the Swiss? Caution: I have Swiss relatives before I’m accused of anything.

It's an interesting country Colin. Mostly German speaking (contrary to popular belief, with minority French and Italian. I still speak fairly decent German, but that Scweizerdeutsch dialect confuses the hell out me.

It's a bit like Belgium, which I've never seen the point in. Probably formed to give a Royal family a crown. Slightly majority Dutch speaking, a sizeable French speaking one and a minority German community.

I would say FIFA's location says a lot and the cynic in me would point to it's reputation as being a tax haven.

Anyway, I'll give it another go.

I know Danny, I’ve lived and worked in Switzerland and still have family there. My cousins (when we were kids) would speak in their horrible dialect just to annoy us and make us feel not welcome. My aunts and Oma would tell them off but the little shits wouldn’t stop.

A beautiful country with a strange mentality.

Phil @33; Paul @ 34; When I was over in NZ, I played for East Coast Bays & Te Atatu up in Auckland and had some great times on and off field.

I also had the rego EFC 1 (first on a V8 Rover then on V12 Daimler) when I left I sold the car (big mistake in hind sight...another story) and gave the plate to a Blue down Christchurch way - no use to me in Qld.

Colin @38 As a resident in your cousins' country, your comments made me laugh. I've lived here for 20 years but just can't get into that dialect. As for the football, I totally agree. Total money grab, no tradition, and dreadful coverage on Channel 5. Just a bad idea all round.

For haters of the other lot, sorry, I've just watched Man City bore the pants off me for 90 minutes, and the reds have no opposition from them. Literally nothing in any of that side to challenge for the Premier League.

Letting De Bruyne go is a crime. Man City have no one in the side to touch him. New signings Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki, I struggled to find them on the pitch, they were that anonymous.

Man City to challenge for the Premier League this season? Only if Man City's complete breakdown from last season happens to Liverpool will they have a chance.

I don't think it's anything to do with how good they've been on the pitch, Paul @41. It's just inherent and built in. Probably worse for certain generations, mine being the first to turn.

I am not judging any club on this nothing tournament. Man City have a big rebuilding job on their hands. I know a lot talk about age. But De Bruyne? I'd take him tomorrow if we could. Likewise, the 35-year-old, out-of-contract Thomas Muller for a season or two.

Both unrealistic though.

Danny, how about Lewandowski?

He's only 36 so fits right in to Moyes's ideal player. I'm sure with 35, 36, 35 and a 36-year-old on our side, it's all go.

I would also get Modric (39), Ronaldo (40) and Young (40) to complete the set of Moyes ideals.

I've just sent an email to Moyes about Gianluigi Buffon: 43. 😁

Left his arm up a little too long...

But fantastic save to stop Real scoring from the spot.

Still 1 - 1 in added time.

We must act like a club trying to improve from the bottom to the top half. Stopping dreaming must be the first step.
I trust the club, what is the alternative?

Paul. Lewandowski? Absolutely. But probably no chance.

As long as we get a blend of youth, potential, established players and experience, I'll be happy.

Danny,

I'm being Waaay over the top sarcastic in my post on any player I mentioned.

Tongue in cheek to say the least. 😁

I should know you by now Paul!!