La Coupe Du Monde

[Snake]

Is it possible to have a successful Premiership and a competitive National Team ? Discuss.

Given that it was a Championship player who scored for Costa Rica and put England out you may need to broaden your question.

[amershamwrighty]

Rooney reckons England are too nice. For a couple of days I have been wondering why someone didn't attempt to give Suarez a whack on the knee within the first 10 minutes and take a yellow card for the team. I can think of a long list of OUFC players over the last 50 years who would have done precisely that.....Kyle, Beavon, Shotton, Martin Gray, Briggs, Roger Hynd, Whing and so on.

I realise there are massive flaws in that line (we are talking OUFC players, after all) but the principle remains, doesn't it ?

[Jimski]

Yes, because football is about nobbling the opposition players rather than beating them at football? If anyone tried that in any game, I'd hope it backfired with a red card and uninjured opponent.

[Snake]

Rooney reckons England are too nice. For a couple of days I have been wondering why someone didn't attempt to give Suarez a whack on the knee within the first 10 minutes and take a yellow card for the team. I can think of a long list of OUFC players over the last 50 years who would have done precisely that.....Kyle, Beavon, Shotton, Martin Gray, Briggs, Roger Hynd, Whing and so on.

I realise there are massive flaws in that line (we are talking OUFC players, after all) but the principle remains, doesn't it ?

Certainly Mateo Corbo, The Beast, or The Tank would have kept Donkey Teeth on his toes. Given how much Suarez cheats and bites I'd not have a problem with that.

Talking of donkeys, let’s hope that Uncle Roy puts Gerrard, Lampard and Lambert out to grass for the last game and give some of the younger players some WC experience.

[Kernow Yellow]

Talking of donkeys, let’s hope that Uncle Roy puts Gerrard, Lampard and Lambert out to grass for the last game and give some of the younger players some WC experience.

Looks like you're half right. But, sadly and predictably, Lampard has been restored to the team and given the captain's armband for his swansong. That'll restore some pride in the three lions, eh?

[Snake]

As I type the England cricket team is more entertaining than the football. At least they are showing some courage.

Edited ten mins later : Bugger, but the best duck in cricketing history by Anderson surely?

[GodalmingYellow]

I don't think you can blame Roy Hodgson for the Premier League restricting English player development.

I don't think you can blame him when pivotal players just don't turn up either. Gerrard was well below par all night, and he wasn't the only one. As a team we played well for about 15 minutes - apart from that we just weren't sharp enough, and looked like we wanted too long on the ball most of the time. And at the start of the second half we were all over the place and lucky not to concede a couple more. Generally we were just playing a better team - one with more technical ability on the ball, who looked hungrier in the tackle, and with a more clinical striker of course.

Having seen our warm-up games my prediction for this tournament was defeat to Italy and Uruguay, and a draw against Costa Rica. I'm now thinking that was optimistic! What price Italy joining us on the plane home on Tuesday?

What price indeed. I wish I'd had a tenner on that.

[Kernow Yellow]

As I type the England cricket team is more entertaining than the football. At least they are showing some courage.

Edited ten mins later : Bugger, but the best duck in cricketing history by Anderson surely?

Can't believe how close England came to pulling off a draw in the cricket. It was certainly much more entertaining than the football, if ultimately just as depressing.

But what about Suarez eh? I said after his second biting offence that he should be banned for a year, and now I don't see why he should ever be allowed to earn money playing professional football again quite frankly. It will be interesting to see how - ahem - toothless Fifa are dealing with this issue at their big showcase event. I just can't believe he's done it again after such a professional, clinical and disciplined performance against England, which really cemented his place at the top of the world game. What a twat.

[Yankee Clipper]

As I type the England cricket team is more entertaining than the football. At least they are showing some courage.

Edited ten mins later : Bugger, but the best duck in cricketing history by Anderson surely?

Can't believe how close England came to pulling off a draw in the cricket. It was certainly much more entertaining than the football, if ultimately just as depressing.

But what about Suarez eh? I said after his second biting offence that he should be banned for a year, and now I don't see why he should ever be allowed to earn money playing professional football again quite frankly. It will be interesting to see how - ahem - toothless Fifa are dealing with this issue at their big showcase event. I just can't believe he's done it again after such a professional, clinical and disciplined performance against England, which really cemented his place at the top of the world game. What a twat.

The guy has a serious psychological issues. If his instinct in a fairly innocuous situation is to bite someone he needs medical treatment for mental health problems

[Kernow Yellow]

The guy has a serious psychological issues. If his instinct in a fairly innocuous situation is to bite someone he needs medical treatment for mental health problems

Yep, he obviously needs to address whatever issues he's got. But he was supposed to do that last time. He obviously needs a (much) longer break from the game to sort himself out.

The most depressing (and shocking) aspect of this story is the reaction of the Uruguay manager and some of the team - pretending that nothing happened and even blaming the English media for conducting a witch-hunt! The evidence is clear - the video, the bite-marks, Suarez's reaction after the game etc. If Suarez had just come out and said something along the lines of 'I don't know why I do it, I'm sorry, I'll get help' then he'd keep a small amount of respect. But to laugh it off as something that happens on a football pitch is frankly insulting to everyone who loves the game. It makes his apology after the Ivanovic incident completely redundant. THREE TIMES FFS!

[Isaac]

It's certainly weird behaviour and very unusual (although kids bite each other a lot, and he wouldn't be the first emotionally underdeveloped footballer) but I don't really get all this "ban him for life". Is biting actually worse than a headbut or an elbow, or a knee high two-footed challenged? I'd say the potential damage caused by a bite is considerably less. Given the choice I'd prefer to be bitten than headbutted.

I agree it's not a good image for football (won't somebody think of the children etc etc), but then nor are headbutts. 3 match ban plus a few for it being unusual I reckon and that wouldn't be unreasonable.

[Old Abingdonian]

Biting risks spreading infection, esp. hepatitis.

[Kernow Yellow]

3 match ban plus a few for it being unusual I reckon and that wouldn't be unreasonable.

What, even if you keep doing it every couple of years? THREE TIMES since 2010 he has bitten an opponent. His bans thus far have been 7 games and 10 games. Of course he should get considerably more than that for a third offence. Otherwise what's the point? He's obviously not being deterred - his whole rant after the Uruguay-England game about people in the UK treating him badly proved that he has a warped concept of right and wrong.

Biting has no place on a football pitch. Full stop. And yes, if you don't clamp down hard on behaviour like this and make it clear that it's completely unacceptable then kids WILL start copying him. Specially when he's voted Premier League Player of the Season - despite two biting offences and a racial abuse ban in the previous 3 years. And now another one surrounded by pathetic denials and whinging. Some role model eh?

[Mooro]

So the legacy of the last World Cup was the introduction of goal-line technology. I reckon post-match bans for diving will be this one's.

It took something to happen in the world cup final tournament for FIFA to finally act on goal-line technology four years ago, one hopes that because Suarex chose the same stage for his latest misdemeanor, might mean that they don't bottle acting on it again.

A ban for the rest of the tournament seems unavoidable, but how far will they go beyond that - a future international ban/suspension, a club football one too (can they even DO that?).

And what do Liverpool do - can they get rid of him (will people take him with a) the publicity {probably yes}, b) a lengthy playing ban {probably no}? How do they recoup the money on an asset that suddenly plunges in value?
I'd love to them sue Suarez for damages.....

[Snake]

Careful what you post as it's all "alleged" he bit him so far.

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