BS: Footie - good luck to the Celts

Subject: BS: Footie - good luck to the Celts
From: Arnie
Date: 19 Nov 03 - 12:30 PM

Well, with England safely through to the European Cup finals next year, I can afford to be magnanimous towards our Celtic neighbours. Wales and Scotland are in action tonight against Russia and Holland.
Quite an amazing fact that Wales have never got the finals of a major football competition since 1958! As for the Scots, their team don't deserve their fans! It's great seeing the Scots fans abroad with their pipes, kilts, obligatory red wigs etc. and they are usually (but not always) on best behaviour - unlike our lot. So here's hoping both teams get through tonight. Shame about Ireland though - knocked out by little Switzerland.....

Subject: RE: BS: Footie - good luck to the Celts
From: Peg
Date: 19 Nov 03 - 12:56 PM

I saw that game where Wales beat Italy last year...quite an event.

Subject: RE: BS: Footie - good luck to the Celts
From: alanabit
Date: 19 Nov 03 - 02:58 PM

Good luck to them both. I would give Wales the better chance of getting through, as I fear that the mighty Dutch will inevitably start playing to their awesome potential sometime. I am about to go and watch the Scots though. I'll be cheering them all the way. Come on Wales! Come on Scotland!

Subject: RE: BS: Footie - good luck to the Celts
From: Wolfgang
Date: 19 Nov 03 - 03:33 PM

I fear that the mighty Dutch will inevitably start playing to their awesome potential sometime.

Your predictive power is amazing: 3:0 and it's only halftime. It looks as if the only underdog to make it to the finals will be Latvia.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: BS: Footie - good luck to the Celts
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 19 Nov 03 - 03:53 PM

That amazing Dutch Strip is worth a goal up to start with.

Subject: RE: BS: Footie - good luck to the Celts
From: Arnie
Date: 19 Nov 03 - 03:59 PM

Well, at 6-0 down it's just about time for a Scottish comeback.....

Subject: RE: BS: Footie - good luck to the Celts
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 19 Nov 03 - 04:47 PM

With a score line like that it's as well they weren't playing England...

Subject: RE: BS: Footie - good luck to the Celts
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 20 Nov 03 - 04:03 AM

Look on the bright side - not only are Latvia through (huzzah!) but they did it by knocking Turkey out ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Footie - good luck to the Celts
From: alanabit
Date: 20 Nov 03 - 04:17 AM

I shouldn't smile at that Dai - but I did! Poor old Scotland. I wish them well, but the simply fact is that they don't have a single player who would get on the Dutch bench. Last night the Dutch looked like a sleeping giant who had just woken up. In that form I would fear for England against them. The French, who destroyed Germany on Saturday, look pretty awesome too. This is probably the most talented England side I have ever seen, but I can't see them beating either France or Holland.

Subject: RE: BS: Footie - good luck to the Celts
From: Wolfgang
Date: 20 Nov 03 - 11:23 AM

Let's face it, from a European perspective the Dutch team in the finals is the better outcome (though I have a lot of sympathy for the local perspective).

I have smiled too about Latvia for several reasons (one very similar to Dai's). One reason is a narrow local one: Latvia has helped Germany. How that? Turkey was ranked 8th best European team and Germany 9th (only the European results count and not the last world cup). Now, Germany has the benefit to be now in the 'four second bests lot' (there must be another expression, but you'll understand me, I think), among 'second rank' Eoropean teams like England, Spain and Italy.

These four teams will not play against each other in the first round. That's the good news for them. The bad news is that the Netherlands is in the 'four third best lot'. So with just a little bit of bad luck, England (or Germany...) could play against France, Holland and Greece. Or, of course, against Sweden, Russia and Latvia.

Holland, France, and perhaps Italy are my favourites, with England a runner up. Mind my words for I have a record of being wrong nearly each single time in my predictions for European or world cup.

Wolfgang