Iike i said the other day

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Steamgun said:
Warming to this one, especially the less fancied teams that are not reliant on tippy tappy (boring) football.

One thing missing so far is the extracarricular plastic chair tennis matches between fans.
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Was about to post just the same. It's just not a world cup without a salvo or two of super heavyweight topless plastic chair throwing. For balance though we've had the opening rounds of "Keane Souness, this time it's personal". In fact, in another turnabout of major football tournament tropes ITV are blowing a woefully dull and colourless Beeb out of the water in Pundit Wars. I'm sure I even caught Eni smiling last night.
 
World cups usually start slowly but this one has had some good early games & shock results which has made the final group games even more important for more teams ' Good to see a wider continental spread of teams getting through .

Everyone(inc me) is & has been saying "Wrong time of year" but i think its becoming apparent that the players are more up to speed due to playing competitive league games rather than being in a 3 week training camp . Looking forward to the knock out stages .
 
XBeds-Now-Kings_Meaburn said:
World cups usually start slowly but this one has had some good early games & shock results which has made the final group games even more important for more teams ' Good to see a wider continental spread of teams getting through .

Everyone(inc me) is & has been saying "Wrong time of year" but i think its becoming apparent that the players are more up to speed due to playing competitive league games rather than being in a 3 week training camp . Looking forward to the knock out stages .
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Must admit to having the same reservations, but there's no reason why the WC can't be held at any time of the year from hereon in. If that allows the tournament to move around a bit more, then all the better.
 
Yes, i have watched all games and must say i am really enjoying it. Seems to be a lack so far at least of one or two players taking the tournament by storm but that could change as the knockouts commence.

My little concern is for the next one there are going to be even more teams at the final, will that devalue the quality? What is it going to be just the bottom of the qualifying groups dont qualify?
 
Usually there's a couple of breakthrough young players. The nearest I've seen so far is our own Jude. Any more?
 
SpionKop said:
Yes, i have watched all games and must say i am really enjoying it. Seems to be a lack so far at least of one or two players taking the tournament by storm but that could change as the knockouts commence.

My little concern is for the next one there are going to be even more teams at the final, will that devalue the quality? What is it going to be just the bottom of the qualifying groups dont qualify?
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Not sure there are some pretty big players and teams not in this one

Egypt, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Columbia etc
 
yep it's getting better and better. Can't recall if all the groups were so exciting and down to the wire in previous tournaments as they have been this time around. Difficulty for today is which matches to watch. Ghana v Uruguay could be quite tasty because of the Suarez connection but the way the South Koreans play for me makes that a more watchable game. Similarly you feel you've always got to watch Brazil but the winner takes all Serbia v Switzerland game is intriguing.
 
Here's another run for ya.

(It's still a load of old bollocks though :))
 
20togo said:
yep it's getting better and better. Can't recall if all the groups were so exciting and down to the wire in previous tournaments as they have been this time around. Difficulty for today is which matches to watch. Ghana v Uruguay could be quite tasty because of the Suarez connection but the way the South Koreans play for me makes that a more watchable game. Similarly you feel you've always got to watch Brazil but the winner takes all Serbia v Switzerland game is intriguing.
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Serbia against the Albanian Swiss

Tasty ...
 
I've watched most of the matches, except when double billed.
Really enjoying it.
C'mon England.
I wonder if this tournament will have any effect on the rulers of Qatar?
Will they become more humane to many of their starving population?
I doubt it.
 
Davepick said:
I've watched most of the matches, except when double billed.
Really enjoying it.
C'mon England.
I wonder if this tournament will have any effect on the rulers of Qatar?
Will they become more humane to many of their starving population?
I doubt it.
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What starving population?
 
The Catcher in the Rye said:
It’s been decent, football is entertaining, Qatar have put on a good show but I still think it’s stinks of outright corruption that it’s in Qatar in the first place, playing in Nov/Dec is wrong and the fact it’s such a small country with one city is disappointing, however if my personal circumstances were different I would have loved to have gone. Planning for USA ‘26 already
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Travel must be a piece of piss. In 2026 you'll have to travel between USA, Mexico and Canada. Thousands of miles per game.

Assuming Trump hasn't got in and shut the border with Mexico, of course.
 
SpionKop said:
Yes, i have watched all games and must say i am really enjoying it. Seems to be a lack so far at least of one or two players taking the tournament by storm but that could change as the knockouts commence.

My little concern is for the next one there are going to be even more teams at the final, will that devalue the quality? What is it going to be just the bottom of the qualifying groups dont qualify?
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16 groups of 3, with 2 going through from each one.
 
Philbfctrois said:
It's nice to see that so many people who weren't interested in the World Cup are now enjoying it
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Suprisingly few flags etc, I realise you would not be, seeing many in your location, but historically loads of flags, and, bunting out, not seen much this year
 
It's been interesting. I've said for many years that most nations are good going forward but many can't defend. The difference we're now seeing across the board rather than just from a few teams is the quality of defending and the willingness to put their bodies on the line to stop their opponents which is what we've seen as a basic requirement even for Blackpool in league 2!
Football is constantly changing because the money men see new markets emerging and new fortunes to be had. Why else would we have a world cup in Qatar?
I'm growing out of love with the game I've loved since childhood because it's more about money than it is about anything else!
 
Just got back in from Manchester on the lash since noon ….whole pub went up as Suarez got eliminated….** brilliant! 👍
 
Standard is okay. Obviously international football is not what it was and is far below Champions League level.

Really good to see some unheralded teams not just try to defend. Always good to see a mix of styles. Loved the Saudis high line. Like Japan’s hardworking and careful play and the fact they have a way of doing things but you can’t quite work out why!

On a very bad note the winter timing in my opinion has contributed to so many injuries in the Championship. Not least ours. The players are right at the physical limit in a normal calendar as it is. It makes for a lot of dull Championship games.

For politics nobody ever seems to ask what the people of the Arab and Muslim world think about it being in Qatar. I suspect your average Arab Spring supporter is quite enthusiastic. Morocco’s fans looked like they were enjoying it!
 
Your average Muslim country probably has similar political views just like your average western (so called Christian) counties have similar views to each other! Your average Joe probably disagrees with both side's views! Some people argue that politics and sport should stay apart, there's often good argument for it, but sometimes real world issues transcend both sides of the argument!
 
Cannot argue that the Group stages have been very exciting and unpredictable..

It almost justifies the (alleged) 6,500 deaths of migrant construction workers in building Qatars dream.

I do like the earlier suggestion of the next WC on the polar continent; an Inuit team playing inside an Ice stadium would be Infantino's greatest achievement. 😉
 
Matters little when compared to the imminent Festive programme which might well determine our fate
Can't really comment on the quality yet as have only seen a few minutes here and there. Infantino keeps appearing on screen when I have tuned in, so I've promptly tuned out; the future of world football is apparently bright
Round of 16 doesn't look too inspiring, but there may be an exciting match in there somewhere
 
Philbfctrois said:
Just goes to show what a wet wipe society we live in when people can't make their own mind up on things instead falling for media propaganda

It's been a fantastic World Cup
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It’s a bit of a flawed argument - “The football’s been good so how can there possibly be a problem with human rights in Qatar?”
 
I would wager that the 6,500 figure is closer to the true number than that quoted by the Qataris.....

I accept that these workers go there voluntarily and are not 'press ganged' into working, however, they are desperate and the Qataris are exploiting that, paying them the absolute minimum; can't you see that?
 
Philbfctrois said:
You do realise that people actually have a choice to work, they aren't slaves they aren't forced to work on construction sites

Several thousand people travel to the middle east every year to work on construction sites, mainly travelling from Eastern Asian countries to work as labourers on site, whilst the majority of construction professionals and consultants are from the UK, Australia, North America and Western Europe

The labourers are people from other countries where the wages aren't as high or as taxed, they travel to work and get paid, they aren't forced to work, most of the money earned gets sent home to families

Granted health and safety isn't as strict as what it is in the UK I don't doubt that as I've seen it with my own eyes as I've also seen packed out flights landing with people travelling to work, believe it or not these people aren't in chains or shackles

If someone is willing to work at height without a hard hat or a high vis then quite frankly it's their fault, everyone has a responsibility for their own health and safety, like they do in the UK

6,500 deaths you say, have you been listening to the BBC again as I very much doubt that figure to be true
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Whilst what you say in undoubtably true, it doesn't take into account the sheer desperation that motivated these workers to go there. Then to offer them sub-standard (loose) conditions isn't right- essentially taking advantage of their domestic circumstances when money, seemingly is no object.

Like I said the other day, we knew this would happen when they were awarded the event. That was the time for action, but I can't recall a great lobbying of MP's or asking the FA to withdraw or government advice being dished out. Truth is they let it happen. And that's where we are now.

Bringing it back to the OP, I've said numerous times that once the games KO then people would get into it despite the obvious.

One reason is because of the times of the games. It's real time to us. The fact that at the business end, many can knock off work a bit earlier and watch the 3 O clock game will only increase interest. Bit of tea, then the 7 game. Don't make the mistake of recording it and starting the game at 8, nor to have tea at 7.53.

Not looking forward to the next one in NA. Between 5 and 8 hours time difference means an 8pm kick off in LA will be a 4am here. There won't be the same buzz.
 
And by the way, in most forward thinking countries (which Qatar aspires to be) H&S is also the responsibility of the Employer.
Safe systems of work, RAMS etc....
 
You haven't denied it but in your previous post you didn't mention it and you were putting the onus on the individual.

The employer carries the burden of responsibility for H&S
 
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