Comments on: Football Fever?

By: Anirban

Anirban — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:54:28 +0000

Have to disagree with a lot of people here. 1998 WC is the best till date since 1986; both statistics wise (number of goals per match), and performance wise. Check the performances of underdogs like Croatia or Chile or even France. Before the WC some experts said that it would be won by some of the previous winners. But then there was the birth of a legend in the final and we got a new champ.
Memorable goals: Owen, Bergkamp, Salas, Suker.
Extraordinary goalkeeping by Preudhomme, Chilavert, Barthez.
Drama: Zidane and Beckham getting red cards in pre-QF, Ariel Ortega dribbling too much, Ronaldo’s epileptic seizure before the final.

By: Aninda

Aninda — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 01:42:19 +0000

Arnab, stop living in the past. 2010 WC had its moments. Some sweet some bitter. No point in comparing with what you saw in 1986 when you were of that carefree age. The world was a big dream and wc football was a very welcome break from studying. Things are a bit different now. You are older. Can’t bunk office for a month! So you don’t get into the mood. Can’t enjoy the swing. No point whining mate. My son was supporting Spain. I spent a fortune in buying Adidas jerseys and a Jabulani copy (even that was a cool 1000 rupees). He seems to think Puyol and David Villa are the the best ever. I nod in agreement.

By: Arindam

Arindam — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 22:15:45 +0000

Cups, jabulanis, ethylene acelate blahboxyblahbate – you should write a book on euphemisms for the female anatomy.

By: Arvind

Arvind — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 03:28:32 +0000

Don’t be under the hope that Brazil will counter Spain, not in the next decade at least to start with.

England is a hyped team, English media is the worst in the world but English team could have performed much better. Their key players as mentioned earlier were played out of position & their most creative player Joe Cole was made to spent least time on pitch & same was mentioned about Forlan aswell.. he was played in the same position for both Club and Country, behind Aguero for Madrid and Suarez for Uruguay & that helped him big time, and of course his form came to his aid too..

World cup is the biggest stage agreed but its almost Pete Sampras saying that I love to win Davis Cup more times than my 7 Wimbledon crowns. The performances and contributions of Club football cannot be ignored or overlooked;

All in all pretty decent world cup & again Glad that Spain won..

By: MangoMan

MangoMan — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 20:40:22 +0000

On the contrary, this has been the best world cup among the last four (if we take out few brilliances of Ronaldo/Rivaldo/Ronaldinho from 2002 and Zidane in 2006).

This time a lot of matches in knock out stages were actually entertaining, stand-out being the Uruguay-Ghana match. Spain was in devastating form minus a genuine striker (Villa is nothing but Schillachi of 2010). As much as Germany did a image makeover, Holland just did the opposite becoming a disgrace.

But you are right in a sense about England. People who are defending Rooney/Lampard/Gerrard about club football and 60-70 matches, remember this – 85% of the world cup footballers play in European clubs. That Forlan was in great form and so he won for Uruguay but English players were tired – is the weakest arugument for England. England is and will always be the most hyped team at least in near future.

As Spain seems to ascending in style and form over the last few years the next worldcup will be historic to see how Brazil at home can overcome that.

By: Kalyan

Kalyan — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 14:37:56 +0000

I doubt if this was meant to be an analysis of the World Cup. For that one should go to Sportstar. Does that still exist.

I would read this as a personal take on the WC> Which is fine. The fact is that when people from my vintage (mid 30s) sit together, 86 is what is discussed the most. I don’t follow football except during the World Cup. The most dominant image of late has been of the German attacks for me

By: random_arbit

random_arbit — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 06:03:47 +0000

Thats why I say, Rahul Gandhi should be made captain of Indian football team, and Shilpa Shetty VC, Rakhi Sawant to be goalkeeper, and I will be manager. India will lift next football WC in Brazil, because we will play with bra and zeal!!

By: Jhonny_Govinda

Jhonny_Govinda — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 18:18:29 +0000

Kya bakwas post likhi hei boss..

Bought and read your book.. totally dissappointed… you should have had a note in begining or at end for people who read your blog to not buy it.

BTW, your friend Dipta is a much better writer (as you also were in begining.. now your posts are like RGV’s Factory), but tell him not to rush into writing a book (I know he is doing on cricket)

By: Raja Pornistani

Raja Pornistani — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 17:33:27 +0000

Forget Soccer, dudes…The World Cup fiesta is for other countries. Most countries can’t even qualify for it.

You Indians did not qualify for the World Cup too, so that makes two of us who can commiserate… But atleast India is World Number One in Software.

My fellow desis, please be proud that Pakistan too is World Number One in atleast one category.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/07/12/data-shows-pakistan-googling-pornographic-material/

By: Ram Dalal

Ram Dalal — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 14:56:29 +0000

GreatBong , sorry for nitpicking but there’s a mistake in the article .

You said “Maradona, in his prime, cutting through the Belgian defense like knife through butter and then upping that against the English with another thrilling dash”

However the England Match was played BEFORE the belgium match so it should be the other way round

Argentina vs England QFinal 2-1
Argentina vs Belgium Semi – 2-0