Sorry Terry, I didn't make myself very clear.

Look under the Games and Comps forum for Sypher's World Cup Tipping thread. On the first posting Sypher has provided a link directly to the fantasy football site. You can log in there and sign up for the FUNTRIVIA minileague.

You won't be accepted until Sypher has confirmed you as a manager, but it only takes a little while to do the e-mail exchanges.

Any problems - contact Sypher by private message, I'm sure he'll be able to help.

By the way - what odds are you giving?????

I don't think England should be celebrating too loudly tonight. It's a pity that we didn't have some tougher opposition, there's nothing like playing a good team to expose our weaknesses.

I watched the Germany v Argentina friendly and I really didn't see too much to threaten our lads. Well, the play that is, the dirty tackles are another matter. I hope the refs clamp down hard in the early matches to put a stop to this sort of behaviour on the pitch.

We can take on everything they can give!!

Bring it on!!!!!

I don't think the result reflected the match to be honest. 2 deflected goals and an own goal although Sheringham would have probably scored anyway. I don't know much about the Germany v Argentina match, but I understand Germany had a lot of players out injured, but I do agree that beating Germany on home soil is impressive.

SS.......you're absolutley right. I can't remember the last time I've seen 3 deflected goals in an International?

But as, I think it was, Andy Gray(honorary sassenach) said........."it's about time England had a Lucky manager"

Let's hope Sven stays lucky till the end of June.

wez

Yeah, you do need that little bit of luck and as rightly pointed out it's hopefully Englands turn for just that. Stuart Pearson said on MUTV last night 'If Beckham doesn't make it to the World Cup, that's your starting midfield four'. I couldn't agree with him more.

Who am I to disagree with 'Pancho'?

I think Nicky Butt has hit a rich vein of form, not overly impressed with Dyer though.

Speaking of which, put yourself in Sven's shoes. Who are the 23 that you would take to Japorea?

My choice:

Keepers

David Seaman (Arsenal)
Nigel Martyn (Leeds Utd.)
David James (West Ham Utd.)

Defence

Gareth Southgate (Middlesborough)
Gary Neville (ManU.)
Wayne Bridge (Southampton)
Rio Ferdinand (Leeds Utd.)
Sol Campbell (Arsenal)
Ashley Cole (Arsenal)

Midfield

David Beckham (ManU.)
Paul Scholes (ManU.)
Nicky Butt (ManU.)
Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
Owen Hargreaves (Bayern Munich)
Joe Cole (West Ham Utd.)
Kieron Dyer (Newcastle Utd.)
Danny Murphy (Liverpool)

Attack

Michael Owen (Liverpool)
Robbie Fowler (Leeds Utd.)
Teddy Sheringham (Spurs)
Emile Heskey (Liverpool)
Darius Vassel (Aston Villa)
Alan Smith (Leeds Utd.)

My Starting Line Up (Injuries Permitting )

Seaman

G.Neville Southgate Ferdinand Bridge

Gerrard Beckham Scholes Joe Cole

Owen Fowler

What d'ya think? The right blend of youth and experience? Looks good on paper, trouble is I think most of the pitches in Japorea are grass!!! Groan!

wez

I'd only change one from the 23 wez picked. I think with the current injuries there'd be a need for an extra defender and one less forward, so I would have to go with Phil Neville instead of Alan Smith or Darius Vassell. I don't think Sven would need 6 strikers as he would probably only use 4 of them. My starting line-up would have just two changes: Sol Campbell for Gareth Southgate and Kieron Dyer for Joe Cole. Even though Dyer hasn't played much lately, he will get back to the form he can produce and is naturally left-sided, which is something England have been missing for years. It's just a shame Giggs chose to play senior level for Wales really.

Hey wez,

how many days and counting???? You're slacking mate ... must be all the United excitement earlier today.

Good result for your lads!!!

OK........here's a surprise for you!

That serial, professional footballer dater, Ulrika ka ka ka has just announced that, yes indeed, she did have a romantic interlude with Sir Sven of Sweden, but that is all in the past and they are no longer 'an item'.

mmm

Could it be that Ulrika's autobiography is due to be released soon and the extra 'minute' publicity that has accompanied Sven for the past week, would do the sales figures no harm at all????

I dunno.........call me an old cynic!

Anyway.....I think Sven's played a blinder, (ahem) in more ways than one!

What do you think?
wez

Please can some Gurus help me? I am placing a bet on the winner of this soccer competition. And I promise if I do have the right result I will by hand give 5.5% to charity of my choice.

Secondly will England be torned by Beckham absentees. I hope they go all the way to the other side of the galaxy.

Well, pa.............

The 'smart' money is on France (current World Champions) and Argentina.

If I was to go with my heart, no surprises for guessing that it would be England. (That's if most of the squad don't keep getting crocked before the finals! )

You can never discount Brazil or Germany of course. These two 'great' footballing Nations are going through a relative quiet patch at the moment but they always seem to 'do the business' when the tournaments come around.

I guess you can also count Italy along with Germany and Brazil.

Those perennial 'under-achievers', Spain and Portugal........I wouldn't touch with a bargepole.
(Figo for Portugal is a player to watch though!)

Many people say that with the heat and humidity in Japorea, it may be time for an African Nation to win it. Don't look much further than Cameroon though. Don't bother with Nigeria at all. They will be 'whooped' soundly in the 1st round.
(You won't believe how much I've got crossed here!)

Other than that, my auld mate, it's absolutely anyone's guess?

wez
Hope this helps........

As you quite rightly say wez, our England lads are dropping like flies, it's not looking too promising for us at present.

The old timer I'd be proud to see back in an England shirt is Stuart Pearce - he still has the heart to play like ten men!!

There are costs for playing away from home, that is my understanding plus ‘experience’ of playing elsewhere and that may play a part in odds adjustment. Apart from that there are things like injuries e.t.c. The cup is likely to be distributed among the giants as it always have been if my memory serves me correctly, so I will be concentrating on our giants like Italy, Brazil, Argentina and so on…the climate factor may adjust the odds slightly, as some body did mentioned earlier that the hotter country may take full advantage over this like Cameroon and so on. But of course there are players who are from hot countries and do play for clubs in cooler countries. Maybe they just need a few days to acclimatize. My heart again leans towards England as I am a former English student, but my speculation tells me that they don’t usually perform a world-class standard ‘internationally’. Another factor I would like to mention is the aridity of the pitch soil as this may result in the varying level of bounciness in the pitch…

All valid points!! The state of the pitch however is at least the same for both teams and only takes a couple of touches of the ball to get used to, so I don't think that will make a great deal of difference.

The biggest factor of all will be the heat and humididy, and those ever present stomach bugs which seem to cripple us Brits whenever we cross the water!!

Not looking too good for England now is it???? Bring back Shearer that's what I say, but we all know he won't change his mind. Personally, I think there's only one winner and that's Argentina. Germany can never be written off and as far as France goes, it's very hard to successfully defend the World Cup. Spain never seem to produce in major tournaments which is a shame as they're a very talented side. My rank outsiders would be someone like Portugal as they are used to the heat and humidity that will be playing a major factor. The likes of Sweden don't stand a chance because of that. Having said all that I will be backing England 101%. Good luck lads. What is it about the World Cup. I've booked my holidays to watch every match on TV and will certainately be watching England over a drink or two in my local even though we play between 8 and 10am.

I would like to take on the bet that england will go further than the republic of ireland? are we talking about longitude or latitude wise? my demand is three biscuits from Boots.

[ 04-26-2002, 07:58 PM: Message edited by: thapanut ]

The idea of this aridity and porousity was translated from my understanding of tennis. When one may win on a grass pitch, but may loss on a more bouncy ground like concrete, then ofcourse you still have clay as well. But anyway this porousness of the ground may play an amoeba role in this microcosm of 'soccer'. England may need more player with a high level of melanin pigments, this is really to naturally shield you sun damage let say three hit points. CAz men with a highly concentrated melanin have higher defense mechanism to deal with such hardship.Anyway I am still interest about this bet between England an Ireland, there are really my two close pals, being a LIverpool fan also.

I'll take a bet on Ireland getting further than England! Quarters for Ireland, second round ( if lucky ) for England. That is of course Ireland get out of their group! But we should at the expense of Germany!
England, Argentina from their group
Ireland, Cameroon from their group!

eire...........mate,

Don't be such a pessimist! Be a blind optimist like me and aim for the final. Which incidentally, is where England will play Ireland if we both finish 2nd in our groups and then progress past the 2nd round, quarters and semi-finals!!!!!!

wez
(Good to see you've totally discounted the Germans though! A man after my own heart. )

All right then (Mr.eiregobragh) I like to take this bet on. Ireland and England who will last the longest? Shall we say three biscuits?

29 days........Just under a month to go and the tension's building. Or is it 'wind'?

Even after ManU's ignominious defeat at the hands of the flamin' Geeeeeeermans, yet again, last night. At least I still have this to look forward to.

(And a possible trip to the Millenium stadium in Cardiff to support the Canaries in the 1st div. play off final.) Don't ya just know they're gonna throw away thier 2 goal advantage.

It's a funny old game.......as I believe 'someone' once said.

wez

Good Lord! I hope it's tension!

Becks may yet again be the most hated man in England, but I'm just praying that he pulls something off to at least play.

Its Owens that does it for me anyway.

I'm not interested in Football at all but find myself being suprised that you football fan have'nt started a chat on the FA Cup Final being held in Cardiff today, Saturday 4th of May. Could it be the teams that are playing today are of no interest to you? Call yourselves football fans!!!

Well, it's half time at the moment janney. I won't mention the score just in case anyone will be watching the highlights later, but it is a typical cup final match so far ... but then I'm a neutral in this one!!!