The (Almost) Offical World Cup Thread and Bar

WharfedaleTiger · Post by **WharfedaleTiger** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 7:17 pm

*Pors another guiness and sneakerly draws a football in the head...*
I can see you point about football, to be honest I find very little intrest in the Prem these days, I'll still go to see the Reds but thats about it. And watch England of course.

redtiger · Post by **redtiger** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 4:43 pm

Kinoulton wrote:
BelperJon wrote:Nice clue, Kinny but you're 15 months too early with it.
For me, it's like blondes and brunettes. I may have a preference, but it's twice as much fun enjoying looking at both.

does anyone like gingers?? i love my gingers at the moment

dailywaffle · Post by **dailywaffle** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 7:38 pm

RoyalBlueStuey wrote:How is it possible to dislike footy...I can see how some weirdos just hate all competitive sports but if you are a sports fan then you must see the appeal of the game of footy surely. I can see how people can prefer rugby but footy is such a frenteic but graceful game.

I used to love footy. I was a season ticket holder at the Rams, with my dad, way back when they won the 2nd division with some cocky young manager called Brian Clough, and followed the round ball game for many years. And, to be sure, I am looking forward to the World Cup.

But, like others have posted, the fun just seems to have gone out of it for me. The endemic cheating, which is not only tolerated but encouraged, has ruined what should be a beautiful game. You only have to watch programmes like last nights 'top 50 world cup goals ever' (or whatever it was called) to realise how fantastic a game it can be. I still think the Alberto goal (came number 1 as well) for Brazil against Italy is one of the most sublime examples of sporting excellence, ever. And I picked the top 3 !

But these fleeting glimpses are overshadowed by the referee's complete inability to control cheating. I am sick and tired of seeing goals scored from very dodgy free kicks, when by rights the prostrate attacker should have been yellow or red carded. England, sadly, are as good at cheating as anyone.

I will watch ... but the game truly has been ruined.

scouse tiger · Post by **scouse tiger** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 8:05 pm

Firstly I love watching both football and rugby, but I think 'cheating' has always been present in every sport.

Secondly, specifcally thinking of football now , I believe the catalyst for the endemic cheating (especially diving) in football has come about by the governing bodies fumbled attempts to try to 'protect' so called skillfull players over the last 15 years, whereby its now so easy to get opponents booked and sent off that its is an incentive for these 'skillfull' players do dive at the slightest contact. Can only see it getting worse, even now the refs are being told to be even stricter to protect the skilfull players in this world cup, can only see this ending in more attempts to con the ref.

Also heard a rumour recently they are trying to ban one footed sliding tackles, next it will be no tackling at all - got to let these skilfull players show their art you know !!!! Will end up like a game of subuetteo.

PS Whose round is it ?

WharfedaleTiger · Post by **WharfedaleTiger** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 9:03 pm

Yours!

And your right, in the old days a defender would just hack there legs, now days you have to tackle them. and these new ball don't help either.

4 · Post by 4 » Thu Jun 08, 2006 9:22 pm

I think if we started the world cup with straight reds for talking back to the referee we would make a real step forward. zero tollerance. just straight off. the first ref that did it would get attacked by the players, but it would set a precident and it would create some respect int he game. then perhaps from that platform we could sort some of the other few million issues with football out. the world cup is the best place to begin to implement this - everyone is watching. sadly Seb Platter is more interested in removing 2 teams from the french italian german and english leagues to fit more :censored: in like the world club cup. its gives me strength to knwo that fifa is ran by people jsut as, if not more, incompetent and self interested than the leaders of rugby.

yep its your round scouse t, I'll have a pint of guinness, even if it is far too popular and comercial.

cheers

Kinoulton · Post by **Kinoulton** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 9:09 am

To cure the games ills:

Yes, red card for any dissent towards the ref;

Fast track recently retired TOP players to referee the Premier and internationals. They'd want paying well, but when you consider the Championship play-offs was worth over £30,000,000, surely it's worth the top teams coughing up.

Kinoulton · Post by **Kinoulton** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 1:12 pm

That rule is hardly ever used. A few refs used it when it was introduced but it's fallen into disuse.

A great many years ago, I read an article by a football expert who said that under the rules of the game, a referee could do what he liked with free kicks.

So for instance, if a player was running towards the area and the last man trips him up, then all he gets at the moment is a free kick and his advantage is lost because:

(a) he was probably going to go deep into the area and shoot from close range, whereas now someone's got to shoot from at least 20 yards with a wall to beat;

(b) the option of squaring the ball to a team mate having a clear run is also gone because of all the defenders in place.

This expert was saying that the ref can award the free kick and tell all the defenders (probably except the keeper) to clear off to the other end of the pitch, re-creating the original situation only making it slightly better because the last defender isn't there any more.

Apparently if the "powers that be" want refs to do this, it wouldn't require a rule change.

wellbutthatcouldbe · Post by **wellbutthatcouldbe** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 2:32 pm

I actually thought that the 10 yards rule penalised the attacking team more. Because walls are allowed, it can be more difficult to score a free kick from 15 yards than 25.
Incidentally I read an interview with Pele in one of the newspapers a few weeks ago. He suggested that walls should either be restricted to just one player, or outlawed all together. Taking a free kick would then be like taking a penalty except from further away.

Kinoulton · Post by **Kinoulton** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 3:15 pm

Good idea. Or maybe change the rule from 10 yards to 15 yards.

Then when a free kick was given on the edge of the box the defenders would have to be in the 6 yard box. This would make it much for viable for the attacking team to take the option of passing the ball to a colleague who could then dribble the ball forward and belt it from a shorter distance.

redtiger · Post by **redtiger** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 4:07 pm

i think free kicks have to have a wall, otherwise where do you draw the line as to where the opposition players can stand??

WharfedaleTiger · Post by **WharfedaleTiger** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 7:45 pm

25 yeards or somthing.

Iain · Post by **Iain** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 9:46 pm

There is a school of thought that a wall hinders a defending team more than helps it. It would take quite a shot from 30 yards to score from a deal ball ordinarily, but with a wall leaving the keeper slightly unsighted the task becomes slightly easier.

DCat · Post by **DCat** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 10:37 pm

Haven't read all of this thread, but have we touched on the off-side rule yet? What a load of ....... (won't annoy Iain)

dailywaffle · Post by **dailywaffle** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 11:57 pm

BelperJon wrote:It's been quiet on this thread for a day or two. Is anyone still watching the synchronized diving ... sorry, football?

You would have loved Portugal v Holland BJ !

Did anyone else see the 'who can get most guys booked' competition tonight ? Holland won that one, but Portugal (well, what's left of them) get to play England.

I like footy .... but a truly dreadful advertisement.