'Big Picture' Football Predictions

[just some bloke]

Do you have any bold, big-picture predictions for the future of the game? Let's have them.

Here's mine:

The USA will win their first World Cup before England win their second

A breakaway top-level European club league will be formed in before 2025

Qatar will not host the 2022 World Cup

At the 2026 World Cup, over 10% of the players will be playing their club football in China

[Libertine]

Do you have any bold, big-picture predictions for the future of the game? Let's have them.

Here's mine:

The USA will win their first World Cup before England win their second

A breakaway top-level European club league will be formed in before 2025

Qatar will not host the 2022 World Cup

At the 2026 World Cup, over 10% of the players will be playing their club football in China

Don't tell me...you watched the US-Scotland friendly, right? It was only, jet lagged, Scotland in the Florida heat and humidity...

We'll see what happens with Brazil on Wednesday...

[just some bloke]

I did watch it. They were clinical. And all that without their best player, Deuce Dempsey.

20 years ago the USA would never have humiliated Scotland like that.

[Libertine]

I did watch it. They were clinical. And all that without their best player, Deuce Dempsey.

20 years ago the USA would never have humiliated Scotland like that.

Yeah, no Dempsey. We'll see what happens when both he and Donovan are in the line-up, usually there is not enough ball for the both of them when they are on the pitch together. It was an impressive performance from what is usually an always tight US squad tho. They're even tight when playing Trinidad & Tobago. It was encouraging tho. It was Scotland and not Trinidad & Tobago. And we did just beat Italy in Genoa. Our form is pretty good right now. Klinsmann is the man. If anyone can transform the US national team from a second tier squad into one which can pose a serious threat to win it all it is him. Can't wait for our next game against the Tri (aka Mexico)...

Donovan was magnificent tonight tho. A hat trick and 2 assists. My only prediction right now is that as aging PL players make the jump to the MLS to finish their careers for one more payday (Beckham, Keane, Henry) an aging MLS player will make the jump to the PL to finish his. Donovan will be with Everton next season on a permanent move.

[Libertine]

And I agree with you on Qatar not hosting 2022. What a shambles it was picking them to host, on many levels.

Move it to England!!!!

[RobRoyal]

Do you have any bold, big-picture predictions for the future of the game? Let's have them.

Here's mine:

The USA will win their first World Cup before England win their second

I can see this happening. If the sport takes off, the talent pool and resource level obviously makes USA a serious contender. Even as it is, the side puts in consistently decent performances in World Cups.

Besides, "before England win their second" isn't exactly setting the bar high. That could take another century.

[who are ya?]

Would be pretty annoyng if the US of A ever won the World Cup..

Every single chant going to the tune of U.S.A being a main reason

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

I did watch it. They were clinical. And all that without their best player, Deuce Dempsey.

20 years ago the USA would never have humiliated Scotland like that.

20 years ago, Scotland weren't completely shit.


just watching some of this on ESPN. Scotland really are crap. The 2nd goal had the Scottish team playing like a bunch of U10s, with about six players all chasing the man with the ball, allowing to easily pass square to a guy unmarked 25 yards out.

[leww_rfc]

Wales will qualify for a major tournement before 2030

[TBM]

England will get past the q/f of a major tournament, on penalties

[Geekins]

Reading will beat one of the big 6 next season. (Man City, Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool)

[leww_rfc]

Reading will beat one of the big 6 next season. (Man City, Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool)

think Liverpools a given..

[Silver Fox]

England will get past the q/f of a major tournament, on penalties

[TBM]

I know i know but we can dream

[Bumblebee]

:arrow: Wales will qualify for a major tournement before 2030

Already happened - 1958 iirc

[No Fixed Abode]

Chelsea will never win the European Cup.

[Royal With Cheese]

Chelsea will never win the European Cup.

This is true. The European cup was contested by the winners of the leagues in Europe.

A bit like MK Dons and AFC Wimbledon. The Champions league should have all the European Cups expunged from its history.

[Terminal Boardom]

Chelsea will never win the European Cup.

This is true. The European cup was contested by the winners of the leagues in Europe.

A bit like MK Dons and AFC Wimbledon. The Champions league should have all the European Cups expunged from its history.

The Bin Dippers won't be happy

[TBM]

A breakaway top-level European club league will be formed in before 2025

I reckon there should be a league where the winners of all the top divisions, in Europe, play for a whole season - whilst they play this season, the leagues still play a regular season and the winner that year will play in this "Champions League", replacing the team from their country who go back to playing their own league in their country again.

This will mean there will be different teams in the "Champions League" each season, and will generate a new Premiership winner each season - giving the likes of Spurs, Newcastle, Liverpool a chance of winning the league whilst the "best" team is out for a season.

Or something like that

[urz13]

Reading will qualify for the Europa League within two seasons.