LEN Teh Footy God's Footballodium

[Sarmatian]

It's been a few days but I think it's still worth mentioning and since no one else did...

For those who don't know, a few days age Brice Taton, a 28-year old Toulouse fan died in Hospital in Belgrade. He was attacked by group of hooligans in a pub last week, prior to Partizan - Toulouse match. Even though doctors operated on him twice, the injuries were just too great...

Brice was sitting in a pub with his friends, and wasn't even wearing Toulouse colours or any other markings that would identify him as a Toulouse fan. He was brutally attacked without provocation, beaten with a baseball bat and pushed down the stairs.

A very sad for football in general. Let's hope things like that won't happen again.

Repose au paix, Brice.

[Jolt]

I would certainly make some controversial remarks here regarding that incident. But since this is not the backroom, I'll have to stick with saying "RIP".

[InsaneApache]

Dreadful that someone should be beaten to death for following a football team. On a personal note I was at the Blackpool v Bolton match in '74 I think, when a lad was stabbed to death. A first in English football history that I wish did not involve my club.

Bill Shankley was definatley wrong.

R.I.P Brice.

[Sarmatian]

I would certainly make some controversial remarks here regarding that incident. But since this is not the backroom, I'll have to stick with saying "RIP".

Send me a pm, I'm interested to hear them. Or start a thread in the backroom.

[Louis VI the Fat]

For those who don't know, a few days age Brice Taton, a 28-year old Toulouse fan died in Hospital in Belgrade. He was attacked by group of hooligans in a pub last week, prior to Partizan - Toulouse match. Even though doctors operated on him twice, the injuries were just too great...

Brice was sitting in a pub with his friends, and wasn't even wearing Toulouse colours or any other markings that would identify him as a Toulouse fan. He was brutally attacked without provocation, beaten with a baseball bat and pushed down the stairs.

A very sad for football in general. Let's hope things like that won't happen again.

Repose au paix, Brice.

Utterly disgraceful.

He wasn't a tattooed hooligan provoking people. Just a lad having a beer in a pub, who simply spoke the wrong language at the wrong time.

What is wrong with these people?
(Well I have some ideas but here's neither the time nor the place)


The subsequent Serbian protest marches against this outrageous, heinous behaviour are a great gesture and should not remain unmentioned.

[scotchedpommes]

Tragic [and nothing that will increase my love for Partizan].

On a lighter note, it looks as though France will have a decent chance of escaping to South Africa via the play-offs. In their wisdom, and over a buffet lunch, FIFA have decided to ruin the entire process by making sure the draw is seeded. That kills off the chances of France - Germany, or anything equally tasty.

[Louis VI the Fat]

On a lighter note, it looks as though France will have a decent chance of escaping to South Africa via the play-offs. In their wisdom, and over a buffet lunch, FIFA have decided to ruin the entire process by making sure the draw is seeded. That kills off the chances of France - Germany, or anything equally tasty.

Oh my! Isn't that just wonderful! Great timing too, coming as it does just when it became clear that France will be second.

Completely unexpected this. I thought the buffet was there to celebrate the fifty-odd francophonie vote co-operation that is so important in helping FIFA presidents accomplish their dream of helping world football to the next level.


Sux to be tiny and insignificant, eh? Scotland couldn't even get England to get off it's arse to help. We, by contrast, mobilize fifty votes with a single fax.

[LittleGrizzly]

I heard about that seeding thing, its terrible... the minnows make the competition!!

I think I had more fun watching T&T in the last world cup than England... (or was that wc '02...)

[Louis VI the Fat]

Why play good football when you have fifty FIFA votes one fax away.

The statement also quoted FIFA's warning [to Serbia] that any incidents at upcoming games with Romania and Lithuania could lead to "drastically higher punishments, including the worst, which is stripping of the points in the next qualifying round."

Serbia is leading Group 7.

Go on then! Strip the buggers of some points!

[Sarmatian]

Why play good football when you have fifty FIFA votes one fax away.Go on then! Strip the buggers of some points!

Isn't it sad that just a decade or so ago you were champions of the world and now have to rely on bureaucracy to even qualify...

Isn't it sad that there's several times more money invested in Olimpique Lyon than in entire Serbian football and France still can't get ahead of Serbia...

Isn't it sad that France has 8 times the population (not even counting the ex-colonies where most of the French players come from) of Serbia and still can't get ahead.

What's with you guys? Are you born with two left legs or something like that?

[naut]

What's with you guys?

Domenech.

[edyzmedieval]

Isn't it sad that just a decade or so ago you were champions of the world and now have to rely on bureaucracy to even qualify...

Isn't it sad that there's several times more money invested in Olimpique Lyon than in entire Serbian football and France still can't get ahead of Serbia...

Isn't it sad that France has 8 times the population (not even counting the ex-colonies where most of the French players come from) of Serbia and still can't get ahead.

What's with you guys? Are you born with two left legs or something like that?

Ohhhh SNAP!

On a more serious tone, Platini is disgraceful. Who elected him at the football leadership anyways? He messed up the Champions League and UEFA Cup completely.

[scotchedpommes]

The Uefa Cashcow needs changing, though not in the way that has been done.

Other than that, something to thank that plank Rio Ferdinand for - nasvidenje Croatia.

[Jolt]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/socce...75336324_x.htm

Sweden has just lost 1-0 to Denmark, paving the way for Portugal's second place, provided they can beat Hungary.

Portugal ARE playing Hungary and (as I write this in Half-Time), are winning 1-0. So WE ARE ALMOST THERE! (Provided we can defeat Malta and whoever gets in our play-offish path)

[Afonso I of Portugal]

Yeahhh!!!!

Denmark 1 - Sweden 0

And...

Portugal 3 Hungary 0

We are second now and very close to the playoffs. All we have to do is to beat the mighty team of...Malta!!!

[scotchedpommes]

The flukey masters of jammy flukery that are Argentina. Peru equalise against this woeful excuse for a team in the 90th minute, but Argentina take the lead in the 93rd [through Martin Palermo, of all people] with an offside goal. Peru then hit the bar from the kick-off. Maradona, you lucky little fat man.

Uruguay - Argentina on Wednesday. Should be one to remember.

[Louis VI the Fat]

The flukey masters of jammy flukery that are Argentina. Peru equalise against this woeful excuse for a team in the 90th minute, but Argentina take the lead in the 93rd [through Martin Palermo, of all people] with an offside goal. Peru then hit the bar from the kick-off. Maradona, you lucky little fat man.

Uruguay - Argentina on Wednesday. Should be one to remember.

The hand of god.

Maradona has it. He really does. He'll make Argentina world champions. Not because he's a great manager, or because he'll manage to stay off the drugs for more than a week for once, but because God wants it.

[Afonso I of Portugal]

Maradona, you lucky little fat man.

[Sarmatian]

Serbia - Romania 5:0, that's what I call qualifying "in style".

Great match, no incidents, Frenchies can send faxes 'till the end of days. Bye, bye France! Please, do write and tell how it's like in the play-offs Louis, I except from you a short report of the match in this thread. Keep it brief and concise, please

Croatia's most likely out. Could it be that this is some English payback?

[Jolt]

It's also practically official.

Here's how the Play-off draw is going to be:

Seeded teams:
Portugal, France, Russia and Greece

Unseeded teams:
Slovenia, Ireland, Bosnia, Ukraine

IMO: The draw

France-Ukraine
Portugal-Ireland
Greece-Slovenia
Russia-Bosnia

[scotchedpommes]

I'd say replace Slovenia with Slovakia - the Slovaks need to win in Poland to stop them. I know, Poland's a mess right now, but the Slovaks have lost momentum themselves by bottling it at home against the Slovenes.

[Slovenia's last match is San Marino away.]

[naut]

Could it be that this is some English payback?

If by pay-back you mean Ferdinand showing his age, lack of form and lack of fitness. Then yes. (Upson should have started next to Terry).

[Afonso I of Portugal]

IMO: The draw

France-Ukraine
Portugal-Ireland
Greece-Slovenia
Russia-Bosnia

Humm, Portugal - Ireland it's ok!

First leg in Dublin!

[Afonso I of Portugal]

Serbia - Romania 5:0, that's what I call qualifying "in style".

Amazing score!

I guess edyzmedieval is breaking cars and glasses downtown Bucharest...

[LittleGrizzly]

Im hoping that Ireland face Greece im assuming they are the weaker of the first seeds... be nice to see Portugal and France knocked out... take it as a compliment I woud rather England didn't have to face them... shame the Germans made it...

[Sarmatian]

If by pay-back you mean Ferdinand showing his age, lack of form and lack of fitness. Then yes. (Upson should have started next to Terry).

Nah, I was kidding. I just have a feeling that most English aren't too unhappy with this defeat.

It's also practically official.

Here's how the Play-off draw is going to be:

Seeded teams:
Portugal, France, Russia and Greece

Unseeded teams:
Slovenia, Ireland, Bosnia, Ukraine

IMO: The draw

France-Ukraine
Portugal-Ireland
Greece-Slovenia
Russia-Bosnia

It's still open in Group 3 (Slovakia and Slovenia). From the unseeded teams, I'd say Bosnia is the most dangerous. They've got a great attack, good charismatic coach and good team chemistry. That's the team I'd be most afraid of. Greece is weakest of the seeded teams. I hope Bosnians get them. They'd make mince meat out of them.

I think no seeded teams would have been more appropriate. Groups were aready seeded and all of these teams managed to be 2nd placed. No reason to have seeded draw once again.

[scotchedpommes]

I think no seeded teams would have been more appropriate...

Of course, but FIFA wouldn't want a World Cup without France [or - possibly even more importantly - Ronaldo.]

[edyzmedieval]

Serbia - Romania 5:0, that's what I call qualifying "in style".

I never felt so ashamed in my entire life. When I looked online to check up the score, I threw my can of amazing beer outside the window. And it was a full one too.

Shameful. No other words to describe it. The whole team is a disaster. Mutu can go back and sniff coke if he keeps playing like this. Dammit man we have some expectations from you, you're a leader, behave like one!

[Afonso I of Portugal]

Of course, but FIFA wouldn't want a World Cup without France [or - possibly even more importantly - Ronaldo.]

Yep, neither without Messi...in fact i can't imagine a world cup without the two best players and both sides, Portugal and Argentina. I'm sure it will be complicated for South African organization, sponsors and all that stuff...

[Sarmatian]

Bah, many great players missed the world cup because their team didn't qualify. In fact, there hasn't been a world cup where it didn't happen, that's what WC is all about - who is the best, not who is the most popular.

We won't see some star players but some new stars would emerge. Pathetic. Teams like Argentina, France, Portugal... were already first seeded, they already had it easier in the groups. Those other teams had more difficult road cross and now they're penalized again???

I know that's how it works but I don't like it one bit... Big teams already have everything going for them, and even when they do poorly, there's FIFA to provide a needed "boost" for that one final step.