World Cup 2014

[redandwhitemike]

Enough said about England - mediocre manager mediocre team not good enough. But Swarez !!!! what a idiot probably the best player in the world on his day. Must be mentally deficient Must be banned for a very long time if not life. No one apart from the most diehard Liverpool fan can possible condone what he has done. Over to you FIFA

Call me cynical but it looked a perfectly contrived incident- Suarez knows the likes of Barca and Real are sniffing around him, and what better way to prompt a move next month and for Liverpool to avoid another 'bite' incident overshadowing them next season.
Why not wash their hands of him now by taking the moral high ground (never difficult at Anfield- and good PR) calling his behaviour 'unacceptable' and selling him on for a fat fee?

As for any World Cup ban, Suarez knows Uruguay arent going to win the thing, so stuff the international aspirations for country and fans, this is business.

Suarez gets his move
Liverpool get some money
Someone else (La Liga?) gets the problem

Everyone's happy and football takes another grubby crawl through the gutter.

Garth

Your cynical

conspiracy, conspiracy..............................

Are footballers that clever?

Did you ever come up with one for St Steven of Burr leaving, I would like to hear that one - maybe in a PM

[garthrockett]

Did you ever come up with one for St Steven of Burr leaving, I would like to hear that one - maybe in a PM

Explanation - yes - but I cant possibly comment further.

Conspiracy -no, but if you insist give me time to link the CIA, phone hacking, Roswell, the Moon landings and Mark Serrell together.

[pershoreharrier]

On a lighter note I saw that Honduras had a player playing for them last evening called COSTLY. Obviously destined for a premiership club - I can see the shirt sales covering his wages already.

[garthrockett]

On a lighter note I saw that Honduras had a player playing for them last evening called COSTLY. Obviously destined for a premiership club - I can see the shirt sales covering his wages already.

to go with Italy's Torino striker Ciro Immobile?
how about Bosnian midfielder Miralem Pjanic.....who didnt show any?
health and safety though might take note of Eden Hazard, and Ghana’s Chris Atsu might get a few "bless you"s and the loan of a hankie.

and USA's Mix Diskerud sounds like a dodgy DJ in Ibiza........

[Phil]

Any thoughts on the Saurez 4 month ban?

[Lovejoy]

Any thoughts on the Saurez 4 month ban?

Nowhere near long enough, I fully expected a much harsher penalty.
One or Two years would have been more appropriate.

I cannot believe the Uruguayan FA are to appeal the ban, let's hope that FIFA have a similar policy to the FA and increase the ban when the appeal is a frivolous one.

I'm sure they're only appealing so Suarez can still play in the World Cup.
Come on FIFA show some balls for once and throw the book at them.

[garthrockett]

Any thoughts on the Saurez 4 month ban?

My only thought is he'll miss the first two group matches of Barcelona's Champions league campaign?

[redandwhitemike]

A thought/question for all those that find comfort and solace in the performance of England in this world cup.

How can a country with no acknowledged world class players playing in a country that describes the game as 'soccer' without a high level league that includes cast offs from the 'Rest of the World' - manage to eclipse the mighty England not once, but twice in the the last eight years?

USA

Heard by the most respected commentator Alan Green describing England's performance in this world cup as " the worst he's seen
other than Hondurus" and using adjectives such as woeful and wretched - and yet there are fans who steadfastly refuse to accept
this countries football is going backwards under the present regime.

[sandman]

Yes, all very well, but who do we ultimately blame here? The FA, the Premier League and the clubs playing in it, Roy Hodgson? Hodgson is at the bottom of that list in the blame game IMO. Club football has become much, much more important than the international team in this country and money talks. As we know, it is a results-driven business at top club level and it is all about the now with very little focus on the future. At grassroots level, until we start coaching our kids properly, ensuring they are comfortable on the ball and want to keep it, then nothing will change. Until idiot parents stop shouting at little Johnny to whack the ball up the pitch, clear it, we have no chance. I can't see our mentality changing soon, it will be a long road before we are challenging the top nations. Other managers may have done a little better than Hodgson at the World Cup with this England squad and a replacement might do a little better in the future, but then they could also have done and might do a little worse. What we need is big improvements and that won't come with a manager change, it happens right through the game from top to bottom. By the way, I think USA have done very well but the best they would have got out of Italy or Uruguay is a draw.

[sandman]

Any thoughts on the Saurez 4 month ban?

He'd be in jail if he was doing this kind of thing in the street or even in his local Sunday league. It has to be something engrained in his upbringing that makes him feel it's OK when he gets a bit peckish? Well, it's not and the ban should be much longer. Shame as I really enjoy watching him play when he's not diving or sinking his fangs in.

[pricey5]

On a lighter note I saw that Honduras had a player playing for them last evening called COSTLY. Obviously destined for a premiership club - I can see the shirt sales covering his wages already.

Well he did play 8 times for Birmingham on loan in the championship a few years ago, by all accounts he did not do very well so a move to the premiership may be asking a little too much!

[garthrockett]

Heard by the most respected commentator Alan Green describing England's performance in this world cup as " the worst he's seen
other than Hondurus" and using adjectives such as woeful and wretched

Mike, I wouldnt take anything the esteemed Mr Green says seriously, especially after his insulting comments on non-league a few years ago. :???:

England's not really his team anyway, he's Irish.

[Cal's Spongebag]

Absolutely, spot on Sandman.

Mike's prolonged haranguing of Hodgson is a bit tiresome. It looks like he in in a minority of one on here.

Spain were one of the 4 favourites for the WC. England were 33/1.

33/1 - that is the reality. That is where we are as a nation, footballing wise.

Replacing Hodgson would be like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

Mind you, when Mike put 'the most respected commentator Alan Green' I thought it might be a wind up.

[Cal's Spongebag]

Re Suarez, apparently Liverpool are looking to offload him and the favourites to sign him are Borrussia Munchenyercentreback.

[Cal's Spongebag]

Why should we wait 4 years for the world cup. I reckon a WC and a Euro every two years. Slim down the qualifying system by:

playing teams in group only once
pre-qualifying rounds for minnows
knock out stages prior to main competition