England Vs USA World Cup
Dec 11th, 2009, 10:42 AM
#42
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" Imagine the scene - the US emerges victorious in one of the world's biggest sporting events and only about 20 people in the US would actually care."
Would absolutely NOT piss off the 90% of the human race who watch real football.
In order of priority, most fans' objectives are:
1. That their team should win
2. Failing that, at least that hereditary rivals should lose badly. The USA is so far down the pecking order it isn't the hereditary rival of any serious football country, except possibly Mexico. So we get to:
3. That a plucky outsider overperforms. Whether that's the Cameroons, Algeria or the US doesn't really matter: we all like seeing the little guy do well, in the way we were all pleased to see Sri Lanka win the cricket World Cup a few years back.
In England, for example, a US World Cup win would mean France, Germany and Argentina would all have lost. Than which few things give us more pleasure.
One day, the US might rival, say, Portugal or the Netherlands as a team others take seriously. That day's a very long way away.
Unless you field your girls' team, of course.
Would absolutely NOT piss off the 90% of the human race who watch real football.
In order of priority, most fans' objectives are:
1. That their team should win
2. Failing that, at least that hereditary rivals should lose badly. The USA is so far down the pecking order it isn't the hereditary rival of any serious football country, except possibly Mexico. So we get to:
3. That a plucky outsider overperforms. Whether that's the Cameroons, Algeria or the US doesn't really matter: we all like seeing the little guy do well, in the way we were all pleased to see Sri Lanka win the cricket World Cup a few years back.
In England, for example, a US World Cup win would mean France, Germany and Argentina would all have lost. Than which few things give us more pleasure.
One day, the US might rival, say, Portugal or the Netherlands as a team others take seriously. That day's a very long way away.
Unless you field your girls' team, of course.
Dec 11th, 2009, 11:12 AM
#43
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flanner is shortsighted, as usual. The U.S. has i'd wager the largest kids soccer program on Earth - the most played participant sport in the U.S. is not football but soccer - and has been for years.
Now why this has not translated into really good soccer teams on the international stage (talking about national teams made up of nationals of a country, not the pro thing where say many English Premier League players are not English)
But it will - soon - sheer numbers and countless soccer academies - kids spend hours at soccer - soccer Moms are iconic, bussing kids around to matches in the SUVs
Sooner rather than later flanner, old boy. And it seems England has a bit of a way to go to yes rival today's Portugal and Dutch national teams.
You know flim it's that 'vision' thing!
Now why this has not translated into really good soccer teams on the international stage (talking about national teams made up of nationals of a country, not the pro thing where say many English Premier League players are not English)
But it will - soon - sheer numbers and countless soccer academies - kids spend hours at soccer - soccer Moms are iconic, bussing kids around to matches in the SUVs
Sooner rather than later flanner, old boy. And it seems England has a bit of a way to go to yes rival today's Portugal and Dutch national teams.
You know flim it's that 'vision' thing!
Dec 11th, 2009, 03:17 PM
#45
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>caroline...do you seriously think that italians eg wil not be watching games during a world cup?<
They may very well be but not in decent Scottish Italian restaurants during service. I cant think of an Italian restaurant in Glasgow or Edinburgh that isn't a chippy that even has a telly.
They may very well be but not in decent Scottish Italian restaurants during service. I cant think of an Italian restaurant in Glasgow or Edinburgh that isn't a chippy that even has a telly.
Dec 12th, 2009, 05:34 AM
#47
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3. That a plucky outsider overperforms.>>>>
My prediction: Ivory Coast. And as Flanneur suggests the world will be on their side. Even me, and I hate Drogba with a vengence. But he's bloody good.
My prediction: Ivory Coast. And as Flanneur suggests the world will be on their side. Even me, and I hate Drogba with a vengence. But he's bloody good.
Dec 13th, 2009, 03:24 AM
#49
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Dec 13th, 2009, 04:16 AM
#50
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Whoever gets out of the Ivory Coast group wont face any better in the rest of the tournament. This really appears to be most open World Cup in decades. There's probably some ten teams that, with decent luck, could win it.
Dec 14th, 2009, 04:08 AM
#56
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I bloody hope not. You lot were bad enough after the Ashes and Rugby World Cup wins. God knows what you'd be like after winning something people actually care about. 
Looks out passport, just in case.
Looks out passport, just in case.
Dec 14th, 2009, 06:00 AM
#57
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You missed out the F1 title.
And all them gold medals. And the world heavyweight champion.
And not having to eat porridge.
Get back to your buckfast.
CW - thinks that if our first XI can stay fit we'll win it. Again.
And all them gold medals. And the world heavyweight champion.
And not having to eat porridge.
Get back to your buckfast.
CW - thinks that if our first XI can stay fit we'll win it. Again.
