[polishgenius]

Xander;326628 said:

Ah yes, good point. I failed to notice that until after the game LOL. Even the announcers didn't notice it...strange.

Apparently Ruud did, and actually explained the rule to Kuyt while they were celebrating.

The speed of that man's mind amazes me sometimes. Also frustrates me, because he uses it for optimum diving. Watching the game yesterday reminded me. Unlike most divers, who go down on instinct whenever they think they're likely to have a chance of a pen or fk, Ruud almost exclusively does so once it's certain that he's not going to get anything out of it. Which shows that he's actively thinking about it.

I still can't help but like him.

[q21]

There was one point last night where Ruud could have gone down and would almost certainly have won a penalty, but didn't. That impressed me.

[Gothos]

Ganymed;326507 said:

And for the rumor that Podolski wanted to play for the national team of Poland. I honestly don't know where it originates from, but it is simply false. He came to Germany at the age of 2 because his parents are of the german minority in Poland. He later played in german clubs was subsequently sponsored by the german football league and then played for the german U21 national team before he was chosen to play for the real one.

don't be full of shit, please.
even after playing in the U17 category, the choice of your national team is still open, as long as you've got a double citizenship. Podolski was in contact with our football authorities for an extended peroid of time, however no real offer was ever made on their side. learn your history.

[Cougar]

Gothos;326834 said:

don't be full of shit, please.
even after playing in the U17 category, the choice of your national team is still open, as long as you've got a double citizenship. Podolski was in contact with our football authorities for an extended peroid of time, however no real offer was ever made on their side. learn your history.

What is there in the post you so violently rebuke that is disproved by your response? Ganymed never claims that Podolski couldn't have played for Poland, simply that he didn't want to, then goes on to point out why he probably didn't. All of which to my knowledge, and I have a very active interest in world football, are true (although of course we can't second-guess Podolski's personal motivations).

It is very common where youngsters are of dual nationality for all the concerned parties to make representations to them. This was exactly what happened with Owen Hargreaves and of course is very common in Britain where many people are of mixed Welsh/English/Scots/Irish heritage.

In Podolski's case Janas publicly stated that the 18 year old Podolski wasn't needed by Poland after he had impressed for Koln, because Poland had better strikers. After that it's a moot point whether Podolski wanted to play for Poland or not and he was called up to the German squad a year later anyway. When questioned at the time Podolski was clearly hedging his bets as of course he was unsure whether he would be good enough to play for Germany. It was reported at the time both that he wanted to play for Poland and that he didn't want to and was a traitor etc.

[Sir Bob]

you can play all the way up to u21 and b teams and still change national sides can you not?

might have made the b team bit up though...

[Bauchelain the Evil]

Yeah and now that he scored 2 goals against Poland they want to take away his Polish citizenship, or at least that's what I read on the newspaper

[polishgenius]

Some crazy politician wants to.

Silly really.

[Thelomen Toblerone]

Polish politicians have a tendency to melodrama. Claiming Poland should get more votes at the EU because they'd have a bigger population, had Germany not invaded, a case in point.

[Bhurnae]

Xander;324722 said:

I, being American, can't really root for anyone, though my father is from Greece.....didn't they win it last?

That'll be the time when they were quoted at 250/1 to win and mrs said "why dont we stick £100 on for a daft bet because we holiday there?" and me being full of testosterone and a football expert said "shush woman...dont be daft:("

I've stuck a cowardly £20 on them this time just in case
Will be watching tonight and seeing as Scotland arent there supporting Greece

[Binder of Demons]

I think the FIFA rules are that you can play up to u-18 competitively. If you play a competitive game at a higher age group you are committed to that nation.

I know for instance that Aiden McGeady has played for the Irish U-18's and yet Scotland still wanted to get him to declare for them at the senior level.

I think there have been cases of players playing in friendly internationals but managing to subsequently changing countries.

[Thelomen Toblerone]

On a semi-related note, what happens to players when nations split?

I mean, Serbia&Montenegro split, Czechoslovakia, the USSR, etc. Do the players already playing getto decide who to carry on playing for or what?

[Optimus Prime]

Spain up 2-0 on Russia right now, I guess that's no big surprise.

As far as I recall, Spain is one of the favorites, yes?

I just wish they'd quit flopping....

[caladanbrood]

Cougar;326847 said:

What is there in the post you so violently rebuke that is disproved by your response?

You've never met Gothos before, I assume?

Spain looking very good so far too, although only against Russia, who's defence is... lumbering, to say the best.

[Thelomen Toblerone]

Russia still had plenty of chances though, I wouldnt say Spain look completely secure as favourites.

My money's still on the Bosh.

[Gothos]

Cougar;326847 said:

What is there in the post you so violently rebuke that is disproved by your response?

I've little patience for germans attempting to re-write history

[Sir Bob]

Binder of Demons;326946 said:

I think the FIFA rules are that you can play up to u-18 competitively. If you play a competitive game at a higher age group you are committed to that nation.

Up to his 21st birthday, a player may only once request changing the Association for which he is eligible to play international matches. A Player may exercise this right to change Associations only if he has not played at “A� international level for his current Association and if, at the time of his first full or partial appearance in an international match in an official competition of any other category, he already had such nationalities.

dont know if this means you can play for the u21 and still change but think it does, your right about the mcgeady thing, was gutted when he picked the irish!!

can anyone cast there mind back to when kanchelskis was playing, im sure he played for someone before russia(ussr? soviet union? cant remember) and for some reason i think he is from ukraine but i cant back this up with any facts!!!!

[Cougar]

caladanbrood+;327052 said:

You've never met Gothos before, I assume? .

I'm only too familiar with his vitriolic responses to innocuous posts. See above for another baffling and unrelated instalment!

Incidentally, when countries split as in USSR, Czechoslovakia etc the players were generally allowed to choose for whom they play. Kanchelskis carried on playing for Russia despite being Ukranian when the USSR split.

[Gothos]

Cougar;327230 said:

I'm only too familiar with his vitriolic responses to innocuous posts. See above for another baffling and unrelated instalment!

does using strange and difficult words support your feeling of confidence and security?
or are you just trying to sound educated?

[Ganymed]

Gothos;327107 said:

I've little patience for germans attempting to re-write history

Oh my, I almost knew this would happen. Should never have posted ANYTHING related to Podolski. These days you most certainly can expect heated argument over to whom Podolski "belongs" as if somehow he was property of the state. And the boulevard media both in Poland and Germany make sure that it stays that way.

All I wanted to express in my earlier post was that although Podolski certainly could have played for both teams he ended up playing for the german national team. Further, to my knowledge on the subject, he never asked "again and again" to be allowed to play for the polish national team. By the way, that's most assuredly not the way it works for any national team.

And that's just it. Nothing more, nothing less. Be assured: I would never even have the slightest intention of rewriting history, not even most unpleasant history. But that's just another horrible thing that the smut-media wants us to believe in both our nations.

And that is all I will say in the matter.

[caladanbrood]

Ah, fuck off to PM if you lot wanna bitch at each other


Very glad Sweden beat Greece, who played the most negetive football I've seen in ages. I swear they spent at least 5 minutes just passing between the back three at one point.