Here We Go
- 9 Jun 06, 07:12 AM
From Ros Atkins.......
Hi there. Exciting times here in the World Have Your Say office as today we're launching a sister programme devoted to the football . In a moment of clarity we decided to call it World Cup Have Your Say (though Mark wanted to call it World Have Your Cup) and it's on air every day of Germany 2006 at 0800 GMT. The idea's pretty simple. We want to speak to football fans from around the world to find out what your making of the tournament.
I should start by doing a few introductions....
Vera Kwakofi. Team: Predicted winner:(she's a risk taker...) or Ghana depending on her mood. You may well know Vera if you listen to the 成人快手 in Africa. She normally presents the African sports show Fast Track.
Martin Vennard. Team: . Predicted winner: A bold some would say foolhardy prediction. Martin's a regular producer on WHYS as well as being one the people who writes the 成人快手 News radio bulletins.
Gill Farrington. Team: England. Predicted winner: Argentina. Gill's a reporter on the 成人快手's main domestic news and sport station Five Live. So this is a like a home from home.
Peter Van Dyk. Team: England. Predicted winner: Who knows? He's in Germany and not picking up his phone.
Mark Sandell. Team: England. Predicted winner: England. Mark's our esteemed editor on WHYS, and a very keen West Ham fan, so he's clearly looking for England to mend his broken heart after the . Though he's keen to point out last time England triumphed 40 years ago it was 'West Ham that won it'.
Oh and my predicted winner? . It's only a matter of time and I think they're looking good.
If you'd like to join us, you've got a few options. You can post your comments here on the WHYS blog whenever you like. When we're on air you can call +44 20 70 83 72 72 or you can send an SMS text to +44 77 86 20 60 80. I know that for some of you making international calls isn't possible, but that doesn't mean you can't come on air to talk. If you send us a message by SMS or through this site, if you put the words 'call me' along with your comment and phone number, we'll do our best to get through to you.
The sun's out in London, the World Cup is starting tomorrow, we're kicking off a new programme - life doesn't get much better. Whether our good mood survives some summer showers and lacklustre England performances (Ghanaian performances in Vera's case) we'll have to see.
So before your optimism is dented by your team slipping up, get in touch and telling us what you're dreaming of this World Cup.
Speak to you in an hour or two.
Comments??Post your comment
I was staggered that Alan Shearer felt there was a penalty caused by Switzerland in the France v Swz match (on now).
The rules of the game clearly state that a direct free kick ys given when a player 'handles the ball deliberately (except for the goalkeeper within his own penalty area)' NOT when it STRIKES the hand.
The commentators were right -Shearer was wrong!
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Hello ,
Just woke up at 08,00 Thursday after falling asleep during one of the apparently exiciting W Cup matches , Germany V Poland.This was due to Mr Mc Carthy who I am sure sent half the country asleep. The man is so negative and momotone with his comments.Nowonder he is unemployed, his team talks at Sunderland must have sent his players out half asleep,half time pep talks must have been a real wake up. Please,please get him off to the sleeping lab and positive thinking group........soory must sleep now..
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How many times will the pundits and commentators mention 1966 tonight
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What about this 成人快手 World Cup TV panel? Lineker & Hanson in particular. The obsequious shower who fawn so sickeningly over Brazil. It is grovelling at it’s very best and with Leonardo, the resident Brazilian in their presence, it represents new levels of sycophancy. Here are a few axamples of the inadequate analysis and interpreation that we have to put up with.
If Brazil have problems in a game, the interpretation is that they have not played well. No credit is ever given to the other team. Croatia and Australia were actually better than Brazil when they played but received no recognition at all for that. Lineker described the victory over Croatia as comfortable. That could only come from someone who has not watched the match with a reasonable degree of impartiality.
If Brazil score a goal it is “absolutely magnificent” (Hansen) to the nth degree, and every aspect is examined in overwhelming detail. Whereas, better goals from other teams are routinely described and then left. Take the Kaká goal against Croatia. Great goal but rather routine in a world where goals get better and better. (Look at the old Goal of the Month winners from the 1970s). Steven Gerard’s goal against T&T was a very similar goal to Kaká’s but barely got a similar inflated mention. Neither did Joe Cole’s against Sweden. Good, but not worth examining in the same detail as Kaká’s.
Then the myths upon which all the fawning is born. They talk of Brazil’s past based on hearsay and “stories”. When Brazil do not do well there is a ready excuse. When France thrashed them in 1998, no credit was given to France, the “story” was all to do with Ronaldo and how the Brazilians had been “thrown” by this episode. They could not possibly play well in these circumstances. So France received no praise for their performance. When Italy beat the “great” 1982 Brazilian team, the victory was described as some sort robbery, whereas the truth was that the Italians were as good if not better.
In 1970 England were actually a better team than Brazil. They were so unlucky to have lost the group game against them. In the final Brazil played an Italian team which could barely stand never mind run. They were a very poor opposition. The final goal by Alberto was more like the Monty Python team playing against a team of Long John Silvers. Maradona’s solo goal against England, routinely given second place to Alberto’s goal by “the experts” was at least against a team who could walk, run and defend.
In 1966 the “story” was that the Brazilians were “kicked” out of the tournament. Again a myth. I watched the games and was impressed by both Portugal and Hungary. Again, no credit was given to them. More of the myth was being generated. Just watch and see. It is clear that neither Lineker nor Hansen has ever watched these games in full.
In 1974 and 1978 very little was said about the Brazilians. Brushed under the carpet to protect the myth.
Martin O’Neill, who is the only one on the panel with any deeper footballing sense, said that the referees should look at themselves after this tournament. Good advice also for panels of “experts”.
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I'm Scottish and although i had no real interest in Englands world cup campaign, it angered me to see Sven Goran Eriksson ruin a team full of so much potential. I could not understand why he persisted with the Lampard Gerrard partnership in the centre. Also, although David Beckham is a fine footballer he is not up to international football anymore and needed to be replaced by Aaron Lennon who can beat a man and has electrifying pace. Beckhams crossfield passes slowed the game down when there was possibilites of a fast counter attacks. My England team would have been - Robinson, Neville, Terry, Ferdinand, Cole. J.Cole(left mid), Hargreaves(Def mid), Lennon(right mid),Gerrard(attacking mid). Rooney and Owen. It would be a hard decision to drop Lampard as he is phenomenal for Chelsea but if you allow Gerrard to do what he does best and burst pass the strikers then he can win any match. These are the decisions that needed to be made but the manager did not have the bottle to drop the big name players. As for taking Walcott!!!!!!
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