I’ve just seen multiple posts by you lamenting a player whose been world class for close to a decade now, you saying they shouldn’t of taken him to the World Cup is absurd. If you thought that you did not make it known before the World Cup.
And normally I wouldnt have thought it. Theres definitely some hindsight involved in that opinion.
He was in poor form, but German internationals have a long history of performing poorly for their Clubs and then lighting it up on International Duty, so that really swayed my opinion prior to the World Cup, and even then, he has such a rich history with the German National team that he was unlikely to be dropped.
He and Kroos are just not a good partnership because while the creativity is off the charts nobody protects the back 4 or wins the ball back.
Further to which, I didnt really think the whole 'Erdogan' scenario was as big a deal as it eventually turned out to be and who knows, maybe this whole thing will blow over. There should probably be some changes in the German DFB Hierarchy and maybe some time off will allow cooler heads to prevail.
You'll note Ozil never used the term 'retirement' and even if he had he could always change his mind. He is only 29 and he doesnt overly exert himself so he could still play in the Euros or even the next WC if his form picks up or nobody steals his spot on the team.
My only point is that everyone is pointing at the German FA here as 100% responsible in conjunction with systemic racism and, as devo eloquently pointed out, that is incorrect, they're not angels in all of this but Ozil himself is hardly blameless as some in this thread are asserting.
And finally, it makes me wonder what was in it for Ozil. Was it just Turkish National Pride? At least Gundogan came up with a half-hearted excuse regarding permits for construction projects, Ozil didnt even have that, so what was his incentive? He says 'to respect the Office' which is about as close to meaningless as it gets.
I dont know why you always get so combative, I'm not cutting anyone down here, just trying to understand the nuances of the scenario, and we disagree on a few points. You're not an Arsenal fan that I'm aware of, and even if you were it wouldnt make enough sense to rush to his defence.
I'll admit that I sorely misunderstood the degree of racism that Ozil endured while playing for Germany because its never really come to the forefront as it has now.
I've found that Ozil has been highly valued and highly respected during his entire German and Club tenure, hes incredibly talented, but hes not perfect.
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Interesting news about rising Man U midfielder Andreas Pereira, he’s eligible to play for Brazil or Belgium as he was born in Belgium but of Brazilian heritage and has represented both at youth level. He’s only had one premier league start for Man U and has been used in an attacking role his last few years out on loan but is now thriving as a deep lying playmaker. Belgium are reportedly going to try and call him up for their friendlies as he has openly said he would prefer Brazil but would play for Belgium. The question will be how long he is willing to wait for Brazil to call. Brazil have lost some great talents recently to other nations, Diego Costa, Pepe, Rodrigo, Thiago, Jorginho, it would be very annoying to lose another player when all they have to do is cap him. I for one have been a big fan of Pereira since I saw him play in the U-20 World Cup and I think he could become a jewel of a midfielder. Brazil’s call ups tomorrow should be very interesting, a lot of reports saying many of the old guard will not be in the selection for obvious reasons.
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^ how strict are they regarding the military service in Korea? Would they really rob a guy like Son of his prime years?
I mean, I really fail to see why an international top athlete wouldn't be allowed to do his service after retirement.
They are extremely strict. I think if you polled Korea people, they wouldn't even agree to the rules set right now for athletes. The government set a precedent exempting the 2002 Korean World Cup team and put itself in a corner.
non sports-related, you should see the debate going on about the band BTS.
PSY had to go TWICE because he performed too much during his first stint.
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According to Korea’s military service law, those with special abilities in the fields of the arts or athletics train for four weeks in basic military training centers with other recruits, but spend 2 years and 10 months as public service workers in their respective fields, rather than as active soldiers. This is described as being for both cultural development and the enhancement of national prestige.
Among artists who have come in second place or higher in international competitions chosen by the Military Affairs Director, the two artists with the highest grades are included on the exemption list. For those with no international competition for their field, the artist with the highest grade among those who have received first place in domestic competitions receives the exemption.
Athletes who win bronze or higher in the Olympics or come in first in the Asian Games are also eligible for this special exemption.
While this might be a hot topic among K-pop fans, it is important to remember that the debate is not specifically about K-pop but about who and what qualifies for exemptions in all fields. Do the current conscription law and exemption criteria accurately represent the skills, aspirations, and needs of modern Korean society? Olympians receive exemptions because they compete in an internationally recognized system with over a hundred years of history. But is it possible to define achievements based on a platform that is barely decades old and has constantly changing algorithms like YouTube, for example? Is eSports not a sport?
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Korea in tough now. They finished 2nd place in Group E and will have to face Group F winners Iran in the 16s and even if they get past them, the favorites Uzbekistan are probably looming in the quarters.
They messed up that Malaysian game. They would have faced an easier Japan (using their u21 team in preparation for Tokyo 2020) and a much easier side of the draw.
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^ I don't know much about a lot of those teams, but surely S Korea is a favourite in that tournament? I guess Iran could be tough, but most of those countries seem like they're more on the level of Canada?
^ I don't know much about a lot of those teams, but surely S Korea is a favourite in that tournament? I guess Iran could be tough, but most of those countries seem like they're more on the level of Canada?
Like the Olympics, it's an under-23 tournament with 3 overaged players. Back in January there a true Asian under-23 tournament. Uzbekistan won it. They crushed Korea 4-0 in the semis. Vietnam finished 2nd. So far in this tournament China have scored 11 goals, Uzbekistan 10 while Vietnam have not given up a goal.
With Son, that might make the difference for Korea going forward. He scored today.
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Jamie Vardy and Gary Cahill are both set to call time on their international careers after informing England manager Gareth Southgate that they want to focus on club football.
Leicester striker Vardy and Chelsea defender Cahill have both been regulars in Southgate's squads since he was appointed in November 2016.
While neither have completely "shut the door" and would be willing to play under exceptional circumstances, it is likely that both made their final international appearances at the 2018 World Cup.
