thapanut that bet suits me to the ground!

[ 05-06-2002, 05:58 AM: Message edited by: eiregobragh ]

Y'know.........what with all the injuries, (firstly Becks and Gary Nev, and now Gerard and Dyer), something in me water is making me, ahem, 'quietly confident' about England's chances.

I mean......something good's got to come out of this season....hasn't it?

What with ManU winning naff all and having just returned home from Norwich's dissapointment in Cardiff.

wez
Funny old game......yep, I just can't stop laughing!

Has anyone looked at the tournament draw sheet? It looks likely if England finish 2nd in the group it will be France in the 2nd round, then if we beat them it's probably Brazil! If we're going to do it, it has to be the hard way what with the injuries. 17 days to go!

I have very bad news for all you England fans. I am just back from watching Nigeria ending an unbeaten run of over 16 home games for the Republic of Ireland (Nigeria beat us 2-1 ) and can I tell you all something? With your injuries, a scarcity of left sided players, a preponderance of central defenders, an over reliance on the talents of the superb Owen and the vastly overrated Beckham, your lot will not win a game in the tournament. I can't see you beating Argentina, Sweden or Nigeria, and the best you can hope for is three draws. Even if that gets you through to the next stage, surely France will be waiting. Your friendly local bookie will lay you odds of 40-1 that England will not win a game. Swallow your patriotism and lump on. You will win enough to pay for a nice consoling holiday!

We English never say die, Terry. Get your butt over to the World Cup Fantasy Football site and sign up.

We'll soon find out whether your tips are worth listening to or not!!

Ahhhhhh, Terrence,

good to see your eyes are as green as your shirt!

Now, let me get this straight.......

You're trying to tell me that, because Nigeria beat a second rate team (i.e. Ireland) NOI, as always,,,,,, that England won't progress past the 1st round?

As a ManU fan, I have become immune to 'the green-eyed monster' that is jealousy on a massive scale. However, I fail to see how this meaningless result (and I'm being kind to Mick McArthy's team here!)(incidentally, good to see that at least a couple of the Irish team are actually Irish, instead of having to purchase an Irish Setter to qualify to play), on Irish soil, can mean anything to England's chances of progression?

I, sincerely, wish you and your team my best wishes in the tournament and hope that we both meet in the Final.(Sorry, blind optimism rearing it's ugly head again there!, there's no way Ireland are gonna get to the Final! )

wez
(Incidentally, I take it from your praise of Owen and your discounting of Beckham, that you took the easy option of supporting Liverpool in the late 70's instead of United? You 'Glory-Hunter' you!)

Just out of interest? Which Irish team do you support?

NOI etc. etc...............

Well, don't venture in here unless it's warranted and I'm a pretty good football fan (not the American variety, sorry, I tried, never could get that excited over a game without a female version).
I can't believe that you could give the French team 0 to 0 on that one pick, after the goal that Zidane scored in the last game there. The rest of the guys are up training and watching the match. One or two said they were watching the match and talking on the phone and they just threw their mobile phones down and yelled!
I'm not flag waving usually but the French are really really good now.
And they don't simply rely on one guy, I've never seen the French with such cohesion.
And so, sorry if I don't get to watch as often as I like, how is ManU going to manage without their Frenchies?
Hmmmm?
What's funny is watching the nationalism surface after the players are all essentially mercenaries and hiring themselves out to the best teams.
But when push comes to shove they are loyal to one team.

So now break it to me gently, the US is going against who? How humiliating!

Is the fantasyleague thing still open?

H,

Come on down.

The US have got Korean Republic, Poland and Portugal in thier 1st round group. Check this out:
USA Fifa World Cup 2002

Now then girlie.........You've got 12 days to get up to speed. I shall be asking questions!!

wez

Wes, You lot are a scream. What about your many sporting icons such as John Barnes, scorer of the best ever 'English' goal ( againt Brazil ), Prince Obelensky ( the Russian who scored the best ever 'English' try at Twickers ), and superb 'English' cricketers such as The Nawab of Pataubi!
With apopulation of 10 times that of Ireland, you should talk!
I am not a Man Utd. supporter, nor a Liverpool one. I have supported Villa since 1956 when Peter McParland duffed up Man Utd in the Cup Final.What's wrong with you lot - knees starting to knock and bowels getting loose? You are going to do as well as you did in Euro 2000 - remember that?

Tel,

Knees rock solid, as are my bowels. Yep, I remember what happened in Euro 2000 (did you have a good holiday, by the way?) and hope it doesn't happen again.

Some great 'English' sporting heroes you mentioned there. It's just a pity that most of your Irish footballing heroes are infact.......er ........English!

Only jestin' mate and like I say, have a good tournament.

wez
(I'm not gonna say anymore, what with you being a 'Villain'......You've had enough football-related heartache in the past few years. )

South korea 1 England 1, and the great Sven still does not know his best starting eleven! Are you boys sure your knees aren't knocking -- I can here them from here!

quote:

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Name not on the trophy!

I'm noting the human interest stories as I'm not as heavy duty into football as you lot. Did you see how the Japanese villages hosting the teams were learning their language, putting up their flags and how to cheer them on? I thought that was very interesting!
The Cameroun team's host village is having all these little schoolkids in their caps and uniforms cheer them on in French!

The French team were a little stunned by the massive protection from security guards around their own practice places and villages. They said the helicopter in particular was disconcerting!
But hey, Japan has had terrorist attacks.
Zidane was shown leaving a little late and had so many of the special force for his security around him you could barely make out his ungarnished crown!
I'm sorry to gloat but I really think the French have some great elements.
They had a BBC thing on the radio about how the English were getting the best of the French players who had essentially been raised with the sports études programs established in the eighties to help the French sports results.
The government laid out some major money for their support. And when they set their minds to it, they do it well!

So many of the talents you see were picked young and encouraged and put into special studies program with emphasis on sports, much like Brazil.

CAn't believe I'm rooting for France!

Anyone else in the Fantasy Football league want to explain what picking the group govenors is all about??? (for some reason I can't post a messgae in there at the moment). Are we picking the best and fairest player out of each group, biggest scorer or something entirely different?

Hi Copago, yes it is the top goal scorer from each group that we're supposed to predict. Every goal our Group governor scores earns us bonus points.

To predict the player this time you have to go in through 'View Groups' instead of the normal route of 'Make Prediction'.

Once again there are reams of stats to plough through if you have the time, but it's just pot luck really.

The top goal scorer won't necessarily be from the team which wins the group either so pick carefully.

Good Luck!!!

Ahhh, thanks Izzi ... let me guess, this was in those newsletters, wasn't it?

Have spent most of the day ducking in there and picking the scorers, just a few games at a time ... so I'll get in and do the governors (blow the stats, I'll take pot luck!!) and then I should be all up to date ... before the deadline even.

What is it now? Two days to go?

Nope...only 1 day to go now !!

Copago, all predictions must be completed by midnight tonight (GMT, I think) to get your bonus points. I don't think that many will have had the chance to run through the stats, I know I haven't got the time.

It was in the last newsletter, but there is nothing at all on the footy site which gives us any info on it so it's a good job you picked up on it in time!!

The first match is only hours away now - yeeehaaaaa!!

.... it's nearly here ....

anyway thought i'd just chuck this suggestion in here as it might be appreciated ...

for all of you sociable types who will be watching the games in regular company with associated beers & foods ...

before the tournament draw a couple of teams each ... if one of your teams is playing you must bring drink (and/or foods) from that country ...

Some are easy: USA - Bud, Ireland - Guinness, Japan - saki, Mexico - Tequila etc etc
Some are more difficult and require a bit of research ... Saudi Arabia, Nigeria ...

... makes things even more entertaining (this works well with the Eurovision as well)!

... top tip: Bet on Turkey to reach the Quarter-Finals! you'll get good odds and the draw looks potentially not too stressful (i.e. 4 points v Costa Ric & China) & then perm one from the even group H (belgium/russia/tunisia/japan) ....

Now that it has started, where have all you England fans gone to? where is all the bragging that was so obvious some weeks back? Are you all crying in your cups? Not a word to say? With a little luck you might finish third in your group!

Tel...............

I was so happy that the 'Paddys' got a result against Germany today (not hard, considering England beat Germany not so long ago 5-1 ,but that's another story!)

Like I say.......I'm happy that Ireland drew with Germany.

As an England fan that went to Germany for the European Championships in 1988, I feel sad that you feel so bitter against England. I still have some fantastic memories in the Irish Bar in Stuttgart when the Irish fans said to us........'No worries...........it was a freak result'......and I said to them 'No way......you played us off the park!!!!!!!!!!!' Anyhoo, after much swapping of Guiness and Theakestons Old Peculiar.........and swapping of scarves(incidentally, which I still have and hold in high esteem) You mean to say that you would rather Argentina and Sweden qualified from group F instead of England???????????

And there was me thinking that we had something in common (i.e............most of our players are ENGLISH ...)

Matty Holland...........Surely he's Dutch?

Best of Luck against Saudi tel.........can we count on your support? Somehow, I doubt it????

wez

Terry......me old Oirish mate.......where are yeeee?

Like I'm not gloating? Genuinely disappointed for ya, a bit!

Get up early tomorrow, it should be good. Stick your Brazil shirt on and get behind 'em!

wez
(Tell Mick..............next World Cup...........he needs to have more English Men in his squad. They may get farther than the 2nd round....... NOI.......OBVIOUSLY!!!!!!