World Cup 2010

[stokiebaz]

england were awful every game,we need an english manager maybe hodgson or redknapp with beckham working alongside being groomed as future boss.

[Galee]

In hindsite, I wish I had realised what a momentous occasion it was when England won the WC in 1966.

Because it aint ever going to happen again.

[pienmash]

In hindsite, I wish I had realised what a momentous occasion it was when England won the WC in 1966.

Because it aint ever going to happen again.

How do you think us youngerns feel Galee we may never see England win the world cup in our life time , i was a mere stain on the underpants of life in 1966 !! honest !!
My gran was at the 66 final so she tells me pity she wasnt on the bench yesterday would have given the Jermans more of a game with abit of Scunny spunk on the pitch.

Capellos got to go and a Brit boss in , not sure quite who tho , as stokiebaz says maybe Beckhan in years to come but for now who the hell is there ??

[WBU ALUM]

I'm hoping that one of you soccer aficionados can explain this to me. And I'm not talking about using instant replay or not. I don't know enough about soccer to know whether or not instant replay would be a help or further hindrance.

I don't get this World Cup soccer officiating. In what other sport anywhere does a referee do whatever he wants to do and doesn't have to explain it to anyone? In every sport of which I can think, I know what happened and why something didn't count -- except World Cup soccer.

You would think that an event that huge would be more accountable to the players, coaches and fans.

Is there something in the rules that states that the referees/officials cannot be questioned or do not have to explain a ruling?

Thanks.

[BobHelm]

Simply put WBU....
There is a '4th. official' (who stands on the side lines between the two managers to ensure that they do not get into fistycuffs well, actually that is probably one of his duties, another is to 'report' on the match referee back to FIFA. FIFA are supose to use the reports on the conduct of the officials to ensure that only the best survive at the top level in the game...FIFA are the governing body of the world cup.
There is nothing within the rules to allow a game score to be altered, or a match to be replayed after the referee has actually made his decision & the side losing the goal restart the game. My understanding is up until that point the referee can change his mind & award something other than a goal - they rarely do, but it has happened when the 'linesman' has seen something that the referee has not & brings his attention to it.
Sadly FIFA refuse to move with the times. they have 'trialed' a few different systems but say there are problems with them. Their 'solution' is to increase the number of match officials from 4 (referee, 2 linesmen & the 4th. official) to 6, by having 2 additional linesmen just for the 'ball over the line' debate (the England v Germany one).
It is just about the most stupid 'solution' I have ever heard of.....it is difficult enough to get enough good officials as it is, let only try & get another 50% extra!!
The problem is that the head of FIFA is kept in his job by a large number of smaller, less developed countries. Here it MIGHT be difficult to get technology, is the FIFA response.
The cynical might say that it is difficult to bribe technology & so it would reduce the income of the senior football officials in those countries.
But that is, of course, just my opinion on the matter....

[WBU ALUM]

Thanks, Bob. That helps clarify some things.

I noticed in a few games that goals were disallowed or waved off, but I never understood why. When I looked on sports pages online the next day, there was no explanation and no one comments on it in specifics from either side. e.g. - offisides or some other infraction. Do they know why the goals were waved off and just don't talk about it, or do the referees not tell them?

[BobHelm]

No the players (& avid fans) will know WBU...
If it is for offside then the linesman will be holding his flag up - the 1 place where there is a bit of technology is that there is a button on the flag that the lineman presses & it sends a signal to the ref. Although most suporters will suggest that it should actually give the ref 40,000 volts...
The referee will award something other than a goal (usually a free kick, although it is possible to be a corner or goal kick if the ball went out of play) & it is usually pretty obvious what the infringement was. The ref will almost always tell any player (certainly the captain) what his thinking was - problem is that sometimes the request is usually lost in a line of abuse

[WBU ALUM]

Well, that clears it up ...

I'll just have to pay attention more closely and watch more of it.

Thanks!

[bigchang]

In hindsite, I wish I had realised what a momentous occasion it was when England won the WC in 1966.

Because it aint ever going to happen again.

at least we got our revenge after 44 years

what goes around comes around

[JimboPSM]

In hindsite, I wish I had realised what a momentous occasion it was when England won the WC in 1966.

Because it aint ever going to happen again.

I got pretty close to it last time - but will probably be pushing up daisies before it happens again

I was at Wembley (but didn't get into the match) for the 1966 World Cup Final

I ended up spending the time that the final was being played in the Wembley Ten Pin Bowling Alley next to the stadium - as a teenager at the time there was no way that I could afford the money the touts were demanding

[BobHelm]

Netherlands 2-1 Slovakia
Robin got his first game & scored a good goal. Sneijder showed what a class player he has become by slotting in an easy second after being set up by Kuyt. Slovakia scored a consolation goal (via a penalty) with the last kick of the match.
Holland were never really troubled and eased their way through this contest without really putting in too much effort. They do not have that' total football' approach of old, but they look effective & efficient & keep winning. The team has some good players but can hardly be described as being entertaining to watch. that being said they are easily through to the next round, which is the aim of the game...

Brazil 3-0 Chile
Brazil scored after half an hour & that was it!!
This Brazilian side look the most solid at the back of any team in this competition. In defensive danger none of their players is allowed to be isolated & beaten, a colleague is always on hand to assist. The result was really over once they scored. Chile put great effort into attempting to score themselves but failed. Putting sufficient players forward to try & overwhelm the Brazilian defence just meant being left exposed at the back for a breakaway goal.
Chile did not deserve to lose by 3 goals but Brazil are just that good.
If we do end up with a first ever final between the two heavyweights of South American football (Brazil & Argentina) then it will certainly be an interesting affair. While I believe that Argentina have (man for man) the better players, Brazil are just so well organised & are such a good team on current performances. Maybe Argentina (or someone else on the way) have enough skill in their side to upset the Brazilian teamwork, but I would not bet on it!!

[pienmash]

I just want to remind all that i did tip Argentina to win the world cup b4 a ball was kicked and i would bet my grans false teeth they will do it , this WC has got Maradonas name written all over it , ive had a vision of him running thru the streets naked as he has promised - put me right off my bacon butty , i hate to say it but the liitle fat druggie cheat seems to be able to get the best out of what is a cracking side .

[BobHelm]

From some ofthe things I have read Jon it would appear that Maradona is just a 'figure head'. The real work - coaching, style of play, deciding who plays where & who is picked is done by his 'coaching staff'. He is just there for all the media crap & a living inspiration to the players on the pitch.
Don't know how true it is, or if it was just sour grapes by the writer but there does seem to me to be some truth behind it.
I am not sure if a similar ploy would work for England though....when all is said & done the Argentinian players are skilfull to start with!!

[pienmash]

From some ofthe things I have read Jon it would appear that Maradona is just a 'figure head'. The real work - coaching, style of play, deciding who plays where & who is picked is done by his 'coaching staff'. He is just there for all the media crap & a living inspiration to the players on the pitch.
Don't know how true it is, or if it was just sour grapes by the writer but there does seem to me to be some truth behind it.
I am not sure if a similar ploy would work for England though....when all is said & done the Argentinian players are skilfull to start with!!

I hadnt read anything about what you have suggested ref Maradonas role in the Argie set up Bob but it does make sense thinking about it , maybe Beckham will be a similar figure for England in the distant future but for now we have the best league in the world by far but a MEDIOCURE NATIONAL SIDE AND THATS BEING KIND.I am patriotic not a doom and gloom merchant but it struck me that the English side were a bunch of over paid dont give a crap attiude plodders , look at some of their body language during the WC Rooney especialy shoulder shrugging and whinging too much money breeds arrogance - they were like Grimsby town reserves being managed by Brain Laws .

Cappello has to go along with 90% of the muppetts he took to Africa , YES EVEN THE LEGEND THAT IS EMILE THE DONKEY HESKEY .

I hope the Jermans beat the Argies but i doubt it - we will see very soon.......... i should be on the telly instead of Macefeild and Shebby ive never done owt Singh dont you think Bob !??

[arjay]

I am hoping that Portugal and Holland do well.

Oh and I note that Fifa president Sepp Blatter has apologised to the Football Association over Frank Lampard's disallowed goal in England's World Cup defeat by Germany.

World Cup 2010: Blatter sorry for disallowed goal

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/footbal ... 771294.stm

[stattointhailand]

A little old lady trying to cross the road when Fabio Capello sees her struggling. "Excuse me my dear, can you manage?" asks Capello. Little old lady replies "You got yourself into this mess, don't expect me to help you out"

What's the difference between a faulty jet engine and Wayne Rooney?
The jet engine eventually stops whining.

Three hours of football and Rob Green is still England's top scorer.

The England World Cup team visited an orphanage in South Africa yesterday.
"It's so good to put a smile on the faces of people constantly struggling and facing insurmountable odds" said Shiphiwe Modese, aged six.

Guy walks into the brothel dungeon and says to the mistress
"I'm really kinky, I want total humiliation, how much will it cost"
The mistress looks at him and says "£29.99"
"WOW", says the guy, "That's a great price so what do I get for that ?"
She looks at him and says "An England shirt"

All charges against the intruder to the England dressing room have been dropped following a FIFA investigation. Apparently Rob Green let him in.

I can't believe we only managed a bloody draw against a third rate bunch of losers who we should have beaten easily.......
Makes me ashamed to be Algerian.

All future England matches are to be screened on the adult gay TV channel.
Apparently the sight of 11 a***holes getting pummeled for 90 minutes has been deemed too explicit for terrestrial TV.

Knorr have released a special edition OXO cube in white with a red stripe to commemorate our current world cup campaign. It's called the laughing stock cube.

The guy on death row in Utah got to pick his own firing squad.
He went for Rooney, Lampard, Heskey, Crouch and Gerrard.

[immortal1977]

Sorry guys, the cup will be for Holland this year , not for Brazil or Argentina. The Dutch not played their best football yet, but they are very effective until now. If Robben, Sneijder and Van Persie have a good day this Friday, they can beat Brazil. Before on big tournaments the Dutch team played beautiful football and it was more entertaining then now, but we never reached the final. This year it's not that entertaining, but we'll reach the final. The Dutch team is playing German style this year: not that entertaining, but effective. The Germans are playing Dutch style this year: entertaining......but they'll not win the cup
I think it will be Holland-Spain in the final !

[pienmash]

i hope you are right imm1977 , anyone but the Argies !!

[Zidane]

Only 1 word can describe last nights Paraguay v Japan game.....GRIM !
120 minutes of absolute boredom with the only thing of note being the good Japanese shot which hit the bar in the first half.
Surely the worst encounter of the tournament so far which is saying something being an England fan !
Spain edged out neighbours Portugal 1-0 with a David Villa goal and shouldnt have too many problems with Paraguay in the Quarter Finals.
Keeping my fingers crossed for both Holland and Spain but am I right in thinking they would meet up in the Semi Final if they both got through ?

[pienmash]

Only 1 word can describe last nights Paraguay v Japan game.....GRIM !
120 minutes of absolute boredom with the only thing of note being the good Japanese shot which hit the bar in the first half.
Surely the worst encounter of the tournament so far which is saying something being an England fan !
Spain edged out neighbours Portugal 1-0 with a David Villa goal and shouldnt have too many problems with Paraguay in the Quarter Finals.
Keeping my fingers crossed for both Holland and Spain but am I right in thinking they would meet up in the Semi Final if they both got through ?

Not sure Zid but i think the winners of Argie v Jermans will play winners of Brazil v Holland .

Im sticking with the Argies to win the W.C. i hope im wrong !! i must be one of very few Brits who would like to see Germany win it (or any European side for that matter) tho only 3 remain.
I did have a chap in the shop who pointed out that i was spelling Jermans incorrectly i appologized and said better that then what my gran calls them (which i will not mention only that it ryhmes with brussell sprouts !!? ) i think they bombed her favourite chip shop.