FIFA 2010

I hear the Germans were practicing with traffic cones.

The cones won 2:0

The French team practice was briefly halted due to a mysterious white powder found on the field. Practice resumed when they realized it was in fact the goal line.

Good one, Greybeard!

Thanks for the comments about Spain.

Vic, I like that final: England-Spain. Nice match!

And I want to remember to everybody that the only team beats Spain recently was USA, in South Africa, during the Confedarations Cup. Although it is truth we don't lose a match since that day and we got the record of non lost matches (I think we shared the record with Brazil, 35 matches?, I'm not sure).

Did you watch South Africa against Mexico? I think I watched better matches... Javier Aguirre, the Mexican coach, was the coach of my team, Atlético de Madrid, for two or three years. The Spanish speakers said he want to use the same scheme that the Barcelona uses (trying to keep the ball all the match).

I voted for England. In truth, I think Nigeria will win the World Cup, but only if they can get the email addresses for all opposition players and managers and those of the referees. Minor detail, really.

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

I think you may be right Scrybe, but only if they play the 4-1-9 system

I think you may be right Scrybe, but only if they play the 4-1-9 system

I'm so convinced of this, I wired £10,000 via Western Union to a diplomat who is in hiding and has £3,576,983,475,456 that he is using to fund a World Cup gambling scheme. The placement of bets will help to secure his escape to the West whereupon he'll be able to distribute his stash among the winning gamblers. When we win the Cup, I'll get a significant undisclosed share of that, and I'll get to see the Cup when he comes to England to pay me as well!!!!! Score!!!!

*But on a serious note, being part-Nigerian and all, I do hope my team does well this year.

The African nations are doing good in football. Quite amazingly, my country still hasn't been able to qualify for the FIFA (and we are the second most populated...woah). :shock:

I wonder what it takes to get qualified. Its been so many years. Cmon India, you should qualify for the next one (or next to next, hopefully)...

Quite amazingly, my country still hasn't been able to qualify for the FIFA (and we are the second most populated...woah)

I'd have thought the reason for that was obvious - India can't find 11 men under the age of 30 who don't dream of being the next Sachin or Dhoni! I only know one, and he wants to be the next Billy Joe Armstrong........ :wink:

Seriously, I think most people in England, when they think of India, think Bollywood and Cricket - the only other sport I think I've ever seen an Indian team playing on TV in a major tournament is Field Hockey, in the Olympics.

:D :D :D

Vic

Vic,

We have a lot of football going around in our country for quite a while now. When I was in college, there were guys who played football pretty well. Its just that they don't carry it forward to make a career out of it.

We have various football clubs and some good players also. Eg. Baichung Bhutia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baichung_Bhutia .

Its sad that the Govt. of India doesn't give that much importance to football or we would have been there in the FIFA by now.

Oh well, lets hope we make it. I am not too excited about the Cricket World Cup 2011 either.

P.S. - I would like to be more of a mixture of Billie Joe, Billy Gibbons and Bret Michaels (including some of Jerry Reed). :D

the only other sport I think I've ever seen an Indian team playing on TV in a major tournament is Field Hockey, in the Olympics.
They're among the best at elephant polo :)

Seriously. The Indians and the Thais have more good players than anybody else. But Scotland (!) is the current world champion, having taken the title back from Nepal.

And I finally cast my ballot after thinking it over for a few days... I'm going with Spain. Brazil is probably my second choice. But I think US is going to surprise everybody - there's a lot of depth (more than England has, I think). I expect the US to get to the quarter-finals, and if they play anybody but Spain or Brazil there, they may get to the semis.

Tonight I think it's likely the US and England will tie.

Tonight I think it's likely the US and England will tie.

That might actually be a good bet. England are notoriously slow starters!

I saw a fair bit of the USA team (like Nuno) in the Confederations Cup....they appear to be a good, solid, physical, compact unit. Of the USA team who've played in England, Landon Donovan had a very impressive spell at Everton; Howard is a very good goalkeeper; Dempsey's had a very good season with Fulham; Spector's a decent utility player; Altidore didn't do much last season, but he was playing in a very poor team who only won 6 out of 38 games and were relegated; Holden, I haven't seen much of, but a friend who's a Bolton fan informs me he's a very versatile player, especially useful at set-pieces.

There's a couple of other players I've seen a bit of, but not enough to judge. Like I said, a decent, hard-working side - what I don't see is a real flair player who can change a game with a couple of magic touches. England do have such players - Rooney, Gerrard, Lampard, Lennon to name a few. I do expect England to have the edge - but there are no easy games at this level of football!

Let's hope it's a good game, and both teams qualify for the last 16.

:D :D :D

Vic

And I finally cast my ballot after thinking it over for a few days... I'm going with Spain.
:D

Argentina beat Nigeria (sorry Scrybe). I didn't watch the match but it seems Messi played a great match. I watch a summary. The Nigerian goalkeeper saved several goals. Argentina is also a candidate!

Argentina is also a candidate!

That's why its right there at the top of the poll!