The Real World Cup 2006 thread
Discussion
The following is cut & pasted from an article I've just read re the World Cup. Whilst I will be supporting England all the way (as well as Ghana, who I've drawn in the works' sweepstake), I can to an extent see where the writer is coming from...
"After only a minute or two I'm screaming at the box. It's always anyone but England for me. No question about it. That's why my thoughts at this time are with Sweden, Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago - England's rivals in the World Cup group stage.
Let's start off by stating the obvious: I am not English. It should therefore follow that I am under no obligation to support Sven's men.
I might be swayed if they did something radical, like say, play attractive football or display a degree of self-control about any success they achieve.
To be honest, I have, in my weaker moments, sat down to watch an England game in a relatively neutral frame of mind. But after only a minute or two of Clive Tyldesley's commentating, I'm screaming at the box.
However, the problem goes well beyond the likes of Tyldesley. The whole English nation seems to lose all grip of reality and restraint when their team is in a major football tournament. Even a lucky victory against lowly opposition has the media clutching for Winston Churchill phrase books.
Imagine how insufferable they would be if they actually won a tournament!
Think of the 80-page newspaper 'Victory' supplements, the open-topped bus parade through London, the never-ending TV specials and money-spinning DVDs released just in time for Christmas.
Picture, if you can, Tony Blair and David Beckham high-fiving for the cameras at a special Downing Street World Cup party.
Hold that image in your head for a minute.
Then join me in singing for Trinidad and Tobago.
And let's not forget the ugly side of English football (and I don't mean Gary Neville).
The vast majority of English fans are no doubt solid citizens, but a sizeable thug element is still there, ready at the first opportunity to trash a pub or town square and smash some heads in.
More generally, there is a vaguely disturbing jingoistic undertone to the English football mania - most evident when they are playing countries like Germany and Argentina.
Who knows what might be unleashed if England ever triumphed on the football field? They might even invade another country on spurious grounds. (Or has that already been done?)
It should be emphasised that there are also solid football reasons for hoping that Sven's millionaire celebrities come a cropper.
English domestic football has been one of the loves of my life. On its day - like the recent FA Cup final between Liverpool and West Ham - it can still provide the best sporting spectacle in the world.
But the game is not in a healthy state at present thanks to money-grabbing players, lowlife agents, mean-spirited managers and egotistical chairmen.
Ripped-off supporters are expected to pay small fortunes to watch matches that are often mediocre at best.
English football would actually benefit from a recession, caused by fed-up fans refusing to go.
A bloated, greedy industry should be taught a few lessons in humility.
The last thing it needs right now is domination on the world stage."
"After only a minute or two I'm screaming at the box. It's always anyone but England for me. No question about it. That's why my thoughts at this time are with Sweden, Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago - England's rivals in the World Cup group stage.
Let's start off by stating the obvious: I am not English. It should therefore follow that I am under no obligation to support Sven's men.
I might be swayed if they did something radical, like say, play attractive football or display a degree of self-control about any success they achieve.
To be honest, I have, in my weaker moments, sat down to watch an England game in a relatively neutral frame of mind. But after only a minute or two of Clive Tyldesley's commentating, I'm screaming at the box.
However, the problem goes well beyond the likes of Tyldesley. The whole English nation seems to lose all grip of reality and restraint when their team is in a major football tournament. Even a lucky victory against lowly opposition has the media clutching for Winston Churchill phrase books.
Imagine how insufferable they would be if they actually won a tournament!
Think of the 80-page newspaper 'Victory' supplements, the open-topped bus parade through London, the never-ending TV specials and money-spinning DVDs released just in time for Christmas.
Picture, if you can, Tony Blair and David Beckham high-fiving for the cameras at a special Downing Street World Cup party.
Hold that image in your head for a minute.
Then join me in singing for Trinidad and Tobago.
And let's not forget the ugly side of English football (and I don't mean Gary Neville).
The vast majority of English fans are no doubt solid citizens, but a sizeable thug element is still there, ready at the first opportunity to trash a pub or town square and smash some heads in.
More generally, there is a vaguely disturbing jingoistic undertone to the English football mania - most evident when they are playing countries like Germany and Argentina.
Who knows what might be unleashed if England ever triumphed on the football field? They might even invade another country on spurious grounds. (Or has that already been done?)
It should be emphasised that there are also solid football reasons for hoping that Sven's millionaire celebrities come a cropper.
English domestic football has been one of the loves of my life. On its day - like the recent FA Cup final between Liverpool and West Ham - it can still provide the best sporting spectacle in the world.
But the game is not in a healthy state at present thanks to money-grabbing players, lowlife agents, mean-spirited managers and egotistical chairmen.
Ripped-off supporters are expected to pay small fortunes to watch matches that are often mediocre at best.
English football would actually benefit from a recession, caused by fed-up fans refusing to go.
A bloated, greedy industry should be taught a few lessons in humility.
The last thing it needs right now is domination on the world stage."
SpaceCowboy said:
The following is cut & pasted from an article I've just read re the World Cup. Whilst I will be supporting England all the way (as well as Ghana, who I've drawn in the works' sweepstake), I can to an extent see where the writer is coming from...
"After only a minute or two I'm screaming at the box. It's always anyone but England for me. No question about it. That's why my thoughts at this time are with Sweden, Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago - England's rivals in the World Cup group stage.
Let's start off by stating the obvious: I am not English. It should therefore follow that I am under no obligation to support Sven's men.
I might be swayed if they did something radical, like say, play attractive football or display a degree of self-control about any success they achieve.
To be honest, I have, in my weaker moments, sat down to watch an England game in a relatively neutral frame of mind. But after only a minute or two of Clive Tyldesley's commentating, I'm screaming at the box.
However, the problem goes well beyond the likes of Tyldesley. The whole English nation seems to lose all grip of reality and restraint when their team is in a major football tournament. Even a lucky victory against lowly opposition has the media clutching for Winston Churchill phrase books.
Imagine how insufferable they would be if they actually won a tournament!
Think of the 80-page newspaper 'Victory' supplements, the open-topped bus parade through London, the never-ending TV specials and money-spinning DVDs released just in time for Christmas.
Picture, if you can, Tony Blair and David Beckham high-fiving for the cameras at a special Downing Street World Cup party.
Hold that image in your head for a minute.
Then join me in singing for Trinidad and Tobago.
And let's not forget the ugly side of English football (and I don't mean Gary Neville).
The vast majority of English fans are no doubt solid citizens, but a sizeable thug element is still there, ready at the first opportunity to trash a pub or town square and smash some heads in.
More generally, there is a vaguely disturbing jingoistic undertone to the English football mania - most evident when they are playing countries like Germany and Argentina.
Who knows what might be unleashed if England ever triumphed on the football field? They might even invade another country on spurious grounds. (Or has that already been done?)
It should be emphasised that there are also solid football reasons for hoping that Sven's millionaire celebrities come a cropper.
English domestic football has been one of the loves of my life. On its day - like the recent FA Cup final between Liverpool and West Ham - it can still provide the best sporting spectacle in the world.
But the game is not in a healthy state at present thanks to money-grabbing players, lowlife agents, mean-spirited managers and egotistical chairmen.
Ripped-off supporters are expected to pay small fortunes to watch matches that are often mediocre at best.
English football would actually benefit from a recession, caused by fed-up fans refusing to go.
A bloated, greedy industry should be taught a few lessons in humility.
The last thing it needs right now is domination on the world stage."
"After only a minute or two I'm screaming at the box. It's always anyone but England for me. No question about it. That's why my thoughts at this time are with Sweden, Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago - England's rivals in the World Cup group stage.
Let's start off by stating the obvious: I am not English. It should therefore follow that I am under no obligation to support Sven's men.
I might be swayed if they did something radical, like say, play attractive football or display a degree of self-control about any success they achieve.
To be honest, I have, in my weaker moments, sat down to watch an England game in a relatively neutral frame of mind. But after only a minute or two of Clive Tyldesley's commentating, I'm screaming at the box.
However, the problem goes well beyond the likes of Tyldesley. The whole English nation seems to lose all grip of reality and restraint when their team is in a major football tournament. Even a lucky victory against lowly opposition has the media clutching for Winston Churchill phrase books.
Imagine how insufferable they would be if they actually won a tournament!
Think of the 80-page newspaper 'Victory' supplements, the open-topped bus parade through London, the never-ending TV specials and money-spinning DVDs released just in time for Christmas.
Picture, if you can, Tony Blair and David Beckham high-fiving for the cameras at a special Downing Street World Cup party.
Hold that image in your head for a minute.
Then join me in singing for Trinidad and Tobago.
And let's not forget the ugly side of English football (and I don't mean Gary Neville).
The vast majority of English fans are no doubt solid citizens, but a sizeable thug element is still there, ready at the first opportunity to trash a pub or town square and smash some heads in.
More generally, there is a vaguely disturbing jingoistic undertone to the English football mania - most evident when they are playing countries like Germany and Argentina.
Who knows what might be unleashed if England ever triumphed on the football field? They might even invade another country on spurious grounds. (Or has that already been done?)
It should be emphasised that there are also solid football reasons for hoping that Sven's millionaire celebrities come a cropper.
English domestic football has been one of the loves of my life. On its day - like the recent FA Cup final between Liverpool and West Ham - it can still provide the best sporting spectacle in the world.
But the game is not in a healthy state at present thanks to money-grabbing players, lowlife agents, mean-spirited managers and egotistical chairmen.
Ripped-off supporters are expected to pay small fortunes to watch matches that are often mediocre at best.
English football would actually benefit from a recession, caused by fed-up fans refusing to go.
A bloated, greedy industry should be taught a few lessons in humility.
The last thing it needs right now is domination on the world stage."
Not Scottish by any chance :wink:
Jinx said:
I've set up a http://fantasyfootball.metro.co.uk/in team.... Anyone want to join/do a league?
I'm in, just joined.
lazyitus said:
nutcase said:
Can someone clear this up for me- I've got an HD ready plasma and I thought the BBC were going to broadcast the World Cup in HD, is this true- or have things changed?
Judging by the nil amount of advertising for this on the Beeb, I'd suggest NO.
According to the beeb website, they are. www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2006/03_march/23/hdtv.shtml
www.bbc.co.uk/reception/digital_tv/hdfaqs.shtml
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