Football Thread!

[Prolet]

Euro 2012 Seeds

Pot One: Spain, Germany, Holland, Italy, England, Croatia, Portugal, France, Russia.

Pot Two: Greece, Czech Republic, Sweden, Switzerland, Serbia, Turkey, Denmark, Slovakia, Romania.

Pot Three: Israel, Bulgaria, Finland, Norway, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Pot Four: Slovenia, Latvia, Hungary, Lithuania, Belarus, Belgium, Wales, Macedonia, Cyprus.

Pot Five: Montenegro, Albania, Estonia, Georgia, Moldova, Iceland, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein.

Pot Six: Azerbaijan, Luxembourg, Malta, Faroe Islands, Andorra, San Marino.

[Spartan]

Could this be the year our countries get drawn to the same group??!!!

[Prolet]

Euro 2012 Seeds

Pot One: Spain, Germany, Holland, Italy, England, Croatia, Portugal, France, Russia.

Pot Two: Greece, Czech Republic, Sweden, Switzerland, Serbia, Turkey, Denmark, Slovakia, Romania.

Pot Three: Israel, Bulgaria, Finland, Norway, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Pot Four: Slovenia, Latvia, Hungary, Lithuania, Belarus, Belgium, Wales, Macedonia, Cyprus.

Pot Five: Montenegro, Albania, Estonia, Georgia, Moldova, Iceland, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein.

Pot Six: Azerbaijan, Luxembourg, Malta, Faroe Islands, Andorra, San Marino.

[Spartan]

I dont get it, were you replying to me?

[sydney]

Could this be the year our countries get drawn to the same group??!!!

fingers crossed

[Prolet]

Spartan, It would be great if we do, keep in mind that Greece lost to Albania twice before so there is no reason why we couldnt get a victory.

Greece has a quality team they showed it in the play offs and qualifiers, lets see how they go in the World Cup.

Spartan, What are your thoughts on Macedonia's game against Iran on Wednesday Night?? Its not easy to come away with something in Tehran.

[Spartan]

Definitely a good result coming away with a tie in Tehran. Iran is a decent side with an enormous talent pool to select players from. However, friendlies imo, can be decieving as there is nothing on the line. Still, a good result.

As for losing to Albania, dont put too much into it. Could Macedonia beat Greece in a meaningful match? Of course they could. Would they be favored? definitely not.

Football is a game where 1 goal usually decides the winner. The ball is round, and does not choose which way it bounces. It doesnt play favorites - ever. Anyone can win on any given day. The greeks won a Euro for christs sake, if that isnt evidence enough that anyone can win, than I dont know what is.

You see Prolet, alot of people overate the Greek NT. yes they won a Euro, and yes they have made 3 of the last 4 major tournaments (Euros/WC). But lets not forget, Greece was nowhere in terms of world football prior to about 10 yrs ago when otto Rehaggel took over as coach. They can be beaten on any given day by anyone. The opposite is also true though- Greece when on their game could potentially upset the 'powers' as they have done before.

Greece has lost to teams such as Albania, tied Moldova and barely beat Kazakstan a few yrs ago. Greece has also defeated France, Czeks, Portugal and Russia. Macedonia, if im not mistaken, has got positive results against England and Holland, but have tied or lost to shittier teams as well.

Whats my point?
simple - impossible is nothing
Come kick-off, anything can happen. Nothing that happened before means a damn thing, only the 90 minutes that lie ahead.

Also Prolet, and anyone else for that matter, what do you think about the manner in which Ireland was eliminated from next yrs WC? Looks to be a blatent handball by Thierry Henri in the box that led to the goal. Ireland is appealing for a replay of the game, but FIFA has denied them.
What should happen in instances like this where a team gets screwed overf wuith so much on the line?

heres the play -

YouTube - Ireland vs France 18 Nov 2009 Thierry Henry Handball What a shameful match HD Full


absolutely heartbreaking for the Irish.

[Risto the Great]

Spartan, admit it .... you are a lost cause ... you are a football tragic!
When I wake up in the morning, I scratch my balls.
When you wake up, you scratch your football.

[Spartan]

Its bad, I know. Cant help it though, I love the game!!

[Prolet]

Spartan, Its a cruel way to be kicked out, Nicolas Anelka scored in Croke Park from a deflection and now this the Irish are very unlucky.

I agree football is a game where anyone can win on the day, i do think Otto Rehagel has turned things around at Greece they even offered him citizenship when he won Euro2004 the same happened with Australia when Gus Hiddink came. To me the coach is the brains of the team, even with average players if the team works well together they can beat anybody.

When you look at the Greek national side they dont have too many players playing for quality sides, Georgios Samaras plays for Celtic, Angelos Charisteas used to be good but he is getting old now its not a world class team but that doesnt mean anything in football these days when you get to the world cup anything is possible.

[Bill77]

i think Greece is a well coached side that is disiplined. Just wandering would Greece be where they are now without Otto. i Personaly don't think so.

And a constructive critisizm for Macedonia football team, they need to get that falling down and rolling around at a drop of a hat mentality out of there game. I think its a european thing with the Italians as the masters of it. But its not a good thing.

Last of all, its not sour grapes spartan and obviously Greece deserved it, but i just wish our draws had a bit of luck for a change. where we had to compete against Holland and Norway for top spot, where your boys greatest challenge was Isreal and the swiss for first and second spot. Thats the luck of the draw.

[Prolet]

Bill, If you look at it that way we lost to Israel twice the last time we played 2-1 at home and 1-0 away, they are not an easy side thats for sure i think we lost 3-2 in a friendly in Skopje before that.

Australia is another example the reality is that the 2006 squad had a few above average players on the world stage. Mark Viduka played for Boro,Harry Kewell was out injured at Liverpool and Tim Cahill was at Everton hardly a world class club yet with Gus Hiddink the team went so far it was knocked out in a cruel way against the World Cup Champions Italy. To loose by a penalty in the 96th minute that was infact a dive is a bitter pill to swallow, not only that Italy were down to 10 men from the 35th minute. The famous Marco Materazzi got sent off.

[Bill77]

Bill, If you look at it that way we lost to Israel twice the last time we played 2-1 at home and 1-0 away, they are not an easy side thats for sure i think we lost 3-2 in a friendly in Skopje before that.

Australia is another example the reality is that the 2006 squad had a few above average players on the world stage. Mark Viduka played for Boro,Harry Kewell was out injured at Liverpool and Tim Cahill was at Everton hardly a world class club yet with Gus Hiddink the team went so far it was knocked out in a cruel way against the World Cup Champions Italy. To loose by a penalty in the 96th minute that was infact a dive is a bitter pill to swallow, not only that Italy were down to 10 men from the 35th minute. The famous Marco Materazzi got sent off.

Oh Thanks for reminding me. lol I can never forget it. I was in skopje 42 degree heat with wife and kids, no acomidation organised and luging a suit case after a 4.5 hours ride on a packed train from Bitola. Watched it out doors with all the waiters baracking loudly for Italy (aparently it was not anti australia its because they had money on Italy) Then after all that sufering, last thing i needed was a cheating Italian kneeing Lukas Neil in the head and getting a penalty for it with not a second left for the Aussies to bring the ball back in the middle. Then watching these waiters celebrating.

I think we had the Italians considering they had ten men through out the game and increasingly tireing. Extra time would have finished them off. Then Ukraine would have been a walk in the park. But the talk around Macedonia and Europe was, That its Bad for football and televison ratings etc If Australia went Further in place of Italy. wandering if the referee seen it that way aswell.

[George S.]

HOw's macedonia going in the stakes????????????????????

[Spartan]

i think Greece is a well coached side that is disiplined. Just wandering would Greece be where they are now without Otto. i Personaly don't think so.

Of course they wouldnt! He is a huge reason that our side has improved so drastically over the last decade or so. A lot of respect to our FA for finally bringing in a competent coach to harness the talent of our team.

Thats the luck of the draw.

Actually Bill, this is not entirely true. Although there is definitely some luck in terms of which teams are drawn into a group, there is a ranking process as well. The higher you are ranked by FIFA, the easier teams you draw. Rankings are based on the results of a team from their last 4 yrs, so in essence, easy groups are earned.
The reason Macedonia is always grouped with tuff teams is because of their low ranking. If the team can improve its ranking, it will reap the rewards of an easier group when qualifying for WCs and Euros.

Oh, and we have qualified out of a group thats included Norway