I respect your opinion, but these useless f**kers have already failed (miserably) in the last two major comps. When it comes to the crunch, most of them are gutless.
Put your money on Holland.
There's a pretty impressive linear regression analysis (rsquared value 0.72) ...
Yeah, I was gonna make that point, but you beat me to it ... 
I see they're dropping like flies.
Mikkel, Essien, Ferdinand, maybe Drogba, maybe Robben, that New Zealannd bloke and also a couple of others.
Why do they have friendlies with other teams who have qualified? It doesn't make sense to me.
Quote: bigfella @ June 6 2010, 11:36 AM BSTOn those prices I'd go for Germany. Or Portugal.
I don't think Portugal or France will get through the group stage.
Quote: catskillz @ June 5 2010, 10:34 PM BSTCole? Rooney said he thinks Cole is more skilful than him, last year.
Ashley?
It looks like the pub down the road will be opening early to carry the matches. Maybe I'll pop down there next weekend to watch the U.S. and England kick a little ball around for a few hours.
Who said proper football would never catch on in the States? I bet some of your own American football fans will be puzzled to see other nations playing in the world cup, what will they make of it? Maybe as the obligitory Anglo/Europhile you can explain to them how this world series thing works in foreign lands.
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ June 7 2010, 2:30 AM BSTWho said proper football would never catch on in the States?
I wouldn't go that far just yet. It's a popular sport for pre-teen kids, but interest falls off amongst adults. One exception would be our Mexican "visitors" but they follow Mexican teams.
I'll bet that 95% of American adults couldn't name a single player on the American team at this moment. The World Cup will draw a little interest for a couple of weeks, but nothing like other major sports in this country.
What an extraordinary land you live in!
England's training game is on live now, if anyone's bothered. 1-0 at half-time. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/matches/friendlies/
Dan
Those horns are gonna be annoying.
They are. Maybe not quite as annoying as two-thirds of the group games being in work time, mind.
Dan
Yes, I'm only gonna get to watch a third of the games in the week. It's a joke.
My kids and I are so excited for the World Cup! Now I just have to decide who to cheer for on Saturday...
Quote: don rushmore @ June 6 2010, 6:42 PM BSTI respect your opinion, but these useless f**kers have already failed (miserably) in the last two major comps. When it comes to the crunch, most of them are gutless.
Put your money on Holland.
I'm backing Spain. They're European Champions, but the thing that most impresses me about them is the fact that, amazingly, they've never felt the need to give Everton's 28-year-old star player, Mikel Arteta, a single cap, even though he was voted the Premiership's Midfielder of the Year in 2006, by the readers of Sky Sports Magazine, beating Christiano Ronaldo, and was ranked the sixth best player in the Premiership in 2007, by the ACTIM Index (whatever that is).
It's interesting to note that the favourites often don't always do as well as you'd expect. Spain have been to 12 World Cups and have made just 4 quarter-finals. There best result came in 1950 when they finsihed fourth. Brazil meanwhile have gone out at the quarters or earlier at 4 of the last 7 World Cups despite all their victories.
England have been tipped to reach the semis where they'd probably meet Brazil and it has been 72 years since the South Americans lost a one-off semi-final match. For that reason I wouldn't get your hopes up.
Quote: catskillz @ June 7 2010, 11:39 PM BSTACTIM Index (whatever that is).
Looks like a load of pseudo statistical bollox to me . .
I'm backing Spain.
I like Spain, but odds of around 4/1 are far too short for me.
I think a better 'value' bet is Villa (8/1) or Torres (12/1) to be top goalscorer.