2018 FIFA World Cup

[EagerBeaver]

Women's World Cup

By the way there is no reason to wait to 2022 World Cup or even Euro 2020 for another big soccer tournament. The Women's World Cup will be played in France in 2019 as the USA seeks to defend the title it won in Vancouver in 2015. The USA women won all their games in knockout stage in shutout fashion except the final in which the USA defeated Japan 5-2. I just saw Julie Ertz and Alex Morgan interviewed on ESPN and Alex predicted that Julie Ertz (wife of Philadelphia Eagles Tight End Zach Ertz), who was just named USA Soccer Player of the Year, will be the Ertz of the year in 2019 (Zach and his Super Bowl Championship made him Ertz of the Year 2018).

I would think USA will be the favorite. For those of you who favor Team Canada, the Canadian women had a respectable showing in 2015 on home pitch, losing in the quarterfinals to England 2-1. Japan then beat the English girls in one semifinal while the USA defeated Germany in the other semifinal.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Ozil Resigns From Germany; "I am German When We Win, An Immigrant When We Lose"

Ozil has resigned due to racism:

http://www.espn.com/soccer/germany/...y-after-political-tensions-over-turkish-roots

 

[Meta not Meta]

Ozil is an extremely divisive figure among the Arsenal fanbase, but not for any political reasons, north London being one of the most racially-diverse places in the world; but because he's the very definition of a luxury player, one who needs optimum circumstances at all times in order to flourish with his flat-track, pretty-passing/play-making game, and who provides zilch defensively.

It'll be interesting to see what new Arsenal boss Unai Emery gets out of him (Ozil's on huge wages, and is about face a lot more criticism if things go poorly for Arsenal this coming season), especially since Emery likes to play a high-pressing game, which is not Ozil's style at all. There's a big-time character test coming for him, and with untransferable wages he has nowhere else to go.

PS I think we have to start a separate, general "footie" thread ... lol.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Does this story really surprise you guys at all? I think Ozil was just being honest in everything he said. The one thing left unsaid, I think, is that if playing for Turkey or Germany had equivalent financial ramifications for him, he likely would have been playing for Turkey from day 1. The same can be said for 3-4 other guys who were part of that German glory team including Boateng, Klose, Khedira, and Podolski. Ozil mentions in that article that the German fans cut Podolski slack even though he is Polish, and Ozil suggests the reason why is because he, Ozil, is a Muslim, whereas Podolski is not. But the point that Ozil misses is that while German fans may cut Podolski some slack, Polish fans most certainly do not, and I already posted a personal story in that regard as some proof of that.

 

[Versaute]

Özil had been the whipping boy for the anti-immigrant, far right for some time now. It got worse after Germany’s disastrous WC performance where he was blamed for everything. So I can empathize with what he said. His personality however didn’t help him much. He was an introverted, brooding type who kept to himself and often at least to football fans seemed sullen and detached from the rest of the team. He really needs an image makeover now that his best playing days are behind him. I believe Arsenal is interested in selling him for some time now but there have been no takers—not at his current salary and with the baggage that comes with it.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Ozil is also getting a lot of shit from Turkish fans on Twitter, one of whom tweeted, "if you are so proud of your roots, as you say, why didn't you play for Turkey"? I think we all know the answer is $$$$, but these tweets are very cutting.

 

[jalimon]

Ozil was born in Germany. Why should he takes that shit? It's pure racism.

Zlatan was born in Sweden of Serb parents. Did he had to go through that shit from fans?

 

[Meta not Meta]

Ozil was born in Germany. Why should he takes that shit? It's pure racism.

Zlatan was born in Sweden of Serb parents. Did he had to go through that shit from fans?

Ibrahimovic had a rough upbringing, for sure; you have to suspect that all his Ali-like braggadocio is the faith he felt he needed to have in himself in order to make it. Soccer in Europe has always been, like professional sports in the U.S., a way for poor kids (or at least an elite among them because of their athletic skills), and especially from marginalized backgrounds, to make it big.

I think Ibra could have played for Croatia! From Wiki: Zlatan’s parents emigrated from ex-Yugoslavia to Sweden in the 1970’s and raised their family without religious affiliation. His father, Šefik, is Bosnian from modern day Bosnia-Herzegovina. His Mother, Jurka, is Croatian from Zadar County, Croatia.

 

[Meta not Meta]

Ozil is also getting a lot of shit from Turkish fans on Twitter, one of whom tweeted, "if you are so proud of your roots, as you say, why didn't you play for Turkey"? I think we all know the answer is $$$$, but these tweets are very cutting.

Far too crassly expressed.

How do you know his higher loyalty hasn't been to his country of birth all along, Germany! Is that really so unusual? Of course it isn't, and it would well explain his feelings of betrayal.

Other potential contributing factors:

The child of immigrants' desire to prove that he's as "German" as any of his countrymen combined with the professional pride, prestige and personal satisfaction of playing internationally for what is perhaps the greatest soccer country of them all ....

 

[EagerBeaver]

How do you know his higher loyalty hasn't been to his country of birth all along, Germany! Is that really so unusual? Of course it isn't, and it would well explain his feelings of betrayal.
.

Because that is not what Ozil himself says in his statement. He says that he has "two hearts, one German, one Turkish." That does not sound like a statement of loyalty to Germany. It sounds like it is a statement of dual citizenship.

Although Ozil's statement is well composed and intelligent, it is way too long. Some of the comments made about his school and the German soccer federation head are very strong- he basically calls them racist xenophobes and pawns of right wing elements (he also calls the German soccer federation head a "right wing propagandist"). Which they might be, but calling them out in a long statement likely does not do anything to heal the rift that developed.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Bayern President: “Ozil Has Been Crap For Years”

I don’t think this news will be warmly received by Arsenal fans:

Bayern president: Ozil has been 'crap for years'

http://www.espn.com/soccer/germany/...ing-to-germany-for-years-bayern-chief-hoeness

I don’t understand how this guy can be washed up at 29. Usually when professional athletes are legitimately washed up prematurely or at an age younger than you expect, it’s due to injuries, poor conditioning or training routine off season, or unhealthy lifestyle (partier) or substance abuse. I have seen it happen in baseball and when a guy loses it all of a sudden at 32 or 33 it’s usually some combination of these 3. 29 seems very young for the guy to be washed up.

It’s not been a good couple of days for Mr. Ozil, with many people piling on him.

 

[jalimon]

Forward like Ozil often leave their national team at around 30. Replaced by younger hot shot. A good showing by Germany and Ozil would not have been criticized, but he would not have been back anyhow.
I think Ozil has always been overvalued. Maybe because he looks good Anyhow we will see him in the MLS in a year or 2.

It was also last showing for Giroux of France.. who did not produce. He had star player around him like Mbappe and Griezman and he made them look good with strong play.

Cheers,

 

[EagerBeaver]

Jalimon- LOL you are also piling on Ozil. Perhaps Ozil will team up with Ronaldo to play for the nascent Miami franchise owned by Beckham? If Ozil is in fact fond of the off pitch activities, he will find the Miami club scenes to his liking as will Ronaldo.

 

[jalimon]

Good looks, seriously? Jal, now I am going to wonder about your SP recommendations , will they all have eyes like Ozil, not a pleasant thought.

Ask the girl you will have your answer Girls dig for guys with big eyes, killer smile and unusual look like him. Just ask hehe

Cheers,

 

[EagerBeaver]

Good looks, seriously? Jal, now I am going to wonder about your SP recommendations , will they all have eyes like Ozil, not a pleasant thought.

I really don’t mean to pile on Ozil here but the dude looks like an alien with those eyes, like he has some alien lineage as well as Turkish.

Sam- I am sure some of those factors contributed to his loss of form. It just seems like 29 is a bit young to be washed up. Ronaldo at age 34 looked great in this World Cup.

 

[Meta not Meta]

As France’s celebrations died down last week, L’Équipe’s cartoonist depicted a wife saying to her TV-watching husband, “I thought the World Cup of football was over,” and getting the reply: “Yes, but the World Cup of bullshit has just begun.”

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jul/23/mesut-ozil-international-retirement-germany

It's not that Ozil is in decline as a player but that his game is extremely one-dimensional. He needs players like Ronaldo to pass to, as he had at Real Madrid, and teammates like Germany '14 to be surrounded by, in order to flourish.

I disagree about Giroud, who I think had a very fine tournament, as a hold-up player for Griezmann and Mbappe and who did a lot of work defensively, both pressing high (with limitations), as a battering ram against opposing central defenders and in his own box defending against corners. He didn't start the first game, against Australia--it was Dembele, a very different kind of forward, Deschamps bowing to pressure for more offense, but it didn't work, so Deschamps went back to Giroud, relying on Griezmann and Mbappe to score the goals, though I'm sure he'd expected 2 or 3 from Giroud, as well. Nevertheless, it was a complete team performance by everyone involved, including Giroud.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Lotthar Matthaus Hammers Ozil

Add the name of Lothar Matthaus to the long line of commentators ready to swing a bat at the pinata that is Mezut Ozil:

http://www.espn.com/soccer/germany/...lready-over-before-retirement-lothar-matthaus

 

[Versaute]

Add the name of Lothar Matthaus to the long line of commentators ready to swing a bat at the pinata that is Mezut Ozil:

http://www.espn.com/soccer/germany/...lready-over-before-retirement-lothar-matthaus

Lothar Matthaeus is a global ambassador for German football. He’s traveled all over the world including third world countries to promote the sport. Lothar is also a straight shooter and that ESPN interview was balanced and spot on. Always focused on performance on the field. Today’s Ozil is no longer the Ozil of 2-4 years ago. Same with other players on the national team. Time for a makeover. I don’t think he was a hardass toward Ozil as Hoeness, the Bayern president.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Steve Nash Calls Ronaldo the Michael Jordan of Soccer

http://mag.bleacherreport.com/cristiano-ronaldo-steve-nash-power-50-cover-2018/

 

[jalimon]

http://mag.bleacherreport.com/cristiano-ronaldo-steve-nash-power-50-cover-2018/

I truly admire Steve Nash but I do not agree here.

Yes Ronaldo is an absolute striker. The guy you want when you need to put it in the net. In a football team you understand that 70% of goals will be scored by the striker. Does that make him the absolute star? Not for me. I played midfield and truly understood how hard it was to play my role well to somehow relay the ball to the striker who gets all the glory

I think Ronaldo, as was Zlatan, are wonderfull striker who have complete oversized ego I much prefer guys like Messi who is both a playmaker and a striker and who's ego stayed at ground level

Cheers,