World Cup Thread

[tate]

2-1 now with frankly pathetic farting about by the slovakian keeper and quagliarella - MTFU

why did italy wait until the 79' to start playing. Controversial disallowed goal there disallowed for italy

[Leinsterman]

Bye Bye Italy 0-2 down WITH 20 TO GO

2-1 now. Squeaky bum time for Slovakia.

[Peg Leg]

Bye Bye Italy 0-2 down WITH 20 TO GO

With the paraguay v NZ match tied, it looks like the holders will finish bottom of their group, WTF!

[Scott]

Bye Bye Italy 0-2 down WITH 20 TO GO

2-1 now. Squeaky bum time for Slovakia.

At 1-2 Italy have a goal disallowed for offside (Harsh)

[Scott]

1-3 bye bye world champs ( for real this time!)

[tate]

3-2 now

[Scott]

3-2 now

I flicked to the tennis!!

[tate]

finished 3-2

[Peg Leg]

Right. Office prediction competition. I need to settle on a result of the Engerland - Crazy German Pixies game. Haven't a notion how it's going to go, esp with Schweinsteiger a doubt.

Sensible suggestions welcome (bananas suggestions also accepted)

I dont know why but I have a feeling England are going to improve- If only so they can give the 2 fingers to the "fans" for the abuse.
The tactics book will be fecked out for this one, its 1939 again but dont mention the war.... and dont forget, loose lips sink ships!

Some end to the Italy game! Not disappointed to see them go, boring.

[Peg Leg]

France & Italy - the finalists in 2006 WC - both bow out of the world cup in the group stages, both at the bottom of their respective groups!
This news is shocking in its own right, but made all the more disturbing when you realise it was these two teams that kept Ireland out of the competition in the qualifiers (had Henry not hand passed it, we would have lost on peno's IMO)!


EDIT: Come on Japan!!! Best game so far. Those English commentators are the most condescending shower of fukrs going!

[Xanthippe]

Today is the 20th anniversary of Ireland beating Romania to reach the quarter final of the 1990 World Cup

[Peg Leg]

Today is the 20th anniversary of Ireland beating Romania to reach the quarter final of the 1990 World Cup

I'm how old?

[Slipper1]

and thus the 20th Anniversary of the English Matriculation exam, which everyone left early to go to watch the match.

young people will not understand - we had to do two sets of exams to get into college, so don't complain about you having it hard now.

[johng]

Today is the 20th anniversary of Ireland beating Romania to reach the quarter final of the 1990 World Cup

That was the 1st year I drew my pension.

[fourthirtythree]

France & Italy - the finalists in 2006 WC - both bow out of the world cup in the group stages, both at the bottom of their respective groups!
This news is shocking in its own right, but made all the more disturbing when you realise it was these two teams that kept Ireland out of the competition in the qualifiers (had Henry not hand passed it, we would have lost on peno's IMO)!


EDIT: Come on Japan!!! Best game so far. Those English commentators are the most condescending shower of fukrs going!

No surprise with either though: we knew they were rubbish. The worst Irish team I remember should have beaten them both (but didn't due to a lack of ambition).

Japan best game? Surely you didn't watch say Chile v Honduras (two attractive attacking teams) or Germany v Ghana (extraordinarily high quality football from both teams. Real class.)

[Donny B.]

Hilariously self-pitying interview with 'Handy' Henry in the Times today.

Brought to mind an old song from Cat Ballou "....he is old and grey, and he's lost his way, all his tomorrow's were yesterday"



From IT

WORLD CUP 2010: THIERRY HENRY broke his silence on France’s catastrophic World Cup campaign last night by accusing his younger team-mates of lacking respect towards him and likening the current widespread criticism of Nicolas Anelka to the treatment he received after his handball against the Republic of Ireland.

Henry said he could relate to and sympathise with Anelka after being similarly vilified following last November’s play-off.

“I can tell you, from the experience with my handball, I was all alone and I know what it feels like,” the former France captain said in an interview on French television.

“I would have really liked him to be supported a bit.”

The French federation’s decision to send the Chelsea striker home after his verbal attack on coach Raymond Domenech was just one of several flashpoints during Les Bleus’ brief stay in South Africa.

The French public have been eagerly waiting to discover what really went on, and were left disappointed when Patrice Evra refused to give any details yesterday afternoon, despite promising on Tuesday he would reveal all upon his return home.

Henry was more forthcoming. Although he insisted there were “no clans and no fights”, the Barcelona forward was clearly unhappy with the behaviour of certain players.

Having been relegated to the bench for the tournament, the 32-year-old said he had “no credibility” and was made to feel like an isolated and unimportant figure.

“I could have been the big brother (to the younger player) but I no longer am,” France’s all-time record scorer explained.

“I felt cast aside. People no longer spoke to me in the same way as before.

“They used to talk to me more. I was at the centre. When you no longer have any credibility in the squad, it gets to the point when it becomes difficult.”

In a clear swipe at his younger colleagues, Henry added: “When I played at Monaco, even after winning the World Cup, I collected the balls and carried the bags. Now it’s pretty much me carrying them.”

Henry’s fourth and last World Cup has clearly left a bitter taste. While he refused to blame the team’s dire performances on the off-pitch difficulties, the former Arsenal striker admitted the breakdown of Anelka’s relationship with Domenech had created an “uneasy” environment.

“The first reason for the fiasco is that we didn’t play well,” he said. “We shouldn’t hide behind excuses. We weren’t good enough. Did Anelka’s comments trigger the slide? I don’t know. There was certainly an uneasy situation. But I don’t think we can say there was a clan.

“There are always affinities. But there was a lot of laughter. Everyone switched tables.”

When asked if Yoann Gourcuff had been bullied by the likes of Franck Ribery and Anelka, Henry instantly replied “no”, before admitting “I didn’t see everything that went on”.

He also rejected reports that Domenech had totally lost his authority, saying: “He was there. He was in charge. One player or another might disagree with him, but you have to respect the decisions.”

Henry refused to divulge details of his meeting with the President, Nicolas Sarkozy, on Thursday, saying only “it went well”.

He was much keener to defend his long-time friend Anelka, whom he claims was misquoted by L’Equipe , the newspaper that revealed Anelka’s alleged tirade by publishing a series of shocking expletives on its front page.

“Those weren’t Nico’s words,” Henry insisted. “Unfortunately these things happen in a dressingroom.

“The difference here is that the words got out. I was in the dressingroom. I couldn’t hear what he was saying. He was complaining.

“What I can’t understand is how the person that said this to the journalist was able to hear what Nicolas said.”

[suisse]

Heartbroken,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

ILOVE AUS= KOREA

[Danthefan]

England have been disallowed a perfectly good goal there. The officiating at this World Cup has been a complete farce, following on nicely from Henry and his handball.

[Danthefan]

In the end it probably hasn't really altered the result because Germany have torn England to shreds tbf, but still, very poor from the officials.

[Donny B.]

Disgraceful decision alright but I still think Germany would have hammered them regardless. Every time they ran at them, the England defence fell apart. Once again claims that John Terry is a world class centrehalf were shown up to be laughable nonsense.