World cup 2010 south africa

[ironman2000]

I would just like to say that I was very happy with the World Cup 2010 draw wich will be held in South Africa....................

Well i would be of course being English...............but I just want to tell the Lads that it still will not be a walk in the park. The World Cup is always the place for upsets,but I feel we should make it to the last 16 teams

Who else was happy with the draw?

have a wonderful weekend and If I upset any one in the past week...........I send my apologies...............no intention meant to hurt any ones feelings.

Keith

[casinojack]

Being from USA, I watched it live during lunch, and yes I think a nice easy walk for us Gringos in round1 will be nice...

[Pokerworx]

Something has to be changed big time, Ireland should be going to it they are a much better team that Japan, S,N Korea, New Zealand etc etc etc.. The qualifying for these things have to be changed. end rant...

England have a good Group I would expect to see them reach the Semi's but for me its Spain or Brazil to win it.

[Chalkie]

Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings, however, i am sorry but i have to say the the Azurri will be taking home the trophy again in 2010!

Ireland certainly deserve another shot after the hand of frog!

[TheGooner]

Something has to be changed big time, Ireland should be going to it they are a much better team that Japan, S,N Korea, New Zealand etc etc etc.. The qualifying for these things have to be changed. end rant...

The World Cup is for global participation ... hence the global qualification draw.

FIFA is about trying to promote standards across the world - and from the other side of the coin I can tell you that New Zealand's qualification will give the game a big boost at this end of the world. Of course New Zealand have no chance of winning a game, or their group, let alone the World Cup - but until the first game actually kicks off it is a feel good story.

Europe have 13 spots in the World Cup - that's plenty - and with all due respect to UEFA's strength most of Europe's qualifiers have no hope of winning the tournment either. The World Cup is as much a celebration of the global game in the Group stages (usually with just 1-2 upsets) and the football only gets serious in the knockout stages.

---------------------

RELATED :

They've opening up the Euro champs to 24 teams now haven't they - in order to maximise TV revenues - so Ireland should get a trip every four years to take part in that from now on.

[Pokerworx]

<o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com<img src=" images="" smilies="" icon_surprised.gif="" border="0" alt="" title="Surprised" smilieid="2" class="inlineimg">Man I totally disagree with your post, and please bear in mind I wish New Zealand all the best in the finals, I was using them as an example. Ireland never lost 1 game over the two or so years it takes to get in, we had Italy, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Montenegro, Georgia.. If you put New Zealand in there where do you think they would come? Personally I think 0-1 point.

But that’s not my point.. This is the biggest prize in football that any player can ever receive, We go through that group without losing and we get France ( losing the way we did just makes it worse)… One of the worlds top teams.. You get teams that are not football nations, I believe rugby is your 1st sport and we will have a good crack at that this time!!!

If it’s a competition make it one put all the teams in a bowel and let em qualify. I would prefer to play Egypt in qualifying any day!, All the best players play in Europe and the ones that don’t will end up playing there, them players travel to play for there nations, why cant a team do that?

I do honestly wish you the best but you with your euro comment really icks me .. We were robbed of are chance of being there if we had Egypt or Qatar or N. Korea to play against we would be there.

Taking this another way…. Why is it in SA? Who likes football? Europeans and South Americans, The single and only reason its been held there and has been in the past is to get China in on it, you know there are lots of them people..

I would like the whole thing changed, something like a world cup coming up would be really good for my country which is in a rescission, it would make people go out and watch the matches, get people to travel, make 1000’s of jobs not to mention the gambling that would happen because we care about it!! and maybe get us going again. Im sure you will have a great time being there BUT in it saying you wont win a match makes my point right.. I believe we would win it or go close.
______________________________

10 mins into the 2nd half extra time that if it stayed the same we would of won

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OiWTFg1-zo
</o:smarttagtype>

[TheGooner]

and I think that you miss the point of the FIFA World Cup entirely.

It is not UEFA's tournament. That's EURO2008, EURO2012, EURO-whatever. UEFA can do whatever they want with that - and structure it however they want. Hold it where-ever they want.

The FIFA World Cup is run over top of UEFA, by an organisation that is there to support six different confederations, COMNEBOL, CONCACAF, AFC, CAF, OFC as well as UEFA. And the brief is also to get representatives of ALL six confederations to the finals.

UEFA get to decide how to determine their 13 representatives any which-way they want ... and the nine group structure with winners going through and runners-up going to playoff was very cut-throat. But that's UEFA's call. In the end EUROPE get 13 representatives only.

Ireland have a good side in large part due to their proximity to the best European countries, the best Irish players benefit from having EU passports, and being able to play professional football in Europe without restriction. The downside to this is that in order to make the finals - Ireland have to battle through the toughest qualifying confederation EUROPE.

Sure it's tough, but it's the same for all European sides. Take Ireland and transport it to the South Pacific, remove passport benefits, remove regular top level football, and within a generation Ireland is as shite as New Zealand is at football ...


Your point that Ireland could beat several of the qualifying sides completely misses the REAL point - it's not about getting the best 32 sides to the finals - it's about getting 32 sides that represent all the points on the globe to the finals.

Without global representation at the finals, the world cup ceases to be a truely global event. And it is that diversity initially (even if it always ends up as Europe / South America in the end) that makes the event special.

I've travelled to a few of these events, two World Cups (France 98, Germany 06, and two Euro champs (Holland 2000, and Portugal 2004), and the event within the country is as much about participation, competing and learning as it is about the eventual winners.

That might not come through clearly to the TV audience sitting at home listen to commentators wax lyrically about the best sides - but the feeling of the events has as much to do with the diversity of teams and fans during the first two weeks of the competition.

Your idea that only the biggest, best sides should play at the World Cup Finals will never come to pass, thank goodness.

UEFA has their own football tournament every four years, but FIFA events need to represent the world of football.

[Anthony-Coral]

Well the way you say you would like it to work is certainly the way it used to work for decades at a time.

The finals, themselves, would just shift between Europe and S. America and that was probably fine whilst it was still merely a competition.

But then when the idea of 'Sports Marketing' came along and issues of image and broadcast rights and official sponsors fees came in to play then people saw what a cash-cow the game of football can be.

People like Havelange, Blatter and Warner - essentially fraudsters and crooks - wrestled control of the game and continue to squeeze every last dollar out of it.

I know Europe and S America contain many top teams so the competition is tougher than perhaps Oceania or Asia. But the smaller teams would never get the chance to improve or develop their game without this competition so they should have the chance to make it.

Perhaps the best option would be to grade teams in the way that cricket does - introduce a top, middle and bottom tier. The 'bottom' ranked teams in a region would battle it out amongst themselves for the right to fill, one slot to go to the finals. Give the middle tier a few more slots. At least this way their games would actually 'mean' something.

What on earth do San Marino get out of being hammered 7-1 in every significant qualification game they play?

I think the REAL scandal is the way that tiny FA's like San Marino, Andorra and the like are allowed to hold such influence. The FA's from places like this have no genuine interest in developing the game in their regions. But the heads of the FA for these places somehow have a place on the top-table of football and they like their limo's and expenses far too much to consider allowing any sort of 're-organisation' to take place.

Teams of that size should have no place in the regular qualifying for major competitions but they are able to retain this position by leveraging the fact that they have votes to offer within FIFA and UEFA - and the people that run these organisations just LOOOOOOOVE to get re-elected

http://www.transparencyinsport.org/

[Marvyn H]

Pokerworx, what on earth is this supposed to mean:

"Why is it in SA? Who likes football? Europeans and South Americans, The single and only reason its been held there and has been in the past is to get China in on it, you know there are lots of them people.."

I'd really like to know what you meant here?

[stgeorge]

<o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com<img src=" images="" smilies="" icon_surprised.gif="" border="0" alt="" title="Surprised" smilieid="2" class="inlineimg">

Taking this another way…. Why is it in SA? Who likes football? Europeans and South Americans, The single and only reason its been held there and has been in the past is to get China in on it, you know there are lots of them people..

Man. I don't know you, but that comment is ignorant and borderline racist.

You clearly know nothing about Africa and the passion for Soccer. You also don't know that SA is a country capable of hosting a GLOBAL event, and legitimately won the rights.

Ireland was hard done by, but there is no rule that can change that. Get over it. To rubbish the format of the Cup becuase the Irish feel hard done by is childish to say the least. I feel for Ireland, but get the heck over it already.

Please clarify for the sake of everybody on this board what you mean by "them people".

[Anthony-Coral]

<o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com<img src=" images="" smilies="" icon_surprised.gif="" border="0" alt="" title="Surprised" smilieid="2" class="inlineimg">The single and only reason its been held there and has been in the past is to get China in on it, you know there are lots of them people..</o:smarttagtype>

If the only reason it went to South Africa was to involve China......... why not just host it in China?

They've had the Olympics and they certainly put on a big show then.

I don't see the link between the WC in South Africa and attracting the Chinese audience

[SlotsAff]

Some comments in this thread are truly ridiculous and damn right rude.

The World Cup is a REPRESENTATION of nation's football teams from AROUND THE WORLD.

Yes, the big guns always win in the end but all the other nations need a chance to compete.

Look at what Greece did in Euro 2004 - if you were to have the biggest teams in Europe for that tournament, Greece wouldn't have been there.

They deservedly won it and that is something NO-ONE can ever take away from them - they have written themselves into the history books and they should be very proud of themselves.

As for Ireland, they were unlucky but they weren't winning at the time. Furthermore, who says Ireland would have held on or won on penalties? You can't determine that.

The bad decisions, great goals, great/bad players, deflections, diving, fair play moments, fans, atmosphere, rivalry, passion - all this and more contributes to the beautiful game we all love.

If everything was fair and 'perfect', it would be boring.

COME ON ENGLAND!

[Pokerworx]

Ok all please relax, I am in no way racist maybe I get a lil hot headed and post when I shouldn't, by that post I mean by having it in that part of the world it is more time friendly for people over there. Most of the matches are going to be played in the afternoon/lunchtime over here when people are in work and if your from South America its going to be am/early morning if you want to see your team.

Just to clarify Ireland would of went through on away goals, if it happened to England I believe Henry would have been reviving death treats by now, there still going on about the hand of god.. Maybe it was just me being sour the way we went out but in my mind it is totally unfair to alot of nations who treat football like a religion. Maybe a teired system would be better or just double the amout of teams in it. I didnt mean to ofend anyone and I wasent being racist.

[Marvyn H]

You're still making strange comments: do you realize that the time difference between SA and central Europe at that time of year equals ... what is it again?

Zero.

[eaton2003]

If the only reason it went to South Africa was to involve China......... why not just host it in China?

They've had the Olympics and they certainly put on a big show then.

I don't see the link between the WC in South Africa and attracting the Chinese audience

If the WC was to be hosted in China they would like to know the outcome before the game is played as they certainily had a tight control of things during the Olympics.

[DaftDog]

You're still making strange comments: do you realize that the time difference between SA and central Europe at that time of year equals ... what is it again?

Zero.

...and what about the wild lions and elephants that roam through the streets of Johannesburg, won't these wild beasts pose a threat to soccer tourists?

LOL - WTF, some people are seriously ignorant. Don't worry Marvyn H, some people are f***ing clueless.

[eaton2003]

SA is a fantastic place with many great places to visit. Security in SA does pose a threat as during my few times there I suffered minor crime. This should indeed be addressed to keep tourists safe from being held up at gunpoint or other petty crime.

Thumbs up to SA for being a great diverse country and well done for hosting the World Cup but a warning to those visiting to prepare for potential problems and knowing where and where not to explore.

[Casino Geezer]

Just to clarify Ireland would of went through on away goals

Pokerworx - I think you'll find that Anelka's goal in Dublin cancelled out Keano's goal in Paris - so there was still all to play for, should the 'Hand of Henry' debacle not have happened.

C'est la vie, as they say in Versailles.

[HorseFoot]

I've travelled to a few of these events, two World Cups (France 98, Germany 06, and two Euro champs (Holland 2000, and Portugal 2004), and the event within the country is as much about participation, competing and learning as it is about the eventual winners.

That might not come through clearly to the TV audience sitting at home listen to commentators wax lyrically about the best sides - but the feeling of the events has as much to do with the diversity of teams and fans during the first two weeks of the competition.

Your idea that only the biggest, best sides should play at the World Cup Finals will never come to pass, thank goodness.

I would just like to agree with TheGooner on this point. I have been to two World Cup Finals, Italy90 and France98, and the best part of the whole experience was enjoying the company of people from all over the world who shared a common love of football.

I wont spoil the sentiment of the statement by saying that as I was supporting Scotland we had no chance of winning anything anyway and only went to enjoy the party !

[Renee]

Ok all please relax, I am in no way racist maybe I get a lil hot headed and post when I shouldn't, by that post I mean by having it in that part of the world it is more time friendly for people over there. Most of the matches are going to be played in the afternoon/lunchtime over here when people are in work and if your from South America its going to be am/early morning if you want to see your team.

Just to clarify Ireland would of went through on away goals, if it happened to England I believe Henry would have been reviving death treats by now, there still going on about the hand of god.. Maybe it was just me being sour the way we went out but in my mind it is totally unfair to alot of nations who treat football like a religion. Maybe a teired system would be better or just double the amout of teams in it. I didnt mean to ofend anyone and I wasent being racist.

I gotta say I agree with everyone here in saying that it should be gotten over...

I don't see the Aussies still bitching about that bull decision made by a ref in the last world cup that gave Italy the chance to win on penalty shots... IMO there is no difference.. The better team won on the day and unfortunately sometimes the refs make bad decisions.. The best thing to do is walk away and hope that your team is the best team on the day next time.

Now back to the main topic of the thread, Oz is teamed up with Germany, Serbia and Ghana... I'd say we have a pretty good chance over Ghana, Serbia might give us a run for our money, but the real money will be Germany. Should be a good game. Fingers crossed we can get through that one.

Good luck to the guys from NZ - watch those "faking" Italians