CaliMag

I'd imagine its Howard as keeper unless he's injured. I don't care who plays in the back - they are equally inadequate IMO, however, I would be very happy if Bocanegra got injured and missed out entirely. For the rest I would like to see: DMB Dempsey Donovan Torres -------Buddle Gomez

Both play in the Mexican leagues, but obviously both US citizens. Torres is from Texas originally (parents are mexican) I don't know much about Hercules' personal life I would guess that he is also ethincally mexican.

Pachuca are a very good team and he has won a few trophies with them. He is used to winning games. I was happy that he chose us over Mexico.

Shola is the most accurate and probably the best on the ball of our current strikers (taking into account his odd style which gives the appearance of someone who is about to lose the ball and fall over)... but he is not mobile and when he doesn't have the ball he doesn't really contribute to the game. He also gets injured (a lot). His best games for us (in the Premiership) were when he was partnered with someone who would do the running and use him as a target but keeping the ball on the ground. I can't see him workig well with Carroll as they are both target men. My preference is Carroll or Shola partnered with Lovenkrands or someone new with pace (so that rules out Boyd who would just be Shola v.2). Best didn't make the cut and I am sure he knows this, but we may not be getting any new strikers so he may be given further chances to prove himself. I don;t think he can do it, but he seems like he would at least put in the effort.

I never rated Ching so I am pleased. Buddle has been doing well this season and is only four players of 23 who actually play in the US.

SBR asked him to join on as his assistant in 1999 with the plan of taking over after him, but Mourinho said no because he "knew" SBR would never hand over the reigns willingly and he had greater ambitions.

Hmmm... http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/africa/05/africa_economy/html/poverty.stm This article states that most people in sub-saharan africa make less than 500 quid a year. However this is based on reported data only. They could always target ticket sales to corrupt government officials, family members of military dictators, and Somali priates.

RE WBA - No one met the Board's valuation of the sponsorship so it stayed blank.

That RAWK thread posted somewhere in here is amazing reading http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=257942.0 That is scary. Gillet et al are pretending the easy capital of pre-2008 will return. It's not going to anytime soon and in the meantime Liverpool will continue their decline. No CL. What are the odds for mid-table mediocrity next year?

Broken record time... that shirt would be class without the main sponsor and I would pay more for it to be blank. I was hoping with Northern ROck's insolvancy and Ashley's pig headedness that we could have the start of the season like WBA with no sponsor.

Especially Hugo Sanchez right? And mostly that's due the mexican teams being damn rich. Aye... and also due to their corruption. WHich has historically held them back from actually competing well internationally. Mexico have a very decent record in all the recent world cups. Its relative I suppose. Considering the money thy spend, the raw talent they have (in the youth), the fanaticism of the sport, and their population (over 100m) they should have at least made a semi-final by now.

Especially Hugo Sanchez right? And mostly that's due the mexican teams being damn rich. Aye... and also due to their corruption. WHich has historically held them back from actually competing well internationally.

I'm pretty sure, some of their clubs (Chivas springs to mind) actually only employ Mexican players. Yeah, Guadalajara (Chivas) has a long nationalist tradition which is quite strong in Mexico. I am personally not a fan of nationalism and is one of the reasons I have always detested Chivas... well that and the red and white stripes.

I think its only in the last 6 years that Mexico has ever had any players playing outside of their own league.

Distinct posibility. Maradona plays with 4 centre halfs at the back, and uses Jonas as a sort of defensive,workhorse like right sided midfielder to do all the dogwork for Messi and Veron. You are way overthinking this. Maradona isn't going to rationalise his teamsheet that way. He'll have "feelings" about which players he thinks should play and then the positions will be laid out as an afterthought... probably the night before the game in a less than sober state.

What's with the Rastafari element on the Marseilles shirt?

Extra time and PKs please

Kljestan on a free in January would be a real coup for anyone really. He'll be cheap in wages also. Donovan definately off to Everton.

Without any hyperbole or exagerration, Argentina's manager is insane so you can hardly expect his squad choice to be a rational one. If Argentina accomplish anything this world cup it will be in spite of Maradona.

J Very funny. For a second I almost believed you.

I thought it was a great ad and I support Scotland and the USA. Best of luck to you... after your first game.

That would be awesome. I'd love to see a team like Brazil deal with palying a semifinal at a stadium like SJP or Hampden in December.

Brazil has increadibly high crime (higher than the US even), pick pocketing is rampant and still I would rather countries like Brazil got the WC and Olympics over countries like Qatar or the US for that matter.

It's 45+ degrees in July, death for posession of marijuana, prison for pre-marital sex, its illegal to be pissed, alcohol is hard to come by and slave labour will be use to produce those stadia. No thanks.

What have you got against Jews like? Racist. Ironically Dowie is actually on the far left (middle row) of that pic.