| Author | Message | ||
     Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 378 Registered: 05-2005 |
Someone had to start it... and it might as well be someone who's going to be there. So, who'll win? I'm going to go way out on a limb and suggest (wait for it) Brazil. Or maybe Argentina. In a bit of shameless self-promotion, here's a link to an article I wrote for yesterday's Irish Times about the Australian team. It's free to access as it is in the World Cup section of the site. http://www.ireland.com/sports/soccer/worldcup2006/supplement/socceroos.htm | ||
| abigail law Member Username: Abigail Post Number: 76 Registered: 06-2005 |
heart says england head says brazil, argentina or italy | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 478 Registered: 05-2005 |
I will be supporting every team that plays England - see below for reason  I will also be supporting Japan and Poland because they have Celtic players in their squads, and the Czech Republic on the back of my recent visit to Prague. I think Brazil will actually win the World Cup. Shock teams will be Ghana and Ivory Coast. Holland, Germany and Argentina will be there or there abouts. I will be trying my best to avoid listening to the xenophobic, bordering on racist comments which will be spouted by the "experts" and commentators on the BBC and ITV. Hopefully the last statement does not cause any offence to any English people on this board,I have absolutely no problem with English people whatsoever, but honestly you ought to be "outside looking in" at some of the biased media coverage - it beggars belief at times. | ||
| Andrew Kerr Member Username: Andrew_k Post Number: 80 Registered: 04-2005 |
With you 100% Kevin. Always good fun, playing the 'how much of the match will go by before 1966 is mentioned' game. Especially when the match does not even feature England. I am hopelessly out of touch now with football, but a hat-trick from Larsson (is he still in the national squad?) against England would be a wonderful thing. On this topic (or should that be deep-fried Mars bar) look at the 3 June posting http://www.kevinwilliamson.blogspot.com/ | ||
| Jerry Clark Member Username: Jerry Post Number: 313 Registered: 08-2004 |
Andrew, that's exactly why we should win. So we can hark about another trophy for forty years. Portugal are a good bet, or Spain could get their stuff together. Brazil & Argentina usually struggle in Europe, so here's hoping. | ||
| jerry hann Member Username: Jerry_h Post Number: 149 Registered: 07-2005 |
There is so much hype re England and I'm English.Hopefully I'll have to eat my words but I'll say it. It will be just like all ther other times misery and disappointment.I'm not going to get into this partisan stuff too much about the rivalry with scotland etc. Previously I've always liked ireland and their spirit,but I thing Germany may do well (home country etc). | ||
| C Gull Member Username: C_gull Post Number: 32 Registered: 05-2005 |
How about Ukraine as dark horse at 66-1? Teams with a strong sense of national pride tend to do well plus a world class striker in Shevchenko. Looks like an easy group, then one of the teams from France's group , a penalty shoot out win and hey presto they are in the last eight. 'Anything' as they say is possible from there. I'll say it now and may have to eat my words but really don't fancy the Aussies to do anything - I think they are in a tough group and could lose all three games. In these tournaments the defence tends to be more important than the attack (look at Greece in 2004) and I just don't see any quality there. Looking foirward to the huge anticlimax tomorrow after we draw with Paraguay. Nice place btw anyone else been there? | ||
| abigail law Member Username: Abigail Post Number: 77 Registered: 06-2005 |
the trouble with the old england/scotland rivalry is that it doesn't exist any more. it may still be a big deal in scotland, where the football hasn't improved much since the early eighties, but it's not such a big deal in england. we've moved on. our rivals are germany, brazil, argentina, france. scotland's are wales, cyprus and the faroe islands. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 481 Registered: 05-2005 |
Abigail, you are missing my point ( I cant speak for Andrew), I dont even support Scotland, so its not a rivallry thing for me. Being a Celtic supporter my team would be The Republic of Ireland, well if guys with Irish Grannys can play for them, people like me (and there are lots in Scotland) can support them due to Irish heritage. I dont want to get bogged down in the politics, but Scotland is a crazy country. Because Celtic were founded by immigrant Irish, its followers are from a predominantly Irish background, and tend to support R.O.I. I'm generalising a bit here but Celtics rivals Rangers have through time graduated from supporting Scotland to supporting England. I believe this is because it gets up the noses of Celtic supporters due to Ango-Irish political issues etc. Most Scotland supporters these days are from the north of the country. Anyway, I digress, the reason I dont want England to succeed is purely so we dont have another 40 years of "66 and all that" rammed down the throats of the people of Scotland Ireland and Wales. You may see the teams you mention as Englands rivals, I would suggest they see each other as their rivals and would choose to play England any time, knowing that if all else fails during the match they were a stick on to beat them on penalties !! Anyway, I think if England cant beat Paraguy they are in big trouble, they will beat T and T but they havent beaten Sweden for 38 years. Land of Hype and Glory | ||
| Andrew Kerr Member Username: Andrew_k Post Number: 81 Registered: 04-2005 |
Andrew speaking for himself! In the end my desire for England to fail in the World Cup has got nothing to do with football, but the larger picture of cultural imperialism. And politics. The old rivalry exists in lots of other forms: I have met so many English people who have trotted out the old 'jock' stereotypes and have never even been to Scotland. And a media that still thinks England=Britain. And don't get me started on the 1980s, Thatcher and the Poll Tax! PS My mum is English. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 482 Registered: 05-2005 |
Anyway, back to the football and Padraigs excellent article. Jeez Padraig, I was unaware of all the politics going on with the 3 players of Croat extraction. The Croatia VS Australia game is one that I might have watched if I had nothing better to do, but after the picture that Padraig paints this could make USA vs Iraq seem like a schoolboy kickabout. The Aussie's are in a tough group and I think they will finish bottom, however they do have one of the best coaches (Hiddink) in the tournament so you never know. I predict Japan to finish second to Brazil in this group. There is a guy who plays for Celtic called Shunsuke Nakamura and he is one of the most gifted players I have ever seen, however he is not even one of the main stars in the Japan team which leads me to believe they must be a hell of a team. They also drew 2-2 with Germany recently. The tourney got off to a great start with Germany vs Costa Rica, hopefully this sets the tone for the rest of the competition with the great goals scored in that game - and what about the crazy new balls, I think we will see some belting goals scored with these babys Just a few hours till England play - Come on Paraguay!! | ||
| fsh Member Username: Fsh Post Number: 77 Registered: 05-2005 |
A friend advised me to book a holiday in Lanzarote this week as all the English hooligans had left for the World Cup in Germany. The problem is that I don't know how long to book for as I don't follow soccer. So could anyone on the board tell me - when is the first round over? | ||
| Jerry Clark Member Username: Jerry Post Number: 315 Registered: 08-2004 |
The last 1st round games are 23rd June. But you're deluding yourself if you think there won't be any English twats there. | ||
| jerry hann Member Username: Jerry_h Post Number: 158 Registered: 07-2005 |
fsh why not go to France.I am off there next week and usually no riff-raff or to that matter the german equivalent | ||
| B. Rider Member Username: Boundary_rider Post Number: 28 Registered: 05-2005 |
Hmm, I'm afraid despite hating Mrs Thatcher, the Poll Tax, New Labour, the War in Iraq and numerous other crimes, that I'm English and want my country to win. I'd suggest it is only our awful media that harks back to 1966 all the time; haven't heard one other English football fan mention it; nor do we all fall for the hype and hoopla. Think it's a common, if understandable, failing to confuse the rabble-rousing of our press with the attitude of the decent majority who simply want to see out team play well and go as far as their potential suggests. What bothers and puzzles me most is the self-loathing that inevitably accompanies our exit from these tourmanents, as if our failure is some manifestation of national decline. All very masochistic. I've been impressed with most of the games so far. Of the big guns, only England and France have been below par - Brazil were average, and Ronaldo was hilariously fat. Think the Argies might win it meself. Australia did themselves proud; quite a few fans out there. Gonna be a bugger getting served in a London bar until they get knocked out but... FSH, given that most of the England fans out in Germany are middle-class lads, the quiet place to go would be Tuscany. What's left of the hooligan element - not much admittedly - is watching it on big screens in city centres; or they were until they started throwing bottles and they got closed down. | ||
| Geoff Holmes Member Username: Geoff Post Number: 143 Registered: 05-2005 |
Since this is a site dedicated to an erstwhile Australian group, I just thought I'd mention the Socceroos 8 minute demolition of the Japanese at the end of the first game - 3/1!!!! Brazil will of course be another matter entirely....... | ||
| Duncan Hurwood Member Username: Duncan_h Post Number: 46 Registered: 05-2005 |
I sympathise with those who have a problem with the British media being obsessed with the England team. It must be a constant pain for those who have no interest in England doing well. I also find the constant attempts to get money out of England supporters by printing the flag on virtually anything just as annoying. Having said that, I am England supporter, and I really hope we can do well today against T&T. While the 'media' tend to be stupidly optimistic, almost ever other fan I know is pessimistic about our chances. If you look back at the last five or so World Cups there have only been a couple of games when England have actually played well, and soundly beaten another team. I hoping today can be another one of those... | ||
| abigail law Member Username: Abigail Post Number: 78 Registered: 06-2005 |
geoff - cahill should have been off for that blatant penalty before he scored his second. four years ago south korea had a lucky/suspiciously good run with a certain mr g. hiddink managing, what are the odd of it happening again? as for the england team I, for better or worse, am english. i despise our press and government and all it stands for as much as any other sane person but this doesn't affect me wanting us to do well in the world cup. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 490 Registered: 05-2005 |
Come in Padraig..... Give us a flavour of what its like out there. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 379 Registered: 05-2005 |
Test to see if I can remember my password. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 380 Registered: 05-2005 |
Yeah I do. Gladly Kevin. I've been having a great time in Frankfurt (where I was at the excellent Korea v Togo) game and then afterwards in Stuttgart where I have been watching the games with expat Irish; Scots; Americans; English and some Germans. (I know that is an incorrect use of semi-colons; but I can't find the comma key on this German internet cafe keyboaard!). I am in Augsburg now as I could not get accomodation in Munich. I wish I'd tried a little harder - Augsburg is hardly a cosmopolitan mecca. There was a great atmosphere at the Korea v Togo game. About half the stadium were Koreans which is some amazing turnout. Where they congregated together they were standing as if they were on old-style terraces. Quite fanatic; which is lovely to see. There were not many Togans there; but all the neutrals were supporting them. I went to the stadium in Stuttgart yesterday to try to get a ticket for the Holland v Cote d'Ivoire game but no joy. Some bloke offered me on for 300 euro; but it was not that important to me. The atmosphere in the city centre was great. The Dutch took over the place. I tried to buy a Cote d'Ivoire flag as it is the same as the Irish flag except in reverse order. All the flags were gone though - the Germans had bought them all to taunt their fierce Dutch rivals! I spent an hour each in two record shops in Stuttgart yesterday but each time left without any purchases as they did not accept visa card. I found this very odd indeed as I don`t like to carry too much cash with me. Future visitors to Germany be warned - your visa card will not buy you records. I have a ticket for the Australia v Brazil game tomorrow; which is of course now taking on legendary proportions after the Cahill-fest against Japan the other day. I watched it in a supposed-Aussie bar in Dublin. I said to someone at halftime that they had to bring on Cahill and Kennedy. So glad my football instincts were good! By the way Kevin; how did that humble pie taste after your prediction that Australia would finish bottom?! I also have a ticket for the Trinidad and Tobago v Paraguay game on Tuesday; a match that is still very much alive thanks to T&T getting a point against Sweden. I will be wearing my Sydney FC jersey to that game as Sydney captain Dwight Yorke is also T&T's captain. The trains are bloody expensive here, (hey, I just found the comma key) but they get me to where I need to go so that's OK. At least I can pay for them with visa card. More some other day. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 381 Registered: 05-2005 |
Oh, I can't get over how many Germans smoke. I would have expected Germany to be very anti-smoking, but it seems to be the rule rather than the exception. I hate smoking and thought that Germany, like Ireland would have banned smoking in pubs. It isn't helping the cold I picked up on the flight to Frankfurt. Oh well, at least the beer is good. | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 438 Registered: 03-2005 |
Padraig, I am so jealous of your trip. I don't even follow soccer but it sounds so much fun. Btw, I usually take both Visa and Mastercard with me just in case somebody accepts one and not the other. And I hit the cash machines a lot. But maybe with all those soccer hooligans around, that's not practical! I visited my car mechanic on Monday. He's Italian and I ended up watching the entire Italy v. Ghana game with him. It was pretty silly the way the Italian players would ham up their "injuries" when they tangled with the Ghanaian players only to be back on the field a few minutes later. Is there usually a lot of theater to this sport, or is that just the campy Italians? If I wasn't with my mechanic, I'd have been cheering Ghana. I like underdogs. They lost. I thought only americans were anti-smoking. | ||
| andreas Member Username: Andreas Post Number: 45 Registered: 04-2006 |
padraig, you're right. the beer is excellent. regarding the smoking. i do not smoke, but really a lot of germans do so. a few days ago the german government lost their law suit with the european court concerning the smoke-advertisement in papers and tv and so on. that could be the start that public smoking in germany could be limited also fine to read that the atmosphere in stuttgart was great. i was born in this area where the stadium is located. but in berlin the atmosphere is great, too. today i went with my family to the 'worldcup-fan mile'. we watched a little bit of iran against portugal and enjoyed this special flavour of 'peace, love and understanding' which hover over the city and seemingly over the whole country. that's great, because in the run-up to the worldcup happened a lot of shit like racism and those fucking neo-nazis ruled really some locations. hope that the positive atmosphere will last even when the germans maybe loose a game in the finals. many greetings to all andreas | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 382 Registered: 05-2005 |
Had to go back online to boost my mobile phone sim card as somehow I´ve ripped right through 20 euros in a few days by sending texts and receiving one call from Australia. I need to be able to send some texts from the game this evening. Randy, my work card is a mastercard, but the shops don´t seem to take that either. Did you watch USA play Italy last night? You should be proud, USA did very well. Other things I like about Germany are the sausages - bratwurst and currywurst are both excellent! | ||
| andreas Member Username: Andreas Post Number: 46 Registered: 04-2006 |
''bratwurst and currywurst are both excellent!'' yeah padraig, and fit perfect to the german beer. the only problem is you will become fatter and fatter..... in nearly two hours brazil - australia begins. i hope that austarlia will beat brazil. my heart is (nearly) always with the so called underdogs. did anyone saw yesterday that usa - italia game. crazy game it was. despite that i normally like italia i was a little bit dissapointed that usa didn't won the game. they played with heart and soul. padraig, to pay with mastercard and with visa is normally no problem in germany, but surely you can't buy a 'bratwurst' and a beer with this cards :-) | ||
| andreas Member Username: Andreas Post Number: 48 Registered: 04-2006 |
what a pity! australia lost. undeserved. they played with a lot of passion, but had no fortune. brazil looks like a team which plays dissapointing, but have the luck which those have who are on the top. | ||
| andreas Member Username: Andreas Post Number: 49 Registered: 04-2006 |
by the way: padraig don't only eat that bratwurst and currywurst stuff. there is much better food to have. especially the swabian kitchen offers a lot of fine meal. spätzle and maultaschen for example. you have to try it. but as i don't know where you are now, also the other regional kitchen are worth to try. | ||
| andreas Member Username: Andreas Post Number: 56 Registered: 04-2006 |
today was the day german played. they done it well and i ate a bratwurst and drank a 'weissbier' or 'weizen'. but i don't want to chnage the world cup thread into a favourite meal thread. yeah, germany isn't the bad team as some journalists and a lot of the 'bayern münchen' managers thought. they just don't like the coach, jürgen klinsmann because he renewed a lot in the national team and around. now i am curious who will be the combatants: england, sweden, trinidad/tobago or paraguay? i think i have to go to and watch. goodnight folks, whereever you are. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 384 Registered: 05-2005 |
I love Augsburg, what a beautiful little city. I was at the Trinidad and Tobago v Paraguay match in Kaiserslautern last night. Rarely have I seen the team who were by far the best lose 2-0. T&T did not deserve that. I barely made the train last night back to Saarbrucken as I stupidly got on a bus thinking it would take me to the train station. Instead it took me to a car park more than 20ks outside the city! I got another bus back and then ran through Kaiserslautern for 10 minutes to get the last train. Just made it. All very exciting. Tonight I fly to Dublin but I will be sorry to leave Germany. I've had a great time. I love your pastries as well as your sausages! Andreas, I was getting fatter and fatter, but I burned off a lot of calories running through Kaiserslautern last night! I think Argentina will win the World Cup. I wonder if England will go out on penalties to Equador or in the next round after that?! | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 467 Registered: 05-2005 |
Scotland always get slagged off for having a less than satisfactory football squad, but last night, if Ally McLoud had been watching he'd of laughed his socks off, England were beyond a joke, what a biunch of prima donas... | ||
| Geoff Holmes Member Username: Geoff Post Number: 150 Registered: 05-2005 |
Australia 2 all verses Croatia. Australia through to the last 16!!!! The impossible has happened. It's like the USA beating us at cricket! Australia didn't play that well and seemed fazed by the Croatian attack at times. We meet Italy on Monday, but that will be another matter entirely...We will need more than luck! | ||
| Cichli Suite Member Username: Cichli_suite Post Number: 122 Registered: 08-2004 |
Hi, my wife and I have gone down to the local bars in our small Italian town to support the Socceroos for each game. We're the only two Aussie supporters in town (actually, I'm an Aussie only by marriage), I think, and it was hard to find a place willing to show the game last night. Italians were still celebrating their win over the Czechs and seemed only interested in revelling in the goal fest promised by the Brazil-Japan match. There's also a significant population of Brazilians here so the bar owners were catering to them. After wandering around for an hour, we eventually found a bar with a few friendly Croats waiting in anticipation. And what a game it was - the most exciting of the tournament so far, in my opinion. I have to say that I've been really proud and chuffed to wear the Socceroo colours. The team has played with so much heart and conviction. This is something they have over the Italian squad. I reckon the socceroos could do it on Monday night. However, I am not sure we are brave enough to venture into town that night! | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 471 Registered: 05-2005 |
Go Geoff Go!!!!! | ||
| andreas Member Username: Andreas Post Number: 63 Registered: 04-2006 |
england does it. but unconceiving. argentinia done it with a lot of effort. it seems that our boys will have a good chance. yeah, and germany versus argentina. hope this game could live up to its promise. tonight netherland - portugal. i am curious who will make it. whole germany seems to be in a world cup flush. yesterday my family and me where at a 'open air football/soccer watching' (or whatever this is called in english). what a atmosphere, a big game (at least until the first half of the game) and a lot of nice people. this kind of patriotism what happens now is o.k., even when to me it is still a little bit strange and with an strange feeling in my stomach to hear germans yelling 'deutschland' and 'sieg' or similar. something more strange is that the german government decides tax raising and a lot of social incisions - and due to the worldcup enthusiasm no one seems to be interesting about that. germany at one football/soccer country. | ||
| C Suabo Member Username: Chet Post Number: 5 Registered: 04-2006 |
Being a massive football fan, I was quite happy to get a job in Germany this year. Compared to other World Cups I've been to, this is by far the most intense atmosphere. Tickets are impossible to get. Through work connections, I managed to see Ukraine vs. Spain in Leipzig. THe game sucked. Padraig, regarding smoking. It is intense here. They have cigarette machines on street corners every two blocks or so. I reckon 60 % of adults smoke. Coming from Canada, it feels like turning the clock back 20 years. But then, things are quite puritanical back across the pond. Predictions.....Aussies will take Italy at least to extra time, England won't go any further and Germany probaly won't either | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 385 Registered: 05-2005 |
Well done on England winning. I was on the phone to my sister earlier and she politely reminded me that her husband and children are English! Go the Socceroos tomorrow night! We can do it. I was watching the Croatia game (which, as Cichli correctly pointed out was game of the tournament so far) in my brother's bar the other night while wearing my Australia jersey. Two Italian kids there said to me afterwards "We play you next". I said "You'll probably win", but they looked surprised that I said that. The three first round games went exactly as I predicted. I should have had a bet. Damn me and my sensibilities. | ||
| C Gull Member Username: C_gull Post Number: 33 Registered: 05-2005 |
Just back from Germany - what a fantastic weekend. Well done to the Germans for organising a superb party. Spent two nights in Nurnberg and two in Heidleberg managing to get to the US - Ghana and Spain-Saudi games. Loads of great memories- couldn't believe the passion of the US fans - I just about wanted them to win by the end. Nurnberg - what a wonderful city. After watching the England game in a bar ('nuf said - but would rather play badly and still be there than be on our way home) went to the Oranjefest to watch the Holland - Portugal game on big screens. City square, hot night, cold beer, surrounded by thousands of fans, 4 sendings off - what a great night!! So much colour, so many people from all over the world - by far the best tournament I've been to on all fronts. If you still get a chance then go! | ||
| julia motzko Member Username: Julia Post Number: 23 Registered: 05-2005 |
oh my god, this World Cup gets more and more dramatic with each game! first the extra time with Argentina and Mexico, then this war-like battle between Portugal and the Netherlands, and now Totti's penalty kick seconds away from the final whistle...just about avoiding the extra time! such a suspense-packed match, Italy with only 10 players, Australia with quite a few good chances...!! I'm sorry for all of you Australians on this board, but hey, for a rugby/cricket playing country, and with football still young over there...you (and Switzerland) will get to the top soon enough! | ||
| fsh Member Username: Fsh Post Number: 78 Registered: 05-2005 |
The inscrutable Sven has confounded us again. Now if he actually knew what he was doing himself ... that would be quite something. | ||
| Jerry Clark Member Username: Jerry Post Number: 319 Registered: 08-2004 |
As an Englishman it was strange to be cheerng on Australia in a sporting event. They didn't deserve to lose, that way, but didn't play well enough to win. I fear the best game has already been played, Mexico v Argentina was everything the world cup is about, passion, blinding skill, bravery & the best goal since Joe Cole's. | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 475 Registered: 05-2005 |
Jerry I was exact;y the same!!!!!! Poor Australia, they battled so well, actually I think they really deserved to win, they also played a much more exciting game than any of England's matches, there was no way that was a penalty. real shame...ho hum, I'm a Scotland supporter so we all know about defeat in the World Cup! | ||
| Peter Collins Member Username: Tyroneshoelaces Post Number: 115 Registered: 05-2005 |
Although I understand why it happens, I find the knee-jerk anti-Englishness on here very disappointing. I think if I characterised the Italian people as cynical cheats or the French as 'cheese-eating surrender monkeys', I would rightly be castigated. Please don't judge us all by excesses of the tabloid media. And, yes, there are still too many mindless idiots who follow our national team around, but it is getting better and better as years go by - there was never going to be an overnight solution. I know from personal experience that most England supporters are as pessimistic as the rest, don't believe the hype and understand that anything better than the quarter finals would be about as good as it gets - the way the team performed hasn't surprised most of us, and we are grateful to still be in despite the fact we've been poor. The one thing I would say about England is that, in our own gormless and tactics-free way, we have generally gone out to win games. I really didn't understand the way Ecuador played against us. To some extent we were there for the taking, but they had this 'glad to be here' kind of attitude that totally lacked ambition. Contrast that with the fantastic attitude of the Mexicans who, faced with an opposition superior on paper, set about giving the Argentinians a proper game and almost prospered. Ghana did the same yesterday and should really have got more out of the game with Brazil than they did. Please rest assured that most English people will accept our inevitable demise with resignation, another beer and a quick glance at the fixtures for the next domestic season. Padraig - thanks for your updates on your trip. Glad you had an excellent time, mate. | ||
| Peter Collins Member Username: Tyroneshoelaces Post Number: 116 Registered: 05-2005 |
I might add that the first world cup-related violence I heard about this time involved a seven year-old kid in Scotland who was wearing an England shirt being hit around the head by a Scottish thug (an adult) wearing a Rangers shirt. He then apparently hit the boy's dad for having the temerity to suggest the guy should stop. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 386 Registered: 05-2005 |
Well said Peter. I think you will hammer Portugal at the weekend. I fly back to Sydney tomorrow, sated from attending a fantastic World Cup and catching up with family and friends in Ireland; but delighted to be going back too as I miss my girls so much. The Portugal v Holland game was the most extraordinary game of football I have ever seen. It was like trench warfare. I will remember it forever. | ||
| Peter Collins Member Username: Tyroneshoelaces Post Number: 117 Registered: 05-2005 |
I think Portugal will beat us, Pádraig, but as long as we put up a fight, fine. The Portugal Holland game was amazing - and I'm not sure all the criticism of the referee was warranted. He could certainly have sent off more players and, let's face it, when you've got 22 players diving into the tackles and playacting, I'm not sure anyone in the world could have refereed that. Fair play to the Argentinians and the Mexicans - yes, there were a few dives and a couple of dodgy refereeing calls, but it was about as fair as you can expect these days - and what a winning goal. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 497 Registered: 05-2005 |
Can you have a knee jerk reaction thats lasted,in my case, 30 years I'm glad to see the commentators/pundits on both BBC and ITV havent let me down, they have been a disgrace,if I was English I would be embarrased by them. Honourable exceptions go to Alan Curbishley and David Pleat. Motson has lost the plot, Tildsley and Drury on ITV commentate in the lowest common denominator way you would expect from that excuse for a TV channel, patronising the African nations in particular. And as for Ian Wright, dont get me started! If England win it,it will be a tragedy for lovers of purist football on a scale with the "stuffy but organised" Greeks winning the last Euro Championships. Maybe its the island mentality that afflicts those media bufoons, but they sure as hell hack me and many others off. And another thing, the safest most boring manager in world fottball gets a salary of 5million pounds a year, and tactical geniuses like Hiddink probably get a comparative pittance for managing teams with less talented players than the self appointed English superstars. When England come up against the good teams that are left, be it Portugal, France, Brazil or Argentina they will not be able to rely on Beckham set pieces to bail them out like they did against those footballing lightweights Paraguay and Ecuador, in fact they may be on the wrong end of an embarrasing defeat if they catch Brazil on a good day. | ||
| Jerry Clark Member Username: Jerry Post Number: 320 Registered: 08-2004 |
Come on, rivalry is what football is all about. If it was a kick about in the park, it's not worth a second thought, but all the history, politics & sport becomes a feature in the big World Cup matches. But Kevin, Ireland have rarely played the most beautiful of games, which as you know is not a requirement even at the highest level. Could you honestly say if Ireland won the World Cup, using Jack Charlton's kick & rush technique, they wouldn't deserve it? You'd be on an unbelievable rush from it & you wouldn't give a shit which team 'should' have won. | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 484 Registered: 05-2005 |
Interesting debate fellas! I have been consistently bored by the whole affair! | ||
| Peter Collins Member Username: Tyroneshoelaces Post Number: 119 Registered: 05-2005 |
Rivalry is fine. Painting us all as arrogant xenophobes is not. That's all. I want England to win, but it doesn't mean I support, say, slavery, colonialism, highland clearances, deliberately engineered famine, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Eton, the Black & Tans, taxes on tea or anything else I'm supposed to be to blame for. As for Eriksson's remuneration, and the players' for that matter, it reflects not so much his and their worth as the fact that the game in this country is awash with Sky money and his and their agents are milking it for all it's worth. | ||
| B. Rider Member Username: Boundary_rider Post Number: 31 Registered: 05-2005 |
You're spot on Peter. Almost every England fan I know is fatalistic; we just know it's going to end in heartbreak. On penalties. We're the most pessimistic fans on the planet. At least the ones with any memories are. Ecuador were shocking, namely in that all they did was try and stifle England. They never even tried to play until England scored and when they did, funnily enough, England looked a lot better. Henry from France has spoken how difficult it is to play against and break down teams who seek only to stop you playing, hence their travails. That said we've been poor and I can't deny that. Hopefully better opposition will being better performances. It has to or we're out. Not sure you have digital TV Kevin, and depending on your views about Alan Green, but at the press of a button you can choose Five Live's commentary instead and save yourself from TV drongos, though Martin O'Neil is good. Wish he was Sven's successor. As for the inscrutable one, yes he's overpaid and overrated, and gives the impression of not knowing his arse from his elbow, but I think you'll find loyal old Hiddink has just stuck two fingers up at the Footballeroos and knacked off to Russia to take Mr Abramovich's rouble. He's no less a mercenary than Sven. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 499 Registered: 05-2005 |
Peter, I absolve you from all blame for the Highland clearances Nobody in their right mind would advocate "Painting us all as arrogant xenophobes...", who is suggesting that? The truth is England are the equivalent of Newcastle. A reasonably big team who have won things , but probably wont again in the future. The real super powers are Argentina, Brazil, Italy, Germany and France. The fans know this, the English media patently do not, or at least will not admit it and paint this scenario where England can compete with these nations. Come on Portugal!! | ||
| Peter Collins Member Username: Tyroneshoelaces Post Number: 120 Registered: 05-2005 |
Whatever, Kevin. I think that makes Scotland the equivalent of MK Dons. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 500 Registered: 05-2005 |
Peter, I care as much for Scotland as I do for Glasgow Rangers, and James Blunt. You really shouldnt let this get to you. | ||
| Jonathan Evans Member Username: Jon Post Number: 22 Registered: 04-2005 |
I don't care too much for England (Being English you wouldn't would you). As long as the Liverpool players (for which country), play well I'm happy (until they get injured that is). At least now we've got to the stage that most teams can play a bit. Cheers Jon | ||
| B. Rider Member Username: Boundary_rider Post Number: 32 Registered: 05-2005 |
I'm a red too Jon, and one of the most infuriating things is standing watching a game in a pub hearing some fat knobhead calling Crouch a freak when I've some him play people off the park all year for Liverpool. The second most infuriating thing is dealing with the constant 'I hate England, their media are terrible, the coach is overpaid fool, the fans are racist thugs.' Then you hear these people are following Spain, with theirt overtly racist manager and monkey-chanting fans. It gets very wearisome, and it happens every two years without fail, and it's boring, which is why, Kevin, it gets to some of us after a while. | ||
| XY765 Member Username: Judge Post Number: 67 Registered: 01-2006 |
I don't hate England nor do I think their fans are racist thugs, I just want them knocked out because they're playing football nearly as boring as Ireland under Jack Charlton. I took a break from painting the ceilings in my house last Sunday to watch the England V Ecuador game and I think it would have been more interesting to watch the paint dry... I think today's Argentina V Germany game could be one of the games of the tournament, pity one of them has to go out at this stage. | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 450 Registered: 03-2005 |
Spence, are you familiar with the Bonzo Dog Band? On their "Keynsham" album they do a song called "Sport." The chorus features Vivian Stanshall in his best stentorian public school voice intoning: "Sport, sport, masculine sport Prepares a young man for society Yes, sport, sport's a jolly good sort It's an odd boy who doesn't like sport." Books and music geek that I am, this song came in very handy for me through my later school years. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 501 Registered: 05-2005 |
I think Jonathan is closest to hitting the nail on the head here. I think if you care deeply for a club side (I'm Celtic, he's Liverpool) then you dont really care too hoots for your national team. Which perhaps leaves (and I'm generalising here, sorry) the racists, nationalists, patronising fools to support the national team. Its clear that Peter is not one of the aforementioned, he just wants his country to win and fair enough. XY765 then made another extremely valid point about the quality of football played by England. They have been abysmal, struggling to overcome pretty mediocre teams so far. Believe me, if England played attractive, fast, free flowing football I would have no qualms about them winning the tournament. I always want the best team to win (except Rangers of course ). B. Rider - 'I hate England, their media are terrible, the coach is overpaid fool, the fans are racist thugs.' - is there anything there you can defend as blatantly untrue, or has been true in the past(especially thug fans)? Remember also, its not so long since John Barnes' every touch was booed by England 'fans' which is incredible given how talented he was, but then again he was probably keeping some talentless no mark white guy out of the side. I want Portugal to beat England because they are better to watch, they same applies when/if England play Brazil or Argentina. The only exception I might make for this tournament is that the French are not much better than England, but I don't think they will meet each other in the semis anyway. | ||
| B. Rider Member Username: Boundary_rider Post Number: 33 Registered: 05-2005 |
No, I agree with all that Kevin, apart from the racist fans, because, as you indicate with the Barnes example from the dark days, much has changed now and that is to be welcomed. English football has done much to clean its act up on and off the pitch. Still a lot to do. But that's by the by, not the reason i mentioned it. It seems people will always find a new reason to hate the English football team, regardless of how many of their arguments you shoot down. This time it seems to be the unattractive football one, which has the merit of at least being based on what the players are doing, not the bloody awful journalists or whoever. Not sure you can expect England to play like Brazil though: that sort of thing is ingrained in your soul. Brazil has sand, samba and sexy football; we have mud, blood and rock hard balls. And with respect, the club thing don't wash. I watch Liverpool week in, week out, and while I wouldn't celebrate it like I did that night in Istanbul, winning would still be good to experience. Sweeter if Coruch got the winner too. Most of my footballing going mates want them to win too, apart from Irish one...That is one heck of a generalisation by the way: a large swathe of the English public are racists, nationalists and patronising fools? Hmm. Think a more simpler explantion might be cos they want to support their country and see them do well. Tomorrow we'll know more. Me, I'm a typical English football follower. i.e I think we'll lose. Tears in beers by six. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 502 Registered: 05-2005 |
B.Rider, why do people always find new reasons to hate England? I wish I knew the answer to that one, but they sure as hell always try. Lets face it, you could understand it if it was a jealousy thing, ie they were a very good side. but you dont need me to tell you they arent. Nothing to do with football, but heres a little insight for you. On many travels abroad I have been asked if I am English, only to be met with broad smiles when I say I am from Scotland. Heres another generalisation for you to ponder, I think other countries put up with (a minority) of English people whereas they truly welcome Scots and Irish. And with respect, the club thing does wash, certainly where I come from. I also gather Man U fans are not particularly patriotic, stemming from the hounding that Beckham took after France 98. That last sentence damns your country more than I ever could, he was treated like a leper for being sent off, incredible!! | ||
| B. Rider Member Username: Boundary_rider Post Number: 34 Registered: 05-2005 |
This is a discussion of English football, not England itself surely.? I was talking about people finding reasons to hate the English football team, not the English race. And how boring it is to be accused of being some flag-waving zealot when all you want to do is to support your team, regardless of how well they play, a little like supporting your club in that regard. I'm not going to go into the view of the English abroad, other than you can start a conversation in the wilds of Mongolia about English football, just mention Beckham or Man Utd or Liverpool and you're away. Not sure Scottish football has the same ability to break down boundaries. The scots and Irish are welcomed I'm sure, but probably only because they walk and talk funny and have strange dietary habits. It's an anthropological thing. ;) Beckham was hounded by the tabloids and given ten tonnes of shit by opposing fans when he was sent off, as would any other player. This happens in other countries: Ginola for France when they failed to qualify for 94. Again, you confuse media cartoon with the reality: most people didn't give a flying fuck, the odd fake lynching aside. | ||
| B. Rider Member Username: Boundary_rider Post Number: 35 Registered: 05-2005 |
Have the Germans ever lost a penalty shoot-out since 1974? Take some stopping now. | ||
| Jonathan Evans Member Username: Jon Post Number: 23 Registered: 04-2005 |
Shame Argentina have gone home, they played some of the best football (not much today). How many of the teams this year wouldn't bring Messi on?.... Germany are getting stronger and stronger, having got rid of the best team in it (on current form), and with home support. Moving on tonight, Italy V Ukraine that could be another 120minute job. Cheers Jon | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 503 Registered: 05-2005 |
oh,oh. little englander alert! I'm joking of course. by the way, have you ever heard how people from liverpool,birmingham,devon etc talk? You ever tasted tripe, jellied eels? maybe you should ask Beckham if he felt most people didnt give a flying one. You've as much chance of finding a Celtic shirt in Mongolia as the others you mention, being a club founded for charitable reasons you will find Celtic shirts all over Africa and the sub continent as this charity continues to help orphaned kids etc and yes, the Czechs beat Germany on penalties to win the Euro Championships in 1976 | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 506 Registered: 05-2005 |
riots tonight involving England supporters in Gelsenchersen - who'd have thought it? | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 507 Registered: 05-2005 |
see, its not just me : ) http://www.keep-the-faith.net/ | ||
| Jerry Clark Member Username: Jerry Post Number: 323 Registered: 08-2004 |
Riots, hardly? Harmless fun to us. Kevin, although you aren't a Scotland fan. Would you admit the Scottish league system is a non-competetive joke & has had a seriously detrimental affect on the national game. I was also wondering if you felt any empathy with English players, like you, with Irish roots Gerrard, Rooney, Carragher & Hargeaves? As for Peter Crouch he learned his trade at the home of English footy & it shows. I'm off to sink some beers & start a fight! | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 508 Registered: 05-2005 |
Jerry, riots was how it was reported, however compared to some of the carnage of previous Engerlund tours it was probably a skirmish (not for the innocent passer bys though) The Scottish league does alright I think. For a nation of 5 million, compared to Englands 50 million, you would surely agree your league is not, and never has been 10 times better. Simplistic, I know, but if you look at the rest of the world I cant think of any small nation that has made a real impact, the best teams have always come from the larger nations popularity wise. As for the players, I like them all as individuals but when they pull on an English shirt, no thanks Enjoy the game, but not too much! | ||
| Cichli Suite Member Username: Cichli_suite Post Number: 123 Registered: 08-2004 |
Commiserations to the English fans here. I'm a Celtic fan and I've no trouble supporting England and I'm Irish to boot. I couldn't watch the game. The World Cup is mainly on Sky TV here in Italy. I followed a text commentary on the Web and it didn't seem like a great game. Sometimes I wish both teams would be sent home if after 120 minutes there hadn't been a few decent attempts on goal! Portugal will go no further. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 509 Registered: 05-2005 |
I'd be a liar if i said i was sorry england were out, but the harsh reality is that they hardly deserved to be in the 1/4s, they did little tonight to suggest they should have progressed further. its a tough way to go out, and lets hope rooney,lampard,gerrard and carragher are not the victims of a media witchhunt. the best news for england today is that the swedish buffoon has gone, although mclaren is not the answer unfortunately. lets now hope brazil vs france is a cracker- i predict 2-1 brazil | ||
| B. Rider Member Username: Boundary_rider Post Number: 36 Registered: 05-2005 |
We're no better than a quarter final team all said and done. No more no less. We had some great players in that team, and Sven never found a style or system that brought the best of out them. That's not to say the players don't bear some repsonsibility, but the bloke was being paid top dollar and he didn't deliver. Bugger. Double bugger. | ||
| Jerry Clark Member Username: Jerry Post Number: 324 Registered: 08-2004 |
Well as usual it was fun. At least we matched 'em. Regardless of how badly they played, they are at least as good as fifth in the world. Kevin, I'm somewhat sceptical about your opinion of the present Scottish league situation. Scotland had no problems qualifying for world cups up until 1994. The Rangers /Celtic domination thanks to foreign signings has made the premier league even more lop-sided & if not 10X worse than the English version, it's certainly heading that way. It's a shame because way back when Hibs/Hearts/Aberdeen & even Dundee Utd were up there & competing there was a healthy level of competition. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 512 Registered: 05-2005 |
hmm, Jerry not sure I follow your logic there. As good as Argentina, Holland, Czech Republic? Agree about the state of Scottish national team though, there has been a 10 + years wilderness period but the current crop of excellent youngsters suggest they could well peak for 2010, or 2012. And its Celtic/Rangers domination thank you very much | ||
| Jonathan Evans Member Username: Jon Post Number: 24 Registered: 04-2005 |
Is it the right time to say I've got Portugal in the office sweep......eerm come on portugal! Cheers Jon | ||
| Jerry Clark Member Username: Jerry Post Number: 325 Registered: 08-2004 |
That'd be blood money Jonathan. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 387 Registered: 05-2005 |
I was surprised how disappointed I was to see England go out. I was gutted for Gerard and, to a lesser extent, Carragher (I've been a Liverpool fan since I was 7-years-old). I really thought England had the beating of Portugal. I was back in Sydney for the game and jetlag meant I was awake for it. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 516 Registered: 05-2005 |
Unucky you Padraig, every England game had me falling asleep Its not often I agree with that old ditherer Sepp Blatter, but he was right in this instance- England were shampoo!! | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 388 Registered: 05-2005 |
Kevin, Jerry, it's Celtic/Hearts domination in Scotland. What's this Rangers team you mention? Highland Shinty league side? | ||
| Peter Collins Member Username: Tyroneshoelaces Post Number: 121 Registered: 05-2005 |
Sorry to say, this site, which uplifted me in the sadness after Grant McLennan's death, has made me rather sick during this tournament. Cheerio. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 517 Registered: 05-2005 |
Padraig, its actually Le Ranjeurs now after the worlds greatest living Frenchman, Polly Gwen, became manager this month. Now Le Ranjeurs, they would have won Le Coupe de Monde if you were to be taken in by the rantings of Le Press in Ecosse. | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 486 Registered: 05-2005 |
bill shankley would be turning in his grave if he knew the sorry state of the england squad! LOL! | ||
| Cichli Suite Member Username: Cichli_suite Post Number: 125 Registered: 08-2004 |
Italy are through! A truly great game. I'm so glad it didn't go to penalties. I don't expect to get much sleep tonight - every one and their granny are driving around and around, horns blaring, flags flying. Complete and utter delight here on the streets of Trento. I think this will reignite domestic interest in Italian football. With the match fixing investigation going on, it was hard to find anyone who was enthusiastic about the Italian side's chances. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 389 Registered: 05-2005 |
Yeah, it was a great game. Once again jetlag woke me in time for the second half and extra time. I was going for Germany, but the better side won. Anyone who can get two goals like that in the last 90 seconds deserves to be in the final. | ||
| Jonathan Evans Member Username: Jon Post Number: 26 Registered: 04-2005 |
Italy's players (well 13 of them) are just putting themselves in the shop window in case their clubs are relegated. Its amazing how good you can play when your job depends on it! Cheers Jon | ||
| Cichli Suite Member Username: Cichli_suite Post Number: 126 Registered: 08-2004 |
Jonathan, I was going to mention the word 'honour' in my earlier post, but I reckon there's a lot of truth in what you say. All the same, if they win the world cup, I wouldn't be surprised if the clubs get off with hefty fines and points being docked next season. There won't be any mood to penalise the players by relegating the clubs. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 518 Registered: 05-2005 |
I am now torn between who I want to win the Final. I am going to Nice in the South of France on Monday (hows that for bad timing,will miss the final by one day!) so in a way it would be good to see the French triumph, just to be able to join in the post victory celebrations. However, since the early days of the tournament I have admired the Italians and if push comes to shove I want them to win it. Back on the subject of holidays, the first day of my holidays to Zante in Greece was the very day that Greece won the Euro Championships in 2004, what a crazy night that was!! Last year I went to Venice in Italy. Anybody see a pattern emerging here? If anybody would like me to visit their country in 2006, therefore guaranteeing them victory in that years European Championships, feel free to email me | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 519 Registered: 05-2005 |
That sould of course read "If anybody would like me to visit their country in 2008..." | ||
| Adrian P Member Username: Adp Post Number: 16 Registered: 05-2005 |
England's lovely in the summer, Kevin. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 523 Registered: 05-2005 |
Guess I asked for that one Adrian |