The World Cup | Vital Football

The World Cup

H

Harry's Boy

Vital Reserves Team
Delighted that the World Cup build up has been so muted and that the hysteria of home support has yet to kick in. However, I’ve got the lad’s wall chart up and I’m being carried along by his enthusiasm. Bit like me when I was his age, he basically has a ball at his feet pretty much every waking hour. His under 10 team won the plate final of their tournament yesterday, so you can imagine how keyed up he is for The Big ‘Un.

Anyway, seeing him pouring over the squads and absorbing every news or rumour reminded me of my first real World Cup. I have a vague memory of 1966 but I’m sure what I really remember is the many reruns of it and of course, the film ‘Goal!’. No, my first real World Cup was the 1970 tournament. Despite the obvious disappointment of leading West Germany by two goals and still going out, I remember what to this day for me, remains the most complete football team I’ve ever seen. That Brazil side under Socrates probably made me fall in love with the game - Something which continues to frustrate me and annoy me to this day.

So, for a few weeks, I’m hoping that the ghastly existence of Ashley can vanish and my boyhood delight in the beautiful game can return. I’ll be watching lots of games not featuring England; though obviously hoping they do well, I think the best they can do is go out in the QF’s to either Brazil or Germany. We’ve got Friday evening pencilled in as a no-misser. Portugal v Spain! Hoping that they really go for it and entertain the socks off us.

We’re up for it here in Harry’s House.
 
Don't know if it's just me but it seems fairly low key this time round. Maybe that is a blessing as I had a similar feeling ahead of 1990 and we could have won that.
 
The only publicity the media want from a world cup in Russia is negative toony.

Wait until one of our fans gets a scratch or bitten by a Russian mosquito,things will liven up pretty quickly then.
 
As a supposedly top football nation, our record is abysmal. A host of mainly home friendlies, soft draws in The World Cup groups and nothing since 1966. Over 50 years ago, so a decent crack at it would not go amiss.
On paper I think we are weak defensively, no top keeper, not very creative midfield but who knows.
 
If we're brave and let the attacking players go for it we've a half decent chance of getting to the Semis. I think Southgate's totally out of his depth as a manager however . Watched the Nigeria friendly and when Nigeria changed it it took Southgate forever to react. I hope I'm wrong though as England doing well would give a lot of folk a bit of a lift.
 
Very low key indeed, no promotions outside any of the local pubs and the one I was in this weekend has nothing up either. No flags etc about and no one even in work is saying much about it. I bought the FIFA WC guide today and looking forward to reading it as I haven’t a clue about some of the countries competing, in fact I hadn’t even heard of some of the host cities before. Beginning to look forward to the feast of football now, though we will be away for the last two weeks of it, a great excuse to slink off on my own for a while each evening. Can’t see our lads going far, quarter final maybe at best. Enjoy it lads.
 
Had some holiday disappointments abroad watching England play. The defeat against Brazil in Japan against 10 men in 2002 springs to mind.
 
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Socrates was 16 in 1970, his World Cup debut didn't happen until 1982.

Off to Split next Tuesday for a few nights, fancied watching a game with the locals. Croatia v Argentina on Thursday, then Serbia v Switzerland on the Friday, guess we'll all be Swiss supporters that night.
 
Mcnamee67 said:
Had some holiday disappointments abroad watching England play. The defeat against Brazil in Japan against 10 men in 2002 springs to mind.
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I remember that Mc we were away too, we were one up st half time I think, Owen scored.
 
There's usually a big shock in the first round. Be interesting to predict which game.

Ashley will be hoping a Mitro inspired Serbia beat Brazil in a couple of weeks.
 
Neppos said:
Socrates was 16 in 1970, his World Cup debut didn't happen until 1982.

Off to Split next Tuesday for a few nights, fancied watching a game with the locals. Croatia v Argentina on Thursday, then Serbia v Switzerland on the Friday, guess we'll all be Swiss supporters that night.
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You’re right! Don’t know how I muddled that up. Carlos Alberto was the captain in 1970. Sorry. Still the best team I’ve ever seen - Even with my foggy memory. ?
 
I still remember the ronny gill back page getting our hopes up that we were signing Socrates. Back in the days when their stuff was believable.
 
First real memories for me was 66,a good half of Sheffield kids walking round in World Cup Willie tops & melting the slit in the placca ball with a red hot knife & yapping with
Swiss supporters.
Got the chart up now with the grandbairn & really looking forward to it,think landan utd should make it out of the group stages but will struggle after that & at least it can take our minds of the circus that prevails at fatty f.c.
France to win it for me.
 
First real memory of the World Cup was 78 for me . The jocks with the awful song and a fantastic goal by Archie Gemmil. For me the most enjoyable World Cup was Italia 90, from Pavarotti's Nessum Dorma to an England team with hope and passion led by a Geordie and a few NUFC associated players.
That was the last time we had a good chance of winning it.
There appears little hype with this tournament so here is hoping for a good few weeks.
Hard to look past Brazil for me but the Germans are always a good tournament ready team.
 
1970 was a sickener. The first televised in colour, none of you HD in those days. Gordon Banks had the shits ( was there Imodium in those days? ) and didn’t play in the fateful game against West Germany. I know Brazil had a cracking team, even a centre forward visually impaired in one eye
 
Let’s hope tomorrow night gets a bit more lively where I am in Mallorca. Not a flag to be seen anywhere, strange.
 
Our local pub has flags out but not seen any cars done up as yet. Should be canny tomorrow with 3 games and a potential final rehearsal in Portugal v Spain.
 
They'll be confident, Mc. They always are - And with good reason.

I'm watching the Egypt v Uruguay, cos I can! It's entertaining enough, even at 0-0. Suarez is a lot slower than I've seen him. Egypt are no mugs. Shrewdly, they are keeping Salah off, hoping to get something against the group favourites. Brilliant save from a Cavanni volley, though.
 
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