The End Of The World Cup As We Know it?

Hig

All the big teams are producing disapointing results and performances this year, I cant help but feel that this is due to the big stars thinking their so precious and delicate that they wont give it there all, theres no passion, and most of the players for the big teams seem to have no pride in wearing the shirt. Its extremley frustarting to watch.
Your thoughts?

Sussex_Addick

Well, all the big European teams have been disappointing, but then the Europeans have never really done well when the World Cup is played outside Europe. I've enjoyed most of the games so far, and the tournament will really get going in the final group games when it's make or break.

LawrieAbrahams

Firts week was too cautious, now we are into the second round of games it's been thoroughly entertaining (with one notable exception).

pilchard

I tend to agree with AH, the main delight I have got from it so far is Australia giving their all with 10 men,the Serbians beating Germany, the US battling back against Slovenia, Switzerland for beating Spain,New Zealand refusing to lay down and die and the sheer unbridled joy of both Korea's who are happy just to be here because to all these teams it does seem to actually mean something.Thanks to those teams for keeping the spirit of the World Cup alive.

east terrace peanuts

I believe that this is not only a World Cup problem but is the implosion of football generally as a result of vast money swishing around; top players hawking themselves to the highest bidder wherever that happens to be; this takes the game away from its original roots and without roots it struggles and becomes 'entertainment': but as we all know entertainment has a limited shelf life and disenchantment sets in quite quickly. Towards the end of our time in the premier league I was beginning to fear this when the silly transfers started coming in and seeing players coming in whose primary motive was to rake in the dosh. The World Cup can only reflect this as for sometime now playing for your country has become an inconvenience.......

pilchard

Interesting comments and once again I tend to agree.

Hig

[cite]Posted By: east terrace peanuts[/cite]I believe that this is not only a World Cup problem but is the implosion of football generally as a result of vast money swishing around; top players hawking themselves to the highest bidder wherever that happens to be; this takes the game away from its original roots and without roots it struggles and becomes 'entertainment': but as we all know entertainment has a limited shelf life and disenchantment sets in quite quickly. Towards the end of our time in the premier league I was beginning to fear this when the silly transfers started coming in and seeing players coming in whose primary motive was to rake in the dosh. The World Cup can only reflect this as for sometime now playing for your country has become an inconvenience.......

Spot on

Henry Irving

disagree.

This is turning into a great WC; plenty of shocks and underdogs doing well

But the pampered and overpaid Argentinians and Uraguains are playing really well as individuals and as TEAMS.

Too easy to say players are overpaid etc etc but messi is doing it.

Sit back and enjoy. Hard to call any game and that makes it more exciting.

Sussex_Addick

[cite]Posted By: Henry Irving[/cite]disagree.

This is turning into a great WC; plenty of shocks and underdogs doing well

But the pampered and overpaid Argentinians and Uraguains are playing really well as individuals and as TEAMS.

Too easy to say players are overpaid etc etc but messi is doing it.

Sit back and enjoy. Hard to call any game and that makes it more exciting.

Agree Henry

Red_in_SE8

[cite]Posted By: Henry Irving[/cite]disagree.

This is turning into a great WC; plenty of shocks and underdogs doing well

But the pampered and overpaid Argentinians and Uraguains are playing really well as individuals and as TEAMS.

Too easy to say players are overpaid etc etc but messi is doing it.

Sit back and enjoy. Hard to call any game and that makes it more exciting.

Completely agree. Saved me the trouble of composing a response. Always interesting to see 'plucky' underdogs do well. And great to see a few upsets. But at the end of the day I want to see the world's best players play good football. So far, the best bits of this world cup for me have been watching Argentina, Uruguay, Mexico and the Germans against Australia. I still have high hopes for Spain and Brazil.

thenewbie

It's not been very good for European teams, but African/South American teams seem to be doing much better. Which is fair enough, national teams tend to get judged more on Euro cups, maybe we overestimated how good European football is?

east terrace peanuts

Those who disagree and support the underdogs (so do I) like the part time bank worker who came on at the end for New Zealand , may actually be describing the beginning of the end of the 'pampered and overpaid' ; it may take a long time; yes there are exceptions like Messi......but I can't see many in the premier league!

nth_london_addick

[cite]Posted By: Henry Irving[/cite]disagree.

This is turning into a great WC; plenty of shocks and underdogs doing well

But the pampered and overpaid Argentinians and Uraguains are playing really well as individuals and as TEAMS.

Too easy to say players are overpaid etc etc but messi is doing it.

Sit back and enjoy. Hard to call any game and that makes it more exciting.

i agree with this 100% and it makes englands results easier to swallow i mean come on italy 1 new zealand 1 the world has gone bloody crazy

northstandsteve

cant get into it maybe its becoz im working whilst 2 of the games are on .

adrian

For those who've lived through a number of W Cups (it's my 16th), we've witnessed a hell of a lot of slow and boring games. Also, the outcome of most
of them was predictable. In this competition, we feel bored only if our team is not doing well and, to be fair, although we don't really care about the others,
some of them have been amazing.
Most important of all, we are now starting a new era without underdogs, ALL the games are unpredictable.
Bar the ridiculous vuvuzelas, IMO this WCup will rank as one of the best ever.

nolly

not really setting it alight this world cup,hope it improves.

ValleyGary

The fact that France can still go through just shows how early days it still is. It'll be the same old faces in the last 8 and that includes England.

adrian

no way, Gary, no way.

Henry Irving

only the 13th of my lifetime but agree with Adrian.

The underdogs are no more. Well coached and with many players in the top euro leagues the gap, while still there, has closed considerably.

Still not completed the 2nd round of group matches but lots of talking points and lots to look forward to imho.

ValleyGary

we will see

BrentfordAddick

For me, the fact that it's easy to see most of the players at the tournament every week with very little effort takes something away. Back in the day, seeing someone like Kaka was a once every four year treat. Now, not so. Plus, many club sides would beat many of these national sides, and that doesn't feel right. The knockout stages (which start with the third group games) are desperately needed I think.

pilchard

Having paid my tribute to the underdogs I have to give a big heap of praise to Argentina who are frankly brilliant to watch. On the basis of what I seen so far they could well be worthy winners.

Algarveaddick

I want the underdogs every time, except when they are playing England (or when England are the underdogs). I am not interested in watching the fancy dan Argies and Italians pirouette, or the Brazillians samba and pose, I want them to crash and burn big style - I can see brilliant football on Sky every week if I want - they have all had their day in the sun, I want it to be my turn. I want to cheer my team to victory for once in my lifetime, and the more of them that are out of the way the better.

England have been awful, but so are Charlton - it does not mean we give up wanting them to do well.

jimmymelrose

[cite]Posted By: ValleyGary[/cite]The fact that France can still go through just shows how early days it still is. It'll be the same old faces in the last 8 and that includes England.

Hang on ValleyGary. The bit I've put in bold above is what I was saying last week in response to your assertion that England will win the World Cup. England may get to the last eight often enough but only twice ever to the last 4 so I still don't see why you're so sure that we're going to win the tournament. If it really is the 'same old faces' then the last 4 will be Germany, Argentina, Brazil and Italy. So far I've seen little to suggest that anyone outside these four will make it. Perhaps substitute just one (Italy?) for Chile, Paraguay, Portugal or Spain but that's about it.

colthe3rd

Why is it that if someone underperforms some people blame it on how much they are paid? Does that really have so much of an influence in other walks of life?

oohaahmortimer

[cite]Posted By: colthe3rd[/cite]Why is it that if someone underperforms some people blame it on how much they are paid? Does that really have so much of an influence in other walks of life?

exactly ... do you think if rooney was paid 500k a week or 5k a week his performance would change .....

carly burn

[cite]Posted By: colthe3rd[/cite]Why is it that if someone underperforms some people blame it on how much they are paid? Does that really have so much of an influence in other walks of life?

Ask Tony Hayward.

razil

there is an awful lot of money in football to top players but there doesn't seem to be that much top talent, might have something to do with the proliferation of top managers to 'lesser' nations who are much better organised and no longer a push over.