Judging from the pictures, I'd say it is a derved lead for Tunisia :-)
Posted on 06/14/2006 5:46:34 AM PDT by soccer_maniac
The first cycle of group play in the FIFA World Cup comes to a close on Wednesday with all four Group H teams in action, Spain taking on Ukraine at 8:55 a.m. ET (ESPN2) and Saudi Arabia facing Tunisia three hours later (also on ESPN2). Then Cup hosts Germany start the second series of matches in the groups when they face neighbors Poland in Dortmund.
Spain finally get a chance to get the ball rolling in Leipzig, facing a Ukraine team looking for a result in its first-ever World Cup match. But just because the Eastern Europeans are new on the world stage doesn't mean they don't have the talent to make an impact. In fact, they were the first team apart from the hosts to secure passage to the World Cup, topping a difficult Group 2 that also included Denmark, European champions Greece and a Turkey team that finished third in the World Cup four years ago.
Ukraine also boasts one of the most deadly strikers in the world in Andrei Shevchenko, a new arrival to London's Chelsea FC after a stunning career at AC Milan. However, "Sheva," as he is known, has been battling a knee injury and it remains to be seen if he will be in the starting 11.
Shevchenko isn't the only lethal striker that will be on the field; Spain has several of their own, as well, including Real Madrid legend Raul. Arsenal striker Jose Antonio Reyes is also a danger and could start, especially since Spain coach Luis Aragones often lines his side up in a 4-3-3 formation. Spain is looking to break their World Cup curse in Germany, having never advanced to the final in the competition.
(Excerpt) Read more at mlsnet.com ...
I was just about to ask those watching live whether this match was as tight and dull as the Matchcast was making it look, then Tunisia puts up a goal...
Tunisia just had a fast break...
Why haven't you posted pics of Saudi and Tunisian soccer chicks?
I don't know if there are limits in any division.
You don't see as many DI teams with a lot of foreigners, but the more successful D1 teams have the 'pick of the litter' and can get the best US players. I have seen D1 rosters with as many as 10-12 foreign players.
I know there are no limits in DII and DIII and obviously there are no limits in the NAIA or schools wouldn't have 25 foreign players.
I think it's good for US players to get to play with and against talented foreigners, but there should be limits. After all, the scholarships are being paid for with American money!
As an aside, there are an awful lot of foreign coaches in our colleges as well. The local school is coached by an Englishman, the nearby DI school is coached by an Austrian, another nearby DII school is coached by a Hispanic (not sure of the nationality) and the team that won our conference (DII) is coached by a central European.
I agree. I merely tried to point out that Italy has utlised size upfront for quite some time,
If we hadn't had such a disasterous 1998 World Cup then we would have been seeded and probably drawn an easier group.
Mexico was seeded; Holland and the USA were not. No coincidence that Holland and the USA ended up in the toughest groups.
If we don't turn it around and at least get a win, we won't be seeded in 2010 either.
We have foreign born players now and have had in the future. The 1994 squad had Tab Ramos, who moved to the US from South America when he was 11, and Tom Dooley, a German, who I'm not sure had ever been to the US, but he had dual citizenship. Even Alexi Lalas learned to play in Greece.
You might be able to do a little recruiting, but you'd be very limited, and if you're winning with a LOT of players who really aren't Americans, what do you prove?
Humor, yes, I have a relative who married a Filipino woman and has been trying for a year to get her into the US, and he's really angry about it. But I'll bet if Bruce Arena had a chance to recruit a talented player, he could get him into the US. In fact, didn't that happen sometime during qualifying?
Higher ed soccer programs are definetly fascinated with foreign coaches and players. I think the generation coming up now should have some good coaches with experience that could lead a program.
The Swiss blonde was outstanding, but please - no photos of hairy Arab women!!!
Judging from the pictures, I'd say it is a derved lead for Tunisia :-)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TC4P7oCRKS0&search=luca%20toni
Luca Toni Goal Parade
deserved lead...
Burchall's mother was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad.
Kind of like Kevin Pietersen playing for the England cricket team even though he was born in South Africa (his mother was born in England).
I am going to agree with you. Actually college soccer is mostly composed of American, along with some foreigners. If you are a young player thats good overseas, there are alot more options than playing for a college team in the US.
That pun is a yellow card at the very least. ;)
But does it carry over to the next thread? ;)
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