alo said:
Some of the predictions have been woefully unimaginative from the pundits and correspondents in the dailies, as they usually are at World Cups. Germany, Italy, England, Brazil, Holland....zzzzz
Everyone forgets the achievements of Cameroon, S.Korea, North Korea, Greece, Denmark, Sweden, Romania in major competitions down the years, really, the teams that make a good World Cup a great one when all is said and done.
Um, not beign sarky, but the reason everyone predicts those teams is cos World Cup finals tend to be full of staggeringly predictable teams:
Brazil-Germany; Brazil-France; Brazil-Italy; West Germany- Argentina; Argentina- WG; Italy-WG; Argentina-Holland; Holland-WG; Brazil-Italy; England-WG
So you have to go back to 1962 to find an unfancied team in the final - Czechoslovakia.
And even WITHIN that predictability, England and France only ever reached the final on home soil. So we can pretty much say that Brazil, Germany, Italy and Argentina have been the achievers again and again (Holland bucking the trend by virtue of having a freakishly gifted team in the 70s).
The "achievements" of the teams you mention are either in the European Champs or only consisted of a run to the quarters/semis. And as for 2002, it was quite valid to argue that the 'big' teams wilted due to sheer exhaustion/overplaying. Sorry to say it, but, romance aside, I'd rather watch Brazil any day than South Korea.
But, all that said, I 'm gonna really miss Turkey, who I honestly thought had the quality and nous to become world champions in 2002. they would have hammered Germany in the final, and were one of the most attractive teams I've ever seen. F**king Brazil.
USA were quality too in 2002. Should've been in the semis, and then the final.
Turkey-USA final. Now THAT would qualify as unpredictable.