All time great?

Did I stutter?

[url=http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/23032010/58/world-cup-2010-england-world-cup-tv-schedule.htmlWorld Cup 2010 - England's World Cup TV schedule[/url



ITV will show England's first two matches at the 2010 World Cup, with BBC showing the third group game, as well as the last-16 and quarter-final if Fabio Capello's men make it that far

Eh? So the games won't be shown on both channels? FFS. Got to put up with ITVs dire coverage.

"He's alright that little Messi fella, might make it if he puts on a bit of weight and learns to head a ball..."



Probably what the scouting report would have read if he'd been born in Aldershot rather than Argentina.

Add 'too short & only has 1 foot' and you're bang on the money.

He was turned down by Argentinian giants River Plate due to the conditon which stunted his growth.

I am yet to meet an Argentinian here who has a good word to say about Messi, they all think he doesn't care about playing for Argentina and only plays well for Barcelona because that's who pay his wages.



Then again, they seem to think similarly of most of the star players who head to Europe so it isn't that much of a surprise.



I presume the post about Messi/Rooney/Ronaldo joining the likes of Pele and Maradona if they do well in the World Cup was a joke? Three players in their early/mid 20's who have done well for the last 3 or 4 years for their clubs in comparison to players who performed well at the very top level for club and country for over a decade?

Obviously. All 3 of the ones I mentioned won at least 2 World Cups? (Did Maradonna? Think he got 1) Mess, Roo & Ron have still got many years of football ahead of them.

Why do they think so highly of Maradonna then? Because he won things with Argentina? Maybe Messi will.

I guess he performed for his country, whereas Messi doesn't appear to have done anything worthwhile, as of yet.



The three lads I was talking to last night claim he doesn't even try, I haven't seen enough of Argentina to comment on that, I think it is just a bit of paranoia - for example two different people here have claimed that Veron must have been "paid off" because of his poor performance in the England v Argentina WC game in 2002 co-incided with him playing in England, the fact that he was pretty useless for most of his time in England surrounding that tournament seems to have passed them by!

One world cup when he was 26. Messi is 22 so has plenty of time yet. Ironically the biggest hinderance to Messi and Argentina winning a world cup is their current manager, Diego Armando Maradona.

Probably true. They've failed to replace Roman but they're still trying to play the same way. He's tried out a stupendous amount of players, but there is nobody to control a game like him, which means there is no cog to keep things moving. If they're to do well, they have to adapt and become more of a counter-attacking side, sort of like England. They don't have the midfield to control a game against top sides, they need to find a balance in the side and play a more direct, quicker game.

Nah. You just spouted a load of nonsense.

He only needs the one.

Zidane only won one too. Not doing too well here are you?



...and it is Maradona.

Another reason Maradona is so highly thought of by Argentinians (though not as a coach) is because of the political and social conditions of the country at the time, they'd suffered under military rule, the "dirty war" and then the Falklands. Perfect timing for a new hero to come along as the country tried to move on and put the past behind them.



The best "defence" of his drug taking I've heard is that his first positive test was faked to frame him, and the stress etc from that led to him ending up developing a problem with them. I haven't laughed so much in ages, but the guy was deadly serious.

Why do you hate me?

Probably so.

I don't.

Hahahaha! That is definitely something they'd make up to protect their golden boy. Hahha.

How come Vermaelen hasn't had his ban increased?

That argument works when applied to teams less so for individuals. Would you rate Roger Hunt higher than George Best on the basis of his vastly more succesful international career? Some fairly average players have been fortunate to play bit parts in a team that won plenty of trophies eg Sammy Lee. It doesnt happen so much these days, but some excellent players didnt win many trophies because they remained loyal to a particular club eg Brooking, Shearer. That doesnt make them any worse in my view.

Maradona also took a pretty poor argentina side to the world cup final in 90 more or less single handedly iirc

Very good question. I thought the appeal for this sending-off was the absolute epitome of the word "frivolous"...unlike the FA to have double standards about something isn't it??? Sounds like Fergal was correct with his assessment of the FA disciplinary procedure last week after all