World Cup 2010 Thread

[Chris the Human]

After several years of the fans begging for it, Verbeek gives the 4-4-2 thirty minutes and we look infinitely better in attack as a result. Now, if only he'd thought to bring more than one recognised striker along for the ride.

Bring on his replacement.

[Lineker]

I think Aussie's are a bit harsh on Pim. I mean this was only what, his 5th loss as coach?

[Slogger]

After several years of the fans begging for it, Verbeek gives the 4-4-2 thirty minutes and we look infinitely better in attack as a result. Now, if only he'd thought to bring more than one recognised striker along for the ride.

Bring on his replacement.

You'd figure he'd bring a guy like Viduka along, Regardless of the problems they've apparently been having.

Looking forward to seeing who's his replacement's going to be, We need a decent long term coach who's not going to leave after just one world cup.

[Farmer Reil]

You say "just one world cup" as if they happen every week. Assuming he's along for the qualifiers as most coaches tend to be, you're talking 3-4 years as national coach. Which is quite a long time.

Two world cups = 8 years in one job. How many football managers manage that? Hell, how many workers in general manage that these days? And that's not counting the fact that most managers are into their late forties at least before they hit international management of a reputable nation.

I'm pretty sure, by way of evidence, that only three England managers have ever managed England for the whole of more than one world cup campaign. Winterbottom, Ramsey and Bobby Robson. Ron Greenwood would have, had we qualified for Argentina '78, though if we'd qualified Don Revie probably wouldn't have resigned, so...

Edited June 5, 2010 by Farmer Reil

[Rich]

Two world cups = 8 years in one job. How many football managers manage that? Hell, how many workers in general manage that these days? And that's not counting the fact that most managers are into their late forties at least before they hit international management of a reputable nation.

8 years max, you could have a coach come in after the qualifiers have started, or any other time prior to one tournament and then have him stay for the subsequent four years.

Also you could coach two different national teams... Sven's managing it

[Farmer Reil]

Well theoretically you could manage a nation to two world cups in four and a bit years, yeah. But how many times has a national coach resigned (or been sacked!) after a successful qualifying campaign?

Besides, his point was about stability. You'd want your manager to coach your team through the qualifiers too, surely? At least most of them. No good having one guy get you to the dance and then another guy comes in for the main event with no time to do anything differently. Might as well have kept the first guy...

[Chris the Human]

I think Aussie's are a bit harsh on Pim. I mean this was only what, his 5th loss as coach?

His record is good, there's no doubt - but the majority of those wins have come against sides that the Socceroos are leagues better than in terms of quality - yet they've mostly been 1-0 victories. Yes, we've beaten some good sides along the way - but in almost every game it's been a grinding, unattractive win. The kind of football that a side plays when it sees itself as well beneath their opposition. In some cases (like against the Netherlands) - this is true. But it's the same EVERY game.

Four years on from our last World Cup and there's been barely any progress made. If anything, our quality of play has gone backwards despite having dozens of games to prepare through thanks to the Asian Nations Cup and the extended World Cup qualification route. Verbeek's essentially stuck with the same squad Hiddink achieved mixed success with. Guys like Scott McDonald, Joel Griffiths, Nick Carle, Simon Colosimo etc should have been in the squad.

Kennedy's showing himself to be an inefficient option at sole striker, yet we're basically stuck with it because he left our best two striking options at home. We're basically relying on Harry Kewell and Tim Cahill to do all of our scoring, when we could have had a handful of players in the squad who can create and/or score.

[Lineker]

I see your point. At the end of the day it's the result that goes into the record books though, not the levels performance.

Whoever does take over gets to blood in the amazing Tommy Oar; this I look forwards to.

[Rich]

Well theoretically you could manage a nation to two world cups in four and a bit years, yeah. But how many times has a national coach resigned (or been sacked!) after a successful qualifying campaign?

Besides, his point was about stability. You'd want your manager to coach your team through the qualifiers too, surely? At least most of them. No good having one guy get you to the dance and then another guy comes in for the main event with no time to do anything differently. Might as well have kept the first guy...

People have been sacked following good campaigns, it has happened with African teams this year who got rid of coaches following poor showings in the Cup of Nations, despite impressive qualifying. In Europe remember that coaches can come in after a Euro campaign so thats only 6 years through two World Cups (and a Euro). And as a different approach you could manage the same national team twice at different World Cups, eg Takeshi Okada, the Japanese head coach who is going to coach at his second World Cup, his firts was France 98, and he then replaced the last coach, Ivica Osim, after the latter suffered a stroke in 2007.

Of course its not ideal but there is a lot more than just success in Football, there are politics, health (as seen above), big money offers from club or other national teams and general insanity, that always comes with being the head coach of a national team. It makes it interesting and exciting though.

[9 to 5]

Simply look at how many managers of the teams qualified this time around had the same guy going into/in charge of their nation in 2006. The only one, although I am sure I will be corrected, that springs to mind out of the qualifiers is Morten Olsen with Denmark and he is a strange one for international football because he has had the job for a decade now.

Oh. And promoting from within the ranks isn't a good idea. Just ask Steve. >_>

[Lineker]

Pep Guardiola would like a word.

[brenchill]

I think he was only referring to International management. But even at club level, I think Guardiola is a rare exception to the rule that it doesn't work very often.

[9 to 5]

Yes, international management is all I was talking about. It would be hard to forget Fergie's long reign after all.

[Farmer Reil]

Edit: Ignore. Wrong argument. ¬_¬

Edited June 6, 2010 by Farmer Reil

[therockbox]

Have we all seen how Robben injured himself?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnC7OmM4E-Y&feature=player_embedded

Aside from dropping aftershave on your foot, that's got to be up there on the list of 'stupid ways to rule yourself out of a World Cup.'

[brenchill]

Looks like he's been taking lessons from

[IAceI]

Some tekkers are baaaad.

Robben's not even passing to anyone.. there's no one there.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

So weird. Just checking the BBC photo gallery off the big players missing out....

Ballack - Chelsea

Drogba - Chelsea

Mikel - Chelsea

Essien - Chelsea

Robben - ex-Chelsea

Ferdinand - Used to play at West Ham with Chelsea players

Pirlo - probably likes shopping in Chelsea

[Farmer Reil]

Ahahahahaha, I suddenly feel a lot less sorry for the Netherlands. "Our Messi"? Ahahahahahahahaha,

Edit: Also, Robben looks about 700 years old now. He only used to look 400 at Chelsea.

Edited June 6, 2010 by Farmer Reil

[Rich]

Ahahahahaha, I suddenly feel a lot less sorry for the Netherlands. "Our Messi"? Ahahahahahahahaha,

Edit: Also, Robben looks about 700 years old now. He only used to look 400 at Chelsea.

Robben is the Netherland's Messi though, based on how he has been playing