The 2014 FIFA World Cup
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I think this needs a thread, plenty of discussion to be had here.
Who's do you fancy? Any bets being had? Players to watch out for?
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All I can say is that I am disappointed that Landon Donovan was cut from Team USA.
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yes, this ovbiously needs a thread! good thinking.
my team, sweden, didnt qualify cause our team is pretty shit nowadays. germany has always been my second team, im also excited for belgium and uruguay.
i also hope that both brazil and argentina will turn out to be huge disappointments haha..
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I'm throwing £10 on Colombia at 33/1, their climate, they're ranked 5th in the world and absolutely no one expects it.
Players to watch, Falcao, Cavani, Hazard.
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I think it'll be an Iran v Honduras final.
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I'm predicting Germany. I've said Netherlands the last couple of times and they always let me down. I'd also predict something dramatic to happen confirming that brazil should never have been named host
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Neither of my countries , Scotland or Canada qualified and hoping Japan goes further this time.
Spain is one to watch obviously and Brasil has the most pressure . England may surprise or
implode early . Going to be brill footie to watch either way . -
I think Joel Campbell could be a surprise name in the tournament for Costa Rica . He had a good season for olympiacos including a great showing and goal against united a and he is hoping to break into the arsenal squad next year
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i think belgium will be the team to watch out for. they've quite a good squad. though i'm hoping england does will this summer cause i'm a huge fan and they've been a let down on the big stage..
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I'm really looking forward to the World Cup. It's kind of a relief that the US drew the group they did. No false expectations to get out of group.
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I'd also predict something dramatic to happen confirming that brazil should never have been named host
On that note, there are "off the record" conversations happening between The IOC and London at the moment, about whether London could host the Olympics if Brazil aren't ready….
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^
…but i also think that something like this could happen. doesn't hope for it though.
btw. my money is on brazil this time. would be dope as f... if they could win the damn thing!
otherwise i'm hoping for the netherlands to make it a bit further. always a favourite team of mine.
portugal could also be on the list! -
I am serious….And so are the iOC......
What would you be doing?
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/apr/29/rio-2016-olympics-worst-preparations-ioc
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Brazil (I have no idea what they are worth, though), Germany (as usual, athletic, solid, inspired at times), Italy (why? I dont know but they always seem to be able to get far), Holland (as usual, but I have no idea what they been up to lately), Argentina (really? naaaah), Spain would be a feat of epic proportions.
France, England, peuleazze, naah -
Worse preparation than Athens is a pretty harsh assessment. And as badly as Greece wanked around, at least they didn't have to send in the army to occupy swaths of the city to take it back from drug gangs. But yeah, they've got two years to pull it together, so who knows?
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Beyond preparations is the very real question of safety. Many of the favelas are currently occupied by government forces in preperation for the WC. The ones not in the immediate vicinity of the stadiums are controlled by local militias. Ben Anderson (BBC frontline football, along with much more) gave a very sobering and honest view of the situation on episode 1 of season 2 of vices HBO show. Highly reccomended viewing if you are interested in the subject, along with the entire series. They have covered some really interesting stuff in the last two years.
Not to mention that from the riots that happened during the confederations cup it's very obvious that many of the people of brazil are quite pissed off that they are starving and living in squalor while their country dumps billions into the World Cup and Olympics
I am serious….And so are the iOC......
the first post sums it up very well imo:
_"Same every Olympics.
They're not going to be ready! Danger! Danger!
Then everyone starts fawning over great it all is when it starts"_
