Football World Cup 2010

[johnnyk]

This time last week the media were all agog that Euro football was dead, defunct, kaput and the South Americans had taken over.
Is the real final going to be Spain-Germany? That one sounds more exciting than Germany-Holland to me.

[richard]

So a question or two

Who manages these top teams? Well they seem to be getting it wrong in the UK. Overseas managers cannot inspire passion at world cup levels despite their skills. It's club results that count

How many of the top eight of the WC were managed by foreign managers?

We (UK) are now obsessed by money both for players and managers. Until that changes we will remain a third rate team

There is no will to play for your country. Your club pays mega bucks. So who gives a F**k
There in no will to manage a national side unless you are from the same nation. So who gives a F**k. Your 12 million is OK

Sad and sick

[Bamboo Grove]

While I agree with Richard that players are paid too much, I beg to differ on some other points.

1. Foreign managers: Managers try to do their best as they know that if they don't succeed immediately, they will be shown the door. I think that's one of the biggest problems in present day football: the managers aren't given enough time. Finland's national team have now had two foreign managers for last four years or so; one called Roy Hodgson and now another one: Stuart Baxter. Hodgon did a great job bringing us closest to a major tournament (we lost the decisive game against Portugal) and under Baxter we were unbeaten against the present German team, leading four times but drawing twice. Baxter now has a very tough task ahead of him as our top players: Litmanen, Hyypiä, Jääskeläinen are about to retire but I have full confidence in him (Baxter.)

2. The Germans, Spaniards, Brazilians, Dutch etc. players are also payd far too much in salaries, yet they can produce fine form in the World Cup. Is it the lack of national pride for English players?

3. I'd like to agree with Joe Cole on his analysis of the England's WC performance

England midfielder Joe Cole says Fabio Capello's side weren't good enough in the World Cup and suffered from a loss of technique.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/worldc ... e-now.html

What I've seen during the last 20 years the English people and press always have far too high expectations about their team.

I hope this didn't offend anyone. The French and Italians will have even tougher times trying to build up new teams for the European Champions in two years time.

[pharvey]

Some great footballing stats...........

Emile Heskey (Eng) 59 caps and 7 goals.
Rene Higuita (Columbia) 68 caps and 8 goals.
Jose Luis Chilavert (Paraguay) 74 caps and 8 goals.

Pretty similar until you realize the other 2 are fu**ing goal keepers

[lomuamart]

Some great footballing stats...........

Emile Heskey (Eng) 59 caps and 7 goals.
Rene Higuita (Columbia) 68 caps and 8 goals.
Jose Luis Chilavert (Paraguay) 74 caps and 8 goals.

Pretty similar until you realize the other 2 are fu**ing goal keepers

Good one.

[stgrhe]

Germany look the tournament favourites to me. But how did they manage to lose to Serbia?

If you go back in history to other world cups you'll find that Germany (West Germany in the past) frequently starts off slow with at least one poor game but always manage to qualify for the knock-out stages.

[johnnyk]

Upsets can happen in early games.
Teams aren't fully together and the big boys play just to get through to the knock out stage, working out the kinks as they go.
A truism in North American sports like hockey and NFL football (and maybe soccer?) is that weaker teams try their best against top teams who sometimes slack off a bit against them.
Top teams can raise their game when it matters. Crap teams crumple when things don't go their way (no examples needed).

[chopsticks]

While I agree with Richard that players are paid too much, I beg to differ on some other points.

1. Foreign managers: Managers try to do their best as they know that if they don't succeed immediately, they will be shown the door. I think that's one of the biggest problems in present day football: the managers aren't given enough time. Finland's national team have now had two foreign managers for last four years or so; one called Roy Hodgson and now another one: Stuart Baxter. Hodgon did a great job bringing us closest to a major tournament (we lost the decisive game against Portugal) and under Baxter we were unbeaten against the present German team, leading four times but drawing twice. Baxter now has a very tough task ahead of him as our top players: Litmanen, Hyypiä, Jääskeläinen are about to retire but I have full confidence in him (Baxter.)

Some of these manager / coaches seem make a lucrative career from moving around the circuit every few years receiving generous pay-outs when they get released from their contracts only to repeat the cycle again.
Stuart Baxter's been round a bit including South Africa for a short time but the expert is of course
Sven-Göran Eriksson.

[loverboy44]

That the Germans lost to Serbia was made by the referee who gave yellow cards like boys flowers on mothers day. It was only a question when one of the players either Germany or Serbia will get the yellow red one and go. This side will have lost anyway losing a player so early in the game.
Many questions remaining about the level of the referees in this WC.
As Ottmar Hitzfeld said: "They should get professional referees and do not pick them up at the beach".
Otherwise the Germans in this match even with 10 players created many chances and lost only because they were confused by the red card and got the 1:0 immediately after the red for Klose.

[johnnyk]

I wonder who is paid more, Miroslav Klose or Wayne Rooney?
One of them has 14 World Cup goals, second all-time.

[TypicallyTropical]

Germany look the tournament favourites to me. But how did they manage to lose to Serbia?

If you go back in history to other world cups you'll find that Germany (West Germany in the past) frequently starts off slow with at least one poor game but always manage to qualify for the knock-out stages.

How true! Do you remember when they lost 8-3 in the preliminaries to Hungary in 1954? They beat the same Hungary 3-2 in the final!

[The understudy]

Hi there my HHAD friends and fellas

Sorry for abscent time I was busy partying curering my Hangover from the Partying of the Sounding win of Germany vs. Argies. I wasn't partying as hard as my friends do but I to celebrate a little bit isn't that bad!

With Spain as our semifinal opponent we got ourselves a handful of work to do tomorrow in Durban. They are the best in europe although they haven't showed their full potential but if they call it up on the Semifinals against the Germans there's gonna big Puh Juhh (Huttese for trouble right there.
But if the Germans played like they do against Aussies, England and the Argies then all bets are off either one could be going to be Finals. I'll cheer them Beerlanders.

Do You guys believe in Esotery and soothsayers than this story might be one for the oddities of this World Cup.
@ a German Zoo aquarium there lives Paul the World Cup predictions Octopus. He had successfully predicted all the German results in this world Cup. Here's how it works the zookeeper fills 2 clear boxes with a the same mussel that Paul loves to eat in front of the boxes are the Flags of Germany and on the other box the Flags of their opponent. When a chooses a box and opens it to get the food then This team gonna win. Paul the World Cup prediction Octopus had predicted the Germans winning against Aussies, the loss against Serbia, the win against Ghana, the sounding win against England and the crushing Win against the Argies. For this crucial match against Spain Octopus Paul had predicted that Germany would loose against Spain. If this ain't a bad omen what would had been.
Thank god this Octopus Paul does not live in Thailand. If he did for any mispredictions his fate would had been Pla muek pad Naman hoy fried Octopus in Oyster oil sauce a long time ago. His record for predictions stands @ roughly 80%.
BTW: Paul has predicted Euro 2008 Final that Germany would Win. But we know the spaniards won Euro 08!
Well what do you guys think about this World Cup predictions Octopus?

Your's the understudy

[bajm]

After tonight’s match we can be sure that the next world-champion will be European again.
The Netherlands qualified after winning from Uruguay with 3-2.
It has been 32 years that Netherlands reached the final and tomorrow we will know who will be our next opponent.
My favorite: Germany, so we can get even for the lost final of 1974.
In the meantime the country has already coloured orange and big parties are going on.

[Toni]

Yes, my street is orange coloured. Dutch flags everywhere and orange bunting a-plenty. There was a few fireworks going off after the match but it's quietened down now - keeping the major celebrations for Sunday obviously. I want Spain to win tomorrow as my dad is from Spain, and a Netherlands -Spain final would be great for me, if Spain lose I'll be gutted but I'd still be happy for the Dutch if they won because they're a friendly nation and I really enjoy living here.

[TypicallyTropical]

My favorite: Germany, so we can get even for the lost final of 1974.

The Dutch lost two finals in a row back in those days, the tide has to turn. My money is on them.