Football (Soccer) Thread

[Tamas]

There's tons of focus on club competition 

And national teams is about the best players a country can produce, while club competitions are mostly about having the most money. Doesn't have as much soul.

even youth training is becoming less tied to where the guy was born nowadays, especially on a world-wide level. And in Europe if you become really great, you play in France, Italy, Spain or England by your late teens.

First of all I think players playing for a country other than the one they were born in should be severly restricted, second of all players switching countries is not something happening on a very large scale in Europe

You see this sentiment is a problem. Why should it be restricted? If you want the European nations to accept each other and work together, you need to mix them. Some typical bum who is crazy for football will never care for some government PR campaign, but nowadays can see a black African, and a Dutch, a French, etc. play their hearts out for his favourite club.
This process should not be blocked.

[Pat]

I was talking about players switching national teams

[Valmy]

You see this sentiment is a problem. Why should it be restricted? If you want the European nations to accept each other and work together, you need to mix them. Some typical bum who is crazy for football will never care for some government PR campaign, but nowadays can see a black African, and a Dutch, a French, etc. play their hearts out for his favourite club.
This process should not be blocked.

National teams is unique to Soccer at the scale it is at.  Why do you want to destroy the most unique thing about the sport?  I mean every.  other.  sport.  is all about the club teams.

[alfred russel]

The suggestion that France should concede and give up their WC spot to Ireland is silly.

Can you imagine if they did?  That would be awesome

They could say it is in repayment for the heroics of the Irish Brigade during the Napoleonic Wars

It would make an equal amount of sense for the US to give Ireland their World Cup spot as a repayment for giving us the excuse to get drunk that is St. Patrick's Day. Which we shouldn't mention outside of this thread, because a lot of Americans may be okay with that.

[Maladict]

South Africa 2010 draw

Seeds: South Africa, Brazil, Spain, Holland, Italy, Germany, Argentina and England

Pot two: Australia, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Honduras, Mexico, USA and New Zealand

Pot three: Algeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay

Pot four: Denmark, France, Greece, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Switzerland

[Warspite]

National teams is unique to Soccer at the scale it is at.  Why do you want to destroy the most unique thing about the sport?  I mean every.  other.  sport.  is all about the club teams.

Apart from Rugby and Cricket, where the most watched events are international tests. :p

[Neil]

There's tons of focus on club competition 

And national teams is about the best players a country can produce, while club competitions are mostly about having the most money. Doesn't have as much soul.

Which, in turn, is about having the most money.

[Liep]

South Africa, Denmark, North Korea and Paraguay. I'd like that group.

[Maladict]

South Africa, Denmark, North Korea and Paraguay. I'd like that group.

What about Brazil, France/Portugal, Ivory Coast and USA? 

[Duque de Bragança]

South Africa, Denmark, North Korea and Paraguay. I'd like that group.

What about Brazil, France/Portugal, Ivory Coast and USA? 

Wait until Friday

[Valmy]

Apart from Rugby and Cricket, where the most watched events are international tests. :p

WTF is an international test?

Ok my knowledge of Rugby and Cricket is about on the same level as my knowledge of the Afghan sport of Buzkashi.

[The Larch]

Apart from Rugby and Cricket, where the most watched events are international tests. :pjavascript:void(0);

WTF is an international test?

A game between two national teams. 

[Valmy]

A game between two national teams. 

Oh.  Weird never heard that term for a game before.  I guess it is short for 'contest'.

[The Larch]

A game between two national teams. 

Oh.  Weird never heard that term for a game before.  I guess it is short for 'contest'.

It's a British thingie, and only for rugby and cricket AFAIK. In rugby it also means that the match is a friendly and not part of any competition as well. No idea what it means for cricket.

[Josephus]

So as an England fan and diehard pessimist, I predict:


England
Mexico
Ivory Coast
France.

Yuck.

And my most hated team Germany:

Germany
North Korea
Paraguay
Switzerland.
:eek: