Quote: Originally Posted by lond2345 Today ladies and gentlemen, soccer died... Why don't you go the the funeral then and give us a break? They will be serving coffee too after the service, you should have some to soothe your mind and help you calm down.
Render unto me a freaking break. A 100/1 underdog side mans up, plays to their strengths and turns Euro 2004 on its ear and all of a sudden the game as we know it is dead? To quote my avatar: "Bah." It would be nice if we could all play free-flowing, sexy football, but - shocking as it may seem - not every country has the horses to do it. It only makes sense that teams that can't overwhelm their opponents with skills and panache try to play a defensively and tactically sound game. Greece is just the latest example of yet another old sporting axiom: Defense doesn't take an off day. If you're so broken up by this that you can't appreciate a fantastic upset and a tournament victory via collective team effort, then maybe you should take up something more predictable, like baseball.
Cry about it. And while you're at it, unplug your computer. That way, nobody ever has to read that mindless crap you post anymore.
Thinking that winning football has to be played exactly how Brazil '70 or Holland '74 did it is the weakness of romantics that spend too much time watching 100 Best Goal videos and reading Soccer in Sun and Shadow. It's just naiive. Dellas timed tackles, Stelios encouragement - thats sexy! Deco diving, Maniche petulance - sexy?
2003 World Series champs - Florida Marlins 2002 World Series champs - Anaheim Angels 2001 World Series champs - Arizona Diamondbacks Predictable?
yeah football died because it wasn't a battle of old europe's traditional powerhouses? Gimme a break. Why would football be better off if it had been France-Germany or Italy-Spain or some such traditional combo? If anything it will encourage the lesser european football countries they can do it too. Can you say Hungary, 2008 Euro Champions? I think someone's just pissed they didn't drop $100 on Greece when they were in Vegas a few weeks back. Now on to the Tour de France where I'll certainly be cheering for a certain traditional American powerhouse... Malk.
Football maybe dies on pig-tailed media hyped so called superstars which take most of their time for making selfish advertising spots, conferencing with their broker and producing content for yellowpress, but not from players that take their time to practice with their teammates, or from skillfull tactic systems of coaches, or team-spirit, or davids beating goliaths. Football is a teamsport, not WWF.
Why is it called the World Series by the way? - I mean, are there foreign teams in the tournament as well?? Oh well, at least it's called MLS and not the "World Series" there as well..
The best Team won... they really did... Greece had the best defense in tournament and they deserved to win... it was not pretty, but it was effective. Personally - I thought it was an entertaining final.. the first half was a bit drab but Portugal did well and pushed forward well to try and equalize - to me it was a better finish than WC 02, which was won because the best player on a team made 1 mistake and cost his team the game... this was an excellent tournament...
Sad to see the golden generation go out, it does look like there may be another competion they could enter later this summer, the diving competition at Athens '04. They had a difficult time staying on their feet in the first half.
If its simply about results, why shouldn't Burkina Faso/Sudan line up six 7ft tall players in front of goal...and wait for penalties??? Set up camp and hope for the best
What a stupid post today shows that anything can happen in soccer and that is GOOD were you upset when tampa bay won the stanly cup ?
Congratulations to Greece they did what they had to do to win but it really sucks to watch and nobody can deny that. The problem with them winning with the tactics they did is that it will force coaches no matter what talent they have to do this because it is much safer. Look at the Detroit Pistons they won the NBA this year doing the same thing but it made many of the games unwatchable. Look at how the New Jersey devils ruined the sport of hockey with their neutral zone trap. As fans, we should always pull for the team that is more daring and makes the game something people look forward to watching and is entertaining.
Greece deserved it 100%, and i didn't see a team like them in this tournament, new powerhouses will be always popping up, Greece just popped up, the real question will it stay like that? Greece wasnt there to make the fans happy, by playing daring and interesting football, but they were there to win the champion and did their best by anyway and won it!
Portugal didn't have Mr. Meier to help them in this one. How embarrassing to lose twice to the same team, AT HOME, in the same tournament! Congrats to the Greek side.
I dont think soccer is dead and the tactics used by Greece will some how be exploited by an equally offensive team (doesnt even have to be Brazil). Soccer is an ever changing sport and will remain as that. Coaches, players, and dynasties (and there arent many of those) come and go. Just because Greece didn't play the most attractive game they did what they had to do to win. Portugal knew this and they were unable to put the ball in the net. Had they put a little more emphasis on playing against Greeces tactics they probably could have won. Also upsets only make a tournament exciting. This Euro was way better than the last WC where the only surprises were France leaving early and the US advancing as far as they did.
It was a great game. The Greeks came to win and did. Their defensive shape was unbelievable. You could stop play at any time, and the Greek side was almost always positioned perfectly. They also transitioned into the offense very well. And I don't think anyone can deny their ability on set pieces. Figo had plenty of chances on the corner. Greece just needed one chance and they headed it home. Greece are a very good team and deserved to win. They have now beaten Portugal twice!!!! Find something else to piss and moan about.