Good luck trying to actually get there. Borders are closed off to us, I believe. And even if you got in on an official tour, there’s pretty much no chance you’ll be able to take photos of anything. You can’t even talk to locals without authorisation. There are no ATMs. You can’t use the local currency, either. You have to bring your own currency and hope it gets accepted.
So, other than that, enjoy your trip!
There was some sarcasm in my comment.
North Korean borders are expected to re-open this year (shut since COVID) but yes you likely would need to be on an organised tour… but no issues taking videos or photos in most places - plenty of videos on YouTube of people on tours from before 2020.
But one big downside in visiting North Korea (or indeed Cuba since 2021) plus a bunch of other ‘terorrist’ states is you will no longer be eligible for a US ESTA and have to go through the formal visa process if you want to visit the US.
Anyhow only a 1 in 4 chance of playing a North Korean team, if they qualify.
As if these pricks weren’t hateable enough already.
If only they had VAR?
I saw that earlier and none of the footage shows that it’s definitely fully across the line. I dont know if there are other angles but even if they had VAR I cant see that being overturned with the angles they showed.
The clearest angle (which are always deceptive), probably technically still on the line, unfortunately.
That looks on the line.
I can’t tell.
There’s a line at the really important part of trying to see if the ball is on the line.
Good to see some more supremely unbiased commentating on a national team match.
The best thing about VAR is that they draw lines to conclusively make calls within mm when comparing two eccentrically shaped human beings of different sizes, both in motion, with body parts at different vertical positions, but when it comes to calling goals, as we saw in Gosford, they cant make a call between a basically perfect sphere has crossed a straight line., with vertical position as the only possible complicating factor. So we get the situation we had in Gosford, where they used the assumption that the former is accurate, to cover their arses for the second much simpler one putting them in a fucking spot.
Sorry that’s a bit of a digression from the topic at hand. Let that be a reflection of how much I fucking hate VAR and it’s pile of hand-wavey bullshit.
Anyhow, if that image is the guide, that’s not over the line.
Needs a Robbie Slater investigation.
Not conclusively over for me. Silly on India for not playing the whistle
Considering the influence the BCCI has on world cricket, India complaining about bias and corruption is slightly ironic
That’s the bottom line - keeper sits his hand on the ball and they can’t play it any more regardless
This is borderline belonging in the weird but true news thread
Well in news that @Nath91 and @BlueSky will be crying over :-), it appears it won’t be Away in Pyongyang for the ACL2.
The AFC has failed to list a North Korean club in its List of Licensed Clubs for the 2024/25 competitions.
This means no preliminary games in the East Group, just 16 straight qualifiers for the 4x4 group stage.
Since the update above Bangkok United took out the Thai FA Cup so is promoted to an ACLE qualifier, with Port FC (Bangkok based) taking its place. We may yet see Bangkok United if they lose to Shandong Taishan in the mid-Aug ACLE prelims.
Also qualified is Eastern who won the HK FA Cup.
Still three TBAs - VLeague1 Champ and Vietnamese Cup (or 2nd place) and Phillipines Champ.
Direct places now finalised
Only remaining unknown is the loser of the ACLE qualifier to be played on 13 Aug.
Shandong Taishan v Bangkok United
You’d think Bangkok United is the one likely to end up in ACL2.
Draw on 16 August 2024.
I just got back from Singapore last week. I went to see a match while I was there between Geylang International and Lion City Sailors at the Jalan Besar stadium
Was good fun, definitely recommend checking out a match if you are in town. 15 bucks to get in and sit wherever you like. It is 1 of those stadiums with a stand on both sides and just walls behind both keepers. They only had 1 stand open which was almost full. Both teams had some active support in. Decent enough level to keep you interested.
The match started at 745pm and I was still sweating my bollocks off just sitting there, had to feel for the players. I’ll never knock the Socceroos for their performances in Asia again
Geylang International are the team I follow keenly in SPL. I was alone at a game and some of the GI active group ‘Ultras Eagles’ invited me to join them. I was converted then and there and have been an Eagle far from the nest for over 10 years now.
Is the S-League still NPL level quality?
I used to have a lot of fun in a former FM save. Basically turned Tampines Rovers into a European quality team, and would wipe the floor in the ACL.
Did the same with Sun Hui in the Hong Kong League. Used to love playing the little random foreign leagues in FM.