I’m bored of my current level of geekiness so I want to try and learn new geek things to do for the website. Also no harm in making the site a more enjoyable place for all who visit. So has anyone any suggestions for what the site is lacking?
So far I can think of:
[list]
[]get the predictions league up and running properly
[]a better multimedia section containing video and audio downloads and streaming
[/list]
eh that’s about it.
We need to get the pundits names back for number of posts made!
Grand - probably needs a revision of order of priority. Is Giles still king? I have to say I’m leaning towards Ted Walsh as the top of the tree.
I don’t rate Giles at all really. I just like the soap opera nature of the Giles, Dunphy, Brady combo.
He was asked about Ronaldo again there the other night on the Premiership after the Reading game (6 goals in 3 league games, 8 in 5) and bearing in mind he had crucified him after the Celtic and Benfica games he just couldn’t admit he’s got it wrong and been ridiculously over critical of the kid. I can’t believe it but I’m record on other threads sticking up for Ronaldo. Of course a kid is going to do the wrong thing on occasion, all of us have, but if you nurture him correctly as ManU appear to be doing then they’ll have a world beater on their books for the next 10 years and he’s already driving them towards the title. Lay off him Gilesy!
McGeady’s a bit similar - I saw a ridiculous article about him on another Celtic site, I’ll post it on the SPL thread.
I always liked Ted but I don’t see enough of him to rate him. I think it’s safest to start at the bottom again like Crooks, Redknapp, Houghton and the likes.
I hate this bullshit about what a player will be like in ‘a few years’. When Owen came on the scene first at 17 that’s what everyone said - same thing with Rooney. I judge a player on what he has done now, at the moment, not on whether or not he will be a crock come 25
Ronaldo has done well this season but he is still a player that I could not have in my team. He still regularly fails to deliver the final ball and NEVER tracks back. I’ve said this before but he is typical of the modern day overpaid footballer. He fancies himself, thinks that he is too good to get down and dirty and generally fails to deliver. That is what Giles is on about.
As for reasons for United’s dominance - I think the main one is Chelsea’s downfall. You also have to acknowledge the contribution of Scholes (ahem) and the fact that they have done away with Silvestre in defence and got that Vidic lad in there.
I am not saying Ronaldo hasn’t contributed (12 goals is 12 goals) but he still lacks an awful lot imo. He is nowhere near the best in the world or will ever be
Back on topic here. Rocko - I think what is needed on the homepage is a rather clear explanation as to what the site is all about. The way I see it, and the way I think you should promote it, is as (a) a forum and (
a place where budding journalists can get their work published (no fees paid of course). I think this needs to be explained fairly clearly on the homepage so as soon as I type in www.thefreekick.com the first thing I see is “Who are we? And what do we do?”
Once that is sorted, and if your serious about getting more people on the site a guerilla marketing campaign is needed. Stickers in toilet cublicles and that kind of thing, anyone who was in UCD in the last few years will know how successful this can be, just look at the Pat Paterson mania that swept the university, and I know how small that started out and with no marketing spend. Might want to get someone in the various colleges with journalism courses to put stickers encouraging budding sports journalists to give it a go. The only way you will get people to keep coming back is with new articles on a regular basis, ideally one a day.
Also, unfortunatley, if the site is to go more mainstream, Ball Ox’s racist posts will have to be toned down.
Right, good stuff BT. I’ll try and get the front page sorted and then look into the guerilla marketing.
One thing I thought was a great idea from a crowd called soccerlotto was a small business card that they handed out before Ireland games detailing the fixtures list for the euro qualifiers, I’ve kept mine in my wallet ever since anyway, very handy. Stickers would cost f**k all to get printed up. Everytime you are out somewhere stick a few up, everyone knows the old ways of marketing are dead anyway.
Good stuff again BT.
BT - your thoughts please: (or anyone else)
I’ve put a news item on the point behind thefreekick.com on the main page as the first article. The problem is it doesn’t look like a separate section so might not be read by many people.
Second issue is that it moves the sports articles down out of sight - “below the fold” as they say in the business I believe.
So I reckon I might just write a very short “about us” section and put it in the top right - where the search bar is now and move the search bar to the right hand side below the ads or somewhere - it’s a useful feature in the future maybe, but hardly that important now. That still leaves articles on the main page.
I think it’s crucial that we get articles up there on a regular basis, at least once a day. So that’s my New Year’s Resolution. Get one new article on the website every day.
Was just thinking Rocko, not sure if this is possible, but if the only information on the homepage i.e. www.thefreekick.com was “about us” and you had to click to enter to get to the current homepage, I think it would be easier to for the average surfer to “get” the website. As it is, I think the first time visitor is being hit with alot of text, whilst this would be ok on a regular sports site as everybody knows it is just providing news on up to the minute basis I think it’s a little confusing as this website is a bit different. Not sure if all that is possible though.
Also might be a good idea to emphasise on the welcome page that the mission is to get at least one new article a day on the site - this I believe is needed to get repeat business/hits. Any student journalist with a bit of ambition would surely love to have their work read and commented on so I think it is possible to get one article a day.
Thanks again BT - appreciate the advice.
On the first point - it’s certainly easy to do but it has two big disadvantages:
People don’t like extra clicking so won’t want to go through an extra page. Particularly on a slow connection it can make a huge difference.
People will just remember the link to the second page in their history of the browser and will click straight to that, meaning the name www.thefreekick.com means less to them.
I do thik there’s a lot of text on the main page though so I’ll look at tidying it up into sections or something over the weekend. And I agree that the site needs explaining.
On the second point I’ll put that out there anyway once I get the main page redesigned.
Thanks.
Being a new user, I get the forum, but not sure what the home page is all about and thats what you are first met with when you reach TFK.com. It has the feel of an out of date website?
Should you not have the forum as a more prominent part on the homepage or alternatively a more keenly updated homepage.
Just saying…
You’d be better off concentrating on your own game for now Scrunchie. This place was fine before you and will be fine after you.
[quote=“Rocko, post: 20503”]
You’d be better off concentrating on your own game for now Scrunchie. This place was fine before you and will be fine after you.[/quote]
[quote=“farmerinthecity, post: 20494”]
I am not saying Ronaldo hasn’t contributed (12 goals is 12 goals) but he still lacks an awful lot imo. He is nowhere near the best in the world or will ever be[/quote]
Saw that too ClarkeyCat, and that hot on the heels of the resurrection of the thread where Farmer declares his undying love & respect for Quinn.
[quote=“Scrunchie, post: 20502, member: 1408”]Being a new user, I get the forum, but not sure what the home page is all about and thats what you are first met with when you reach TFK.com. It has the feel of an out of date website?
Should you not have the forum as a more prominent part on the homepage or alternatively a more keenly updated homepage.
Just saying…[/quote]
Thanks for taking note of this early suggestion Rocko.