53 replies to this topic

[Mike O]

Hi, it's me and my once a year post.

Anyway, I've finally declared to myself that South Africa 2010 is the worst World Cup ever, and God knows USA 1994 took some beating.

My reasons?

1. Collecting the world's greatest footballers together in one place and then getting them to play with a beach ball, so negating most of their abilities.
2. Empty seats. Everywhere. Even at the bloody QFs. Fifa should hide their heads in shame.
3. Vuvuzelas. Old topic I know, but just play yourself a vid of any other high profile non-WC2010 match to remind yourself what proper, reactive, emotional fan support sounds like to get yourself all tearful.
4. Sepp Blatter. Goal-line technology. Twat.
5. France. A national disgrace. I've got no problem with that but if I was Irish I'd be even angrier now...
6. ITV and Clive bloody Tyldesley. Git.
7. John Terry, conspirator extraordinaire. Just for saying 'we need to talk'. Sigh...
8. The worst example ever of the Middle England press (Mail / Express etc) deliberately de-railing the England team. And scuppering us out of £billions through kyboshing 2018.
9. The weirdest epidemic of injuries to major players ahead of the tournament.
10. Rooney / Gerrard / Barry / Johnson / Lennon / SWP / Capello.

Please feel free to add your own...

[Phillip]

11. Atrocious referee and linesman decisions.

[Mod]

12. ITV and Andy bloody Townsend. Git.
13. Players diving, its the World Cup not the Olympics.

[The Moos]

14. Few goals. I heard that this World Cup has the lowest goals per game average. But that was before the quarterfinals I think, so maybe that has changed.

15. Big teams underperforming. Even Spain who are in the semifinals now have been no where near the standard we expect from them. Holland have been good, but no team can match Germany.

[Scott]

16. Located in a Third World Country that no one wanted to travel to.


Just wait until FIFA feels that it's time Pakistan had a World Cup.

[Hutch]

17. even worse than diving - players falling to the ground holding their faces in both hands.

[Elliott]

I have to agree with you Mike, although i was barely old enough to take in USA 94'.

The ball is not to blame for everything, but it sure as hell has had an impact. Has anyone actually scored a free kick? Anytime someone throws their foot through the ball, it goes into row Z? I think Tevez's goal against Mexico was one of the rare few that have flown in, but it is a shambles. Why can't they leave it alone? (Apart from all the cash involved).

The ball is sh*t, and the atmospheres have been sh*t too. I quite simply do not care what the Vuvuzela's represent. All i know is that they have sucked 'that' passionate noise out of the stadiums, and pretty much dampened everyone elses viewing of the World Cup. When someone scores, it feels like a friendly match. No roar. No going mental. No passion.

There have been some top individual moments of skill, and technique; Robbens goal against Slovakia for example, but on the whole, it's been a damp squib. And when you factor in the once again inept officials, and their ludicrous decisions; very disappointing.

I'm afraid that most of the blame can be shifted once again towards the door of global corporations, and their squillions of $$$ to be made. It's ruined our own league, and now it's pretty much ruined the world stage too.

[Ruh Buh Juh]

18. Teams playing far too defensively, meaning teams with renowned attacking flair simply can't flourish.

[Valerie]

19. Bookings for "handballs", which are usually ball to shoulder while a player is doing his utmost to keep his arms at his side.

[emer]

While I can agree with some of those reasons I have enjoyed this world cup a lot. USA-Algeria and USA-Slovakia were very exciting as an American, Uruguay-Ghana possibly the craziest match I have ever seen, and Germany have been great to watch.

The diving, particularly by the Netherlands in their Brazil match, has been quite annoying. And the refereeing needs no further comment.

[dkw]

emer, on 05 July 2010 - 05:18 PM, said:

While I can agree with some of those reasons I have enjoyed this world cup a lot. USA-Algeria and USA-Slovakia were very exciting as an American, Uruguay-Ghana possibly the craziest match I have ever seen, and Germany have been great to watch.

The diving, particularly by the Netherlands in their Brazil match, has been quite annoying. And the refereeing needs no further comment.

The wrost cheating and diving has been by Spain, they were an absolute disgrace in the Paraguay game. They spent more time rolling about trying to get players red carded than they did actually trying to score. They were that bad I actually now hope the Germans smash them in the semi.

[emer]

dkw, on 05 July 2010 - 05:21 PM, said:

The wrost cheating and diving has been by Spain, they were an absolute disgrace in the Paraguay game. They spent more time rolling about trying to get players red carded than they did actually trying to score. They were that bad I actually now hope the Germans smash them in the semi.

Yeah during one of the Spain matches I pointed out Iniesta to someone and said watch number 6, every time you see him he will be on the ground, and was right.

[Randy36]

Sorry but I"m not as pessimistic as some others about the World Cup. For me it has been most interesting and at times disappointing. Favourites such as Brazil and Argentina did not perform up to par. Both manasgers appeared tactically naive. England and France were abysmal. Players such as Messi, Rooney, Ronaldo, Ribery did not show up. The young German striker, Mueller, was an eye opener. I could go on but I'll leave it at that. I will conclude by saying the World Cup is definitely worth watching particularly for those who are tactically aware. There is still much to be done from a ref and technological standpoint. However, this is where football legends are made and history is written.

[coco]

Mod, on 05 July 2010 - 01:11 PM, said:

12. ITV and Andy bloody Townsend. Git.

Lol, he even said 'not one German player would get into the England team'. Git.

[coco]

Scott, on 05 July 2010 - 01:53 PM, said:

16. Located in a Third World Country that no one wanted to travel to.


Just wait until FIFA feels that it's time Pakistan had a World Cup.

To be fair I think money and the lack of it at the moment has a lot to do with it...and the WC never feels right when it leaves Europe imo.

[barak81]

20. Mick macarthy, chris coleman. the whole of ITV!!

Agreed - worst world cup for me and it could get worse if Kloser beats ronaldo's record.

[Ruh Buh Juh]

barak81, on 05 July 2010 - 06:38 PM, said:

20. Mick macarthy, chris coleman. the whole of ITV!!

Agreed - worst world cup for me and it could get worse if Kloser beats ronaldo's record.

You may hate him, but you can't deny that he made all those dull 0-0s absolutely hilarious!

Edited by Ruh Buh Juh, 05 July 2010 - 07:13 PM.

[Peckham Blue]

I know not much can be done about it but the kick off times stink.

Midday- At Work
3 o'c - Driving home
7.30 - putting the kids to bed.

I've seen only one match all the way through from start to finish.

[andy]

It's been a brilliant world cup apart from England. Best one for drama since Italia 90..... USA and Germany now that was boring ?

[loz]

The quality of the football has not been what most people probably hoped for however I think the number of surprise results and the progress made by Ghana has made it an enjoyable tournament (England aside).

Germany have, so far, proved that the sum of a teams parts can be greater than the sum of the team whereas England have proved the opposite.

What has been poor is the quality of the refereeing which has failed miserably to show any kind of consistency.