Mr Ceour de Lion II

I did say in my lifetime. The first 4 weren't in my lifetime, and I'd agree with you that they were. Shilton was a great keeper, but again before my time as a football fan. Lineker, I give you, he was a world class finisher (not a very skillful player though). Shearer was a fantastic finisher too, I grant you that and it was a shame he never played for a top club to really show his true worth. Becks was a very good player, but never world class for me. Had a great right peg. I actually rate Scholes higher than him. If England had built the team around him, then it may have had better success. Unfortunately, he was mainly played out of position on the left. But even so, you've listed only 8 English players in the past 50 years that you would consider world class. Spain has more than that now. As for Gerrard, I think you have to consider him up there, he pretty much won the CL for Liverpool 9 years ago. As much as I can't stand the man, he had it when it mattered. He's not the player he once was now though.

Ok, maybe Gerrard too. Internationally, England have done absolutely nothing for years. Perhaps if their egos hadn't got in the way, they may have achieved better than a couple of semi finals. The main reason English clubs have done well in club football is mainly because of foreign imports. The current crop I have some hope for though. They seem to be playing more as a team than the previous generation. But if the media keep hyping them up like the "golden generation" before, then they are doomed to the same failure too. I think the media is much to blame in overhyping good players.

[quote user="Pickles"][quote user="HoneySuckleDreams"]The tax on employees was deemed non constitutional. However, they government have now decided they want the employers to pay it. I've been following this a bit over the last few days. This link, and especially the comments made on it, make for very interesting reading. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/24/french-football-clubs-strike-tax-rate[/quote] Ah ... so it IS the employers who will pay! Thanks very much! Meanwhile, in the UK in the run up to the latest international games, there were complaints that because so many non-English players play in the Premier League, it reduces the chances for English players to get experience at the top level and reduces the flow of "home-grown" talent. Perhaps there can be too much money in football? [/quote] If English players are good enough, then they would play and get picked for their clubs. England has rarely put out world class players in the past, can only think of two top, top players Rooney and Gazza that had it all in recent years. I think it's mostly the way that young players are being coached in the UK rather than the quantity coming through. In my lifetime, I can only think of two England teams that have done anything of note, getting to the WC semis in 1990, then the semis of the European Championships in 96. As for the "golden generation" that are just coming up to retirement, they were failures too internationally.

If the French clubs are to stand a chance of competing at the top, then this tax will have to go, otherwise they'll end up being as powerful as Celtic in Europe which would be a shame. Having said that, the Germans probably have the best league in the world right now, and have a team which is currently European champions without the obscene amounts of money the like of Man City, Chelski and PSG have squandered.

I thought this stupid tax had been done away with? The other thing is that Monaco is going to have such a massive advantage over all the other clubs in the French league too if this tax does apply.

The problem with 3G is that it's normally limited on download amount, isn't it?

Thinking outside a box here a moment. Obviously it is going to be very difficult to police people using your internet connection, but is it possible to apply a proxy server to your entire connection so your internet appears to be elsewhere, outside of France?

That's because the government taxes too much. Stifles business.

How so? Online and the store is about the same price.

Because you can't be sure if they will fit you properly or not if you get them online.

[quote user="Théière"][quote user="Mr Ceour de Lion II"]I bought online once and my glasses didn't really fit me well. I would continually have to adjust them, and if I was out working, they would just slip off my face with the sweat. This was a couple of years back, so I imagine that might not be as much of an issue now, but I still prefer going to the opticians in person. My current pair are great. [/quote] What do you think opticians do? they look for the obvious slippage and then go to the back of the shop and warm up the frames with a hair dryer and form them to fit you better. That's plastic ones obviously, metal is just formed to fit you better. That probably costs you £200 or your dollar equivalent.  Yes that can put the lense slightly out of prescription position which is more of an issue with higher prescription lenses but that's what they do.  @ Luvvie, where have you been, away from the forum for such a long time......  [/quote] Exactly why I wouldn't buy online again. Besides, the stores are pretty close in price to online now anyway.

Yes, they are both dead. Not sure of the relevance though?

I bought online once and my glasses didn't really fit me well. I would continually have to adjust them, and if I was out working, they would just slip off my face with the sweat. This was a couple of years back, so I imagine that might not be as much of an issue now, but I still prefer going to the opticians in person. My current pair are great.

Maybe she was, maybe she wasn't, I have no idea, but I identify greatly with that quote.

[quote user="nomoss"][quote user="Mr Ceour de Lion II"]When will governments realise that the way out is by encouraging people to be able to open up small businesses or be entrepreneurs? The more people at work, the more that will pay tax, and the less the money has to be wasted on benefits. They should be encouraging this by reducing taxes. What's happening now is akin to shutting the gate after the horse has bolted. [/quote] Even so, it's EDF who are going to supply and build Britain's next nuclear power station. Looks like Britain is going to look after the shops and other small businesses while France does the big stuff[:D]     [/quote] That's fine. It's the small businesses that keep a country going though. Oh, and the US got a Canadian firm to design their healthcare website and it doesn't work!