The World Cup 2018 general pub chat thread.

[AleisterCrowley]

Current interest is only just above zero (bit like my savings accounts)
Maybe I'll get into it.... My personal peak was Wolves getting promoted, so switched to cricket until league football starts again

[didds]

I only realised it was the WC very soon, last week.

didds

[bungeejumper]

Corrupt bidding process, dodgy host country, no welcome for "western degenerates" of various persuasions. I'm a little bit surprised that this tournament hasn't already been relegated to the level of a round of golf with OJ Simpson.

BJ

[maximan]

I only realised it was the WC very soon, last week.

didds

Before me then!

[tjh290633]

What is this World Cup? The Rugby one is in 2019, I believe. There is also a Cricket one coming. Maybe we should specify to which sport, or organising body, we are referring.

I shall not be watching Putin's circus.

TJH

[StepOne]

...although he failed to convert his last 3 chances.

[bungeejumper]

I can't wait to see the new Russian striker, Novichok. He's lethal from close range apparently.

Look, just ignore the knockers and everything will go smoothly, OK?

BJ

[tea42]

My Dad tried to brainwash me into the football mindset. He never succeeded I am glad to say. I will be doing something more constructive than watching various millionaires kicking a ball about a field. I feel the same about watching any sport its fair to say. Good luck to those who enjoy it though… The Beeb seems to overdo Sport flooding their output with too much coverage. But its not only Sport the extent of the coverage of the Chelsea Flower shop was clearly over the top too. Needs a big shake up…

[Gengulphus]

I shall not be watching Putin's circus.

Neither shall I - but as I share tea42's feelings about football, that's easy for me to say!

Gengulphus

[Lootman]

My Dad tried to brainwash me into the football mindset. He never succeeded I am glad to say. I will be doing something more constructive than watching various millionaires kicking a ball about a field. I feel the same about watching any sport its fair to say. Good luck to those who enjoy it though… The Beeb seems to overdo Sport flooding their output with too much coverage. But its not only Sport the extent of the coverage of the Chelsea Flower shop was clearly over the top too. Needs a big shake up…

Knowing about football has always been useful in a work setting, I have found, and particularly if you are involved with clients and/or in selling. The conversation often turns to football at clients' events, meetings and parties, and it helps to be able to converse about it rather than, say, be regarded as the rather gauche nerd in the corner.

My youngest son recently started working in the City, and came to me for a crash course in football because he said he felt he was missing out by not knowing who the Special One was or why Sterling has a gun tattoo.

It's all good, clean, harmless fun really.

[scotia]

From a Scottish point of view - we are sitting out the World Cup since we feel the need to give some others a chance. After all, who were the only unbeaten team in 1974?

[PinkDalek]

After all, who were the only unbeaten team in 1974?

They were also the first ever team to have been unbeaten in the FIFA World Cup finals.

Of course, Germany were also unbeaten in the first round, possibly.

[tea42]

It's all good, clean, harmless fun really.

What I should add is that I do like taking part in some sports (not football) . I cant see any harm in Sport either, its obviously a good money spinner for Britain in the absence of a satisfactory industrial base. As for being a mini expert so you can be part of the gang, I would rather be myself. Dale Carnegie was my Sales guru.

[Beerpig]

Well | can't wait.
Shedfulls of liquor in crowded pubs, three lions, George Cross.
Come on England!

I'm probably one of the few here that can remember 1966 (just)
Its been disappointment ever since and I'm prepared to be disappointed too.
Another penalty exit awaits- you know, we draw a few with mostly 0-0 then go out in the ko round on penalties to Germany, Portugal, Italy or whoever awaits us.
It's the name of the game isn't it ?
Bring it on I say!

[UncleIan]

...Italy

You may want to do some research before going down the bookies.

[scotia]

I'm probably one of the few here that can remember 1966 (just)

Then I'm sure you also remember England v Scotland at Wembley in 1967

[PinkDalek]

I remember both. The latter for the wanton destruction at Wembley and the West German ref.

[PinkDalek]

They dug up some turf in ‘67. Maybe didn’t break the goalposts.

The build up to the third goal:

http://movingimage.nls.uk/film/6813

[scotia]

Scottish football is irrelevant on the global stage.

And I think the reasons are partly social and partly the changed nature of the game.
Going back to the thirties to fifties, a substantial number of young lads worked, poorly paid, in the mines, filling hutches with coal and pushing them along to the pit bottom. This led to powerful legs and shoulders which suited the game at that time. Remember that it was perfectly legal for a centre forward to score a goal by shoulder charging a keeper into the back of the net (with the ball!). And robust tackling was allowable from all directions - why not from behind if the wee winger had just slipped past.
Mechanisation (shearers, ploughs and conveyor belts) in the mines changed the nature of mining, then eventually there were closures. Macmillan's boast that "You've never had it so good" was reasonably accurate, and much better paid, and less arduous jobs became available - so reducing the drive to succeed in football. We all became softer, and possibly more civilized.
So we can safely leave World Cup football to less fortunate nations.

[pds2008]

Well - I'll be looking forward to England's early exit, precipitated by several mentions of a tournament 52 years ago, and followed by wringing of hands and lamentations of england's decline in world football (on the basis that one swallow does indeed make a summer). I can then enjoy the rest of the tournament secretly wishing I was german.

I had a small punt on Uruguay as an outside bet - Godin at the back and Cavani/Suarez up front should cause anyone a few problems.

Pds