Jump to content
IGNORED

2018 World Cup


Recommended Posts

59 minutes ago, MikeO said:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-43487948

Complete rubbish Boris. Hitler used 1936 to showcase "Aryian superiority" and was largely "successful" in that (Jesse Owens aside) because Germany topped the medal table by a street; the Russian football team is, in contrast, shit.

Also, despite the fact that Putin is a crook and a killer, comparisons with Adolf are absurd.

He can't go a day without comparing someone or something he doesn't like to Hitler. What a moron.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
3 hours ago, Cornish Steve said:

Say what you will about the USA, but I couldn't imagine something like this happening here. This is just so bizarre and trashy.

Obviously we have our issues, but when was the last time something like that happened here? Where are the police??

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, tonkaroost said:

Say what you will about the USA, but I couldn't imagine something like this happening here. This is just so bizarre and trashy.

Obviously we have our issues, but when was the last time something like that happened here? Where are the police??

 

Probably busy assaulting minorities 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
4 minutes ago, markjazzbassist said:

classic martinez move wow. benteke chadli januzai are on the team, that in itself says it all.  those 3 are terrible. 

I think they still have 3 or 4 to be cut from the final squad. 

I cant not see Benteke being the 3rd striker but id be very surprised by the other two!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Romey 1878 said:

And he's then gone and retired from international football.

Well, it is best for him.

He is not selected as he is a smoker and kind of problem guy and he is not accepting being a sub according to Martinez' or maybe it was FA's last year comment on the issue. I don't care if he is a smoker as long as he has stamina on the pitch. Zidane was a smoker too... It is irrelevant. He denied the other comments later and said he can be a sub, he has no problem with it.

Something going on there and I don't understand. He is arguably one of the best midfielders around and not getting picked for the WC, instead Fellaini and Tielemans getting picked. It's absurd IMO.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is he really that good? 30 appearances for Belgium since 2009. 

Im not really a fan of Witsel or Fellaini at that level either. I dont know enough about Dendoncker or Tielemans however I know they have been deemed good prospects in the past. 

Given he frequently retires when he isnt picked I suspect Martinez probably didnt want that character in his squad, arguing every time he wasnt picked and throwing a hissy fit!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 22/05/2018 at 11:27, Sir McGiven said:

Yeah, he is kind of a problem guy but it doesn't change the fact for me. As a manager, you have to know how to settle your players in the squad.

The next game I manage will be my first, but I am pretty sure I could get Belgium into the quarter or semis, they are loaded. ..

He doesn't have any club teammates there, and I only saw 1 player on the roster who even plays in Italy. 13/28 play in England with or against each other all year. If he is a bit of an ass, he may not have anyone on the squad who really is backing him for selection, which can't help his cause. Plus, he's 30. Would you rather have a younger player who will be around long and is good in the dressing room? He may not be quite as good on the pitch, so the players around him have to cover a little bit which affects them negatively.  Or you have an older guy who has no use after this summer who's attitude could negatively affect 22 players, not just 2 or 3.

I just can't see where his omission will have much impact on their WC. If it were De Bruyne, Lukaku, Hazard , Courtois etc....it would be a very different argument. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Ghoat said:

The next game I manage will be my first, but I am pretty sure I could get Belgium into the quarter or semis, they are loaded. ..

He doesn't have any club teammates there, and I only saw 1 player on the roster who even plays in Italy. 13/28 play in England with or against each other all year. If he is a bit of an ass, he may not have anyone on the squad who really is backing him for selection, which can't help his cause. Plus, he's 30. Would you rather have a younger player who will be around long and is good in the dressing room? He may not be quite as good on the pitch, so the players around him have to cover a little bit which affects them negatively.  Or you have an older guy who has no use after this summer who's attitude could negatively affect 22 players, not just 2 or 3.

I just can't see where his omission will have much impact on their WC. If it were De Bruyne, Lukaku, Hazard , Courtois etc....it would be a very different argument. 

I do respect your point of view but I disagree with some of your comments.

He can be the only one who plays in Italy but it is a national team, so playing in the different league is not a healthy argument for me. Unless they are playing in the same league and also for the same team, in that case, we could talk about chemistry between them but it is not the case at all. I can agree that some younger players will be the better choice than him but it still doesn't explain to me why Fellaini is selected over Radja.

Both of them are 30. Fellaini only played in 23 matches for United while Radja played in 42 games. He is nuts but super driven, sharp and warrior and he has proven it in both Italian League and Champions League.

I can also understand that he is not a starter for the super talented Belgium side but he could have been a super sub, a driving force when you need it, especially after he declared that he has no problem of being a sub.

 

Maybe it is only me but I always loved footballers who are/were as mad as a box of frogs, such as Roy Keane, Cantona, Duncan Ferguson, Patrick Viera, Vinnie Jones etc. When you control them, you can turn their attitudes into a positive driving force for your team.

Belgium team is very talented but still couldn't get the best out of this generation. My opinion on it that they are so soft on the pitch and Radja could have add some toughness.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Sir McGiven said:

I do respect your point of view but I disagree with some of your comments.

He can be the only one who plays in Italy but it is a national team, so playing in the different league is not a healthy argument for me. Unless they are playing in the same league and also for the same team, in that case, we could talk about chemistry between them but it is not the case at all. I can agree that some younger players will be the better choice than him but it still doesn't explain to me why Fellaini is selected over Radja.

Both of them are 30. Fellaini only played in 23 matches for United while Radja played in 42 games. He is nuts but super driven, sharp and warrior and he has proven it in both Italian League and Champions League.

I can also understand that he is not a starter for the super talented Belgium side but he could have been a super sub, a driving force when you need it, especially after he declared that he has no problem of being a sub.

 

Maybe it is only me but I always loved footballers who are/were as mad as a box of frogs, such as Roy Keane, Cantona, Duncan Ferguson, Patrick Viera, Vinnie Jones etc. When you control them, you can turn their attitudes into a positive driving force for your team.

Belgium team is very talented but still couldn't get the best out of this generation. My opinion on it that they are so soft on the pitch and Radja could have add some toughness.

I think you misunderstood what I meant , or I phrased it poorly. First off, I agree with you - simply playing in the same league, and maybe not even on the same team, depending on their respective positions doesn't mean they have chemistry on the pitch. I also agree that having a red-ass that's a little crazy can add some steel and fire to a team, as long as he can be reeled in, and doesn't lose it and bite people or such....

All other things being roughly equal, I would imagine you would rather have teammate that are more a "known" quality because he plays with or against the same players you do all year long, and can probably judge his skill more fairly - vs a player who plays in a league you aren't familiar with, that may be officiated a bit different, against players you haven't played with or against. 

In no way do I think this is a critical part of the managers selection process. Nor do I have any clue why exactly Roberto chose another player over him or if he did so by the slimmest of margins. But in the case of Radja, it can't help that he is "alone" in Italy, and doesn't have countrymen that may whisper in the gaffers ear "we play with/against this guy all year long, he could help us" 

Sorry for the confusion. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Ghoat said:

I think you misunderstood what I meant , or I phrased it poorly. First off, I agree with you - simply playing in the same league, and maybe not even on the same team, depending on their respective positions doesn't mean they have chemistry on the pitch. I also agree that having a red-ass that's a little crazy can add some steel and fire to a team, as long as he can be reeled in, and doesn't lose it and bite people or such....

All other things being roughly equal, I would imagine you would rather have teammate that are more a "known" quality because he plays with or against the same players you do all year long, and can probably judge his skill more fairly - vs a player who plays in a league you aren't familiar with, that may be officiated a bit different, against players you haven't played with or against. 

In no way do I think this is a critical part of the managers selection process. Nor do I have any clue why exactly Roberto chose another player over him or if he did so by the slimmest of margins. But in the case of Radja, it can't help that he is "alone" in Italy, and doesn't have countrymen that may whisper in the gaffers ear "we play with/against this guy all year long, he could help us" 

Sorry for the confusion. 

OK, got it now. My mistake, misunderstood what you meant as you suspected :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Ghoat said:

 

In no way do I think this is a critical part of the managers selection process. Nor do I have any clue why exactly Roberto chose another player over him or if he did so by the slimmest of margins. But in the case of Radja, it can't help that he is "alone" in Italy, and doesn't have countrymen that may whisper in the gaffers ear "we play with/against this guy all year long, he could help us" 

 

Jordan Lukaku (Lazio), Dries Mertens (Napoli) (both in the world cup squad) and Dennis Praet (Sampdoria) all play in Serie A, so he isn'tt exactly alone. There is a couple of up coming lads from Belgium playing in the same league as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Getting excited for this. Not so much for Australia’s chances but I feel it could be a really good World Cup! Wish I had been living in the uk for a World Cup. 

Anyone got any strange soft spots for teams? I’ll always back Aus (never expecting much again) but I look out for England and also Iceland ( the people are just fantastic and I find it incredible given their population)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Btay said:

Getting excited for this. Not so much for Australia’s chances but I feel it could be a really good World Cup! Wish I had been living in the uk for a World Cup. 

Anyone got any strange soft spots for teams? I’ll always back Aus (never expecting much again) but I look out for England and also Iceland ( the people are just fantastic and I find it incredible given their population)

I loved watching Chile last time but sadly they arent in it now. Sampaoli is with Argentina so it will be interesting to see how that goes but I could never support the Argies!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 hours ago, MikeO said:

Like watching the African teams, really hope one of them goes deep into it; preferably Senegal because of the Everton connection.

Was great watching Cameroon in Italia 90 wasn't it.  Proper upset the footballing hierarchy.  It took a very good England side with a superb Gazza to beat them.

Imagine having that Gazza now.... unreal player. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...