World Cup Thread

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Time to start a general World Cup thread, I'd say.

The draw is on Friday evening and the seedings have been decided:

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/organisati ... +procedure


Hopefully Portugal don't get too tough a group. They need to get through to beat England on penalties in the QF, just for a change.

I'd like a nice politically sensitive group or two as well. Something along the lines of Germany, Poland and Austria being together at the Euro's or USA and Iran playing each other in '98 would be ideal.

[RomaShield27]

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[Messinterista]

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Pretty dull draw, for the most part.

It's only watching the draw the made me realise how many crap teams are allowed at the World Cup.

[San Paolo]

yeah just think how crap those teams are that did not even qualify!

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So just because they qualified, North Korea are a better team than, say, Sweden?

It irks me how much harder it is for European teams to qualify than it is for teams in other qualification zones.

[Messinterista]

Its the WORLD Cup. Sure Europe is the strongest confederation in world football, but FIFA can't allocate more spots to Europe just because teams like Sweden may be better than North Korea. It won't give the smaller confederations a chance.

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[RomaShield27]

Politician calls for end to Domenech era
Open letter to French sports minister demands 'urgent' sacking of national coach

www.independent.co.uk

French politician François-Michel Gonnot has written an open letter to the Secretary of State for Sports, Rama Yade, calling for the removal "in extreme urgency" of Raymond Domenech from his position as France coach.

Domenech continues to come under fire after France slipped to another disappointing result on Wednesday night, losing 2-0 in Paris to Spain.

Following a dismal Euro 2008 campaign, which many felt should have spelt the end of Domenech's tenure, France struggled to qualify for the World Cup finals and only booked their place in South Africa thanks to a controversial play-off victory over the Republic of Ireland.

Gonnot, a deputy in President Nicolas Sarkozy's UMP party, feels Domenech must go if Les Bleus are to have any chance this summer. He wrote: "Game by game, whether it involves qualification or their preparation, Les Bleus make things worse and make fools of themselves a little more. It is clear that these players, who are among the best in all the big clubs in Europe where they play, are incapable of the smallest result as soon as they come into the France team.

"Specialists and our citizens have long understood that the responsibility comes back to Domenech. As long as he is in his post, the France team will go from disappointment to defeat."

Domenech was booed at the Stade de France and now faces fresh criticism for his team's performance. However, the coach claimed that, against such strong opponents, there was no shame. "I can see that Spain is a real favourite to win the World Cup," he said. "We know the quality of their game and their players and they showed that. On our side, there were some good sequences, but there were less good moments, and some poor passes in attack. But it took two goals from errors."

The France captain Thierry Henry said he understood why fans were jeering him after persistent booing from the home crowd during the match. "It's the same story as usual and it's not the first time I've experienced that kind of situation," he said. "I understand people were eager for us to play well against Spain and, when you don't, you have to expect being jeered at. I don't know if I deserved that but there is nothing I can do."

[Messinterista]

Isn't there rumours of Domenech joining Juve?

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[Messinterista]

Good, that prick needs to stay away from the serie a at all costs.

[RomaShield27]

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[maro]

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I know fine why FIFA have things set up as they do, with regard to letting in rubbish teams with no hope of doing anying.

I just don't agree with.

[maro]

Well, getting in the 'best' 32 teams, or whatever approximation to that one might manage, would still actually mean you had more than a dozen sides who didn't really have a hope of doing anything - they'd just not do anything not quite so conspicuously badly as the weakest teams there will.

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[maro]