2010 World Cup

[Carter]

the time zone is a great thing for me. I usually work or go out at night so with the games being 5 hours ahead, no game will start past 2:30.

[Carter]

sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=ap-wcup-ballfury

Players not happy with ‘supermarket’ WCup ball

JOHANNESBURG (AP)—Several players are going all out in criticizing the new World Cup ball, with more than one comparing it to those bought at a supermarket.

And this time it’s not only goalkeepers who are complaining. Strikers, defenders and midfielders are also lashing out at the Adidas ball less than two weeks before the monthlong tournament kicks off in South Africa on June 11.

The ball is called Jabulani, which means “to celebrate” in isiZulu, but not many are celebrating it so far. It’s hard to find a player who is happy with it, and those who don’t like it are not hesitating to voice their displeasure.

“It’s very weird,” Brazil striker Luis Fabiano said Sunday. “All of a sudden it changes trajectory on you. It’s like it doesn’t want to be kicked. It’s incredible, it’s like someone is guiding it. You are going to kick it and it moves out of the way. I think it’s supernatural, it’s very bad. I hope to adapt to it as soon as possible, but it’s going to be hard.”

Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar on Saturday called the ball “terrible” and was the first to compare it to those plastic ones bought at a supermarket. Italy striker Giampaolo Pazzini said the same thing, calling it a “disaster.”

“It moves so much and makes it difficult to control. You jump up to head a cross and suddenly the ball will move and you miss it,” Pazzini said. “It is especially bad for the goalkeepers if it means they concede a goal because they can’t judge the trajectory.”

Adidas traditionally launches new balls for each World Cup and they usually cause controversy because of the changes prompted by the new technology being introduced. Most of the time the ball becomes speedier and goalkeepers are the ones most affected by it. But this time the livelier ball is causing problems for field players, too.

“There is no way to hide it,” Brazil midfielder Julio Baptista said. “It’s bad for the goalkeepers and it’s bad for us. It’s really bad. The players try to cross it and it goes to the opposite direction they intended it to go.”

Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas also expressed his dislike for the ball after the European champion’s 3-2 friendly win over Saudi Arabia on Saturday.

“It’s sad that that such an important competition like the World Cup has such an important element like this ball of appalling condition,” he said.

Adidas said the technology on the Jabulani is “radically new,” and when launching the ball in December said that small dots on the ball’s surface would help it have “an exceptionally stable flight and perfect grip under all conditions.”

FIFA and Adidas did not immediately return messages seeking comment Sunday.

Adidas has released some promotional materials in which some of its sponsored players praise the ball, including Kaka, Michael Ballack, Petr Cech and Frank Lampard. Ballack called the ball “fantastic.”

“It happens every time, the players always complain about the ball,” said former Brazil great Tostao. “It used to be the goalkeepers only, but now we have the others complaining too. At the greatest competition in the world you would think that the players would like the ball, but that’s not the case.”

Players were already expecting the ball to be affected by the high-altitude in Johannesburg and some other host cities. A study by Adidas last year showed the altitude will have an impact of up to 5 percent on the ball’s speed, meaning a 20-yard free kick will reach the goal line faster than it would at sea level.

The ball is made up of 11 colors to represent the players in a starting lineup and the 11 official languages and the 11 communities of the host country.

“That’s the ball they chose and we have to accept it,” Baptista said. “But it’s going to be complicated.”

[Electra]

After Englands performance today they will be lucky to make it through the groups...

[Woo]

Lol. It was awful. The only good thing is that the three in our group have had equally bad results.

[Intervention]

I have got a sneaking suspicion Holland will be the team to beat

[MetalBlade]

I am hoping for a Germany Holland final.
That would be awesome.
I would also love to see Holland win it, as I believe they are by far the country with the greatest footballing pedigree and history, never to have won it.
They are like the JImmy White of football.

Let's face it, England don't have a cat in hell's chance, even lees so now that the captain Rio Ferdinand is out due to a knee injury picked up in training.
What a fucking rag-tag group of players.
Capello should have just stood up to media and peer pressure, and reinstalled John Terry as the captain, and anybody who doesn't feel like they can play alongside him can fuck off back home on the next plane north, and give up their spot to somebody with more integrity. But I guess it's too late for that now.
So what if he fucked somebody else's bird. That's one of the fringe benefits of being a top flight sports star, you get the pick of the swarming fanny.
Wayne Bridge is not even in the squad anyway. Mardy arse.

[HitmanHague]

It could have been a lot worse than Rio being injured - the guy's accident prone anyway.

King is no worse so I don't think it will make any difference.

I'm not a big fan of Terry and I never thought he was captain material - you're supposed to be a role model and screwing around on your wife very publicly isn't the smartest thing to do. Plus he'll always be associated with that scummy chav family of his.

Out of the starting XI I think the only one who would be a decent representative as England captain would be David James.

As for the winner? I have no idea, nobody really stands out at this stage.

[MetalBlade]

Well I've always said that the goalkeeper should always be the captain of a football team.
After all, which player gets the best view of all the action on the field?
And which player always has the loudest mouth?
And which player is usually the biggest bastard who nobody wants to argue with?

Not so sure about Calamity James though.
I think the two reserve keepers, especially Green, have performed especially well in the runup.

[HitmanHague]

My point about James is he's intelligent, articulate and a nice fella.

Wouldn't want that as our country's representative would we?

We'd much rather a diving scouser who should have gone to prison.

[MetalBlade]

Lol, Gerrard is indeed a bad choice.
How is having an affair considered worse than attacking a bloke in a pub and threatening to kill him?
But then I guess that is the ideal role model for your average common or garden hooligan.

[Woo]

Gerrard is the best possible choice. Him or Lampard anyway. Stevie has dragged his team to many victories and leads by example on the pitch. He should have been made captain when Beckham stepped down.

I still think England have a chance. We'll maybe the sixth favourites? I'd say it goes;

1. Brazil- Not the most attractive Brazil side ever, but it's all about results.
2. Spain- Hopefully winning the Euros will mean they won't choke this team around.
3. Argentina- The best squad in the tournament no question. But can Maradona get the right tactics.
4. Holland- They have been fantastic. If England don't win I'll be cheering on them too for the reasons Metal said. Losing Robben is a very big blow though.
5. Italy- Aging squad, and it looks like their best player Pirlo won't be there.
6. England- Defence is suspect, but great midfield and one of the best strikers in the world. On paper it's an easy path to the last eight...
7. Germany- They also should have an easy run to the quarters. But then they'll likely come up against Argentina and then Spain... Still never underestimate the Germans.
8. France- Shit team. But they were awful four years ago and still got to the final.

9th would have to be Portugal, but they have been handed such an awful group and things don't like any easier in Round 2 either.

As for African teams well South Africa are on fire at the moment. VERY hard group though. I think it's tougher than both the Germans group and the so-called 'Group of Death' with Brazil, Portugal, Ivory Coast and North Korea. Ghana are also without Essien and in the very hard Group D. Algeria won't make it out their group so Cameroon and Nigeria are the only real chance an African team has imo. Nigeria will have to do it without Mikel while Samuel Eto is being a big baby and may not even play. I wouldn't be at all surprised if none of the African teams make it out the groups.

I think some of the dark horses of the tournament could be the south Americans. Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay may surprise a few and I also think Mexico and Serbia could be dangerous...

[Carter]

wow, well after day one things are really interesting. I can't believe all 4 teams in group A are tied right now. Mexico and France drawing have to be very upsetting for both teams.

So glad France missed that free kick at the end there…. That would’ve ruined my day lol.

[Woo]

France vs. Uruguay was one of the worst games of football I have ever seen.... hopefully tomorow will be better...

[Woo]

Uruguay are probably the happiest of all four teams. They played the seeded team and got a point and should beat the hosts next, though with the way they played last night they got lose. Mexico and France should be a cracker. I see the Mexicans picking up three points.


Just saw this comedy clip on the BBC website featuring the comedic talents of Hugh Laurie and Steven Fry.

[MetalBlade]

Fucking stupid ITV HD cut to adverts right before the England goal.
KNOB HEADS!