If it was not for the barmy decision about the host nation we would be into week 1 of the world cup now and I would be glued to the TV and like a kid at Christmas. I love the world cup more than any other sporting event. I know some have lost interest in it but I reckon everyone has some memories of world cups gone by that we would love to read. Just to help with the footballless summer. 82 was my year, purely because it had my favourite ever team in it. Tele Santana's Brazil were artists not footballers. There is a video of their goals from that tournament that always make me cheer up when I need it. I dont know how to post videos so maybe someone clever than me could so it - they are things of real beauty. They include my favourite ever goal. Socrates plays the ball to Zico and gets on his bike. Zico, who is getting the treatment from Gentile turns him inside out before playing a brilliant ball back to Socrates. He gives Zoff the eyes and passes it into the near post. Wonderful. Gentile and Zoff are two of the all time greats as well, and both looked bemused by what had just happened. The game Italy v Brazil was brilliant. But so was the Brazil Argentina one, which saw a young Maradona get sent off in a brutal affair. Anyway, just typing this makes me smile...
1982 was the first one I remember as I was 8. Vividly remember Robsons goal against France. Don't recall watching the 0-0 draws against Spain and Germany though. They must have been evening games. That Brazil team was my favourite along with the French team from the 1984 Euros.
The games are listed somewhere but I can't remember. Don't think they were too bad but sure there's 4 games a day in round 1. Hopefully I'll still be working from home, or not working much from home with all that footy.
England were a bit unlucky that year. Brooking and Keegan both injured which was a major blow at the time. Mind you if they had made more use of Hoddle, and taken Tony Morley, it may well have been a different story.
Also after being reminded about Billy Bingham the other day we may have had a different 2nd round group had Northern Ireland not beaten Spain.
I took two of my sons to France and then Germany, fantastic memories. I look back at other World Cups and there are more great memories. Even Argentina, which was crazy, knocks spots off these corporate events like Qatar. I hope everyone who watches has a great time but I'll only see clips on Breakfast News tbh.
Yep. Good players in that squad, though we just scraped qualification. I was never that taken with Greenwood though. There were better men available when he was appointed, but they weren't as establishment as Greenwood.
The World Cup being held in Qatar is a terrible stain on FIFA, probably the most corrupt sporting body ever to have existed. All these players and managers, who have spent the last couple of years virtue signalling by kneeling down, and in other ways demonstrating their bleeding hearts by reciting a pre rehearsed phrase or two, will have to forget all that stuff, and " adapt to a different culture". They will do this without a blush. In any event, IMO, The Euros are a superior tournament.
Brian Clough said that he'd build a team around Glenn Hoddle, 'cos he was ****ing brilliant (he didn't say that bit), but Bobby Robson, who got knighted for doing **** all, decided to piss about with Hoddle's England career, which was a massive error of judgement, and as you say, if Robson had been a decent manager it could so well have been a different story
Really dislike Southgate and Kane for acting like they are using their platform to raise awareness of Qatar's shortcomings when they're just taking their ****ing cash to be part of the same corrupt machine that's been laughable since blatter. So, in protest, I won't be watching. Though that ****ing kills me given it's the world cup and all.
First week of games........ Monday November 21st Group A: Senegal vs Netherlands (Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 10am) Group B: England vs Iran (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 1pm) Group A: Qatar vs Ecuador (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 4pm) Group B: USA vs Wales (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 7pm) Tuesday November 22nd Group C: Argentina vs Saudi Arabia (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 10am) Group D: Denmark vs Tunisia (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 1pm) Group C: Mexico vs Poland (Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 4pm) Group D: France vs UAE/Australia/Peru (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 7pm) Wednesday November 23rd Group F: Morocco vs Croatia (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 10am) Group E: Germany vs Japan (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 1pm) Group E: Spain vs Costa Rica/New Zealand (Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 4pm) Group F: Belgium vs Canada (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 7pm) Thursday November 24th Group G: Switzerland vs Cameroon (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 10am) Group H: Uruguay vs South Korea (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 1pm) Group H: Portugal vs Ghana (Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 4pm) Group G: Brazil vs Serbia (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 7pm) Friday November 25th Group B: Wales vs Iran (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 10am) Group A: Qatar vs Senegal (Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 1pm) Group A: Netherlands vs Ecuador (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 4pm) Group B: England vs USA (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm)
Hoddle should have played so much more. At the time he would have played for all the continental sides and got 100+ caps.
Greenwood was quite an attack minded manager but he had Howe alongside him and I reckon Howe had more influence. We were very well organised but struggled to score goals. Maybe Keegan and Brooking would have changed that but Hoddle could have been the man.
Argentina in 78 was brilliant. I only really remember the ticker tape from the time but the videos are amazing. Kempes couldnt have been a better national hero. And we had the brilliant Dutch. Brilliant world cup. France was superb too. That was a wonderful French team. There was some brilliant football in that tournament.
