Willo
Member
- Location
- West Sussex - On the coast
- Country
England
🤣 👍
As you are aware his real name is 'Dirk'.
😛
He was manager of Sunderland when we recorded a fine 4-1 win at their ground.
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World Cup Qualifiers
- Topic starter McAhuna
- Start date
As you are aware his real name is 'Dirk'.
😛
He was manager of Sunderland when we recorded a fine 4-1 win at their ground.
DutchEagleJohan
Member
- Location
- Vlissingen, Netherlands
- Country
Netherlands
Depends on your definition of "real". We have an unusual thing called "roepnaam" where kids when born get an official name or official names and then a "daily used" name usually, but not always, related to those. I have a nephew whose name in his passport is Barend Cornelis. His roepnaam is Remco. You choose which one you'd call real but he would never be refered to as "Barend" or "Barend Cornelis".
chris123
Member
- Location
- hove actually
- Country
-
England
Dastardly
Willo
Member
- Location
- West Sussex - On the coast
- Country
-
England
I am very grateful for the information you have imparted.Thank you.
One is never too advanced in years to further one's knowledge !
I am in the twilight of life.
silvertop
Member
- Location
- Portishead
- Country
-
England
As am I.
I seem to recall, on a free kick outside the box, a (defending) Zaire player just ran up and booted the ball away. He wasn't fully au fait with the rules.
Urban myth.
He was au fait with the rules. He did it as act of protest because the squad hadn't been paid.
Racism is a much over-used and tedious insult. But in the case of this urban myth it is probably justified. Even the likes of Skinner and Badiel perpetrated the false story of the simple African who couldn't even understand the basic rules of the sport. 😢
But lets not get too heavy, the main thing about his protest was it was very funny.
The World Cup needs more of that sort of chaos. Welcome back Congo/Zaire.
The geek in me can't help noticing the weirdness of the Balkans.
Bigger, established nations have really struggled - Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia and Hungary are all out. Romania limped its way to the play-offs.
But mickey-mouse, upstart and made up countries have all over-performed. North Macedonia, Kosovo, Albania and Bosnia-Herzegovina are all in with a shout of qualifying.
Down there it's the equivalent of England going out, but the Isle of Man qualifying.
Bigger, established nations have really struggled - Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia and Hungary are all out. Romania limped its way to the play-offs.
But mickey-mouse, upstart and made up countries have all over-performed. North Macedonia, Kosovo, Albania and Bosnia-Herzegovina are all in with a shout of qualifying.
Down there it's the equivalent of England going out, but the Isle of Man qualifying.
Nicholas91
Member
- Location
- The Democratic Republic of Kent
- Country
Veneto
That is a massive surprise. I wasn't even sure McLaren was still alive let alone employed in any footballing capacity.
He isn't now. 😆
DutchEagleJohan
Member
- Location
- Vlissingen, Netherlands
- Country
-
Netherlands
I should perhaps apologize for my unability to resist the urge of pedantism thus burdening your mature mind with this insignificant and unique knowledge as doubt it will in any shape of form improve your life.
....but to draw at home to Curacao was totally unexpected, I hope Jamaia do get through and carry the Curacaoanplayers bags as penance! 😆 😆 😆
PalazioVecchio
Member
- Location
- Area 51
- Country
USA
Norn Iron play Italy.
Republic of Ireland play the Czechs.
Both green teams will probably get decimated - again. There has always been a football argument to unite the two teams...similar to the Rugby. Cos they are mostly shyte when the two small nations cannot find 11 Premier League quality players to field. Always making up the numbers with fat eejits from League One or other kips.
A United Ireland football team could see the likes of George Best playing with Roy Keane/Damien Delaney and few obvious weaknesses in the squad. It would be nice to beat England a bit more regularly than once every blue moon.
The football-argument is valid. Whereas the Political argument ? that's a whole other kettle of fish.
Republic of Ireland play the Czechs.
Both green teams will probably get decimated - again. There has always been a football argument to unite the two teams...similar to the Rugby. Cos they are mostly shyte when the two small nations cannot find 11 Premier League quality players to field. Always making up the numbers with fat eejits from League One or other kips.
A United Ireland football team could see the likes of George Best playing with Roy Keane/Damien Delaney and few obvious weaknesses in the squad. It would be nice to beat England a bit more regularly than once every blue moon.
The football-argument is valid. Whereas the Political argument ? that's a whole other kettle of fish.
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chris123
Member
- Location
- hove actually
- Country
-
England
Wouldn't that effect clubs qualifying for Europe?
I can't see that happening, unless Northern Ireland ceded from the UK. I doubt UEFA would allow it otherwise.
More likely that Norn Ireland are forced to join a UK team. But that is almost as unlikely.
Dogburger
Member
- Location
- Somewhere at a Cup Winners party
- Country
-
England
I think the main argument is the same as the one made for not having a UK team . The 'home' FA's would lose control of the game .
(From memory ,it might have changed)
Any changes in the laws of the game are decided by the international board which consists of the four home FA's (4 votes) and FIFA that represents the rest of the world (4 votes). 5 votes are needed for change so in effect the 4 home nations can block anything they don't like .
If the N Ireland FA were to disband and join the Irish the home nations would lose a vote which would give the balance of power to FIFA (as if they haven't got enough as it is)
ASCPFC
Member
- Location
- Pro-Cathedral/caravan park
- Country
Ireland
The obvious part being that for some reason football is more sectarian than rugby. I always thought it is actually probably a class issue as in most footballers are working class whereas a lot of rugby comes from private education (public schools).
ASCPFC
Member
- Location
- Pro-Cathedral/caravan park
- Country
-
Ireland
How the hell the World Cup is going to work is anyone's guess. I believe Iran are in it aren't they? Probably picked the worst possible time to expand it.
kevlee
Member
- Country
-
England
An away game might be a difficult game to police although I would have thought most players would be from the free state rather than NI