2010 World Cup

[GameMisconduct]

This Cameroon/Denmark game is what I have been waiting for. Wide open play, scoring chances every few minutes. Its great!

[TooLiveBrew]

So, yeah. France.

France's players refused to train on Sunday following an on-pitch row between captain Patrice Evra and fitness coach Robert Duverne.

 

The public training session was about to begin when coach Raymond Domenech had to separate Evra and Duverne. Following the incident, the squad left the pitch and walked towards the bus. The French Football Federation's managing director subsequently quit, leaving France in crisis a day after striker Nicolas Anelka's was sent home.

 

Earlier on Sunday, coach Raymond Domenech had played down his row with Anelka and insisted the exiled striker could have stayed with the French team had he apologised. Anelka was sent home after verbally insulting Domenech during the defeat by Mexico which has left France unlikely to qualify for the last 16.

 

"I had another chat with him and left open the possibility for him to apologise," said the 57-year-old. "[That was] something which he did not want to do." Chelsea forward Anelka was substituted after reportedly insulting Domenech after the coach criticised him for straying out of position during the goalless first half of last Thursday's 2-0 defeat. But Domenech insisted the incident could have been dealt with without such damaging repercussions, had a leak to the media not escalated the problem.

 

"People cannot imagine the pressure," said Domenech, who took France to the final of the last World Cup in 2006. "We are in a dressing room, the coach says something to a player who is already under pressure, he can react angrily, and with strong words. He did not react in the most suitable fashion. But it was just a guy sitting in his corner and muttering - that would not have mattered had it stayed there. What was important was that it made the front page of a newspaper, and that exposes the internal life of the squad." He continued: "I sorted out the problem internally, and as far as I was concerned it was done and dusted. [but] the decision to exclude him was the right one. I am sorry for the children for whom the French team represents something. Anelka does not have the right to say such things."

 

Anelka's Chelsea team-mate John Terry, who is playing for England in South Africa, said he disagreed with the decision of the French Football Federation to send the former Arsenal and Real Madrid player home. "As a person, you won't find a better man in football," he said. "He's someone who's very quiet, obviously he's been in the game a long time, and he knows his football. If Nico had something to say to me, I'd stand up and listen. It's obviously the wrong decision. He's a great player as well."

 

Domenech has now led France for a record number of matches but his six-year stint as coach has been consistently controversial and he will be replaced by out-going Bordeaux boss Laurent Blanc once their World Cup is over. That will happen on Tuesday, unless they convincingly beat hosts South Africa in their final Group A encounter - and Uruguay and Mexico do not draw the other match.

Link

 

What an unbelievable mess.

 

 

"But it was just a guy sitting in his corner and muttering - that would not have mattered had it stayed there. What was important was that it made the front page of a newspaper, and that exposes the internal life of the squad."

...

"[but] the decision to exclude him was the right one. I am sorry for the children for whom the French team represents something. Anelka does not have the right to say such things."

 

So... it totally wasn't a big deal, and would have just blown over. But the press got wind of it, so OMGOMGOMG send him home! Won't someone please think of the children! *eye roll*

[M Skjellyfetti]

I really can't stand Alexi Lalas (post 1990's) and all the other announcers, particularly their whining about Kaka's red card. If the referee had truly believed the IC player had been hit in the face, Kaka would have gotten a straight red, not a second yellow. The grabbing of the face clearly did not influence the referees decision. But an elbow to the chest off the ball and nowhere near the play is completely unnecessary and definitely deserving of a yellow card for unsporting behavior. I really wish the announcers and commentators understood the laws of the game.

[Funketown]

I really can't stand Alexi Lalas (post 1990's) and all the other announcers, particularly their whining about Kaka's red card. If the referee had truly believed the IC player had been hit in the face, Kaka would have gotten a straight red, not a second yellow. The grabbing of the face clearly did not influence the referees decision. But an elbow to the chest off the ball and nowhere near the play is completely unnecessary and definitely deserving of a yellow card for unsporting behavior. I really wish the announcers and commentators understood the laws of the game.

I didn't hear that, but I thought it was worthy of a yellow as well.

 

As a hockey fan, I really wish there were greater consequences for diving and acting in soccer. Over the last few months, I've really grown to love watching soccer; it really is an awesome game. The one thing I just can't stand though is the diving and acting. I almost wish officials could review matches and give players yellow cards after the game for making fools of themselves. Heck, I see why they do it, and if the incentives for acting that way were present in any other sport, the same behavior would take place most likely. It just really annoys me.

 

On Lalas, I do enjoy his biased angry/nonsensical rants sometimes, but there are far too many times when he just needs to shut his mouth. He seems to be better fit to be a gridiron football announcer/talking head. However, I don't think he's taking many soccer fans away from the television set, and some of the same people who enjoy the NFL talking heads (whose names I do not know) certainly might enjoy listening to Lalas spout off.

 

That Italy-New Zealand game was quite a stunner. A couple of exceptional saves by NZ's keeper in the second half. If Italy aren't able to take down Slovakia, things could get very interesting.

[tigerbrew]

Wow, New Zealand holds Italy to a tie, and the Kiwis could have won it if not for a dubious penalty given to Italy.

 

Major kudos to New Zealand for this incredible result.

[Tedaldtada]

Just saw the Portugal highlights. Pretty, pretty, pretty nice.

[hawing]

Riding the bus in to work this morning, the bus driver used his intercom to give an update on the Portugal-North Korea score, adding "how North Korea got in I'll never know."

[TooLiveBrew]

FIFA drops Coulibaly from World Cup

Controversial referee Koman Coulibaly was left off FIFA’s list for the next batch of World Cup matches following the error that cost the United States a victory against Slovenia.

...

FIFA confirmed yesterday that Coulibaly will not play any part in Tuesday or Wednesday’s matches, which will include Team USA’s critical Group C finale against Algeria.

 

Instead, as they step into the arena of Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Wednesday with their World Cup life at stake, the Americans will be officiated by a man who has just witnessed a combat far more brutal than any game in the tournament.

 

Belgian referee Frank De Bleeckere will prepare himself for the occasion by watching a DVD of the movie “Gladiator” before taking center stage in a game that decides the USA’s destiny – with a victory guaranteed to put the Americans through to the last 16.

 

FIFA deliberately assigned De Bleeckere, a highly experienced and respected referee, to this game in response to the storm of controversy that came after the United States’ 2-2 draw with Slovenia. De Bleeckere has been in charge of big matches many times in the past, most notably a Champions League clash between Chelsea and Barcelona in 2006 which came a year after a pair of explosive matches between those teams.

 

“I don’t look at reputation or anything that has gone before,” De Bleeckere said. “I will watch the previous games of USA and Algeria to help me understand their tactics and work on my positioning. But I will watch ‘Gladiator’ first.”

I don't think I've seen anyone place so much importance on Gladiator since Ralphie Cifaretto on The Sopranos

 

Another odd tidbit:

Referees at the tournament have come under heavy criticism after a series of bad calls compounded by a stubborn refusal to explain their actions publicly. On Monday, the FIFA Referee Committee tried to go on a charm offensive by inviting the media to an open day but totally defeated the object of the exercise by refusing to answer questions about specific decisions.

[Roscoe Chill]

Anyone have any opinions on the Denmark-Japan game?

 

Denmark needs a win to advance, and if they do they will play in the next round next Tuesday...when I'll just happen to be in Copenhagen. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[TooLiveBrew]

Robben could return for Thursday's match v. Cameroon

"I am going to leave him to make the decision," said [Netherlands coach Bert] Van Marwijk. "He knows his own body best and he will let me know when he is ready."

[ILuvDaBush]

A player's coach. And while it is remarkable that the victory-fated Oranje have weathered their group without their top 2 players (Robben/Van Persie...wait, Van Persie has played both matches? I demand visual confirmation!), they have in 20/20 hindsight been given the goldenest of roads to the knockout rounds (which is best illustrated by them being the first to advance).

 

Also, is anyone else excited about the SoKo v Nigeria match? SoKo wins and they're in (unless Greece beats a pissed off Messi...hardly).

[Dnye23]

As of 6/22

 

IN:

Uruguay

Mexico

Argentina

South Korea

 

OUT:

South Africa

France

Greece

Nigeria

[Funketown]

Although they didn't advance, I was happy to see Bafana Bafana go out in style, with a win that I'm sure everybody outside France (and maybe some in France, at this point) enjoyed.

[ILuvDaBush]

Drick.... Actually the Dutch were the first team to advance and the Bras-burners have also punched the Knockout ticket.

 

And I was quite right about the SoKo match. DAMN! Today's matches, however, are the most anticipated since...the last two for the US? I love the World Cup. But seriously, has anyone seen Robbie Van Persie? Did he get kidnapped by Somali pirates? Is he circumnavigating the globe? Is he wooing Mrs. Arjen Robben behind the "injured, but only according to Arjen...so we'll keep it air-quoted" midfielder's back? I don't know which is the bigger Oranje phantom, Van Persie's presence or Arjen's injury. And yet, they were the first procurers of the Golden Ticket.

 

As for today's US game, I really think Altidore is going to score at least once. And even if Donovan puts on a Barcelona Messi-type performance, if we lose, he will never be considered the greatest to ever don the ugly American sash. No pressure, kid.

[Menotti80]

i think altidore is sick, but is going to play through it. this makes me doubt he will score.

 

only 8 minutes until game time!

[RyDogg66]

This sport keeps shooting itself in the foot. Goals are so hard to come by, and any chance the officials get the wave off a borderline goal.

[stoutdude04]

The US had another good goal taken away?

[sheethead]

I try to like the sport, mainly because I respect the athletes so much. But FIFA is an awful organization. No wonder hooligans brawl, and people sound vuvuzelas the entire game. Its too painful to pay complete attention to the game.

 

Score or go home, I'm on the fence as to what I want to happen.

[Worm8181]

goal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

USA scores in extra time

[Funketown]

HOLD THIS LEAD!

[RyDogg66]

So is that a real goal?

[sheethead]

So is that a real goal?

They will disallow the goal later tonight.

[gobrew23]

WOW... so glad I got to watch the last 20 minutes!!!

[Menotti80]

i forgot to DVR this morning, but i think i was able to DVR the game via my work computer. This better have worked!!!

[Funketown]

That was awesome, but I think I scared my neighbors living below me and I definitely took some skin off my elbow in celebration.

 

Excited to watch the Ghana game now. They're my second favorite national team, so I'm hoping for a Ghana win and a Serbia win. I'm just happy the U.S. is through though.