The World Cup

[TheWizard]

Tottenham's Michael Dawson has been called into England's World Cup squad as a standby.

The 22-year-old defender replaces Charlton's Luke Young, who withdrew after injuring his ankle in training.

The uncapped Dawson helped Spurs to fifth position in the Premiership and a place in next season's Uefa Cup.

It is the first time Sven-Goran Eriksson has selected the former Nottingham Forest defender but he has been a regular at Under-21 level.

Dawson will join his new international team-mates when they meet up in Watford on Monday.

[depressed beyond tablets]

It's a bit unfair on Rooney saying England are shagged without him (de papers). I seem to remember him having a few anonymous displays against good European opposition (A.C. Milan for one). He's good but is still a confidence player like most.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Gerrard is our key player, I think- provided he doesn't get cramp

After seeing what happened last time he got cramp I think we should deliberately cripple him- it seems to bring about his best play!

[Mr. Analytical]

I wouldn't be surprised if Rooney did make an appearance at the WC.  The papers are eternally going on about how he's healing faster than expected and he's evidently putting in the effort to keep fit while injured (unlike Beckham who spent months going to parties and eating chips).

But even without him, it should be an interesting WC.

COME ON TIM... um... I mean ENGLAND!

[SetToStun]

This Serie A match-fixing scandal could take a lot of pressure off them as well, and might even bring the players together.

I don't know how the rules work on this - if any Serie A players are implicated, will they be banned from the tournament? I can't imagine there's enough time for an enquiry and verdicts before the WC kicks off but I can imagine FIFA getting positively twitchy about the potential backlash should Italy either do extremely well or crash out unexpectedly. Then again, I must admit to being woefully ignorant of football politics.

[Carlos Tevez]

Spot on.  Apparently some bookies are still giving odds of 11-1 for Argentina to win the World Cup.

Which bookies? I might stick a bet on.

[aaaaaaaaaargh!]

Spot on.  Apparently some bookies are still giving odds of 11-1 for Argentina to win the World Cup.

Which bookies? I might stick a bet on.

Quite good odds considering I saw odds of 12-1 of Theo Walcott scoring in the World Cup final

[depressed beyond tablets]

I'd say Germany will win it. Anyone know the odds?

[Tokyo Sexwhale]

World Cup planner/predictor for Excel downloadable from here:

http://www.excely.com/world-cup-2006.html

[The Duck Man]

I'd say Germany will win it. Anyone know the odds?

Very long. Even with home advantage, Germany are cack.

[TheWizard]

Some interesting stuff I found when reading about the FIFA World rankings and the much better ELO ones.

Romania are the Unofficial World Champions. No, really!

See also
http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/nasazzibaton.html
http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/virtualwc.html

[wheatgod]

A window into another, twisted universe, where the English hold no hope.

[hands cold, liver warm]

we shall fight them on the beaches

[depressed beyond tablets]

He's wearing the new Adidas "Potator"

[ccbaxter]

Well, it was a nice dream, but it's all over for another four years, I'm afraid, folks.
Having worked so well for 'Boro, then the Vermin, now the whole country gets to benefit from the power of the bok...
Thanks a lot, FA, thanks a fucking lot...

The Times (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/articl...2194653,00.html) says

THE Football Association may be tempting fate by planning an England World Cup victory parade that will culminate in tea with the Queen at Buckingham Palace. The Times has learnt that the Queen, after overtures from the FA, will make time in her diary for a reception should David Beckham return with an all-conquering team after the final on July 9.

Ignoring superstition, the FA has for weeks had officials working full-time on the logistics of an open-top bus drive through Central London, using the same route as the victorious England rugby union team, whose World Cup heroics in Australia in 2003 brought one million people on to the streets of the capital.

The FA, which has been liaising with the police and Westminster Council over road closures, estimates that that figure would be more than doubled if England's footballers become champions of the world for the first time since 1966. July 11 has been pencilled in for the celebration.

More than 75,000 turned up at Luton airport in 1990 to greet the England team managed by Sir Bobby Robson when they returned from Italy after losing on penalties in the semi-finals against West Germany. If England prevail in Berlin this summer, the sheer size of the victory operation is one of the reasons why some of Tony Blair's advisers want him to make the day a public holiday, but not to announce it until after the trophy is held aloft by Beckham, the captain.

"We would not want to risk our chances by doing anything which sounds too presumptuous beforehand," one source said.

The holiday would also apply to Scotland, even though some fans there may be tempted to support whoever England are playing against.

Because he wants to be the next Prime Minister and will need the support of millions in England to fulfil that ambition, Gordon Brown, the Chancellor, has declared that he wants England to win the World Cup. "Gordon would insist the holiday applied in Scotland," a source close to the Chancellor, who revealed at the weekend that one of his best football memories was the goal that Paul Gascoigne scored for England against Scotland in Euro 96, said.

The Queen would not be the only member of the Royal Family to give the team the seal of approval of the House of Windsor. Prince William, the president of the FA and an ardent Aston Villa fan, will attend a match early in the competition. If England reach the final, plans are being made — subject to his schedule at Sandhurst — for him to be in Germany for the match.

Blair and Brown — and a clutch of Ministers with an eye on their majorities — may be on the same flight as the Prince, whose brother, Harry, may also seek a pass-out from Army duties. Even the Prince of Wales, who is more at home on the polo pitch than the football field, would do his best to attend.

The parade, which would involve Marble Arch, Regent Street, Haymarket and Trafalgar Square, could not be in starker contrast to 1966. Then, a few thousand gathered for an impromptu parade as the coach carrying the team returned along Edgware Road. Harold Wilson, the Prime Minister at the time, popped over to their hotel to offer a few words of congratulation.

The FA has decided to be low-key in public about the detailed planning going on behind the scenes, mindful of what happened to Arsenal last week. Islington Council put up signs giving details of a victory parade before the Champions League final against Barcelona, only for Arsenal to lose 2-1.

Adrian Bevington, the director of communications at the FA, said: "We have no comment to make on any such plans. Our priority is to achieve success on the pitch in Germany. We certainly would not want to start tempting fate discussing any plans we may or may not have."

There is no such hesitation by Germany. The host nation is so confident of success that the German football federation has booked hotel rooms in Berlin for use after the final.

[Mr. Analytical]

Those FIFA ranking things are insane.  I can't think of any rationale for the bloody yanks being rated higher than us.

[chav]

Let's be fair, you couldn't arrange a parade with up to a million attendees in two days. Or, should England win the cup, would you prefer a parade, say, two months afterwards?

"Because he wants to be the next Prime Minister and will need the support of millions in England to fulfil that ambition, Gordon Brown, the Chancellor, has declared that he wants England to win the World Cup."

Oh shut up. Remember that the electorate gets no say on who is PM. Frankly, the status of his support for the England team or otherwise would be last on my list of "things to rate a Prime Minister by".

[rjd2]

None of the Italian players have much to worry about except Buffon. Apparently Buffon put money on football games which was made illegal a year ago or so, however if Buffon can prove he put the bets on before it was illegal he will be fine if not he is in serious trouble. Germany will overwhelm a lot of teams due to home advantage and we All know that Ballack can win you a game on his own, however when they come up against the best sides in the later rounds their defense will be torn apart, it looks really poor and any team whose defenses lynch pin is Robert Huth isn't going to win the world cup. The rest of the defense is even slower!
I really am beginning to warm to England win it we know they apart from the noble exception of perennial under achiever Spain they are the biggest bottlers in football but their group is a cake walk and should they top it which they can they met nobody of any genuine quality till the quarters. I really think if Argentina get through that group unscathed they will be the best team about BUT the game against the Ivory Coast is the one that terrifies me. The Ivory Coast are really good look at the players, Zakora is a monster{well done spurs if you get him} the Toure brothers Eboue and I would fancy Drogba to roast Ayala any day of the week.

[Purple Tentacle]

Are England matches being shown anywhere public in London, Hyde Park, Trafalgar Square, etc?

[depressed beyond tablets]

If England were to win, the victory parade would be an ideal place for one of those crazy-ass bombings.

Germany all the way!!! :)

[imitationleather]

I got caught up in the rugby parade in 2003 while on my way to college. It was absolute sodding Hell on earth, and since football is better and more popular than rugby I can only imagine the victory parade in July (not that it's going to happen or anything) will be like it but multiplied by about a thousand.

My tip for the day: If there's a parade definitely don't do anything crazy like go along.

[hoverdonkey]

Probably get a better view from my flat in Kingston

[Rolodex Propaganda]

Edit: Oops, missed the other thread.

[the midnight watch baboon]

England B team v Belarus Thurs 25th:

James

Hargreaves
Carragher
Campbell
A Cole

Lennon
Jenas
Carrick
Downing

Crouch
Owen


Walcott's sub.

[Rolodex Propaganda]

For christ sake. I would be going to that game if it wasn't for Reading's stupid website that doesn't work properly.

[Peking O]

Those FIFA ranking things are insane.  I can't think of any rationale for the bloody yanks being rated higher than us.

"That's my colour coding, not FIFA's, you won't find that with FIFA, just with me."

The yank team are pretty good, although they're in a difficult group. An Italian-American friend of mine still hasn't worked out who to support in the USA vs. Italy match.

[the midnight watch baboon]

I have noticed that the Englan dteam for tomorrow night, with the exception of the strikers, has a vowel as the second letter of their surname. I don't know why I 've noticed this, or why I've shared my Rain Man-esque thought processes with everyone.

[Purple Tentacle]

Are England matches being shown anywhere public in London, Hyde Park, Trafalgar Square, etc?

Sorry to be a right cunt, but does anybody know the answer to this?

I ask because I really really really fancy a nice sunny grassy field watching football with loads of other people, in the sun, without being compressed into a small pub.

[hoverdonkey]

It's a grand idea Purple, and has potential for a mini-meet, but I know of nowhere

[Sovereign]

Are England matches being shown anywhere public in London, Hyde Park, Trafalgar Square, etc?

Sorry to be a right cunt, but does anybody know the answer to this?

I ask because I really really really fancy a nice sunny grassy field watching football with loads of other people, in the sun, without being compressed into a small pub.

they're putting the England - Paraguay game on a big screen at Donnington festival this year, which is bad news for Alice in Chains but great news for me! 50,000 people at the festival, I reckon at least 8,000 are gonna be watching, that'll be a real atmosphere.