The Official 2006 FIFA World Cup thread. (2 Viewers)

[LMF^^]

FUCKEN HELL! France made it through. That's disgusting. Spain choked again, but this time I really feel for them. France is ugly in all respects. Ugly football, ugly players. (WTF is up with the side of Ribery's face?!)

Ribery was born like that, it's a birth mark. He's known as Scarface in France.

 

[Jiga]

That article is gold. I cant believe they rejected even trialling the video ref, in this modern age its ridiculous to knock back something that will minmise wrong decisions being made.... its a multimillion dollar business afterall. By I spose its in the best interest of the powers that be that it doesnt be implemented, because their the best at exploiting it with their dives etc!!!

And the thing is, having a video ref would also discourage diving as players would be aware that they can get carded for it! So the use of the video ref wouldnt be that much anyway

 

[withoutaface]

I think it was Martin Tyler last night suggested coaches get 3 appeals each match and if one of their appeals turns out to be wrong they lose another.

 

[Paragon]

Maybe i'm in denial, but I think that the quote from Ronaldo may have been taken out of context. I reckon that he simply stated that he would perhaps like to play for Madrid one day. In any case, a known political tactic in the past has been for presidential candidates to promise big-name signings.

Actually from what I read, his Agent came out and said that the move 'will be geared accordingly with the outcome of the upcoming presidential elections', suggesting it's probably of an immediate nature.

Thats harsh..... Ukraine deserve their spot, bad luck to those other teams if they werent good enough. And being thumped, they also won 4-0 against Saudi Arabia, that argument means nothing!

I still think Ukraine don't deserve their place in the QFs based on their performances. But like 'otay' said, fair game to them, they beat whatever was put in front of them. In any case though, I hope Italy have the decency to step up and take the game to Ukraine rather than make us sit through a drab match of Football. Even the penalty shootout between Ukraine and Switzerland was labelled as boring by the German papers.

 

[Led-Zep]

withoutaface, yep is was tyler during the brazil-ghana game..sounds like a feasable idea, tho would need the option of video replays..The thing i dont get and why the dont introduce, they have a 5th official, y not get him a tv monitor so he can view contentious decisions, as they have the mics already all 5 officials, couldnt the 5th official quickly tell the ref that it is offside,penalty,crossed the line? that would take like 10 seconds via video replay. that is not much of a delay to me, considering injuries,goal celebrations, subs take up much more time approx 30secs each..so 10secs would be perfect..i dunno just my opinion on this

And yes im still fuming over grosso incident, that wont go away until we play italy in another world cup and smash them like they deserve to be beat. The priority for sepp blatter before the world cup was to cut down on divers, in all the games ive seen only 2 players have gotten yellows, its just a shame that this happens in football, and if it continues i truly beleive more people will leave the game.

 

[Paragon]

I actually think they'll give brazil a very good run or their money. Brazil's defence's have been exposed by all opponents, and France actually have the strikers who can finish.

Strikers who can finish ? They’ve only been playing Henry upfront in almost all their matches, 4 of their 6 goals have come from MF. Vieira’s their joint top scorer, I mean, that’s saying something. If anything, it’s their strikeforce that’s lacking. By the way, still waiting for a Barthez moment.

 

[...]

Strikers who can finish ? They’ve only been playing Henry upfront in almost all their matches, 4 of their 6 goals have come from MF. Vieira’s their joint top scorer, I mean, that’s saying something. If anything, it’s their strikeforce that’s lacking. By the way, still waiting for a Barthez moment.

there was an article somewhere about why zidane and henry can't work well together..something on the lines henry prefer to play quick counters..but zidane likes to hold the ball and suck in players around him

 

[withoutaface]

Whoever said France need strikers who can finish, they have perhaps the best striker/finisher in the world in Henry, but he doesn't get as much service from midfield as he does at Arsenal.

 

[...]

Whoever said France need strikers who can finish, they have perhaps the best striker/finisher in the world in Henry, but he doesn't get as much service from midfield as he does at Arsenal.

france has 3 worldclass strikers..
henry, saha and trezguet

if i recall, henry said he prefer to plays with saha than the pink lady..man, saha is a guy magnet..everyone wants to play with him..rooney, now henry :|

 

[withoutaface]

france has 3 worldclass strikers..
henry, saha and trezguet

if i recall, henry said he prefer to plays with saha than the pink lady..man, saha is a guy magnet..everyone wants to play with him..rooney, now henry :|

Exactly, and it's stupid to be playing only one of them unless they're going to be playing counterattacking football. Take Malouda or Ribery out, shove Trezeguet or Saha beside/just behind Henry and watch the goals pile up.

 

[Jimmy_B]

By the way, still waiting for a Barthez moment.

the south korea goal was hilarious. a barthez moment definitely. why they wouldnt play coupet who is brilliant is baffling.

 

[withoutaface]

He obviously has the wrong star sign and/or doesn't appreciate the German art galleries and composers as much as Barthez does.

 

[Paragon]

The crazy Cinese commentator:

China's most popular television football commentator has been forced to apologise for an extraordinary outburst of pro-Italy bias during his call as the Azzurri knocked Australia out of the World Cup.

"Penalty! Penalty! Penalty!" he screamed. "Grosso's done it, Grosso's done it!

"The great Italian left back! He succeeded in the glorious traditions of Italy! Facchetti, Cabrini and Maldini, their souls are infused in him at this moment!

"Grosso represents the long history and traditions of Italian soccer, he's not fighting alone at this moment! He's not alone!"

"Goooooal! Game over! Italy win! Beat the Australians!" he shouted, his voice now breaking.

"They do not fall in front of Hiddink again! Italy the great! Left back the great! Happy birthday to Maldini! Forza Italia!

"The victory belongs to Italy, to Grosso, to Cannavaro, to Zambrotta, to Buffon, to Maldini, to everyone who loves Italian soccer!

"Hiddink ... lost all his courage faced with Italian history and traditions ... He finally reaped fruits which he had sown! They should go home. They don't need to go as far away as Australia as most of them are living in Europe. Farewell!"

"I'm more familiar with Italian players ... and I don't like Australians indeed," he said.

"I was hoping they'd do badly here."

 

[Constip8edSkunk]

The crazy Cinese commentator:

China's most popular television football commentator has been forced to apologise for an extraordinary outburst of pro-Italy bias during his call as the Azzurri knocked Australia out of the World Cup.

"Penalty! Penalty! Penalty!" he screamed. "Grosso's done it, Grosso's done it!

"The great Italian left back! He succeeded in the glorious traditions of Italy! Facchetti, Cabrini and Maldini, their souls are infused in him at this moment!

"Grosso represents the long history and traditions of Italian soccer, he's not fighting alone at this moment! He's not alone!"

"Goooooal! Game over! Italy win! Beat the Australians!" he shouted, his voice now breaking.

"They do not fall in front of Hiddink again! Italy the great! Left back the great! Happy birthday to Maldini! Forza Italia!

"The victory belongs to Italy, to Grosso, to Cannavaro, to Zambrotta, to Buffon, to Maldini, to everyone who loves Italian soccer!

"Hiddink ... lost all his courage faced with Italian history and traditions ... He finally reaped fruits which he had sown! They should go home. They don't need to go as far away as Australia as most of them are living in Europe. Farewell!"

"I'm more familiar with Italian players ... and I don't like Australians indeed," he said.

"I was hoping they'd do badly here."

what a cunt, he was forced to apologize the next morning lol.

but in china serie a is more widely esposed then some of the other leagues so there would be some pro-italy bias

 

[matt#1]

The crazy Cinese commentator:

"The great Italian left back! He succeeded in the glorious traditions of Italy! Facchetti, Cabrini and Maldini, their souls are infused in him at this moment!

"I'm more familiar with Italian players ... and I don't like Australians indeed," he said.

"I was hoping they'd do badly here."

What a cunt!!! His bias might be somewhat understandable if it was China that beat Australia.... I hope that he gets banned from commentating for life.:burn:

 

[Constip8edSkunk]

http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/thai-killed-over-italy-match/2006/06/28/1151174262977.html
Thai killed over Italy match

June 28, 2006 - 6:46PM
AdvertisementAdvertisement

A dispute about the last minute penalty which put Italy through to the World Cup quarter-finals at the expense of Australia ended with one Thai soccer fan killing another, a newspaper reported.

Italian fan Saran Channarong stabbed Australia supporter Rabieb Lukchan twice after Rabieb insisted the referee had been biased in giving Italy the penalty which was converted by Francesco Totti with the last kick of the game for a 1-0 win, the newspaper said.

The two men had been drinking as they watched Sunday's game at a grocery shop in the southern province of Nakohn Si Thammarat, the Daily News newspaper quoted police as saying.

Rabieb, 45, died in hospital and police were looking for 20-year-old Saran, it said.

A Nakohn Si Thammarat police officer confirmed the fatal dispute had been World Cup related, but could not confirm details of the quarrel.

Reuters

the arguments in the previous pages are pretty meek compared with this

 

[DRAGONZ]

this puts some ot he arguments on previous pages in some perspective...

It merely proves furthermore that Italy are the scum of football.

Gennaro Gattuso said in today's Italian papers that it was definitely not a penalty.

Shame he and his team didn't say it to the referee during the match :burn:


What is it, now? Two days later .. and I'm still nowhere near over it. Would be the same for most of you as well.

Can hardly start to believe how the players are feeling. Especially Neill .. what a super-(unfortunate)-star.

 

[matt#1]

Woah....I had no idea that the Thais were so passionate about their football.

Australia supporter Rabieb Lukchan first had to suffer watching us lose to Italy...and then he was killed as well. That is pretty tragic. It shows us that it could be worse. He died trying to prove that the Italian ref was shithouse and a cheat. Poor guy. I can respect him for that. The Socceroos should wear black armbands in their next match in his honour.

 

[- L1n -]

what a cunt, he was forced to apologize the next morning lol.

but in china serie a is more widely esposed then some of the other leagues so there would be some pro-italy bias

Theres Bias everywhere, i always see SBS presenters be bias towards Australia, it's narutal. Who cares he was open to his opinions just like anyone, i don't know why everyone is getting so worked up.

 

[Paragon]

Theres Bias everywhere, i always see SBS presenters be bias towards Australia, it's narutal. Who cares he was open to his opinions just like anyone, i don't know why everyone is getting so worked up.

It's fair enough for the SBS panel/presenters to show bias towards the Socceroos. I think it's totally justified. I bet this is a drop in the ocean compared to what other networks in other countries would be doing. And I feel Simon Hill's calls have been commendably impartial in the Aussie matches, given how easy it can be to get emotional.