The Official 2006 FIFA World Cup thread. (4 Viewers)

[Bobness]

but your sig goes against what you just said at the end? :S

 

[acmilan]

Oh no its not that - I just don't think France started playing well until they got past the first round and as a result, don't think they deserve to win. They may have beaten the uninspired Brasil, Le Grande Chokers Spain and a Portugal unable to finished, but I don't think they have truly been good - Zidane has been a star, but the team has failed to impress me.

Italy - yes, I don't like the way they took out Australia, but they are just not a team I enjoy to watch and I feel theya re too overdefensive, too melodramatic and again, not one of the best teams to be in the cup. It is not bitterness, just really would have preferred the Germany vs Portugal final.

Tyat said - I am glad to see that Italian fans are standing by their team in the face of criticism

Yeah, i guess after having followed Italy for so long, the way they play now is actually exciting as opposed to say the 1990s, where they went hardcore on defence. I mean they've scored 11 goals so far, only time they've scored more was in 1982 where they scored 12 (ironically they won the cup that year). Its hard sometimes to see Italy from a non-fan perspective.

Its not all support from the Italian fans unfortunately. Italian football is looking down. Its ironic that the players may come home world champions and be playing in 2nd and 3rd division teams. The fans are the teams biggest critics. The italian radio has, and still is, flooded with calls saying they shouldnt be there. Today the radio announcer had to hang up the phone on one such person. Although these seem to be mostly the older generation italians, the greatest support definitely comes from the youth.

 

[*Minka*]

Yes I have been meaning to change it - it was done as a joke i assure you.

 

[Bobness]

damn azurris

 

[Paragon]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QSHB-AQZ1E

There's most of the incidents there, it's ridiculous

Hm, thanks. No Portugese supporter can take the moral highground after that I'm afraid. Like I said, they had a good run, but it had to end at some point. Cheers for knocking out England on the way. Just desserts all around I s'pose.

 

[Bobness]

england were awesome

stfu already

portugese burgers are yum. therefore they're cool.

stfu times two

 

[matt#1]

england were awesome

stfu already

portugese burgers are yum. therefore they're cool.

stfu times two

This is by far the most intelligent and truthful post that I have read today. Couldn't have said it better myself .

 

[Bobness]

sorry you guys bailed out because of the theatrics of henry.

i'm sure you'll beat germany :uhhuh: .. i wanna see the reaction of the host nation and their crowd.

mm i smell an 02 japan/korea repeat.

 

[bazookajoe]

The point of this post is to inform the multitude of Portuguese-bashers frequenting this thread that the Portuguese are not the only team that takes part in such simulation. This does not make it any better, but Henry in particular, has now won two games for France by engaging himself in such antics and should be condemned and criticised in the same way that so many of you are doing to Portugal.

I completely agree, however Portugal seem to take it to a new level. Rather then trying to get a goal against France, they tried to gain sympathy from the referee and gain a penalty in order to get a result.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wW7J0OIXCro&mode=related&search=

Found that as well, kinda stupid but made me laugh.

 

[acmilan]

Shortlist for player of the tournament:
Thierry Henry
Patrick Vieira
Zinedine Zidane
Michael Ballack
Miroslav Klose
Gianluigi Buffon
Fabio Cannavaro
Andrea Pirlo
Gianluca Zambrotta
Maniche

Currently I think it'll be Cannavaro or Buffon

 

[bazookajoe]

Ballack? How did he get on there?

 

[_dhj_]

I don't think it's going to be Buffon as they're unlikely to award it to a goalkeeper two times in a row. It's probably going to be Cannavaro.

My choice would be Klose, followed closely by Cannavaro.

 

[Bobness]

Oh yeah, England was definitely the best team in every game they played.

yes, yes they were.

they were moral victors against portugal :uhhuh: not taking anything away from the portugese's performance though. mainly cause scolari is a pretty damn good coach.

got a problem agentinian?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentina_and_England_football_rivalry

PWn3D

sorry

 

[Paragon]

Shortlist for player of the tournament:
Thierry Henry
Patrick Vieira
Zinedine Zidane
Michael Ballack
Miroslav Klose
Gianluigi Buffon
Fabio Cannavaro
Andrea Pirlo
Gianluca Zambrotta
Maniche

That'd be my Top Three.

And the Under-21 version of that:
Cristiano Ronaldo
Luis Valencia
Lionel Messi
Lukas Podolski
Tranquilo Barnetta
Cesc Fabregas

"Two of the criteria for the prize are fair play and role-model behaviour mad1: ) as well as skilful and exciting play) )."

 

[matt#1]

Lukas Podolski has won the Young Player Award. I didn't know that Podolski was still only 21. I'm disappointed that Cristiano Ronaldo didn't win the award..but my congratulations goes out to Podolski anyway. He played especially well in the game against Sweden where he bagged 2 goals.

As for player of the tournament, my picks are Klose, Cannavaro and Buffon (in that order). I think that Cannavaro will win the award though.

 

[matt#1]

Italy World Cup star Rino Gattuso could soon be on his way to Manchester United. But the deal will only happen this summer if AC Milan are relegated in the massive Italian match-fixing scandal. Intermediaries for United and the player have met in Germany - but so far his Milan club have been left out. Midfielder Gattuso, 28, has been looking for an excuse to join United. He is on record as saying: "It is my dream to play for Manchester United and I have had this dream for a long time." And a well-placed Italian source revealed: "Let’s just say that all parties except Milan are being kept informed and are waiting for the end of the tournament and the trial with interest."

Also, Sir Alex Ferguson faces a fight to keep Cristiano Ronaldo after Fabio Capello declared he wants to make the Portugal winger one of the first signings of his Real Madrid revolution. After signing a three-year contract to take charge of the ailing Spanish giants for the second time, Capello said of the unsettled Ronaldo: "He is a Manchester United player. Everyone wants to come to play here and I think he really wants to and this is good news for me. We will have to wait and see but at the moment I cannot say anything."

 

[Bobness]

bah its a friendly rivalry don't get me wrong.

wanna know what i think? england never live up to expectations. spain as well.

argentina fared quite well in this tournament. but then that doesn't mean i'm going to go barrack for argentina now am i? england ftw 2010!

btw if it was anyone who didn't live up to their hype it was gerrard.

 

[mecurial]

Apparently Ronaldo was topping the vote for the award, until after the quarter-final, when an English-inspired hate campagin led to a flood of votes for both Luis Valencia and Lukas Podolski. (Fan votes contribute to the overall result) Ronaldo was definitely the better player in the tournament, but maybe went missing somewhat (along with many of his teammates) in the SF.

If Italy win the WC, Cannavaro will win the Golden Ball. If France win the WC, and Zizou plays well, then he will win it.

With Juve seemingly resigned to Serie B/C and Milan to possibly drop to Serie B, there is going to be a massive flood of players onto the market. Normally, the top players from Juve would likely be snapped up by Milan, but if both of them go down, there is no way that Fiorentina, (who may go down as well), Internazionale and AS Roma will be able to afford to buy many of them. Some of the names that may go to the Premier League/La Liga include:

Ibrahimovic
Vieira
Cannavaro
Thuram (maybe retire?)
Buffon
Del Piero
Zambrotta
Camoranesi
Morales
Pirlo
Inzaghi
Kaka
Gattuso
Nesta
Dida

etc etc etc.

Cut price bargains!

 

[Paragon]

I reckon the Award probably should've gone to Cristiano. Barring fair play, he satisfied more or less the whole criteria. Maybe he'll mature and come back strong, we'll see. I s'pose what 'Mercurial' said about the 'English campaign' is somewhat feasible. Anyway, well done to Lukas.

I too think Cannavaro will take out the Golden Ball, although Zambrotta is also very deserving of the Award.

Matt#1, Gattuso would be a good signing, assuming he adapts well to England/EPL. In any case, hopefully MU get him, but not at the expense of teams getting relegated.

 

[withoutaface]

Breschiano/Cahill for big transfers in the future.

Doubt it. Cahill's been doing what he did in the cup for Everton for quite a while, and I think that's where he'll stay.