Oh Dear Israel, Will You Please Help Us?

[SmartFart]

Originally posted by Cort Haus
Having said that Croatia played the game how it should be played - passing and movement with good technique - fluid, as you say, and always dangerous on the break. It was like watching Arsenal at times, and I was very pleased with Eduardo's (or 'Blinky', as some of us call him) contribution to the second. A beautiful strike by Petric too.

Bad luck.
But your 1st goal wasn't a penalty.
No way.
Not by your premiership criteria.
Am I wrong?

[SmartFart]

Originally posted by VetLegion




BTW, I haven't seen you post on this forum in... years. Wow. We never finished that MGE game we started. Don't worry if you don't recall, I have excellent memory

Ej majstore! Igrali smo jednu ako se nevaram, al gako beje...ova veèeras je bila skroz dobra, složit æeš se

[OneFootInTheGrave]

Originally posted by VetLegion
Wear the flag to work tommorow OFITG
BTW when are you repatriating? Times have never been better here.

I will wear my 1998 shirt... luckily my manager is German and I am working from home


and coming back - actually I am thinking about it, but have to convince wife/daugther... the top place to come is actually on the Slovenian side of the border in Gorski Kotar... as they have ADSL (and we don't ) + my family is from there ... but will see

Anyhow this was the best day after Goran won Wimbledon

[C0ckney]

we got exactly what we deserved, nothing.

fair play to croatia though, they played some very nice football.

[SmartFart]

Ok. Fine game indeed.

No Rooney, no Owen, no Terry and half-fit-best-right-foot-player-in-the-world.

I admire England. Not a word about this big handicap. I am looking forward to our next game, and believe they're looking for something like that too. Better than thieving Germans from Euro '96 anyway.

CYA

[Cort Haus]

Originally posted by SmartFart
Bad luck.
But your 1st goal wasn't a penalty.
No way.
Not by your premiership criteria.
Am I wrong?

It was what we'd call a 'soft' penalty, but if he didn't want to risk that decision, he shouldn't have pulled the shirt. A shirt-pull is a foul, but on many occasions he would have got away with it.

Anyhow this was the best day after Goran won Wimbledon

Surely getting to the World Cup semi-finals was a better achievement than beating an over-rated and depleted England side with a terrible manager in a match that wasn't really that important to you anyway?

GO ARSENE!

[Cort Haus]

Anyway, which sides do all you guys support in Croatia?

[SmartFart]

Originally posted by Cort Haus
Anyway, which sides do all you guys support in Croatia?

Arsenal.

W/O a doubt. And Dinamo- Zagreb as closest second.
And I was born in Zagreb, no less. And live here. Have kids here. And nagging wife. But still Arsenal.

Douglas Adams taught me well.

[OneFootInTheGrave]

World Cup 3rd place was in 98, Goran was in 2001... I did say after

and really we had some amazing other sporst feats done in the meantime, like our Handball team becoming World Champions, and Winning the Olympic gold + being in top 4 on every major competition... Janica Kostelic, Davis Cup win, Waterpolo World Champs do I need so say any more? and that is after 2001... but being here in UK, when it happens here it is great, the constant exposure to the media helps too be really annoyed... so anyone teaching the English a lesson feels good, and especially if we do it

but you are your own worst enemy, so much negative pressure, I do not think it happens elsewhere (perhaps in Spain, and they are even worse than you in major competitions)...

even though Mclaren is guilty of the setup, you gotta be feeling sorry for the man, for all the hate he will receive for the rest of his life due to this. English tabloids/media it is really them who foster all that unneeded pressure on all your sportsmen and than you crack early... or otherwise when you win against Andorra 3:0 - instant heroes... you English are champs at this sort, as well as general ignorance of anyone else unless you are their regular customer, as Germans for example... Scotts and Welsh are a lot more down to earth.

my team in Croatia - Hajduk Split

[Cort Haus]

Originally posted by SmartFart
Arsenal.

W/O a doubt. And Dinamo- Zagreb as closest second.
And I was born in Zagreb, no less. And live here. Have kids here. And nagging wife. But still Arsenal.

Douglas Adams taught me well.

Douglas Adams

"Not watching the match this afternoon then, sir? Foregone conclusion you reckon, Arsenal without a chance?

"No, it's just that the world's about to end"

"Lucky escape for Arsenal if it did"

As you will no doubt be aware, Douglas lived here in Islington, where he set many (earth-based) scenes from his books. Dirk Gently and Richard MacDuff lived here. If you ever visit London, I can show you where Douglas used to live, and where Fenchurch's flat was. I might even be able to get you a ticket for a game, budget-permitting, and should you be interested.

What did you think of Tudjman's attempt to rename Dynamo Zagreb as Croatia Zagreb? I gather the Bad Blue Boys weren't very impressed.

[Cort Haus]

OneFoot... a few points.

First, if I may be permitted to comment on a linguistic subtlety - if you'd said "best day since Goran" that would have definitely implied a chronological theme. Saying "best day after" tends to override the time-line (despite the temporal meaning of 'after') to imply "the best day apart-from". This explains my interpretation.

As regards to Ingerlund, it's only fair to say that not all football fans in this country are arrogant, mindless xenophobes who regard all foreigners as inferior, although the problem is unfortunately quite widespread. Us Arsenal fans in particular tend to be highly appreciative of the fact that English footballers tend to be deficient in technique, as well as over-hyped, over-rated and over-priced.

Thankfully, the failings in this Euro tournament are prompting a wider audience to understand that the coaching of kids at a young age and the traditional, physical 'virtues' of the English game are not helping the prospects of English players to compete at the highest level in either club or international football.

As Arsenal fans, our club and manager get constantly blamed by the media and rival fans for England's failings, because all of our first choice players are foreign, so we are more fed up than anyone of the backward attitudes and prejudices behind these complaints. So please don't be too hasty to condemn all of "you English" when comparing us unfavourably with our Welsh and Scottish neighbours.

Aren't Hadjuk Split and Dynamo Zagreb fierce rivals? Is there any chance of you and SmartFart exchanging some vitriolic banter (in English) for the entertainment of a wider audience here?

Finally, where in the UK are you living?

[Cort Haus]

Originally posted by The Vagabond
It seems that the English so much destroyed their team (and their coach) morally after the defeat in Moscow that they have not been able to recover...

Nah, we're just a bit shÃt. Well done on qualification.

[Serb]

:fireworks: God bless Croatia!!! :fireworks:

Thank you, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, GUYS

Absolutely great game and the sleepless night I won't forget for the rest of my life.

My congrats Vet

[Serb]

Originally posted by VetLegion

http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/football.cfm?id=1827032007

Croatian players are offered lavish incentive to end England's hopes
COLIN STEWART

A RUSSIAN billionaire has offered incentives to Croatia for beating England in their final Euro 2008 Group E qualifier on Wednesday, a result that would give Russia a chance to reach the finals.

Spartak Moscow owner Leonid Fedun said he would donate four Mercedes cars to Croatia's best players if their team comes away with a win at Wembley.

Too bad they'll have to refuse. But I'm Croatian and I have room in my garage...

AFAIK,Spartak Moscow owner promised Mercedes cars to Spartak players who participated in the game vs. England (Pletikosa, Olich).

[Serb]

Originally posted by OneFootInTheGrave
U boj u boj za narod svoj!

Wow! I can understand Croatian!
Your fight was not only for your own people, but for my people as well. Thank you once again!