But it's ludicrous to not understand the competition, not the other way around. People who don't like it, don't because they don't understand. They are too slow. They're all "huh? wha?" Fck the charity shield. Meaningless preseason friendly trophy. It shouldn't even be considered a trophy, it's just the last preseason game, that's it. The world club title has history going back to the 1960s, and part of its history are the CLs that lead to it. So if you enjoy Liberators Cup or Champions League history, you are also enjoying CWC history. It's all part of the same entity, there is no separation.
What's the last time the CWC wasn't a major priority for the Libertadores winner (and their fanbase) in the second half of the year?
Had to step in here. Lampard is no longer 1st choice at Chelsea and you know it. Di Matteo had made that pretty clear with his selections this season before he was sacked. Terry and Cole obviously are. On the topic of being overrated, the media in this country are terrible for it. Before EVERY major tournament the build up is always a media frenzy insisting "we're going to win". Remember the E-A-S-Y headline after the World Cup draw? (Either the Sun or Mirror) Cole was one of the world's best left backs for a long time, he's on the decline now, I'd take Baines over the 2012 Cole. The thing is the media here DO overhype English players to ridiculous levels. I remember during Euro 2004, the back page of a tabloid with Rooney's photo. Above it said "Pele Mk 2". The thing is Cole was legitimately a top left back, but because of the general tendency for the media to overrate English players, most foreigners dismiss this (A bit like the boy who cried wolf). Then again, it's really only in England that Cole was constantly referred to as THE best (rather than one of). But to keep on topic, it is a defence mechanism. If you tell yourself that you don't care, then you have nothing to lose. In time though, English fans will care. It'll happen as more English clubs win the CL and some go on to fail at the CWC. Imagine Chelsea losing this time around and then Arsenal winning next year. It'll be used as a stick to beat Chelsea with, bragging rights. The competition is young. In a decade or so we'll see more importance attached to it.
It's kind of unfair to call Cole and Terry overrated now that they are well into their thirties and on the decline. These guys are highly rated for what they've done over their careers not just on how good they are right now.
since you think bleacherreports articles are proof enough here you go http://bleacherreport.com/articles/62349-the-10-most-overrated-footballers []__[]
So just how serious do South Americans take their football? Teams competing in the tournament are required to wear two logos on their shirt sleeves. One is of the tournament logo. The other references "Football For Hope", a project established by FIFA in 2005 that supports programs in various parts of the world which combine football and social development not linked to governments. For Corinthians, the logo posed a problem. Corinthians football director Edu Gaspar: "When I heard about it, I sent a very polite email to FIFA, explaining that the green color refers to our main rival. And asked if they had another logo, stylized or in a different color." FIFA politely replied: No. Corinthians released a statement on their website on Saturday telling their supporters that they did everything they could to try and avoid wearing the color of Palmeiras: (link to statement on website)
Can anyone confirm if this picture is legit? Apparently this billboard has been posted nearby Stamford Bridge. If it's true that is damn hilarious.
Globo says the billboard is legit, put there by the club's supplier Nike sometime last week. (Chelsea wears adidas) It's located on the corner of Kensington High Street and Olympia Way, 1 mile from Stamford Bridge.
Then why is he a starter at the European Champions? What do you say now about your statement that the Chelsea team is all foreign? Do you actually know anything about football?
Oh and show me an article - any one, written in England by an Englishman that says 'we are going to win' the world cup, go on just one!
The worth of this trophy really comes down of what you thought of the Intercontinental Cup back in the day. And seeing how the only teams that ever withdrew from that competition are European, this mentality doesn't surprise me.
That's a little disingenuous on your part. You live here, nearly every TV program that mentions the major tournaments talk about England winning them, be it breakfast TV, Match of The Day or football shows. The papers are full of it, but to find articles I'd have to remember headlines. Continuous talk of the "Golden Generation", it's only the constant failure that has finally led to the realisation that England are actually an average outfit. However, you asked for one, so I'll give you a few: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2959851/Wayne-Rooney-England-will-win-World-Cup.html http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/robborobson/2009/09/why_england_will_win_the_world.html Even after the constant failures, some still insist that England have a realistic chance: http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/england-have-a-great-chance-of-winning-euro-905130 http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/footbal.../hodgson-england-can-win-in-brazil_56872.html I even remember in the build up to France '98 all the talk about it being England's turn, that it was they were next because of a pattern either side of Italy's win in 1982. The hype is there every year, less so recently, but it's still there.
you keep proving my point with your posts... english fans are all full of it... if you dont know who corinthians is you are just a dumb football fan.... but you say it to act like no team is important except the english ones he is not a starter for long azpilicueta is playing a lot more lately and soon will take over for good and still starting for chelsea doesnt make cole the best left back in the world even thought they got lucky and won champions league playing anti football.. and one starters out of 11 is not much so my point still stand that most starters are foreigners also every english player plays in premier league, but show me one that has been wanted by teams outside of england and that other clubs have payed millions to get him.... beckham and that's it... and he is way overrated and was wanted because of his fame and shirt sales..... name me one english players that has done great in france, italy, germany, spain.... not one can succeed outside premier league... and they succeed there because the media is bias towards them not only a few games ago the media was praising wilshire and selected him MOTM in a game he didnt have an assists or goal and a game he went out after 55mins... over a foreigner that had scored and assisted a goal []__[]
Forced out? He has been rotated, something that he's not had to deal with before at Chelsea. Against Newcastle he was a late substitute, the same against Stoke. At the Emirates he spent the entire 90 minutes sulking on the bench. Tottenham away again he was a very late sub. There's a reason why Di Matteo had to come out and insist that Lampard was still important to him : http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/8131508/ - why is that even a story?
I think it's even worse, but better than nothing. The reality is that almost all of the best club sides come from South America or Europe. So a tournament with one entry from each confederation is essentially as much as a crock as the Confederations Cup is in comparison to the WC. That said, I will watch Chelsea v Monterrey on Thursday and can well see the latter winning given the former's season so far.
Debatable, especially now that even the CONMEBOL teams have been getting hammered year after year (blame Bosman for that).