Ajaxtalk

Ayman schreef:Dank said:

Hmm...interesting comments there Ayman. Luckily I dont get offended very easily

I am sorry for my comments, I should backtrack, its just was angry, when I heard about it. But I didnt mean all ozzies were dirty just the players.

No need to apologise Ayman. I am the first to agree that Wilkshire's tackle on Gio was pointless and stupid, and for that matter his tackle on van Bommel was just as dumb. Guus was giving this kid a run for the first time in a while and I don't think he would have helped his chances with his "tackling" display.

I cringed when I saw Gio go down as I have much to lose as any Dutchman with an injury to a Dutch squad player. I watched some of the game again, and it looked just as bad the 2nd time. :sad:

Overall though, I am still sticking to my comments of Aust playing 'hard', but not dirty. There was no mallace in the game. Sneijder and Coco's injuries weren't caused by any direct Australian challanges, just bad luck - esp Sniejder.

From the interviews post game with the coaches and players, there is no real comment on any dirty tactics from either set of players. As van Basten said 'It was a game for men' - or something similar to that.

The game itself was very entertaining, but a pretty low standard of football, esp from an Australian point of view. Australia's first half was appauling, but given the gap in the teams, that probably gives some explanation. Aust 2nd half was much, much better (although some poor passing still existed).

After this game, I am actually more worried about Holland's chance of progressing than Australia's. Fingers crossed both countries make it through :eusa_pray:

Henk de Gier schreef:according to vi.nl Sneijder will be able to train again in 5 days.

So he will probably miss the opener against Serbia. Still thats better than what i expected. Swift return Wesley.

DanK schreef: Overall though, I am still sticking to my comments of Aust playing 'hard', but not dirty. There was no mallace in the game. Sneijder and Coco's injuries weren't caused by any direct Australian challanges, just bad luck - esp Sniejder.

Dude, watch it again, Cocu's injury was caused by Viduka who planted his knee in Cocu's leg. Sneaky dirty foul. I saw the replay today, and it replay it's very obvious what Viduka does.

All injured players, Cocu, Sneijder, Van der Vaart, Van Bronckhorst and Jaliens are expected to be fit or returning close to fitness by the weekend.

Van der Vaart will know more about his fitness by Wednesday, though he has "successfully" trained.

Henk de Gier schreef:

DanK schreef: Overall though, I am still sticking to my comments of Aust playing 'hard', but not dirty. There was no mallace in the game. Sneijder and Coco's injuries weren't caused by any direct Australian challanges, just bad luck - esp Sniejder.

Dude, watch it again, Cocu's injury was caused by Viduka who planted his knee in Cocu's leg. Sneaky dirty foul. I saw the replay today, and it replay it's very obvious what Viduka does.

Initally when I watched the game I didn't see anything in the tackle, but after your comments thought I better double check. I have to say imo - Viduka had only eyes for the ball. I watched this incident over and over (and the replay of the incident that they showed when Coco limped off around 37 min which was from a different angle). I played it on frame by frame super slow mo, fast, normal etc and I seriously cannot see how this was a "dirty foul". Coco was running without looking where the hell is was going, Viduka was running into the same space (again Viduka had eyes on the ball the whole time) and Coco whacks into Viduka's leg.

If I would have knocked into Viduka I would have to go off as well. This guys is built like a brick shithouse, but again I can't see any intent. I honestly don't care if the guy is Australian or Dutch I support both teams pretty much equally, so would be happy to say "yep. dirty fould", but I really can't see it in this case.

To close the issue, I asked the expert of the family (ie: my wife). Her comment was "Viduka's leg didn't move, it was more the Orange guy who hit into Viduka's leg". So given that my wife is always right I would say its an open and shut case ;)

Seriously though, check out the replay around 37min when Coco goes off and you may change your mind, but the main thing is from Zoef's comments earlier that ALL players are expected to be fit or close to by the weekend.

This IS brilliant news that we can all agree with.

And to show that there are no hard feelings...

:dancing:

just look at the position of Viduka's knee, it's an obvious foul imho.

As weird as it may sound: this was a perfect game for Holland.

They've had an unusually smooth qualification campaign and the preparations have been perfect so far. Normally Holland are always sh*t in their pre-tournament friendlies. Against Cameroon, however, they played really well and everybody was getting seriously optimistic.

This game was just the tough, poor dress rehearsal they needed. Disappointing result, a few good knocks from the Aussies and, as a result, a healthy sense of realism.

I didn't think Australia were 'dirty'. They were hard and sometimes quite rude and clumsy in their tackling, but hey: the World Cup is definitely gonna be a men's world (not a boys' playground), so they better stop moaning, get used to it and put their bajonets on.

Excellent, this. Now let's hammer the Serbs.

K.

Yes but how you gonna do that now with 4 players unfit?

Kowalczyk schreef:Excellent, this. Now let's hammer the Serbs.
K.

I wish it was that easy. But Serbia is a tough nut... So are Argentina and Ivory Coast :(

ZoefdeHaas schreef:Yes but how you gonna do that now with 4 players unfit?

Let's get a cock, Zoef - and all will be fine. :D

K.

By far the most interesting/funny review of the WC participants is on

http://football.guardian.co.uk/worldcup2006

Here is a taste...the Dutch...


Group C
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Holland


The cliché
The best team never to win the cup.

The reality
This is an atypical Dutch side, big on harmony and singing from the same song sheet but lacking the talent and fantasy needed to hit their usual high notes: expect not so much shexy football as Prescott-in-purple-Y-fronts football. They qualified unbeaten, conceding three goals in 12 games, but are dangerously dependent on the firepower of Arjen Robben and Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Where they're staying
The Parkhotel Adler in Freiburg is a sedate, old-world hideaway that looks part Victorian palace, part care home for the elderly. With local temptations amounting to ski-jumping, golf courses and Lake Titisee, not even Stanley Victor Collymore could get into mischief here.

Grudge match
Since Germany invaded Holland in the war their relationship makes England and Argentina seem like Hugh Grant and Divine Brown. Is it really 16 years since Frank Rijkaard's flob-and-go shampoo was launched in the San Siro?

The politics
Dutch footballers traditionally fall out more than Janet Jackson at the Superbowl, with an animosity chart that reads like a celebrity sex tree. But Colin Farrell and Calum Best, aka Clarence Seedorf and Edgar Davids, have been cast aside for kids who really do believe that it's one for all and all for one. Until one of them has his Toblerone nicked.

Supported by
The Oranje are as subtle as a Tango slap - a sweating, 20,000-strong mass of face-paint, luminous shirts and joie de vivre.

Slogan on team coach
"Oranje on the road to gold"

The coach: Marco van Basten

On his chalkboard
Like staid lovers, Dutch teams do it only one way: 4-3-3. In midfield two flunkies will do the skivvying for the playmaker Rafael van der Vaart, while up front the two touchline-hugging wingers (Robben and probably Kuyt) will supply Van Nistelrooy.

In his closet
Van Basten is one of the good guys, as squeaky clean as a mouse with OCD, although he was part of the multi-talented, multi-whingeing Dutch team that disgraced themselves in 1990.

The players

Most likely to move to Bolton
Phillip Cocu is experienced, can belabour the ball 60 yards and, most crucially of all, would allow Sam Allardyce to colour in another country on his world map. At 35 he could yet be the new Gary Speed.

Oscar nominee
Arjen Robben, the only man in world football who could get an opponent sent off for violent conduct during the pre-match handshake.

King of the endorsements
Van Nistelrooy has compromised his dignity (and shorts size) to nosebag huge amounts from Coca-Cola and Pringles.

You'll be copying . . .
The Robben baldness pattern is the craze that's sweeping the nation, albeit involuntarily. And Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink's gloriously aristocratic name will have the Deed Poll service busier than at any time since the halcyon days of Ben Dover.

Nation sweating on
Ruud's mood. A happy, hungry Van Nistelrooy is a galumphing goal-getter without peer; a morose Van Nistelrooy is surly, divisive and with enough lead in his arse to open an HB factory.

Rooney to have a grand on
The whole Dutch team releasing a lounge-jazz interpretation of the Arctic Monkeys' Mardy Bum after winning the tournament, with Victor Meldrew on guest vocals and Colin Farrell playing Clarence Seedorf in the video.

If they were shoes . . . High heels
Most blokes agree they look pretty good, others go a step further and say they scream sex, sex, shex. But they're not particularly adaptable and are often found out on their ear when the road gets rocky.

The stats
Fifa ranking 3rd Odds to win 12-1
World Cup finals record P32 W14 D8 L10 F56 A36
World Cup best Runners-up 1974, '78
Record in qualifying P12 W10 D2 L0

Group fixtures
Serbia & Montenegro June 11, Leipzig 2pm
Ivory Coast June 16, Stuttgart 5pm
Argentina June 21, Frankfurt 8pm

The country

On the psychiatrist's couch
Life is so unfair: everybody thinks all we do is sit in coffee shops smoking and wander down red-light districts. Well, we export cheese as well. And those bloody Grolsch advertsh have made everyone think we're idiotsch. And I've never had my finger in a bloody dyke.

What they eat
Stamppot - mashed potato mixed with vegetables, some more vegetables and very occasionally a bit of meat - is a typical winter dish about which the Dutch have a catchy saying: Never eat curly kale before the frost has got at it.

What they watch
Goede Tijden, Slechte Tijden (Good Times, Bad Times), a soap so trashy it makes Hollyoaks look arthouse, boasting such modestly named characters as Bing Mauricius and "Sneaky" Stef Willems.

Anthem in brief: Wilhelmus van Nassouwe
Over 15 verses the Dutch tell the story of William, Prince of Orange who, despite being a German, freed the nation from the rapacious Spanish with a big helping hand from God and a thunderstorm.

Well I never
There are twice as many bicycles in Holland as there are cars. And Holland's motto "Je Maintiendrai" (I will persist) is written in French.

The squad
<Snip ... I cut this bit out 'cause it's boring>

De Jong and Schaars are now on standby. This does not augur well. This morning I read that Sneijder, Cocu and Van Bronckhorst will be fit for the first match !

OK...so only a few days to go.

Who will win the opener? The Gerries? Or will this be another "upset" in the opening game. Who predicts a dull 0-0 draw???

First of all, I send my greetings to the moderator, Manneken Pis and the other 'old' members. It's been a long time since I logged but I think they remember Manila from the old Ajax forums. Is Menno still around ?

As for the first match i think Germany will win. We're under-rating Germany. They are not so bad and we all know what they can do in a final tournament especially being played home. I forecast a very good tournament for them.

NOS Teletext is saying that Van Der Vaart joined the group for training today. Van Bronckhorst and Jaliens are also training with the group as normal.

There are still some problems for Cocu and Sneijder however. At least that's what I understood cause my Dutch is not that good !

Yeh Cocu and Sneijder trained outside the group, but are progressing well. Hopefully it stays this way, get well lads! :aai:

Welcome Manila. Menno is still around, in fact he is one of the English Section Moderators. He posts as Kowalczyk.

Is it me or is anybody else feeling underwhelmed by the groups,with the exception of Group C & Group B (for obvious English interest) im really not getting too excited.Anyone feel the same?.

Group C and E are easily the two toughest groups, so those are the ones holding the most interest for me (man, I hope Italy don't advance). The other groups are pretty boring, and will only get interesting when/if there is an upset or two.

manila schreef:First of all, I send my greetings to the moderator, Manneken Pis and the other 'old' members.

Welcome Manila, nice to see you.
I think you'll find most of the 'old' members here, it's just that they changed names, and I haven't the imagination to do that...

Now that you mention it, "old members" isn't a very nice expression, it it?
I think in Dutch that would be....."ouwe lullen"???

;)

Manneken Pis schreef:

manila schreef:First of all, I send my greetings to the moderator, Manneken Pis and the other 'old' members.

Welcome Manila, nice to see you.
I think you'll find most of the 'old' members here, it's just that they changed names, and I haven't the imagination to do that...

Now that you mention it, "old members" isn't a very nice expression, it it?
I think in Dutch that would be....."ouwe lullen"???

;)

Good to hear many of the 'previous' ;) members are still here. I was busy travelling on business, but now I think I will settle down for the next couple of months so I can keep up with the discussions on Oranje.

God, I can't wait for the tournament to start. I have a good feeling !

AjaxPDX schreef:Group C and E are easily the two toughest groups, so those are the ones holding the most interest for me (man, I hope Italy don't advance). The other groups are pretty boring, and will only get interesting when/if there is an upset or two.

And this is what makes the WC so great (well apart from Italia '90! :pukey: ). There are always teams that come from nowhere that all of the sudden become everyones 2nd fav team. Then there's always the teams that are expected to do well and end up bombing out (re: France 02, Argentina '02, Holland '90 etc).

Then don't forget there is always Germany and we all watch there games in the hope they get their butts kicked. But truth be told, I would love to see them in the final, provided it was against Holland AND provided Holland win. Although if I am not mistaken, this can't happen with the group setup, but I could be wrong.

I worked out what I think maybe the winners and 2nd from each group and ended up getting an Italy - Brazil final.
I remember the USA 94 final!!! X'C

I seriously believe England might pull it off this time.

Brazil vs England is my final. I'll be rooting for England, but I expect Brazil to win it.

K.

We have a bet here between a few of us guys. I have Brazil-England in the semi and Brazil-Holland in the final, with Brazil as champions and Adriano as top scorer.

Everbody seems to know that Brazil will win the tournament. I don't think it will be that easy. It's not only about who's got the best players, you need a certain amount of luck as well. If Brazil has that luck, they will crush all teams. If they don't, they might just be beaten in the quarter or the semi.

jakobg schreef:
Everbody seems to know that Brazil will win the tournament. I don't think it will be that easy.

In my opinion Brazil won't win the cup. They have the best offensive players, I agree... But look on their defence - Roberto Carlos is not as good as a few seasons ago, the same with Cafu. Central defenders also didn't have a good year...

I think that Argentina will make a surprise and win the WC. They have a strong team, the mix of youth and experience... England? No way!

Personally, I would like to see any sensation - just like gold medal for Greece a few years ago. Maybe Holland? Maybe Spain? Maybe Portugal? Or maybe Czech Republic?