Bazza of The Redskins website fame has sent out a general invite to all those on the RevolutionRocks! discussion boards to participate in a Fantasy World Cup Football League and, being the seven year old boy trapped in the body of an overweight socialist adult* that I am, I've taken him up on his offer.
This is the team that will win me the Fantasy World Cup:
Goalkeeper
Defenders
Midfielders
Offenders Forwards
Supersub
Please, PLEASE, no smart arse comments from Monday morning Alan Hansens telling me that my selected team doesn't gel, and you'd get a better playing formation with the Steeple Sinderby Wanderers Second XI. My management skills and coaching tactics are a mixture of gut instincts, insomnia, a limited transfer budget and ensuring that there are at least two England players in my starting eleven so that I can put a hex on any chance England have of actually winning the World Cup. (Not picking any Polish players has the reverse effect. They are now a sure thing for the trophy).
Having eight of my twelve selected squad currently playing in the English Premier League betrays my lack of imagination and knowledge of football outside of Britain. Having four of those twelve from the abomination that is Chelski betrays Fox Soccer Channel's lack of imagination and knowledge of football outside of SW1. (My resume is in the post. I can't be any less knowledgeable about football than these two chancers.)
I fall hook, line and sinker about the guff of English playing with blood, sweat and tears - otherwise known as a 'Butcherism' - every time, so I've picked John Terry as the team's captain, and my heart is ruling my head with the inclusion of Larsson in the team. In all seriousness, I think that Joe Cole might be the revelation of the tournament; and with Fat Sam *cough* resting Borgetti for most of Bolton's dismal season, I think he should definitely be shortlisted for this year's World Cup 'Paolo Rossi Award'.**
It's seven days and counting, and I can't wait for the World Cup to take over my life.
I feel that there will be a disportionate number of posts on the World Cup in the coming weeks.
*I'm sure this is a line from the incomparable 'Fever Pitch'. If not, it should be.
**Previous winners include Toto Schillaci; Jordan Letchkov; Craig Burley and Mikoslav Klose.
11 comments:
Totally agree with you on Cole.
No Jason Scotland tho'?
I'd have Christian Poluson in defence were Denmark at the world cup. They aren't though.
BUGGER, BUGGER, BUGGER, BUGGER, BUGGER, BUGGER, BUGGER...!!! (etc)
Hey, with Scotland not in the World Cup I can properly enjoy it.
And, no, I'm not plumping for Angola, T & T or Iran, etc etc in the grand tradition of: The socialist must back one of the minnows cliche.
I just want to watch a World Cup that is on a par with the 1982 finals. I still think that is my favourite finals for the sheer quality of the football (Brazil, France and Dave Narey's toe poke); the various dramas and shenanigans that took place (Schumacher poleaxing Battiston; Rossi catching fire in the knockout stages; the West Germany and Austria anschluss that stitched up the Algerians; Kuwati officials invading foreign soil, only to be invaded in turn eight years later) and to be able to bear witness to a slimline Norman Whiteside constantly being compared to Pele every five minutes by various footie pundits when Northern Ireland were playing 'cos of Billy Bingham selecting the then seventeen year old for the finals.
"The socialist must back one of the minnows cliche." Yes, what a load of old bollocks. The Morning Star had a column from letter writer extraordinaire and SWP wanker Keith Flett the other day in which he states he's supporting Iran!! That a country which doesn't allow women to attend football matches. What a tosser!
Anyway, love to read people writing as passionately about football as you do and I know what you mean about Scotland not being in it - we can relax and enjoy this one cos I think it is wide open. Yes, if Brazil were better odds, then I would consider putting a few quid on them. Look out for the surprise team to make the semis - well, there always is one (in fact, last tournament there were two in Turkey and South Korea). My money is going each way on Czech Republic. And, of course, not to sound too sectarianly anti-England, I'm hoping that Zurawski and Larsson can bag a few goals in the group stage.
Reidski,
I know what you mean about the Czechs . . . and about Keith Flett.
My controversial tip for the semi final is Spain. What with their La Liga being the best in the world, a squad chock full of quality players and because after promising so much for so many years, the law of averages* dictates that they have to come right at a major tournament at least one time, I know that at first glance it hardly seems like an out there prediction.
However, my tip is brave - and a wee bit reckless - because I think they will do that by putting Brazil out in the quarter final.
If I'm right I'll be crowing for a week. If I'm wrong? Well, that's the beauty of the delete button on bugger.
*For clarficiation, the law of averages rule doesn't apply to Hibernian.
"The socialist must back one of the minnows cliche."
Here's a different argument (scroll down to 'Shine forth among these clouded hills') - that socialists should back England in the World Cup.
Go easy on him Darren.
Aw Darren, not that old Spain chestnut! I've put money on them to win the last two World Cups and the last three European Championships. Of course, we know the bookmakers made some money from me. This time? Naw, can't back them. That was a long tough season in Spain, so even though I agree that it is (by far) the best league in the world, they won't do it this time.
Now to have a look at why socialists should support England ...
Easy Reidski -- well if you are an old CPGBer and are prepared to engage silly fantasy, of course! lol :D
Anti-fascism, United Front, support the establishment on tactical grounds -- all against those dastardly penalty specialists: the Germans!
Hang on -- that's an argument for mother Russia to win the world cup....
"...the law of averages dictates that they have to come right at a major tournament at least one time"
Sorry to be a picky bastard but you're wrong about this. Just because something has or hasn't happened in the past is no guarantee that something will continue to happen in the future or will not continue to happen in the future.
The law of averages only applies in circumstances of 'fairness' - that is - an abstracted perfect state where contingency and the complications of the real world don't intervene.
Will,
Don't apologise for being a picky bastard. Apologise for using long words on your blog which compels me to get off my arse and go find a dictionary.
My "law of averages' fallback is in lieu of making a substantiated argument - with accompanying diagrams and bar charts - to explain in painstaking detail why this is the tournament where Spain come good.
You've sniffed around this place long enough to realise that this isn't that sort of blog. ;-)
Darren, reidski, et al, My money is definitely on Spain this time. Last Euro 2002 I was on the Czech Reopublic but they blew it and will do again. Look at the way the draw for the later rounds will shape up and spain have got to be in contention
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