I’ll join in the prediction game. Always makes these things more interesting, I think.
RIP, Valery. 
BTW, I love that Nike ad.
I’d like in.
It’s just a shame that France and Argentina can’t meet in the final (at least I don’t think it’s possible). That would be some game.
Outside of them I think Italy are in with a good shout.
As for England; I have a horrible feeling that Ljunberg will take our defense apart, but we’ll beat Argentina, come second in the group and get mullered by the French.
A question for the Irish posters:
Don’t you think that not taking Garry Doherty is a mistake? He’s good in two positions, has never let Ireland down and is definately one for the future. (On a similar line I think it’s a terrible shame that Stephen Carr is staying at home, even if he leaves the Lane in the Summer (as I hear rumoured rather too loudly for my liking)
Oooi!! Them’s fighting words buddy!!!
Seriously - the full list makes interesting reading:
Odds FIFA ranking
---- ------------
France 4/1 1
Argentina 4/1 2
Italy 5/1 4
Spain 6/1 7
Brazil 13/2 3
England 9/1 12
Portugal 12/1 6
Germany 12/1 10
Cameroon 40/1 19
Russia 66/1 24
Poland 66/1 33
Turkey 80/1 25
Sweden 80/1 16
Ireland 80/1 18
Paraguay 80/1 15
Japan 80/1 38
Croatia 80/1 23
Uruguay 100/1 22
Nigeria 100/1 32
Ecuador 100/1 37
Belgium 100/1 21
Denmark 125/1 19
Senegal 150/1 44
Mexico 150/1 8
Korea Republic 150/1 41
United States 300/1 13
Slovenia 300/1 28
Costa Rica 300/1 27
Tunisia 500/1 29
South Africa 500/1 36
Saudi Arabia 750/1 35
China 750/1 52
I don’t know where ruadh got his(her?) odds from but these have South Africa in thier “deserved” place of third from the bottom This site treats us a little better…
But back to the odds - why are Mexico ranked so high but have such poor odds?? Both Eaquador and Croatia are ranked below them but given better odds. 9/1 on England winning is simply preying on optimistic souls dreams…
Gp
You’re quite correct, the latest they can meet is in the semi-finals (they would both need to win their respective groups).
As for our group, I think it’s very tough to predict the outcome. The one advantage of a hard group though is that everyone takes points off everyone else, so losing a game is not an absolute disaster (as evidenced by Liverpool this season in the Champions League ‘group of death’). One win might do us.
What makes our group even more competitive is that the team finishing second will most likely have to play France!
Oops - sorry for the mess - didn’t preview… :o
Count me in too.
On the Gary Doherty issue, I agree with Twisty. I’m not overly convinced of Doherty’s credentials but he couldn’t possibly be as useless as David Connolly. It can’t hurt to have a utility player in the squad either.
I agree with Carsley’s inclusion too. I don’t subscribe to the idea that Healy can do everything Carsley can and can pass a ball too. Carsley has the experience and has finished the season well with Everton. Healy is unproven, was released on loan by Celtic and has been playing Nationwide football.
I’m more ambivalent about Kennedy - I’m not sure Reid would have been much of an improvement but maybe he deserved the call-up for his good performances in friendlies. Overall it’s much of a muchness.
Anyone seen Tom Humphries championing Phil Babb in the papers recently? The only Irish centre half with pace, won the double this year with Sporting Lisbon etc. He still scares the shit out of me though.
I’m with Ruadh on France. I like Italy too, if they can break their three world cup penalty shoot-out losing streak.
GP,
That’s down to the way the FIFA world rankings work. Not enough weight is given to the quality of opposition in determining rankings. Mexico, like the USA, are a big fish in a small pond[sub]grumble, bastards still beat us in the '94 world cup, grumble[/sub]
It’s a sobering thought for us Paddies that the bookies rate two of our group opponents ahead of us. When the draw was made, people would have you believe that we would stroll into the second round. Like England, our first game is crucial.
For the English supporters, what has Steve McManaman done to piss off Sven? I’m not a huge fan but surely he merits consideration if Dyer and Gerrard are out. He may not be a 90 minute contributer but he’s a good ‘Plan B’ and would change things up nicely if brought on late in a game. Danny Murphy and Trevor Sinclair are hardly world beaters in any case.
And you would have good reason to be. The News of the World have got a pretty good line (hint hint!) on what Mr Babb and his very dodgy mates are into. They’ll get him soon enough, but he is allegedly involved with some heavy duty baddies. The press have all but named him in previous articles, but have not quite done so. A useless “guvnor” and “born again ex boxer” ought to watch themselves too.
As to Mcmanaman, I think an earlier poster got it spot on; as far as Sven is concerned it’s either Macca OR Fowler, not both at once.
Le Saux must wonder how many black cats he’s run over whilst breaking mirrors under ladders.
I’m going to go with Argentina for the championship.
No, I did not. I excused myself on the grounds I was already in a prediction league (as indicated by the link I provided to it in the thread!). So there 
Yeah, I’m in for this one.
Oh, and I have no clue where those odds I got were from … some big foldout poster someone left on a table in the lunchroom at work … must say 125-1 sounds much better than 300-1 though
I shall be in on the game of predictions. If that’s alright.
Just when you think things couldn’t get worse (Vega, Rebrov…), I learn that Iain Duncan-Smith has just become a Tottenham season ticket holder. Fuck off, Sir !
On the betting thing: I started a thread a while back looking at the potential for increasing the punter percentage by adopting what I called (something like) the ‘patriot effect’. That is; people who live in, say, England, are more likely to bet on England – so the price in England on England winning should be less than in, say, France (where they’ll be more bets on France winning).
Taking the top seven or so teams, it looked like by betting online around the world you could seriously increase your odds (betting on England in France, France in Australia, Italy in Germany, etc) – 'course, the slight issue of exchange rates comes into play but it’s all over in seven weeks so, hopefully, there wouldn’t be too great a fluctuation.
Worst place for odds anywhere in the world seemed to be Las Vegas. Interesting.
Anyway, just to recap: The following are in and when we start the real competition (thread), a link to this thread will notify the following that the games afoot:
Coldfire
Crusoe
Jaba
kabbes
London_Calling
Manwithaplan
ObiWan
Owl
ruadh
Tansu
TwistofFate
Err…that’s a full team so far (Coldie’s in goal, Coldie’s in goal !) – a bugger to collate and tabulate all the results but hey ho. The more the merrier. Volunteers with a reasonable (better than me) knowledge of Excel, maybe ?
As usual, the First Prize will likely be a night of unbridled passion with the Mod/Admin of your choice.
Second place, obviously, secures two nights of passion with same – har, har. Ah ! The oldies…
I suppose that should read: ‘A link from this thread…’
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=115214
Ask and ye shall recieve. Seek and you shall find. Ask and it shall be given unto you, Alleluliah.
Sing Hosanna! Sing Hosanna! Henrick Larrsson is the King of Kings!
Gotcha ya ! You can always rely on the impetuosity of youth…Thanks for volunteering and good luck with it, Twisty !..I see hours of collation type fun ahead of you 
Lady and Gents, shall we adjourn ?
Given my nationality, it beats any situation in which I have to kick a penalty. 
IF TwistofFate doesn’t mind my interference at this late stage, I’d enjoy a “virtual flutter”…
BTW - have you seen that Germany lost to Wales last night!!!
Gp
no problem GP. I can add anyone into my excel spreadsheet until the deadline, and then unfortunately its curtains after that.
Excellent, grimpixie. Coldie’s the sub, Coldie’s the sub !