World Cup 2010 Thread

[Crybaby Bunting]

Both Portugal and Poland tried to sort out their striker problems by bringing in a Brazillian thanks to a quick visa situation.

Both strikers absolutely bombed once the team realised that just because they're from Brail... doesn't mean that they're that good

[Pesci]

That's a point. How many Brazilians are there floating around? Even Japan have one. You've got Giovani dos Santos, Senna and Eduardo too. Why are we so set on not capping non-Englishmen when every other country in the world doesn't care? Then again you'd get the xenophobes being all like "there's no passion! They don't even speak the language!" whenever The Sun doesn't give them a 10/10.

Edited July 3, 2010 by Pesci

[HailtotheYo]

...all those players were born in England.

So were the majority of the players Reilly listed. Well, Germany, not England obviously.

This is more to the point .... and also, being born in a country doesn't change your DNA

[Crybaby Bunting]

So are you suggesting that Germany take a more Aryan approach to their national team selection?

[Herr Matzat]

You are forgetting Paul!

[Toe]

So I guess we don't get to see Maradona running naked through the streets...

[Dynamite]

Let's all pray Paraguay can fluke a couple of wins and we see Larissa Riquelme run naked instead!

[Herr Matzat]

I am so sad that i am in Weimar right now. Celebrations in big Citys must be over the top by now....

[The Quasi Juice]

Argentina were way overhyped, their defense is just shit, it really is and Germany showed this. Considering their form, Germany are the favorite to go all the way to be honest.

[Pesci]

I had a bet on Maradona to be sent to the stands at any time. Gutted he didn't completely go off on one. Where's the passion?! Brazil losing yesterday and Italy not topping their group fucked up about 90% of my other bets

[Dynamite]

I thought the bigger problem for Argentina was their midfield. Di Maria and Rodriguez are wingers which is fine except for when you've already got three world-class forwards in front of them. They desperately needed someone besides Mascherano to help out the defence. I felt they missed a quality playmaker in midfield too. In years gone by it would have been Riquelme sitting there playing the final ball to the strikers. They missed a link between Mascherano and the forwards. As good as Messi is, you can't expect him to dribble past two midfielders, a full back and then two centre-backs of the quality Germany had out there today.

[The Kraig]

We do joke that there are no Germans in the national team, but they are all genuine citizens and all clearly consider themselves German first, whatever-else second.

What I found odd a few weeks ago is that SO MANY from the German team are from the old West Germany.

There's a really weak argument of the names of the players...obviously Boateng, Ozil, Podolski, etc aren't exactly German names. But since when is Zamora, Konchesky or Agbonlahor an English name? And furthermore, you don't hear Scotland crying about Gabby choosing to play for the country he was born and grew up in (he could have played for Scotland or some African country had he wanted to). And it's not like it's easy to gain German nationality either, they have one of the hardest tests to gain citizenship and you have to have lived in Germany for like 8 years or something?!

I do think the UK teams need to get rid of this stupid stigma for foreign players, who consider themselves British nationals who would accept a call up to one of the national teams. As far as I'm aware, once a player gains British citizenship, he can play for ANY of the UK nations, even if they've never set foot there. Such was the case for Matt Le Tissier, as he was from Guernsey.

Nacho Novo wanted to play for Scotland and was snubbed because of a 'handshake agreement' between the FAs of the UK, but I doubt he'd have been given a call-up anyways. He really wasn't that good at the time he declared he's play for Scotland. But I'm pretty sure as soon as England has a foreign youngster that wants to play for England, that 'handshake agreement' will be forgotten. Hargreaves doesn't count, as he was born English (despite being born in Canada, he was still born with UK citizenship). I mean a youngster like Fabregas coming over, gaining citizenship, and deciding not to play for Spain but to play for England. It will happen eventually, and I highly doubt any English person would say no (and they shouldn't say no!).

Anyways, observation over. Argentina must be burning right now.

Edited July 4, 2010 by The Kraig

[YI]

I STILL LOVE YOU MARADONA!

[Farmer Reil]

Capdevilla's left ear looks surprisingly intact.

[Robsturgh]

Iniesta looks like a shaven Lance Storm.

[Baddar]

...and 10 shades whiter. This game is a bit shit, at the moment.

[Blue Rosler]

Hooray. My bet on Germany to win the thing looks pretty damn good.

150 quid riding on this.

[DJ Ice]

Are Paraguay winning? Please say yes

[Kaney]

Breaking news: Uruguay's Luis Suarez has NOT been given an extra one-match ban by Fifa for his red card against Ghana on Friday. So if they beat the Netherlands and reach the final, Suarez will be eligible.

[Rich]

...all those players were born in England.

So were the majority of the players Reilly listed. Well, Germany, not England obviously.

This is more to the point .... and also, being born in a country doesn't change your DNA

Because the US team had soooooo many players of native, indigenous descent and not from English/Irish/German/Polish/Italian/Whatever stock