Now Its Over

[Ninjathunder]

Although I wouldn't take quite the pessamistic view that Jim usually does, I'd certainly agree with him that the tournament was too long. Ever since the competition was expanded to 24 teams there have been too many meaningless games.

I think I'm right too that some of the best games were played whilst I was at work so, for me, I can't really remember the pulse racing too much (with the notable exception of watching the last 20 minutes of the Australia v Croatia game).

Though, if I'm honest, if the team you love has such a bad tournament as England had, all the games could have been thrillers but it wouldn't have stopped my feeling of been underwhelmed.

[Oklahoma]

The lack of fairplay. Although some teams could not be faullted for it, other more than made up *cough*Portugal*cough*.

F+ck off!!!

[jim mk2]

, how would you improve the format?

Revert to 16 teams as the tournament used to be before 1982.

Four groups of four, the top two in each qualifying for the quarter-finals.

All over in three weeks, the best teams in the world only, not Fifa's all-inclusive holiday.

Won't happen though.

[Brainfreeze]

Even singing english songs with us in the middle of little villages, including 10 german bombers .

What's good about that Modes? Dredging up the war every time England and Germany are mentioned in the same breath is boring. I was at the England v Jamaica game at Old Trafford just before the World Cup started and I was so embarrased to be an England fan, stood amongst those idiots singing that song - the same idiots who also sang 'no surrender to the IRA'.

I don't know what the Germans were thinking joining in with that song, but can you imagine if England were hosting the finals and the German fans were singing anti-English songs in English streets, expecting you to join in? Perhaps the only reason they joined in is because they were outnumbered and scared by English yobs with tattoos of the St Georges Cross on their face or a bulldog on their arse. Or both.

For the record and to keep in line with the thread, I thought after the group stages (where there were some really entertaining games) it was an awful World Cup, and not just because England were rubbish and got knocked out...on penalties...again.

[neekoy]

Thuggish behaviour indeed.

Here's a cloth mate, wipe that egg off your face

Thanks, very dissapointing behaviour from a player I have always had a great respect for

I guess we will just have to learn to live with headbutts, spitting, stomping and diving as part of the game from now on

Edited July 10, 2006 by neekoy

[FourLaneBlue]

Suprises, Australia and Ghana making in out of the group stages,

Australia making it out of the group stage was no real surprise, Croatia and Japan were there for the taking.

The surprise was looking like being on the verge of knocking out the eventual World Cup winners in extra time...until they cheated their way through. So fair dinkum to the footballroos...'bout time you changed that socceroos thing!

Mind you...we were rubbish and still got further than you! So there!

The worst world cup of the lot I have seen has to be USA 94...albeit slightly biased due to England's absence and interviews with some friendly locals with puffed-out chests a couple of weeks before the tournament happily telling the camera "Do y' know...I reckon youse boys have gotta chance! Why not? England have as much of a chance as anybody! Yes Sir!". The main gripe however is that it was more about selling the sport to the USA than the football itself on FIFA's part.

Still remember Diana Ross kicking off the tournament with the worst shot in history. Still gives me nightmares now!

Edited July 10, 2006 by FourLaneBlue

[neekoy]

Australia making it out of the group stage was no real surprise, Croatia and Japan were there for the taking.

The surprise was looking like being on the verge of knocking out the eventual World Cup winners in extra time...until they cheated their way through. So fair dinkum to the footballroos...'bout time you changed that socceroos thing!

You would be in the minority I think FLB, taking the FIFA rankings into consideration (yes I know they really don't mean much) Japan and Croatia should have beaten us, squads with more world cup experience and all that.

It would have been nice to beat Italy or even be beaten by them fairly, what could have been. I think a semi could have been possible. Germany would have done us like a dinner.

Unfortunately the football renaissance has come later then AFL, Rugby and League, so it has been labled the inappropriate tag of Soccer. We have though changed to Football Federation Australia, so the right steps are being made.

[FourLaneBlue]

Just about everyone who knows about football (oh and me too! ) realised the Aussies had a good chance against Japan - truly appalling in every world cup outside Japan - and an overrated and past-it Croatia. Sorry I know you are desperate to grasp onto this 'underdog' tag and sticking one up to the arrogant, big-guns but tough.

Well done for such a good show in your first world cup though! To be truthful, Australia have been underachieving on the world stage a wee bit. With moving into the Asia confederation it should see them at more world cups and with much more interest in the country. Asian Cup next up is it?

[neekoy]

Yeh, if we can get anyone to come and play it.

Looks as though the European players are going fall out again with their clubs so the majority of players are probably going to be locals.

Oh well a chance to rebuild for he future I guess.

[Paul]

Glad its over, I pretty much lost interest after the first week. As usual, and as with all aspects of football, we are swamped by the media. WC this, England that. The broadcasters just don't understand what utter purile crap they are putting out and how boring it is.

Moments I remember (as opposed to memorable moments)? Lampard's goal, Rooney's sending off, Zidane's sending off. That would be it really. Enjoyed what I saw of Germany and Australia plus what I saw of the final was better than expected but I don't think my atention would have been held for the whole game if I'd watched from the start.

I suppose we can now look forward to the McClaren honeymoon, followed by an acrimonious divorce. Great, really looking forward to that one.

Less is MORE.

[Rovers Air Force]

I for one really enjoyed this world cup!

Not all of the games were great but I think we all look back at the WCs' gone by with rose tinted glasses!

The Ref last last night was fantastic, in a game that promised a lot in the first half but never hit the high point...

Find of the tournament Maniche (the Portuguese guy with the girls hair cut) every time he got the ball against England I was wincing!

[bob fleming]

Moments I remember - Lampard's goal

Missed that one Paul. So that's three memorable moments for you, one of which didn't happen!

It wasn't a classic World Cup, some good play but all in all it'll probably be remembered for the various acts of "simulation" and ZZ sticking the nut in. Oh and England underperforming yet again which was mainly down to the fraud that was Sven.

[Paul]

Think I meant Cole, it was early this morning

[broadsword]

Ah yes, so easily confused those two.

Will remember it for the Africans showing they can play a bit; Argentina (who should have won the thing, to be fair) piddling all over a fairly-decent Sebian side; Brazil being complete no-hopers and Zazzoo Zazzooka dropping teh nut.

Other than that, pretty much unmemerable, particularly the knock-out stage.

[speeeeeeedie]

I really enjoyed it. The coverage in the USA was spot on. They made a decent effort of it and a surprising amount of people actually watched the games. That can only bode well for the future in my eyes as if FIFA can snag the USA they'll have done pretty well.

As far as the actual games some were good, some were bad. England disappointed, the diving was awful, FIFA"s referring directives were way off as it gave ref's no choice. Maybe in 4 years it will all change, but we'll have forgotten everything anyway.

[Ronin]

Enjoyable, but no where near a classic. Too many games in which the coaches and players cancelled each other out with the tactics, and resulted in stale boring games.

The TV coverage was the usual, BBC alright but xenophobic at times (and please - get Ian Wright off the screens), ITV ###### poor as usual, but was pleasantly surprised with the coverage on UKTV G2 with much more of a fun and fan's approach and so stuck with them instead of BBC.

As usual, the hype surrounding the England players (and at one point the WAGS) was truly unbelievable, and the players and Sven, reverted to type. Not really performing as well as they could and not really coming up with much inventiveness on the pitch. And ultimately not having the bottle / confidence with penalties once again. Highlights for England has to be the emergence of Aaron Lennon though.

Germany and Argentina were pretty good overall, but being part Italian glad that the Italians won and beat the French in the Final, revenge for Euro 2000 and all that.

Main gripes have to be; fussy refs issuing too many cards, thought the Mexican ref in the Italy-Germany semi was the best as he seemed to let the game flow; and the constant diving-simulation on the field. Not wholly restricted to one team in particular, as it seemed EVERY team was up to the same tricks, just some moreso than others.

Roll on the Euro's in 2008

[Eddie]

it seemed EVERY team was up to the same tricks, just some moreso than others.

Have to say that I disagree with that. A good number of teams were up to tricks, not all though. Of course you can probably say there were one or two unimportant dives from every team, or at least players going down easily, but there were quite a few teams that didn't really do it (England, USA, T&T, Sweden and more), they may have broken rules, had players sent off, whatever, but they didn't cheat.

[American]

Perfect example from US/Ghana:

Ghana gets a weak penalty called because the player goes down easier than a 5 pound hooker. McBride gets his shoulders pulled by both hands of a Ghana defender and stays upright - no penalty. Part of me wishes he had fallen over.

[philipl]

http://football.guardian.co.uk/worldcup200...1817543,00.html

The Guardian writers sum it all up.

[speeeeeeedie]

http://football.guardian.co.uk/worldcup200...1817543,00.html

The Guardian writers sum it all up.

It amde me feel disappointed at what could have been.

[philipl]

The crunch in this world cup came with the coaches who fell into three categories-

Those who organised and inspired their teams to out-perform:

Italy

Germany

Portugal

Ecuador

Australia

Those who organised and motivated their teams to under-perform:

Argentina

Brasil

England

The other managers neither excelled nor bombed and I include Domenech in that regard. I feel the French players suddenly found the inner strength to use their enormous ability to have a last hurrah and Domenech came along for the ride.

[Tris]

Glad its over, I pretty much lost interest after the first week. As usual, and as with all aspects of football, we are swamped by the media. WC this, England that. The broadcasters just don't understand what utter purile crap they are putting out and how boring it is.

Moments I remember (as opposed to memorable moments)? Lampard's goal, Rooney's sending off, Zidane's sending off. That would be it really. Enjoyed what I saw of Germany and Australia plus what I saw of the final was better than expected but I don't think my atention would have been held for the whole game if I'd watched from the start.

I suppose we can now look forward to the McClaren honeymoon, followed by an acrimonious divorce. Great, really looking forward to that one.

Less is MORE.

I'm not glad it's over. I watched and enjoyed well over 50 of the 64 games in full, on English TV, Dutch TV, German TV, in the fan parks in Germany and the two I was lucky enough to see live in Dortmund and Koln.

You are only swamped by the media if you want to be. The broadcasters may put out puerile crap which is boring, but they do that World Cup or not. The schedules tonight aren't exactly making the pulses race (although Sussex and Essex put on a fine show in the 20-20 - but it's not quite the same!)

The World Cup isn't about broadcasters. It's about a special festival of football involving 32 nations. We are only treated to this for one month in every 48. Over in Germany it was about colour, noise, friendship and cameraderie. About sharing experiences and a love of football - sod FIFA, sod broadcasters, sod sponsors and corporate tickets - it was about being there and eating the sausages.

I enjoyed every moment - and that's what I wanted to do. It may well be that other people were just as determined not to enjoy it - up to each individual. But you are missing out on a lot of fun if you let the periphery (like the media) hijack the event for you.

1,418 days until South Africa 2010.

Edited July 11, 2006 by Tris

[cn174]

The football may not have been the most thrilling at times butl I enjoyed every minute of it. We spent 4 weeks in Germany and it was the best experience ever. The whole organisation and atmosphere of Germany was fantastic - the people over there couldn't have been any more friendly and helpful.

In a way Im glad that Germany got as far as they did because it kept the interest up right until the end. Although one of my best moments was the Germany v Italy game. We watched it at Westfalenhallen which was an ice hockey / event arena. Just before the game they played 'We are the champions' to which the 15,000 Germans joined in with. They were all having a great party until Italy went and scored and the mood totally changed.

[14May1995]

Just returned from driving over 2,500 miles around Germany and watching 5 matches - all involving France. Also saw games in the Fan Fests of Koln, Hannover and Frankfurt. And walked the Fan Mile in Berlin.

What an absolutely fantastic experience.

The Germans could not have improved on things - their hospitality was second to none. I already sort of knew this, but Germany is a beautiful country ... with some remarkable places and sights. Spent a night in Dresden on the way to Berlin - you have got to see how they have re-built a bombed church in the centre to actually believe it. Workmanship that I didn't realise still existed.

And don't ever say the Germans don't have a sense of humour - before the England/Ecuador game in the Fan Fest in Koln they were playing the theme tune to Dad's Army.

I just have strong memories of colour, noise, laughter, music, cameraderie, fantastic stadiums etc. The only negative was the change in crowd type the closer to the final we got - more sponsors, less real fans. Oh, and England!!

I'm completely with Tris. Roll on South Africa.

Edited July 13, 2006 by 14May1995

[waggy]

this world cup was not a patch on japorea,nor mexico come to that,the germans were great hosts,the free hotel in koln was very basic and too much bread and water the football was mediorce,england refused to give anyone a game,the refs stole centre stage,and fifa are the biggest touts going