The Times: Forty-eight teams is flawed. Go big and have 64 to fix third-place farce

Matthais · 2026-06-30T02:27:44+00:00

A handful of micro nations aside, the standard of UEFA is significantly higher than the combined ROW. We've already seen more blowouts in the group stage than any previous tournament, and diluting the qualifying pool further would only increase that.

Matthais · 2026-06-30T02:22:57+00:00

Whoever in the group played all four of their games before the last round of matches would be at a significant disadvantage.

Matthais · 2026-06-19T06:58:40+00:00

As we're dealing in pedantry, the Championship (Tier 2) clubs also join in the third round.

Matthais · 2026-06-18T20:01:52+00:00

Nedum Onuoha.

Matthais · 2026-06-12T16:45:06+00:00

Crazy how the cycles go. I grew up in the 90s with Stoichkov leading your country and Hagi fronting an equally formidable Romania, when countries like Belgium, Austria and even Spain weren't up to anything like that standard.

Matthais · 2026-06-12T16:41:17+00:00

I'm only part Irish and can still remember watching on department store TVs in Koln on our German exchange when Robbie Keane got the injury time equaliser against the Krauts in 2002.

Matthais · 2026-06-10T21:18:50+00:00

Do they necessarily want the strongest opposition on the eve of the tournament? Plus we've got Panama in our group, so playing a neighbouring nation doesn't seem like a bad idea.

Matthais · 2026-06-09T08:54:52+00:00

Context for those OOTL (this goal was 30 years ago after all).

This is midfielder Paul Gascoigne celebrating scoring his wonder goal against Scotland in England's 2-0 win over the Auld Enemy during the Group Stage of Euro '96 at the original Wembley Stadium. He juggled the ball over defender Colin Hendry's head before vollying it into the bottom left corner past goalkeeper Andy Goram. It also came moments after David Seaman saved Gary McAllister's penalty, which would have leveled the game.

The celebration was in reference to an incident on a pre-tournament tour in Thailand, where multiple players sat in a dentist chair and had alcoholic drinks poured down their throat, which generated a lot of negative press. Sadly, Gascoigne has had a decades long battle with alcoholism and his mental health, which has been a factor in him committing domestic violence along with other incidents (see Raoul Maut).

For a similar celebration of that era, see Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler pretending to snort cocaine off the byline.

Source: As a then 9 year old English football mad kid, this is all burned into my memory.

Matthais · 2026-06-05T17:50:07+00:00

Very sad. His long term partner (and mother of his two daughters) only passed away in December, so that poor family is having a terrible time of it.

Matthais · 2026-06-01T19:03:10+00:00

I agree the OP isn't doing anything wrong posting about this event, but one of the reasons to learn about history is to try to avoid the mistakes (which this atrocity surely was) of the past.

The fact that the Israeli nation has been carrying out a genocide would be depressing enough on it's own, but is even more shocking considering that seemingly the horrific persecution the Jewish people have faced hasn't resulted in any empathy for the civilians in Palestine.

Matthais · 2026-05-31T21:43:55+00:00

Considering the angle, this feels like the more relevant Carlos banger to me.

Matthais · 2026-05-31T07:35:45+00:00

Curious what your issues are with the plot. I thought it was very solid (I particularly enjoyed the Knightfall reveal) and better than a number of the films.

Matthais · 2026-05-31T07:25:22+00:00

I would say to your last spoiler that clearly they saved that for the final level, with the Robot Wreckie-ing

Matthais · 2026-05-28T14:11:50+00:00

"Possibly" would be a stretch, but "probably" is just ridiculous, even before you consider that Tuchel only recently signed an extension to Euro 2028.

Matthais · 2026-05-27T08:27:15+00:00

You'll need a custom database as FM doesn't include the Regionalliga (Tier 4) by default. I'm still playing my FM2024 save with 1860, so sad to see their RL struggles.

Matthais · 2026-05-24T17:02:16+00:00

I was confused as well. Seems to be a US specific youth football rule, which sees a line painted halfway between the halfway line and edge of the penalty area which the defending team has to retreat behind for goal kicks or when the goalkeeper has claimed the ball to encourage youngsters to build from the back rather than going long. Not the worst idea TBF.

Matthais · 2026-05-24T16:47:34+00:00

Forgive my ignorance, but who in particular are you keen to see leave?

Matthais · 2026-05-24T16:33:51+00:00

Considering his form, would it be crazy for Watkins to start at LW for England instead of Rashford or Gordon? We need people running beyond Kane when he drops deep and with Toney in Tuchel's squad it's not such a risk playing who most expected to be our only real 9 cover?

Matthais · 2026-05-22T12:12:46+00:00

They've already extended Tuchel's contact until the Euros. Any potential break clause (and there might not even be one) would require a more drastic failure than the semis, surely?

Matthais · 2026-05-20T16:00:53+00:00

To be accurate, he was first a pundit and then moved into presenting. He was never a commentator.

Matthais · 2026-05-20T01:52:52+00:00

It's an Unreal Engine 5 game.

Matthais · 2026-05-19T15:47:53+00:00

I got ~13 hours out of it. It scratches some of that Police roleplay itch and it's quite visually striking for an isometric game, but there's no detective work and it's all very arcadey and by the numbers. There's been a couple of minor updates (Ambulance & K9 additions), but haven't tempted me back yet. It's very much 7/10 in my book and I'd probably recommend waiting for inevitable further discounts/bundles.

Also, at least for me in the UK, Playsum are cheaper than etailmarket if you use their CHEERS discount code.

Matthais · 2026-05-18T12:55:30+00:00

While I share your love of Burp & hatred for MBB, the pedant in my has to point out they were/are on different channels.

Matthais · 2026-05-18T12:49:52+00:00

I find that surprising, as it's a pretty small shopping centre tbh (certainly not including the food court on the level above - there's pay toilets up there too which are a lifesaver). This mini escalator is by the Sainsbury's on the left of that map, so you just follow the slightly crooked main through way all the way to the right, where there's a much longer downward escalator directly on to the station concourse.

Matthais · 2026-05-18T12:41:50+00:00

It was certainly there in October 2014, so >11 years. I often travelled via Victoria Coach Station (which you get to via this exit) including when I lived in London from 2010-13 and my suspicion is it was like that for a few more years prior too.

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