The world cup thread

[hibsbollah]

I read this and now really want the Dutch to do it.
https://www.theguardian.com/football...atar-final-act

[Pagan Hibernia]

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I read this and now really want the Dutch to do it.
https://www.theguardian.com/football...atar-final-act

yes. I wouldn’t mind, I’ll never forget his wonderful Ajax team in the mid 90s.

all sentiment aside though, that’s a ghastly shiny orange kit the Dutch have this year. Orange shorts too, which never looks right to me.

[Dmas]

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I'd take Callum Wilson over Abraham every single day of the week, he's been different class for Newcastle since he signed and he was excellent at Bournemouth. Abraham has only scored 3 goals all season and was booed by the Roma fans at the weekend.

He scored 30+ for Roma in serie A, won a European trophy, callum Wilson has been good no denying that but he rarely scores above 10 a season

[Zazu62]

https://www.dezeen.com/2021/11/24/st...world-cup/amp/

This is pretty cool

[supermcginn]

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He scored 30+ for Roma in serie A, won a European trophy, callum Wilson has been good no denying that but he rarely scores above 10 a season

He didnt i'm afraid, he's scored 20 league goals in 52 games and only 3 this season! Wilson has averaged nearly a goal every other game for Newcastle in the last 3 years, 2 and a bit of which the team was absolutely terrible.

[hibsbollah]

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yes. I wouldn’t mind, I’ll never forget his wonderful Ajax team in the mid 90s.

all sentiment aside though, that’s a ghastly shiny orange kit the Dutch have this year. Orange shorts too, which never looks right to me.

i just revisited that final. What. A. Matchup. Look at the Ajax side, every single one of those names are household names for every self respecting fan, and a lot of them came through the youth squad. The sub goalie is the only one of the 16 i wasnt familar with! And one of the great Milan sides too.

Ajax-Van der Sar, Reizeger, Blind, Rijkaard, DeBoer, Seedorf, Finidi George, Edgar Davids, deBoer, Overmars, Litmanen subs Grim, Winston Bogarde, Kanu, Kluivert, van Vossen.
Milan- Rossi Panucci Maldini, Albertini, Costacurta, Baresi, Donadoni Desailly Boban Massaro Simeone

You wonder how much of that was down to the system or the talent van Gaal had to work with.

[Pagan Hibernia]

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i just revisited that final. What. A. Matchup. Look at the Ajax side, every single one of those names are household names for every self respecting fan, and a lot of them came through the youth squad. The sub goalie is the only one of the 16 i wasnt familar with! And one of the great Milan sides too.

Ajax-Van der Sar, Reizeger, Blind, Rijkaard, DeBoer, Seedorf, Finidi George, Edgar Davids, deBoer, Overmars, Litmanen subs Grim, Winston Bogarde, Kanu, Kluivert, van Vossen.
Milan- Rossi Panucci Maldini, Albertini, Costacurta, Baresi, Donadoni Desailly Boban Massaro Simeone

You wonder how much of that was down to the system or the talent van Gaal had to work with.

yeah, and they were so unlucky not to make it two in a row the following season, even after losing Rijkaard and Seedorf.

beaten on pens by Juve in the Final.

[Bristolhibby]

Just found out that ex Hibee David Wotherspoon is at the World Cup representing Canada. Apparently his Mum was born in Canada.

Fair play to the fella.

J

[Donegal Hibby]

Goal from world cup cup team Morocco which caught the keeper out .
https://twitter.com/marwaninho139/st...81832002457602

[hibsbollah]

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yeah, and they were so unlucky not to make it two in a row the following season, even after losing Rijkaard and Seedorf.

beaten on pens by Juve in the Final.

Good knowledge.

[Lago]

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Just found out that ex Hibee David Wotherspoon is at the World Cup representing Canada. Apparently his Mum was born in Canada.

Fair play to the fella.

J

And a bit of cash for St. Johnstone

[StirlingHibee]

Agree with a previous comment that England are a collection of (very) good players but not a good team. However, they have a chance. Southgate is prone to being conservative in some areas tactically. If he can ditch his risk averse approach, then I think they could go all the way. This means starting with the likes of Alexandor-Arnold, Grealish, Maddison, Saka, Foden.

[SteveHFC]

https://twitter.com/amjadt25/status/...2qb2ddTYuCNong

[Donegal Hibby]

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https://twitter.com/amjadt25/status/...2qb2ddTYuCNong

Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if this was true .

[Fuzzywuzzy]

Not sure if I'm misremembering but did the world cup not normally kick off on the Friday?

[Gloucester Hibs]

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Not sure if I'm misremembering but did the world cup not normally kick off on the Friday?

Also not sure when or why they changed it from the holders to the hosts kicking off the first game? 2010 maybe? Much better to start the tournament with one of the big teams (might get an upset like 1990 or 2002) than the shanter fixture we have on Sunday!

[Pretty Boy]

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Not sure if I'm misremembering but did the world cup not normally kick off on the Friday?

Friday in Islamic countries is very much like a Sunday used to be here. People will go to Mosque then gather to eat brunch together (and some of the brunches can be ****ing epic). A lot of amenities will close as well.

Not sure if that's the reason for the kick off being a Sunday but it's one potential explanation.

[Gloucester Hibs]

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Friday in Islamic countries is very much like a Sunday used to be here. People will go to Mosque then gather to eat brunch together (and some of the brunches can be ****ing epic). A lot of amenities will close as well.

Not sure if that's the reason for the kick off being a Sunday but it's one potential explanation.

Yeah Friday-Saturday is effectively the weekend in Islamic countries. When I worked in Qatar it was usually not possible to work the Friday even if I wanted to, the Saturday not so much.

[Pagan Hibernia]

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Also not sure when or why they changed it from the holders to the hosts kicking off the first game? 2010 maybe? Much better to start the tournament with one of the big teams (might get an upset like 1990 or 2002) than the shanter fixture we have on Sunday!

Germany 06 was the first time the hosts opened the tournament.

I also preferred it when it was the holders but the opening game traditionally was usually a poor game with very few goals.

[Fuzzywuzzy]

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Friday in Islamic countries is very much like a Sunday used to be here. People will go to Mosque then gather to eat brunch together (and some of the brunches can be ****ing epic). A lot of amenities will close as well.

Not sure if that's the reason for the kick off being a Sunday but it's one potential explanation.

Cheers for this makes sense. I was listening to the radio this morning and it sounds pretty bleak. Hardly any fans about

[Donegal Hibby]

James Madison of England pulled out of another training session and appears to be struggling to make opening fixture.karim Benzema is also a major doubt for opening game against Australia as well. Another story of the carry on in Qatar here
https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/20466...ium-booze-ban/

[SlickShoes]

Beer being pushed further away from Stadiums now: https://www.theguardian.com/football...es-at-stadiums

EDIT: Now officially banned at or around stadiums, only in FIFA designated Fan Zones.

[EGL2000]

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They always have a couple of strange choices squad wise, coady, Phillips and gallagher for me shouldn’t be there all 3 good players but all 3 aren’t playing well just now, Phillips barely played at all, Wilson as well defo in good form but an international striker? guys like Tammy abraham, Tomori sitting at home.

I think what brings an end to successful cycles at international level is the managers work like it is in clubs, build a squad, a group that work and then it eventually works against them as they stay too loyal to players that should be either left out as form dictates or have maybe started to hit the wrong end of their careers

Tbf can understand why they didn't take Tammy. In awful form over in Italy this season. Tomori however is a very strange absence.

[GreenCastle]

Really good listen last night on 5 Live.

World Cup Daily giving a preview of all the teams.

Worth a listen!

Think it’s a very open tournament- though can’t see England winning it especially in the heat.

France have so many injuries sadly which may be an issue.

[Gatecrasher]

This world Cup is a joke already and it's no even started, journalists getting shut down, sin tax on booze and now banned from. Stadiums all together. Just need a gay couple getting arrested and we'll have BINGO!

[Pretty Boy]

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Beer being pushed further away from Stadiums now: https://www.theguardian.com/football...es-at-stadiums

EDIT: Now officially banned at or around stadiums, only in FIFA designated Fan Zones.

I'm very much a believer in respecting other peoples cultures when you visit their country. Not in the sense that I respect a belief that homosexuality should be punishable by death or imprisonment is an acceptable punishment for carrying a set of rosary beads or whatever. That's abhorrent and should be called out as such. I mean more that if public drunkenness or public displays of affection are frowned upon then I would try to refrain from behaving in a way that would be offensive to my hosts.

However there is an expectation when you host a tournament like the World Cup that it is an international event and a gathering of different countries and cultures. If a country is unable to accept that gay people might want to watch a game of football or that people from many countries enjoy a beer when watching the football then they are unsuitable hosts. It seems there has been a degree of lip service paid to making the tournament open, accessible and friendly to all but now it's too late to do anything about it then the mask is starting to slip and both Fifa and the participating countries are impotent.

[Lendo]

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Beer being pushed further away from Stadiums now: https://www.theguardian.com/football...es-at-stadiums

EDIT: Now officially banned at or around stadiums, only in FIFA designated Fan Zones.

What a ****ing joke. Two days before kick off…

Surely Budweiser sue FIFA over it given they are the largest sponsor of the event. Why would any fan travel to this ****show?

Amazing that alcohol being consumed isn’t so much of a problem for the hosts if you’re willing to stump up £19,000 for a hospitality package…..

[Betty Boop]

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Friday in Islamic countries is very much like a Sunday used to be here. People will go to Mosque then gather to eat brunch together (and some of the brunches can be ****ing epic). A lot of amenities will close as well.

Not sure if that's the reason for the kick off being a Sunday but it's one potential explanation.

Can't remember any amenities in Egypt closing on a Friday or in Jordan for that matter.

[Bristolhibby]

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This world Cup is a joke already and it's no even started, journalists getting shut down, sin tax on booze and now banned from. Stadiums all together. Just need a gay couple getting arrested and we'll have BINGO!

When is the first England fan going to caught with some chang on his person?

Death Penalty.

J

[Bristolhibby]

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Can't remember any amenities in Egypt closing on a Friday or in Jordan for that matter.

Different level of Islamic observation.

Guess you have Saudi Arabia in the one side and Turkey on the other.

Had some great sessions in Turkey, can’t imagine that in Saudi.

J