The only World Cup 2006 thread you need

[SwedeChildO'Mine]

http://www.fifa.com/en/mens/statistics/index/0,2548,All-Jan-2006,00.html

Was it too hard to check out FIFA's homepage? 

[Skeletor]

Interesting list. How come Mexico and USA are at shared 7th position, while Italy for example is only 12th?

[Carlos_f_Rose]

mmm I dont like that list...

[Ignatius]

Interesting list. How come Mexico and USA are at shared 7th position, while Italy for example is only 12th?

Yeah that list is always so INCORRECT. I'd like to know the criteria they follow to rank each country. It blows me away that Spain's been in the top 5 year after year but we are yet to win something. We've haven't made it to the semis in more than 20 years!

Funny how we are always ahead of Germany, Italy, France, even Brazil, but we never win shit and they do.

[SwedeChildO'Mine]

Strange doublepost Ignatius   

Back to group B,  what are your thoughts?

[Ignatius]

Strange doublepost Ignatius? ?

Back to group B,? what are your thoughts?

haha,..yeah thanx for that.

Group B should really be a no brainer; England and Sweden should advance. However, Paraguay is always a strong contender in this qualifying system. I remember in 98 Paraguay kicked us out. T & T are not a threat. But watch out with Paraguay, if England or Sweden need a victory in the last round against Paraguay to advance to the last 16, they may not get it.

[SwedeChildO'Mine]

Sweden & England play each other last round of group stage so your theory has already fallen. 

[badapple81]

Eriksson to vacate post after World Cup

Sven-Goran Eriksson is to step down as England head coach after the World Cup.

The sensational announcement followed a day of intense negotiation between the Swede and Football Association chief executive Brian Barwick.


The FA confirmed that once England have competed in the World Cup finals in June and July, Eriksson will part company with the national side, two years before his contract was due to expire.

It follows successive weekends of damaging revelations in the News of the World, who duped Eriksson and his advisers into believing an undercover reporter was a rich Arab sheikh who wanted to give the Swede a new job.

A statement on the FA's official website said: 'The FA can confirm that Sven-Goran Eriksson will leave his post as England head coach after the World Cup in Germany.

'FA chief executive Brian Barwick reached agreement with Sven and his advisors after discussions today.'

Barwick said: 'The FA and Sven felt it was important to clarify his future. This is for the benefit of everyone connected with English football, especially the fans.

'There has been so much speculation surrounding this matter in recent weeks and months, it was important to resolve it now.

'This is the right outcome and I would like to thank Sven and his advisors for their tremendous co-operation.

'As I have said before, our main objective is giving Sven and the England team the best chance of achieving success at the World Cup.

'Sven is definitely the man to lead us in Germany.

'Now is the time for everyone to get behind the team as we prepare for a tournament that presents us with a genuine chance of success.'

Eriksson said: 'I am happy that we have reached this agreement and can now continue our preparations for the World Cup.

'I know that I have the full support of the players and the FA and it is important to stress to everyone just how committed I am to achieving success this summer.

'I care passionately about this job and I want everyone to know that. I have always enjoyed the incredible support of the fans and I know how important they will be to us in Germany.

'This summer is the culmination of everything we have been working towards over the last five years. Let's go and win the World Cup.' 

www.soccernet.com

[Jim]

Interesting list. How come Mexico and USA are at shared 7th position, while Italy for example is only 12th?

Because they're part of America. Therefore, while teams like England and the like are playing 85% of what makes up the best teams in the world in the Europeon Cup, the American teams are able to desimate what little resiliance they come up against...

Bear that in mind of who they meet in qualification for the world cup, and take into account that competetive wins and the like all come into the equation, and you'll see why teams like the 2 that you mentioned are placed so highly...

Also, an easy (well, easier) run of matches at a Championship that takes you to something around the quarters or above can shoot you up the table.

Don't read too much into it though. The FIFA rankings mean nothing outside of who is number 1...

But we all knew that anyway. 

[SwedeChildO'Mine]

So, lets express your speculations about group C.

After a quick look, my mind just says that Holland and Argentina should move on. But when you look at the other two teams; Ivory Coast and Serbia & Montenegro. These ain't teams that you just put your shoes on the field and crush. IC has showed in ACN that they're a team who doesn't have the "Africa weak point", the defense. And SM only let on goal in in the WCQ, that's shows your defense is class.

But with all respect for IC & SM, who really are 2 good teams, Holland and Argentina are too good and will advance.

Am I wrong or is there a point in my theory - express your thoughts in this thread.

[Sweet s]

I'm hoping England do play Germany I think they would meet in the quater finals it would be great to knock out the germans on their home patch

[Communist China]

POT ONE (SEEDS)
Germany (hosts)
Brazil (holders)
Argentina
England
France
Italy
Mexico
Spain

POT TWO
Australia
Angola
Ghana
Ivory Coast
Togo
Tunisia
Ecuador
Paraguay

POT THREE
Croatia
Czech Republic
Netherlands
Poland
Portugal
Sweden
Switzerland
Ukraine

POT FOUR
Iran
Japan
Saudi Arabia
South Korea
Costa Rica
Trinidad & Tobago
USA

Special pot: Serbia & Montenegro



/jarmo

I need about four hits of pot to watch a soccer game, so this should work out well. Just kidding.

[Mr. Dick Purple]

Wednesday the whole A group lost
Ecuador lost against Holland 1 to 0
Costa Rica lost to Iran 3 to 2
Germany lost to Italy 4 to 1
Poland lost to USA 1 to 0

Man I think Ecuador and Costa rica did great but couldn't fisnish the goals situation, on the other hand Germany and Poland wasnt to great in their performance 

[CAFC Nick]

5 players to watch in the World Cup:

Wayne Rooney (Can change a game with one touch)
Lukas Podolski (Germany's ONLY hope)
Lionel Messi (Could do what Rooney did at Euro 2004)
Ronaldinho (Even though we already know alot about him)
Robinho (Small Brazillian lad with a lot of pressure and expectations weighing on his shoulders)

[Mr. Dick Purple]

I think robhino will be out of pressure cause behind him is ronaldhino, I mean just in the front you have ronaldo, robihno, ronaldhino and kaka, and Im not includin adriano thats scary 

[estebanf]

I will express my thought about the group were my country is (Argentina)

Argentina WILL defeat Ivory Coast and Holland, and will tie/draw (I don't know how ''empatar'' is in english) against Serbia And Montenegro.

Serbia will defeat Ivory Coast and Holland.

Holland will defeat Ivory coast, and lose against Argentina and Ivory Coast.

Ivory Coast will lose all three matches.

Serbia will score more goals than Argentina, so Serbia will be 1st in the group, and Argentina second. Out Holland and IC.

Argentina will face Portugal in 16/32 (Argentina, only with history, has to defeat Portugal) and Serbia will face Mexico (tough match, pronostics reserved)

That's all I can say.

About the ''5 players to watch in Germany 2006 World Cup'' I will say:

01) Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United / Portugal)
02) Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona / Argentina)
03) Kak? (AC Milan / Brazil)
04) Joaquim (Real Betis / Spain)
05) Juan Roman Riquelme (Villarreal / Spain)

who will win the world cup? who knows, hope England not  (it has to be said, I'm from Argentina)

[Sweet s]

We will see About that I think England will meet Argentina in the 1/4 Finals and I predict an England Victory

[Gizmo]

England will win!

Rooney gona get ya!!

 

[axl_rose_700]

England won't win shit, they'll scrape to the quarters and go out with a whimper

[estebanf]

We will see About that I think England will meet Argentina in the 1/4 Finals and I predict an England Victory

that's would be a nice way to conmemorate the 20th anniversary of Maradona's ''Goal of all times'' and ''The hand of god''. Same teams, same instance, same results, but 20 years after.