Jump to content

COUNTDOWN! 0 days to the World Cup


Rob1981
 Share

Recommended Posts

  • Rob1981 changed the title to COUNTDOWN! 24 days to the World Cup.
  • Replies 366
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Another friendly later... Qatar playing Honduras. Saudis also playing them at the weekend.

Looks like Saudi Arabia will have played six games in the month leading into the WC, while other teams going in completely cold.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • Rob1981 changed the title to COUNTDOWN! 23 days to the World Cup.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/africa/63427007

 

Quote

Tunisia could be excluded from next month's World Cup in Qatar if the country's government interferes in footballing matters, world governing body Fifa has warned.

Fifa's member federations must be free from legal and political interference.

The warning comes after repeated comments from Tunisia's Youth and Sports Minister, Kamel Deguiche, about the possibility of "dissolving federal bureaux".

Fifa considers his statement an attempt to meddle in the running of the country's football federation (FTF), and has asked the latter for clarification about attempts to interfere in its internal affairs and threats to dissolve its office.

The BBC reports Tunisia has until Friday (not sure if today or next Friday) to respond. Who would replace them? Mali who they beat in the playoffs or Italy as the highest ranked team not to qualify? I would hope Mali.

Link to post
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, decapitated said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/africa/63427007

 

The BBC reports Tunisia has until Friday (not sure if today or next Friday) to respond. Who would replace them? Mali who they beat in the playoffs or Italy as the highest ranked team not to qualify? I would hope Mali.

Should either be Mali or the highest ranked team in their continent. Would be mad to reduce the number of teams from Africa (or Asia in Iran's case), the representation needs to stay the same.

Link to post
Share on other sites

On 27/10/2022 at 10:53, Rob1981 said:

Another friendly later... Qatar playing Honduras. Saudis also playing them at the weekend.

Looks like Saudi Arabia will have played six games in the month leading into the WC, while other teams going in completely cold.


Guess it’s one of those things where it’s worth them trying that as nothing to lose and could give them an advantage. 

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • Rob1981 changed the title to COUNTDOWN! 21 days to the World Cup.

Three weeks to go!

Few more provisional squads have appeared on this Wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_FIFA_World_Cup_squads

Belgium and Portugal have named the maximum 55 players, Mexico have ony named 31.

Apparently De Gea has been left out of Spain's provisional squad as well.  Although I can only see media reports about this, and nothing official from the Spanish FA.

Edited by Rob1981
Link to post
Share on other sites

Big news for trivia buffs is that Ochoa and Guardado are both in the provisional Mexico squad. Both on track to go to their fifth tournament and equal the record. Although only Guardado will have played in them all, Ochoa was an unused sub in 2006 and 2010.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Reports in Dutch media that 50 Dutch fans are being provided the trip to the World Cup for FREE.

Obiously they have to do the Qatar organisation a favor, allowing the organisation to use their social media and the fans are supposed to snitch report insulting remarks.

Link to post
Share on other sites

43 minutes ago, Wolf_pd said:

Reports in Dutch media that 50 Dutch fans are being provided the trip to the World Cup for FREE.

Obiously they have to do the Qatar organisation a favor, allowing the organisation to use their social media and the fans are supposed to snitch report insulting remarks.

Insulting remarks? That is a very vast category as far as Qataris are concerned. I wonder if there are snitches from other countries like England and Wales?

Link to post
Share on other sites

https://nltimes.nl/2022/10/30/qatar-paying-dutch-fans-attend-world-cup-post-praise-social-media-report

I found an English language report.

Quote

Qatar will pay 50 Dutch fans to travel to the World Cup and make positive posts on social media, which will then be used for marketing purposes. Supporters say it is unusual for an organizing country to strike such a deal with “ordinary” fans, according to broadcaster NOS.

The participating fans are expected to stick to a social media code of conduct, which stipulates that they make positive posts about the games, report third parties’ “offensive” posts and be present at the first World Cup match and opening ceremony, as well as the Qatar-Netherlands match. Any posts that do not meet the code of conduct can be taken down.

In return, Qatar will pay for their flights and accommodation. "The accommodations are just way too expensive, we as regular fans can't afford that,” one supporter told the NOS. The funding from Qatar was therefore a large incentive.

"The camera will zoom in on our orange-clad group at the opening," Leon van der Wilk, coordinator of the Dutch supporters' trip, told the NOS. "In addition, we will regularly appear on squares in our orange shirts and we are participating in the supporters' World Cup, in which fans play five against five."

Such a contract is common for former football players or influencers, but highly unusual for ordinary fans, supporters told the NOS. The participating fans said they were aware of Qatar’s human rights abuses, which have drawn criticism from human rights groups.

"Of course it is a dilemma whether you should hold a World Cup in these kinds of countries, but this choice was simply made in 2010," Van der Wijk said. "I personally think that sport and politics should remain separate. That is why we will simply go there as fans."

The World Cup in Qatar has been a source of controversy in the Netherlands because rights groups estimate that thousands of migrant workers died during construction for the event. Dutch sports and news broadcasts about the event will highlight the country’s human rights situation, as well as the matches.

Some fans told the NOS that they were attending the games, but did not accept Qatar’s deal.

"The temptation to accept it was great,” Oranhe supporter Paul Hirschel said. “You get a free flight and accommodation and you can go to the opening match. But the fact that we had to sign a document with all kinds of obligations and restrictions was the last straw for us. That would really make us a poster child for Qatar. We don't want that."

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • Rob1981 changed the title to COUNTDOWN! 20 days to the World Cup.

Since he's a non-factor for Inter, might aswell put it in here, because it concerns Belgium more.

Lukaku got injured again, returned after two months, played 30 minutes over two games and now he's out.

If he makes the WC, he'll be in horrible physical condition. Idk what they did at Chelsea, but he's looked worse than when he first arrived at Inter.

Link to post
Share on other sites

FgZy-28WIAET6-y?format=jpg

34 man squad as of now.

I expect Kotarski, Labrović, Ćaleta-Car, Pongračić, Jakić Mišić, Brekalo, Čolak to be out for sure.
That leaves us with 26. Sučić picked up an injury, idk who makes it if he doesn't. I'd take Jakić or Mišić, because Brozović has no replacement whatsoever.
Vida surely won't play as he's the fifth choice, but he'll be on the list.

Edited by GunmaN1905
Link to post
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Rob1981 said:

Apparently the Ukraine FA have formally requested that Iran be kicked out. Makes no sense for Ukraine to replace them though, even if FIFA have the balls to kick them out.

What did Iran do? I'm out of the loop...

Oh, drones, war, invasion. Got it.

Edited by Constantine
Link to post
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Rob1981 said:

France losing to Mexico in the R16.  You heard it here first.

A Mexico loss to the the first team they face in the knockouts is a world cup staple along with an African bonus dispute and Lars Lagerbäck, it won't happen.

Link to post
Share on other sites

you never know what you gonna get with France, but I do remember the South African fiasco, and the 2002 disaster group stage

so seems like the tournament after being in the final is a bummer

could be coincidence though, but to be honest the signs in the currently available squad don't seem to indicate they are favourite for grandeur

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • Rob1981 changed the title to COUNTDOWN! 19 days to the World Cup.
  • SI Staff

JAPAN is the first to announce its squad

Goal: Shuichi Gonda (Shimizu S-Pulse), Daniel Schmidt (Sint-Truiden), Eiji Kawashima (Strasbourg)

Defense: Hiroki Sakai (Urawa Red Diamonds), Miki Yamane (Kawasaki Frontale), Ko Itakura (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Takehiro Tomiyasu (Arsenal), Maya Yoshida (Schalke 04), Shogo Taniguchi (Kawasaki Frontale), Hiroki Ito (VfB Stuttgart), Yuto Nagatomo (FC Tokyo), Yuta Nakayama (Huddersfield Town)

Midfield: Junya Ito (Stade de Reims), Ritsu Doan (SC Freiburg), Wataru Endo (VfB Stuttgart), Hidemasa Morita (Sporting), Ao Tanaka (Fortuna Dusseldorf), Daichi Kamada (Eintracht Frankfurt), Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad), Takumi Minamino (AS Monaco), Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton & Hove Albion), Gaku Shibasaki (Leganes), Yuki Soma (Nagoya Grampus)

Attack: Daizen Maeda (Celtic), Ayase Ueda (Cercle Brugge), Takuma Asano (Vfl Bochum)

Link to post
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, GunmaN1905 said:

Pogba and Kante are both out for France, all but official.

Can't see them getting far unless Mbappe and Benzema replicate their club form.

Maignan being out is a massive loss considering Lloris has become a liability for the Spurs.

Even with club form, they need a solid base to excel from. Kante/Pogba are the mainstays of previous success, so a blow for France, but in an annoying way, it’s a blessing for them.

I’d have loved to faced a France side with Kante/Pogba starting, because they’re no where near the levels any more that people probably see them as. Instead, starting with Tchouameni, and a more overall fitter midfield is something I’d prefer not to face. 

Doubt Deschamps has a clue what his team is though. Probably fancy Giroud over Benzema :D 

Link to post
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, Jeroen Thijssen said:

JAPAN is the first to announce its squad

Goal: Shuichi Gonda (Shimizu S-Pulse), Daniel Schmidt (Sint-Truiden), Eiji Kawashima (Strasbourg)

Defense: Hiroki Sakai (Urawa Red Diamonds), Miki Yamane (Kawasaki Frontale), Ko Itakura (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Takehiro Tomiyasu (Arsenal), Maya Yoshida (Schalke 04), Shogo Taniguchi (Kawasaki Frontale), Hiroki Ito (VfB Stuttgart), Yuto Nagatomo (FC Tokyo), Yuta Nakayama (Huddersfield Town)

Midfield: Junya Ito (Stade de Reims), Ritsu Doan (SC Freiburg), Wataru Endo (VfB Stuttgart), Hidemasa Morita (Sporting), Ao Tanaka (Fortuna Dusseldorf), Daichi Kamada (Eintracht Frankfurt), Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad), Takumi Minamino (AS Monaco), Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton & Hove Albion), Gaku Shibasaki (Leganes), Yuki Soma (Nagoya Grampus)

Attack: Daizen Maeda (Celtic), Ayase Ueda (Cercle Brugge), Takuma Asano (Vfl Bochum)

So many foreign based players.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Argentine preliminary list (44 players):

Quote

Arqueros; Emiliano Martínez, Gerónimo Rulli, Juan Musso, Franco Armani, Agustín Marchesín y Agustín Rossi.

Defensores: Nahuel Molina, Gonzalo Montiel, Cristian Romero, Germán Pezzella, Nicolás Otamendi, Lisandro Martínez, Walter Kannemann, Marcos Acuña, Nicolás Tagliafico, Juan Foyth, Facundo Medina, Nehuén Pérez, -Lucas Martínez Quarta y Marcos Senesi.

Mediocampistas: Rodrigo De Paul, Leandro Paredes, Giovani Lo Celso, Alexis Mac Allister, Guido Rodríguez, Alejandro Gómez, Enzo Fernández, Exequiel Palacios, Thiago Almada, Nicolás Domínguez, Lucas Ocampos y Maximiliano Meza.

Delanteros: Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martínez, Ángel Di María, Julián Álvarez, Paulo Dybala, Nicolás González, Ángel Correa, Joaquín Correa, Giovanni Simeone, Emiliano Buendía, Lucas Alario y Alejandro Garnacho.

 

Edited by PMLF
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • Rob1981 changed the title to COUNTDOWN! 18 days to the World Cup.
  • Rob1981 changed the title to COUNTDOWN! 17 days to the World Cup.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...