MUTLEYS HANGAR WORLD CUP THREAD

[allardjd 1,853]

I hope the Netherlands go on to win

That wouldn't be a bad outcome, but this really just seems to make Argentina's chances look a little better.

John

[mutley 4,487]

I hope the Netherlands go on to win

That wouldn't be a bad outcome, but this really just seems to make Argentina's chances look a little better.

John

John,

I am really impressed with your contributions and interest in this subject! You are more than twice as interested than Lisa :biggrin:

The USA had a great tournament, better than a lot of other footballing nations.

Still, Brazil will be hosting the next Soccer FIFA World Cup in 2014 so there is always next time.

Cheers

[allardjd 1,853]

I am normally not much interested in sports. Even the Olympics is generally only of passing interest. The only thing I watch there and in this current world cup is the news and standings. I don't understand the game well and haven't any intrest in watching the matches, but am finding the national-level interplay interesting. If these were not national teams, carrying the flag of the mother nation, I don't think I'd be following it at all. It seems odd that the players are hired professionals who may come from anywhere - not necessarily natives or citizens of the countries they play for.

This has been interesting and somewhat educational and I'm finding the FIFA site pretty well done in terms of schedules and standings.

I'm not a face-painted, wig-wearing, beer-swilling, horn-blowing convert, but still at some low-level, a new fan. Seeing France's tribulations early on is what first reeled me in.

Didn't Brazil get the Olympics too? If so, it's a smart move, getting a double benefit from the infrastructure they'll have to build to support either/both of those.

John

[wisemanp 0]

If anyone watched the Ghana - Uruguay match, they'll know just how sorry I, and the whole world, feel for Ghana. A Uruguay player handles the ball on the line in the last minute of extra time to prevent a clear goal. Ghana miss the following penalty and go on to lose in a shoot-out...

[rob16584 42]

Totally agree Phil.

In rugby if you stop a deffinate try scoring chance through foul play you are given a penalty try (award the points without scoring them for those who don't know). Maybe they should bring that into football. I think it's so unfair that Ghana were the better team by far, and even though Suarez will miss the semi final, his team still won and he'll be back for the final should they get there

[mutley 4,487]

My jaw hit the floor when this happened, this will surely o down in world cup history as another South American hand of God.

Tough luck guys.

[allardjd 1,853]

http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2010/07/0 ... ength-ban/

Suarez may miss final as FIFA ponder length of ban

"Suarez has said he had no choice but to handle the ball and prevent the ball entering the net and does not feel any guilt about it."

What a sweetheart. Is that how the game is played in South America - whatever it takes to win, legal or otherwise?

John

[allardjd 1,853]

I saw this briefly on the FIFA site right after the Argentina/Germany match ended, with an erroneous result posted. They had it corrected within a couple of minutes, but by then I had a screen shot.

John

[hurricanemk1c 195]

Now I'm supporting Germany!

[wisemanp 0]

http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2010/07/03/suarez-miss-final-fifa-ponder-length-ban/

What a sweetheart. Is that how the game is played in South America - whatever it takes to win, legal or otherwise?

John

I'm afraid so John. The South Americans are notorious for diving when they have not been fouled, and generally cheating. A famous occasion was in 1986 when Diego Maradona of Argentina handled the ball into the net against England, knocking England out of the World Cup. Maradona claimed it was the 'Hand of God'.

[mutley 4,487]

I saw this briefly on the FIFA site right after the Argentina/Germany match ended, with an erroneous result posted. They had it corrected within a couple of minutes, but by then I had a screen shot.

John

Great capture John!

[simi_av8r 0]

Maradona claimed it was the 'Hand of God'.

i heard on BBC 5-live last night after the Spain match an interview recorded by the BBC with Suarez much earlier in the day...Suarez has now claimed the infamous "hand of God" belongs to him, having openly agreed that he handled the ball on the line...

[rob16584 42]

I'm a bit 50/50 on this handball incident.

On the one hand he deserves to be strung up for blatant cheating which, in the end, won his team the game.

However!

On the other hand, the ghanaian (is that how it's spelt) totally fluffed the penalty. And if the incident had happened halfway through the match no-one would comment as much as they are now. Plus I don't think there is a player alive that wouldn't have put his hand up to stop the ball if it would give his team a chance to stay in the cup. Just a shame Rob Green didn't do the same against the USA!

What I do think was a bit offside - pun intended - is the way that Suarez was dancing around in the tunnel and how he has handled himself after the game. For that alone he should not be allowed the play in the final IMO

[allardjd 1,853]

Blatantly cheating is one thing - attibuting it to God seems kind of boastul and blasphemous. Anyway, they got their just comuppance over it just now - the Netherlands just put them out. I guess maybe God abandoned them.

John