2010 World Cup - England in group C with USA/Algeria/Slovenia (full draw in OP)

[Delima]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/nov/22/alex-ferguson-england-wont-win-world-cup

 

England won't win the World Cup, claims Alex Ferguson

 

The Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson does not believe England will win the World Cup next summer, even though nine members of his squad are aiming to be in Fabio Capello's line-up for the finals.

 

The Scot is instead tipping Brazil to win the trophy for the sixth time. "I can't see past Brazil, actually," Ferguson was quoted as saying in the Daily Mail. "They are going to be the ones in South Africa. They are going to be hard to beat. You just have to think of the players they can bring in – they are a supplier of great players.

 

"Last season, there were 103 Brazilians in the Champions League and only 15 Englishmen. More Scots played in the Champions League last season than English players. I thought the 11/10 on Brazil to beat England was the bet of the century."

 

Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick, Wes Brown and Ben Foster are all likely to go to South Africa while Owen Hargreaves, Michael Owen, Gary Neville and Danny Welbeck are on the preipheries of the squad as Capello attempts to lead England to a World Cup victory abroad for the first time.

 

"The small number of English players in the Champions League is down to the way the Premier League has developed," Ferguson said. "The eternal question is at what point the Premier League is going to have to feature more English players.

 

"We are not too bad at this club in terms of young players coming through but Liverpool would struggle."

 

Sure, Celtics and Rangers inflated the no. of Scots in the Champions League. But it is highly ironic that England have so few players in the CL, not even enough to form a squad to go to the world cup.

 

I don't blame the Premiership for hiring foreign players. I am for free trade, free movement, and general non discrimination of nationality of players on national league levels.

 

However, why, oh why, are so few British players playing outside the Britain ? Maybe they are just not good enough ? I still maintain that the top English players (Rooney, Owen, Lampard, Gerard, Hargreaves, Terry, Ferdinand, Coles) are a match to the top foreign players. But the depth is simply not there.

 

 

[Delima]

Brazil is the hot favourite, and rightly so. Going forward they are as usual terrific. What is more unusual about, is in Lucio and Luisao they have solid defensive unit.

 

Spain is also rightly favourite.

 

I personally think that Portugal, despite that struggle during the qualification, is a serious contender. Netherland, if they can compensate their defensive frailty with a couple of steely defensive midfielders in Nigel De Jong & Orlando Engelaar, can have a good chance.

 

Ivory Coast should never be underestimated either. Emmanuel Eboué, Kolo Touré, Arthur Boka, Yaya Touré, Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou, Didier Zokora

 

 

[Cronky]

Brazil, but i think Arentina will do much better than people are expecting.

 

They will do if they bring in a new manager and give Maradona some kind of figurehead position to save face.

[Ash]

Just had an email from englandfans explaining the application process and I came across this absolute gem...

 

"The FA’s ticket allocation has been set at 12% of the Stadium’s saleable capacity for our group stage matches and 8% for subsequent knock-out matches."

 

That is utter bollocks.

[Ashley17]

In what way is Danny Wellbeck on the cusp of an England squad place?

[Guest schmuck]

He's keeping Michael Owen company in the holding pen marked 'Fat Chance'

[Yorkie]

Just had an email from englandfans explaining the application process and I came across this absolute gem...

 

"The FAs ticket allocation has been set at 12% of the Stadiums saleable capacity for our group stage matches and 8% for subsequent knock-out matches."

 

That is utter bollocks.

 

... what? So - for every game, we get 12% of the respective seats in that stadium, whilst the other team gets 88%?

[Ronaldo]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/nov/22/alex-ferguson-england-wont-win-world-cup

 

England won't win the World Cup, claims Alex Ferguson

 

The Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson does not believe England will win the World Cup next summer, even though nine members of his squad are aiming to be in Fabio Capello's line-up for the finals.

 

The Scot is instead tipping Brazil to win the trophy for the sixth time. "I can't see past Brazil, actually," Ferguson was quoted as saying in the Daily Mail. "They are going to be the ones in South Africa. They are going to be hard to beat. You just have to think of the players they can bring in they are a supplier of great players.

 

"Last season, there were 103 Brazilians in the Champions League and only 15 Englishmen. More Scots played in the Champions League last season than English players. I thought the 11/10 on Brazil to beat England was the bet of the century."

 

Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick, Wes Brown and Ben Foster are all likely to go to South Africa while Owen Hargreaves, Michael Owen, Gary Neville and Danny Welbeck are on the preipheries of the squad as Capello attempts to lead England to a World Cup victory abroad for the first time.

 

"The small number of English players in the Champions League is down to the way the Premier League has developed," Ferguson said. "The eternal question is at what point the Premier League is going to have to feature more English players.

 

"We are not too bad at this club in terms of young players coming through but Liverpool would struggle."

 

Sure, Celtics and Rangers inflated the no. of Scots in the Champions League. But it is highly ironic that England have so few players in the CL, not even enough to form a squad to go to the world cup.

 

I don't blame the Premiership for hiring foreign players. I am for free trade, free movement, and general non discrimination of nationality of players on national league levels.

 

However, why, oh why, are so few British players playing outside the Britain ? Maybe they are just not good enough ? I still maintain that the top English players (Rooney, Owen, Lampard, Gerard, Hargreaves, Terry, Ferdinand, Coles) are a match to the top foreign players. But the depth is simply not there.

 

 

 

What nonsense.

[Mike]

This is our year, tbh.

[Ash]

Just had an email from englandfans explaining the application process and I came across this absolute gem...

 

"The FA’s ticket allocation has been set at 12% of the Stadium’s saleable capacity for our group stage matches and 8% for subsequent knock-out matches."

 

That is utter bollocks.

 

... what? So - for every game, we get 12% of the respective seats in that stadium, whilst the other team gets 88%?

 

I imagine the other team would also get a similar amount. As for the other 76%...

[Village Idiot]

Just had an email from englandfans explaining the application process and I came across this absolute gem...

 

"The FA’s ticket allocation has been set at 12% of the Stadium’s saleable capacity for our group stage matches and 8% for subsequent knock-out matches."

 

That is utter bollocks.

 

... what? So - for every game, we get 12% of the respective seats in that stadium, whilst the other team gets 88%?

 

I imagine the other team would also get a similar amount. As for the other 76%...

 

Reserved for FIFA and local fans, I assume. Still a bit too much.

[LesPaul]

Just had an email from englandfans explaining the application process and I came across this absolute gem...

 

"The FA’s ticket allocation has been set at 12% of the Stadium’s saleable capacity for our group stage matches and 8% for subsequent knock-out matches."

 

That is utter bollocks.

 

... what? So - for every game, we get 12% of the respective seats in that stadium, whilst the other team gets 88%?

 

I imagine the other team would also get a similar amount. As for the other 76%...

 

Reserved for FIFA and local fans, I assume. Still a bit too much.

and sponsors. Fucking joke like.

[Segun Oluwaniyi]

This is our year, tbh.

I actually would have favored the US to do well, but Davies accident and Onyewu's long term injury lead me to believe this will not be the case.

 

I am quietly optimistic about Nigeria's chance to do well this time around. I'd really fancy the team if they fire Amodu and hire some sort of competent manager.

[Mike]

This is our year, tbh.

I actually would have favored the US to do well, but Davies accident and Onyewu's long term injury lead me to believe this will not be the case.

 

I am quietly optimistic about Nigeria's chance to do well this time around. I really fancy the team if they fire Amodu and hire some sort of competent manager.

 

Getting out of group will be a success to me, if I'm being honest. Davies will be missed, though. Especially if we're stuck watching fucking Ching start.

[Mike]

Nigeria with Shola = World Domination.

[Village Idiot]

What's in the pot together with the US? The problem is that every time they get paired with a UEFA, Conmebol and CAF team, which makes for lots of potential "groups of death".

 

[Pilko]

Brian Ching

[Ash]

Just had an email from englandfans explaining the application process and I came across this absolute gem...

 

"The FA’s ticket allocation has been set at 12% of the Stadium’s saleable capacity for our group stage matches and 8% for subsequent knock-out matches."

 

That is utter bollocks.

 

... what? So - for every game, we get 12% of the respective seats in that stadium, whilst the other team gets 88%?

 

I imagine the other team would also get a similar amount. As for the other 76%...

 

Reserved for FIFA and local fans, I assume. Still a bit too much.

and sponsors. Fucking joke like.

 

Yep, far too much. Taking tickets away from the real fans that will only end up on the black market anyway.

 

Crazy to think that if we make it to the final, our allocation would be somewhere in the region of 7,500.

[Mike]

What's in the pot together with the US? The problem is that every time they get paired with a UEFA, Conmebol and CAF team, which makes for lots of potential "groups of death".

 

 

Pot 4

 

South Korea

Japan

Australia

North Korea

Mexico

USA

Honduras

New Zealand

 

We are fucked.

[Segun Oluwaniyi]

The US is pretty much guaranteed a difficult group due to the structure of the draw. They'll get a top seed, a second tier European power, and an African or South American team (all of whom are rather good this time, imo.)

[Mike]

Brian Ching

 

I'm not bullshitting you, I would honestly go fucking nuts if Shola had some American in him and opted to play for us. I would be deeeelighted. I would be smug!

[Mike]

I don't get this system. Argentina barely qualified and they're in Pot 1?

 

edit: We're guaranteed to be "randomly" drawn into a group with Spain, too. Guaranteed.

[Village Idiot]

What's in the pot together with the US? The problem is that every time they get paired with a UEFA, Conmebol and CAF team, which makes for lots of potential "groups of death".

 

 

Pot 4

 

South Korea

Japan

Australia

North Korea

Mexico

USA

Honduras

New Zealand

 

We are f***ed.

 

Damn, my hopes of the US being drawn in a group together with France and North Korea have been trashed.

[ElDiablo]

I'd love us to get the US and twat the shit out of them. No offence Mike.

[Ketsbaia]

They've nicely fit them in pots geographically, but USA and Mexico are much better than South Africa, Slovenia etc. So you could have South Africa, Slovenia, Algeria, North Korea whilst also having Spain, Portugal, Ivory Coast and USA. It's just not right.