World Cup 2006

[fineintent]

An unbelievably talented Brazil side that was struggling in its qualification campaign. I myself think Scolari's was the best candidate for the England job, with the best track record (Martin O'Neill would have been second, but he's unproven at international level), and while he may be overrated, I genuinely believe he could have won major tournaments with England.

[Bigal]

With or without the scandal, the fact remains that Scolari took a team of great players who didn't gel as well as they should (a la the England midfield, IMO), and made them world-beaters. Surely that is an achievement worthy of at least some of his reputation?

[fineintent]

With or without the scandal, the fact remains that Scolari took a team of great players who didn't gel as well as they should (a la the England midfield, IMO), and made them world-beaters. Surely that is an achievement worthy of at least some of his reputation?

[Bigal]

Meh, I'll admit I'm biased; I've always liked Scolari for some reason. Something about his personality, I guess.

[Liam]

With or without the scandal, the fact remains that Scolari took a team of great players who didn't gel as well as they should (a la the England midfield, IMO), and made them world-beaters. Surely that is an achievement worthy of at least some of his reputation?

Some of his reputation yes, I merely stated I felt he was over-rated. I'd still prefer an English boss, so Allardyce will always get my vote, but he wasn't establishment enough for the FA. If you want to talk about a manager getting the best out of his players, its Big Sam.

As far as I was concerned, the second Big Sam said he wanted the job, search ended, there is your man.

[fineintent]

I don't deny he'd do the best job of the past 10 years, as he isn't afraid to drop players to fit a system and deals perfectly with the media, but I'd always go English.

Thinking about the next World Cup, if Lennon or Wright-Phillips fills the right, who replaces Neville? And does Lampard give way to a more defensively-minded midfielder? That's not a knee jerk reaction, just my belief that he won't have the same engine in 4 years time, I'd still play him now - he's just knackered.

[Liam]

I think there is a fair point for the fact that some of the England players were just knackered from 12 months of solid football. Gerrard hasn't stopped since June last year, and thats gotta take a toll on a player...and you add long European/Cup runs to some other teams, and a lot of the players end up playing a horrendously large amount of games.

[therockbox]

Right back is a worry, I can't think of a quality player we have at the moment in that position (aside from Neville).

[Visionary]

I remember watching i think it was Luke Young from Charlton and he seemed solid enough. Also i hope Neville has a one more big tournament in him.

Edited July 2, 2006 by Visionary

[Bigal]

But haven't many of the other nations got the same problem with exhaustion?

[Liam]

But haven't many of the other nations got the same problem with exhaustion?

Between Europe, the FA Cup, the League Cup and the intensive Prem season (remember a lot of leagues have the winter off, for example), not many leagues have that same problem.

[therockbox]

Probably me being ignorant, but cup competitions in other leagues aren't treated as importants as the FA, League Cup etc., are they? I can't imagine the uproar we saw when Liverpool played their second string at Burnley happening with a German, Italian team etc.

Edited July 2, 2006 by therockbox

[Liam]

Probably me being ignorant, but cup competitions in other leagues aren't treated as importants as the FA, League Cup etc., are they? I can't imagine the uproar we saw when Liverpool played their second string at Burnley happening with a German, Italian team etc.

Not all European leagues have two cup competitions as far as I'm aware. Add to that the fact that a lot of them are also smaller in size as well.

[Skummy]

Skummy, I heard about the riots this year again. Any fun?

Not nearly as big this year, as they didn't coincide with pub kicking out time, and there was much more police, and the main Portugeuse district was guarded from all ends. Apparently 25 people got arrested, and none of them were Portugeuse.

At one point, not long after the game, it looked like it was going to be much bigger than it was. I was in a coffee shop, pretty much right in the middle of it, and the whole crossroads outside was full of England supporters just generally being twats, but it all dispersed after that so if anything did happen, it'll have been isolated incidents rather than a full-on riot.

[IAceI]

Whats really pissed me off about our manager debacle is people who say

- Eriksson is shit, he doesn't have any passion.

- They want an English manager.

- They want Steve McClaren.

Because McClaren is far from caring from what I've seen. I mean he seems a step above Eriksson's "oh - fiddlesticks" style character when we miss a chance. But not by much. It just seems weird how they critise Eriksson for not having the passion - but would rather have Steve McClaren of all people.

[Johnny Latino Heat]

At the risk of sounding ignorant and kinda off-topic, what brazilian scandal? I don't remember hearing anything about controversy over France 98...

[Dan]

It's time for the FA to step in with the amount of foreigners in the English leagues now.

[Bigal]

Why? The English Premier League is arguably the best in the world, with a high quality of football and exciting players. I don't see why anyone would want to change that just to get rid of "those bloody foreigners".

[Summers]

Because they're dirty and greasy.

[Dan]

Scolari. His international track record speaks for itself.

His great record against England.

Won 2-1 courtesy of a fluke.

Won on penalties 6-5. England suck at penalties full stop. England also had a perfectly good goal disallowed.

Won on penatlies 3-1 against a team with 10 men and two main players missing for 40 minutes. And as above, England + Penalties = . They also had a really easy group with ANGOLA and IRAN and scraped past Holland, somehow.

He won the world cup with Brazil, after fluking it against England, they got the super-hard match of TURKEY who didn't even qualify for the next 2 major tournaments, and a poor Germany side who where only their because of an easy route and Oliver Kahn being awesome in 2002.

Then in 2004, they beat Holland 2-1, far from convincing. And then lost to fucking Greece.

He's not the amazing manager people make him out to be, he takes risks, and his team will go through on penalties and people will hail him as the greatest manager ever.

Hiddink > Scolari.