[Football] World Cup 1994... where the hell were you?

[Swansman]

Do I not like this thread.

I thought there were some very decent players, decent games and decent goals at USA 94. If you ranked modern world cup’s, it would be comfortably mid table

Enjoyed watching Hagi, Letchkov, Baggio and Bebeto. I was disappointed Wegerle didn’t perform.

And OP, If Kennet Anderson was 25 years younger, the Albion should definitely be competing for his signature.

It was pretty weird that he never played in England, as he had everything any English team wanted in a striker in the 90s: he could head the ball.

Serie A was better than the PL in the 90s though, so I could see why he stayed there.

Only batshit crazy goalie Ravelli, reserve keeper Eriksson, defenders Erlingmark, Eriksson & Ljung and striker Kenneth Andersson never tried their luck in the UK.

Of those that did have a spell in the UK, most didnt do too well:

Tomas Brolin we've been through. Fat and bad player in Leeds, fat and bad player-manager in Crystal Palace.

Martin Dahlin had bad rheumatism that didnt get better by moving from Italy to cold England.

Anders Limpar was quite alright in Arsenal & Everton.

Patrik Andersson failed in Blackburn but won the Champions League in Bayern and also had a stint in Barcelona, so I think he is pretty satisfied with his career.

Joachim Björklund did well in Rangers (and Valencia) but his years in Sunderland was a shitshow and he only played because he was no more of a shitshow than Phil Babb & Jody Craddock.

Roland Nilsson did the job in Sheffield & Coventry.

Stefan Schwarz did ok in Arsenal & Sunderland.

Henrik Larsson not shabby in Celtic.

Klas Ingesson (r.i.p) didnt do much in Sheffield W.

Jonas Thern had two decent seasons in Rangers but was injured a lot.

Teddy Lucic had six pretty poor months in Leeds.

Pontus Kåmark average in Leicester.

Stefan Rehn, 4 games in Everton.

Jesper Blomqvist was always injured in any club he played but had one decent season in Manchester United.

Håkan Mild did 8 games in Wimbledon, all of them forgotten.

Magnus Hedman was pretty ****ing good in Coventry.

 

[atfc village]

We didn’t qualify because the FA decided to appoint one of the worst England managers of all time. Taylor gave caps to players who were Sunday league standard in terms of international football, Palmer, Fashanu, Wise, David f’ing White FFS because they fitted his horrendous style, players that if they were around now would struggle to get into top half Championship teams, whilst ignoring youngsters like Fowler and Scholes because they didn’t fit his rigid ‘style’. The media’s treatment of Taylor was out of order but he was completely out of his depth.

Fash only played under Sir Bobby Robson in 89 . I agree with you about the dirge he picked though .

 

[atfc village]

England are bad ,but the dutch as they usually choked again.

 

[Swansman]

England are bad ,but the dutch as they usually choked again.

Choked.. I mean they lost to Brazil...

And if the tournament would have been played a year later they would have a much better team. They also had their normal internal issues: Cruijff not getting the job, Gullit getting in a fight with Advocaat and leaving the squad didnt help either.

As someone who cheered for the Dutch 2000-2012 I do agree there's been some choking throughout the years though.. that their golden generation 96-08 didnt win anything is a bit of a mystery.

 

[Simster]

England are bad ,but the dutch as they usually choked again.

Not really true is it? I mean choking suggests they were in a perfect position to win something before screwing up. The Netherlands won the Euros in '88 and have featured in 3 World Cup finals - their record is miles better than ours. I wouldn't say they have ever actually choked.

 

[Swansman]

Not really true is it? I mean choking suggests they were in a perfect position to win something before screwing up. The Netherlands won the Euros in '88 and have featured in 3 World Cup finals - their record is miles better than ours. I wouldn't say they have ever actually choked.

Well... if this isnt choking then I dont know what is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmtYKxBnRIA

Lost on penalties in 1992, 1996, 1998, 2000 (and later in 2014)... could argue its a bit of a choking tendency.

 

[atfc village]

Well... if this isnt choking then I dont know what is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmtYKxBnRIA

Lost on penalties in 1992, 1996, 1998, 2000 (and later in 2014)... could argue its a bit of a choking tendency.

This all day long . To pull you on a point England lost in 02 too the best Brazil in my lifetime of watching football [1976] and Erikson got grief for that . The 94 team which beat the dutch weren't a patch on 02.

 

[Swansman]

This all day long . To pull you on a point England lost in 02 too the best Brazil in my lifetime of watching football [1976] and Erikson got grief for that . The 94 team which beat the dutch weren't a patch on 02.

Agree. They had two world class midfielders in Dunga and (criminally underrated) Mauro Silva and two great strikers in Romario and Bebeto, but aside for that it was a weak Brazilian team in 94.

The Brazil 2002 team was one of the best teams ever even if the central defenders were pretty meh.

 

[Durlston]

Ahhhhh. The memories of those late kick-offs played in beautiful sunshine with stadiums without roofs. After my first World Cup being Italia 90 (that I remember), this tournament was such an anti-climax without England and having school the next day. The pictures were fuzzy and it felt 'soccer' was becoming a sponsor's dream. It all felt so commercialised.

One game that sticks out is Brazil v USA in the second round. Alexi Lalas - he of the ginger beard and who became a cult hero of Baddiel & Skinner, got elbowed in the face by a Brazilian (a player, not a ladies shaven heaven!) and I thought "Here we go! The hosts are going to knock out the overrated Samba side"
But the Americans sat back and Brazil eventually won 1-0. I think they were probably the worst side that's ever won a World Cup.

Probably my least favourite World Cup. Too young for a bet and not old enough for a late night beer or two.

 

[Milano]

This all day long . To pull you on a point England lost in 02 too the best Brazil in my lifetime of watching football [1976] and Erikson got grief for that . The 94 team which beat the dutch weren't a patch on 02.

Picking an over the hill Shilton cost England in the 90 World Cup, a younger keeper saves Braemer’s deflected shot in the semi and might have at least got near a penalty.
I was at the Brazil game. Picking an over the hill Seaman cost England in 02, a younger keeper saves Ronaldino’s miss hit cross.
So many England managers fall into the trap of picking ‘names’ over form players to appease egos and our media. Oddly enough Southgate seems to be less guilty of that so far.

 

[Swansman]

Picking an over the hill Shilton cost England in the 90 World Cup, a younger keeper saves Braemer’s deflected shot in the semi and might have at least got near a penalty.
I was at the Brazil game. Picking an over the hill Seaman cost England in 02, a younger keeper saves Ronaldino’s miss hit cross.
So many England managers fall into the trap of picking ‘names’ over form players to appease egos and our media. Oddly enough Southgate seems to be less guilty of that so far.

While I generally think young goalkeepers in general are at least equally prone to make mistakes, you may have a point here considering how well England did at Euro 2008 after benching David James before the qualifiers and going with Scott Carson, Ben Foster and Paul Robinson.

: )

 

[Milano]

While I generally think young goalkeepers in general are at least equally prone to make mistakes, you may have a point here considering how well England did at Euro 2008 after benching David James before the qualifiers and going with Scott Carson, Ben Foster and Paul Robinson.

: )

Steve McLaren............
Oh and David James was a basket case of a keeper and wasn’t the no1 before Euro 08, Robinson was already no1 at the 06 WC.

 

[papajaff]

I have virtually no recollection of WC 94, apart from that plastic Paddy Charlton and Diana Ross.

Although I was in California just before the tournament started and saw Brazil beat Honduras 8-2 in San Diego.

 

[Dick Head]

I think you’ll find it’s “your English”. Your missing a coma as well,

Sort yourself out.

Good point, well made.