World Football

[AndreasT]

Ok, ok, there is a British Football Thread. Now who still watches British Football?
Actually I do like watching British Football, Liverpool being my English team.
However my favourite team overall being Bayern Munchen. Dare I say the best team in the world at the moment.
Ouch, please don't hit me.
Seriously, where do the football fans see football going in the future and who do you think will actually win the world cup?

[Jimbuna]

Well I'm certain of one thing....it won't be England

[TarJak]

Could be any of about 8 teams. Australia is not one of those.

[the_tyrant]

heh, Bayern Munchen

I LOVE DYNAMO DRESDEN!

WOOT, DYNAMO!

[BossMark]

Well Borussia Dortmund I my favourite German team and Brazil will win the world cup.

[AndreasT]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

Well I'm certain of one thing....it won't be England

Looking at there group, no!

[TarJak]

Originally Posted by AndreasT

Looking at there group, no!

Nor us in our group. Spain, Netherlands & Chile! We might be lucky to scrape a draw in that lot.

[Feuer Frei!]

Originally Posted by AndreasT

who do you think will actually win the world cup?

You're a bit early for conjecture and hypotheticals aren't you?
With this far out, a lot, and i mean a lot can change.
Injuries to star players which are playing in their respective club sides, Friendlies still to play after the new year, which could also pose injury concerns etc for star players. All of this could potentially damage or shuffle a world cup squad for a national side, either making it nigh impossible to have any chance to even progress through the group stages, let alone the qualifiers.

Now, if you're a betting man, have a look at:

http://world-cup.betting-directory.com/


If you are not, don your tin foil hat, listen to rumours and conjecture, read crappy columnists and bad reporting and jump on the band wagon of any 15 countries that normally have a chance of winning a world cup.
There is never a clear favourite, one of the great things about football is that there is a such a close gap between the top 10 to 15 countries, and also can produce shock upsets.

Current FIFA Rankings:

http://www.fifa.com/worldranking/rankingtable/

If you look at it, any of the top 15 ranked Teams have a chance. A realistic chance i mean.

On paper, Spain would be a favourite (not clear, since they also have lost games recently), Germany of course, Argentina, Brazil (you would be mad to count them out, with their fans behind them and in their home), Portugal, The Oranje, Italy, Greece....and on it goes.

I follow Germany, always have, and they have drawn a interesting group, with Juergen Klinnsman's USA, Ronaldo's Portugal and Chile. Deutschland will have their work cut out big-time, first game of the group is Germany and USA, Klinnsman and Joachim good friends and know each other's coaching styles inside out, as you know, Jogy being the apprentice of Klinnsy.
Portugal isn't easy, Imho Portugal is, and always has been a dark horse of football, Ronaldo is a 1-man wrecking machine, he can individually annhialate a team. If he fires, anything can happen.
Ghana aren't as easy as one might imagine, they play fast and exciting football. I don't expect them to win against Germany, but the Germans need to be aware of counter-attacks, fast and furious. I have watched African Football and it may not be classy or technically correct a lot of the times, but, with their speed and long plays, they could cause some, i stress the word, some head aches.

Germany's record is great, with advancing in the group stages and making the quarters.
Their hit rate is very good, so i will expect them to either win the group or come second.
No problems. As you know, second best is not good enough for a German

So, short answer: Germany to win the World Cup. (I hope)>

[Feuer Frei!]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

Well I'm certain of one thing....it won't be England

You basing that on Friendlies results? Or?
Admittedly their last 3 results were not good, against Germany, Chile and Brazil, which knocked them out of the top 10 fifa rankings.
Ye of little faith haha.
Although i must agree, they seem to choke badly at World Cups. Maybe this time?

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by AndreasT

Looking at there group, no!

Agreed.

Originally Posted by TarJak

Nor us in our group. Spain, Netherlands & Chile! We might be lucky to scrape a draw in that lot.

Your lot are in an even tougher group...don't bother going, save the air fairs

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Feuer Frei!

You basing that on Friendlies results? Or?
Admittedly their last 3 results were not good, against Germany, Chile and Brazil, which knocked them out of the top 10 fifa rankings.
Ye of little faith haha.
Although i must agree, they seem to choke badly at World Cups. Maybe this time?

Based on current and previous form in a competition that has eluded us for 47 years.

[Rhodes]

BENFICA!

Yes, Portugal group is not a easy one, first game is against Germany...hmmm
Our coach says that the objective are the 8th-finals (what is the correct terms in english?) so if we manage to pass the group it will be good. If Portugal do not play well and concentrated, we loose even with USA!

[AndreasT]

Originally Posted by Feuer Frei!

You're a bit early for conjecture and hypotheticals aren't you?

So, short answer: Germany to win the World Cup. (I hope)>

No I am excited already.
I doubt Germany will win the world cup. I want them to win it more than anything. Seeing how many good players they have. But they do have a few injury problems at the moment. I do believe their top line-up is very good but to be honest when the one or the other is missing I don't find them that great.
As individual players they are great but they do seem to less than the sum of them all together.
Will they overcome their striker problem, and can they close the gap between the midfield and defence?

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Rhodes

BENFICA!

Yes, Portugal group is not a easy one, first game is against Germany...hmmm
Our coach says that the objective are the 8th-finals (what is the correct terms in english?) so if we manage to pass the group it will be good. If Portugal do not play well and concentrated, we loose even with USA!

When eight teams remain in the competition it is the Quarter Finals stage.

[Rhodes]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

When eight teams remain in the competition it is the Quarter Finals stage.

The quarter finals are before the "semi-finals", yes? I was talking before that, the first elimination round after the groups. We have the terms (direct translation) 16th-finals, 8th-finals, 4th (quarter) finals, half (the semi) finals and then the final!
So in the 8th-finals they are 16 teams and so on!