Not liking the reports coming out from Athens

[The Glove]

Did you go to Istanbul, and if so what did you think of it?

Yep I went. The place itself was better than Athens. The downside was the trek to the ground obvioulsy.

[lfcruleus]

Ok you know I've never had a bad word to say about Greece. I love it over there. The food, the people I've met have been lovely but I just didn't like Athens at all and ok, I wasn't there long and I am sure that maybe it has it's nice parts but not from what I saw! I think it was a bad place to hold the event and it was totally disorganised.

I think it depends how you got there, we went on a day trip and we knew where to go, how to get there and it went pretty much on time apart from a 45 minute delay on the flight home due to Revo bunking on . The complex around the stadium would have been breathtaking if not for the rampaging dickheads. The public Transport system works unlike anywhere in the Uk. 24 cans of Amstel for 30 Euros aint bad, the grass was a bit spongey after 3 days of scousers pissing on it but hey you cant have everything.
If it had been clubs with smaller travelling support it would have been fine they just couldnt cope with 40000 scousers when they had allowed for maybe 20000 with the allocations.

[Dhav]

So with that in mind then, why give it such an event like the European Cup final? The place is a **** hole and should never have held such an event.

Obviously they wanted the final in the hope that it would make money for them. You'd have to ask UEFA why they gave it to them though, although you could say the same about Istanbul. I'm guessing that because they hosted the Olympics, UEFA thought a single football match would be a formality.

I agree though that the organisation was very shambolic, from the transport to the cordons and the security around the stadium, but that's Greeks for you. They're the type of people that will do the bare minimum to get by and get pissed off if someone asks them to go just that little bit out of their way.

Personally I really dont know why you think it's a "****hole". I dont know where you stayed or where you went, but I've been to some of the poorer and run down areas of Athens and it's no worse than what I've seen in Liverpool or areas of London for that matter.

[lfcruleus]

Yep I went. The place itself was better than Athens. The downside was the trek to the ground obvioulsy.

The slums without roofs on the way into town not put you off, no **** we saw a house with a **** off great satellite dish and a big ****in hole in the roof. Also the beggars and pick pockets and kids nicking beer and selling it to fans.
My overall impression of Istanbul was the same as yours of Athens, i thought Athens was OK and i would go again, I will never step foot in Istanbul again.

[The Glove]

Personally I really dont know why you think it's a "****hole". I dont know where you stayed or where you went, but I've been to some of the poorer and run down areas of Athens and it's no worse than what I've seen in Liverpool or areas of London for that matter.

People dont live in tents and make shift houses in Liverpool mate. Buildings that look like they are about to collapse arent lived in, in Liverpool either. Liverpool is by no means a glamour city but its a hell of a lot less of a dump than Athens is.

[Dhav]

Ok you know I've never had a bad word to say about Greece. I love it over there. The food, the people I've met have been lovely but I just didn't like Athens at all and ok, I wasn't there long and I am sure that maybe it has it's nice parts but not from what I saw! I think it was a bad place to hold the event and it was totally disorganised.

Athens is like any other city has a lot of nice parts to it, and a lot of run down areas as well. I stayed in Ilisia, which is quite a run down area, it's so poor that it's mainly students that live there. Yet seemingly I didnt have as bad experience as you. Go to places like Plaka, Piraeus etc and it's quite nice. Granted, there are much nicer parts of mainland Greece (eg Kalamata).

Organisation of the event was poor, I agree, but that's the Greek people's nature. Surprised to hear a lot of tourists say that Greeks are really friendly and lovely. When it comes to being friendly to strangers they're not a patch on the Cypriots.

[The Glove]

The slums without roofs on the way into town not put you off, no **** we saw a house with a **** off great satellite dish and a big ****in hole in the roof. Also the beggars and pick pockets and kids nicking beer and selling it to fans.
My overall impression of Istanbul was the same as yours of Athens, i thought Athens was OK and i would go again, I will never step foot in Istanbul again.

The same slums are in Athens on the way into town. Istanbul centre isnt as bad as Athens centre though.

Either way, Ive met and spoke to a lot of people who agree Athens is a tip and they wouldnt go back. Same cant be said for Istanbul though.

[lfcruleus]

Different strokes and all that i guess.

[lfcruleus]

So how do you fancy Moscow then after this weeks experiences?

[The Glove]

Not a ****in chance although I would love to go to Moscow.

The Mafia there will have all the conterfits and most of the tickets from next years UEFA ballot and their coppers will take no **** off anyone. Doesnt the ground only hold something like 45k anyway?

[lfcruleus]

Nah its bigger than Athens but your right about the bizzies, if we get there some of the knobheads wont come home for a long time. There is not a cat in hells chance i will go, i think after all the dickheads im done with European finals unless the club or UEFA does something to stop it, I cant help thinking something bad is gonna happen soon to an British club in Europe, there has been too many examples of problems over the last couple of years again.

[JohnnyLambert]

Not a ****in chance although I would love to go to Moscow.

The Mafia there will have all the conterfits and most of the tickets from next years UEFA ballot and their coppers will take no **** off anyone. Doesnt the ground only hold something like 45k anyway?

Nah it holds just under 85k and its got sum ****ty artificial turf!!

[The Glove]

Nah its bigger than Athens but your right about the bizzies, if we get there some of the knobheads wont come home for a long time. There is not a cat in hells chance i will go, i think after all the dickheads im done with European finals unless the club or UEFA does something to stop it, I cant help thinking something bad is gonna happen soon to an British club in Europe, there has been too many examples of problems over the last couple of years again.

It'd be great to go to Moscow and it all to be happiness and light but I know it wont be. UEFA wont learn. It'll only change if something happens involving 2 non english teams and even then, they'd have to be big teams like Madrid or Milan or Bayern.

[The Wolfman]

it'll be alright in moscow if its chelsea and you're a chelsea fan though.

[The Glove]

it'll be alright in moscow if its chelsea and you're a chelsea fan though.

Will it? I thought Roman was on the wanted list?