Every tournament there is always some sort of controversy with one of the teams that leads to a spectacular fallout.
The Dutch have been known to have their moments in years gone by.
Spain sacked their manager right on the eve of the last tournament.
My personal favourite is France 2010, when the entire team pretty much downed tools on the manager.
An early prediction for this tournament could be something involving Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal. I know he likes to make it all about him, but he’d have definitely crossed a line in a few players eyes leading up to this.
Every tournament there is always some sort of controversy with one of the teams that leads to a spectacular fallout.
The Dutch have been known to have their moments in years gone by.
Spain sacked their manager right on the eve of the last tournament.
My personal favourite is France 2010, when the entire team pretty much downed tools on the manager.
An early prediction for this tournament could be something involving Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal. I know he likes to make it all about him, but he’d have definitely crossed a line in a few players eyes leading up to this.
I think he could definitely hinder them at this tournament. They have some great attacking players in Joao Felix, Ramos, Andre Silva, Leoa, Fernandes and Bernardo Silva, but shoehorning Ronaldo in could effect them. On the flip side, playing with those players could bring out one last hurrah for him.
What I love about a summer world cup is, well, it's in the summer.
Beer gardens, atmosphere, daylight in the evenings and outside screens. This will be freezing, wet, hard to see or get a seat in front of a screen and overall be a bit shite atmosphere wise.
I understand the sentiment if you habitually watch matches in pubs, and I disagree with holding it in Qatar in general.
However I've got used to this idea of pausing the football season and holding the World Cup in winter. In summer I enjoy spending time gardening, going out, going on holiday, doing other daytime activities. In winter I'm happy to spend the time needed to watch the matches on the sofa. January would be perfect as I hate that lull after Christmas.
If it works out, I wouldn't be surprised if it's suggested again for 2026, especially considering the heat in summer in USA and Mexico.
Does no-one else feel like me, or at least understand the advantages?
Think Saudi Arabia are going for the 2030 WC, there's no way that could be held in the summer either.
I guess the Qatar world Cup is a winter test for the future.
If they do this again then it could at least be more organised. I don't agree with it though. A world Cup should always be prioritised for the summer!
Great. If it goes to Oceania or South America then we can move it to January 🙂
Every tournament there is always some sort of controversy with one of the teams that leads to a spectacular fallout.
The Dutch have been known to have their moments in years gone by.
Spain sacked their manager right on the eve of the last tournament.
My personal favourite is France 2010, when the entire team pretty much downed tools on the manager.
An early prediction for this tournament could be something involving Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal. I know he likes to make it all about him, but he’d have definitely crossed a line in a few players eyes leading up to this.
I think he could definitely hinder them at this tournament. They have some great attacking players in Joao Felix, Ramos, Andre Silva, Leoa, Fernandes and Bernardo Silva, but shoehorning Ronaldo in could effect them. On the flip side, playing with those players could bring out one last hurrah for him.
Seen a lot of teams playing friendlies today and yesterday. I'm glad England haven't done that, seems unnecessary and risky.
I dunno, i see there is a risk element but it would have been nice to have a friendly even if it was 30 minutes halves against someone similar to who we play. Feels odd not having one, but time will tell if we start well then its irrelevant.
I would add more to adapt to the climate, also i've heard not alot of teams are going to be pressing so a slight change of game plan really for some teams.
Seen a lot of teams playing friendlies today and yesterday. I'm glad England haven't done that, seems unnecessary and risky.
100% we'd have played a friendly if our first game was later. But with the Premier league finishing on Sunday and our first game just 8 days later there's no real need for another game.
Portugal for example who played tonight, don't play their first game until next Thursday. They haven't even flown to Qatar yet.
I might get into it when it stars but I have to say this doesn’t feel like a proper World Cup to me. It may just be part and parcel off my growing dissolusionment (I think that’s a word!) with football. The politics of the whole thing clearly stink but there’s nothing I can do about that other than not watching on principle and cutting my nose of to spite my face in the process. So I’ll pick and choose my games and hopefully there will be a daily highlights show. But the days of climbing the walls in anticipation are long gone. The prospect of a whole month of the sanctimonious twins Matterface and Tyldesley, the ear piercing shrieking of Cowan and the lisping of Thparkth, the bombastic Pearce and all their cronies is too much to bear. I’ll be watching with the sound off or the crowd noise option - oh wait, the crowds will be full of plastics! Wonder what the Qatari equivalent of vuvuzela is? All in all, it shouldn’t be now, it shouldn’t be there but it is so let’s roll with it and see what happens.
Seen a lot of teams playing friendlies today and yesterday. I'm glad England haven't done that, seems unnecessary and risky.
100% we'd have played a friendly if our first game was later. But with the Premier league finishing on Sunday and our first game just 8 days later there's no real need for another game.
Portugal for example who played tonight, don't play their first game until next Thursday. They haven't even flown to Qatar yet.
I think the last World Cup we played Costa Rica 11 days before our opening game. That was on 7th June, the prem finished on 13th May, so probably some game time required, match fitness etc. I think with the players being club match fit, it’s just a risk playing against sides that haven’t even qualified a week before your opener.
I'm staging my own protest at the hosting of the tournament in Qatar. Extinction Rebellion activists tend to glue themselves to things, so I'll be glueing myself to the sofa!😎
Oh well... Just another promise that Qatar haven't kept when they applied to be hosts of the World Cup - Doesnt really matter, given they've ignored the biggest one about it being a Summer competition.
Alcohol will not be sold at the World Cup's eight stadiums in Qatar after Fifa changed its policy two days before the start of the tournament. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/63674631
Comments
The Dutch have been known to have their moments in years gone by.
Spain sacked their manager right on the eve of the last tournament.
My personal favourite is France 2010, when the entire team pretty much downed tools on the manager.
An early prediction for this tournament could be something involving Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal. I know he likes to make it all about him, but he’d have definitely crossed a line in a few players eyes leading up to this.
I honestly have my eye on France. No Kante, no Pogba and dealing with the infamous winners curse.
If the tournament was played on paper, they should win their group and I’d be especially shocked if they struggled against Tunisia and Australia.
But I can absolutely see Denmark coming out on top in that group.
Would just like the reverse result.
"Quick, get me Piers Morgan's number...."
I would add more to adapt to the climate, also i've heard not alot of teams are going to be pressing so a slight change of game plan really for some teams.
Portugal for example who played tonight, don't play their first game until next Thursday. They haven't even flown to Qatar yet.
https://gtm.uk.com/fifa-world-cup-matches-to-be-shown-live-on-emirates-flights/
and to think, fans / players / managers all abroad are probably going batshit crazy with indignation at the thought of hearing the new version
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/63674631