Spain win 2010 WORLD CUP.

[Park Life 71]

HO hum, Germans look good. Sad to say. Still fancy Ghana to give them a scare. Good to see a couple getting booked for diving. Like the new Turk they've unearthed.

Edited June 13, 2010 by Park Life

[Park Life 71]

The other thing is half this German side weren't born in Germany, shouldn't fifa be looking to tighten this kind of thing?

[Isegrim 9737]

The other thing is half this German side weren't born in Germany, shouldn't fifa be looking to tighten this kind of thing?

Apart from Cacau it's only Klose and Podolski who were born in Poland, which is Germany anyway every now and then...

 

Good performance. Hopefully Özil and Cacau have learnt their lessons about diving. Referee was correct about most things, Cahill's red was a bit too harsh but you always deserve a red card if you field twats like Craig Moore or Lucas Neill.

[The Fish 10779]

Australia should just apologise to everyone in the stadium and then leave at half time tbh.

 

 

I bet Alex turns up to the first home game next season with a paper and comb, looking to recreate the magical world cup atmosphere.

 

Alex owns a comb? When did this happen?

I thought it was for his Low-Fro

[ChezGiven 0]

The vuvuzelas are spoiling it for television and lets face it, the world cup is a television event.

 

Wonder what it sounds like in the ground?

[ChezGiven 0]

Also, dont know why everyone is creaming themselves over Germany. Australia were turbo shit, our Championship side was better than them today.

[The Fish 10779]

The vuvuzelas are spoiling it for television and lets face it, the world cup is a television event.

 

Wonder what it sounds like in the ground?

 

That line about them being part of the culture is bollocks as well. The things I imagine when I think about African celebration is not some cacophony of Mong-Trumpet it's organic harmonies, joyous dancing and the first part of "Circle of Life" by Elton John.

[Monkeys Fist 42129]

Never a red.

 

This is why I'm not a good international/neutral football fan - too many grudges - while recognising it wasn't a red I just thought "take that you worky-ticket scouse cunt".

the voice of the people

[Park Life 71]

The other thing is half this German side weren't born in Germany, shouldn't fifa be looking to tighten this kind of thing?

Apart from Cacau it's only Klose and Podolski who were born in Poland, which is Germany anyway every now and then...

 

Good performance. Hopefully Özil and Cacau have learnt their lessons about diving. Referee was correct about most things, Cahill's red was a bit too harsh but you always deserve a red card if you field twats like Craig Moore or Lucas Neill.

 

"Forwards: There are six forwards that will possibly be in uniform come June 13 when Germany takes on Australia. How many of these forwards are German born though? The answer is 3. That means that fifty-percent of the German front line goal scorers are not born in the country. Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski are both born in Poland and Cacau is Brazilian born.

 

Midfielders: There are also six midfielders that most definitely be dawning the black, red and yellow come tournament time. The problem is that the birth places of the middle six do not represent theses colors. Like many other German Nationals, Piotr Trochowski was born in Poland and Marko Marin is a product of Yugoslavia.

 

Defenders: Out of 8 defenders in the current line-up, all but one is German born. The loner is Andreas Beck, a 23 year old footballer that hails from the Soviet Union."

 

Mmmm...

Edited June 13, 2010 by Park Life

[Park Life 71]

Also, dont know why everyone is creaming themselves over Germany. Australia were turbo shit, our Championship side was better than them today.

 

Agreed.

[sammynb 3353]

Well that was painful but not unexpected.

[Guest alex]

Pleased I wrote Germany off anyway. I know my shit.

[Guest alex]

Also, dont know why everyone is creaming themselves over Germany. Australia were turbo shit, our Championship side was better than them today.

Not sure what's more amazing - Craig Moore playing or that he's only 34.

[Guest The Three Lions]

In 1990 everyone said we were a national and global disgrace after the Ireland game, we were no where near that bad against the yanks, in fact I've watched the highlights again and anyone who says we didn't deserve to win is a fool. We had tremendous chances, and America aren't that bad, you can't be no hopers and beat Spain, so keep the faith. In 1990, everyone piped down the next game, when we dominated the then European Champions Holland.

 

I'll make a World Cup prediction right now. Holland will play so well against Denmark, people will pencil them in as winners, they'll win 3-0 or 4-0, continue the form throughout the group looking the best side in the tournament, but when they get to the Second Round, or perhaps QF, they'll meakly fall out of the competition. That's my prediction today.

Edited June 14, 2010 by The Three Lions

[Guest alex]

In 1990 everyone said we were a national and global disgrace after the Ireland game, we were no where near that bad against the yanks, in fact I've watched the highlights again and anyone who says we didn't deserve to win is a fool. We had tremendous chances, and America aren't that bad, you can't be no hopers and beat Spain, so keep the faith. In 1990, everyone piped down the next game, when we dominated the then European Champions Holland.

 

I'll make a World Cup prediction right now. Holland will play so well against Denmark, people will pencil them in as winners, they'll win 3-0 or 4-0, continue the form throughout the group looking the best side in the tournament, but when they get to the Second Round, or perhaps QF, they'll meakly fall out of the competition. That's my prediction today.

Well, you were right about Straya beating the Krauts

Agree with what you say though.

[Guest The Three Lions]

In 1990 everyone said we were a national and global disgrace after the Ireland game, we were no where near that bad against the yanks, in fact I've watched the highlights again and anyone who says we didn't deserve to win is a fool. We had tremendous chances, and America aren't that bad, you can't be no hopers and beat Spain, so keep the faith. In 1990, everyone piped down the next game, when we dominated the then European Champions Holland.

 

I'll make a World Cup prediction right now. Holland will play so well against Denmark, people will pencil them in as winners, they'll win 3-0 or 4-0, continue the form throughout the group looking the best side in the tournament, but when they get to the Second Round, or perhaps QF, they'll meakly fall out of the competition. That's my prediction today.

Well, you were right about Straya beating the Krauts

Agree with what you say though.

I thought it would be a draw, I underestimated how feeble Australia were though.

[Guest alex]

In 1990 everyone said we were a national and global disgrace after the Ireland game, we were no where near that bad against the yanks, in fact I've watched the highlights again and anyone who says we didn't deserve to win is a fool. We had tremendous chances, and America aren't that bad, you can't be no hopers and beat Spain, so keep the faith. In 1990, everyone piped down the next game, when we dominated the then European Champions Holland.

 

I'll make a World Cup prediction right now. Holland will play so well against Denmark, people will pencil them in as winners, they'll win 3-0 or 4-0, continue the form throughout the group looking the best side in the tournament, but when they get to the Second Round, or perhaps QF, they'll meakly fall out of the competition. That's my prediction today.

Well, you were right about Straya beating the Krauts

Agree with what you say though.

I thought it would be a draw, I underestimated how feeble Australia were though.

They were fucking shite. Germany looked good as well though.

[dbsweeney 0]

As an Aussie, this is the best-case scenario:

 

Serbia play Germany next, and if they lose, they're gone. We play Ghana, and if we win, we're all square with them. Germany then plays Ghana last, and if, at the same time, we play a side that's playing a dead rubber ... we have a chance.

 

But it contains a few BIG 'ifs'.

[Guest alex]

As an Aussie, this is the best-case scenario:

 

Serbia play Germany next, and if they lose, they're gone. We play Ghana, and if we win, we're all square with them. Germany then plays Ghana last, and if, at the same time, we play a side that's playing a dead rubber ... we have a chance.

 

But it contains a few BIG 'ifs'.

You've only one WC game in your whole history man

[ewerk 30370]

Ledley King out for 2-3 weeks according to some of the papers.

 

Looks like that gamble has back fired.

[Guest The Three Lions]

Good article about what a non event country Germany has become

 

Germany v Australia: Mesut Ozil at head of the vanguard for new generation

When the camera pans along the German team on Sunday, and that famous national anthem thunders out across the Durban stadium, Mesut Özil’s lips will be moving but he won’t be singing along.

 

 

By Duncan White

Published: 7:48PM BST 12 Jun 2010

Duncan's Twitter | Duncan's fantasy team

 

Man in the middle: Mesut Özil watches German team-mates at training Photo: REUTERS

 

No, Özil will be reciting the Koran to himself. "It gives me strength," he has explained. "If I don't do it before a game it gives me a bad feeling."

Özil is at the vanguard of a new Germany. This is not the Mannschaft of Teutonic cliché, it is the most ethnically diverse squad in the tournament. Of the 23, 11 were eligible to play for a different country.

While there have been several Polish-Germans of Silesian background to have played for Germany (including Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski in this squad), Joachim Löw's team also has players of Bosnian-Serb, Brazilian, Ghanaian, Nigerian, Polish, Tunisian and Turkish descent.

This new German team has been many years in the making. Hosting the last World Cup catalysed a reassessment of what it means to be a modern German.

The success of Jürgen Klinsmann's side at the tournament united the country and gave birth to a patriotism that was not weighed down by the baggage of history.

The national flag, with all its dubious nationalist association, was suddenly an object of pride and, to the astonishment of many, was even hung from the windows of houses in the German-Turkish community.

 

Germany was changing and so was its football team. Between 1995 and 2004, 1,278,424 foreigners took German citizenship and the laws regarding eligibility were liberalised in 1999 through major reforms.

 

The new face of German was represented in the football team, with black players of African background like Gerald Asamoah, David Odonkor and Patrick Owomoyela winning caps.

 

The latter was the subject of a predictable right-wing backlash when he was included in the squad for the World Cup four years ago.

 

The right-wing NPD (the equivalent of the BNP) produced a calendar with a picture of the national shirt with Owomoyela's squad number on it and the slogan: "White: not just the colour of the shirt! For a real National team!" The leader of the party was taken to court by Owomoyela and the German FA and found guilty of inciting racial hatred and given a seven-month suspended sentence.

 

Four years on and there remain mumblings of nationalist discontent about whether this team represents the 'real' Germany. Most Germans are relaxed about the singing of the national anthem but the Bild newspaper has tried to force it as an issue. Klose and Podolski have always refused to sing it and several of the new generation joined them.

And then there is Özil with his Koranic incantation. When Franz Beckenbauer was manager he demanded all his players sang the anthem – and this year he's at it again. Times have changed.

 

Özil is a fascinating case. With the injury to Michael Ballack, German fans have been looking to a new inspiration for the team and the Werder Bremen playmaker has stepped up. He is tremendously skilful and unpredictable and is arguably the most exciting young player at the finals.

 

That he has even chosen to represent Germany could have resonance for the future of the Turkish-German community, especially if he leads them to success here. In a 2007 survey it was estimated that there were 1.7 million people living in Germany of Turkish descent, by far the largest ethnic minority in the country. Yet Turkish-Germans, like the Altintop brothers, often opted to play for the country of their parents.

 

Özil is different. He is a third-generation immigrant who feels himself a blend of both cultures. He grew up playing with other immigrant children, from Bosnia, Lebanon and Turkey, in Gelsenkirchen-Bismarck, and rapidly emerged as an exceptional talent. "My technique and feeling for the ball is the Turkish side to my game," he said, "the discipline, attitude and always-give-your-all is the German part."

 

At the European Under-21 Championships last summer, Özil destroyed England in the final, making two and scoring a free-kick as Germany won 4-0. In that same squad were Dennis Aogo, Sami Khedira and Jerome Boateng, sons of Nigerian, Tunisian and Ghanian fathers respectively. Marko Marin, a Bosnian-Serb whose family moved to Germany when he was two, was also in that group. All four have been promoted to what is Germany's youngest squad at a World Cup.

 

Boateng is the only player to play abroad, and he only signed for Manchester City last weekend for £10 million. He is the brother of Kevin-Prince, the Portsmouth forward. Both played for Germany at every youth level but last year Kevin-Prince declared for Ghana and they will be in opposition in the final group game on Wednesday week. It tells you everything you need to know about the mobility of international football that brothers can be in opposition at a World Cup.

 

That mobility is also evident with Cacau. The Stuttgart striker is favourite to start ahead of Bayern Munich's Miroslav Klose against Australia after some strong performances in the warm-up friendlies. He qualified for German citizenship after five years of residency and, like Marcos Senna with Spain and Eduardo of Croatia, has opted to represent his adopted country. He could be one of the surprises of this tournament.

 

With a Brazilian-Polish strike partnership (Cacau-Podolski), a Turkish playmaker (Özil), a Tunisian holding midfielder (Khedira), a Bosnian-Serb winger (Marin), Nigerian and Ghanaian full backs (Aogo and Boateng), and an elegant Turkish centre-back (Serdar Tasci), you can throw out all the old stereotypes about German football when they play Australia. This is a new Germany, and in South Africa, a country itself profoundly marked by racial division, they want to show that they are the future.

[ewerk 30370]

How many of those 11 were born outside of Germany?

 

Rooney was eligible to play for ROI but that doesn't make him any less English.

[Craig 6682]

Ledley King out for 2-3 weeks according to some of the papers.

 

Looks like that gamble has back fired.

 

Only taking fit players weren't we?

[Guest The Three Lions]

Citing the koran while the national anthems being played, Goebells wept.

[ewerk 30370]

Citing the koran while the national anthems being played, Goebells wept.

 

You feel the same about players blessing themselves or saying a quick Hail Mary?