2014 World Cup

[pineapple stu]

Didn't know the fourth official is watching TV replays and could let the ref know about stuff he'd missed. That's interesting. Good idea too.

[pineapple stu]

I cant see whos on the panel so Im not sure if Im happy or freaked out that I have the same opinion as them

Ha!

Giles and Brady.

Brady saying that the fourth official doesn't know as much about over-the-top fouls as Giles.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Has to be a red. Officials don't tolerate tackles like that anymore (by and large).

[Razors left peg]

I think if a guy goes in over the the top of the ball theres not doubt its a straight red but to me that one was caused by the contact on the ball.... either way I dont think it would have affected the outcome too much with the Swiss scoring 3

[Charlie Darwin]

Ha!

Giles and Brady.

Brady saying that the fourth official doesn't know as much about over-the-top fouls as Giles.

Caught that, Giles didn't seem to pick up on it!

I disagree with John about Valencia. I don't think it was a malicious tackle at all but it was reckless and dangerous and he put himself in a position where he wouldn't be able to control his leg once it slipped off the ball.

[BonnieShels]

John and Liam.

[Charlie Darwin]

John and Liam.

Ann and Barry. What's your point?

[DannyInvincible]

The Ecuadorian keeper was catching everything. Made for a nice change. It was a spirited performance by Ecuador, but they're the first South American side to drop out.

I'm sure anyone watching the Argentina game saw what appeared to be Lavezzi dissing his manager with a squirt of water over the head whilst otherwise completely ignoring his instructions earlier?



Was that serious or was it a joke?

Kenny Cunningham didn't have much time for it: http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/world...ub-by-lavezzi/

I know from playing football that if I was having an ongoing thing with a fella on the pitch there would be times where you would go into a challenge harder than needed and at times I probably intended to hurt the guy. But again I think that is normal human behaviour when you get angry. I wouldnt like it at the time but I could understand a guy going in hard or leaving a foot in on me for the same reasons.

Well, of course you'd consider it normal human conduct if you admit you'd be liable to lapsing into it yourself. Just like Suarez might be of the opinion that biting is a completely normal human behaviour.

But if a guy spat at me I think I would completely go bananas, that is far less dangerous than anything else that might happen on a football pitch but its disgusting and disrespectful. Most people would agree that it is completely unacceptable. To me though biting is much worse again, there is something very wrong about it. It is not normal behavior in any way at all.

I don't doubt it immediately strikes the raw senses as very wrong, but it's what makes it more wrong in people's minds that I find interesting. Lineker on the BBC was just discussing retrospective punishment generally after the France-Ecuador game and said in a steadfast manner, as if reflecting the view of the nation, "Well, I'm not going to compare a bite with an elbow..." Are they that incomparable? They're both abhorrent examples of violent conduct. Is it rational to view it as incomparably wrong or weird, or is such an emotionally-charged response? Maybe there are valid reasons to view biting as more harmful. Maybe not. I think EG suggested it earlier, but perhaps we're hardwired by evolution to be disgusted by it. Who knows? It's quite a fascinating controversy all the same.

[BonnieShels]

Ann and Barry. What's your point?

Responding to Razor's worry that he may have agreed with Dunphy and Sadlier. Sadly my Canadian broadband failed to refresh the page quickly enough and you all beat me to it.

I apologise for my impervious interruption.

As you were...

[Razors left peg]

The difference is Danny I think that most people would agree with what I find normal behaviour.... I doubt many(outside of Uruguay and Merseyside) would agree with Suarez view on normal

For what its worth I actually think both Sahko and Giroud should get punished for the elbows, but again they are pretty much first time offenders and dont do that regularly!

[Razors left peg]

Responding to Razor's worry that he may have agreed with Dunphy and Sadlier. Sadly my Canadian broadband failed to refresh the page quickly enough and you all beat me to it.

I apologise for my impervious interruption.

As you were...

I actually like Sadlier, after Gary Neville I would have him as my 2nd fav pundit on the box

[Charlie Darwin]

I actually like Sadlier, after Gary Neville I would have him as my 2nd fav pundit on the box

the last few days he seems to have made a conscious effort to lighten up, almost as if he reads what people say about him on twitter and message boards. The only problem is he's now turned into one of those born-again types who, despite having only stopped being a moanyhole about 72 hours ago, is now going around cheerfully reminding people that their negative vibes are really bringing everyone down.

[DannyInvincible]

Because they don't trust the Federation to have the capital from just them saying so. Every tournament I hear about this sort of thing with the African sides, never any other confederation.

But couldn't they just have requested it be transferred electronically? They'd have gotten it quicker that way, assuming the federation does actually have the capability to produce such funds.

[BonnieShels]

But couldn't they just have requested it be transferred electronically? They'd have gotten it quicker that way, assuming the federation does actually have the capability to produce such funds.

I'd say they were worried about the Nigerian prince the GFA had set up as the middle man.

[Charlie Darwin]

But couldn't they just have requested it be transferred electronically? They'd have gotten it quicker that way, assuming the federation does actually have the capability to produce such funds.

According to the coach, James Appiah, most of the players don't have bank accounts in Ghana and apparently the banking system isn't quite as seamless there as it is in Europe, so players prefer to be paid in cash. I suspect it's probably more a case of them not trusting they'll be paid until it's in their hands. The problem in this case is that the players expect to be paid before the tournament (as is reasonable if they don't trust the FA) and FIFA doesn't pay out until after a tournament (a few months later I think) so the FA has to find a line of credit to pay bonuses until the FIFA payment comes in. That shouldn't really be a problem for an organisation that has $8 million guaranteed income, but who knows what goes on between the FA and banks.

[DannyInvincible]

the last few days he seems to have made a conscious effort to lighten up, almost as if he reads what people say about him on twitter and message boards. The only problem is he's now turned into one of those born-again types who, despite having only stopped being a moanyhole about 72 hours ago, is now going around cheerfully reminding people that their negative vibes are really bringing everyone down.

He was telling Kenny he was getting "too angry" over Lavezzi squirting his manager with water.

[Charlie Darwin]

He was telling Kenny he was getting "too angry" over Lavezzi squirting his manager with water.

It's funny because a week ago I reckon he probably would have been really annoyed by Cunningham and got quite agitated, but new chilled-out Richie was just like "dude, relax..."

[DannyInvincible]

I'd say they were worried about the Nigerian prince the GFA had set up as the middle man.

Let's nip this myth in the bud before it gathers wings; the Good Friday Agreement has absolutely nothing to do with the Nigerian prince's eligibility to effect the switch to the Ghana team.

[ArdeeBhoy]

According to the coach, James Appiah, most of the players don't have bank accounts in Ghana and apparently the banking system isn't quite as seamless there as it is in Europe, so players prefer to be paid in cash. I suspect it's probably more a case of them not trusting they'll be paid until it's in their hands. The problem in this case is that the players expect to be paid before the tournament (as is reasonable if they don't trust the FA) and FIFA doesn't pay out until after a tournament (a few months later I think) so the FA has to find a line of credit to pay bonuses until the FIFA payment comes in. That shouldn't really be a problem for an organisation that has $8 million guaranteed income, but who knows what goes on between the FA and banks.

More like their players don't want to pay tax on it, allegedly...

[Charlie Darwin]

More like their players don't want to pay tax on it, allegedly...

I doubt it. If they wanted to hide it they'd just have it paid to an offshore bank account. I'd say it's a lot more to do with lack of trust in their football association.