Talkin' Turkey

[CentreHice]

How about those Turks huh?

The Comeback Crew of 2008.

I watched from the second half on today....and to get scored on in the 29th minute of a 30-minute OT and come back to tie with 3 seconds to go in extra-time is simply amazing. (Not to mention their other comebacks in this tournament).

You just knew the penalty kicks would go their way.

Even though Germany will likely roll over them in the semi-final game (Turkey will be missing several regulars due to injuries and yellow cards)...it's been a great story and I'm sure one that will go down as one of the greatest moments in Turkish sports history.

[franko]

I hate don't pay much attention to soccer . . . but every time I hear of something it's the Turks with an amazing comeback.

I'm just as surprised by the Netherlands -- when did they start to roll?

I'm waving my wife's German flag on this one again . . . though I don't think they'll do it.

[Habs_fan_in_LA]

Jun 21, 2008 15:44:32 GMT -5 franko said:

I hate don't pay much attention to soccer . . . but every time I hear of something it's the Turks with an amazing comeback.

I'm just as surprised by the Netherlands -- when did they start to roll?

I'm waving my wife's German flag on this one again . . . though I don't think they'll do it.

Turks defeat Germany? What's next? Caicos defeats Brazil?
(Woods wins British Open on one leg?)

[CentreHice]

Cambridge was alive with car flags and honking horns the past two weeks. Heavy Portuguese and Italian representation. Decent Croatian population too. Some German. Haven't seen one Netherlands flag.

Now....crickets.

Germany flags are likely the only ones we'll see flying here now.

Spain, Turkey, and Russia....haven't seen a one.


Whch brings me to this question. With all of the immigration from soccer loving countries, and the generations that have passed, why can't Canada find 11 guys who can mount a decent showing? We've had some CONCACAF success. But in terms of World Cup and Olympics....zippo. Seems a bit odd to me.

Then again, we're competing against professionals who play in the Euro/Central-South American leagues.

And perhaps we just don't take it seriously enough here in terms of money and development, even though youth soccer pitches have been very much alive and well for at least 30 years in Canada.

[Habs_fan_in_LA]

Jun 22, 2008 18:41:58 GMT -5 CentreHice said:

Cambridge was alive with car flags and honking horns the past two weeks. Heavy Portuguese and Italian representation. Decent Croatian population too. Some German. Haven't seen one Netherlands flag.

Now....crickets.

Germany flags are likely the only ones we'll see flying here now.

Spain, Turkey, and Russia....haven't seen a one.


Whch brings me to this question. With all of the immigration from soccer loving countries, and the generations that have passed, why can't Canada find 11 guys who can mount a decent showing? We've had some CONCACAF success. But in terms of World Cup and Olympics....zippo. Seems a bit odd to me.

Then again, we're competing against professionals who play in the Euro/Central-South American leagues.

And perhaps we just don't take it seriously enough here in terms of money and development, even though youth soccer pitches have been very much alive and well for at least 30 years in Canada.

You've hit the nail on the head!
Brazil has 100,000,000 great soccer players and Canada has to find 11 guys who can play. Odds are stacked against us. Let Brazil try to compete in the world hockey championships??

[Disgruntled70sHab]

Jun 22, 2008 18:41:58 GMT -5 CentreHice said:

Cambridge was alive with car flags and honking horns the past two weeks. Heavy Portuguese and Italian representation. Decent Croatian population too. Some German. Haven't seen one Netherlands flag.

Now....crickets.

Germany flags are likely the only ones we'll see flying here now.

Spain, Turkey, and Russia....haven't seen a one.


Whch brings me to this question. With all of the immigration from soccer loving countries, and the generations that have passed, why can't Canada find 11 guys who can mount a decent showing? We've had some CONCACAF success. But in terms of World Cup and Olympics....zippo. Seems a bit odd to me.

Then again, we're competing against professionals who play in the Euro/Central-South American leagues.

And perhaps we just don't take it seriously enough here in terms of money and development, even though youth soccer pitches have been very much alive and well for at least 30 years in Canada.

Having lived in Germany I was fortunate enough to have seen their 1990 World Cup victory. They were led by players like Lothar Matthäus, Rudi Völler and Jürgen Klinsmann. Both Völler and Klinsmann managed the German national teams at various points since retiring.

They had a very contentious rivalry with the Netherlands back then. Current Netherlands manager, Marco Van Basten (until they were eliminated from Euro 2008), was one of the premier strikers in the game back then. They also had Ruud Gullit, a phenomenal player in his own right, who went on the play/coach Chelsea of the English Premiership.

It's not like this today, but back in the late-80's I remember the players actually spitting on one another. That's how bad it got.

Still, I tend to route for Germany and the Netherlands in international soccer. I respect the talent levels of the South American countries, but I can't bring myself to support the diving bastards! That's not to say the European countries don't do it, but the South Americans seem to be the standard.

Euro 2008 isn't big here in town, unless Portugal went deep ... and they didn't (speaking of divers). I'll still be in Germany's corner regardless how the Netherlands faired.

Russia and Turkey in the final? Stranger things have happened, no?

Cheers.

[franko]

Germany just took a giant step forward in the competition with Russia's win.