World Cup Wishes

Trinidad&Tobago make it to the second round…

Posted from  United Kingdom

I don’t think anybody is using goal line technology yet, but many people are talking about it. Maybe this will come true after 2010. But that’s a fun English ghost, right?

My 10 “dreams”:

1) Portugal goes through group stage together with Angola
2) Portugal wins the WC
3) The final is against Brasil
4) The final won’t be boring and is not decided by penalties
5) Greece is not there – this one already came through
6) Italy goes home early, defeated by Brasil 10-0 OR Italy gets a bad referee sometime in the tournement and because of it go home
7) POR beats England AGAIN , sometime in the tournement, after a brilliant display from both sides
POR beats France, sometime in the tournement, with a goal on the 89th minute
9) The Netherlands survive the Group of Death and loose to Portugal immediatelly after
10) Spain gets (for once) a fair referee, in all the tournement matches

But I’m already happy if Portugal reaches the last 8 or doesn’t make a fool of himself, like in 2002…

Posted from  Netherlands

Technically, I’m not sure Portugal can beat all of those teams in just one tournement. I must say. I was at the Euro 2004 portugal england match, and it was the most dramatic match I have ever seen.

Let’s hope we are treated to a similar match in Germany.

[...] Matt’s list of wishes got me thinking about my own top 10 wish list for Germany’s World Cup. Great idea, Matt! [...]

Posted from  United States

Wouldn’t that be great Matt. I was also at the POR ENG game at euro 2004 and it was one of the most exciting games to see.

For Englad to score right in the beginning (3 or 4th minute i think) and to watch Portugal work and work to equilize 10 minutes from the end. Then the dissalowed goal in the 90th minute for England. I mean WOW….extra time was no slouch either. Portugal takes the lead, England comes back. Beutiful. I’m no fan, but you can’t but feel a little bit for the English..such tallent on the team, but they cannot seem to finish.

My top 10 “wishes”.

1. Croatia wins the WC
2. Croatia once again beats Italy (memories of 2002)
3. Croatia wins the WC
4. People finally realize Rooney is NOT God’s send and give Messi, Quaresma, CR and Robinho the stature they deserve.
5. Croatia wins the WC
6. Here I’m stealing Mike’s American Embarrasement line….(tx Mike)
7. Croatia wins the WC
8. Final is CRO POR ( I dunno why, but I love the POR team, I think they have the mose heart and determination)
9. Croatia wins the WC
10. For all the children of the world to hold hands and sing songs of joy and happiness.

OK. I know, only 5 and wishes…the other 5 are derams.

Posted from  Canada

Apparently I’m the only one who was not in Luz (A Catedral = The Cathedral) that evening. And I agree, DRAMA was the word. I saw it with an english friend, in a dutch bar, who bought me dinner after… Three cheers for the english fair play.

I also don’t think POR can beat all those teams in one tournement. But hey, before EC04, I’d say “To beat Russia, Spain, England and HOL in a row”??? And Ricardo saves a penalty? Impossible! They’re good enough, they can do it but it’s just too much and the others just too strong. Greece (together with Portugal)in the final? And POR loses in Lisbon??? Impossible!

Well… The rest is history…

And by the way, usually the Croats (not sure I wrote it well) have nice words towards POR. Already in EC1996 they praised the Portuguese team (same group with Turkey and Denmark, I think)… But again, you went 3rd in WC98, beating Germany. We went 3rd in the WC, when Adam and Eve were still around, BEATING PELE’s BRASIL-did you hear that Euler !

http://www.the-english-football-archive.com/england/world_cup/1966.htm

To return the compliment, Soze, I also remember Boban, Suker & friends very well! I’ve enjoyed seeing Prso in EC04 but I know very little about the rest of the team, these days.

Posted from  Netherlands

Euler… u r right. No body is using goal line technology still. Refrees keep on misjudging. fifa still skeptic to accept the changes. Let’s hope no ugly refreeing see in WC 2006 again.

Posted from  Myanmar

Fifa needs to test goalline technology in a series of friendlies. See how it works.

Posted from  United States

1- I also back a trip to Germany for Davids
2- I don’t know if it is possible but I would love to see Ronaldinho and Messi face off for 90+ minutes.
3- A Kluivert goal, that’s right, I said it!
4- I also would like to see Scott Parker make the trip, even if it means Gerrard playing right-back(think about it).
5- I hope Italy make an early exit after Totti is suspended for punching a small child in the face…and then spitting on them.
6- I hope Micheal Owen wins the Golden Boot and convinces Torres to come to the North East.
7- I hope Landon Prima-Donavan playes better then I think he will.
8- I hope Robben pulls a muscle while diving and Cristiano Ronaldo does the same on his 14th step-over in a row. Man! Why do I love those guys so much?!?
9- I hope to watch at least one game of the WC, with my wife, a cold Newcastle in one hand, and my TiVo remote in the other. Oh ya, did I mention my wife is making out with Matt’s wife? 8P
10- I hope Sven gets a touchline ban for the knock out phase and England go on to win the whole thing without him.

Posted from  United States

Hey Pedro, Portugal not only end up beating Pele’s Brazil in 66 but also end up beating Brazil’s Pele, right? He was hunted down and spanked out of the game. :/

That was the basis of what we call nowadays KRAVMAGA, if I’m not mistaken.

Really? This I didn’t know. If Pele got “spanked” by the portuguese, I withdraw the comment… I know he was roughly tackeld by Bulgaria, missed the match against Hungary and then played against Portugal. However, here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazil_national_football_team

they also say he only played the 2 first mathces???

Posted from  Netherlands

Because until 1966 there were no substitution rules, Pele stayed most of the game limping slowly around the field. But the Bulgarians are to blamed too. Pele was not completely healed from the first match injurie.

AHHHHHHHHH! Anyway, what is KRAVMAGA?

This wishlist business has got me thinking what would be best for the game itself…and that is that FIFA figures out a way to ensure that no match is ever decided on penalty kicks if it remains tied at the end of regulation time. Memories of Italy-Brazil 1994 still haunt me…What I suggest is that if a game remains tied at the end of 90 minutes, each team should remove two or three players and play for another 15 minutes before removing another couple of players. The more skillful team will be bound to score first…

Posted from  Australia

So you want to give already exhausted players more space to cover on the pitch? I think you definately have goals but the players would be so incredibly exhausted they’d sleep through their alarm on the next match day. I don’t love penalties but a match has to end some how and its exciting none-the-less.

Posted from  United States

Following your reasoning Nick, it would make more sense to just let them play till they fall. First to fall loses. Or till somebody scores. With Italy this could take a few days…

I absolutely agree with Mike. Penalty kicks are like a coin toss. Never should a game be decided like that.

If a knockout game ends tied, the coach should be allowed to replace as many players as he wants and then they sould play two periods of 15 minutes in the golden goal rule. It would create a nice HERO status to the scorer. It would reward the more talented bench, or the most talented overall fighters.

I absolutely HATE penalty shootouts. I don’t know why the golden goal rule is not appreciated, since it still praises the better and stronger team.

Krav Maga is the poor talented teams solution against really skillful players.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kravmaga

OK Euler, but you can’t honestly say the POR team lacked talent in 66 nor that Brazil’s team at that time was better, as far as talent and skill are concerned. BRA had a bad year and POR did very well, also being very good.

I like your suggestion to replace the penalties. Really.

At the same time, who usually has the best bench???

Unlimited substitutions? That sounds like a great idea! But I still think that there should be some rule to help open up spaces, in the event that teams are playing ultra-defensively.

Obviously, we have to be careful about what we mean when we say the “better team” -is it the team with the most cohesive formation or the team with the largest number of talented individuals on its roster? Unlimited substitutions will likely help the latter than the former, but it is still a better option to penalties.

Posted from  Australia

I agree, Pedro, Portugal was awsome in 1966.

Nick, individual players only shine when the rest of the team is doing a good job. As I said, it would reward the stronger side, meaning:
• The less tired team
• The most organized midfield
• The most talented individuals
• The best defensive players
• The most aggressive side
• The best goalkeeper
• The more complete bench
• The most cold-minded players

The combination of all these factors (and some others)will probably be the most talented overall fighters.

It’s impossible to say what makes a better team. Would a solo artist beat a solid group? Probably not, but at the same time he could dig a move so brilliant that no defense could ever predict.

I’m just saying that the most well prepared team would have the chance to prove themselves.

It’s better that flipping a coin.

I wouldn’t say awesome, but thanks anyway… From a brasilian that’ll always be a compliement. Seriously, for us in our own scale, it was. And Eusebio (The King) is still one of the best ever. Nothing can take that away.

rettttttttttttttttttttt ss

it was good