Most of us have enjoyed that moment of excitement when we decide that it would be a great idea to have a party. In the first full flush of eager generosity, we invite everyone we know. It's going to be such fun! That's pretty much the best part over for the host. Then you have to cope with the expense, the preparation and the worries about who's going to turn up. During the party, you fret about whether or not everyone's having a good time. Then when they've all gone home, you have to clear up the depressing mess, wash the stains out of the carpet and pay for all the damage. But if you think that's bad, imagine hosting a World Cup.

 

Hosting the World Cup is a much worse scenario. FIFA is not only your outside caterer, it also becomes the self-invited control freak that tells you exactly how to run your own party. At huge expense, it bullies you into remodelling and renaming all your rooms ("This bog is now the Coca Cola Personal Hygiene Facility"). It moodily threatens to move the party somewhere else if you don't get your act together and finish the preparations on time. It dictates which beer and food to serve. It makes sure that it will be the guest of honour, quaffing vintage champagne in an exclusive VIP room with its best corporate friends, and you'll only be allowed in wearing a butler's uniform. And then when it's all over, it packs up and leaves you feeling used and empty – like those huge, all-seater stadiums it insisted that you needed so that Chile could play Honduras.

 

 

I've always wanted England to host the World Cup, but this extract from When Saturday Comes offers an entertaining and probably true outlook. Good luck Russia. :lol:

I fell to sleep half way through the match.

I heard during commentary of last night's Confederations Cup Semi final that the kick off time for the World Cup final is going to be at 4 PM UK time. If that is true then it must be one of the earliest times for a World Cup final for people based in the UK. I remember the 2002 World Cup final kicking off at around 12 PM UK time.

What time we the USA 94 final!?

What time we the USA 94 final!?

I don't know but it was probably in the early hours of the morning UK time.

I remember staying up until 2am to watch Sweden Brazil in the semi final but for some reason I think the final was at a better time for Europe?! It was a scorcher I remember that!

Biggest matches in September:

 

Asia - Group A - South Korea (13) Uzbekistan (12)

 

8/31: Uzbekistan at China

8/31: Iran at South Korea

9/5: South Korea at Uzbekistan

 

Higher finisher goes to World Cup, lower finisher heads to playoff.

 

Asia - Group B - Japan (17) Saudi Arabia (16) Australia (16)

 

8/31: Saudi Arabia at UAE

8/31: Australia at Japan

9/5: Thailand at Australia

9/5: Japan at Saudi Arabia

 

Top two finishers go to World Cup, third place goes to playoffs.

 

 

Africa - Group A - Congo DR (6) Tunisia (6) Guinea (0) Libya (0)

 

9/1: Congo DR at Tunisia

9/5: Tunisia at Congo DR

 

Team with the better results is in the driver's seat for a World Cup qualification.

 

Africa - Group B - Nigeria (6) Cameroon (2) Zambia (1) Algeria (1)

 

8/31: Cameroon at Nigeria

9/4: Nigeria at Cameroon

 

If Cameroon can do some damage, it will tighten the group up.

 

Africa - Group C - Ivory Coast (4) Gabon (2) Morocco (2) Mali (1)

 

9/2: Ivory Coast at Gabon

9/5: Gabon at Ivory Coast

 

If Gabon can pull off some upsets, then this group will still have drama, but two wins by the Elephants will likely have them headed back to the World Cup unless Morocco keeps things close.

 

Africa - Group D - Burkina Faso (4) South Africa (4) Senegal (3) Cape Verde (0)

 

9/2: Burkina Faso at Senegal

9/5: Senegal at Burkina Faso

 

South Africa is likely to gets good results against Cape Verde, so can one of these two teams put a positive foot forward?

 

Africa - Group E - Egypt (6) Uganda (4) Ghana (1) Congo (0)

 

8/31: Egypt at Uganda

9/5: Uganda at Egypt

 

It's pretty simple, if Egypt takes care of business against Uganda, then their first World Cup in over 25 years looks likely while Ghana would miss out for the first time in a long time.

 

CONCACAF - Final Round - Mexico (14) Costa Rica (11) United States (8) Panama (7) Honduras (5) Trinidad & Tobago (3)

 

9/1: Costa Rica at USA

9/1: Panama at Mexico

9/1: Honduras at Trinidad

9/5: USA at Honduras

9/5: Trinidad at Panama

9/5: Mexico at Costa Rica

 

USA is historically bad at Honduras and if that trend continues, there's an opportunity for Honduras to climb back into things. Otherwise with two tough matches for Costa Rica, USA could grab second place.

 

South America - Colombia (24) Uruguay (23) Chile (23) Argentina (22) Ecuador (20) Peru (18) Paraguay (18)

 

8/31: Paraguay at Chile

8/31: Argentina at Uruguay

8/31: Ecuador at Brazil

8/31: Bolivia at Peru

8/31: Colombia at Venezuela

9/5: Chile at Bolivia

9/5: Brazil at Colombia

9/5: Peru at Ecuador

9/5: Venezuela at Argentina

9/5: Uruguay at Paraguay

 

Argentina are currently in the playoff position as it stands.

 

Oceania - Final Round

 

9/1: Soloman Islands at New Zealand

9/5: New Zealand at Soloman Islands

 

Winner advances to playoff with CONCACAF

 

Europe - Group A - Sweden (13) France (13) Netherlands (10)

 

8/31: Netherlands at France

 

Europe - Group C - Germany (18) Northern Ireland (13) Czech Republic (9)

 

9/4: Czech Republic at Northern Ireland

 

Europe - Group D - Serbia (12) Ireland (12) Wales (8) Austria (8)

 

9/2: Austria at Wales

9/5: Serbia at Ireland

 

Europe - Group E - Poland (16) Montenegro (10) Denmark (10) Romania (6) Armenia (6)

 

9/1: Poland at Denmark

9/1: Armenia at Romania

9/4: Romania at Montenegro

9/4: Demark at Armenia

 

Europe - Group F - England (14) Slovakia (12) Slovenia (11) Scotland (8)

 

9/1: Slovenia at Slovakia

9/4: Slovakia at England

 

Europe - Group G - Italy (16) Spain (16)

 

9/2: Italy at Spain

 

Europe - Group H - Belgium (16) Greece (12) Bosnia (11)

 

9/3: Belgium at Greece

 

Europe - Group I - Croatia (13) Iceland (13) Turkey (11) Ukraine (11)

 

9/2: Turkey at Ukraine

9/5: Croatia at Turkey

9/5: Ukraine at Iceland

 

Thank you very much again for doing this, DJHazey.

 

Very much appreciated.

 

 

I'm heading to 2 World Cup qualifiers in Sept - my usual journey to the latestIreland game and I'm heading to Amsterdam the weekend before on my stag and heading to the Holland Bulgaria game - looking forward to it!!

Edited August 14, 20177 yr by Steve201

Rooney has announced his retirement from international football. I'm sure the public reaction is very split by that :kink:

 

Personally I think he should have played until at least the next World Cup, switching to Everton means he'll get a lot more goals & appearances at club level so he would have gone into the comp in good form probably.

Good, cannot stand the baked bean head. Very sad day when he overtook Charlton's record, but he has a World Cup Winners medal, so i doubt he even cared.

I'm heading to 2 World Cup qualifiers in Sept - my usual journey to the latestIreland game and I'm heading to Amsterdam the weekend before on my stag and heading to the Holland Bulgaria game - looking forward to it!!

Bulgarian football i find interesting, as well as all the other obscure European leagues. Estonian one has grounds that wouldnt look out of place in Sunday league.

 

Am thinking of making a trip to Tallinn and watch Levadia play against Flora.

I remember staying up until 2am to watch Sweden Brazil in the semi final but for some reason I think the final was at a better time for Europe?! It was a scorcher I remember that!

My other half did that when he was 13 watching on a black and white TV in his bedroom!.

 

Would love to see Egypt qualify, was well annoyed when they got robbed at the AFCON final, but at least getting to the final built the foundations to rebuild and make them a force again (spent a few years away from the AFCON also).

Good, cannot stand the baked bean head. Very sad day when he overtook Charlton's record, but he has a World Cup Winners medal, so i doubt he even cared.

 

That record will be broken again & again in the future when we're playing 10 friendlies per year against Andorra...

Thanks for the service Rooney - he had a great few years between 2004 and 2008 but after that his goals are mostly against shit teams and penalties. He never really kicked on to reach the levels he could, shame. He's finished as a top player now, he will play for Everton but he is still slow and immobile. Sure he knows where the back of the net is, but it's clear he wants to play every game which I don't think he can do at England. And playing him as a #10 is not right.

That record will be broken again & again in the future when we're playing 10 friendlies per year against Andorra...

.. and drawing them or San Marino in every qualifying round.

 

England fans are so full of themselves for always getting easy groups, citing "Top seeds!haha!". The point is, from every pot they get the weakest or second weakest team almost every time.

 

Still, they really made a meal out of "Group E-A-S-Y" in 2010.

 

Thanks for the service Rooney - he had a great few years between 2004 and 2008 but after that his goals are mostly against shit teams and penalties. He never really kicked on to reach the levels he could, shame. He's finished as a top player now, he will play for Everton but he is still slow and immobile. Sure he knows where the back of the net is, but it's clear he wants to play every game which I don't think he can do at England. And playing him as a #10 is not right.

I remember when as soon as England won that penalty against Slovenia, the camera went right on his mug straight away.

 

Almost made me vommit.

 

That record will be broken again & again in the future when we're playing 10 friendlies per year against Andorra...

In fairness...

 

https://www.wikiwand.com/en/UEFA_Nations_League

In fairness...

 

https://www.wikiwand.com/en/UEFA_Nations_League

Good idea that competition, gets rid of the pointless friendlies. Bet England will still draw the joke teams in qualifying rounds for the WC, seeing the NL also is used for Euro Champs qualification.

I remember staying up until 2am to watch Sweden Brazil in the semi final but for some reason I think the final was at a better time for Europe?! It was a scorcher I remember that!

Other half said it was about 7:30 ish UK time. Was the first World Cup he watched.