NationStates Jolt Archive

I really just wanted an excuse to discuss my shock at what's been happening with the German national team.

Frings has been benched twice in a row and is now considering quitting the national team, and Kuranyi walked out on the squad after not even being put on the bench, leading the coach to say that he'd never select him again.

Are Germany just imploding at the moment?

Shock at the German football team? What about the English one? We're actually looking halfway decent at the moment!

In fairness to Jogi Low, he got a crap team to the final of Euro 2008, so I'm going to assume he knows what he's doing. If the players can't hack it, screw 'em. Quitting the national team because you've only made the bench for a couple of matches is not the professional thing to do - that would be to work harder in training and try to prove to the manager that you deserve a place in the side.

Yes, yes they are.

How did they go during the last game of qualifiers.

They beat Wales 1 - 0. Not a very good score.

Yes, yes they are.

How did they go during the last game of qualifiers.Against Wales, a team that declared that 0:0 was perfectly acceptable to them and played accordingly.

I've noticed that the last two German managers come from Alemannia, like me, and the current manager comes from almost EXACTLY the same place as my family.

That doesn't exactly inspire me with confidence.

I hope the next gen of German players are good, I had fun when we won the U-19 (or U-21?) Euro. The Bender twins look good. What's going on with Gomez, though? He's a gun for Stuttgart, but he can't get anything for the national team.

The only thing I know about soccer is that the Brazilian Soccer Playboy Girls take excellent pics

They beat Wales 1 - 0. Not a very good score.

Wales have a history of troubling us, so it's not bad.

Wales have a history of troubling us, so it's not bad.

Are you German, Australian or Ukrainian??

Hahaha. Good question. I live in Australia; my mum is Alemannic German, and moved here when she was old enough to leave Germany. My dad in ethnic Ukrainian; his family lived in Germany because of the war, then when he was three, they came to Australia, but he still got a solid Ukrainian upbringing because our town was almost completely immigrant back then.

More shockingly, Wales' under 21s look as good as England's :eek:

Germany's youth is looking great; we killed the recent Euro tourney, and we managed to get to the U-19 finals.

Germany's youth is looking great; we killed the recent Euro tourney, and we managed to get to the U-19 finals.Actually, I wouldn't consider calling barely making it to the Euro Cup with a last minute goal as "looking great." Technically speaking, the U-21 team is still considered "youth" as well.

Lol, well, we made it, didn't we? That's the important thing. As a Germany supporter, I expect failure, so any progress is a bonus.

The proudest item in my football collection is a VfB Stuttgart shirt with "Deutscher Meister 2006-07" on the arm. Great, great memory.

It's not imploding. Löw just realised that performances were slipping, and in order to motivate the younger players, he has made it known that nobody's place is guaranteed. That gives everyone the incentive to perform every time they're playing.

It worked with Ballack, who did very well especially in the Russia game. In fact, many people have been saying the first half of that game was the best performance of a German team in a long time. Frings just needs to get used to the fact that there is competition in the team for every spot. Kuranyi couldn't, but he's really no great loss.

The worry is in the back, as usual. Other than Lahm, there is really no defender who consistently delivers good performances, and even he made a few defensive mistakes recently.

As for Wales, they were defending with 11 men in the back. It was sad that the German team couldn't outplay that and had to resort to shots from distance, but it could have been 3:0 too, what with great saves from the keeper and hitting the post.

I'm also getting quietly confident about Australia doing well in South Africa. Together with Japan clearly a contender for the best team in Asia, when they get all their players together.

As a Germany supporter, I expect failure,...
Totally inappropriate considering that the German team is currently doing better than ever before.

Totally inappropriate considering that the German team is currently doing better than ever before.

Well, we have won three WCs and three Euros, so I wouldn't say we're doing better than ever.

I don't like football. Mainly because we suck at it.:(

Well, we have won three WCs and three Euros, so I wouldn't say we're doing better than ever.That's because you're measuring "better than ever" in titles and not in games.

That's because you're measuring "better than ever" in titles and not in games.
Meaning you play great and we get to win in the last minute?:hail:

Meaning you play great and we get to win in the last minute?:hail:Nah, just the finals =P
And it's only a matter of time before that changes. >=D

At least you guys don't have Chris Iwelumo playing for you.

Liverpool: why won't they die? :D

He's blond! He's Dutch! He scores with every touch! Dirk Kuyt, Dirk Kuyt.

I'm also getting quietly confident about Australia doing well in South Africa. Together with Japan clearly a contender for the best team in Asia, when they get all their players together.

That 4-1 win over Qatar last week showed that they are in with a chance a win over Japan would be good and make me feel a lot more comfortable with their chances in the WC, so long as we don't go against a team that likes to dive.

Liverpool: why won't they die? :D

He's blond! He's Dutch! He scores with every touch! Dirk Kuyt, Dirk Kuyt.

Aye it was a good game last night the 3-2 win managing to get the last 2 goals in the final 10 minutes, much needed considering that Chelsea won 5-0. I suppose we should be lucky that Wigan had a man sent off.

That 4-1 win over Qatar last week showed that they are in with a chance a win over Japan would be good and make me feel a lot more comfortable with their chances in the WC, so long as we don't go against a team that likes to dive.
It was 4:0, and sometimes the Japanese have a good day, sometimes they don't.

I was saying to a friend today, Australia is going to qualify top of their group for the WC. Then it's all down to the draw: if they end up in a group of death with two or more top teams in it, it's hard. If they only get one top team, they should expect to make it into the elimination round - they're as good as any second-tier team in the world. And after that, anything can happen.

Of course, against Italy they were just outplayed. That the decision ended up being controversial is unfortunate (and I've never believed it was a really offensive dive, more a case of a mistake by the defender), but Italy was the deserved winner in the game, just as they were against Germany. It hurt both times, but those are the facts.

It was 4:0, and sometimes the Japanese have a good day, sometimes they don't.

I was saying to a friend today, Australia is going to qualify top of their group for the WC. Then it's all down to the draw: if they end up in a group of death with two or more top teams in it, it's hard. If they only get one top team, they should expect to make it into the elimination round - they're as good as any second-tier team in the world. And after that, anything can happen.

Of course, against Italy they were just outplayed. That the decision ended up being controversial is unfortunate (and I've never believed it was a really offensive dive, more a case of a mistake by the defender), but Italy was the deserved winner in the game, just as they were against Germany. It hurt both times, but those are the facts.

Who said anything about Italy :p Besides if they were the deserved winner they wouldn't have needed to dive to get the win.

Yes it was 4-0 I forgot the soccer club had a big function on for it at our sponsor pub and they offer 1/2 price on all domestic beers, I mustn't have been paying to much attention.

Well yes it will depend on the draw, and if we do get two top teams then the team may need luck on their side or even for them to just have a blinding game. They may get a lucky break and make it into the semis but unfortunately they won't get to the final for awhile (if ever), until then once Australia is out I will have to support my paternal team Germany and hope they win, at least they have a good chance of winning the World Cup.

I am glad that FIFA moved us into the Asian conference rather than Oceania, it does mean we have a much better chance of qualifying for each world cup.

Who said anything about Italy :p Besides if they were the deserved winner they wouldn't have needed to dive to get the win.

To be honest, I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a WC winner that actually deserved it. Actually, I can't say Germany deserved to win any of their three titles. :tongue:

Frings aren't what they used to be.Germany will always be a contender for the semis of any tournement,as Ron Atkinson so aptly said "they have what's called stickability,a team can be winning against them 1 maybe 2-0 but they cannot kill Germany off.

This should be called the German national football team discussion. I'm gonna move things to England. How do think they'll do in 2010?

Who said anything about Italy :p Besides if they were the deserved winner they wouldn't have needed to dive to get the win.
You know as well as I do that that's not always how it works. Australia played a very defensive match, standing tight in the back. Italy had a lot more chances, Australia had very few.

What I mean to say is that the final outcome wasn't against the flow of the game.

They may get a lucky break and make it into the semis but unfortunately they won't get to the final for awhile (if ever), until then once Australia is out I will have to support my paternal team Germany and hope they win, at least they have a good chance of winning the World Cup.
It's a long time to go yet, and on current form Spain and England are favourites. But current form is irrelevant, since the tournament is almost two years away.

I am glad that FIFA moved us into the Asian conference rather than Oceania, it does mean we have a much better chance of qualifying for each world cup.
Not really. The difference is that they get a lot more match practice, the Asian Championship and so on. With the extra impetus that came from WC2006, the A-League now properly in motion and decent coaches, they should easily account for whatever refuse they would've had to face from South America. Qualification isn't easier in the Asian conference, if anything it's harder. And that's a good thing, because playing various tiny islands and then suddenly playing a real opposition was never going to develop the team.

This should be called the German national football team discussion. I'm gonna move things to England. How do think they'll do in 2010?
I think they've demonstrated a bit of belief, and a working understanding of tactics. I'm actually a tad worried, for I'm not a big fan of the English team. Still way too early to say anything about how they'll do in 2010.

The most fun match I've ever watched was the Euro 1996 semi though, so here's to a rematch.

I was really glad that N.Ireland got their first win of the campaign. 4-0 against mighty San Marino.
I also quite enjoyed watching england play-a scentance that I haven't said in quite a while. Part of this is because I'm a United fan and seeing Rooney playing well is awesome.

I think I'm falling in love with him. Just look at the way the light glints off that shaved head of his. It's marvelous...

What I mean to say is that the final outcome wasn't against the flow of the game.

Yes I know but still

It's a long time to go yet, and on current form Spain and England are favourites. But current form is irrelevant, since the tournament is almost two years away.

Yes it is a long way to go and Spain won't win it, just because they won EURO doesn't mean they will win the WC I mean Greece won EURO2004.

Not really. The difference is that they get a lot more match practice, the Asian Championship and so on. With the extra impetus that came from WC2006, the A-League now properly in motion and decent coaches, they should easily account for whatever refuse they would've had to face from South America. Qualification isn't easier in the Asian conference, if anything it's harder. And that's a good thing, because playing various tiny islands and then suddenly playing a real opposition was never going to develop the team.

Well yes that is true, they do come up against harder opponents and don't have to beat the 5th best South American team, after as you say playing a few islands. Maybe it came at the right time with some good players a good coach and an increase in soccer interest through the A-League amongst other factors, yuou have a point.

Heh, football the last couple of years -since coming to Aus from the UK- has seemed so odd to me. Hearing Uzbekistan classed as tough opponents, and pride expressed at beating Qatar. Weird shit.

On the other hand, the England football team are one of the few national sporting outfits that can annoy and depress me almost as much as the Aussie cricket team, so, er, I forget my point, actually. These days I mostly watch football in the hopes that England will lose to Germany because I'm sick of being hugged in celebration by racist townie fucks, Australia will lose to Hopelessistan because they're so up their sporting selves, and Italy will lose to North Korea because it was hilarious last time (and the South's farce win against them a few years back took some of the sheen off '66, so it needs to be re-done).