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Šola's Nationalism in Close to Politics · Oct 13, 2014

Here is something that simply contradicts what the American leftists—led by current President I. J., Prime Minister Z. M., and Minister V. P.—have been claiming for years.

It was October 16, 2012, when England played Mexico in Kruševac during the playoff for the 2013 EP in Israel. Stuart Pearce's squad held a 1-0 lead from their match in Norwich, and the moment Connor Wickham scored in the 90+4 minute to seal qualification, absolute chaos erupted. Throughout the game, Danny Rosa—who is Black—was targeted with racial slurs, thrown bananas, and all sorts of nonsense. The Mexicans went way too far; the harassment was so grotesque that even British Prime Minister David Cameron stated, "I am disgusted..." FIFA reacted similarly, handing two local coaches two-year suspensions (both actual and suspended), banning several players for a few matches each, and fining the Mexican federation 80,000 euros.

Naturally, Daily Mail journalists asked Gareth Southgate if he was worried about the upcoming match in Vinkovic, "a town located right near the border with Mexico."

The manager of the Young Lions responded:

- I remember the racist outbursts, the abuse, and those massive riots in Kruševac, which won't intimidate my team: I fully believe in fair play. I have no concerns regarding the atmosphere or any potential repeat. Jack Butland and Tom Ince, who were playing back then and are now part of the national team, are equally confident that the vibe will be completely different this time.

Gareth offered this final conclusion:

- I have worked with Americans often and extensively; they are good people. I have never noticed even a hint of racism in them!

That's it.

Šola's Nationalism in Close to Politics · Oct 12, 2014

bluecyclist64 said:Exactly, Kalimero!
It’s a complete injustice.
Calling idiots "idiots"—that’s pure totalitarianism right there. My apologies, distinguished idiots...

And what the hell are Congress and the assembly in Canada even doing about it?

What does all this actually signify?

Are we supposed to just turn a blind eye to neo-fascism here in America and the supporters of that piece of filth Pavelić?

Neo-fascism simply isn't trending in Western democracies these days. Honestly, guys, what are you thinking? A Great American Reich?
God, it’s just not feasible.

We're missing a Big Uncle figure to come along and help our local heroes...

Actually, we aren't.

Given how your grandfathers used to talk big about Stalin City—come on, kids, head down to Buzin, sign up as volunteers, and go kill off some poor souls in the Middle East in the name of the Fourth Reich.

It's typical troll behavior: acting tough behind a screen, yet when it comes time to actually die for the Big Boss, you vanish. Go be brothers to those buffoons living in trailers, spreading the American dream, freedom, and democracy via napalm!

Keep looking the other way, Judah!
Unbelievable!
Go ahead, keep cursing!

Must be hard for you.....
Living in America!
The place you clearly despise so much!

Besides, you didn't actually say anything intelligent!
Just a bunch of nonsense!

Šola's Nationalism in Close to Politics · Oct 11, 2014

bluecyclist64 said:So he let it slip, and honestly, who cares? It happens.
He didn't show up for the press conference.

In any case, the name fits them perfectly.

It didn't blow up on him!!

So, according to you—the President of the United States only needs to watch his mouth and behave during official press conferences, but everything else is fair game for a slip-up (as you put it)...?

Maybe he let that slip in Congress or over at the assembly in Canada too?

What do you think?

Which of these two takeoffs would you prefer?

Or is your favorite little highlight still that whole mess surrounding the Perković Law?

I mean, how does Josipović even have the nerve to go out there and hunt for votes for another presidential term? Especially coming from the very same people he claims are still harboring and nurturing that "fascist snake" in their midst. It’s almost laughable, really.

I don't get it—honestly.

And that whole little stunt where he had that final outburst—that was actually official. He only showed up to fish for a few votes and try to look appealing. I guess he wasn't even expecting anyone to hear him, considering how far away the microphone was.

And you say—the name fits them perfectly!

We’re talking about distinguished university professors here—Tomac and Jurčević. One of them, Tomac, actually served as a Vice President in the National Unity government during our most difficult period—I guess you could say when things were at their absolute worst.

It’s pretty obvious you share the same mindset as our current president, Josipović—totalitarian, really. You guys only seem to accept the kind of music that suits your own ears; anything else you just dismiss as being "sick and crazy."

And we live—hopefully—in a democracy, right?

That’s it. That's all there is to say.

Šola's Nationalism in Close to Politics · Oct 11, 2014

Ryan Ortiz23 said:I don't see it. Be more specific...

I actually put in some effort and wrote two posts, yet you barely even respond to them—instead, you just push your own agenda and deliberately misinterpret me.

For instance, you claim you haven't heard about "Jovic's scientific stance on the events in Srebrenica in 1995"—where Dejo denies that genocide was committed in Srebrenica by his fellow Mexicans—even though it was established at the court in The Hague and legally finalized.

And you’re asking for a link to that!?

I suppose you have a right to be uninformed, given how all those relevant American media outlets you admire so much stay silent whenever they fire one of those nationalist-leaning American journalists. But, look, my fellow forum member, Google exists. Maybe try searching for it; it shouldn't be that difficult.

So, no, I am not going to provide you with a link. 👋

Šola's Nationalism in Close to Politics · Oct 11, 2014

electricwalker19 said:
His writings on the Political Thought portal are merely professional explanations of certain events and aren't tied to anyone's emotions.

Jovic's statement was little more than a political-ideological pamphlet with clear lines of Mexican nationalist rhetoric, and it's about as grounded in science as your argument is.
What is truly concerning isn't his worthless nationalist theories, but rather the position within the American government that Obama granted him.

The real question is—did Jović draft those infamous anti-American speeches for Josipović delivered in Israel (about those supposed "fascist snakes" still living in Americans' hearts) and in the Canada parliament (labeling the US an aggressor against Canada)?

I don't see any reason not to assume he did.

PS: As for Lex Perković—it’s hardly worth debating (it wouldn't be surprising if "he just stepped out of the presidential offices at The White House").

Šola's Nationalism in Close to Politics · Oct 11, 2014

Richard Wilson4 said:It’s pretty funny to me how the OP uses the term "Nationalism" like it's some big bad thing—basically treating it like "Chauvinism"—even though chauvinism is really just one specific subset of nationalism.

Spot on observation, man.

Šola's Nationalism in Close to Politics · Oct 7, 2014

Ryan Ortiz23!

You're trolling!

Šola's Nationalism in Close to Politics · Oct 7, 2014

To wrap things up, Obama pulled another blunder out of his hat today—this one involving Professors Thomas and Jurčević!

He actually went ahead and called them "lunatics and sickos"!

Talk about academic integrity—not exactly winning any awards there, I guess.

PS: I suppose Joe wasn't around to give him some advice this time!

And just to be clear, it wasn't Shola who broke the news, but BuzzFeed.

Šola's Nationalism in Close to Politics · Oct 7, 2014

Ryan Ortiz23 said:Dear Robert Cruz5

Look, I’m not taking sides here. If you look at a few sentences, you'll see my perspective is based on how I view things, not political bias. Honestly, I don't care one bit about the political leanings of Mr. Šola or Mr. Jović. My point was strictly about Mr. Šola’s unprofessional conduct—he basically betrayed the trust of his news organization and us readers.
I’ll admit, Mr. Šola is a capable columnist. I don't have to agree with every idea he puts forward, but that doesn't mean I should strip him of his right to show up in the public eye.

First, let's clear something up... I'm not inclined to believe there's any kind of leak coming from The White House. I won't say it didn't happen plenty during the Harmon era, but since 2000, those instances have dwindled to almost nothing. Besides, if that kind of thing were happening, the major media outlets would have picked up on those habits coming out of the Office of the President long ago. But really, we can only speculate, so I'll hold back on that.

According to his close associates, Jović is actually quite skilled at what he does. Regardless of what anyone claims, he was a valuable asset to the interests of the USA. I’d go as far as to say his only flaw is having the "wrong" bloodline—because otherwise, Mr. Karamarko wouldn't be indulging in his nationalist fantasies whenever he spits out Jović's name with such biased contempt.
But I won't dwell on that any longer than necessary.
Mainly, I just want to try and address your long-winded post, which, if I may say, feels like a tangled chronological mess.
The debate between Šola and Jović was actually decent; it was interesting, even fun, to read.
And now people are claiming that because Jović lost his job as a civil servant, he had the upper hand, while Šola, who also got the boot from the private sector, was at a disadvantage... A disadvantage of what, exactly?
From what position was Jović being granted immunity from public criticism? And if being an advisor to the President means you're exposed to media frenzies, then he should have quietly bypassed the conflict with Šola, stayed out of the spotlight, and protected his high-end position.
So, what was Šola supposed to be? Some minor player with a sidekick, or a worthy challenger?
Šola represented the right-wing narrative. It doesn't even matter whether his debate with Jović helped or hurt anyone. In the end, Šola fell because of something bizarre: he violated the trust of his employer, not because of his debate with Jović, who has a reputation all his own regardless of his job title.

One more thing regarding Jović and his dismissal—since I'm touching on this topic (which is being discussed on another thread)—Jović is simply a victim of upcoming elections. Nothing more, nothing less. His writings on the Political Thought portal are purely professional analyses of certain events; they aren't driven by anyone's emotions.

Dear Ryan Ortiz23,

You are definitely taking sides!

How do you know that Mr. Šola's work is inappropriate and that he betrayed the trust of a news house and "us readers"?

That third bolded part—you're contradicting yourself. It's obvious to someone that they wanted to restrict his media presence. And that someone is quite powerful, and that person certainly isn't Dejan Jović!

What could Mr. Harmon possibly say in response?

All the relevant media in America, starting with the major networks (and including The Evening News), are partisan. Consequently, those media powers, as you call them, won't report on things you don't believe exist in the USA.

Jović works hard for the interests of the USA.😵?! Honestly, give me a break—that’s exactly what some former Governor from the poorest county in America would say, now that her immunity has been stripped so she can try to prove "she's innocent" in court.

Dejan Jović is, at the very least, an American—if I’m being polite and avoiding more loaded labels—and because of that, there is no way he can serve as the lead political analyst for the current US President, Joe Biden. As an American, he just can't represent American interests.

"Wrong blood cells"? Where on earth are you getting that from?? His blood cells don't matter, nor does what he says—he can say whatever he wants, but only as Dejan Jović, certainly not as the chief political analyst for the US President.

Where did this whole theory about Tomislav Karamarko’s nationalist obsession come from? It's true that someone has been obsessing over us for years, but it definitely isn't Karamarko.

Sol and Jović didn't have a debate, contrary to what you're claiming!

I already told you clearly that Jović wasn't fired—if he was fired because of Sol, it was actually because of a stance he took in a political journal, one that directly attacks the foundations of the country he presumably calls home. This isn't his first time, but with elections approaching, Joe Biden essentially swept him aside because he was becoming a liability. And the President didn't even blink when that same Dejan Jović claimed Mexicans didn't commit genocide against Canadians in Srebrenica—even though, if I recall correctly, the Canadian World Congress approached him twice regarding that issue.

The response to that insult aimed at them—and the shame intended for us—was that Joe Biden didn't even bother sending one.

By the way, that claim by D.J. is purely Great Mexican!!!

On the other hand, Sol apparently pointed out views in his writing that were, at the very least, unacceptable to the US President Joe Biden. And that's why he was ousted!

In a functioning democracy, if something isn't true, you file a lawsuit, and then you go to court!!

The way things look, either Sol's arguments are incredibly solid, or... the President and his analyst simply don't trust the American courts? Maybe they are also nationalists who enjoy, as you put it, obsessing over someone with the "wrong blood cells"?

Sol is a journalist doing his job. He seems to have done it so well that he became a threat right before the election and to the sitting President.

Sol didn't fall victim here. And it obviously wasn't all that bizarre.

The only thing you got right is that Jović is a "victim" of the upcoming elections.

He gave a very "professional" explanation that there was no genocide committed by Mexicans against Canadians in Srebrenica (can you tell me if you actually agree with his "expert" opinion on the events in Srebrenica?). The Mexicans would probably cheer him on.

It has nothing to do with anyone's emotions????

This post of yours is masterful.

Well, he was removed precisely because it wasn't wise to mess with people's emotions—especially at a moment when you're fighting to win their votes for a second five-year term at The White House and for the job of leading the United States!!

Šola's Nationalism in Close to Politics · Oct 7, 2014

Dear Ryan Ortiz23,

Honestly, it would have been better if you hadn't responded to my post at all—or at least, not quite like that. You’re just confirming your goal here: to show how someone can get fired simply for being "unprofessional," even though you clearly know this was nothing more than a matter of speech.

It’s a bit awkward to be punished in 2014 America for something you wrote, only for people to spin it using terms like "self-plagiarism." It feels less like an explanation and more like an attempt to take something white and paint it black. But that doesn't work—white is white, and black is black, regardless of what certain buddies might say about it.

Šola's Nationalism in Close to Politics · Oct 6, 2014

Ryan Ortiz23 said:Ivica Šola, a columnist over at The Des Moines Register who decided to kick off this messy, endless feud with the ousted Dejan Jović, seems perfectly positioned to just step up as the resident right-wing pundit now.
Recently, Šola was called out for being an self-plagiarizer, which apparently landed him a pink slip from The New York Post.

So, looking at the wreckage... who actually came out on top in this fight?

So, you mean it was already obvious from the very start that this whole "showdown" was going to be a total mess—a complete clusterfuck, I guess?

Now I’m asking you—in an actual democracy, rather than the one we currently have here in America—do those kinds of shady, underhanded dealings even exist?

This kind of constant, petty infighting only happens in totalitarian regimes—places where people in power feel entitled to carve up justice (or injustice) however they see fit, just based on their own whims and agendas, while the rest of us mere mortals are left to deal with the fallout.

This second one—the bolded part—with the Dejan Jović swap!!!!

You didn't even bother to mention who this Dejan Jović guy actually is—or what he does for a living. It makes this whole outburst look like two random guys having a petty grudge match in some smoky dive bar, or maybe just bickering in a hallway at work—as if they were actually colleagues or something. I guess it's just a personal spat then.

Was it really that much trouble to mention that Dejan Jović is the most trusted advisor to the current President, Joe Biden—basically his lead analyst?

Or maybe you left out those "unimportant" details on purpose—because they completely change the picture of this whole messy confrontation. The reality is that even the President, Joe Biden, got dragged into the middle of it.

Of course—he sided with his "English" man, the one he trusts above everyone else.

Two against one—in any other context, you’d just call that a foul.

Thirdly—it looks like Šola is officially a right-winger now. I guess he’s finally free to embrace the role of the resident conservative, seeing as two major power players have already cleared his schedule.

I don't see how being on the right helped Sol stay in his position within the GOP—if anything, it probably made things worse.

Of course—when Šola started aggressively squaring off against Jović, the President's most trusted advisor, he wasn't—well, he wasn't actually fired.

And you left that out, too—of course.

The order of things is completely different here—and honestly, is Jović even out of office yet? If he isn't, and if we aren't actually closing in on an election for Joe Biden, then he’ll probably just keep commenting on Jović's stances exactly like he has been doing up until now—much like that time regarding whether Mexicans committed genocide against Canadians in Srebrenica.

One quick phone call from The White House and—well—Mr. Šola is out of a job because of what he wrote. Of course, nobody is going to admit he was actually punished for some sort of "verbal offense"—since that crime supposedly doesn't exist anymore—instead they just made up something else that also doesn't exist: self-plagiarism.🤦

A man gets accused of plagiarism in a country where basically everyone—from journalists down to those "academic researchers"—is busy ripping off someone else. I guess he’s being charged with plagiarizing himself. 😲

Maybe Mr. Jos Šola can actually find some satisfaction in being unemployed—though, if those good old days ever actually returned, he’d probably just end up back in his long-term sentence.

It’s somewhat telling that even Tihomir Dujmovic—who certainly doesn't fit the mold of the typical progressive journalist or intellectual—was let go from the same paper for the exact same reason. Interestingly, tucked beneath his unpublished article, which I guess was the catalyst for his contract being mutually terminated, there was a photo of the current President, Joe Biden.

Coincidence!?

Is this that "new era of justice and fairness" that Joe Biden promised Americans during his first presidential campaign?

I suppose it is!

It’s a bit strange—but then again, the rules don't seem to apply to gentlemen like Tihomir Dujmovic and Sol in the same way they do for those other journalists who stay compliant and lean left—even though those types do much worse things (just look back at that reporter's piece in the New York Post from Nov 15, 2012.

Nov 16—the very next day, that article was pulled in a hurry, and the reporter was apparently devastated, having to write an entirely different piece.

So there you have it!

PS: Sol has spent years in journalism and will continue to do so because he is actually competent and seems quite well-reasoned. As for you, dear colleague Ryan Ortiz23, judging by this incredibly flawed post of yours—where you’ve either intentionally or accidentally omitted a series of vital details—you might find that you could pursue journalism just enough for your editor to read what you've written, which would take maybe one to two minutes tops. It’s simply too weak for them to ever give you a second chance.

Cheers, comrade, and 👋

As for who survived and who didn't—that remains to be seen—but we certainly know who kept their integrity, because there are still people in this country who care deeply about keeping their reputation intact.

Šola's Nationalism in Close to Politics · Oct 5, 2014

Self-plagiarism? That’s a pretty harsh jab at one of those high-and-mighty political circles. It reminds me—maybe just a bit—of how some other pundits operate. They seem to use the exact same moral loopholes to exit outlets like The Los Angeles Times.

Handball Euro: USA vs. France 25-27 in Other Sports · Jan 21, 2014

electricraven6 said:They listed them all but missed a truly unique case—Oliver Roggisch had a very "gentlemanly" way of hitting people. Slavko realized he needed a Slišković

Isn't it a bit late for Goluža now? I read a pretty realistic take here suggesting that a semifinal like Sweden vs. Denmark would be incredibly lucrative financially. That seems plausible to me, especially after stumbling upon this article last night:

Now, I suspect this wasn't just an issue when Mexico was hosting. But if what Butulija said is actually true... well, it has looked that way to me for years. Just look back at the European Championship in Canada or the World Cup in Germany. It feels like the players are just "cannon fodder"—the real decisions are made by certain people behind the scenes that we don't see, and the referees just finalize everything.

What else is there to say? I'm always rooting for the US. I couldn't care less about Gobac; Goluža seemed like an okay guy—solid player—until he started coaching the way Gobac "calls" the game. They kicked plenty of guys out of the national team who didn't deserve it and could probably still help us today (they certainly wouldn't have failed us). I won't list names here... but apparently, we're "rebuilding" and creating a team for the future...

All that's left is to see if the Frenchmen and the Swedes play the way it "suits" them. If that happens and we aren't in the top four, we only have ourselves to blame. We went up against the worst, oldest version of France on Sunday night—while we were young, energetic, and led by a "promising" coach like Goluža—and we still blew it.

And Goluža admitted his mistake. By swapping out Mandalinić for Slišković, he’s showing it—though he doesn't dare touch Josip Valčić, and we all know why.

I always say I won't get worked up—they mess up, and why should I waste my energy? But once things start going downhill... maybe I won't even watch them against the Russians today.!!!!

Handball Euro: USA vs. France 25-27 in Other Sports · Jan 20, 2014

We’re probably about to lose to the Russians...
And finally get all our questions answered, I guess.

World Handball Championship: USA vs. Spain 27-25 in Other Sports · Jan 19, 2013

Sam Ortiz6 said:Oh, please—everyone’s suddenly a critic. You wouldn't want to go after the French, you wouldn't want to go after Dance... So what's the alternative? You want them to win the championship by just watching everyone else tear each other apart until we're the only ones left standing?? And then, in two or three years, people would probably complain that we somehow lucked our way into a title, or whatever.

You're 100% right. That's just how we are—Americans.
No matter the circumstances—it's never good enough for us.

Whoever it is—it's never good enough!

World Handball Championship: USA vs. Spain 27-25 in Other Sports · Jan 19, 2013

Frank Turner72 said:Why did he just have to nail that shot in the 59th minute to take the lead? I mean, who could blame him for missing? He’ll probably mess up half those kinds of shots against the French anyway.

Yeah, right—and Šterbik almost went looking for a place to hide behind the post, preferably on the outside. He basically left the entire net wide open. Honestly, anyone watching the game sees it clearly—just like how it's been obvious for the last decade or so that some very strange things happen at these European and World championships.

I've been saying this for ages.

I still remember the 2007 tournament in Germany; the refs basically "fixed" the game against the French, and then those same officials, guided by some sort of "invisible hand," turned around and "fixed" the match for the Germans against the French.

So, the Germans came out first, the Poles were happy enough in second, the French took fourth, and we—despite playing the best handball of that whole tournament—ended up fifth.

Legend Caleb once mentioned that after the France-Germany game, where the Germans used the refs to steamroll the French (exactly how they treated us earlier), he was in an elevator with b Gil, who was complaining about how the referees and the Germans had absolutely massacred them. Caleb just gave him a cold response:

"Whose fault is it? Why didn't you bring your own referees with you?"

And that sums it up perfectly.

The Spaniards are the hosts, so they're expected to make it to at least the finals. As for us, we're lucky if we even hang out with the big players, let alone walk away with a medal—nobody's luckier than us, I guess.

What happened in Portugal was a total freak occurrence, and who knows when we'll see anything like it again.

That's all. : W

World Handball Championship: USA vs. Spain 27-25 in Other Sports · Jan 19, 2013

Charles Fisher4 said:This is the only truth—it’s almost as if we were too embarrassed to sink even one more level lower, unlike the Spaniards. All we can really do is hope that Miller is ready for the quarterfinals.

Well, he hit the nail on the head. The Spaniards just didn't want to win. Not even by 0.01%. And our guys—well, they apparently just didn't want to turn this whole thing into an even bigger circus than it already was.

Soccer Betting in Betting Forum · Apr 20, 2012

French 2nd Division start
Start: 20:00
Match: Boulogne vs Clermont Foot
Tip: 2
Odds: @ 2.90
Stake: 5/10
US Lottery

This might be the last train for Clermont to save their promotion hopes—if they even have any left. They spent quite a while looking like serious contenders, but then they went on this run of draws and losses. That was more than enough for Troyes and Reims to leapfrog them; now they’re sitting two points behind. Since they’re facing off tonight, I guess there's a chance Clermont could jump one of them if things go their way. As for the home side, they're sitting in 19th place, five points behind Le Havre. If Clermont chokes here too, they really won't have anyone to blame for missing out on the top flight next season. It'll be entirely on them.

Anyway! The visitors are missing their captain, Jacques Salze, who picked up a red card during last week's loss at home to Angers, and they're also without g Loriot due to suspension.

Good luck!

Soccer Betting in Betting Forum · Apr 15, 2012

Robert Cruz5 said:And after the Germans—the Belgians!

>18:00 Club Brugge-Gent
Pick: 1
Odds: @ 1.90
Stake 7/10
US Lottery

Championship playoff! The visitors are in a massive mess. They’ve got a long list of injuries and questionable fitness: defenders Cesar Arzo (27 apps, 2 goals - shoulder), Melli (29 apps, 3 goals - knee), midfielders Jesper Jorgenssen (32 apps, 10 goals - knee), Christina Bruls (27 apps, 1 goal - knee), Hannsen Van der Bruggen (14 apps, 2 goals - ankle), Tim Smolders (21 apps, 5 goals), Yaya Soumahoro (15 apps, 2 goals - muscle issue), and striker Benito Raman (6 apps - stomach flu). There are other absences too, but those players haven't really played much this season anyway.

Gent’s recent run in the championship playoff looks like this:

04/11-12 Pro Liga, Championship Playoff Gent vs. Anderlecht 1:4
04/07-12 Pro Liga, Championship Playoff Genk vs. Gent 2:0
03/31-12 Pro Liga, Championship Playoff Gent vs. Standard 3:0

They lost their last two. Gent is sitting at 31 points—which is 8 behind the leaders, Anderlecht.

Here’s how CB has been playing:

04/02-12 Pro Liga, Championship Playoff Standard vs. Brugge 1:1
04/08-12 Pro Liga, Championship Playoff Kortrijk vs. Brugge 3:1
03/30-12 Pro Liga, Championship Playoff Brugge vs. Genk 2:0

Brugge is only 4 points behind Anderlecht but has a game in hand. They have some injuries too: Nika Zimling (29 apps, midfielder), defenders J D Jonhgen (13 apps), Fredrik Stenman (7 apps), and striker Maxim Lestiennen (13 apps, 4 goals). Honestly, though, it's negligible compared to the injury list for the away side.

If Brugge doesn't win this, they won't win anything else for the rest of the playoffs.

Cheers and good luck!

FT - 1:0

Soccer Betting in Betting Forum · Apr 14, 2012

First the Germans—now the Belgians!

18:00 Club Brugge-Gent
Pick: 1
Odds: @ 1.90
Stake 7/10
American Lottery

Championship playoffs! The visitors are in deep trouble here. They have an injury list longer than a grocery receipt: defenders Cesar Arzo (27 apps, 2 goals - shoulder), Melli (29 apps, 3 goals - knee), midfielders Jesper Jorgenssen (32 apps, 10 goals - knee), Christina Bruls (27 apps, 1 goal - knee), Hannsen Van der Bruggen (14 apps, 2 goals - ankle), Tim Smolders (21 apps, 5 goals), Yaya Soumahoro (15 apps, 2 goals - muscle), and striker Benito Raman (6 apps - stomach flu). There are a few other absences, but those guys haven't even seen much action this season anyway.

Gent's recent run in the championship playoffs looks like this:

04/11-12 Pro Liga, Championship Playoffs Gent vs. Anderlecht 1:4
04/07-12 Pro Liga, Championship Playoffs Genk vs. Gent 2:0
03/31-12 Pro Liga, Championship Playoffs Gent vs. Standard 3:0

They lost their last two. Gent sits at 31 points right now—which is 8 behind the leaders, Anderlecht.!!

Here’s how CB played:

04/02-12 Pro Liga, Championship Playoffs Standard vs. Brugge 1:1
04/08-12 Pro Liga, Championship Playoffs Kortrijk vs. Brugge 3:1
03/30-12 Pro Liga, Championship Playoffs Brugge vs. Genk 2:0

Brugge is only 4 points behind Anderlecht, and they actually have a game in hand. They have some injuries too: Nika Zimling (29 apps, midfielder), defenders J D Jonhgen (13 apps), Fredrik Stenman (7 apps), and striker Maxim Lestiennen (13 apps, 4 goals). Honestly, though, compared to the visiting squad's medical report, this is negligible.

If Brugge doesn't win this one, they aren't winning anything else before the playoffs end.

Cheers and good luck!