south american teams at the world cup

[aftershavedave]

seems very likely that all 6 qualifiers from south america will be in the last 16.

i wonder what they are doing right that the africans (clearly) aren't and that the europeans have struggled with?

 

[shoreham moonraker]

i can only name 5 am i being a spaz?

 

[aftershavedave]

i can only name 5 am i being a spaz?

nope, you're right i included the mexicans.

so, all 5 teams....

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, Chile.

It's Europe that has achieved SIX teams in the last 16.

 

[shoreham moonraker]

if you are going to include the mexicans you would have to include the hondurans and americans, so 7 out of 8 from 2 federations is a pretty good return.

but then you might as well include algeria in europe.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

It's Europe who have SIX teams in the last 16.

Is this a record low?

 

[rcf0712]

It's Europe who have SIX teams in the last 16.

Is this a record low?

Asia has two and nearly had 3, surely that's a record outside of Asia itself?

 

[Garage_Doors]

i being a spaz?

Supporting Swindon

 

[strings]

I simply can't understand where the Africans are going wrong (but I'm going to try anyway...). Ghana and Cameroon clearly have very skillful players worthy of a polace in the last 16, the problem is that they want to walk the ball into the back of the net all the time.

With a decent manager and some actual tactics, a couple of the African teams could do really well (in my opinion, like).

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

I simply can't understand where the Africans are going wrong (but I'm going to try anyway...). Ghana and Cameroon clearly have very skillful players worthy of a polace in the last 16, the problem is that they want to walk the ball into the back of the net all the time.

With a decent manager and some actual tactics, a couple of the African teams could do really well (in my opinion, like).

name one good african playmaker or winger

most of the sides have decent forwards but they just don't see enough of the ball (eto'o is the best example)

 

[hans kraay fan club]

They also still think appointing a 'name' manager, who has never SEEN most of the players, a MONTH before the tournament, is a GOOD thing.

 

[strings]

name one good african playmaker or winger

most of the sides have decent forwards but they just don't see enough of the ball (eto'o is the best example)

You are certainly right about wingers. I can't remember Ghana or Cameroon playing the ball out wide once. Instead they try to pass it through the middle every time. Shame, I honestly believe that there is enough in both these teams to work with - surely some of the players can be coached into passing the ball wide and crossing it in?

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Ghana clearly have very skillful players worthy of a place in the last 16, the problem is that they want to walk the ball into the back of the net all the time.

With a decent manager and some actual tactics, a couple of the African teams could do really well (in my opinion, like).

Am I missing something here? Ghana DID qualify, and were only denied top spot, but Ozil's late goal. All without Essien, who is their best player by miles.

 

[strings]

Am I missing something here? Ghana DID qualify, and were only denied top spot, but Ozil's late goal. All without Essien, who is their best player by miles.

You are right, strings=rubbish.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

The South American teams could all win their groups as well - four down, Brazil and Chile to go?

Its always worse for European teams outside of Europe, but other nations are raising their game. Half the players from the 'little' teams play in Europe now, and it shows.

 

[BigGully]

I simply can't understand where the Africans are going wrong (but I'm going to try anyway...). Ghana and Cameroon clearly have very skillful players worthy of a polace in the last 16, the problem is that they want to walk the ball into the back of the net all the time.

With a decent manager and some actual tactics, a couple of the African teams could do really well (in my opinion, like).

I think we maybe are a little patronising to Africa in the sense of not really understanding their Continent.

It has a population of a BILLION and is a vast Continent, I do not think any of it necessarily shares a common football ethos.

Recently in the Premiership we have seen top African players coming in and impressing, we then assume that AFRICA is the hotbed, when it is just a small number of their Countries that seem to be offering some degree of success.

But this World Cup has shown that they still have some way to go.

I think we wrongly look at Africa and assume that each African is the same and share the same footballing experiences that evolve an 'African Footballer'.

But maybe the the only link between say Essien, Drogba and E'to is they just happen to share the same continent and there own successes are wholly individual and not a reflection on Africa at all.

Maybe its like comparing Van Persie with Arshavin, both share the same Continent whilst growing up 1000's miles apart and their own football successes are based around totally different cultures and experiences, Europe really isnt the success story when you assess those players.

So when Ghana or the Ivory Coast have some success, it is unlikely that this reflects any footballing progress for the other African Countries, some that are geographically and culturally so diverse.

Out of a Billion population Africa has delivered very few players to this World Cup of any real class, it seems African football is not a success story we are sometimes told.

 

[Scotty Mac]

africa needs to sort out its ERATIC goalkeepers before they will get anywhere in a world cup

personally, i hope they dont as they provide 90% of the flair moments in international tournaments

 

[Scotty Mac]

[yt]cAKyI_cbF18[/yt]

 

[sam86]

name one good african playmaker or winger

Shabalaladingdong!