World Cup 2010

[Gary]

Well the FIFA world cup is only about 6 weeks away
As a big football fan I cant wait!
Much as I'd love to see England win I dont believe they will

It'll be intresting to see what unfolds at this tournament, Spain are the favourites but will they buckle under the pressure?
Brazil arent the team they used to be but are always capable of magic.
Never write off the Germans or Italians
Holland are a strong team and could be the suprise of the competition!.
As for Argentina.....................I hope little Maradona falls flat on his face

By the way, at Ladbrokes (betting shop) I got 40-1 for Kaka to win the Golden boot!!!!!
Not bad odds for such a player (I put £5 on)

[lwd]

I find soccer just about as interesting as baseball. I count it a "good" baseball season if I don't here who played in the World Series until it's been over for at least two weeks. Unfortunatly there hasn't been a good season for a couple of years.

[Bgile]

The USA will probably never have a competitive World Cup team because it competes for attention with USA Football.

I got interested when my son started playing, and then we went to a U of Portland Women's match and I learned they were competitive nationally. Then I started watching UoP soccer fairly often (both men and women) and decided I like the women's game better. Less physical - fewer collisions with bodies laying on the field - and more finesse. Besides, I like to watch women. Then I've found that the USA is competitive internationally in women's soccer because women's sports is important here and they don't play US Football so many of the talented women athletes play soccer.

Then my son played ice hockey and the rules are similar, so I kind of learned to understand them over time.

[RF]

The USA will probably never have a competitive World Cup team because it competes for attention with USA Football.

It will compete for attention against all other sports in the US, will get media exposure and as soon as there is money to be made from it soccer will grow into big business in the US. Then you will have a competitive US World Cup team.

All part of the process of ''globalisation.''

[Kyler]

The US will have competitive men's soccer team in the future. US men's soccer has come a long way in the last few decades.

I think in 20 years the US will have consistently one of the best teams in the world, and will be in constant contention for
the championship of the World Cup after that. Soccer is the fastest growing sport with kids both boys and girls in the US.
As the younger generations develop over time, the US will produce better and better soccer players.

[Gary]

I do agree that Soccer is predominately a female sport in the USA

As you can see, Women are certainly fans of the sport too!

http://acidcow.com/pics/1496-female-foo ... -pics.html

[RF]

One thing that will develop in the future of soccer is that there will be far more women players rather than simply fans, particulary in Britain once the old male stereotype attitudes about women footballers disappear. I think this will be good for the sport and the community in general as womens football will help break down the sectarian divide that has featured in the male sport in Britain over the last fifty to sixty years - by that I mean not so much the local team rivalry but the anti-social behaviour and violence caused by the macho petty tribalism of social inadequates who pose as football ''supporters.''

[Kyler]

We have a fairly international group of people on this website, does anyone have predictions for the World Cup starting next week.

I would like to see a couple of things, the USA get into the second round, and England win the World Cup.

[Bgile]

I'm afraid I don't have much interest in the World Cup. It would be more interesting to me if I followed Soccer more and if the USA had any chance to compete at a high level.

My city is getting a pro club in the near future, but I'm not even all that interested in that. I'm afraid I'm not much of a sports fan ... if I was going to watch something in person it would probably be the University of Portland Women's team. They are competitive at the national level, I like the kids there and I enjoy the women's game more than the men's.

[José M. Rico]

Kyler, I have just merged your thread with a previous one.

As for England, well, with Capello as coach it will be a very difficult team to beat, I think they will go far.
I hope Spain reaches at least the semifinals.

[RF]

As for England, well, with Capello as coach it will be a very difficult team to beat, I think they will go far.

We shall see......and guage the reaction north of the border, particulary with one certain tennis player and the approach of Wimbledon.....

[Gary]

Thats why I'll never cheer for the certain tennis player RF.
He's a typical Scot, if he wants "anyone but England" to win then thats fine.
As long as he knows that the feelings mutual!

I remember when England were knocked out of Euro 2004 and Sky Sports showed clips of pubs in Birmingham, London, Manchester, Newcastle etc etc where the fans were devastated.
Then it showed a Glasgow pub where all the people were jumping for joy as if they'd won the lottery!
I sometimes wonder if Scots would rather see England lose than their own team win!

Rant over


(P.S - Rio Ferdinand will be a big miss )

[RF]

Thats why I'll never cheer for the certain tennis player RF.
He's a typical Scot, if he wants "anyone but England" to win then thats fine.
As long as he knows that the feelings mutual!

(P.S - Rio Ferdinand will be a big miss )

Unfortunately most of the (largely) female tennis fans and groupies at Wimbledon aren't football supporters and will cheer on Mr Murray whatever he does.

As for the Scots in general, the comments made by Alex Salmond four years ago about Scots getting behind the English football team were far more constructive.

[José M. Rico]

England 1 - 1 USA

Tomorrow is Germany's turn.

[Karl Heidenreich]

Let's hope that Germany made a decent presentation tomorrow, I have seen it champion only twice, in 1974 and 1990 but have seen also the disastrous finals against Italy and Argentina.

For the time being sad on F1 at Canada, Mercedes did pretty bad in the classification and very concerned at Le Mans and with hopes for Audi or the Lolas.