Football: WORLD CUP 06 and close season/transfer discussion.

[Jamie]

Well, I love football but i have to admit that i'm pleased we got knocked out. We've been absolutely crap for the whole tournament.

To have, on paper, probably the best team in the whole thing yet to play some of the worst football i've ever seen england play over the 5 games means that we got what we deserved. I don't feel cheated or hard done by, if we'd have gone on to win it it would have made a mockery of the whole tournament.

I'm now resigned to the fact that we will NEVER win the world cup in my life time, now that McClaren is taking over too I really don't think I can be arsed with international football anymore.

It's Liverpool all the way for me now.....

[Gorecki]

From the bbc...

David Beckham has decided to step down as England captain after holding the role for six years.
More to follow later.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 138288.stm

Even though he was clearly past his best in this tournament I still have bags of respect for him. Even when he's having a bad game his passion for his country was undeniable and his work ethic and team spirit were second to none.

I think he's done the right thing and I now have even more respect for him.

It's Liverpool all the way for me now.....

Cue an apopletic Stu in 3...2...1...

[goldfish]

From the bbc...

David Beckham has decided to step down as England captain after holding the role for six years.
More to follow later.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 138288.stm

I think that's a shame for Becks. We all know he has his weaknesses, but I don't think he can be faulted for effort or the way he consistantly tried to lead from the front and by example.

Simon

[Rev. Stuart Campbell]

Cue an apopletic Stu in 3...2...1...

Never mind all that, it's time for... World Cup Quotes Of The Forum Part 1!!!

I don't expect England to win the World Cup, but it'd be nice if they handed out a few fuck-me! thrills along the way. With the likes of Walcott, Cole, Owen, Beckham, Lennon, Gerrard - and, yes, a confident Crouch - in the side, that's a realistic hope.

Brazil are going to win the World Cup at a canter. It'll take an absolute miracle to stop them.

if that miracle occurs, you can pretty much forget about Italy (match-fixing scandals aren't the best preperation), France (certifiable lunatic manager), and Germany (defence made of soggy paper).

That's a superb omen for England - two missed penalties already.

I stuck quite a lot of money on Serbia in various different ways last night. I think they're going to win the group (wins against Argentina and Ivories, draw with Holland).

Exit first round:
Germany (Ecuador and Poland will qualify)
Holland (Ivory Coast and Argentina will qualify)
France (Suisse and Togo will continue)
all Dutch coaches (Australia, Korea, Holland and Trinidad T)

Also - Iran > Mexico.

deep within your scornful Scottish soul, you know that this is one of the most likely and all-round talented England squads in living memory, with everything seemingly falling into place at just the right moment.

So, how many will Sweden put past Trinidad tomorrow? I'm going for 5-0.

I reckon one at a push.

You did see Trinidad lose to a Wales squad made up mostly of players winning their first caps the other week? I know Sweden are off form, but they're not that off form.

The more the half went on, the more Sven seemed to have no ideas other than to sit on the lead.

I do wish he'd stop with the Owen Hargreaves shit.

Good movement from Sweden, that's how you play football!

Only up to page 290 of the thread so far, best part of 100 still to come...

[Crystal_sword]

i bet they regret leaving Dafoe now.

England had the potential, but they left all their hopes to Rooney.

Who, IMO, is a good player, probz their best, but is way too overated.

only one more player more overrated than him. Thats Frank Lampard.

Always was a poor player

[Rev. Stuart Campbell]

I have, Sky + it, and the ref is clearly not interested, and playing for a free kick.Until Rooney pushes Ronaldo, but it looks like he say's something at the same time to Ronaldo, which maybe the reason he got sent off.

ITV just showed highlights, and slow-mo replayed the incident. The ref appears to very clearly gesture that it's the stamp Rooney's being dismissed for.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 138240.stm

"There was confusion over whether Rooney was dismissed for the foul or for the subsequent push on Cristiano Ronaldo. But England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson has revealed Rooney was given his marching orders for the alleged stamp."

[Gorecki]

I think you're being far too modest Stu.

Germany you might beat, with a little luck. Ecuador will slaughter you.

[Rev. Stuart Campbell]

Busted!



(You didn't expect me to include my own, did you?)

[Sickboy]

Cue an apopletic Stu in 3...2...1...

Never mind all that, it's time for... World Cup Quotes Of The Forum Part 1!!!

I don't expect England to win the World Cup, but it'd be nice if they handed out a few fuck-me! thrills along the way. With the likes of Walcott, Cole, Owen, Beckham, Lennon, Gerrard - and, yes, a confident Crouch - in the side, that's a realistic hope.

Brazil are going to win the World Cup at a canter. It'll take an absolute miracle to stop them.

if that miracle occurs, you can pretty much forget about Italy (match-fixing scandals aren't the best preperation), France (certifiable lunatic manager), and Germany (defence made of soggy paper).

That's a superb omen for England - two missed penalties already.

I stuck quite a lot of money on Serbia in various different ways last night. I think they're going to win the group (wins against Argentina and Ivories, draw with Holland).

Exit first round:
Germany (Ecuador and Poland will qualify)
Holland (Ivory Coast and Argentina will qualify)
France (Suisse and Togo will continue)
all Dutch coaches (Australia, Korea, Holland and Trinidad T)

Also - Iran > Mexico.

deep within your scornful Scottish soul, you know that this is one of the most likely and all-round talented England squads in living memory, with everything seemingly falling into place at just the right moment.

So, how many will Sweden put past Trinidad tomorrow? I'm going for 5-0.

I reckon one at a push.

You did see Trinidad lose to a Wales squad made up mostly of players winning their first caps the other week? I know Sweden are off form, but they're not that off form.

The more the half went on, the more Sven seemed to have no ideas other than to sit on the lead.

I do wish he'd stop with the Owen Hargreaves shit.

Good movement from Sweden, that's how you play football!

Only up to page 290 of the thread so far, best part of 100 still to come...

Jesus, man. It's a beautiful day. You're stuck inside on your sweaty PC, picking over multiple windows of some internet thread featuring mostly people who are complete strangers to you, and quoting their foolish words back at them.

Because they're fools. ALL FOOLS, YOU SAY!

[Rev. Stuart Campbell]

Jesus, man. It's a beautiful day. You're stuck inside on your sweaty PC, picking over multiple windows of some internet thread...

Dude, you probably haven't noticed this, as I keep it quite quiet, but I'm from Scotland. If I set foot outdoors in this weather I'll literally catch fire. At least the PC's on the shady side of the house with a nice breeze through the window.

[No Name]

Inside is the only place to be on a day like this. It's far too fucking hot for us northerners, too.

France to win the world cup. Portugal to finish fourth.

[seibu]

I just wanted to say, I'm dissapointed that England are out. I think that really, the writing was on the wall when Owen flew home, and Sven seemed to think that 4-5-1 thing actually worked against Ecuador, when it clearly didn't.

IMO, last night's game showed again that England are an extremely tough side to beat, as once again we're leaving a major tournament without actually having lost in 90 or 120 minutes. Our defence was absolutely rock solid in every game except Sweden, and even then set pieces were the problem. No side we faced repeatedly looked like scoring in open play. If we had enjoyed a fully operational strike force, that is a 100% fit Rooney and Owen, I don't think it's at all unrealistic to say we could have reached the final.

As it is, I'd put our failure down to unlucky injuries and Sven's shortcomings. I'm not up for all this "I'm glad we're out" or "We never had a chance". We did have a chance, and this campaign has been a bitter pill to swallow.

[Flabio]

Hey, Sweden got past the group stage!

[amanset]

IMO, last night's game showed again that England are an extremely tough side to beat, as once again we're leaving a major tournament without actually having lost in 90 or 120 minutes.

Wow. I hadn't thought of that. Just goes to show how boring we are. Can't score goals and no-one can score against us.

I'm being told to "get over it" on the "Lost in Sweden" website by a load of Swedes who are still annoyed at Lucic's sending off. Apparently the referee smiling means something serious but the two bookable offenses that Lucic did are immaterial. Excellent.

[goldfish]

I just wanted to say, I'm dissapointed that England are out. I think that really, the writing was on the wall when Owen flew home, and Sven seemed to think that 4-5-1 thing actually worked against Ecuador, when it clearly didn't.

IMO, last night's game showed again that England are an extremely tough side to beat, as once again we're leaving a major tournament without actually having lost in 90 or 120 minutes. Our defence was absolutely rock solid in every game except Sweden, and even then set pieces were the problem. No side we faced repeatedly looked like scoring in open play. If we had enjoyed a fully operational strike force, that is a 100% fit Rooney and Owen, I don't think it's at all unrealistic to say we could have reached the final.

As it is, I'd put our failure down to unlucky injuries and Sven's shortcomings. I'm not up for all this "I'm glad we're out" or "We never had a chance". We did have a chance, and this campaign has been a bitter pill to swallow.

I think you're probably right. I think my major disappointment about the whole thing, besides the entirely predictable Rooney twat getting his marching orders, is that we didn't throw caution to the wind a bit more in extra time.

Hargreaves had a really good game, there's no doubt about it, but he was there to make us difficult to beat, not to help us win the game. That's why I would've preferred to have seen Carrick in there, and at some point, mad arse Roy of the Rovers stuff though it would've been, Theo Walcott chucked on instead of Jamie Carragher early in extra time. It might've been a glorious success or an ignominious failure, but it would've been better than going out on fucking penalties, yet again...

Let's face it, neither Lamps nor Gerrard are nailed on certs for penalties at the best of times, and they were our best options for the shootout....

Simon