Gio Believes

Gio believes, mike and me too:)

He guys how are yál doing, new here..

I think we’ll play some nice games and I;m sure we’ll leave an impression (like almost always) but as far as results go, I cant see us coming further than the last 16…, 1)too little experience 2)the difference between the starting 11 and the rest is pretty big (looking at the Mexico game wich was pretty awfull (esp. 1 half)
3)getting worried about v.d.Vaart (didnt train again yesterday)
4)pretty nasty group, no time to grow in the tournament

but ofcourse hope of WC glorie never fades…
GO HOLLAND

Posted from  Netherlands

I do believe in Holland, I do, I do!!

(Will this help, you think??)

Posted from  Australia

Sorry goose, but I disagree. Holland can make it past the last 16. When they get to the last 16, they will have to play either Mexico or Portugal. We’ve already beaten Mexico, and I think we can beat Portugal. After that, it will be either Germany or Sweeden in the last 8, Sweeden will be a tougher team to beat, but with a little of euro 2000 performance, we can go to the semi-finals. From there, VB’s team will be high on adrenaline and can do anything.

I just hope I got the possible match lineups correctly

Posted from  Kuwait

Well goose, i do, mike does, alaa does, and sodoes Jan. we all believe we have a chance this summer. If we loose, lets blame it on goose for not believing in the team :D. Just kidding. But you got to have faith! We have experience goose! in scoring goals, and in playing football! We dont just win because we are lucky, its because the team has the ability to score, and play football like a team, no matter how bad they look on tv. We can go way further than the round of 16, im sure, we will meet portugal or mexico. after that we will go on to play eather England or some other team. after that we will probably meet up again with Argentina, and Then, our greatest rivals, Brazil. and after them, we go take the trophy of the brazillians, and celebrate for the first time winning the world cup I wonder, do i believe too much in the team, or am i about right ? haha, cheers

Posted from  Oman

Well i believe that if we manage to pass the group stage we will reach the semis and then who knows… but we HAVE to be ready at the group stage. it will be tough to pass.

It’s truly pleasent week for Dutch soccer
national team performed well in two concecutive matches
And most pleasing feature came from U21, the finalists
Castelan, Hoft, Hunte, De Ridder all brillant
say thanks to Basten for openning exposure for these kid at Intl level
Hope Oranges could bring it to the coming weeks.

Posted from  Myanmar

@everybody,

he guys, good to hear you,ve all got faith. To be honest sk8erboi I havent even looked at the possible games after the groupe stage.. the truth is that for the first time ever I just dont feel confident about the team and the outcome of the groupstage, we always need a game or two to get in’shape’and there’s no time for that now, this team is (in my opinion) not nearly as good as the ‘98 team wich also had more debt.
Ofcourse I hope I,m totally wrong and that we’ll lift the cup!!
ps. any opinions on our good friens the Germans who beat Colombia yesterday 3-0

Posted from  Netherlands

Maybe that feeling you have is good. Everytime i thought we wouldnt make it, we didnt. but now, its just something that has me going, telling me we will go far this summer. Germans play a very attacking game similair to ours, but there defence is absolute crap. Alot worse than ours. I definately noticed that when Germany played Japan. And Apparantly im not the only one that thinks this. check this out. http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/060601/6/70vu.html

Posted from  Oman

Regardless of where we get at this summer, this new team has a bright future. Of that I’m sure.

My main concern however is about who will win this wc. Somehow, I have to admit, I cant accept Brazil winning it again. They are very good. But i really want them to succumb lol.

Mike should post a thread on “who do we want to win this World Cup less” ?? I’d like to see who do u guys hate the most

Posted from  Russian Federation

Hey guys, check out this World Cup soccer tipping competition: http://www.121s.com/viewtopic.php?t=8315

Posted from  Australia

Well, for me…a couple of things.

1. There are 10 teams that have the potential to win (Br, Arg, Eng, Ger, Spai, Hol, Cze, Fra, Ita, Oekr).

2. The draw will play a huge role

3. You need luck (and faith :-))

4. You need that one super player in topform (at least)… v Persie? Van Nistel? Robben?

5. There will be at least one of the 10 mentioned that leaves the tournament after 3 matches… Arg & Fra dissappointed in 2002, maybe this time Brazil f***s up?

6. Who I least see win the cup? Greece :-). No, seriously…Germany, I’d have to say. Proves I’m Dutch :-).

I truly want Holland to win, but…if England or Argentina or Brazil are better, I’m happy if they win. I want football to win…

Posted from  Australia

I bleed Oranje, so I do believe, of course. I agree with Jan on the favorites that can win this one (except for Oekr - which I think is Ukraine?) and as much as I want Oranje to win, Jan puts it best “I want football to win”, which means “let’s hope boring Germany or negative/whiny Italy don’t win” …. :o)

Draws mean something but not everything, in the history of WC, teams have won while struggled in early rounds (Italy ‘82) and have lost despite cakewalks in early rounds (Brazil ‘82/’86).

I can’t tell how confident I am for the Oranje to win in the last couple WCs & Euro, especially WC ‘98 but it just did not happen. But then again, this “young” and “unproven” team is the anti-characteristic of our previous “tournament favorite” Oranje squads - with this in mind, I’m keeping my hopes high.

BTW, these are my big b@lls predictions for this year, would be great if Mike starts a thread on early predictions where everybody can post and compare notes during the tourney:

First round:

A.1. Germany
A.2. Poland

B.1. England
B.2. Sweden

C.1. Oranje
C.2. Argentina

D.1. Portugal
D.2. Mexico

E.1. Italy
E.2. USA

F.1. Brazil
F.2. Japan

G.1. France
G.2. South Korea

H.1. Spain
H.2. Ukraine

Second round:

1. Germany over Sweden

2. Oranje over Mexico

3. England over Poland

4. Argentina over Portugal

5. Italy over Japan

6. France over Ukraine

7. Brazil over USA

8. Spain over South Korea

1/4 Final:

A. Oranje over Germany (the magic 2 - 1 score, of course)

B. Italy over France

C. Argentina over England

D. Brazil over Spain

Semi Final:

I. Oranje over Italy (we can’t be missing 3 penalties in this game like in Euro ‘98, can we?)

II. Argentina over Brazil

July 9, 2006:

Oranje 3: 1 Argentina
(to take back what we deserved in 1978)

Posted from  United States

I dont expect much of the germans, and i definately dont want them to win. I would laugh if they went out in the first round actually. We havent had the best history with germans in football, or in the summer Holidays when they all come to our country on there big ass sailing boats and huge beer bellies. But back to the point, what i wouldnt mind to see is that Holland and Germany reach the final, but this time, we actually win the cup. That would be the perfect Final for me, erasing the memories of 74′. But that it actually happens? The chance is just about as big as me cheering for Germany..

Posted from  Oman

Well, when looking from it on paper, i say we can and will win it, but as everyone knows, football is so unpredictable, but i really agree with your prediction. Lets all hope/believe/have faith that it will happen, because i know i do cheers

Posted from  Oman

Well, Martijn, I have to disagree with you a bit (although I may be mincing words and mean the same with you). On paper, we actually can’t be considered as the top echelon elite teams this year (vis a vis Brazil/Argentina/England, for example) because of our “young” and “unproven” team and coach.

But then again, experience in the last couple tourneys showed that reputation means little since we always showed up as top echelon elite favorites. With the right mix and mentality - and I sincerely think that all the players this year respect Van Basten (who would not?) which we couldn’t say the same with Advocaat, Van Gaal - we can break the trend of NOT being the favorites and can lift the trophy.

In Marco I trust!

p.s.: I’m also tilting for a European team to win this year since I still believe in the cliche - except for Brazil ‘58 - no team had won in the other continent

Posted from  United States

If Vab Basten doesnt succeed this time, would you guys attack him like the likes of Advocaat and Van Gaal were attacked??

Thats a good question i think … that should be asked before this world cup starts. (Mike)

What if Van Basten fails this summer.. Would you want him out?? give him another try ?? extend confidence ??

your thoughts?

Posted from  Russian Federation

@Rami, like your idear.. to be honest i went absolutely mad in 2004 when Advocaat changed Robben, after that change Advocaat got realy,realy hammered in Holland and i went along with it, but after a while i started to realize how over the top it all was.

When Marco became bondscoach i discussed with a few friends wether Marco would have had the same loads of shit if he were the coach as Advocaat did. To be honest i think not, i think there is
always the autority of a football legend and it just makes a difference. I know its not fair!
Never blamed Van Gaal tough, always thought i was the players!

Posted from  Netherlands