World Cup Final

[Ernest]

7:30pm BST Sunday 11th:

Holland vs Spain

Van Bronckhorst's goal against Uruguay was one of the best I've seen.

Who will win?

[sugartits]

7:30pm BST Sunday 11th:

Holland vs Spain

Van Bronckhorst's goal against Uruguay was one of the best I've seen.

Who will win?


Holland. Or I kills somebody.

[Ernest]

This was supposed to be a poll and stuff. Mods earn your salary and put a poll up on this; thanks.

/

Now I'm living with Kiri, she's from Plymouth and works as a biologist. She's sweet to me but she likes to start some drama every once in a while. I can handle it though.

[Ambrosio Spinola]

Vote away! Germany and Portugal were certainly tougher teams than the Dutch mongrell crew.

[Jimbo Gomez]

Vote away! Germany and Portugal were certainly tougher teams than the Dutch mongrell crew.


Bring it on don Ebus. That trophy will belong to the proud Netherlandic nation for the next four years.

[Niccolo and Donkey]

In light of Spain's historical march towards the World Cup, I hereby propose that Aprendiz Cornelio's Phora account be restored since being a Mexican, he is almost Spanish.

[Jimbo Gomez]

In light of Spain's historical march towards the World Cup, I hereby propose that Aprendiz Cornelio's Phora account be restored since being a Mexican, he is almost Spanish.


I can tolerate one of you trolls, not both. Want to switch places with him?

[Ace Rimmer]

I hope gigant hole opens and drags in all of the participants and spectators, so I can finally see some action on the field.

[Dan Dare]

Surely there can't be any question that the only team of white Europeans left in the competition is going to walk over a motley crew of Surinamers, Moluccans and assorted miscegenators and MultiKultists?

Apart from which the Spaniards have been far and away the best footballing team in the competition and deserve to lift the trophy on Sunday.

[Rakhmetov]

What does Mark van Bommel have to do to get sent off? He's getting away with so many nasty fouls.

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/5993/102584678crop340x234.jpg

[Bronze Age Pervert]

I can tolerate one of you trolls, not both. Want to switch places with him?

Bring back Cornelio

[Rakhmetov]

Surely there can't be any question that the only team of white Europeans left in the competition is going to walk over a motley crew of Surinamers, Moluccans and assorted miscegenators and MultiKultists?

http://www.csmonitor.com/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/images/0705_dutch/8264556-1-eng-US/0705_Dutch_full_600.jpg

[Ken]

I'm staying with Spain, although it would be gut wrenching to see Holland drop yet another final, they really do deserve a Cup too. Shame there can be only one winner. :(

[Ambrosio Spinola]

http://estaticos03.cache.el-mundo.net/mundial/2010/imagenes/2010/07/09/espana/1278666272_1.jpg

Paul has "spoken" and ruled for a Spanish win.

[Farah]

It's really hard to tell ;S I misjudged Spain in previous matches, I thought they hardly won their matches but the way they performed against Germany was excellent, A+ in everything!! The Netherlands are strong as well, they play in a slow, clever way, it will be a good final :) I honestly didn't expect that these 2 teams would be the last to stand, I expect at least one Latin American team. It was a good WC, many matches went against many expectations and predictions.

[Ernest]

http://imageshare.web.id/images/6nj5zc58yp1kgnqffz0v.jpg

although he did not specify 'will win in 90 minutes'

[Errigal]

http://estaticos03.cache.el-mundo.net/mundial/2010/imagenes/2010/07/09/espana/1278666272_1.jpg

Paul has "spoken" and ruled for a Spanish win.

At what point does a psychic octopus become something quite terrifying? I mean I really don't like the implications of knowing even one such psychic octopus might exist. It's scary.

I want the Dutch to win so Paul the Octopus is proved wrong. I will sleep better knowing there are no psychic octopuses "out there".

[Nemesis]

I want the Dutch to win so Paul the Octopus is proved wrong. I will sleep better knowing there are no psychic octopuses "out there".

You will forever sleep with one eye open. Think no ill thoughts of Spain or fried octopus. Paul will know.

[Farah]

At what point does a psychic octopus become something quite terrifying? I mean I really don't like the implications of knowing even one such psychic octopus might exist. It's scary.

I want the Dutch to win so Paul the Octopus is proved wrong. I will sleep better knowing there are no psychic octopuses "out there".

You are destined to sleep knowing that there are psychic octopuses out there. :D

[Lily]

At what point does a psychic octopus become something quite terrifying? I mean I really don't like the implications of knowing even one such psychic octopus might exist. It's scary.

I want the Dutch to win so Paul the Octopus is proved wrong. I will sleep better knowing there are no psychic octopuses "out there".

Paul knows you doubted his power. Paul..isn't pleased.

[Ahknaton]

My theory was that Paul goes for the flag with the most yellow and red and is repelled by blues and greens. This explains all of his World Cup picks. However it turns out octopuses are colour-blind so I guess he's psychic after all.

[Nemesis]

Apparently he's not without flaw:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_the_Octopus#Results_involving_Germany

[Errigal]

Paul knows you doubted his power. Paul..isn't pleased.

I respect and fear Paul. I just hope he uses his powers wisely.

[Errigal]

The teams finishing in the top four at least had a manager from the home country. Perhaps England is too globalist or post-national when it seems to preferring foreign imports as coaches?

[Niccolo and Donkey]

The teams finishing in the top four at least had a manager from the home country. Perhaps England is too globalist or post-national when it seems to preferring foreign imports as coaches?

England was long criticized for not considering foreign coaches since they've done well in other parts of the world. The problem right now is that there really aren't any English managers who could take a team onto the world stage and win.

The last decent one was Venables, the last good one was Bobby Robson.

Scots have generally been better than the English when it comes to management in the Old League/Premiership.

[Crowley]

The truest European team won.

[Errigal]

England was long criticized for not considering foreign coaches since they've done well in other parts of the world. The problem right now is that there really aren't any English managers who could take a team onto the world stage and win.

The last decent one was Venables, the last good one was Bobby Robson.

Scots have generally been better than the English when it comes to management in the Old League/Premiership.

Perhaps England has a very shallow talent pool to draw from when it comes to homegrown managers? Not nearly as many smart and articulate players who then become great managers. The English class system at work again perhaps?

[Niccolo and Donkey]

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/07/11/article-1293839-0A67641A000005DC-575_634x454.jpg

[Crowley]

The truest European team still won even though dusky slatterns celebrate.

[Dan Dare]

Perhaps England has a very shallow talent pool to draw from when it comes to homegrown managers? Not nearly as many smart and articulate players who then become great managers. The English class system at work again perhaps?

Too facile, Errigal.

It's not the class system which dictates against the development of English managers, but rather the financial imperatives of the Premier League in which short-term results and cash-flow count for more than longer-term development.

The notion that great players make for great managers has been soundly debunked by this years world cup in which the managers of the four most successful teams have accumulated a scant 19 international caps between them.

[Rakhmetov]

Kuyt blames referee Webb for final loss

Dirk Kuyt pointed the finger of blame for Netherlands' World Cup final defeat squarely at referee Howard Webb, after the English official booked eight Dutch players and sent off John Heitinga.

"We are angry because we were so close. The referee was slightly more for them than for us. That ultimately cost us the cup."

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/808195/ce/uk/&cc=5901?ver=us

[Errigal]

Too facile, Errigal.

Hmmm.


It's not the class system which dictates against the development of English managers, but rather the financial imperatives of the Premier League in which short-term results and cash-flow count for more than longer-term development.

Well that points to another symptom of what was called the British Disease back when people were still trying to figure out what's to be done with Britain's industrial base. Now that people seem to have given up the phrase is not used as much.

In any case my passing remark about the shallow talent pool of team managers is closely related to your point: the culture of short-termism and an emphasis on cash-flow does little to develop a educated and articulate working class. One symptom is the English team's consistently poor performance. It is a theory, I'll admit.



The notion that great players make for great managers has been soundly debunked by this years world cup in which the managers of the four most successful teams have accumulated a scant 19 international caps between them.

Did I say that? No. Great managers/coaches seem to be ex-players with respectable or sometimes even mediocre careers as players. The point is to have a pool of current and ex-players who are articulate and intelligent enough to give and take direction. The Germans and Dutch seem to have that.

That seems to be reflected in the comparative success of Germany's industrial base as well when contrasted with England's. Germany seems to have a better educated, higher value added working class base from which to draw both industrial workers and soccer players and coaches.

[Captain Blackbeard]

"We are angry because we were so close. The referee was slightly more for them than for us. That ultimately cost us the cup."


I thought the ref was very lenient to an unbelievably dirty, filthy cheating Dutch team. De Jong should have been off long before Heitinga went. The Dutch should count themselves lucky the ref was unbiased.

http://i27.tinypic.com/1se6jd.jpg

[cerberus]

That was a horrible foul , the Spanish deserved to win and I thought the Dutch protests when the Spanish scored did them no credit .
Spain deserved to win , well done to Ebus's boys well deserved.

[Ambrosio Spinola]

The Dutch would have quite some balls to blame the referee of not being anything than VERY lenient on their brutality.

I´m happy thus that Spain has won. Not only for the obvious chauvinisic reasons but because the Dutch played against their own nature and have been proven wrong. One can but hope that instead of following the brutal close quarters line we have seen this WC, we might actually start seeing other teams playing as Spain. More art and less body contact.

All in all, now the big Spanish hero is of course Paul. The Aquarium has already received several juicy offers to purchase this all seeing entity.

http://estaticos01.cache.el-mundo.net/mundial/2010/imagenes/2010/07/12/otromundial/1278926156_0.jpg

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l126/tagger_02/ept_sports_sow_experts-289140584-12.jpg

[DonaldT]

I feel a little bad for the Netherlands having made 3 World Cup finals and losing all of them. :o Are the men in orange cursed?

[Rakhmetov]

The Dutch played some disgusting football and deserved to lose. Their strategy to counter the Spanish moves was to foul and tackle. At least when the Germans lost, they actually played football, whereas the Dutch style is nothing short of thuggery. The Spanish, by contrast, have always been technically brilliant, talented, and humble.

[Rakhmetov]

Surely there can't be any question that the only team of white Europeans left in the competition is going to walk over a motley crew of Surinamers, Moluccans and assorted miscegenators and MultiKultists?
Blacks in football are grunts employed mostly as fullbacks. They are not as valuable to the team as the White playmakers and wingers such as Sneijder and Robben, whose positions require a lot of intelligence.