England - The best in the world already!

[JW]

What you mean is that you think that Lampard is HOT! So when you look football its not the big ball your interested in!!

[chelsea]

Jocky, You must be over the moon about Rangers getting into the next phase of the Champions League (other than if you are from the other side of Glasgow.
Some of the other posters in this subject were complaining about the English brainwahsing one of your own (Andy Gray).

When it comes to legend commentators, there is only one (The One and Only Brian Moore).
For those who do not know of him, he was English and (not saying that he was biased towards England) but if England were playing, it was always a great victory for England. Any of the other home countries (Scotland, Ireland or Wales), it was always a British victory.

It always got right up the nose of all the Scots and Irish that I used to drink with in Melbourne, and always remember the night that Aberdeen beat (I think that it was Hamburg) in one of the European Cups.

We had a book running before the game, and the bet was, that if Aberdeen were in front in the game and looked like winning, at what time in the match it would be that Brain would come out with his trademark comment.
Well true to form, about 3 mins from the end, he came out with it, and the pub went into uproar, talk about bad sports. it was only made worse by the fact that I got the closest to the time he said it at and won the pot.

As you can see, I managed to somehow live to tell the tale, and probably only escaped in one piece after putting the pot behind the bar for extra drinks.

As an expat living in Australia, would be great to see England draw Australia.
It would complete a great treble, Rugby World Cup, Ashes and knock them out of the World Cup. I have been here for 25years, so excuse me for gloating, but has been a long time between drinks.

[Rider]

But hold on a minute... what do Brazil, Netherlands, Argentina, Czech Republic, Mexico. France, United States, Spain, Portugal and Sweden all have in common? Answer - They are all above England in the FIFA world rankings.

All, or most of these teams will be in the World Cup. There will be 32 countries competing. Normally a team 10th / 11th in the betting out of 32 would command odds of roughly between 20/1 and 25/1 which I believe is a fair reflection on England's chances.

A team ranked 10th / 11th out of the 32 would be expected to reach the last 16 but not the last 8. If England reach the quarter finals they will be punching above their weight. I am sure others will have an opposite view and in anticipation of the resulting flack - I KNOW SCOTLAND ARE UTTER CRAP

You can't be serious and say the USA are above england in the rankings... last time I checked those guys were 50th + in the world and England was 9th.

[chelsea]

Rider
I saw something before the draw for the world cup, that had Brazil at No1, England at No2 rating and the USA and No9 or No10.
I think that it was something to do with performances in the qualifiers, not the official FIFA ratings.
From memory, I think England is No8 or No9 at present in the FIFA rankings.
You only have to look at Australia, they were outside the top50 before they beat Uruguay to qualify, and I think have only gone up a couple of spots after that.

[Norseman]

FIFA ranking list as per dec '05

Rank Team

1 Brazil
2 Czech Republic
3 Netherlands
4 Argentina
5 France
6 Spain
7 Mexico
8 USA
9 England
10 Portugal
11 Turkey
12 Italy
13 Denmark
14 Sweden
15 Japan
16 Germany
17 Greece
18 Uruguay
19 Iran
20 Croatia
21 Costa Rica
22 Cameroon
23 Republic of Ireland
23 Poland
25 Colombia
25 Nigeria
27 Romania
28 Tunisia
29 Korea Republic
30 Senegal
30 Paraguay
32 Saudi Arabia
33 Egypt
34 Russia
35 Morocco
36 Switzerland
37 Ecuador
38 Norway
39 Bulgaria
40 Ukraine
41 Côte d'Ivoire
41 Honduras
43 Jamaica
44 Israel
45 Slovakia
45 Finland
47 Serbia and Montenegro
48 South Africa
49 Australia
50 Ghana
51 Trinidad and Tobago
52 Belgium
53 Bahrain
54 Zimbabwe
55 Guatemala
56 Togo
57 Zambia
58 Uzbekistan
59 Belarus
59 Mali
61 Scotland
62 Angola
63 Slovenia
63 Chile
65 Bosnia-Herzegovina
65 Peru
67 Venezuela
68 Kuwait
69 China PR
70 Latvia
71 Hungary
72 Austria
72 Wales
74 Iraq
75 Cuba
76 Congo DR
77 Estonia
78 Panama
79 Oman
80 Guinea
81 Qatar
82 Algeria
83 Libya
84 Jordan
85 Albania
85 Korea DPR
87 Canada
88 United Arab Emirates
89 Burkina Faso
90 FYR Macedonia
91 Haiti
92 Kenya
93 Iceland
93 Sudan
95 Singapore
96 Bolivia
97 Cyprus
98 Lithuania
99 Botswana
100 Georgia
101 Northern Ireland
102 Gabon
103 Indonesia
104 Malawi
105 Thailand
106 Rwanda
107 Syria
108 Moldova
109 Uganda
110 Armenia
111 Congo
112 Turkmenistan
113 Azerbaijan
114 Vietnam
115 Benin
116 Malaysia
117 Hong Kong
118 New Zealand
119 Barbados
120 Cape Verde Islands
120 El Salvador
120 Lebanon
123 Malta
124 Liechtenstein
125 St. Lucia
126 St. Vincent and the Grenadines
127 Andorra
128 Ethiopia
128 St. Kitts and Nevis
130 Mozambique
131 Faroe Islands
131 Swaziland
133 Liberia
134 Yemen
135 India
136 Fiji
137 Palestine
138 Solomon Islands
139 Kazakhstan
140 Tahiti
141 Tajikistan
142 Myanmar
143 Burundi
144 Mauritius
144 Sri Lanka
146 Lesotho
147 Maldives
148 Vanuatu
149 Madagascar
150 Grenada
151 Surinam
152 Luxembourg
153 Kyrgyzstan
154 Nicaragua
155 Antigua and Barbuda
156 Chinese Taipei
157 San Marino
158 Chad
158 Bermuda
160 Namibia
161 Gambia
162 Sierra Leone
163 British Virgin Islands
164 Papua New Guinea
165 Laos
166 Netherlands Antilles
167 Guyana
168 Pakistan
169 Dominica
170 Bangladesh
171 Equatorial Guinea
172 Eritrea
173 Dominican Republic
174 Seychelles
175 Tanzania
176 Cayman Islands
176 Niger
178 Mauritania
179 Mongolia
180 Samoa
181 Belize
181 Nepal
183 Central African Republic
184 Tonga
185 Cambodia
185 New Caledonia
187 Philippines
188 Somalia
189 Bhutan
190 Macau
191 Guinea-Bissau
192 Bahamas
193 Puerto Rico
194 Cook Islands
195 US Virgin Islands
196 São Tomé e Príncipe
197 Anguilla
198 Afghanistan
199 Brunei Darussalam
200 Aruba
201 Djibouti
202 Montserrat
203 Turks and Caicos Islands
204 Guam
205 American Samoa

[johnnyk]

PrettyBoy Beckham will choke when money is on the table.
Rooney will throw a tantrum and get red carded
Nobody in goal.
Gerrard the only one with guts.
They won't get far.
Just my 2 satang.

[johnnyk]

[/quote]

You can't be serious and say the USA are above england in the rankings... last time I checked those guys were 50th + in the world and England was 9th.[/quote]
Exactly.
Who did the US ever beat?
Their biggest star Donovan went home because he was a nobody who couldn't cut it in the Bundesliga.

[JimmyGreaves]

With Bejesus and Is that yourself out. I would like to see the Spanish go far.

ps I thought Donovan was Bob Dylans mate!

[Guess]

Nobody in goal

I watched a Spurs game at the weekend. Their goalkeeper was pretty good. Why can't England use him?

[chelsea]

Guess
The guy you are talking about is Paul Robinson, as far as I know he has been the No1 keeper for the last few games.
David James was still in the squad, but has not been getting a game

[Jockey]

Roony out - Owen under a big injury clowd and lacking match fitness - Walcott / Wescott / Whocott?? That leaves one match - fit premier league striker - Peter Crouch! (Nuff' said)!

Defence - Cole lacking match games - Campbell off form and mentally challenged

Goalkeeper - Average

Midfield - superb players (but who will play holding midfield role)

Sorry - I start to think knocked out first round!

[chelsea]

Jockey, all of that from a man whose team is not there again, and who normally get home quicker from the world cup than their holiday postcards.

[Jockey]

Jockey, all of that from a man whose team is not there again, and who normally get home quicker from the world cup than their holiday postcards.

Vibrant Scotland trounce Bulgaria 5-1 in Kirin Cup thriller

(Werr oan oor way back)

[MartinJ]

Nobody in goal

I watched a Spurs game at the weekend. Their goalkeeper was pretty good. Why can't England use him?

Well he was in a premiership game – no long a requirement to get in the England team

And you say he was good,

This should tell you why he not in the team.

I hope we do well but how long England stay in will be down to luck, not skill I think

[2dandan]

Kirin Cup 2006

9 May 2006 Nagai Stadium, Osaka Japan 1-2 Bulgaria
11 May 2006 Kobe Wing Stadium, Kobe Scotland 5-1 Bulgaria
13 May 2006 Saitama Stadium, Saitama Japan 0-0 Scotland

Kirin Cup 2006 Winners/Finalists 2006 : Scotland