The Official 2010 Football & World Cup Thread

Atkingani wrote: Well, I think it's time to start one, no?   In this moment Argentina and Brazil are playing for Conmebol (South America League) qualifyings... let's wait to see what happens.   Meanwhile, we had several games in Europe today. My surprise was to know that Liedson, a dude I just watched last year playing here, anchored in Portugal, got quickly a new nationality and scored an important goal for the Lusitanians.   Any more comments, folks???

Due in no small measure to both UEFA and FIFA's bumbling largesse, nationality now appears to be negotiable. There are scores of Brazilians currently plying their trade in Qatar (attracted by the high wages offered by the clubs) who are shamelessly induced by cash to become naturalised Qataris and therefore eligible to play for the national team. Although considerably less transparent, the situation in France where their leagues have many North African players from the former colonies, it could be argued that many of the most distinguished French internationals ain't French at all:

Patrick Vieira was born in Senegal
Jocelyn Angloma was born in Guadaloupe
Ibrahim Bas was born in Senegal
Basile Boli was born in the Ivory Coast
Jean-Alain Boumsong was born in Cameroon
Pascal Chimbonda was born in Guadaloupe etc etc (the list goes on)

I think the current international eligibility rules are hopelessly convoluted, with various yawning loopholes created by national associations who claim that playing for a country below a certain age or in a non-competitive match somehow supplants the concept of 'place of birth' or the player's original choice.

Add to this the bureaucratic bolt-holes of ancestry i.e. your grandparents, parents, best friends, drinking buddys, golf partners nationalities and you got yerself one mighty big can of worms for sure.

Although all the UK nations have been guilty of assimilating 'ringers' into their teams over the years, it is perhaps the Republic of Ireland who take the proverbial biscuit for such expediency. They had a striker called Tony Cascarino from Kent, England who was deemed eligible for the Republic by virtue of an Irish grandfather. There was no Irish grandfather, it was a complete tissue of whoppers confirmed as such by Cascarino's subsequent autobiography. People in Britain used to joke that the initials of the Irish Football Association (FAI) stood for 'Found Another Irishman'

Argentina 1 x Brasil 3

We lost (deservedly) in the 93rd minute against Sweden. What a f*cking way to get beaten.

True to type, the Scots have now engineered their own struggles by being stuffed mercilessly by a very mediocre Norway away (0-4) Although the dark blue dwarves (with 'Bashful' up front) managed to slay the combined might of Macedonia 2-0 on Saturday, it just leaves the rather onerous chore of beating HOLLAND in Glasgow to sneak ourselves into the play-offs.

Call me a cranky old doom-monger if you like but I can envisage this ever cyclic scenario:

88 minutes in Scotland 1 - 0 Holland. The fans start baying for the final whistle as droves of orange shirts swarm around the Scottish goal like flies round some discarded roadkill. Dirk Kuyt attempts a cross to one of his forwards but slices the ball towards a statuesque Scottish defender (probably 'Caldwell the Domitable') whereupon the white orb ricochets off his chest and gets deflected into the net via Robin Van Pervy's backside. Scotland 1 - 1 Holland. Yet more tear welling heroic failure for a country who can snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Still, as long as those complete poofs (the English) don't win the World Cup, we'll be happy again till the next debacle.

ExittheLemming wrote: ... Call me a cranky old doom-monger if you like but I can envisage this ever cyclic scenario: 88 minutes in Scotland 1 - 0 Holland. The fans start baying for the final whistle as droves of orange shirts swarm around the Scottish goal like flies round some discarded roadkill. Dirk Kuyt attempts a cross to one of his forwards but slices the ball towards a statuesque Scottish defender (probably 'Caldwell the Domitable') whereupon the white orb ricochets off his chest and gets deflected into the net via Robin Van Pervy's backside. Scotland 1 - 1 Holland. Yet more tear welling heroic failure for a country who can snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. ...

akamaisondufromage wrote:   As an ENglishman I take no joy from this image.......   ......    ha ha ha

how about this one

akamaisondufromage wrote: ExittheLemming wrote: True to type, the Scots have now engineered their own struggles by being stuffed mercilessly by a very mediocre Norway away (0-4) Although the dark blue dwarves (with 'Bashful' up front) managed to slay the combined might of Macedonia 2-0 on Saturday, it just leaves the rather onerous chore of beating HOLLAND in Glasgow to sneak ourselves into the play-offs. Call me a cranky old doom-monger if you like but I can envisage this ever cyclic scenario: 88 minutes in Scotland 1 - 0 Holland. The fans start baying for the final whistle as droves of orange shirts swarm around the Scottish goal like flies round some discarded roadkill. Dirk Kuyt attempts a cross to one of his forwards but slices the ball towards a statuesque Scottish defender (probably 'Caldwell the Domitable') whereupon the white orb ricochets off his chest and gets deflected into the net via Robin Van Pervy's backside. Scotland 1 - 1 Holland. Yet more tear welling heroic failure for a country who can snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Still, as long as those complete poofs (the English) don't win the World Cup, we'll be happy again till the next debacle.   You are a 'Cranky Old Doom-monger' of the haggis eating variety.    This is typical Scottish Drivel more interested in the end, in our failure than your own success.    As far as I know though the Dutch don't need anything from this match so if your going to beat them then now's the time!

Agreed, if schadenfreude were an Olympic event, the Scots would clean up.

ExittheLemming wrote: akamaisondufromage wrote: ExittheLemming wrote: True to type, the Scots have now engineered their own struggles by being stuffed mercilessly by a very mediocre Norway away (0-4) Although the dark blue dwarves (with 'Bashful' up front) managed to slay the combined might of Macedonia 2-0 on Saturday, it just leaves the rather onerous chore of beating HOLLAND in Glasgow to sneak ourselves into the play-offs. Call me a cranky old doom-monger if you like but I can envisage this ever cyclic scenario: 88 minutes in Scotland 1 - 0 Holland. The fans start baying for the final whistle as droves of orange shirts swarm around the Scottish goal like flies round some discarded roadkill. Dirk Kuyt attempts a cross to one of his forwards but slices the ball towards a statuesque Scottish defender (probably 'Caldwell the Domitable') whereupon the white orb ricochets off his chest and gets deflected into the net via Robin Van Pervy's backside. Scotland 1 - 1 Holland. Yet more tear welling heroic failure for a country who can snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Still, as long as those complete poofs (the English) don't win the World Cup, we'll be happy again till the next debacle.   You are a 'Cranky Old Doom-monger' of the haggis eating variety.    This is typical Scottish Drivel more interested in the end, in our failure than your own success.    As far as I know though the Dutch don't need anything from this match so if your going to beat them then now's the time! Agreed, if schadenfreude were an Olympic event, the Scots would clean up.

manofmystery wrote: go Vatican City!

So England can qualify tonight if they beat Croatia, which they probably will. There's a nice little press build up cos Croatia think Premier League English players have been targetting Croatians to clog in the leadup to the game.