Definitely! They've have already determined the times for the matches in Brazil 2014.
(subtract 3 hours for Calgary time)
4 matches per day! Opening Match: 17.00 Group Stage matches: 13.00, 16.00, 19.00, 22.00 Round of 16/Quarter-finals: 13.00, 17.00 Semi-finals: 17.00 Match for Third Place: 17.00 Final: 16.00
Plan accordingly!
Done I shall plan to try to be in Brazil.............especially if Canada makes it along with the Czechs. Would be epic to see my two countries there.
I can't believe Canadians complaining about garbage teams in soccer tournaments. I cross every digit and limb in hopes that Canada is one of the garbage teams in WC 2014!
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Really? You seriously think Belgium, Turkey, B & H, and Wales play entertaining football and have more of a 0% chance of winning the World Cup? Belgium hasn't qualified for a tournament since 2002.
You state the bolded to try and downplay Belgium's history to make a point but fail to mention that they were in the 5 world cups prior to that, one of which they were beaten by the Argies in the semi final. A much richer history than ROI who you accused earlier of underachieving and having a "good pedigree"? . By your own logic one would think that you'd expect Belgium to be contenders, never mind having more than a 0% chance based on their "pedigree".
In short, you appear to be arguing against yourself.
I agree with Diane. Too many teams will dilute the quality of competition. More teams/games IMO does not necessarily equate to a better tournament.
You state the bolded to try and downplay Belgium's history to make a point but fail to mention that they were in the 5 world cups prior to that, one of which they were beaten by the Argies in the semi final. A much richer history than ROI who you accused earlier of underachieving and having a "good pedigree"? . By your own logic one would think that you'd expect Belgium to be contenders, never mind having more than a 0% chance based on their "pedigree".
In short, you appear to be arguing against yourself.
I agree with Diane. Too many teams will dilute the quality of competition. More teams/games IMO does not necessarily equate to a better tournament.
Not quite, these are two different issues. I never said Ireland was a contender. I was just disapointed that a team such as Ireland with the pedigree that they have is this poor. Belgium is the same. It is a good comparision. They do have good pedigree but something has gone wrong the last 10 years which makes them no longer contenders. Pedigree doesn't make a team automatically a contender.
I do have to re-think the pedigree argument I made earlier. Perhaps small countries go in cycles and they just have a magical generation and cannot keep this standard. So by calling Ireland and Belgium failures is probably too harsh because they cannot produce the players to be at the top of the soccer world. But that 4-0 loss to Spain was the lowest of the low, I was really dissapointed.
However, Diane argues that Ireland and Belgium and the other countries in Europe or SA would bring more value to a tournament than Japan or USA who would have 0% chance of winning. I disagree.
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Last edited by GirlySports; 06-29-2012 at 05:51 PM.
Yet there is also the huge degree of philanthropy, the campaigning against the use of child soldiers, the work he has done in Brazil to help destitute children and the women of the favelas and the strong interest he has in the World Wildlife Fund.
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Maybe it is the presence of the diminutive Silvia that is making the difference.
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Watching the pair embrace in Poland’s National Stadium brought to mind a story told by Cristina, one of the Balotellis’ three natural children and another big influence on Mario’s life.
She is a journalist and recalled how he was once stopped from going to football training because of his bad behaviour at home. He ran away, making the journey on foot — only for the coach to tell him when he finally arrived that his mother had called and he had to be sent straight back home.
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He also grew up the only black kid in a white neighbourhood, encountering racism early in his life. Inevitably — and tellingly — because of the disruption Balotelli grew up craving attention. He never wanted to be left alone, always wanted company.
For years he could only go to sleep if Silvia held his hand. “He does things his own way,” Cristina said and although that is undeniably true it doesn’t mean there is a hard shell to his life. It does not need a psychologist to explain much of Balotelli’s extrovert behaviour.
Last edited by Cecil Terwilliger; 06-30-2012 at 01:53 PM.
Another interesting one on non-live footage being spliced in and misrepresented during the tournament.
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UEFA has come under fire in Germany for allowing prerecorded scenes to be cut into live coverage of games from the European Championships.
Images of a German fan crying after Mario Balotelli's second goal in Thursday's 2-1 defeat to Italy were in fact taken before the semifinal, when she was overcome with emotion during the anthems.
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ARD had first sought UEFA's clarification after Germany coach Joachim Loew was shown playfully knocking a ball from a ball boy's arm during the country's group game against Netherlands, despite the incident happening before the game took place.
It is indeed very hard to root against Balotelli, at least in this tournament. I was reading an article about the racism he's had to endure and about how he wasn't able to become an Italian citizen until he was 18 (because legally you can't be an Italian citizen if your parents are immigrants until the age of consent). His play means a lot for children growing up in Italy that can't call themselves Italian because they are second generation immigrants... and consequently it means a lot for Italy.
What a great, great story he is. I want him to score the euro-winning goal. It would be the perfect ending.
His upbringing is really interesting, his parents gave him up for adoption because of health issues to family that was better equipped to help him (after he was healthy he stayed with the Balotelli's), when it became clear he was a rising star his biological parents wanted him back (read in to that what you will) and Mario basically called them glory hunters
when he first broke in to the Serie A he put up with chants of "there are no black italians" at a number of away games
like the article says, he's not perfect and he has some anger/immaturity issues, but when people look back at his past it's easy to see why.
I hope he continues to do well not just in this tournament but in the next decade
. By your own logic one would think that you'd expect Belgium to be contenders, never mind having more than a 0% chance based on their "pedigree".
