football thread No11

[Takhisis]

They should win 8-0, but I remember a recent game of theirs against Haiti which they won 2-1 after being 2-0 at halftime…

 

[BirraImperial]

I'd say 5-0. They're probably going to take it easy.

 

[Arwon]

Any revised bids?

 

[BirraImperial]

Ok, I certainly was a bit too conservative here. Someone please stop this, on humanitarian grounds...

 

[Arwon]

Eh, Tahiti knew what was coming. They are probably enjoying the experience of playing the world champions and there's no shame in any result for them.

 

[JohannaK]

So 10-0, I believe? Decent enough.

 

[Takhisis]

In something that can actually be said to be a match, Nigeria has equalised and it's 1-1 against Uruguay.

 

[Gucumatz]

Forlan finishes. Cavani continues to underperform for Uruguay. Anyone who buys Cavani during this offseason is gonna get robbed

 

[Takhisis]

He overperforms at club level which is where the money is.

 

[Gucumatz]

Torres 2.0

 

[classical_hero]

He scores four and misses from the spot, still not a quality striker.

 

[Dell19]

What counts as a quality striker?

He has scored 204 goals in 516 games whilst Van Persie has scored 183 in 403 games. Sure he isn't the best striker in the world but then again he isn't the first player ever to move clubs and struggle, plus it can't have helped that he was battling for a starting place with Drogba who was the established main forward.

 

[Gucumatz]

He scores four and misses from the spot, still not a quality striker.

I was talking about Cavani

 

[BirraImperial]

The situation in Brazil is turning ugly with the mass protests, at least one person has been killed, or so I read. Should the WC and the Olympics be relocated to another country?

 

[Takhisis]

No way it will happen.
Just the facts: on the one hand, that the brasileiros have built stadia in cities without football clubs and has embezzled horribly while neglecting basic needs such as hospitals, schools, roads, etc.; on the other hand, that drug barons are sending agents provocateurs to infiltrate the demonstrations in order to rock the boat, because the government is using the WC as an excuse to send in drones and tanks and whatnots in the name of security.
Yes the protests are more than legitimate, yes there's criminal elements trying to use them to further their own purposes.

 

[BirraImperial]

I agree, the protests are legitimate and the problems in Brazil go way back, but one must wonder if the security of the fans and the players would become an issue if this situation worsens. FIFA should have a plan B, just in case. I would like to know the opinion of any Brazilian about this, in the forums..

 

[W|M]

Security at the Confederations Cup hasn't really been much of an issue with these protests going on, so I wouldn't imagine security at the World Cup would be too bad.

 

[Schwarzenberg]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2013/jun/21/brazil-protests-world-cup

Earlier this year, the Fifa general secretary Jérôme Valcke said something that gave a telling insight into the mentality of world football's governing body. "I will say something which is crazy – but less democracy is sometimes better for organising a World Cup," he said.

Far from it being a source of pride for Brazilians, many appear annoyed and embarrassed that their country is investing $13.3bn in staging a World Cup ahead of other priorities. "I can understand that people are not happy, but they should not use football to make their demands heard," Blatter said in response.

Even he should be able to see the irony in his argument.

Back in Zurich, a Fifa more used to countries fawning and falling over themselves to host the World Cup and gratefully embracing its demands when they do will be more than a little perturbed at what the next year might bring. Valcke, meanwhile, can take heart from the fact the next two World Cups are in Russia and Qatar. Not so much danger of troublesome democratic protest there, at least.

 

[Schwarzenberg]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/21/brazil-protests-football-world-cup

But suspicions that the construction companies – a main source of kickbacks for politicians – will be the main beneficiaries of the tournament have grown, particularly in Rio, where the Maracanã stadium has been refurbished for the second time in a decade at a cost of more than 1bn reals (£295m). It was rebuilt with public money, but the concession to run it has been offered to a private firm, covering barely a fifth of the costs.

Meanwhile, Fifa has announced record revenues from broadcasting rights and corporate sponsorship for 2014 – none of which will go to Brazil's public coffers. With negative headlines also related to evictions and poor engineering quality, the growing public unease alarmed many in the sport even before the protests began.

With public fury now on full display, football's leading lights also seem divided about how to respond. The Fifa president, Sepp Blatter, and Pelé – the superstar turned MasterCard ambassador – have drawn derision by calling on protesters to decouple the Confederations Cup and the demonstrations.

As one banner, held aloft by a football-loving protester – Leandro Ferreir – said on Thursday: "We don't want a country that is beautiful only for gringos."

 

[Takhisis]

Pelé speaking otu for big money, I wouldn't've expected that.