Official Rest Of The World Outside England- World Cup Thread

[The Modernist]

I'm afraid the Germans are gonna be too good for everyone this year.

Nonsense. They have a very ordinary side. We're not in the 70's or 80's when Germany had an incredible strength you know.

[Penk!]

Between them, Germany's frontline strikers Klose and Podolski have as as many league goals in this whole season as "not good enough" Jermain Defoe scored in one game a few months ago.

[The Modernist]

How old is Klose now anyway.
And does Kevin Kuranyi still get in the squad?

[Penk!]

How old is Klose now anyway.
And does Kevin Kuranyi still get in the squad?

He was told eighteen months ago that he'd never play again after fucking off home when he was dropped from the matchday squad in a qualifier. He promptly went on a hot scoring streak and ended up the second-highest German goalscorer in the Bundesliga this season. Löw still refused to pick him and he's fucked off to Russia.

[never/ever]

Between them, Germany's frontline strikers Klose and Podolski have as as many league goals in this whole season as "not good enough" Jermain Defoe scored in one game a few months ago.

Oh, is that who England have pinned their hopes on?
OK, the boy had a decent season but I'm not convinced that he's a full-on striker of WC-quality.

Schweinsteiger looks set for a big tournament. He'd be one to watch.

[The Modernist]

Schweinsteiger looks set for a big tournament. He'd be one to watch.

Good player, but Germany don't have a particularly good side nevertheless. They are a very good tournament team we know that. But the idea they are much better than anyone else..? I'd be interested on what you base that on.
A more likely prediction is that they'll get knocked out in the quarter-finals.

[Penk!]

Oh, is that who England have pinned their hopes on?
OK, the boy had a decent season but I'm not convinced that he's a full-on striker of WC-quality.

Neither are England: he's just back-up.

[Penk!]

Still over a week to go and North Korea are already at the comedy cheating

[BlueMeanie]

I think my adopted nation of Denmark have a reasonable chance of making it to the knockout stages. If they can take a point from Holland in their first game they've then got Japan and Cameroon - both beatable in my opinion. They don't have the stars that they used to, but they do play quite well as a team. Probably Italy or Paraguay in the next stage if they get through.

Nice to have two countries to support!

Holland and Cameroon to go through there for me.

Having seen the Danes performance against Australia a couple of days ago, I now have no doubt that you're right. They were terrible. Tommasson is well past it, and he's never been the same since Ebbe Sand retired anyway. Olsen blamed the ball; well, the Aussies managed to score with it. They don't look like a team that are about to peak anytime soon.

[Geezee]

Still over a week to go and North Korea are already at the comedy cheating

that's is hilarious!

but i don't quite understand how this works - why are goalkeepers not allowed to play on the field? and conversely why are outfield players allowed to play in goal (for red cards etc)? by extension, surely a right back should only be allowed to play in that position, etc?

[BlueMeanie]

Still over a week to go and North Korea are already at the comedy cheating

that's is hilarious!

but i don't quite understand how this works - why are goalkeepers not allowed to play on the field? and conversely why are outfield players allowed to play in goal (for red cards etc)? by extension, surely a right back should only be allowed to play in that position, etc?

Keepers are allowed to play on the field, but only in the absence of another keeper. There's nothing to stop him bringing the ball out of goal or going up for corners, for instance. But they won't be able to pick him to specifically play an outfield role. FIFA rules state that you must select three goalkeepers in your squad.

Cheeky buggers!

[Geezee]

At a tournament once I stubbed my thumb, which might not seem like much but rendered it impossible for me to play in goal - we had to stick in our reserve keeper, and I took up my position in midfield which i play sometimes.

I had no idea we broke against FIFA rules...I'm quite pleased actually!

I might be wrong but I'm sure Jorge Campos used to play as a striker as welll; he'd split his time both for club and country, and some might say he was a better outfield player than goalie...I almost feel it's a bit discriminatory! What if you are a great goalkeeper and outfield player, surely you should be allowed to have the option of playing both, like any other player on the team? Obviously N Korea knew exactly what they were doing, but I find the original rule a bit bemusing - why should it be 3 goalkeepers and 20 outfield players anyway? Why shouldn't a team be able to chose how many goalkeepers they want to bring? If they have an outfield player who is good enough also to act as a third-choice back-up, I don't quite see why a national team should not be allowed to take advantage of that.

[Penk!]

France just keep getting worse. They had a horrible qualifying campaign, following a dreadful showing at Euro 2008, and only scraped into the tournament thanks to a handball that almost emulated Maradona's infamy. The squad was hit by an underage prostitution scandal only a couple of months ago, there are rumours that the manager has given up and is letting the players decide their own tactics... and now they've just lost to China in their final warm-up friendly after being held by Tunisia last weekend.

They're going to win, aren't they?

[Magilla]

Bah! A 3 - 1 loss to #25th-ranked Slovenia. They didn't score in the second-half, so that's some consolation. Hopefully we've learnt something from this game.

[Minnie the Minx]

Great thread idea, Maarten.



I'm afraid the Germans are gonna be too good for everyone this year.

Really? Why?

[The Red Heifer]

Great thread idea, Maarten.



I'm afraid the Germans are gonna be too good for everyone this year.

Really? Why?

Not that I'm going to dispute Maarten's football knowledge, the vast majority of people in Australia have given up any hope of conquering Germany or even coming close to them. I dont think they're even a certainty of topping their group to be honest.

[trans-chigley express]

I fancy the Germany vs Australia game to provide one of the early shocks of the tournment.

Then Germany somehow go and make it to the final like they usually do!

[never/ever]

Crap. Robben gone. That is really putting paid to our chances.

Germany? They look decent enough and lately that all that you need. Spain and Italy aren't just firing yet either.

[Magilla]

Excellent news ! NZ's deputy captain Tim Brown is back in the team after an injury scare and is on his way to South Africa. Ryan Nelsen is sitting out tomorrow's friendly against Chile. It'll be interesting to see how we go without him.

[Mychael]

I'm afraid the Germans are gonna be too good for everyone this year.

Really? Why?

The German team, yesterday:
http://www.sexysoccer2010.net/