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World Cup 2018
- Thread starter 22nd Man
- Start date
Not entirely correct. Many do, but it's not overly publicised. Often playing on training grounds (in front of a handful of people) in games that have the feel of a practice match.jb03 said:
The other method used is to loan players (basically rent out) to clubs in slightly lesser leagues to give players more game time than they're getting at their primary club. So there are flexible options there for players not getting regular firsts games.
Thing with a really young bloke like Azarni though. Not sure a club that he is primarily signed to, would be entirely happy to loan him out. It would mean they lose significant control of his development. It's more an option for players with a few more years experience under their belt. So if he wasn't playing 1sts, would likely be playing soulless reserves matches. Again, it goes back to the point of him only going to Europe if he receives an offer from a club that is the right fit.jb03 said:
Well what can I say about yesterday.
Firstly the game... Our lack of quality finishing cost us. 3 points went begging. Leckie and Milligan were great. Risdon and Arzani too.
I'm a big Robbie Kruse defender, but his finishing is not good enough right now and he's lost his pace. He was playing champions league 4 years ago. Injury has cruelled a promising career.
I also agree with Baloo's point about Cahill. I was against his selection in the first place. If you're not in the starting 11 of an ALeague team, you don't deserve to go to a world cup. Should he have come on in the last 10 minutes? Maybe, but we were on top as it was.
Overall i thought we deserved to win and if we had, it would have matched last years GF, if not, topped it.
On to the day itself, it was nothing short of sensational. Never seen this vibe at a Socceroos game ever. there is something about camaraderie on the other side of the world. Although everyone nearby probably got sick of my feralness during the game.
Great stadium too. Its a bit like etihad, but a little more closed in. I had prime seats. 4 rows from the front, pretty much on the wing.
As for the locals, they were fantastic. so helpful. never had so many people offering their assistance. I don't think the city of Samara sees too many foreign tourists. At the end of the night we got dragged into this dive bar next to our hotel. they loved us. wanted photos, talked football and made us feel at home. $1.80 for a schooner. I've come across Russians in my travels before and found them a bit rude. But in hindsight, the ones that can afford to travel are rich and arrogant. The locals have been very friendly and accommodating.
Long story short, I regret not going to all 3 group games. Maybe I'll do this in Qatar. If you have never been to a world cup, it's a must do. It's an experience of a lifetime. Any words i use to describe the experience will not do it justice. And don't just take it from me... its pretty obvious many of the people in the tour groups are not rusted on football fans. They are there for the experience. And they are people of all ages.
Firstly the game... Our lack of quality finishing cost us. 3 points went begging. Leckie and Milligan were great. Risdon and Arzani too.
I'm a big Robbie Kruse defender, but his finishing is not good enough right now and he's lost his pace. He was playing champions league 4 years ago. Injury has cruelled a promising career.
I also agree with Baloo's point about Cahill. I was against his selection in the first place. If you're not in the starting 11 of an ALeague team, you don't deserve to go to a world cup. Should he have come on in the last 10 minutes? Maybe, but we were on top as it was.
Overall i thought we deserved to win and if we had, it would have matched last years GF, if not, topped it.
On to the day itself, it was nothing short of sensational. Never seen this vibe at a Socceroos game ever. there is something about camaraderie on the other side of the world. Although everyone nearby probably got sick of my feralness during the game.
Great stadium too. Its a bit like etihad, but a little more closed in. I had prime seats. 4 rows from the front, pretty much on the wing.
As for the locals, they were fantastic. so helpful. never had so many people offering their assistance. I don't think the city of Samara sees too many foreign tourists. At the end of the night we got dragged into this dive bar next to our hotel. they loved us. wanted photos, talked football and made us feel at home. $1.80 for a schooner. I've come across Russians in my travels before and found them a bit rude. But in hindsight, the ones that can afford to travel are rich and arrogant. The locals have been very friendly and accommodating.
Long story short, I regret not going to all 3 group games. Maybe I'll do this in Qatar. If you have never been to a world cup, it's a must do. It's an experience of a lifetime. Any words i use to describe the experience will not do it justice. And don't just take it from me... its pretty obvious many of the people in the tour groups are not rusted on football fans. They are there for the experience. And they are people of all ages.
Yes I must say it's something I'd really like to do, even if I do it just once. My regret is that I didn't attend Germany 2006. My wife actually did a year of her schooling there and has life long friends in Germany that we would have stayed with for parts of our journey. We were newly weds and pre-kids at the time, so probably would have worked from that freedom perspective. But I suppose we just made the choice in that stage of our life that we would pour all our spare money into our mortgage to get ourselves ahead early in our adulthood - rather than luxuries like that. That's life's choices I suppose.Ian4 said:
Now with two little kids, probably something that will have to wait a while, until they're older. And to be honest, I have zero desire to attend the Qatar world cup. What a nonsense host. Just won't have the atmosphere of other World Cups, given that Qatar only really has one city about Perth size. The rest of the stadiums are basically being built in the middle of the desert, due to the fact they literally don't have any other host cities. To me that is an integral part of a World Cup that makes the atmosphere so great - taking in a vast range of different host cities and their unique qualities. Qatar just doesn't cut it from this perspective. If Qatar had alternatively bid for the cup as a joint host with other Gulf States - for example a joint Qatar, Kuwait, UAE bid - it would have made it a bit more interesting (I was going to write Saudi Arabia as part of the joint Gulf bid, given their long history in the game, but I don't think their extremely conservative Islamic laws would make them particularly compatible to host!)
So might have to wait until 2026 Canada-USA-Mexico. Hopefully Aust qualifies for that. Because - although I'd attend other games as well - I don't really want to fork out the money for such a once in a lifetime experience unless I have the team I primarily support there, to be able to really lap it up.
Ian4 said:
Do you get to see the Peru game.
I had 3 months in Russia a while back and locals are fantastic and so generous so I can understand what your saying.
I think Qatar will be different - was there for the Asian games in 2006 and the atmosphere was worse than watching a game like the suns v gws at Etihad I reckon.
Panthera Tigris said:
They are probably the 2 leagues I was thinking of too. The Championship or the Netherlands. He wouldn't get a gig playing at a premier league club at this point, likewise most of the other major leagues so needs to play in a "B" league in Europe. He'd really suit the styles of play in both leagues.
IanG said:
What did people think of the penalty that never was? Clearly was a dive IMO so why wasn't he booked? It was only a couple of minutes later that he slams the ball into the ground and should have probably been booked again, could have easily not seen the end of the game IMO. Neymar just seems like such a princess IMO.
Navas in goal for Costa Rica was excellent.
