Originally Posted by ObjSRgtLw

word. even with a 2-0 they play on time and fall down after every little situation... i'd hoped for the french to enter the quarter finals, (normally) they play nice and fair football (like we germans) but after all french seem to be "lover not fighter" as the coach proved after the match by making a marriage proposal directly after the match... a lovely 30 year old sports-reporter, yeah well money can do strange things...

Italian Football has a matra: Win at any cost. This includes play acting (falling down in hopes of getting a unjustified penalty), Its also the pinching, pushing, holding of clothing, insults, and various other attempts at prevoking the other team into getting angry. I am certain there is a blind eye that's turned at some of the harder fouls, some of the fouls during the last worldcup looked intentional. De Rossi's flying elbow at Brian McBride (USA) for example, and it was pretty obvious they were trying to get Zidane ejected from the game either by injury (which was attemped just before halftime, and got the wind knocked out of him) or by provocation (which succeeded due to Zidane's short-fuse temper).

Then of course there is all the referee bribing and match fixing that has dominated Italian Football...

I just hate them, they are the only ones who do this, they simply play dirty.

Portugal has a habit of self destructing if things don't go their way. It happened at Euro 2000, World Cup '02, and now Euro '08. It's just their team mentality. They start taking long shots, getting sent off etc.
I hate Italian soccer as well. They are dirty cheats who accuses everyone else of being dirty cheats. Not to mention, it's like watching paint dry. Remember that Champions League final between AC Milan and Juventus? WHat a BORING, BORING match. I didn't like the previous World Cup because Italy ended up winning it actually.
Back in '02 Christian Vieri planted an elbow into a Korean defender's face, breaking his nose which is why he played the rest of the tournament with a protective face mask but Vieri wasn't even given a yellow card. Of course it is the referee of this match that the Italians claimed had been bribed to put the Italians out of the tournament. One of the linesmen did seem a little suspect (but he messed up on calls that aren't easy to make unless you are a good and experienced linesman) but the refereeing overall seemed about average. Korea vs Spain in '02 is a different matter. The referee really sucked that match.

One thing you are mentioning here is the shirt pulling and grabbing and hands on. I played for many years in England and Scotland and never came across any of that in all time. Hands did not come into it. Shoulders went in hard to win the ball, and goalkeepers were bustled into the net with the ball, but no hands. It does spoil the game. Some time ago I dreamed I was young and had invented a tight very slippery shirt, and when I went past them they couldn't grab me!

I have the opinion that when USA get with it, they will play a very robust and exciting game. Koreans play exciting football as far as I have seen, and we have some good Korean players in The Premiership. Very attacking. That has to be the future for football, attack. And speed is becoming more and more important. Germany's first goal tonight fo example.

Once a team starts getting cagey and defensive it gets boring and eventually will lose.

Good point -Roy Keane is now the manager of Sunderland. Irish and with a reputation as a real tough nut. Great physical player, played for Man U eventually.

Brian Clough was one of greatest managers. He was a prolific goal scorer who had to teire early with a broken leg. He took two bottom clubs uo through the leagues on a shoe-string and turned them into top winners. He one the league championship with them and took Notts Forest to two European Cup wins. A magic manager and disciplinarian - his players NEVER argued with the ref etc. After he retired, both teams sunk again.

Well, the young Roy Keane played for Clough at Notts Forest and Clough rated him. Keane, who scared everyone, relates that in approx his 6th game for Forest he messed up a pass back to his goalkeeper and the opposition scored a goal.

As he walked into the drssing room after the game, straight off the pitch, Clough was waiting and punched the tough guy right in the forehead, laying him out on the floor.

As he came to Clough was bent over him saying 'Don't pass back!'


Well - this an edit:-

Turkey goes through, congratulations Redneck , who got behind Turkey, and ObjSR because now Germany are sure to make the final. They avoid Croatia, who already beat them, and they meet Turkey, who have most of their squad suspended!

Manager Billic, who has been brilliant, has to accept the blame for this defeat, because he lost focus in the final minute after Croatia scored. He should not have been diverted by the extra time added on (probably to cover the celebration time) and got his substitute on in time. He did not protect his team in that respect. His team should have shut up shop.

Turkey seems to be making a habit of scoring at the last minute... done it three times in a row already! Four last minute goals in three matches. Must have been wild for the fans.

Germany- Turky
that will be civil war in Germany... and i really mean it, watch the news and u'll see... i think of many injured, maybe a few killed (hope not) and burning houses and cars but whats really bad is that for as long as i live i will hear the voices of the turkish who live in Germany in case of a turkish victory
i don't really know how they manage to win even after playing so bad with making major mistakes... i hope we'll win 3-0... either ways it gonna be war in Germany (Berlin 2nd biggest turkish city after Istanbul)
Where i live we have 70.000 Turkish people, Berlin has 250.000... and mainly not really high educated (Kurdes who left Turky because they did't have a future down there...)
hope our Police is ready...

Kurds aren't going to support Turkey, they will support Germany in the coming match.
But you're right... there's going to be a civil war. Chairs and tables will fly.

Originally Posted by ObjSRgtLw

i don't really know how they manage to win even after playing so bad with making major mistakes...

It is a question of who wants it most!


Edit - Redneck - serious question - do you have any experience of Futsal?

There goes another favourite... Russia played really great... and i thought netherlands wld enter finals