[jdonn]

I thought....ugh....cricket has its own thread. Shoo!

Roland's picks seem decent. Even though I'm excited about it, I can't shake this nagging feeling that my USA will underachieve this time. Hopefully I'm wrong.

[Impact]

Oz is in for the first time since 1974 - and we have a competitive team but it will take a lot of good fortune for our team to make it into the second round (japan which led Germany 2-0 this morning our time, BRAZIL and Croatia). Anything could happen in this group (except that Brazil should get through easily, but a priori despite the rankings, I think Croatia are favourites for the second spot but they are temperamental...)

BRAZIL is the team to watch (as is the case most of the time, and the team most unbiased observers would pay to watch) and must start favourites...

HOLLAND (Netherlands if you will) is my "dark horse" as they appear to hate their coach less than usual - and not to hate each other for about the first time since 1978!

Dream final would be Brazil v Holland....and the occasion might not overwhelm them all so we would see a beautiful game....

Germany will overachieve but are relatively (excluding Ballack) untalented.

Italy have such a negative mindset but deserve some good fortune after their hideous luck last time round with questionable refereeing costing them a lot but who knows how the scandals will affect them?

Argentina seems to have slipped off everyone's radar but they are at least worthy semifinalists, albeit South American teams have had historical difficulty in Europe (except Brazil in Sweden) and modern football sees almost all teams' stars playing with European clubs so perhaps this aphorism has less place than previously?

Spain and Portugal are likely to implode as usual although Spain should make the 1/4F.

England may meet Germany in round 2 - and although England is more talented, the Germans know how to win but the English.....don't.

Czechs have an underrated side but the vagaries of thedraw are likely to pitch them against Brazil in the second round (unless they finish top of their group thereby sending Italy against Brazil in round 2), but if they somehow finish top of their group they would be likely semifinalists...

If I am right Germany will have to play England or Sweden in round 2 (with the alternative opponent meeting Poland and then likely to face Argentina ).

On that basis Germany faces Holland in a 1/4F (could be bloody) but the Dutch have SO much more talent this time round if they can hold their nerve...

Italy would face France (unless Schevchenko goes ballistic), but the French
Sweden v Argentina
Brazil v Spain

in the others.

From which it follows that I do not rate USA in football despite the FIFA ratings!

Well you can all laugh

[mr1303]

As I understood it, this thread was meant to be for people who HATE football and want to escape from it, not for those who love it and want to talk about it 24/7

[Impact]

Life is full of little disappointments......play with finesse to avoid the finesse...

Is that a thread hijack?

[helene_t]

Sucker soccs.

[Nyrolph]

My predictions:
Germany wins.
Brazil is knocked out in the quarter or semifinals by Italy, Holland or Argentina.

PS: Romania will not reach a World Cup final in the next 15 years.

[Sigi_BC84]

Nyrolph, on May 31 2006, 10:19 AM, said:

My predictions:
Germany wins.
Brazil is knocked out in the quarter or semifinals by Italy, Holland or Argentina.

Yeah, right. Our team barely tied the Japanese in one of the preparatory matches yesterday. No way they are going to take the World Cup. We are way lucky already that we didn't get into one of the death groups, like Australia or USA. That way we at least have some chance to to get into the final round, but then it will be over pretty soon.

In the round of sixteen we will likely playing against the Swedes or England, and the team will have to get a lot better in the next few days to beat either of these. But never say never, everything is possible in these tournaments, and nobody would have expected Germany to advance to the finals in the last world championship. Then again, look at the poor performance in the last European championship...

I'm looking forward to see the Dutch, Tchechs, Brasil and all of the other fine teams.

My bet: Brasil will win yet again.

--Sigi

[paulg]

Gerben42, on May 30 2006, 02:43 PM, said:

Hi, do you have any plans how to get away from the world cup in soccer?

I live in Scotland ... what world cup?

Paul

[Walddk]

cardsharp, on May 31 2006, 01:10 PM, said:

Gerben42, on May 30 2006, 02:43 PM, said:

Hi, do you have any plans how to get away from the world cup in soccer?

I live in Scotland ... what world cup?

Paul

The poor man means football, but that would not make much difference to a Scot, would it? I mean, they never qualify anyway

If my memory serves me correctly, last time was in 1990 in Italy. Early exit. Same in 1986 in Mexico.

Roland