That's the magic of football and why billions of people are watching WC games - money doesn't play any role here and it's all about skills of the players. And about what You wrote about Italian football - sad but true.
You are so subjective and so black and white... If you were an Iraqi whose family has been killed as collateral damage by an American bomb, you think you would care about North Korea and Kim Jong Il? (Here is an example with human beings -- I would have preferred not being forced to use it...) You seem to see the world in black and white: US and North Korea, our teams and the other Asian teams, cowboys and indians... I am not making charts or tables, mine are just examples to try (in vain...) to make you understand that there are different points of view, but you seem to have decided that yours is the only one that matters, and that you are right no matters what... That is why there is no meaning in going on with the discussion...
As a matter of fact, I believe this has been so far a magic World Cup, and it would be even better if Japan goes through...
Maybe goru or anyone else will know that: do I recall correctly that Italians welcomed the NT members with tomatoes being thrown at them when they arrived home after not advancing from group stage in 1966 WC?
I was not born yet, but I know that for a fact. This time, I expect mainly indifference. Nobody really cared much about this team. As in the case of France, one wonders why they bothered qualifying if they did not want to play...
They didn't bother? As far as I know when French arrived at Bourget (near Paris) they were quickly isolated from fans and journalists by police to prevent riots. And some of the left went through back doors. Some even didn't showed up, like Ribery who went quickly to Munich by plane chartered by Bayern. And thanks for the reliable info.
I think he is just upset that Okada is doing well. Edit: Just read what he wrote on the other thread. I take that back. Apologies.
Hey, I don't think it is that simple. Trust me, living a life of a Zainichi in Japan is not exactly as easy as you are depicting in your head.
AFC performance in the World Cup: Code: Pld W D L F A GD Pts ----------------------------------------------------------- 1 Japan 3 2 0 1 4 2 +2 6 2 South Korea 3 1 1 1 5 6 -1 4 3 Australia 3 1 1 1 3 6 -3 4 4 North Korea 3 0 0 3 1 12 -11 0
Yeah, I remember watching drunken business men picking on the girls who went to the Chosen gakkou (Korean school) near my house. Really felt bad for them, having to take shit all the time from a bunch of idiots. They get taunted and called names pretty much everyday on the train. I was waiting for the Korean Consulate bodyguards to kick some ass at some point (they did get into a fight with the riot police in Fukuoka, which was pretty funny, cause they both happened to go out drinking and come back to their dorms which were right next to each other and decide to throw down).
I shouldn't put my two cents, and cause fuss but I just got tempted. Americankaka. What would you say that if he played for Japan? He was eligible to play for the JNT as you already know. Seriously, grow up.
I think we all see it a bit stupid. There is no rivalry. Neither country has anything to do with each other.
That he made the right decision to honor the country to which he owes not just his career but his freedom (Japan) and repudiate an evil mass-murderer.
Victim card, played. I knew that was coming. People will justify anything by saying that someone is oppressing them.
I'm in a good mood at the moment, so I'll laugh that one off. Just reading off FIFA website, looks like Oliver Kahn is impressed with Eiji Kawashima xD Fifa Question: Who has been the best goalkeeper of the tournament so far? HAHAHA, I think thats because Eiji's skitz attacks reminds Kahn of himself. That just made my freaking day!
WTF is wrong with killing whales ?? Why is it any different than killing a cow or deer or any other animal ? Anyway, I do find it all a bit disingenuous. I like Chong Tese -- and have no problem with him playing for DPRK. But all this stuff about crying for North Korea is a little silly to me considering he's spent what? Maybe a week or two at a time there? And only as a "national hero" of sorts ? I'm not even going to get into what I think about Chongryon -- there's a reason it's banned even in South Korea.
Initially werent there problems with him fitting in with the squad seeing that he is South Korean born in Japan, and he couldnt communicate well with the North Koreans. I heard, not many warmed up to him at the start...they probably still don't like him. who knows xD Interesting article. http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/opinon/2010/06/137_68205.html
I am just saying it is not our place to judge other people's personal choices, specially since neither of us have no idea, what what kind of a life he has been through. He may have more freedom in Japan, but his life that you are depicting in your head is just an assumption. Plus I do not see any problem representing his parent's or grandparent's country. That does not mean, I support North Korean politics. For example, my parents moved to Japan, because of religious conflict in our country; more liked they were kicked out of the country due religious discrimination and segregation. I will receive my Japanese citizenship soon, but my brother will keep my parents citizenship. I do not think there is anything wrong with both of our choices.