World Cup 2006

[BCWWF]

Is anybody here planning on going? Or at least planning on trying? I really want to go, and I believe tickets go on sale in February, but is anybody else planning on looking into it? I'm sure its hella expensive tho.

[El Capitano Gatisto]

I want to go, since it's only over in Germany. I'd love to see Ireland play at a World Cup, but I'd go even if they don't make it.

[Rob]

Well if a miricle happens and Scotland make it then hell yeah I'll go.

[Loose Cannon]

I will be watching from my house.

[Loose Cannon]

BTW: This is a good site for finding standings and schedules pretty quick.

http://www.eifl.org.uk/wc2006/

[LK]

Well if a miricle happens and Scotland make it then hell yeah I'll go.

[Team Sheep]

Well if a miricle happens and <strike>Scotland</strike> Wales make it then hell yeah I'll go.

[Dazz]

I would want to go if I Sven Goran Erikson could promise me a few things:

Lampard will start in midfield
Terry will start at Centre Back
David James is at home in England
David Beckham will only start if Wright-Phillips is injured, and if he does play he cannot take any free kick's or penalties.

Otherwise it's not worth the journey and I'll just watch it from home, I like England but Chelsea is where it's at. I would much rather get a ticket to next months match Vs Barca at the Camp Nou then go to watch England play.

[Ogen]

If Ireland make it me and a few lads are definitly going if they don't a few are but I'm not sure if I will

[Rob Ban Fan]

<font face=verdana size=3 color="#ff6600">I'd like to go if any of my mates were willing to go too.

Ive never been to an England match before.</font>

[El Capitano Gatisto]

I'd go for the football. I'd love to see Ireland, but I love football and the World Cup would be the ultimate in football experience.

[toxic rooster]

I talked to yianni about this briefly, not even gonna think about going to Germany until after the Qualifiers, and only if Australia qualifies.

Fucking trip of a lifetime though

[El Capitano Gatisto]

Australia won't qualify. You're shit. I'd love if the European teams could play Australia in a play-off. If Ireland drew you lot, I'd ejaculate with joy.

I remember Iran knocked you lot out.

[Dazz]

Don't australia lose to shit like Urugauy and Paragauy in every world cup play off. What a joke they are.

I wouldn't underestimate Australia though, they did beat England in a VERY meaningful friendly match where England played their strongest team for 90 minutes :roll:

[yianni]

Australia won't qualify. You're shit. I'd love if the European teams could play Australia in a play-off. If Ireland drew you lot, I'd ejaculate with joy.

I remember Iran knocked you lot out.
Australia has had immense problems getting players back for friendlies, lack of practice together as a team, basically all these problems in the past. This was due to the pathetic administrations of the past. Now the current administration is FINALLY organising more games and things are looking the goods. This is the best opportunity we have to qualify for the World Cup. If we don't do it this time around then I will conceed we're crap, cos we HAVE to do it this time.

And that Iran game was bullshit, we drew 1-1 away to them, then drew 2-2 at home where one of their goals was ridiculously offside. But that's football. I'd also love it if we could play European teams instead of the South Americans, remember it was a full strength England team for the first half of that friendly and last I remember the scoreline at halftime was 0-2. ;)

[yianni]

Don't australia lose to shit like Urugauy and Paragauy in every world cup play off. What a joke they are.No, but they get dicked around by FIFA with this ridiculous Oceania playoff with another region. As far back as I can remember, it was Europe in 1989, South America in 1993, Asia in 1997, South America in 2001 and now South America again. Tell me if you played only 2 meaningful games over 4 years you'd be adequately prepared? If Australia had the same preperation as other countries in world football AND THEN had the two play-off games more often than not we'd do much better than we have done. Although we haven't qualified we've still done ok

- 1993 the playoff was with Argentina, 1-1 draw in Sydney and 1-0 loss in Argentina
- 1997 against Iran, 1-1 draw in Iran then 2-2 in Melbourne (offside goal though :mad: )
- 2001 against Uruguay, 1-0 win in Melbourne, 3-0 loss in Montevideo

Even Argentina fucken lost in Uruguay in the qualifiers, it's a tough joint to go to especially when you've played fuck all games in preperation. Having said that, like I said to ECG in my previous post, this time around there are no excuses whatsoever. The preperation is 50 times better than usual, we've had experience now playing in South America, the team gets together more regularly, if they don't do it this time around then they'll never bloody do it.

[yianni]

PS if they make it then I'll go for sure. Hope Greece makes it too.

Sorry it took me three posts to get to my fucking point. :D

[Dazz]

But one half solves nothing, we were never going to do anything in the second half with a bunch of ammatuers, not that I am going to get into the debate again as it's allmost of your Convicts (mainly Wee Gooner) mention.

I hope Greece make it too, after being in Greece for the final and semi-final, I like them. They will be my second team.

[El Capitano Gatisto]

Yeah, England are shite. Their tactic is to start a riot when you go 1-0 up against them.

At least that is their tactic against Ireland. Ten years ago that was, now. I remember being all excited about it as a young nipper, then all those English fuckers ruined everything.

[Dazz]

Fear not ECG, the days of the English hooligans is almost over, the Chelsea headhunters area dying breed, I will do my best to revive them and stir up trouble, but we are a dying breed. West Aam and Millwall have our only naughty boys now.

I remember just over a decade ago Ireland were good and had an impressive World Cup Finals, too bad you were a wee nipper at the time and didn't appreciate it as much as you would today. Still a pretty shit hot match Vs the Germans (I think?) when Robbie Keane scored a good un in '02.

[El Capitano Gatisto]

I remember 1994 all right. I wasn't that much of a nipper really, I was 11. I loved that World Cup, had all of my all time favourite players at it: Roberto Baggio, Georghe Hagi, Romario, Hristo Stoichkov, Paul McGrath, Roy Keane, Jurgen Klinsmann, Ruud Gullit, Henrik Larsson, Martin Dahlin, Gianfrano Zola, Diego Maradona etc.

All apart from Marco Van Basten. They even had a buck-toothed young Ronaldo on the Brazilian bench.

[yianni]

But one half solves nothing, we were never going to do anything in the second half with a bunch of ammatuers, not that I am going to get into the debate again as it's allmost of your Convicts (mainly Wee Gooner) mention.
Look I know it's a nothing game, but the fact is that we both had decent first teams in the first half and we did well. And I'm telling you now, if Australia makes the world cup they will do well in it. The problem is getting there. We've got decent players but they can never play together until now we're getting our act together organising friendlies and shit.

I hope Greece make it too, after being in Greece for the final and semi-final, I like them. They will be my second team.
:love:

[El Capitano Gatisto]

I'd fancy Australia to do well if their two best players weren't such lazy pieces of shit. Viduka and Kewell are a waste of God-given talent. Two fantastic players, but gigantic wasters.

[Dazz]

Gianfranco*

Yeah I didn't know till '98 that Ronaldo was on the bench, all I remember about the world cup was Brazil's cool 'rocking a baby' celebration, me thinking Dunga was the man, Baggio missing the penalty and that beautiful Stoichkov free kick, my dad gave me a great poster of it, the look on the faces on the German wall was terrific.

Paul McGrath, loyal? didn't he run away before a game or something equally as odd.

[El Capitano Gatisto]

Paul McGrath is a raging alcoholic and a manic depressive. He's fucked up, basically.

[Dazz]

OHHHHH, he sounds like Shane McGowan.

[El Capitano Gatisto]

Also, I remember the 94 World Cup for Romario, Stoichkov, Klinsmann, Hagi and Baggio basically showing they were untouchable as world class players.

Klinsmann's flick with the left, spin, and volley it in with the right was a great goal. Hagi's long range chip into the top corner, that he definitely meant. Stoichkov and Romario banging in the goals, both my favourite players at my favourite club, Barcelona.

Oleg Salenko getting 5 goals in a game stands out, too. Daniel Amokachi and Nigeria tearing Argentina apart had me and my mates running out to my back garden to have a frantic kick-around.

Saeed-al-Owairan scored one of the best goals ever at a WC, too. Never gets the credit like Maradona's goal against England does, even though it was just as good.

The German side then was still great, too, with Sammer, Lothar Mattheus, Kohler, Andy Moeller, Tomas Hassler etc. all in their prime.

[El Capitano Gatisto]

Shane MacGowan isn't a manic depressive. He just loves being drunk. Paul McGrath is bankrupt and all that shit. He is in bad shapes.

[Dazz]

Unless you have a video or DVD of the finals, your memory is pretty superb.

When you say Barca are your favourite club, does that still apply or was it just because of the players they had at the time, because I thought you don't support anyone.

[Loose Cannon]

I remember 1994 all right. I wasn't that much of a nipper really, I was 11. I loved that World Cup, had all of my all time favourite players at it: Roberto Baggio, Georghe Hagi, Romario, Hristo Stoichkov, Paul McGrath, Roy Keane, Jurgen Klinsmann, Ruud Gullit, Henrik Larsson, Martin Dahlin, Gianfrano Zola, Diego Maradona etc.

All apart from Marco Van Basten. They even had a buck-toothed young Ronaldo on the Brazilian bench.

That was the WC that got me into football. I'll always remember the miss by Baggio and some dude killing that Columbian player, who scored his own goal, when he got home :nono:

[Ogen]

Also, I remember the 94 World Cup for Romario, Stoichkov, Klinsmann, Hagi and Baggio basically showing they were untouchable as world class players.

Klinsmann's flick with the left, spin, and volley it in with the right was a great goal. Hagi's long range chip into the top corner, that he definitely meant. Stoichkov and Romario banging in the goals, both my favourite players at my favourite club, Barcelona.

Oleg Salenko getting 5 goals in a game stands out, too. Daniel Amokachi and Nigeria tearing Argentina apart had me and my mates running out to my back garden to have a frantic kick-around.

Saeed-al-Owairan scored one of the best goals ever at a WC, too. Never gets the credit like Maradona's goal against England does, even though it was just as good.

The German side then was still great, too, with Sammer, Lothar Mattheus, Kohler, Andy Moeller, Tomas Hassler etc. all in their prime.
Well Baggio was untouchable until he played us McGrath had him in his pocket along with most of Italy for that game. Still one of my fondest memories as a child is that game I was about 8 or 9 only but I still remember it. And are you sure about McGrath ECG? I thought he'd kicked the drink hope thats not true the blokes my hero basically.

[Ogen]

Baggio balooning that peno was a big memory of that too.

[BCWWF]

Yeah Baggio and the Columbian guy are the big stories I remember :nono:

That and the United States did somewhat decent :o And didn't Bulgaria or something make it really far?

[packt up]

Saeed-al-Owairan scored one of the best goals ever at a WC, too. Never gets the credit like Maradona's goal against England does, even though it was just as good.



:drool:

Seriously.

[Dave Youell]

Well if a miricle happens and Scotland make it then hell yeah I'll go.
Your Scottish?

[DaveWadding]

World Cup is the only time I can stand watching football. And only if Ireland is playing.

[El Capitano Gatisto]

Unless you have a video or DVD of the finals, your memory is pretty superb.

When you say Barca are your favourite club, does that still apply or was it just because of the players they had at the time, because I thought you don't support anyone.It's pretty much all from memory. My mate has the round-up on video, but we haven't watched it since that Le Tournai thing was on years ago.

It still applies, but it was because of the players back then that I started loving them. I was a big fan of AC Milan's team, mainly because of Van Basten.

Also, I just remembered that Gullit wasn't at the 94 World Cup. He pulled a Roy Keane, had a dispute with the coach and walked out just before it started. Disappointing.

[El Capitano Gatisto]

Well Baggio was untouchable until he played us McGrath had him in his pocket along with most of Italy for that game. Still one of my fondest memories as a child is that game I was about 8 or 9 only but I still remember it. And are you sure about McGrath ECG? I thought he'd kicked the drink hope thats not true the blokes my hero basically.
I'm not really sure how he is, actually. I remember hearing his mates had to get together some money and help him out.

[Ogen]

Didn't know that. Shit thats fairly disapointing the blokes responsible for my love of football and Aston Villa really.

[Rob]

<font face=verdana size=3 color="#ff6600">I'd like to go if any of my mates were willing to go too.

Ive never been to an England match before.</font>

I have. One of the worst experiences (if not the worst) of my life.

[Rob]

Your Scottish?

Yeah. You just noticed?

[thorpey88]

Hi All,

Just searching for fixtures and found a cool free download that people might find interesting...

Free World Cup 2006 Sweepstake Kit (http://www.worldcup-2006-betting.co.uk/downloads.htm)

Gonna get my office involved - see if I can bump up the ticket price to £5 a pop!

Roll on the World Cup!

Thorpey.

[SammyG]

:( @ Greece not even making the World Cup. Meh, Go USA. But it's gonna be tough, pretty tough draw. Italy and Czechs will most probably advance.

[toxic rooster]

Australia won't qualify. You're shit. I'd love if the European teams could play Australia in a play-off. If Ireland drew you lot, I'd ejaculate with joy.

Silly.

[Mr. Monday Morning]

Rooney's fit! We're gonna win!

ENGERLAND ENGERLAND ENGERLAND

[/conforming to type]

[BCWWF]

For some reason I see the Italians choking, similar to Portugal in 2002. It's kind of funny because people always forget the fact that the US wouldn't have even made the second round last time without Poland messing up and it wouldn't have reached the quarterfinals without a draw against Mexico. I don't know how legit USA is, but I'm really not counting on a lot.

[OssMan]

I will be rooting for Brazil, Netherlands (do they call themselves Holland) and USA

[Team Sheep]

For some reason I see the Italians choking, similar to Portugal in 2002. It's kind of funny because people always forget the fact that the US wouldn't have even made the second round last time without Poland messing up and it wouldn't have reached the quarterfinals without a draw against Mexico. I don't know how legit USA is, but I'm really not counting on a lot.

Meh, Italy had their slip up in Euro 2004, I think they'll do pretty well.

[Nervous Ferret]

When does this start

I will be rooting for USA, Australia and Poland

[Loose Cannon]

June 9th. Every game on ESPN, which is sweet, but I have a 9-5 job now :(

I'll have to record all the games during that time.

[Danny Electric]

Can't wait. I'm off work for the first england game, so i'll book the other days off.
Oh and my dad got me an Iran top from Iran. Good times.

[Nervous Ferret]

wait, are the games gunna be on at like 4AM like last time? What country is it in?

[Loose Cannon]

hmmm, dunno. It's in Germany, but I don't know the times

[Nervous Ferret]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/worldcup/fixtures?&lpos=wcnav&lid=gn_sn_WC+fixtures&cc=5901


decent times

[BCWWF]

I remember France 98 the games were in the morning, but not too early. Like maybe 8 a.m. would be the earliest. A primetime game over there will be at like 2 p.m. Eastern.

[OssMan]

final is 2 AM eastern :o

[Rob]

final is 2 AM eastern :o

That can't be right. 2 pm maybe.

[Nervous Ferret]

Assman, 14:00 hours is 2PM :o

[Team Sheep]

Germany are 6 hours ahead of EST.

[LK]

Nicked from the Football365 forums, who in turn nicked it from the This Is Anfield site, but amusing

A commentator will say "Oh, how England missed Rooney's finishing skills there..."

They will mention how 'cool' Sven is. And how passion-less he is when we inevitably go out to someone better than us

Captain Beckham will inspire no one

When England score, Beckham will be the first to arrive, jumping on the goalscorers back while ensuring the his hand is on the goalscorers face ensuring the camera is on him. All the time.

Metatarsals will break by the dozen. Most of them will be English

Commentator: "This is Beckham territory" when England get a free-kick 30 yards out.

England will get knocked out - losing on penalties. And this will be said "To be fair we lost to a great team"

3 England fans get into a minor scuffle with a Policeman in a town square. Sky News will show the 10 second footage on a non-stop loop for the rest of the day in an attempt to make it look like a mass riot has taken place.

Theo Walcott will be overwhelemed by the pressure and faint during the national anthem in england's biggest game in 40 years, against Trinidad and Tobago.

Any touch of the ball Walcott has that isn't spectacularly incompetent is overhyped, overstated and overscreened.

Theo Walcott's missus will be in all the tabloids. Topless. Hopefully.

Vegetable-related headline when England face Sweden

Hargreaves nonsensically substituted on despite a clear need for an offensive change

Ian Wright will do his usual impression of a gurning penis.

Everytime Wayne Rooney gets the ball in the opposition half the commentator will scream ROOOOOOOOONEY and ejaculate.

Someone will say Crouch has good feet for a big man

John Terry will handle in the box.

Lampard will score off a shot that will take a deflection off a defender's arse

Rio will have rubbish hair. He'll also be England's chief skinner-upperer.

John Motson will go on and on about how we need Emile Heskey

Beckham will do something to make us all hate him again.

Men around Britain will laugh at the Iranian national anthem

The United States will last longer than England.

An England centre back will have a goal disallowed

England will be drawing 1-1 with 15 to go, on comes, not Lennon, not walcott but yes, Jenas and Hargreaves.

David Beckham will miss his penatly

England will suffer at the hands of a referee

England fans will behave themselves, and the Sun will pay some locals to dress up in England attire and smash a café up, and go on about it for weeks.

Spain will be referred to as perennial underachievers and will do their inevitable balls-up in the second round.

The broadsheets will watch England's games with the Paraguyan community, the Trinidad and Tobago community and the Swedish community in London.

The Sun or The Mirror will have a headline with a Second World War gag in it. The most likely is "For you Fritz, the Cup is Over" if the Germans get knocked out in the group stages.



The camera will find and focus on a fit brazilian bird with big tits dancing in the crowd. The picture will next day appear in the Sun with the heading 'We put the bra in brazil'

A commentator will spaff his pants over Ronaldinho's skill

A small African team will be labelled as "naive" mere seconds before going one up against Brazil.

After said African team has scored, commentator will describe them as the brightest prospect in world football and hark back to Pele's words saying an African team will win the world cup. Eventually.

At least 3 Brazilian players will get together and do a little dance after scoring a goal. And the commentator will talk about samba magic

The commentator will mention Brazil playing to the 'Samba beat'

Commentator: 'Ronaldinho always plays the game with a smile on his face''

Fat Ronaldo will be top scorer, and look surprisingly thin and mobile after being away from madrid for a month. He will then go back to being fat.



The Germans will get to the final by playing sh*t football

Henry, for no apparent reason, will stop performing like a world class player.

Christiano Ronaldo will cry when Portugal get knocked out

An Argentinian will have awful hair

Saudi Arabia will get thrashed, while letting in 5 in one game.

Trinidad & Tobago will get complemented for the 'atmosphere' their fans bring to the competition

Holland's fans will blind the players with a sea of orange

George Boatang will be repeatedly called George Bo-e-tang

Stern John will be named player of the tournament in the disabled tournament

Arctic monkeys will be played atleast once in a stadium

Ruud Van Nistelroy will get into a punch up with CRonaldo, resulting in handbags and a portuagese throw-in.

USA will defy the laws of the game and will do well

Drogba will play better than he does for Chelski

A referee from a developing nation will make a big mistake during a vital game and the English pundits will say that they shouldn't have been allowed to referee such a high profile match.

Some muppets will riot. They won't be Japanese though, they'll clean all the stadia, in another bid to gain FIFA brownie points.

Aussie fans will get very very drunk and say they are just happy to be there no matter the results .

The Australian media to forget about the cup as soon as Australia is knocked, and shove it 15 pages back in the sport section with a 20 word column in the middle of the racing section

Each and every counrties national anthem will be absolutely butchered by the 'house band'.

Someones national anthem will appear to be played on the kazoo.

Brazil will win it

South Korea will do better than expected

Iran and the USA will not meet however much you want it to happen.

A German whore will get murdered.

At least 3-4 relatively unknown players from random countries will have unfeasibly good tournaments, resulting in a decent run for their countries. These players will then move to the Premiership in big-money deals and within a month everyone will realise they're actually gash.

Someone will get another yellow/red card and miss the next and most important of all games, thus letting down their side and nation.

A player will take his shirt off and be booked the second time and sent off

A big team will draw with a very little team

There will be numerous astonishing refereeing decisions involving diving and offsides.

A match will finish 4-3. Meanwhile you will have been watching the game that finished 0-0 on the other channel.

At least one player will call his coach a tosser in the media, get sent home, apologise and be allowed back in time for his team to get knocked out. He'll then blame the coach.

I will be late / fall asleep several times during the tournament and will be a pale, gaunt, unemployed man by the end of it.

Oh and Jose will still be moaning about the goal in last season's CL semi-final.

[Flair Wooo]

Oh and Jose will still be moaning about the goal in last season's CL semi-final.

True dat :D woooo!

[toxic rooster]

Aussie fans will get very very drunk and say they are just happy to be there no matter the results .

The Australian media to forget about the cup as soon as Australia is knocked, and shove it 15 pages back in the sport section with a 20 word column in the middle of the racing section


so true :love:

[yianni]

AHAHAHHA gold

[toxic rooster]

Everytime Wayne Rooney gets the ball in the opposition half the commentator will scream ROOOOOOOOONEY and ejaculate.

That won't happen.
















It will be more like "ROONEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEY"

[yianni]

When does this start

I will be rooting for USA, Australia and Poland

http://aap.dyndns.org/angrypope/sa-macros/bandwagon.jpg

[toxic rooster]

:lol:

[Nervous Ferret]

what

[BCWWF]

Apparently Ballack might be injured? Anybody...

[toxic rooster]

Germany will disappoint, either way.

[Mr. Monday Morning]

Yes Ballack is out of the first game, at least that's what Klinsmann said yesterday.

[SammyG]

Doesn't matter, its fucking Costa Rica.

[Mr. Monday Morning]

Paulo Wanchope baby

[Cactus Sid]

Doesn't matter, its fucking Costa Rica.

They can defend and the Germans can't score without Ballack (who might now be playing)

Germans to sneak a crafty goal in the last 10 minutes and win 1-0.

[Loose Cannon]

Wanchope is awesome. Love watching him.

Well it starts over here at 12 pm. I'll be able to catch some of it as I'll go home during lunch break.

World Cup 2006. wooooo

[Downunder]

Australia won't qualify. You're shit. I'd love if the European teams could play Australia in a play-off. If Ireland drew you lot, I'd ejaculate with joy.

I remember Iran knocked you lot out.

well well well

We qualified - and played the European Champions - and beat them 1-0.

NEXT!

[Flair Wooo]

Brazil will NOT win this world cup

England argentina or italy will.

[Rob Ban Fan]

<font color="#ff6600">That ball looks well light.</font>

[Mr. Monday Morning]

Paulo Wanchope baby

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeah

[BCWWF]

Wanchope is the fucking man! Who does he play for? This is not the score I would have expected 20 minutes into this game, pretty good so far.

I wish ESPN would invest in a couple good commentators. Marcelo Balboa has gotten better, but come on, why in the hell did they hire Julie Foudy for World Cup Tonight again? She was awful in 98 and still awful now. I'd prefer somebody with actual knowledge of world soccer.

[Loose Cannon]

Hey where is the game at time wise BCWWF?

and what's the score

[BCWWF]

Halftime is almost over, 2-1 Germany.

Do you go to Elon?

[Loose Cannon]

what's Elon?

[BCWWF]

A college, or are you at Iona I assume?

[BCWWF]

Klose just scored on a rebound, if I had to guess 3-1 wouldn't be a bad prediction for this game.

[Loose Cannon]

no, graduated from UNC Charlotte last December. I'm at work.

I went to Iona Freshman/Soph then transferred

[Rob Ban Fan]

<Font color="#ff6600">Wanchope played for Malaga but left after they all racially abused him. He could've signed for us at the beginning of that season but chose Malaga instead, the tit. I dunno where he went to after that.

Klose :cool:

Kirky does not rate Miroslav Klose.</font>

[packt up]

Wanchope is an elastic legend.

Costa Rica look like shit no chance they'll progress. Germans look ok against poor opposition which just so happens is what the rest of their group is.

[BCWWF]

The US media kind of pisses me off. Through the No. 5 FIFA ranking and the 2002 quarterfinals, they talk about the US as if it is their right to get back that far. The 2002 World Cup was crazy, and the US barely got out of the group and only made the quarterfinals because Mexico was a beatable squad.

There was an article in the Star Tribune the other day about how Germany has an inferiority complex against the US because we are ranked higher and all this shit. Come on, the US soccer is developing, but we're not a world power. Our best players are journeymen in the premiership.

[BCWWF]

Marcelo Balboa is so good at misreading situations.

[BCWWF]

That was a sick shot, I love the long ones like that

[Joey Slugs]

That was a sick shot, I love the long ones like that

Thanks to that new seemless ball.... we're going to see a ton of those long shots this year.

[Gertner]

don't even bother watching. My mighty Frenchmen are taking back what's ours!

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

Yeah I don't really understand the world rankings, I saw that the US was ranked pretty high yet they really aren't that good? That makes no sense to me

[Loose Cannon]

lol gotta love the ESPN 2 in studio guys

"there's controversy with every single team in this Wolrd Cup.....except for the U.S. though."

[Team Sheep]

It's probably just done by comparing each country to the rest of the countries in their qualifying region, which is dumb really. Not sure though, but if it is like that, then it's pretty obvious USA would be high.

[packt up]

USA win a ton of wins in the CONCAAF. Wins = points = rankings. They are currently ranked 5th yet probably aren't in the top 15 in reality.

Anyone with any sense doesn't care what the rankings are these days.

[SammyG]

I agree. Also Lahm was unbelievable today. Nice goal, then he set up both of Klose's goals.

[Rob Ban Fan]

<font color="#ff6600">Yeah, teams are just given points for wins and then its added up and ranked.

Like Packt Up pointed out, the USA is the strongest team by an absolute mile in CONCACAF (excluding Mexico). So whenever the US plays international friendlies or Gold Cup matches or World Cup qualifiers against the likes of Haiti and The British Virgin Islands, they inevitably win and as such rack up more points than European teams who, with respect are probably better but also face tougher teams in friendlies and world cup qualifying.

At the moment the US are ranked 5th, with France 8th, Argentina 9th, England 10th and Italy 13th. But I think its fair to say if those 5 teams played eachother in a league system, the final table wouldn't finish in that order.

So yeah, the rankings aren't really that great.</font>

[Cactus Sid]

Guess I was just a little bit wrong about that game

[The Miz]

Worst. match. ever.

[BCWWF]

lol gotta love the ESPN 2 in studio guys

"there's controversy with every single team in this Wolrd Cup.....except for the U.S. though."

Lol, I saw that. It's like watching baseball on WGN. Apparently Nedved playing for Juventus is putting him on the same level as DeMarcus Beasley...wait..

Anyway, good game by Equador so far. Poland has hit the frame twice, but Equador deserves the win.

[Joey Slugs]

Worst. match. ever.

The Equador/Poland match? Not even close to being the worst.

Not. Even. Close.

[The Miz]

Not in terms of match quality, but as a Poland fan this one was a real stinker

And its Ecuador

[Joey Slugs]

Not in terms of match quality, but as a Poland fan this one was a real stinker

And its Ecuador

yeah... i was pulling for my other "home" country as well....

[RottingFreak]

Germany didn't live up to the expectations, I don't see them winning the World Cup if they keep playing this way.
On Poland and Ecuador, the Ecuadorians displayed very good discipline in the match, very impresive. It's been a great start for the World Cup. Two Entertaining matches. Tomorrow might be just as good, if not better.

[SammyG]

I marked out for Ecuador. That first goal was sweet. Very nicely done.

[RoXer]

0:2 (0:1)

What do the number in parenthesis mean?

[Rob Ban Fan]

<font color="#ff6600">Full time score (half time score)</font>

[RoXer]

ah

[yianni]

What a start to the World Cup. 3 goals in the opening 20 minutes in the Germany game, the result being 4-2 then a 0-2 win to Ecuador in the other opening game. 2 games with 8 goals and some cracking goals as well. Great shit. Can't wait for Australia's opening game against Japan Monday night (our time). All I want is for us to do better than we did when we last qualified in 1974 - score a goal and get more than 1 point in the group.

[Y2Ant]

<font color="#ff6600">That ball looks well light.</font>
seriously

That first goal by the German left back was immense though, couldn't hit the inside of the post/top corner any more perfect than he did.

[toxic rooster]

What a start to the World Cup. 3 goals in the opening 20 minutes in the Germany game, the result being 4-2 then a 0-2 win to Ecuador in the other opening game. 2 games with 8 goals and some cracking goals as well. Great shit. Can't wait for Australia's opening game against Japan Monday night (our time). All I want is for us to do better than we did when we last qualified in 1974 - score a goal and get more than 1 point in the group.

Losing to Brazil by less than 5 goals would also be very, very nice ;).

[yianni]

Fuck off you cunt. They struggle to win World Cups on European soil.

Having said that they'll still beat us.

Japan, who knows. I'm just glad that we're there to enjoy it - who gives a fuck if we progress or not.

By the way...hope you European cunts are happy with the kick-off times, it's a cunt of a struggle over here with the earliest games kicking off at 10:30pm and the late ones at like 4am. But fuck it I love this fucking game so i'll be up to watch them. :D

FUCK I LOVE FOOTBALL AND FUCK IM BLIND AT THE MOMENT

[toxic rooster]

As if you're not fucking used to the late nights by now :roll:

That ball looks really, really light. Might just be both teams pumping long balls at each other, though :o

[The Mask]

doesn't help with hollywood balls gerrard looking for glory and missing by about 30 metres every time too

[Flair Wooo]

Gerrard is fucking amazing! You utd cunt! :D

[toxic rooster]

I think they should start making him chase all those.

I can't get used to every Robinson goalkick reaching the 18. It's like watching football being played with a balloon.

[The Mask]

robinson is a beast anyway though. he always does that

[toxic rooster]

He does have a long kick, it always goes a way past halfway. Never seen him reach the 18 though

[toxic rooster]

What the hell is this thing meant to be? It's one of a few Nike ads they've been playing here.

The other one is better, where that thing is yelling abuse at Bresciano and Aloisi and Bresciano beans him with a volley and he falls out of the stand.

Great stuff

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/FUTk_B9UJkI"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/FUTk_B9UJkI" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>

[toxic rooster]

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SSpYT0ags9c"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SSpYT0ags9c" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>

:love:

[SammyG]

Shittiest game Ever. England kinda sucked today, lucky to get 3 points out of it. I was pullin for Paraguay pretty hardcore, woulda been nice to see them tie it up. Meh.

[Mike the Metal Ed]

Absolutely pathetic. :| I could have sworn Craig Levein took over for the second half, absolutely gutless, defence practically behind the goal line, and tactically inept. We must play better than that or we'll be back in Luton before the end of June.

[Flair Wooo]

We always play shit in the first game. We dont want to peak to soon now do we! :D

[SammyG]

By the way. I hope Peter Crouch dies. What a flaming faggot, seriously.

[yianni]

<OBJECT height=350 width=425>
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SSpYT0ags9c" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350"></embed></OBJECT></P>
:love:

ASHASHAHAHAHAHHA THAT WAS AT HELLAS' GROUND! :D :cool: :cool: :D

[Rob Ban Fan]

<font color="#ff6600">Why did John Motson keep substituting the word "bad" with "eccentric".

Like whenever the referee gave a freekick for something that wasn't a foul, he'd go "theres another eccentric decision by the ref."

Eccentric is when rich old men spend £50,000,000 on a photo of a dead cat. When a referee gives a freekick for no reason, it is just shit officiating.</font>

[yianni]

England deserved to win but what a shit game. lol @ Robinson hitting the screen with one of his kicks.

[BCWWF]

Yeah I wasn't very impressed by England today, and I think it all comes down to their forwards. Joe Cole and the midfield was doing fine, but England still doesn't have the dominant strikers.

[Team Sheep]

I had money on that being 1-1. :'(

[Boondock Saint]

Beckham and Eriksson are blaming the shit performance on the heat. :roll: These guys are pro athletes, you should be able to deal with the heat. At least they admit that they could have done better.

[Rob]

We always play shit in the first game. We dont want to peak to soon now do we! :D

Keep kidding yourself mate. In the real world, England were pants and full of excuses. Beckham - "it was about 28 or 29 degrees out there". Believe it or not, we know what 29 degrees feels like and it's not that hot that you can't play football in it. Especially when players like you play in that temperature most weeks in Spain. Oh and you know that team you were playing. You know Paraguay? They played in the same conditions.

Erikkson is a tool. Tactics are mince. Subs were stupid. Good luck winning anything guys. Something tells me I'll be quite happy round about the second round.

[yianni]

:o @ blaming the crap performance on the weather. That's just fucking pathetic.

[Rob Ban Fan]

<font color="#ff6600">In fairness, the Paraguayan players would probably be more used to it than the England players, 21 of whom are used to playing in England. :$

But you're right, they've had time to adapt to it whilst training out there. And the substitutions were pointless.</font>

[Boondock Saint]

What is 28, 29 degrees in Fahrenheit? :$

[yianni]

:nono: :o

[Boondock Saint]

Shutupa you face :mad

[Boondock Saint]

I'M GUESSING REALLY HOT IF THEY WERE WHINING ABOUT IT

[Mike the Metal Ed]

83 degrees

[Boondock Saint]

Oh please. Bunch of cunts. :shifty:

[toxic rooster]

Yeah come on.

Aren't summers that hot there now anyway?

[BCWWF]

Yeah, like Rob said, Beckham plays in Spain, 83 shouldn't be something that you can't play in.

Second thing, did CONCACAF qualify four teams to the Cup? USA, Mexico, Costa Rica and Trinadad & Tobago? Or is one of those teams CONMEBOL?

[yianni]

:nono: :nono: :nono:

Fucking disgrace. :roll:

[toxic rooster]

Yes, they're all from CONCACAF. But it was 3 and a half, really.

Trinidad and Tobago had to play off against Bahrain to qualify. The top 3 went straight in.

[BCWWF]

Ohh ok. Doesn't Oceania only have .5 as a total?

[yianni]

Every team at the World Cup is there on it's own merit.

[BCWWF]

What point are you trying to make?

[yianni]

Ohh ok. Doesn't Oceania only have .5 as a total?

Correct. The winner of Oceania (Australia) had to play off against the 5th-best South American team (Uruguay), CONMEBOLhad 4.5 places available for the World Cup. It was 1-1 after both legs and Australia won 4-2 on penalties.

[BCWWF]

I'm really rooting for Trinidad right now. When I was younger I was Sweden all the way, but T&T is like the ultimate underdog. I'd love to see them go home with something to be proud of.

[yianni]

What point are you trying to make?


I was referring to Wee Gooner's bullshit.

[BCWWF]

Correct. The winner of Oceania (Australia) had to play off against the 5th-best South American team (Uruguay), CONMEBOLhad 4.5 places available for the World Cup. It was 1-1 after both legs and Australia won 4-2 on penalties.

Damn, I always thought Oceania shared their spot with AFL (that's the Asia acronym right?). No wonder Austrailia has so much trouble getting here. From everything I've read they have a good shot at making some noise in this Cup.

[toxic rooster]

John, what the fuck are you on about?

[BCWWF]

Yeah I couldn't find the comment he is referring to? The Bahrain one?

[toxic rooster]

Damn, I always thought Oceania shared their spot with AFL (that's the Asia acronym right?). No wonder Austrailia has so much trouble getting here. From everything I've read they have a good shot at making some noise in this Cup.

AFC ;). Australia's joined the AFC starting January 1 this year, so we won't have to go through that bullshit again. Hilariously, though, next time around we get to see Colombia or Uruguay or someone put like 43 past New Zealand or the Solomon Islands.

On the whole, we're being very realistic about our chances; getting out of our group would be a dream.

[BCWWF]

I don't know how I haven't said this yet, but I am incredibly excited for Argentina and Ivory Coast. Drogba and Dindane :drool:

[yianni]

John, what the fuck are you on about?

Dunno...Im so blind I thought some cunt was having a dig at one of the countries that qualified.

My point still stands though (if anyone disputes one of the countries that qualified) that this is a true World Cup - every country had to qualify through various means and stages within its Confederation and by doing so deserves to be in the World Cup.

BCWWF...Australia's qualification for this year's World Cup was through Oceania but from now on it will qualify through Asia. Hence instead of winning the Oceanian region and playing off against another confederation, Australia will now go through proper World Cup qualification groups and will be required to win or finish 2nd in the group in order to progress. I much rather prefer this method as a means of giving the lads more international games together and also to prevent any cunt saying we don't deserve to make it.

[toxic rooster]

It's beyond me how anyone can say that when we had to play fucking Uruguay and there are teams there who had to beat fucking Panama and Bahrain.

[yianni]

I know. Pathetic isn't it.

Anyway who cares, Asia is the best thing for us. And Johnny Warren said it would happen and it did. :'( god rest that great man's soul. :( And for any dickhead looking to be a smartarse, any comments by me about Johnny Warren are sincere and from the heart. If you would like to know more about this great man then do a google search. Coming up to 2 years since your passing J.W but WE WILL NEVER FORGET YOU. The godfather of Australian football. :'(

[toxic rooster]

I love how they put "I TOLD YOU SO" on the big screen at Telstra Stadium for every time they cross to the SBS studio

[yianni]

I feel no shame when I say I had tears in my eyes in the World Cup qualifier against Uruguay in Sydney when they played his tribute with "You'll Never Walk Alone" in the background. Dunno if you saw it Gooner but Dubs did, to this day he says he will never forget that moment. To me that was more special than qualifying. Feels great when I remember at his passing in November 2004 saying in Football Talk that "I pray Australia qualifies for the World Cup in 2006 for this great man" and they did. :cool:

Look I've been associated with this great game since an early age following South Melbourne Hellas, watching Johnny Warren and Les Murray doing NSL Match of the Day on SBS in the early 90s...mate no matter what people say about them now...man those days were the best, fuck those guys are/were legends of the sport :'(

[SammyG]

This game is pretty meh.

[toxic rooster]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v154/weegooner/sydney/Itoldyouso.jpg

[toxic rooster]

get yianni a fucking tissue :D

I was too busy rooting my vocal chords singing it pissed out of my brain to see that :D

[yianni]

:(

Gooner will back me up on this, I'm very sincere when it comes to Johnny Warren...mate I would have loved the bastard to have stuck around to see the lads do battle with Japan, Brazil (who he loved discussing about) and Croatia. :'( :( :'(

YOU WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN BY THE TRUE AUSSIE FOOTBALL FANS

[yianni]

Fuck off on the tissue shit you dickhead. :mad:

[RoXer]

Fuck me, the first game I watch and its that shitty England game. And now Seden and T&T is at half, and thats pretty terrible too.

Rooting for England and T&T in this group.

[toxic rooster]

Fuck off, this defensive effort of T&T is great.

Avery John's just gone off. Come on, just fucking hold out for the draw with 10 men for 45 minutes

[yianni]

Is it 0-0?

[toxic rooster]

ys

[yianni]

:o

[toxic rooster]

I miss the night where 8 goals are scored to see the night where there's 1 own goal

[yianni]

ahahahhaa just pick the wrong night to watch u wanker.

Hey are we storming Sydney again soon?

[toxic rooster]

Fuck off, I'm not going back there.

Byron Bay or STFU.

[RoXer]

I miss the night where 8 goals are scored to see the night where there's 1 own goal
Exactly. Thats what bugged me the most.

I think T&T might pull off a draw here.

[yianni]

No shit, I'm seriously up for storming Byron Bay.


Any time between October and December, pick a fucking date and I will be there. Go on cunt the onus is on you, and Im being serious.

[toxic rooster]

How the fuck is new years?

Otherwise, after exams (Novemberish) 4tw.

[Team Sheep]

0-0, 20 mins to go.

[RoXer]

the US broadcasters cannot go 5 minutes without mentioning when the US team is playing and how well they could do

[yianni]

How the fuck is new years?

Otherwise, after exams (Novemberish) 4tw.

Im going awol at the thought. Should Dubs and Mr Glen get an invite? :eek:

[Supreme Olajuwon]

It's a good thing Sweden is wearing yellow because they've probably all pissed themselves by now.

Come onnnnnnnnnn Trinidad

[Joey Slugs]

I'm rooting hard for T&T right now.

[toxic rooster]

Im going awol at the thought. Should Dubs and Mr Glen get an invite? :eek:

Abso"freakin"lutely.

My own fuckwit mates might take till december to save piss money, so if I'm gonna invite any of them better fucking do it now.

Fucking pissheads :D

[yianni]

I might fuck Glenno off from the process. The lad just doesn't have the awolness in him, as much as I like the cunt. Remember him bailing from the Uruguay hotel distractions :nono:

Dubs on the other hand...AHAHAHAHAH that dickhead is a shoe-in :D :D :D

Seriously do u wanna storm? It will be around schoolies time too but..be wary of that u cunt

[RoXer]

Yeah, that guy said it best, T&T are the George Mason of the tourney.

[Supreme Olajuwon]

huuuuuuuuge save

[yianni]

muck the muck off.

[toxic rooster]

Yeah, that kid was always a bit awkward. Dubs and me though, it was like we'd been mates all our lives. And you're just a cunt :D

Yes, I do wanna fucking storm. I can't believe you had to ask me that.

Actually, I might just fuck my best mates off as well. Not sure they'd be too keen on meeting a couple of random fuckwits from Victoria :D.

[toxic rooster]

Look, I take it all back. The "Trinbagonians" have been singing all day. I love them.

Sweden playing a 2-2-6 :D

[Joey Slugs]

how amazing would it be if T&T scored before full time?

[yianni]

SHSAHAHAHAHAH. Im in a dilemma. either fuck off from here and go watch the game, or stay on here and talk shit with Gooner - where ultimately I would find out the result anyway. :'( :D :D :D

AHAHAHAHAH DUBS is the man, we are storming the pub tomorrow before Hellas-Croatia.

[Supreme Olajuwon]

How amazing would it be, Joey Slugs?

[toxic rooster]

That's an enormous throw.

Halfway to 18.

[yianni]

Yes, amazing it would be that.

[yianni]

Fuck off re malaka.

[toxic rooster]

Having the only opponent in your half run into the corner like that must be enorma-frustrating.

[toxic rooster]

"The hopes of Trinidad and Tobago have been written off more times than the Mexican National Debt"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH

[RoXer]

HISLOP

[yianni]

HHHHHahaahahahHAHAHAHSAHA

[Joey Slugs]

How amazing would it be, Joey Slugs?

pretty quite.

[RoXer]

I am on the T&T bandwagon.

[Rob Ban Fan]

<font color="#ff6600">BIG BLACK SHAKA

He is such a legend. I hope they do well, just cos of him.</font>

[Team Sheep]

Haha it ends in a stalemate. What a game. :D

[packt up]

SHAKA WHAT A LEGEND

Wow England sucked so much balls today. Hargreaves is just lame. Owen totally doesn't look fit. And well it was just shit wasn't it.

[Boondock Saint]

the US broadcasters cannot go 5 minutes without mentioning when the US team is playing and how well they could do

I watched the England game for about 10min before work this morning, and the commentators sucked compared to yesterdays.

[toxic rooster]

I'd love for Australia to be as balls as England were today and get the three points. I'd love it.

[Rob]

<font color="#ff6600">BIG BLACK SHAKA

He is such a legend. I hope they do well, just cos of him.</font>

As a Dundee fan, I can honestly say if Kelvin Jack was in goal, they would have lost 4 goals by half time.

Dwight Yorke was fucking phenominal.

[Cactus Sid]

I fucking love Riquelme

Hope it ends 4 or 5-0 to wipe any hint of smile of Drogba's face.

[RoXer]

Gooner, why not buy an A's hat? It is yellow and green and has an A on it.

[RoXer]

This doesnt mean what I think it means, so what does it mean?

[Mike the Metal Ed]

He intended to cross it, but it was off target and it ended up being a shot, like Andres D'Alessandro against Charlton.

[Rob Ban Fan]

He intended to cross it, but it was off target and it ended up being a shot, like Andres D'Alessandro against Charlton.

<font color="#ff6600">That was a shot, you bastard :mad:</font>

[BCWWF]

Ivory Coast looked the same as in the African Cup of Nations, they just need a midfielder who can create for Drogba.

[SammyG]

The Holland game should be sweet today.

[packt up]

I was really impressed with the Ivory Coast and Argentina both. Even found myself cheering for Drogba on occasion which made me feel very dirty. Argentina deserved winners but a great game all round.

England's game blatently the worst by a million miles so far.

[Rob Ban Fan]

<font color="#ff6600">Come on the Serbs.

They are my second team this year due to Pompey's Serbia connections. Milan Mandaric, Zvonimir Vukic, Dejan Stefanovic, Ognjen Koroman, plus we're trying to sign Nikola Zigic. Plus Dejan Stankovic and Nemanja Vidic are the men.</font>

[OssMan]

yo when is Serbia/Holland USA time, come on hollandddddddddddd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Rob Ban Fan]

<font color="#ff6600">Its on in like 30 minutes.</font>

[SammyG]

1-0 at the half, Holland winning. Robben is pretty damn good.

[Rob Ban Fan]

<font color="#ff6600">Koroman is the man.</font>

[Joey Slugs]

<s>first game in World Cup history to end 1-0 when the only goal was an own goal</s>

ESPN's ticker was wrong.

[Supreme Olajuwon]

Iran/Mexico in 5 minutes. I dunno who to pull for. They are probably the two teams I want to see fail the most in the tournament. Hopefully Borgetti and Daei both break their legs.

[toxic rooster]

Iran will get hammered.

[Rob Ban Fan]

<font color="#ff6600">I am backing Mexico, purely because of that rousing rendition of their national anthem.</font>

[toxic rooster]

And the elbow thing they do while singing it.

[toxic rooster]

What a start to this game. Blistering pace, Iran should have had an opener. May keep me up tonight :o

[Supreme Olajuwon]

should be 2-0 Mexico already

[Supreme Olajuwon]

there we go

[RoXer]

FUCK. I had Golomohadi on my fantasy but didn't start him.

[toxic rooster]

So we've gone from yesterday's England-Paraguay long-ball snoozefest to this. Absolutely blistering.

Fucking love it.

[RoXer]

Hey did you guys hear? Sanchez's father died recently and he'll do his best to try and play through it.



The US commentators can't go 10 minutes without mentioning that.

[Joey Slugs]

Mexico might be in trouble this 2nd half. Borgetti is out and they have used all 3 subs.

[Rob Ban Fan]

Hey did you guys hear? Sanchez's father died recently and he'll do his best to try and play through it.



The US commentators can't go 10 minutes without mentioning that.

<font color="#ff6600">I think the British commentators mentioned that once.

They also mentioned that one of the Mexican players got out of the shower and then touched the fridge and got badly electricuted. And now i feel bad about laughing at that :$</font>

[toxic rooster]

The game has lost a bit of the pizzazz it started with, which it was always going to.

I'm off to bed. If Angola get 8 put past them, I'll be unhappy.

[Joey Slugs]

what a goal. dude is only 5'4"

[Supreme Olajuwon]

lol oh man

almost a goal 11 seconds in

[Rob Ban Fan]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2006/teams/serbia_and_montenegro/5038994.stm

<font color="#ff6600">The Serbs are brilliant :$</font>

[Crimson]

wooooo mexico won

[SammyG]

Portugal really did not look good at all tonight. I was pullin' pretty hardcore for Angola, it was nice to see the fans get behind their effort as well. Nice Job Angola! Well, big game tomorrow. USA vs the Czechs, Baros won't be playing, that will be pretty huge.

[Team Sheep]

GO USA!

[Rob]

<font color="#ff6600">I think the British commentators mentioned that once.

They also mentioned that one of the Mexican players got out of the shower and then touched the fridge and got badly electricuted. And now i feel bad about laughing at that :$</font>

Shame it wasn't Lampard.

[Loose Cannon]

tough for me to root against the czechs, but I'll have to tomorrow.

[The Miz]

Fuck that. Ceska republika all the way :cool:

[The Miz]

I would root for the US, but I've seen too many ads and segments featuring the team with U2 playing in the background.

[Danny Electric]

OK, I know Iran weren't going to do to well but at 1-1 I thought the game was balanced and we had subs to make. So at the half time interval the manager must have told them to defend a fucking draw.
He leaves Daei on the pitch who is now a bag of shite, and takes off Karimi, although he is nursing an injury.
Hopefully they play better when they lose to Portugal. I just hope they break Ronaldos face, legs and hair.

[RoXer]

After all this hype, US will get trounced 5-1

[RoXer]

Hopefully not though

[Supreme Olajuwon]

Pretty confident predicting the US will score, RoXer. You have balls.

[BCWWF]

My cousins went to school with Brian McBride

[SammyG]

Rocisky,Nedved,Koller, all great players. Also Cech in goal is amazing. It is gonna be a really tough game to win. USA seems to be pretty prepared though. I honestly think they can get a draw out of this, and why not a win. Getting at least 1 point outta this would be huge.

[toxic rooster]

3 and a half hours to go; absolutely fucken buzzing here. We need to win this to have a chance of making it out of the group, I feel. Japan will be thinking the same thing too.

I think we can prepare to see a lot of high balls from the Aussies, looking to use their height advantage over the Japs.

Come on Aussie.