WC Qualifier tonight

[Blaze]

Aus to go through. I can feel it.

Knew it. Absolutely stoked as well. I don't know why but I really get behind Australia in football. I want them to do well, I guess because New Zealand aren't going to get close to a world cup anytime soon and Aus are our closest neighbours.

Well done to them.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

If any rule changes are needed, it would be that penalty shootouts / extra time should be played at a 3rd venue (e.g. neutral venue). Too much advantage is given to the team who plays at home in the 2nd leg.

Or rather, they should abolish penalty kick shootouts altogether. It's possibly the worst way to decide an important game.

Sudden death football is a far better idea.

 

[SupaFreak2005]

or they could play until someone catches the snitch

 

[Nate]

Hahahahah, good call.

Stoked that T&T made it through, sounds like Bahrain were shocking. And I really like T&T.

I had a great night/morning, my parents are in Adelaide, so I have the house to myself. So I invited many mates over at 12, and we celebrated `til 4. Still so happy, I can`t get over it. And this isn`t even Croatia!

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Or rather, they should abolish penalty kick shootouts altogether. It's possibly the worst way to decide an important game.

Sudden death football is a far better idea.

Agreed, but there's no way you can have sudden death without removing the fixed 30 minute extra time, and that's about as holy to football fans as the fact that the goals should have three posts.

 

[marc71178]

If any rule changes are needed, it would be that penalty shootouts / extra time should be played at a 3rd venue (e.g. neutral venue). Too much advantage is given to the team who plays at home in the 2nd leg.

Even where away goals count double so the away side gets 30 minutes extra of that rule?

 

[Cloete]

A few quality images:

The one that takes the cake :

 

[Burpey]

I could handle Harry's little Beckham-style ponytail, but I think he's gone too far there ...

 

[Linda]

How cool is John Travolta ... the news reckons hes offered to fly the Socceroos to Germany next year

I cant believe the reaction from all of this, its massive!

 

[Craig]

I hope FIFA heavily fines Bahrain!

And I hope they fine Turkey and Switzerland heavily as well. From what I read a Swiss player started it and Turkey is the one place you want to have a football biff in. Just ask the families of the two Leeds supporters who got stabbed there about five years ago.

I mean England fans were banned from going in the fear that it would erupt into WWIII...

 

[Craig]

Oh get over it.

I agree it's sad that the Reggae Boyz couldn't even make it out of the preliminary qualifiers though. I'll shed a tear for you during Germany '06.

Round one in the Inter-Caribbean CW rivalries goes to Liam.

Although apart from this high I bet you were fuming about the performanc e by the West Indies on day 1? I know I would be.

 

[Craig]

Although the bad news about this is that Johnny Warren isn't alive to see this - he would have loved it. I bet he was watching up in heavan and is loving every minute.

 

[luckyeddie]

Or rather, they should abolish penalty kick shootouts altogether. It's possibly the worst way to decide an important game.

Sudden death football is a far better idea.

The trouble is, many international tournaments are played in midsummer - and 'sudden death' might be an apt phrase to use.

Also, just imagine if a team are playing in the knockout stages - there might normally be a 4 or 5 day break between the 'Round of 16' and the quarter finals. Suppose a side plays an hour and a half, then extra time, then another hour (or more) of 'sudden death' - you can pretty well guarantee that there's no way they will have recovered fully before their next match.

During the 1970 World Cup, England introduced all sorts of monitoring measures and used physiotherapists for the first time. They found that playing in 35 degree temperatures at altitude caused weight loss of between 5 and 7 pounds during 90 minutes.

 

[Nate]

Quality images Clo.

And yeah, poor Johnny. I really don`t want to think about it.

 

[steds]

Or rather, they should abolish penalty kick shootouts altogether. It's possibly the worst way to decide an important game.

Why? It's about as close to tense and exciting as football gets. The 90 minutes is usually filled with nothingness.

 

[Burpey]

You can't have them playing forever, which could well happen. Someone's got to lose, and I'm stoked it was Uruguay!

 

[Scaly piscine]

The trouble is, many international tournaments are played in midsummer - and 'sudden death' might be an apt phrase to use.

Also, just imagine if a team are playing in the knockout stages - there might normally be a 4 or 5 day break between the 'Round of 16' and the quarter finals. Suppose a side plays an hour and a half, then extra time, then another hour (or more) of 'sudden death' - you can pretty well guarantee that there's no way they will have recovered fully before their next match.

During the 1970 World Cup, England introduced all sorts of monitoring measures and used physiotherapists for the first time. They found that playing in 35 degree temperatures at altitude caused weight loss of between 5 and 7 pounds during 90 minutes.

The World Cup should never be played in 35 degree heat anyway, but then the FIFA fat cats like to get a nice holiday in a warm climate. As for the extra hour of play - well that sort of thing happens even in the more commercial orientated sports like ice hockey, but I guess you won't see many ice hockey games played in 35 degree heat...

 

[Slats4ever]

How cool is John Travolta ... the news reckons hes offered to fly the Socceroos to Germany next year

I cant believe the reaction from all of this, its massive!

does john travolta have some particular bond to the Australian soccer team. I seem to remember him coming up somewhere last night. I reckon he looks like Harry Kewell

 

[Jono]

but I guess you won't see many ice hockey games played in 35 degree heat...

That would be entertaining

 

[Linda]

does john travolta have some particular bond to the Australian soccer team. I seem to remember him coming up somewhere last night. I reckon he looks like Harry Kewell

I think its something to do with Qantas, hes an ambassador or something and they are the Socceroos major sponser.