World Cup

[Glynncommando]

Personally speaking - i love the World Cup....the drama, the tantrums, the hairstyles - and that's just Hansen, Lawro and Big Ears. Every World Cup involving Engerland goes the same way - hype piled upon hype piled upon hype....40 years of hurt (more now, obviously), three lions, the WAG's, flegs on cars and in pubs and on garden gnomes, Beckham ridiculed and hung from a lamp-post one minute - lionised the next, broken metatarsals, winkers, red cards, histrionics, , swedes and "Do i not like that", sex scandals, not enough pride in the shirt, too much pride in the shirt, red mists, spitting, effing and blinding at refs etc etc - then the ignominy of yet another over-blown exit in a penalty shoot-out....followed by much rending of shirts, burning of effigies, sacking of managers etc etc. I can't wait!!!!!

As for eventual winners - i did, briefly, fear that England might go all the way, a weak group, a kind draw means that their first major test should be Serbia in the knockout phase, followed by the hand of Frog...leading to a Semi against Brazil (who incidentally are the LEAST Brazilian team i have ever seen) However now i'm not so sure....Rio's out, Carragher ( ) is in the squad, King can't train or play for more than two sessions/matches in a row, the new Captain is a Scally so-and-so who should be behind bars, Cashley is being lauded as the best left-back in world football, and if Rooney is crocked they are fecked beyond all recognition....way too much hope and expectation, imho.
So - back to the old favourites for me - Brazil. versus Spain in the final - with Nancy Torres missing a penalty he "won" himself with a dive, tuck and roll Louganis would've been proud of, and the boringly efficient Brazil grinding out a 1-0 win in extra-time. You know it makes sense!!
GC

[Shan]

Jaynee GC I like the World Cup for the football and you must be the first person I've encountered who could manage to type Lawro without use of the word "langer" or equivalent term.

You sound a bit like one of those people who love Royal Ascot for the fashion rather than the racing. Can't be having that.

So - back to the old favourites for me - Brazil. versus Spain in the final - with Nancy Torres missing a penalty he "won" himself with a dive, tuck and roll Louganis would've been proud of, and the boringly efficient Brazil grinding out a 1-0 win in extra-time. You know it makes sense!!

I could live with that I have to say. I'd be delighted to extract a few quid from my fellow workers.

Mark and Ray.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zTY_oto2wM


While I'm on the subject of Aprés Match, but well off the subject of this thread, how about this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kN15IZGeMg

[Glynncommando]

Jaynee GC I like the World Cup for the football and you must be the first person I've encountered who could manage to type Lawro without use of the word "langer" or equivalent term.

You sound a bit like one of those people who love Royal Ascot for the fashion rather than the racing. Can't be having that.

Never said i actually liked Lawro, Shan. "Langer" doesn't do him justice.
And for me the highlight of Ascot would be studying the form at Ladies Day....the sport of kings does nothing for me, i'm sorry to say....other than the very rare flutter on Gold Cup/National day.
Still - life would be dull if we were all the same, and all that....and the World Cup is ALL about football, for me....Maradona's breathtaking second goal against England, Pele's dummy to flummox the keeper (which he unfortunately failed to score from in the end), the Cruyff turn, Marco Tardelli going nuts after he scored, Gerry Armstrong beating Arconada , Archie Gemmill v Holland, the sublime Marco van Basten, the Divine Ponytail's penalty miss, Schumacher getting away with GBH...the list is endless. Each and every World Cup throws up special memories, for me - and i don't expect this one to be any different. Bring it on!
GC


For any that are interested - Irish Times Fantasy league here: http://irishtimes.fantasyleague.com/
GC

[browner]

The Bergkamp goal for Holland v Argentina in 98...never fails to bring a smile to my face...class!

[Glynncommando]

For those who don't mind football, and don't think sport begins and ends with our beloved rugby:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9L9rj4swhs

Best World Cup goals ever....and a cracking backing track "Everlong" by Foo Fighters
GC

Edit: Carlos Alberto's goal....

[Shan]

Some fantastic moments in that GC. If we see anything of this calibre this year we'll be delighted.

Agree on the music too.


Just one thing of note---Why don't Brazil play like this anymore. Has the game changed so much that out and out attacking teams cannot win anything. I think there is an element of that but then you look at Barcelona..... Maybe Brazil just aren't producing that quality of player for whatever reason.


Also agree with Browner. Bergkamp was one of my favourite players of almost recent years and I loved that goal.

[Shan]

And for me the highlight of Ascot would be studying the form at Ladies Day

Mmmm indeed I'm not opposed to that idea myself.

Maybe if more of the jockeys looked like Anna it might interest a few more souls.

Still - life would be dull if we were all the same, and all that....

Never a truer word spoken my good man.

[Glynncommando]

Some fantastic moments in that GC. If we see anything of this calibre this year we'll be delighted.

Agree on the music too.


Just one thing of note---Why don't Brazil play like this anymore. Has the game changed so much that out and out attacking teams cannot win anything. I think there is an element of that but then you look at Barcelona..... Maybe Brazil just aren't producing that quality of player for whatever reason.

I think the entire mind-set changed when Brazil appointed Dunga as manager...the original "Water-carrier" to paraphrase the great Eric Cantona. They seem to have gone down the line of European efficiency...mundane, yet un-doubtedly effective. The ethos used to be "we'll score more than you" - and they were a joy to watch.....the brilliant '60's and '70 team of Pele, Garincha, Carlos Alberto etc.....the '82 team of Zico, Socrates, Falcao etc (best team never to win a World Cup - with the exception of Cruyff and co. maybe) They had that samba-beat running through their veins....they couldn't defend for their lives - but Jeez could they play attacking football - even the latter teams that featured Romario, Rivaldo, Ronaldo etc....when they turned the style on they were un-stoppable. Now it's cold, , joyless, heartless. They have the players, still, who can turn a match - Kaka, for one (albeit coming off a poor season with Real) - but not the attitude of old. Difficulty is - many of the up-and-coming young Brazillians now get whisked away to European clubs - as the next big thing - before they get to strut their stuff domestically. The opportunity to find their feet at a young age, flourish and gain confidence in their own country is denied them by the lure of the Euro. The domestic league is rife with corruption, match-fixing, death-threats to officials etc - and the stars of the future languish overseas in the reserves at Inter, Roma, Real, Man City ( ) etc. A sad situation.
GC

[Shan]

Thanks GC. I admit I wouldn't be anywhere near an expert on these matters and your post makes very interesting reading. I suspect you are pretty close to the truth.

60's and 70's a bit before my time but I had a great video about Brazil in 1970 and some of the football was truly outstanding and just a joy to watch. I do remember Socrates and Zico though and Brazil were still great to watch in the 80's as were my favourites of that time, Holland.

Van Basten still the best striker I've seen. I remember watching the Dutch League on Sky back in the late 80's when they still managed to keep some of their top players at home. Van Basten played for Ajax of course but I always preferred PSV with Ruud Gullit a bit of a hero despite his brief tenure and Ronald Koeman, Wim Kieft and a few others I can't remember the names of were really good players. Pity Gullit became a bit of a knob afterwards or maybe he always was and we only saw it after he came to England. Of course he was gone before PSV won the European Cup in 1988.

Ah that does it, I'm going to support Holland in this World Cup for old times sake and great excitement and memories through the years.

[Rooster]

Ah that does it, I'm going to support Holland in this World Cup for old times sake and great excitement and memories through the years.

A Limerick man supporting the

[Red Hand Supporter]

Cliche or not, never count out the Germans! They have a very impressive record, no matter what the team they will be fielding. No Michael Ballack, which will be a loss, but they are efficient and can get the job done. Can Klose overtake Gerd Muller?

Come on, Deutschland!!

[WhiteKnightoftheWeld]

So i heard on the radio this morning (and apparently) it's in a few papers that referees have been handed a list of 20 swear words in english that they are to look out for from players during matches.

1) that's rooney fooked and up $hit creek then, the Cnut
2) can we possibly list all 20 here, whilst successfully navigating the built in feature that turns c0ck to bit & $hit to brad pitt etc??

[Shan]

Now this what you call a real football fan, or should that be total feckin eejit.

[Shan]

A Limerick man supporting the

Oh yeah and with the final on July 11th I can go for a nice triumphant march the following day.

[Rooster]

A Limerick man supporting the

Oh yeah and with the final on July 11th I can go for a nice triumphant march the following day.

You can have your 11th night bonfire then and take the traditional route to the pub next day then Shan