World Cup 2006 thread

[uniqueuser]

i'm really looking forward to this world cup. im australian, but of italian heritage and would really like to see italy show the world that they have the right players and the right attitude to be crowned world champions.

Forza Italia e AS Roma

 

[uniqueuser]

dont forget italia have Cassano to come on up forward if they need him. they have tommassi who has made a great comeback from injury although im not sure if hes in the national squad but he was the suprise package of 2002 and we can't forget about his talent. i just think we may miss maldini.and i hope the coach makes the right decisions up forward, he may play del piero and vieri too much due to their past world cup successes.

 

[uniqueuser]

Just watch... Vieri will not get a game. Del Piero may not. Cassano will be awesome, he may be used as a sub though; this will be Luca Toni's only tournament, if he retains this level of play he WILL play. It may be Gila that gives way for Cassano. I notice you like Roma players :thumbsup: wonder why hehe... seriously though... Cassano is fuckign incredible. Just has to watch out that he doesn't scare Lippi away due to his temper and his attitude. Italy have an embarrassment of riches up front. Vieri will never play another major competitive game for Italy - though he may be included in the squad for the sake of experience.

Fox

yeh i fuckn love Cassano as he is a great player, but im scared he may not be in our team, Roma, for much longer cos he is having trouble with the board of directors. god i hope he stayz though. by the way is tommassi still in the national team??? if he is he could be a real darkhorse to score goals and perform well as he has shown in his comebacks for Roma.

 

[uniqueuser]

k thanks for the information

 

[om3ga]

We checked it out thoroughly and we feel that FIFA's system, while flawed, worked out generally okay... the only change we would have made would have been to include Holland in the seeds, and put Mexico with the 4th pot (along with their regional rivals US, Costa and T&T, to keep them apart), and then moved Serbia from their own pot into the European pot in the spot vacated by Holland.

But other than that, these groups are perfect... the toughest group possible is Brazil-Holland-Paraguay-USA or that might not be poss (Braz/Para), so I would say England-Holland-Paraguay-USA. The weakest group possible is probably Mexico-Angola-Switzerland-Trinidad - if 2 North Americans are not allowed together then it's Mexico-Angola-Switzerland-Saudi Arabia. That would be one hell of a group (jk).

I am buying tickets for the tournament as soon as the draw is announced. Anyone who wants to go can get tickets for 20 pounds sterling/30 euros/40 dollars. www.fifaworldcup.com

The draw will be shown live at or around 8PM GMT, 9PM CET, in the USA it is live on ESPN2 at 3PM (or it might begin at 3.15pm) on Friday. The wife and I will be watching it in Queens, New York City before heading into Jackson Heights for an Indian meal, in case you care.

Fox

POT ONE
Germany (hosts)
Brazil (holders)
Argentina
England
France
Italy
Mexico
Spain

POT TWO
Australia
Angola
Ghana
Ivory Coast
Togo
Tunisia
Ecuador
Paraguay

POT THREE
Croatia
Czech Republic
Netherlands
Poland
Portugal
Sweden
Switzerland
Ukraine

POT FOUR
Iran
Japan
Saudi Arabia
South Korea
Costa Rica
Trinidad & Tobago
USA

Special pot: Serbia & Montenegro

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Friday's draw will work in the following way:

The eight seeded teams will be drawn into eight different groups. Germany have already been allocated Group A and Brazil Group F.

Eight unseeded European sides will be drawn into the eight different groups.

The lowest-ranked European side Serbia and Montenegro will be allocated to one of the groups containing either Brazil, Argentina or Mexico to ensure there is no more than two European sides in any group.

A pot of the five African countries, Australia and the two remaining South American sides drawn into eight different groups.

A pot containing the four Asian countries, the USA, Costa Rica and Trinidad drawn into seven different groups.
The winners of the World Cup final will earn £10.75m as part of a total prize pool of £130m for the tournament.

Fifa announced on Tuesday that the 32 teams taking part will be guaranteed at least £2.6m each in prize money.

 

[Calm]

Group Draws:

Group 1:
Germany
Ecuador
Poland
Costa Rica

Group 2:
England
Paraguai
Sweden
Trinidad & Tobago

Group 3:
Argentina
Ivory Coast
Holland
Serbia

Group 4:
Mexico
Angola
Portugal
Iran

Group 5:
Italy
Ghana
Czech Republic
United States

Group 6:
Brazil
Australia
Croatia
Japan

Group 7:
France
Togo
Switzerland
South Korea

Group 8:
Spain
Tunisia
Ukraine
Saudi Arabia

 

[om3ga]

World Cup draw (from Leipzig):

GROUP A
Germany
Costa Rica
Poland
Ecuador

GROUP B
England
Paraguay
Trinidad & Tobago
Sweden

GROUP C
Argentina
Ivory Coast
Serbia & Montenegro
Holland

GROUP D
Mexico
Iran
Angola
Portugal


GROUP E
Italy
Ghana
USA
Czech Republic

GROUP F
Brazil
Croatia
Australia
Japan


GROUP G
France
Switzerland
South Korea
Togo

GROUP H
Spain
Ukraine
Tunisia
Saudi Arabia

[edit] oops!!!

 

[Johan]

GROUP C
Argentina
Ivory Coast
Serbia & Montenegro
Holland

In French, we use to call this the Groupe de la Mort (=Death Group).

But the Group E is cool too : Italy, Ghana, Czech Republic, United States

And France is in a quite easy groupe : Switzerland (ouch !), Korea (way weaker than in 2002) and Togo.
France had very difficult games against Switzerland during the qualifications (twice draw) and we'll have to beat them this time...

 

[tunsty]

Group B
I think England got off lightly there.
England and Sweden to qualify from that group.

 

[Calm]

Germany and England got a walk in the park, although England knows how to make it look tough.
Groups 3 and 5 really are the deaths groups.
France got Switzerland even though they had them in the qualifying groups.

 

[Jacksson_77]

Anybody heard what FIFA's Head of Communications, Makus Siegler, said to Heidi Klum when she drew the group for Serbia and Montenegro?
No joke, he said: "You are warming up the balls"

:hatsoff: Jackson

 

[tunsty]

Anybody heard what FIFA's Head of Communications, Makus Siegler, said to Heidi Klum when she drew the group for Serbia and Montenegro?
No joke, he said: "You are warming up the balls"

:hatsoff: Jackson

She can warm up my balls...etc

These draws are always so corny..

 

[om3ga]

She can warm up my balls...etc

These draws are always so corny..

....and so long...

 

[Calm]

They said it will be on the 9th of December, Australia got fooled.

 

[om3ga]

Some betting odds (to win the World Cup outright):

Brazil 11/4
Argentina 13/2
England 7/1
Germany 8/1
Italy 9/1
Holland 10/1
France 11/1
Spain 14/1
Portugal 20/1
Sweden 33/1
Croatia 50/1
Mexico 50/1
Ukraine 50/1
USA 80/1
Poland 80/1
Switzerland 80/1
Japan 125/1
Australia 125/1
Ecuador 125/1
Paraguay 125/1
Tunisia 300/1
Saudi Arabia 500/1
Costa Rica 500/1


Full listing here: http://www.oddschecker.com/betting/mode/o/card/cc8742x/odds/10218x/sid/10062

 

[MATUTE]

World Cup draw (from Leipzig):

GROUP A
Germany
Costa Rica
Poland
Ecuador

GROUP B
England
Paraguay
Trinidad & Tobago
Sweden

GROUP C
Argentina
Ivory Coast
Serbia & Montenegro
Holland

GROUP D
Mexico
Iran
Angola
Portugal


GROUP E
Italy
Ghana
USA
Czech Republic

GROUP F
Brazil
Croatia
Australia
Japan


GROUP G
France
Switzerland
South Korea
Togo

GROUP H
Spain
Ukraine
Tunisia
Saudi Arabia

[edit] oops!!!

For me in every group, these are the teams that more possibilities have of going on to the next round :

GROUP A
Germany
Poland

GROUP B
England
Paraguay

GROUP C
Argentina
Serbia & Montenegro
Holland
For me this is the group more difficult.

GROUP D
Mexico
Portugal

GROUP E
Italy
USA
Czech Republic
This is difficult too.

GROUP F
Brazil
Croatia

GROUP G
France
Switzerland

GROUP H
Spain
Ukraine
Tunisia
Another difficult too.

 

[ai-ni-ichi]

my prediction is Argentina to beat England in the final. i've got 50 quid on it too

 

[poggy]

my prediction is Argentina to beat England in the final. i've got 50 quid on it too

Well if you like to throw you money away it's your choice.But it would have been better giving it to charity instead.It would have a better Chance of actually doing some good with them.Rather than some bookie putting it over the bar at his local.As this has no Chance of winning.

 

[yonasa]

Well if you like to throw you money away it's your choice.But it would have been better giving it to charity instead.It would have a better chance of actually doing some good with them.Rather than some bookie putting it over the bar at his local.As this has no chance of winning.

Why is that such a bad bet? Its a modest amount of money for a long shot that has the chance to pay off big once you consider the odds factored in.

I put 50 bucks on my local (american)football team to beat the colts in the superbowl later this year at 80-1 odds. And it looks more and more likely this matchup could take place and it seemed crazy when I made the bet. Just my :2 cents:

 

[youlneverstopme]

The location - a temperate zone - will nullify the edge Brazil and Argentina enjoy when the tournament is held in hot countries.

England are the best bet - look out for Wayne Rooney, a brilliant player.