Balkan Football

[Slim]

I get what you're saying and BiB has listed a very strong team there, but I have been more impressed with the South American's at this world cup. Usual suspects in Argies and Brazil will go through, but ALL 5 South American teams at this point are topping their group. Collectively they haven't lost a single game with a record of 6 wins and 2 draws.

[DoomMerchant]

I get what you're saying and BiB has listed a very strong team there, but I have been more impressed with the South American's at this world cup. Usual suspects in Argies and Brazil will go through, but ALL 5 South American teams at this point are topping their group. Collectively they haven't lost a single game with a record of 6 wins and 2 draws.

it's amazing isn't it? i can't imagine one of those 5 not winning the whole schbang. Uruguay and Paraguay and Chile all look really stout defensively and have some fuclers going forward too. Top stuff. I have to look at how these brackets lay out to see who will meet when if they all push forward in their current slots.

I can see some interesting scenarios for these South American teams in the Quarters -- Brasil and the Dutch. Paraguay and Spain. Uruguay and Ghana. Argies and Germany maybe. Also a second round clash with Chile and Portugual?

Tasty stuff.

cheers

[kinkylola]

I get what you're saying and BiB has listed a very strong team there, but I have been more impressed with the South American's at this world cup. Usual suspects in Argies and Brazil will go through, but ALL 5 South American teams at this point are topping their group. Collectively they haven't lost a single game with a record of 6 wins and 2 draws.

I wasn't talking about this world cup in particular, just in recent times. But I definitely agree, the south american teams have all looked very good. Every single one actually. Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil, Chile ... they've shown a lot, especially in attack and I think any of those teams will be a handful for anyone unlucky enough to draw them in the later stages

[fangsanalsatan]

I also like the tactical flavour the South Americans bring to the WC. Bielsa's 3-3-1-3, Urus and Argies changing from back 3 to back 4 at will etc. This european 4-4-2/4-5-1 bs is getting quite boring tbh.

[dazby]

I get what you're saying and BiB has listed a very strong team there, but I have been more impressed with the South American's at this world cup. Usual suspects in Argies and Brazil will go through, but ALL 5 South American teams at this point are topping their group. Collectively they haven't lost a single game with a record of 6 wins and 2 draws.

None of these countries have experienced major civil war for the past fuck knows how long. There are also a shitload more South Americans population wise.

[BlueinBosnia]

There are also a shitload more South Americans population wise.

Except Uaregay. Population 3.5 million.

[Slim]

I get what you're saying and BiB has listed a very strong team there, but I have been more impressed with the South American's at this world cup. Usual suspects in Argies and Brazil will go through, but ALL 5 South American teams at this point are topping their group. Collectively they haven't lost a single game with a record of 6 wins and 2 draws.

None of these countries have experienced major civil war for the past fuck knows how long. There are also a shitload more South Americans population wise.

This would matter if I agreed with your first point, I don't. Serbia getting one result doesn't mean they are doing fantastic and while there are other balkan countries here(Greece and Slovenia) I assume you are only talking about the old Yugoslavia. Well Croatia didn't make it, Bosnia & Herzegovina not here, Montenegro aren't here. So when you say they are producing, they are producing some decent players, but hardly anything that warrants surprise.

Paraguay, Chile and Uruguay have surprised me, we expect the Argie's and Brazil to do well but it's the other sides topping their respective groups that has me shaking my head and wondering why South America don't have a couple more places.(Although it starts to get ridiculous if you did, almost all the SA teams would qualify then.

[BlueinBosnia]

Serbia getting one result doesn't mean they are doing fantastic and while there are other balkan countries here(Greece and Slovenia) I assume you are only talking about the old Yugoslavia. Well Croatia didn't make it, Bosnia & Herzegovina not here, Montenegro aren't here. So when you say they are producing, they are producing some decent players, but hardly anything that warrants surprise.

Did you read my post? Bringing Montenegro (FIFA ranking #64) into the equation is like saying Lowland countries don't perform well, due to Luxembourg's (#127) performances.

Incidentally, Jason Culina, Mile Jedinak, Eugene Galekovic and Dario Vidosic of the Australian World Cup squad are all of Yugoslav ancestry, as are internationals Danny Vukovic, Ante Covic, Michael Petkovic, Matthew Sipranovic, Oliver Bozanic who have all had recent Australian squad inclusions. Oh, and mark Viduka. Melbourne Knights and Dandenong City in Melbourne alone are clubs of Croat/Croatian immigrant origin.At least 45 players of Croat ethnicity have represented Australia at international level- not bad, seeing as they only comprise 0.6% of the population.

[Slim]

Serbia getting one result doesn't mean they are doing fantastic and while there are other balkan countries here(Greece and Slovenia) I assume you are only talking about the old Yugoslavia. Well Croatia didn't make it, Bosnia & Herzegovina not here, Montenegro aren't here. So when you say they are producing, they are producing some decent players, but hardly anything that warrants surprise.

Did you read my post? Bringing Montenegro (FIFA ranking #64) into the equation is like saying Lowland countries don't perform well, due to Luxembourg's (#127) performances.

Incidentally, Jason Culina, Mile Jedinak, Eugene Galekovic and Dario Vidosic of the Australian World Cup squad are all of Yugoslav ancestry, as are internationals Danny Vukovic, Ante Covic, Michael Petkovic, Matthew Sipranovic, Oliver Bozanic who have all had recent Australian squad inclusions. Oh, and mark Viduka. Melbourne Knights and Dandenong City in Melbourne alone are clubs of Croat/Croatian immigrant origin.At least 45 players of Croat ethnicity have represented Australia at international level- not bad, seeing as they only comprise 0.6% of the population.

So if we leave Montenegro out of the equation, does that mean Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina qualified?

And if we want to include ancestry should we have a look at Irish teams of the past? Maybe the French team or even this time around, the Algerians? No, because we are asking what countries have produced, they grew up in Australia(most were born here) and really, how many of those Australian internationals would make it at the top level? How many would make it in the combined Yugoslav team you listed earlier?