- Peter van Dyk
- 29 Jun 06, 11:00 AM
We thought it was about time we heard from the kids on World Cup Have Your Say.
Of course at the World Cup the closest kids get to the game is being mascots (no, I'm not talking about Theo Walcott), and I'm sure none of them are complaining, but we want to know what children think about football.
If like me, many of your early memories are of football matches, you'll remember the thrill of the crowds, playing your first game, the exotic countries you saw on tv at the World Cup. So how do today's children see the tournament, and the game of football?
Continue reading "Child's Play" ?
- Peter van Dyk
- 29 Jun 06, 06:59 AM
A day without World Cup football. How did you survive. How will you survive - it's still more than 24 hours until the next game (but what a game!).
Here at World Cup Have Your Say, we're getting our footy fix by talking statistics. Shots, passes, saves, tackles - it's all recorded these days. But what can you really tell from all the information?
We're asking the experts, but in the meantime, here are some stats to get you going...
Continue reading "Withdrawal symptoms" ?
- Peter van Dyk
- 25 Jun 06, 10:28 AM
The big game is whoever your team is playing next. Here in London, there's only one game today, and it's not .
That may have the potential to be one of the games of the tournament, but is the only thing in the papers and on TV. The behaviour of the hasn't helped, but even so, it's nice to be able to talk to you all about your teams.
Continue reading "The big game" ?
- Peter van Dyk
- 24 Jun 06, 07:10 AM
Sixteen teams have gone home, but all the favourites are still here. Every game from here on has a winner and a loser. Today, the World Cup gets real.
Continue reading "Now it gets serious" ?
- Peter van Dyk
- 18 Jun 06, 12:18 PM
Agreement is universal: Germany is putting on a wonderful World Cup. Here at WCHYS we're only too happy to hear that, as we love the World Cup. If we didn't, we wouldn't be working on the programme.
But there are black clouds on the organisational front. Ticketing has been a source of complaints pretty much since before the first seats went on sold, and security has always been a major concern.
A Fifa board member from Botswana has admitted at ten times their face value and fans' groups have protested at the lack of tickets available to "real" fans.
What is the situation like for fans in Germany? Has security been too tight or too lax? What about fans who travelled without tickets? Did they get lucky?
As ever, join the debate using the comment form below or by email to worldhaveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. And we'll talk to you in the morning...
- Peter van Dyk
- 18 Jun 06, 06:48 AM
We have our upset! And how! Between the second and 82nd minutes Ghana may have looked like they wouldn't have scored in a brothel, but they thoroughly deserved their 2-0 win over the Czech Republic.
The celebrations in Accra, Cologne and no doubt in Ghanaian communities all over the world were something. Vera in our office just came in having shouted herself hoarse. We'll be talking to Ghanaians today, you can be sure of that.
The other big talking point from yesterday's games was the sudden rash of red cards. Italy USA finished with ten playing nine to a 1-1 draw. There have now been 10 red cards, in just 26 games. Until yesterday, all bar one had been for two yellow cards, but suddenly the Czech Republic's Tomas Ujfalusi, Italy's Daniele De Rossi and Pablo Mastroeni of the USA all got straight reds. Did you see their fouls? Were the cards justified?
And are all the petty yellow cards - for time wasting and delaying free kicks - good or bad for the tournament? Have your say today.
- Peter van Dyk
- 17 Jun 06, 12:42 PM
My pick for the first upset of the tournament (although I wish there'd been some already) is today's match between USA and Italy. It has to be said that the two Americans we had on the programme this morning were only cautiously optimistic, but surely the USA must improve over the performance against the Czech Republic.
One thing that was clear from today's programme was Africans' dissatisfaction with the refereeing, which many see as favouring the established nations. Numbi in Zambia sent this text:
Do African teams have to go to the World Cup knowing they'll be victims of preference by referees?The yellow and red cards have been unreasonable.
Continue reading "A chance for the underdog?" ?
- Peter van Dyk
- 16 Jun 06, 07:17 AM
The clock's running down, your team has the result they are looking for - and then, heartbreak. A late goal turns everything upside down and you're out. It happened to Poland, it happened to Paraguay. With the final whistle looming, they each had a point and a chance of the second round. But goals for Germany and Sweden, in the 92nd and 89th minutes respectively, leave them with nothing but a meaningless game before the flight home.
Do you have sympathy for the losers? Or did they get their just desserts?
The flip side of the late swings of fate is of course the joy of the scorers. We've all jumped around in the stands or in front of the telly after a late winner for our team. How good must Sweden fans be feeling this morning? (If they over-celebrated then possibly not very good, but you know what I mean.)
We're also recreating Group B in our studio, with a Swede, a Trinibagan and an Englishman. Unfortunately there are only about 150 Paraguayans in the UK, and even the embassy couldn't help us find one. Can you?
- Peter van Dyk
- 15 Jun 06, 01:10 PM
By the end of the day, Poland, Costa Rica and Paraguay could all be out of the World Cup. Will you miss them? I'll miss Costa Rica - when I was in Munich for the first game their fantastic fans were everywhere.
They not only kicked off the tournament - they kicked off the party. Poland, I just feel sorry for their fans because they were so disappointing. The players don't deserve to stay. What do you think?
Continue reading "Time to go home?" ?
- Peter van Dyk
- 13 Jun 06, 02:02 PM
On Wednesday we'll be hearing from fans of Togo - our reporter in Togo said that the celebrations when they scored was like nothing he'd seen in football - and South Korea, and hopefully German and Polish fans in Dortmund ahead of their game later on Wednesday. Poland have never beaten their neighbours but if they want to have any real chance of reaching the second round they can't afford to lose - will they throw caution to the wind?
But by Wednesday morning, we'll have had our first look at Brazil. The holders, the favourites, the team everyone talks about. Will they live up to expectations. Or will Croatia provide the shock of the tournament?
I have to say I hope so - one of the great things about a World Cup - and football in general - is upsets. The underdogs beating the favourites, the big guy coming unstuck. So far, we haven't had any. Trinidad and Tobago's draw with Sweden in as good as it gets. Togo looked like they could - would - manage one until they went down to ten men. But no, it wasn't to be. So who do you think will be the first upset of the tournament? T&T will certainly be hopeful against England, and before that Poland almost have to beat Germany to stay in the tournament. but I predict USA to upset Italy. What do you think?
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