FIFA World Cup 2006 - page 47

Promise to the Prince

in News & Features

This is ridiculous. England promised Prince Williams they will bring back FIFA World Cup to their country during his visit to the team’s training session on Thursday.

Williams is the president of the Football Association and as such wished the team all the best and has assured the team their country is 150 percent behind them.

He stressed that bringing the World Cup to their country shall bring everyone together. That should be expected since the greatest sporting event is seen like a religion to most of the countries participating and shall bring any country together once the Finals is won.

I doubt if England is anywhere near winning the goal.

A promise is made to be broken after all. They better pray Rooney will play in the competition because they will be needing everything from their Arsenal to get past Brazil.

More World Cup information (player focused) over at Soccerati.

[tags]FIFA World Cup, FIFA World Cup 2006, World Cup Germany, Soccer, Football, England World Cup[/tags]

World Cup on BBC Broadband

in Games, betting & entertainment/News & Features

People over at UK should be happy since BBC will be showing World Cup games online which is the first time it shall happen.

The downside and argument on this is — shown only over at UK and not the rest of the world.

Fair enough, the question right now focus on Expats. How will they be able to watch these shows while outside of UK after all they are paying their broadband bills?

There are only 7 days to go before the World Cup and I would suggest that they act fast and think about their expats by creating a logon screen (Correct me if I am wrong. Does login exists in BBC?) where they can view what is being viewed in UK. Easier said than done. Being an IT Professional, I know how risky this is going to be, next to impossible. I would not roll-out something that has not gone through extensive testing and enough security test attacks. Making a small percentage of expats happy may result in great amounts of damage.

I reckon that these guys should have thought about this way sooner. Come to think of it, expats should not care if they cannot watch the show on internet since they can afford with their large and fat paychecks on pay- per-view schedule from their television. Another angle I see is that internet connection in third world countries, where there are also tons of expats, may have slow internet access and watching on television is better than staring at a slow motion video.

Anyways, in an excerpt of the article:

This means a summer of unprecedented top-quality sport online from the BBC for users in the UK. At Wimbledon there’ll be up to five live interactive video streams of action from around the courts, supplemented by a daily round-up of highlights that’s available for our global audiences too.

From Germany 2006 there’ll be all the BBC games streamed live in video; every single match streamed in audio; and then video highlights on-demand, again for every game.

This reflects us taking seriously what you’ve been saying to us.

You want BBC Sport on the platform and at the time of your choice, and these days a broadcaster can’t rely on simply putting on an event at a fixed time on a conventional tv channel.

Some people will want to watch the afternoon World Cup games on the pc in their office; others will drive home listening to coverage on Five Live or Five Live Sports Extra; and if you’ve been out for the evening you’ll be able to catch up with all the goals at the time you want rather than where we’ve chosen to schedule them.

More World Cup information (player focused) over at Soccerati.

[tags]FIFA World Cup, FIFA World Cup 2006, World Cup Germany, Soccer, Football, United Kingdom, BBC World Cup[/tags]

Speeding Ronaldo

in Uncategorized

Over at BBC a picture of Ronaldo in FIFA World Cup 2002 was posted showing his lean frame in what seemed to be in a speeding motion.

Photographer Ross Kinnaird has this to say (see picture here):

Football…Brazil…Ronaldo – it doesn’t get any better, especially if you’re a sports photographer covering the World Cup finals. Taking pictures of the best footballers in the world and seeing them in print is a massive buzz. You’re so close to the action you can hear a metatarsal crack. All my mates want to swap places with me! This Ronaldo picture shows power and speed in an arty kind of way. Shooting from the stands allows you to see shapes and patterns set against the green grass. I wanted to capture him running from left to right because it looks better in print. To get the shot spot on, I wanted Ronaldo on his own (he’s always tightly marked and not always in the action) so I needed to concentrate on more than just watching the game. It’s all worth the effort when it comes off though! —- Ross Kinnaird

Ronaldo is not as lean as he was four years ago. How fast can we go today?

More Player Profile over at Soccerati.

[tags] FIFA World Cup, FIFA World Cup 2006, World Cup Germany, Soccer, Football, Brazil[/tags]

England Kicks Brazilians

in News & Features

Who Ate All the Bratwurst has posted about a site dedicated to telling us who are the boys that will beat Brazil. Guess what! It’s the England. Do you agree anyone is going to kick the Brazilians in this tournament? Of all the teams, England?

In an excerpt:

What if the FA tried to secretly clone the heroes of 1966 to save England from football obscurity?

What if the experiment succeeded, and they are somewhere out there, waiting to reclaim a forgotten glory?

Find out in The Boys to Beat Brazil, the explosive new novel that makes The Da Vinci Code feel like being stuck in a lift with David Pleat.

[tags]FIFA World Cup, FIFA World Cup 2006, World Cup Germany, Soccer, Football, England[/tags]

Be Kind to Babies

in Uncategorized

For a morale boosting media speech, Sven-Goran Eriksson told his young players Theo Walcott, Aaron Lennon and Stewart Downing they deserve to be on the plane and should remain relax. Well, for one that’s the best he could do to ensure his players come out with the best performance ever because he will be under fire that he himself will ask why he ever put such players when they suck come tournament games.

To add to his speech, celebrity player David Beckham has this to say:

“Players like that excite us in the squad and I’m sure they have given the supporters a lift too,” said Beckham.

“Team morale is vital during a tournament and I have been really happy at how the new lads have fitted in and been made to feel welcome.

“I remember when I won my first England cap, back in 1996 against Moldova, and when I played my first game at a World Cup finals against Romania in 1998.

“The older, more experienced players went out of their way to help me fit in and I learned a lot just from watching the way they conducted themselves in training, in the dressing room and around the team hotel.

“It’s a big learning curve for the younger players but they have already shown they are more than up to it.”

With Rooney out during the first few games, these youngsters better keep their hearts and heads intact and be the man on the field.

Anyways, Sven has less than two weeks to prove how good or mediocre he is.

[tags]FIFA World Cup, FIFA World Cup 2006, World Cup Germany, Soccer, Football[/tags]

Luckott

in Uncategorized

Theo Walcott Who is Luckott? It’s a term I coined for Theo Walcott on playing for England and making the history books.

Being chosen by Sven-Goran Eriksson is already a big winner for this kid let alone enter the history books and get past Wayne Rooney’s record of 17 years and 111 days when he appeared against Australia in February of 2003.

Theo Walcott luckily became the youngest player in England’s history on the 65th minute of their friendly against Hungary at Old Trafford to play at 17 years and 75 days.

Rooney’s status was already cemented when he entered the record books by playing in the English Premiership unlike Walcott who have been the invisible man of Arsenal all this time.

What more could Walcott ask?

Luckott is going to get luckier since he might just become the second youngest player in FIFA World Cup Finals behind only to Norman Whiteside of Northern Ireland whose record sits at 17 years and 41 days.

I can’t figure out how luck could bite players in the World Cup Finals. Luck does happen but to the best players on this planet especially at a level like the World Cup Finals. But a young kid who has not proven anything yet?

Luckott he is .

[tags]FIFA World Cup, FIFA World Cup 2006, Soccer, Football[/tags]

World Cup Tracker

in Uncategorized

I stumbled upon this software that will track the happenings on all the team in the upcoming World Cup. I have not been able to test it just yet but will do so and make a review.

How Deep is your Love?

in News & Features

Football fans is an exceptionally different breed of people.

I find it quite unique in the way fans love, defend and stand by their teams. The football forums and communities I have joined always had violent people who behaved like barbarians. Their love is unquestionable to the extent that they put their education, integrity, credibility, etc. on the line just to defend their heart’s desire.

I always wanted it addressed differently — with respect and love; but I know deep inside that it just isn’t going to happen for a culture deeply embedded in the core of the sport.

Sweden Eyes on Opponents

in News & Features

Lyth, one of the scouts, told Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet how important it was to see their opponents play live.

England, Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago will be followed by Sweden’s three man team — Lyth, Goransson and Lenartsson.

What’s new?

All teams have scouts and that cancels everything else. Well, at least you get to do your homework. Who knows who among the scouts are enjoying their vacation and miss the important aspects of the game played?

World Cup 06: Tunisia

in Uncategorized

Tunisia In this series of posts we shall look at each country’s profile that will see action during the games. We continue with Tunisia (player profile). The full archive is found here.

Only winning one game against Mexico in the last 28 years does not speak well of this team. Being the first African country to win a finals has put them in the record books though. Below is their world cup record:

1978: (lost) Poland; (draw) Germany
1998: (lost) England, Columbia; (draw) Romania
1998: (lost) Russia, Japan; (draw) Belgium

Former French national coach Roger Lemerre has led the team to lift the trophy at the Rades stadium during the CAF African Cup of Nations in February 2004.

Their six wins, three draws and only one loss ensured them a place in World Cup Germany.

Their solid combination of players makes Tunisian fans hopeful about their chances.

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