Is anyone excited about WorldCup 2006?

[Ronin]

Well maybe England can so a bit better than a penalty shoot out loss, but I think that would be a fools hope.

i´m sure Portugal will be there again waiting for you guys


look!...is it a star?....is it a plane?.....no...it´s a david beckam´s penalty kick

[Franconicus]

Sorry folks, but a WorldCup in Germany - only Germany can win.
Sure I will watch all games. However, I think I will not have a chance to get into one of the new stadions. I do not like the way they sell their tickets

[Al Khalifah]

I hope England do well for a change. With the quality and depth of talent in the present England squad I think they finally have the team that was always being promised in 4 years time for the past 16 years.

The problem with England is that although they claim to be unlucky in penalty shoot-outs, but look at the facts:

E 2004:
Finish 2nd in group. Lucky to reach penalty shoot-out against Portugal. Lose.
W 2002:
Finish 2nd in group - played well against Sweden for a draw, got a scrappy 1-0 win against Argentina requiring a penalty, played a boring 0-0 draw with Nigeria. Beat a poor Denmark 3-0. Played an exciting first half and then a terrible second half to crash out to Brazil 2-1.
E 2000:
Finish 3rd in group - throw away a great lead against Portugal, beat a dire Germany and then throw it away again against Romania.
W 1998:
Finish 2nd in group - beat Tunisia and Columbia easily enough, but lose to Romania. Eliminated in a gripping game against Argentina on penalties.
E 1996:
Finish **1st** in group - embarrassinly draw with Switzerland, but then beat Scotland and stuff the Netherlands. Hold on against Spain to win on a **penalty shoot out**. Lose to Germany on a penalty shoot out.

England haven't won their group since 1996 - when they were the hosts. If they can't win their group, they cannot expect to win the competition easily.

[Franconicus]

The problem with England is that although they claim to be unlucky in penalty shoot-outs.

Do not call in unlucky, call it destiny

[King Arthur]

I honestly think England have a chance to win this time. having followed England since the first world cup i remember Italia 90 (yet more penalty heartbreak)

I really feel although England fans tend to hype up the team saying 'were going to win this time' i never listened since Italia 90 when we really did have a good team.

But this time i would argue we have the best form team in the world.

Defense :On form there would be no space for Campbell and hes a fantastic defender . Terry is one of the best centre backs in the world at the moment
we also arguably have the best left back in the world Ashley Cole

Midfield :Lampard and Gerrard (champions league winning captain) are the two best midfielders in the world ,and Beckham is still the best free kick taker in the world, and Joe Cole has been playing well this year

sTRIKERS: Owen is a proven finisher , and Rooney (what can i say)

On form we are with Brazil the best team in the world and i am looking foward to 2006 Germany

[Craterus]

Defense :On form there would be no space for Campbell and hes a fantastic defender .

What?!?! No room for Campbell? I really hope you aren't thinking about Rio/Terry centre-back combination. Rio Ferdinand is nowhere near as good as Campbell, he is an overpaid, overrated player.

[Al Khalifah]

Ferdinand is nowhere near as good as Campbell, he is an overpaid, overrated player.

Get Jamie Carragher in the team. You always get 110% with him. I agree that England have the best team they have had since 1990, but that isn't enough to guarentee a World Cup.
Even the best team in a World Cup only has around a 20% chance of success (if you listen to the bookies or statisticians), which means there is 80% chance of failure.

[the Count of Flanders]

I honestly think England have a chance to win this time. having followed England since the first world cup i remember Italia 90 (yet more penalty heartbreak)

David Platt
The english were damn lucky to beat Belgium that year. DAMN LUCKY

[ShadesPanther]

Ferdinand is overrated. Carrager is much better than him. It looks like he is actually works hard for the team.
Did you see the final? He had cramp in his groin and a minute later he had to strech out his leg to stop a cross. Thats a real player.



Dislcaimer: I am not a Liverpool fan. I support Arsenal

[Louis VI the Fat]

I honestly think England have a chance to win this time.
[...]
this time i would argue we have the best form team in the world.

Yes, and I would argue that Louis IV, Jennifer Aniston and Paris Hilton would be the hottest trio in the history of sexual reproduction.

That is, let's not get our hopes up, hey?

It's the same old song again: the excitement of the Premiership has led the English to believe they must have a world-class squad. Sorry to break the news lads, but Brazil, Argentina, Portugal, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, France, Italy and Spain outclass the English almost player for player.

And dump Eriksson - he's a natural born loser. He spends more time making up excuses than thinking up a winning battle plan. Come to think of if, why don't you slip Mourinho or Rafa Benitez a few million to take over just for the World Cup? That would give England a fighting chance...


But, alas, France won't win either. The old hero's have quit, and it's too early for the new generation. My money is on yet another - oh the horror of it all - Germany/Italy vs Brazil final.

[Louis VI the Fat]

Neville

[King Arthur]

Yes, and I would argue that Louis IV, Jennifer Aniston and Paris Hilton would be the hottest trio in the history of sexual reproduction.

That is, let's not get our hopes up, hey?

It's the same old song again: the excitement of the Premiership has led the English to believe they must have a world-class squad. Sorry to break the news lads, but Brazil, Argentina, Portugal, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, France, Italy and Spain outclass the English almost player for player.

And dump Eriksson - he's a natural born loser. He spends more time making up excuses than thinking up a winning battle plan. Come to think of if, why don't you slip Mourinho or Rafa Benitez a few million to take over just for the World Cup? That would give England a fighting chance...


But, alas, France won't win either. The old hero's have quit, and it's too early for the new generation. My money is on yet another - oh the horror of it all - Germany/Italy vs Brazil final.

Honestly i never jumped on the bandwagons until now the fact is England have the best team weve had for 10 years.
In the last 4 competitions where the media and the whole nation would say, after England got through the group stages, 'were going to win it' i always now the team want good enough ,
but now undesputidly we have the best form team in the world
and no not the excitement of the premiership but the fact we had two teams in the semi finals of the chmapions league - whos most important players were all English
Carragher Gerrard
and Lampard Terry
not to mention Joe Cole

[Big_John]

do we know the draws yet? i'll have to see the groups before i can make any solid predictions. but keep an eye on the czech republic.

[King Arthur]

Sorry folks, but a WorldCup in Germany - only Germany can win.
Sure I will watch all games. However, I think I will not have a chance to get into one of the new stadions. I do not like the way they sell their tickets

Come on !!!!!!!!
Germany dont have a chance of winning look at there team apart from Ballack they are appaling.

Dont remind me of how they got to the final in 2002 .Talk about outragoius luck. Germany faced s.korea and u.s.a on the way to the final. despite loosing to engalnd in qualifying 5-1