R O O O O O O O O O N Y

etc.

I've not caught the world cup bug yet, so have to relinquish either my English Status or my manhood. The roads are covered in cars sporting the St. George's cross; Everyone is out in town; every pub has a big screen TV, and all I can think is blerghhh.

England should play to win though. To be honest, they need the practice. I've no problem with Ericsson playing an under-strength side, but we need to play to win.

yay! seany! For some strange reason I thought you were an Aussie... Are you sure?

And no, not Rooney puhleeeze. Owen yes. But not Rooney.

Good old Mickey and Wilfred; one made us laugh, one made us cry, one lives on, one is long dead. Rooney and Owen, indeed.

Hugh, thanks, funny guy.

Do you watch soccer? Who do you suppport/like?

I'm an Aussie (although I've lived in England since I was a nipper), and my heart is with the Socceroos, but I'll be supporting Ingerlund tonight, albeit on my own at home (need an early night, this first week back at work is killing me.)

I might even watch the T&T v Paraguay game instead, it looks as if it might be a better game than the England v Sweden match.

The games kick off at the same time, so teams can't deliberately play for draws, etc. if they know they're already through to the next round. So Sweden can't rely on their 4 points, because if T&T beat Paraguay by at least two goals and England beat Sweden, even just 1-0, T&T would go through. They'd also have 4 points, but a better goal difference and Sweden would be out.

*walks into thread, drops pants* soccer sucks! hahahahaha! cilantro! snakes! cilantro! dead bunnies! hahahahaha! *pulls pants up, walks out of thread*

I'm a fan of my home team, MLS' own DC United. Beyond that, I tend to like players: Cantona drew me to Man United before Fergie and Keano and Becks drove me away; Viali brought me to Chelsea and I still love their classy play; In Spain, I love underdogs like the Rayo Vallecano of years ago, and I like the Basque teams; I'm a Boca fan because of Ivan Palermo (and because one of my best friends is a River fanatic); most of all, I just love watching any soccer. And playing it, too. I don't have great foot skills and I'm not much of a jock, but I have a sense of the game that makes me an excellent center half, and I like the running around. And when I played center half on a rec team in MD a few years ago, my team always won, because my intensity (always friendly intensity, of course) spread through our team.

I fancy Brazil (providing they bench Ronaldo and play Robinho) and Argentina (who's gonna stop Argentina?) in the World Cup.

You?

*shakes fist at weretable* Wait, I'll piss on your garden too! :)

yay! way to go jan! The coincidence of the games does not guarantee they do not know what's happening. I am sure the English fans want to win this game. And play good soccer.

My absolute preference is Brazil. Celesao. Kaka. I most definitely agree they need to send Ronaldo to get croissants during the game. In France. But the entire team is very slaggish. Of course, Brazil can play well with the bench only and win the damn thing.

Argentina: as a true fan of Brazil, I shall never, ever suppport it even if deep deep deep down I might, maybe, nearly agree that they are happening to play ummmm, well. It is true they were awake during the first round. Unlike other teams, including Brazil. Note, I do not hate Argentina nor (especially) the Argentinian people. I just do not want them to win the World Cup.

American soccer. I do not follow clubs. Unless they are kids clubs. But I also root for the US team because they are not just the World Cup underdogs. They are the universally scoffed underdogs. I do admire the team itself, because they train for a country that scoffs them and they play for a world that scoffs them. Oh, yeah, they deserve to win many games for themselves.

Can you get enough of Robinho? I can't. On a team with the likes of Ronaldinho, the big secret is that Robinho's the really clever one. And so dreamy!

≡ Click to see image ≡

I haven't gotten enough of Robinho. But Ronaldinho is a great player. Better than what Ronaldo was when he was It.

Oh yeah, fa sho, he's brill. And his stepover heel-pass in the game the other day? Tremendous.

Whilst we're talking about footy crushes: does anyone else find Crouch slightly attractive in the gangly nerdy sort of way?