FIFA World Cup 2010

[flynnfan]

yeah, but it's not a 'recent failure to qualify'. We've NEVER qualified for a world cup- in '58 we were drawn out of a hat! All the reasons for failure you mention are perfectly valid, it's just that our failure over a 60-70 year period makes me think there might be something deeper to it... i dunno, I guess I'm just feeling frustrated watching this world cup, jealous of Slovakias success... feeling pessimistic!

I always try and stay hopeful though, and with the young players we've got I've good reason to. Just think of the difference ONE qualification could make to the whole Welsh football psyche.. It would be immense.

PS- she's not English!

[Deleted]

Jun 25, 2010 22:39:10 GMT flynnfan said:

yeah, but it's not a 'recent failure to qualify'. We've NEVER qualified for a world cup- in '58 we were drawn out of a hat! All the reasons for failure you mention are perfectly valid, it's just that our failure over a 60-70 year period makes me think there might be something deeper to it... i dunno, I guess I'm just feeling frustrated watching this world cup, jealous of Slovakias success... feeling pessimistic!

I always try and stay hopeful though, and with the young players we've got I've good reason to. Just think of the difference ONE qualification could make to the whole Welsh football psyche.. It would be immense.

PS- she's not English!

Good lad!



But, even so, failures in the past may be attributed to different things- we have twice been subject to unaccountably appaling desicions against Scotland in qualifying. Though it is fair to say, both said Scottish sides were very good. We have twice missed penalties that would have taken us through to the finals. We once qualified for the European Chamionship- though this is all but forgotten- generally, we have lacked good fortune. But, that said- only 2 sides with smaller populations have EVER qualified for the World Cup- Slovenia and Northern Ireland.

What this suggests is that countries of our size or less qualifying is ALWAYS an aberration. If we want to qualify, a number of things have to come together- as Toshack has frequently stated- decent qualifying group (we have one, though we will probably consider 2nd our only realistic target), a good run with player fitness, a decent spread of results- something beyond our control.

Several of these factors are subject to limited influence by the management, but the indications are better than they ahve been in decades. We need Ramsey, Colllison and Allen to come back strong and at least one of Evans or Vokes to find regular form. If we do, we can be considered very real contenders in this group. Noone we are set to play possesses a massively superior staring line-up to our best team- not even England. And from this we can take heart. Good results in the early games could give Wales decisive momentum.

[Deleted]

None of those Germans would get into the England side (!)

[Deleted]

.....and the flag of St George has been hastily taken down from the flagpole at Downing Street to be replaced by the Union flag - now everyone can get behind our British tennis player at Wimbledon.

[llannerch]

Jun 28, 2010 11:45:40 GMT @baresi said:

.....and the flag of St George has been hastily taken down from the flagpole at Downing Street to be replaced by the Union flag - now everyone can get behind our British tennis player at Wimbledon.

Shouldn't it be replaced by a Scottish flag if we're getting behind Murray? Not that I am...couldn't care less about tennis

[saints19]

Jun 28, 2010 11:56:31 GMT llannerch said:

Jun 28, 2010 11:45:40 GMT @baresi said:

.....and the flag of St George has been hastily taken down from the flagpole at Downing Street to be replaced by the Union flag - now everyone can get behind our British tennis player at Wimbledon.

Shouldn't it be replaced by a Scottish flag if we're getting behind Murray? Not that I am...couldn't care less about tennis

I think that was the point llannerch was making, in that English players (according to his view) are always English and Scottish/Welsh/Northern Irish always British.

For the record, I don't agree with that view. In my experience, all British sportsmen and women are generally desrcibed as both British and as Welsh, English, Scottish or Northern Irish as appropriate.

[scoop76]

Jun 25, 2010 22:39:10 GMT flynnfan said:

yeah, but it's not a 'recent failure to qualify'. We've NEVER qualified for a world cup- in '58 we were drawn out of a hat! All the reasons for failure you mention are perfectly valid, it's just that our failure over a 60-70 year period makes me think there might be something deeper to it... i dunno, I guess I'm just feeling frustrated watching this world cup, jealous of Slovakias success... feeling pessimistic!

I always try and stay hopeful though, and with the young players we've got I've good reason to. Just think of the difference ONE qualification could make to the whole Welsh football psyche.. It would be immense.

PS- she's not English!

on the 58 qualification, we were drawn out of a hat, yes, but we did then have to beat Israel in a play off - so we DID qualify.
And remember we were only in the hat in the first place because we'd finished runners up in our qualifying group - a position we'd love to finish in now.

[Tim P]

during halftime of the brasil/chile game, it was advertised that rob brydon and ruth jones would be on james corden's world cup show. something tells me that if i watch that, my head will explode in 'some kind of rage or something' - but i have an almost morbid curiosity to see how much of a dic sion dafydd each will be.

[Tim P]

ok, swear-bomb approaching:

FUCK YOU, RUTH JONES.

brydon gets a pass as he clearly hates all sport.

[flynnfan]

not watching. What did she say?

[Tim P]

ugh. basically, the same nonsense she said during rob brydon's bb4 documentary. to paraphrase:

it's pathetic/sad when Welsh people don't support england.

[flynnfan]

In rugby, does she mean?

[caeboy]

The worst thing was that she said 'as a Welsh person I always support England'. Not even 'as a Welsh person I always support England when Wales aren't playing'.
Its not the first time I've seen her (feeling pressurised or otherwise into) sucking up to English teams. I saw her on that Sunday breakfast show with the Liverpudlian chef, who was giving it all the usual cr@p about Welsh people disliking the English and talking about them in Welsh blah blah blah, and she kind of just blamed it on North Walians, rather than saying Up yours you paranoid arsehole.
'Africans support Ghana' said Ruth, maybe Ghanians dont treat their neighbouring countries appaulingly badly and belittle neighbouring countries' cultures Ruth!

If anyone is in contact with Ruth Jones, please pass on my feelings on how much I feel let down by her. I only flicked on because her and Rob Brydon were on too.

[Tim P]

caeboy - you're right, her point about Africa was utterly ridiculous. the two situations cannot be compared, and it is staggering that she would not realise this. utter idiot.

[squatter1]

Africans from all countries used to support appartheid South Africa in the 1980s. The Africaans Defence Force polo team was enormously popular across the continent in the 1980s.

[marsvolta]

if england fans want to use the 'africans support ghana' example does that mean that england fans are saying that they would support germany in the world cup final against brazil because they are from europe.

[Tim P]

Jun 29, 2010 9:18:27 GMT squatter1 said:

Africans from all countries used to support appartheid South Africa in the 1980s. The Africaans Defence Force polo team was enormously popular across the continent in the 1980s.

;D

[alrhyl]

I watched the England v Germany game in the Penrhos pub Llanfair PG. I heartily, and loudly booed God save the Queen, cheered all 4 German goals plus the disallowed England goal, plus all replays of the afore mentioned goals. Enjoyed myself immensely, and to top it all I was called a Welsh c**t by a 70 year old Englishman from Stoke! Brilliant! Really looking forward to the Euros now!! The Argentina v Mexico game was on after the German game so I was wearing my Argentina shirt at the time and a Mexican sombrero. I wasn't sure who to support for that game as my head said Mexico, but my heart said Argentina.

[caeboy]

Jun 29, 2010 20:33:51 GMT marsvolta said:

if england fans want to use the 'africans support ghana' example does that mean that england fans are saying that they would support germany in the world cup final against brazil because they are from europe.

... BIngo


I always feel that we shouldn't suffer in silence and I therefore propose that anyone Wales supporter who gives a damn writes to Ruth, politely pointing out such things that she's never been on the tv and announced that she's supporting the Wales team. As an actress, I wont lie to you I think she's crackin', but come on Ruth support our own team.

Ruth Jones
United Agents Ltd.
12-26 Lexington Street
London, W1F 0LE
UK

[Deleted]

Excuse my ignorance but who the f--k is Ruth Jones?

I am presuming she is a modern day "celebrity"

[saints19]

Going back to the earlier discussion about cheating in football, I have to say that striker, Suarez, made a brilliant save tonight but everyone must admit Ghana were pretty hard done by to lose that way.

[Tim P]

i feel bad for ghana - but they missed a penalty, and there's no excuse for that.

suarez did what any professional would do - hands down the correct decision on his part. like henry, he is a patriot of unquestionable fortitude and will.

[flynnfan]

Saurez did the only thing he could do. Him getting any stick for that is ridiculous.

Here are our last 2 results against Germany:
Wales 0 Germany 2
Germany 1 Wales 0.

Here are Germany's last 2 results:
England 1 Germany 4
Argentina 0 Germany 4.

Maybe we're not too bad at football after all?...

[saints19]

Jul 3, 2010 7:47:58 GMT Tim P said:

i feel bad for ghana - but they missed a penalty, and there's no excuse for that.

suarez did what any professional would do - hands down the correct decision on his part. like henry, he is a patriot of unquestionable fortitude and will.

For me, it is less about demonising Suarez (in fact not at all about that) but making sure the rules of the game do not favour play that is blatantly unfair.

I agree with the many who have said since yesterday that any footballer would do the same as Suarez in that position. Only those of a truly saintly nature would not in the heat of the moment handball deliberately to help their team. It's an instinctive, split-second reaction and one over which the individual probably has no conscious control. To be sure, it's nothing like the blatant, deliberate simulation involved in diving and feigning injuries.

I also agree, though, with those who say a 'penalty goal', like a penalty try in rugby, should be awarded if the ball is deliberately handled on the line. That seems to me to be a workable and, crucially, fair solution, if backed up by goal-line technology, which I believe would have some support after the events of England v Germany, and the public humiliation of Blatter's policy of ignoring the issue.

Incidentally: those calling Suarez a hero for handling are misled, even if it got their team through. He may not be a deliberate, cynical cheater, but there was nothing good about what he did.

[Tim P]

Ah Saints, it is the old argument.

Let me know what you think of this though:

A) Player dives to win a penalty, succeeds, team wins. Player is given a retrospective one match ban for diving.

B) Player comits a deliberate foul, his team get the ball and score, team wins. Player is given a retrospective one match ban for cyncial play.

I must assume that you are in favour of both A and B?