Football

[Magere Hein 1,400]

Another disappointing day of footbal in Germany. Australia have much to complain about the ref, but at least they played a good match. Switzerland v Ukraine was perhaps exciting for the Swiss and Ukrainians, but I fell asleep during the second half.

 

Ok, back to yesterday. This match showed the weaknesses of the Dutch side: the midfield and lack of experience. In the group stage the Dutch managed to hide those flaws with good results, but Portugal managed to exploit them to the fullest. They must have prepared well, I can't blame them for it.

 

The Dutch display of assault and battery rather than football, against an opponent well versed in cold & hot war was a huge mistake. During half-time, after the first Portuguese was sent off, Van Basten should have substituted Boulahrouz, who already had a yellow card. He should have instructed his players to ignore Portuguese provocations and time-wasting and get on with the game. As for the 16 yellows and 4 reds: this is another example of poor preparation. It's not the first time Ivanov showered a match with them, they should have known.

 

The greatest flaw of the Dutch side was lack of a solid midfield. We have some excellent strikers, but they need a steady supply of balls from the midfield, which happened too rarely to make them work.

 

Of course things could have gone differently. To win a match like this you also need a bit of luck. We obviously hadn't.

 

All in all I think the Dutch side made a bad impression. I have reasonable hopes for the future when a more experienced Van Basten can sort out the mess and manages to get the best out of the many good players we have.

 

regards,

Hein

[Canadian Paul 97]

Another disappointing day of footbal in Germany. Australia have much to complain about the ref, but at least they played a good match. Switzerland v Ukraine was perhaps exciting for the Swiss and Ukrainians, but I fell asleep during the second half.

 

Speaking as a Ukrainian, it wasn't all that exciting, until the final penalty phase, at which point it became very exciting.

 

I've definitely got a lot of pride at the moment.

[Gunjaman5000 32]

Another disappointing day of footbal in Germany. Australia have much to complain about the ref, but at least they played a good match. Switzerland v Ukraine was perhaps exciting for the Swiss and Ukrainians, but I fell asleep during the second half.

 

Speaking as a Ukrainian, it wasn't all that exciting, until the final penalty phase, at which point it became very exciting.

 

I've definitely got a lot of pride at the moment.

You've brought up a point I often wonder about there Ukrainian Paul. At which point does an immigrant, or a descendant thereof, ceases to be their former nationality and becomes the latter? It's four generations since we washed up on these shores and I reckon that's long enough to make me as Irish as sushi. I once met an Italian guy in New York who had excellent English (for a New Yorker anyway) as his family had been there for 170 years.

Any definitive ideas anyone?

[themaninblack 2,112]

Another disappointing day of footbal in Germany. Australia have much to complain about the ref, but at least they played a good match. Switzerland v Ukraine was perhaps exciting for the Swiss and Ukrainians, but I fell asleep during the second half.

 

Ok, back to yesterday. This match showed the weaknesses of the Dutch side: the midfield and lack of experience. In the group stage the Dutch managed to hide those flaws with good results, but Portugal managed to exploit them to the fullest. They must have prepared well, I can't blame them for it.

 

The Dutch display of assault and battery rather than football, against an opponent well versed in cold & hot war was a huge mistake. During half-time, after the first Portuguese was sent off, Van Basten should have substituted Boulahrouz, who already had a yellow card. He should have instructed his players to ignore Portuguese provocations and time-wasting and get on with the game. As for the 16 yellows and 4 reds: this is another example of poor preparation. It's not the first time Ivanov showered a match with them, they should have known.

 

The greatest flaw of the Dutch side was lack of a solid midfield. We have some excellent strikers, but they need a steady supply of balls from the midfield, which happened too rarely to make them work.

 

Of course things could have gone differently. To win a match like this you also need a bit of luck. We obviously hadn't.

 

All in all I think the Dutch side made a bad impression. I have reasonable hopes for the future when a more experienced Van Basten can sort out the mess and manages to get the best out of the many good players we have.

 

regards,

Hein

 

 

It's high time we buried the myth of Dutch football. They were good in the 70s, but now they're just a so-so team of players, who foul and cheat with the best of them.

Its the same with Brazil, all this cooing over them, like they were going to reproduce their 1974 magic, and they clearly wont.

 

The Dutch are like any other European team...

[Lady Die 63]

And another thing .... the Brazilians all have funny faces like cabbage patch dolls.

[maryportfuncity 10,673]

Where was Brazil's 1974 magic? They were an odd assortment of older talents - like Rivelino - and some newer players. Good, not great. Final that year was Holland vs Germany. 1970 Brazil on the other hand..........genius, I've watched that whole final recently and they are awesome.

 

Incidentally, 1970 was also the year Carlisle were 90 minutes from the League Cup final with a team including......

 

 

I'll get me coat.

[Magere Hein 1,400]

The Dutch are like any other European team...

I agree.

 

regards,

Hein

[maryportfuncity 10,673]

The Dutch are like any other European team

 

Granted, they're 11 men in football kit but that's where the resemblance to some European teams - like San Marino and Northern Ireland - ends.

[maryportfuncity 10,673]

John Ward - currently of Cheltenham - likely to be the next Carlisle manager. Has experience of taking Bristol City and Cheltenham to promotion and assistant manager spells at Man City and Wolves, think we're in good hands here. Result!

[in eternum+ 22]

You've brought up a point I often wonder about there Ukrainian Paul. At which point does an immigrant, or a descendant thereof, ceases to be their former nationality and becomes the latter? It's four generations since we washed up on these shores and I reckon that's long enough to make me as Irish as sushi. I once met an Italian guy in New York who had excellent English (for a New Yorker anyway) as his family had been there for 170 years.

Any definitive ideas anyone?

It might depend on your location.

 

In Canada, one is very encouraged to be ____________-Canadian, to embody one's ancestral roots. It is therefore entirely standard for CP to refer to himself as Ukranian, as it's already a given that he's Canadian.

 

For example, my mother's father's father came over on the boat from Holland to Canada. In Canada, this would legitimate me to claim Dutchness. So, if I were to get chatting to someone in a bar who was from Holland, it would be standard for me to say: "Oh! I'm Dutch!" and then to qualify it by explaining the ancestral lineage.

 

Or, at least that's how it used to be, though I haven't lived in Canada for a while. Having just been back for a couple of months, I noticed how much more pride Canadians are taking in being Canadian. I think this might be because there is now a multitude of 2nd-generation Canadians. When I was in my teens, I felt quite strongly that there wasn't a sense of individuals' Canadian identity within the country. That's definitely changing, which I think is a good thing.

[Paul Bearer 6,126]

Thought I'd put this one in this thread

 

 

A driver is stuck in a traffic jam on the M74 motorway. Nothing is moving.

Suddenly a man knocks on the window. The driver rolls down his window and asks, "What's going on?"

"Terrorists have kidnapped 3 England football fans. They're asking for a

£10 million ransom. Otherwise they're going to douse them with petrol and set them on fire. We're going from car to car, taking up a collection."

 

"How much is everyone giving, on average?" the driver asks.

 

 

 

 

 

"About a gallon"

[Paul Bearer 6,126]

Prediction time again.....

 

Spain 3 France 1

[in eternum+ 22]

Prediction time again.....

Well, according to the BBC website:

 

The bad news for France is that Nostradamus has predicted Spanish success at the World Cup... well, maybe, you decide. The Frenchman's prophecy reads: "In the sixth month of 2006 the King of Spain will cross the Pyreness with his troops. The legions of Beelzebub will battle him in central Europe but the evil ones will suffer doom and destruction. The Holy Grail will then come, like the King, to Spain." We may as well all go home then.

 

I'll go with the Spanish wining by two goals.

[Paul Bearer 6,126]

Prediction time again.....

 

Spain 3 France 1

 

Damn, right score, wrong way round, ah well, only another 5(?) games to go.

[Lady Grendel 139]

Prediction time again.....

 

Spain 3 France 1

 

Damn, right score, wrong way round, ah well, only another 5(?) games to go.

 

Better luck next time HCW! 8 games to go (4 Quarter F's, 2 Semi F's, play off for 3rd & 4th place and the Final).

[in eternum+ 22]

Netherlands 3 - Portugal 1

I'll go with the Spanish wining by two goals.

Two shining examples of why I don't gamble.

[football_fan 42]

France 3 Spain 1

 

I am in shock, as I thought that it would be a game that Spain would win quite easily. After all, they had 3 wins in their previous 3 games. France seemed to struggle quite a bit in the initial round. That 1st goal by France was definitely offside and should have been disallowed. Besides that though, France played a better game and played with more intensity. They deserved the win.

[Tuber Mirum 126]

Sad but true.

 

The Spanish fans are putting a brave face on it tonight here in Hannover, everyone is celebrating good-naturedly, but no one really believes it, in spite of France having clearly won fair and square.

 

Traditionally we Scots have an auld alliance with France. The same is not true for the Germans of course, or any other country I can think of.

[Captain Oates 21]

This arrived in my email inbox over-night from an (optimistic) English friend living in Paris:

 

PARIS GETS THE'98 FEVER

 

EVEN THE MOST ARDENT FRENCH SUPPORTER COULD NOT IMAGINE TONIGHTS DECISIVE VICTORY AGAINST SPAIN.

 

AS I WRITE, PARIS IS ALIVE WITH PROUD FRENCH PEOPLE DRIVING AROUND BLASTING THEIR HORNS AND CELEBRATING IN BARS LOOKING FORWARD TO A REPEAT OF THE EPIC MATCH AGAINST BRAZIL IN '98.

 

IN " PLACE DE LA REPUBLIQUE" I SAW PEOPLE RIDING ATOP CARS & HANGING OUT OF CAR WINDOWS GLORYING IN THEIR TRIUMPH.

 

IMAGINE WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE IF FRANCE BEAT BRAZIL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

FRANCE v ENGLAND IN THE SEMI !!!!!!

................................................................................

.................................................

[Tuber Mirum 126]

Here's a joke someone posted on the Hartlepool Forum's:

 

 

 

It is just before the England v Brazil match. Ronaldinho goes into the

Brazilian changing room to find all his teammates looking a bit glum.

 

"What's up?" he asks.

 

"Well, we're having trouble getting motivated for this game. We know

it's important but it's only England. They're shite and we can't be

bothered."

 

Ronaldinho looks at them and says, "Well, I reckon I can beat them by

myself-you lads go down the pub."

 

So Ronaldinho goes out to play England by himself and the rest of the

Brazilian team go off for a few jars.

 

After a few pints they wonder how the game is going, so they get the

landlord to put the teletext on. A big cheer goes up as the screen reads

"Brazil 1 - England 0 (Ronaldinho 10 minutes)". He is beating England

all by himself!

 

Anyway, a few pints later and the game is forgotten until someone

remembers, "It must be full time now, let's see how he got on." They put

the teletext on.

 

"Result from the Stadium 'Brazil 1 (Ronaldinho 10 minutes) - England 1

(Lampard 89 minutes)."

 

They can't believe it; he has single-handedly got a draw against

England!!

 

They rush back to the Stadium to congratulate Ronaldinho. They find him

in the dressing room, still in his gear, sitting with his head in his

hands weeping inconsolably.

 

He refuses to look at them. "I've let you down, I've let you down."

 

"Don't be daft, you got a draw against England, all by yourself. And

they only scored at the very, very end!"

 

"No, no, I have, I've let you down...I got sent off after 12 minutes."

[Brinsworth House Baiter 12]

That is brilliant, NAP! Funniest thing I've read in a while.

 

Worryingly, I don't reckon it's too far from the truth either.

[maryportfuncity 10,673]

Update, John Ward was offered a five year contract with Cheltenham and took it. John Carver's staying at Leeds. Carlisle are now back looking again. David Platt (please no!), Gary Megson (aye, maybe) and Mervyn Day (yeah, he could do a job) are all supposed to be in the running along with Ian McCall boss of Scotland's Queen of the South.

[Bald rick 9]

Update, John Ward was offered a five year contract with Cheltenham and took it. John Carver's staying at Leeds. Carlisle are now back looking again. David Platt (please no!), Gary Megson (aye, maybe) and Mervyn Day (yeah, he could do a job) are all supposed to be in the running along with Ian McCall boss of Scotland's Queen of the South.

It does appear from your regular updates that the Carlisle job isn't that desirable. All the candidates you've mentioned seem to have been falling over themselves to gain alternative employment as soon as possible after you've mentioned them. Is there something we should be told?

[maryportfuncity 10,673]

Aye Bald Rick, the same thing has occured to us over the last few weeks. The dear departed Simmo was a local lad so the weather and locals didn't scare him. I think the real worry for the newie is that Carlisle have stalled the two times they reached this level in the last decade. Also the likely loss of Michael Bridges and maybe one or two others before the start of the season will challenge a new boss.

 

We'll get someone, mind.

 

What are you busy with Bald Rick, looking for a new job or owt?

[Octopus of Odstock 2,206]

It does appear from your regular updates that the Carlisle job isn't that desirable. All the candidates you've mentioned seem to have been falling over themselves to gain alternative employment as soon as possible after you've mentioned them. Is there something we should be told?

 

Not only that, but MPFC has failed to disclose that the Carlisle assistant manager, the one man who DID want the job, has also left the club to gain alternative employment.