Next soccer world cup

[Carausius]

England, Italy, Netherland, Portugal, USA &c are in; Belgium, Scotland, Cameroon definitely out; France, Spain still waiting. Any comments?

[Pervert]

I'm just hoping someone remembers to point out that it's the 40th anniverary of England's triumph. It'd be just like those pundits to forget

[Deuce Bigolo]

Brazil in a canter for mine

Another Brazil vs a defensive Euro team like Italy or Germany

I can't see a repeat of 2002 with all the big guns getting rolled by the minnows

cheers
B....OZ

[Deuce Bigolo]

Given all the potential big name country non-starters their going to need some special marketing to keep the public interested so the 40th aniversary will no doubt get a plug

Who would have thought that the 4 african qualifiers would be first timers

Might well be some more Germany 8 Saudia Arabia 0 embarrasing results

cheers
B....OZ

[Guilbert]

> Might well be some more Germany 8 Saudia Arabia 0 embarrasing results


Or maybe France 0 Senegal 1 like in the last world cup.

[eduardo]

Yes but the supposed big contries are vunerable.

England, France, Italy, Spain and Germany are all definitely beatable and have been beaten by supposed lesser teams in the last 6 months or so.

My mates keep telling me that the Argentines will give Brazil the biggest fright of all but that was said at the last World Cup and their side looked better there than it currently does and they didn't get passed the 1st round then.

I'd half fancy Holland to go far if they didn't always seem to press the self destruct button with their many internal disputes.

It does look like the Brazilians are in the box seat but who knows what might happen in the next 8 months leading up to the tournament.

[Peter]

Its called football. Only Americans and glory seekers call it soccer.

Stop it now!

[Pervert]

Thank goodness someone else is civilised around here. Well said, Peter.

[Deuce Bigolo]

Don't forget they lost to that powerhouse Denmark 2-0 as well in the same group stage

To be fair to France there one decent player ZZ was out on his feet by the time the world cup came around

The best players are expected to light up the tournament but by the time they get there the fit ones have played 50/60/70 games in a season
and are as fresh and up for it as a

Either all competiitons are scaled back for the year of the world cup or as a spectacle it will suffer as it invariably does IMHO

No wonder unknowns like Costa Rica(Scotland 0 Costa Rica 1,1990)
can pull off a miracle wins over much more acclaimed teams

cheers
B....OZ

[Deuce Bigolo]

Everyteam is beatable on any given day when you consider that the linesmen & referee can err once and decide a match

Form wise it doesn't really matter until the tournamnet starts
Better to look vulnerable in 2005 than world beaters

I wouldn't back the Dutch with your money given their one of four(zaire,new zealand & sweden) teams who have lost to Scotland at a World Cup

Promise much but always come up short at the last hurdle


The European Championship in 1988 is about the only time they fulfilled their potential

cheers
B....OZ