The 2014 FIFA World Cup
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Yes, this was another nerve-wrecker. The better team won in the end, but I couldn't help admiring the Costa Ricans, this David up against a Goliath, giving it all they got and getting so very close, including their sudden storm of attack at the very end of extra time.
So now we have two absolute classics in the semis, Brazil-Germany and Netherlands-Argentina, all worthy of being the grand final. The Dutch are the only ones who've never won this….. -
Tim Krul is a hero.
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No wonder van Gaal put Krul on for the penalties - he has arms like Mr Tickle!
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I found his behavior towards the Costa Ricans opposing him (addressing them, moving in front of them instead of staying where he should as a goalie, in short psychological warfare) totally unsportsmanlike and irritating. He should have been told off sharply by the ref, and shown the yellow card (if not red!) in case of repetition.
That's not to neglect his performance during the actual penalties. But fair behavior it wasn't. -
^I was put off by that as well
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I was bought up on Bruce Grobbelaar at Liverpool so what Tim Krul did was fairly standard. Plus, if it wasn't in the rules of the game he would have been cautioned.
Can't believe I'm sticking up for the Netherlands
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I don't like poor sportsmanship, be it exaggerating fouls or taunting opponents.
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Every pantomime needs a villain.
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Sometimes you've got to be Krul to be kind.
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I'm a biased when it comes to Tim Krul as he plays for my team, but @mvb is correct in saying that players do bad mouth each other on the pitch all the time. We (Newcastle United) used to have a striker called Craig Bellamy play for us who before every game as the team were lining up in the tunnel would make sure he stood at the side of the centre half (defender) who he would be up against that day. Now Craig had a reputation for being an annoying little shit (which he was) and he would say the the guy at the side of him things like "I don;t know why you bothered showing up today, I'm going to turn you inside out for the next 90 minutes", and "Take a good look at the back of my shirt pal because thats all your going to see today, this is as close as you'll get to me".
More often than not it worked, defenders hated playing against him and most opposition fans hated him as he was a annoying short arsed nob, but if he played for your club you loved him for it. Players like Robbie Savage were the same, all mouth and dirty tricks but if he was yours you loved him for it.
Whichever side of the line you sit on this it is part of the game, and if the player is doing it in your club or countries shirt you acknowledge that. Doesn't necessarily make it right in the strictest sense of sportsmanship but it happens, and it happens in boxing too and whole host of other sports.
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Of course there's shit talk all the time. But let's not pretend it isn't a bit unusual (and IMO beyond the pale) for a keeper in penalties to approach the kicker and talk shit to him.
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Like I said Bruce Grobbelaar did it, similar and worse for 16 years at Liverpool.
