Ajaxtalk

Jaysus, Luca Toni at 33/1. That's not bad at all.

aveslacker schreef:Dan-

I think the US fans on this board (I suspect there's a few besides myself) can probably empathize with you...Being a soccer fan in a place like Oz or the US is very different from being a fan in a place like Holland, England or France, where soccer is a mainstream sport. Soccer (at least in the US) has the reputation of being a 'wimpy' sport, and many (but not all) mainstream soccer commentators make fun of it.

Being a soccer fan in the US, I feel like a member of some sort of underground movement (I actually kinda like that). But that makes my sense of pride even stronger when my team does well (like when they beat Mexico :xyxthumbs: ).

So a heartfelt congratulations again. May your team do well, until they meet the US, of course. :D

My teams:
1) USA
2) Holland
3) Anyone who plays Germany

Thanks again. I guess this is a point I was trying to make as well. Finally football (the real football) united this country. This has been hailed as THE greatest sporting moment in Australia, which is saying a hell of a lot, considering how sports mad this country is.

For people like myself who have been a football supporter since I can remember, I feel proud (and partly a sense of smugness too) when I talk to people who I knew weren't football supporters and they say they were jumping and screaming with the rest of the country. The finally got it. This IS what the sport is about. Its not just about 0-0 score lines (as I always got reminded of by Aussie Rules supports). Football (at this level) is about pride, passion and emotion, of which other sports rarely come close to.

The World Cup is not just being part of a sporting event. Its about being part of a global celebration and given the state of the world at the moment this is now more important than ever. And actually given the state of this country (which seems to be sadly losing its once peaceful reputation and its welcoming open arms to others) it was great to see us all united again.

It was also great to see us qualify the hard way before we start to play real qualifiers in Asia come next WC.

My middle finger goes to FIFA for screwing us (and Oceania) over for the last few years. Playing 4 meaningful games every 4 years, the last 2 against the 5th placed sth americans on most occasions was just plain wrong. This was our last 4 qualifying tournaments final games.
2005 – Uruguay
2001 – Uruguay
1997 – Iran (OK we shot ourselves in the foot with this one)
1993 – Argentina

I am sure most other countries wouldn’t envy this situation. So again, thanks for nothing FIFA. My hope here is that now New Zealand can benefit by Australia moving into Asia, but its not going to be easy for them. FIFA need to stop Oceania playing off against the 5th place sth Americans and throw the Oceania winner into Asia playoffs or CONCACAF.

My only hope now is we can be grouped with the Pomms. Man that would be sweet.

bryan schreef:Jaysus, Luca Toni at 33/1. That's not bad at all.

Yeah problem is that Italy dont score a lot of goals per game, i think that Drogba at 40/1 is an even better bet. In the end it all depends on a lot of variables, group dificulty, how far the team go's and luck of course ;)

Yes, yes, ladies and gentlemen! The draw for the 2006 World Cup in Germany will take place on Friday 09 December! Discuss your country's opposition here!

K.

Kowalczyk schreef:Yes, yes, ladies and gentlemen! The draw for the 2006 World Cup in Germany will take place on Friday 09 December! Discuss your country's opposition here!

K.

What are the chances we draw against Chech Republic?

Raymon schreef:

Kowalczyk schreef:Yes, yes, ladies and gentlemen! The draw for the 2006 World Cup in Germany will take place on Friday 09 December! Discuss your country's opposition here!

K.

What are the chances we draw against Chech Republic?

Zero, as we will both be in the second pot.
The draw is fixed throught Fifa's seeding calculation that ensures the tv rich markets don't bump into each other in the group stage.

Their keeping the seeding calculation "secret" (unbelievable or what???) but have mentioned that there is an "economic component".

:pukey:

I wonder when we will know when Holland will be seeded, I just hope England wont be seeded, arrogant louts! although they have great players, but their coach is a big MINUS, as for Holland, surely this is the moment for us to finally lift the world cup....please God.

Ayman schreef:I wonder when we will know when Holland will be seeded, I just hope England wont be seeded, arrogant louts! although they have great players, but their coach is a big MINUS, as for Holland, surely this is the moment for us to finally lift the world cup....please God.

This would be nice, but unless snipers kill both Brazil's first and second XI's, Brazil should lift the World Cup.

aveslacker said:

unless snipers kill both Brazil's first and second XI's, Brazil should lift the World Cup.

history will tell you that Brazil find it very hard to lift the world cup in european soil except for the one in Sweden back in the dark ages (50's).
Im sure they will make it to the final, so aslong as Holland avoid Brazil until the final then the world cup will go where it belongs...dutch soil.

The future is Oranje :yes:

Man-o-man...I would love it if the Aussie's got in the same group as the Poms. Part of them would be shitting themselves it they had to play us I'm sure. :eusa_pray:

Any chance of Holland - Germany? Would Holland be seaded, given they didn't qualify in 2002?

DanK schreef:Man-o-man...I would love it if the Aussie's got in the same group as the Poms.

I think most of England will join you in that - 3 easy points? :D

Holland, being top of group 1, have a high chance of being seeded with germany

Ayman schreef:aveslacker said:

unless snipers kill both Brazil's first and second XI's, Brazil should lift the World Cup.

history will tell you that Brazil find it very hard to lift the world cup in european soil except for the one in Sweden back in the dark ages (50's).
Im sure they will make it to the final, so aslong as Holland avoid Brazil until the final then the world cup will go where it belongs...dutch soil.

The future is Oranje :yes:

I think i have said this before but Brazil has never won a world cup while being the top favorites, things just might go the way it went for teams like France and Argentina in the last edition. I doubt Brazil will get eliminated early but if i were to bet on a south american team it would be Argentina.

you guys dont get it....it is virtually impossible for south american teams to win the world cup in europe. The winners of 2006 will be European, and hopefully Holland if not Holland please God not England!

ZoefdeHaas schreef:Holland, being top of group 1, have a high chance of being seeded with germany

Err....Nope.

Criteria are rumoured to be similar to the last time (performance at last two WCs and to a lesser extent current Fifa ranking), but with some tweaks.

They'll calculate the seedings using several formulas until they find a way of ensuring easiest passage for the bigger tv markets.......the last place will go to England not Holland.

Ayman schreef:The winners of 2006 will be European, and hopefully Holland if not Holland please God not England!

I think God is with you on this one Ayman. The only people in the world who think that England can win the world cup are English. They do this every 4 years. They think they are World beaters because they win a friendly. Of course we all know that they will struggle, then lose in the 2nd round, maybe the 1/4s but of course it will be because they were unlucky etc...Man this could come back to bite me in the bum come July next year ;)

I guess we will have more of an idea come the draw on the weekend.

Manneken Pis schreef:

ZoefdeHaas schreef:Holland, being top of group 1, have a high chance of being seeded with germany

Err....Nope.

Criteria are rumoured to be similar to the last time (performance at last two WCs and to a lesser extent current Fifa ranking), but with some tweaks.

They'll calculate the seedings using several formulas until they find a way of ensuring easiest passage for the bigger tv markets.......the last place will go to England not Holland.

Found this on theworldgame.com.au
"With the selection procedure (for seedings), I think the national teams of Holland and England have reason to be worried. Even Italy might not get a place," FIFA president Sepp Blatter said recently.

The Netherlands is most vulnerable of the big teams, with the eight top-seeded teams expected to be defending champion Brazil, host Germany plus Argentina, Italy, England, France, Mexico and Spain.

Aren't Holland currently 3rd in FIFAs "all important" rankings? Surely this means that they should be ahead of England given that they are currently 9th, plus don't the qualifiers count for anything? Holland being the strongest qualifier?
Either way if Holland are good enough (and I think they are) they and the seeded team should both qualify you would think.

SE6Ajacied schreef:

DanK schreef:Man-o-man...I would love it if the Aussie's got in the same group as the Poms.

I think most of England will join you in that - 3 easy points? :D

Yeah you are 100% correct. 3 easy points...for the Socceroos :eusa_dance:

Seriously, I don't think England would assume they would collect the 3 points on this one. I think out of the lowest teams, they would like us the least. Its just one of those games. Anytime England play Australia in any sport its always a grudge match...plus Australia need to make up for letting England get the ashes back for the next 3 years. :biggrin:

Ayman schreef:you guys dont get it....it is virtually impossible for south american teams to win the world cup in europe. The winners of 2006 will be European, and hopefully Holland if not Holland please God not England!

I think that you overstate this effect. It might have been true in the past, but no longer. How many players from Brazil's XI play in Europe? All of them, I 'd wager. They are completely used to Europe and the European way of life.

Furthermore, Brazil won a world cup in Asia. Whay can't they do so in Europe? The reality of it is (as I see it) that Brazil is just too talented (you know, enough good attacking players to keep Robinho on the bench) to lose. In fact, their second XI would have a good chance to get to the finals or semifinals.

I truly believe that the "home continent" advantage is overrated.

DanK schreef:Found this on theworldgame.com.au
"With the selection procedure (for seedings), I think the national teams of Holland and England have reason to be worried. Even Italy might not get a place," FIFA president Sepp Blatter said recently.

The Netherlands is most vulnerable of the big teams, with the eight top-seeded teams expected to be defending champion Brazil, host Germany plus Argentina, Italy, England, France, Mexico and Spain.

Neither Italy nor Mexico deserves a seed. I'd rather those seeds went to Holland and some other team.

aveslacker schreef:Neither Italy nor Mexico deserves a seed. I'd rather those seeds went to Holland and some other team.

Yeah well, hate to say "I told you so", but........

From the BBC site:



England seeded for 2006 World Cup

England have been placed among the top eight seeds for the 2006 World Cup.
Sven-Goran Eriksson's side are in a top pool of hosts Germany, holders Brazil as well as Argentina, France, Italy, Spain and Mexico.

England will now avoid meeting those countries in the group stages when the main draw for the tournament is made in Leipzig on Friday evening.

Under the seeding system used by Fifa, England came out second to Brazil and Italy narrowly beat the US into eighth.

Fifa's ranking co-efficient meant that performances at the 2002 World Cup, when England reached the quarter-finals, were given twice as much weight as at 1998.

They also took into account a country's world ranking over the last three years.

SEEDINGS TABLE
Brazil 64
England 51
Spain 50
Germany 48
Mexico 47
France 46
Argentina 44
Italy 44

"It's excellent news," England coach Eriksson told the Football Association website.

"I think it's right too. We are one of the teams that have the potential to do very well in Germany and we have some of the best players in the world.

"Finishing top of our qualification group, with the second best record in the whole of Europe, was a big achievement and I'm sure that has played a part in this decision."

Serbia and Montenegro were the lowest placed European qualifier and have been placed in a special pot to stop three countries from the zone being in the same group.

For the draw on Friday, around 3,700 people will be present in the auditorium at the huge trade fair hall in Leipzig's Neue Messe exhibition centre.

It is being transformed into a football stadium for the occasion.

The World Cup finals in Germany begin on 9 June 2006 and the final takes place in Munich on 9 July.



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

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
US
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.

I just saw that. Strange how mexico has more seeding points than France, Italy and Argentina. :X

I think that Holland should hope for: Mexico, Togo, and Trinidad & Tobago.

A more fun (but tougher) group would be Germany, Ghana and Iran.

For the US, I'd like to see: Italy, Ivory Coast, and Switzerland.

If I were Australian, I think I'd like to be in a group with: England, Croatia and Saudi Arabia.

I wonder why France and Spain are in Pot 1. This is ridiculous.

philippe schreef:I wonder why France and Spain are in Pot 1. This is ridiculous.

Not having a go at you here Philippe but who the hell gives a F**k. The only decent thing about international football and the world cup in particular was Manneken Pis's competition last time around.
MP - will you be running another one for this tournie?

I suppose though that it must be different for people of nations that have never won the world cup before :D :D

Over Pasanens Head schreef: Not having a go at you here Philippe but who the hell gives a F**k. The only decent thing about international football and the world cup in particular was Manneken Pis's competition last time around.
MP - will you be running another one for this tournie?

What tourney is this?

Over Pasanens Head schreef: I suppose though that it must be different for people of nations that have never won the world cup before :D :D

Yes, those Uruguayans continue to hold it over the rest of us poor sods. The bastards! X'C