[WC] World Cup 2018 - General Talk Thread (58 Viewers)

Stevie

..........
Mar 30, 2003
17,856
Really looks like you won't be alone in that decision. The atmosphere surrounding our team is just gone. There is no more enthusiasm whatsoever. I've never seen anything like it. I think this is one of the worst decisions I have ever seen a NT manager make. I honestly believe he did not see this reaction from the public coming. His team is now under tremendous pressure to perform. Every single thing that goes wrong will hit them like a boomerang.

And then there's the players themselves who surely cannot be happy with this decision either. I mean, they have a real shot at the World Cup. Of course Belgium aren't favorites. Nowhere near favorites even, especially if you see how awful we've been under Martinez (MUCH worse than under Wilmots). But with all the talent we have, we were outsiders. We are not good enough to throw away a player like Radja though. And the players know this.
I would of backed and supported Belgium for this World Cup but now i really dont care. Such a frustrating decision id be furious if i was from Belgium, id want Martinez's head.

Another bad decision was when Maradona left out Javier Zanetti after he just won a treble with Inter. Radja is up their with the worst.
 

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Seven

In bocca al lupo, Fabio.
Jun 25, 2003
38,288
Exactly, and the reasoning : "for tactical reasons"
This is why I want Belgium to go out as soon as possible. I know it'll be the end of our golden generation and it will be too bad we have done poorly at three major tournaments, but that level of hypocrisy is not acceptable. I just can't bring myself to support such an obvious liar.

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I would of back and supported Belgium for this World Cup but now i really dont care. Such a frustrating decision id be furious if i was from Belgium id want Martinez's head.

Another bad decision was when Maradona left out Javier Zanetti after he just wonna treble with Inter. Radja is up their with the worst.
Yeah, it's a really horrible call. Especially because we don't really have players with a similar profile. Maybe Tielemans, but he is two or three levels below Radja. What makes it all so much more infuriating is Martinez and his utter lack of personality. He's such a slimy figure. He gives press conferences in which he speaks for hours, but doesn't really say anything. It's all PR nonsense. I can somewhat understand that this is how it works in the Premier League, but it's not something we're used to in Belgium. We expect a certain level of honesty.
 

Lapa

FLY, EAGLES FLY
Sep 29, 2008
19,955
It's insanity. Not only is he among our top 4-5 players, he is also well liked within the team. And his popularity among the fans is just.. I think he's arguably the most popular of them all. Dude got a standing ovation just for getting on the pitch during our last game. The pressure alone this will cause on the team (who will now lose almost all fan support too) makes it a very bad call. This will have so many bad effects on our squad. I can honestly see us go out in the group stage now.

And frankly I wouldn't mind at all. The sheer hypocrisy of the Belgian FA and Roberto Martinez in this entire case has been absolutely disgusting.
Sounds like a great setup for the tournament. :tup:

What formation do you guys play if Radja "doesn't fit in"?
 

Seven

In bocca al lupo, Fabio.
Jun 25, 2003
38,288
Sounds like a great setup for the tournament. :tup:

What formation do you guys play if Radja "doesn't fit in"?

We play a weird as fuck 3-6-1. Usually with Carrasco and Meunier as outside midfielders. We have not played a single good game with this formation, but our manager insists on using this system. In reality our tactics consist of giving the ball to Hazard and then hoping he does something.

Oh, and this also means we have no less than 4 positions Radja can play.
 

Lapa

FLY, EAGLES FLY
Sep 29, 2008
19,955
We play a weird as fuck 3-6-1. Usually with Carrasco and Meunier as outside midfielders. We have not played a single good game with this formation, but our manager insists on using this system. In reality our tactics consist of giving the ball to Hazard and then hoping he does something.

Oh, and this also means we have no less than 4 positions Radja can play.
361 :think: :shifty:

Wouldn't 433 fit you guys pretty well?
 

Lapa

FLY, EAGLES FLY
Sep 29, 2008
19,955
Yes. Of course it would. But Martinez insists on playing both Hazard and De Bruyne in central roles. God knows why.
Sounds like a very good coach then.

Really sucks for you guys. Hopefully Iceland will win the whole thing, nothing for me to follow really since Italy is out.
 

Seven

In bocca al lupo, Fabio.
Jun 25, 2003
38,288
Sounds like a very good coach then.

Really sucks for you guys. Hopefully Iceland will win the whole thing, nothing for me to follow really since Italy is out.

He also selected Nacer Chadli, who has played something like 60 minutes for West Brom all season. West Brom are even going down ffs. But, says Martinez, this is an advantage because it means Chadli is 'fresh'.

Seriously, this man is a joke of a coach. Easily the worst I have ever seen at this level.
 

AFL_ITALIA

MAGISTERIAL
Jun 17, 2011
29,754
We play a weird as fuck 3-6-1. Usually with Carrasco and Meunier as outside midfielders. We have not played a single good game with this formation, but our manager insists on using this system. In reality our tactics consist of giving the ball to Hazard and then hoping he does something.

Oh, and this also means we have no less than 4 positions Radja can play.
Goddamn, he really is like Ventura.
 

Seven

In bocca al lupo, Fabio.
Jun 25, 2003
38,288
Goddamn, he really is like Ventura.
Yeah, he's really irritating. He's also like Ventura in the sense that he seems close with the directors of our FA. Basically that's the only thing he has going for him. I bet Martinez thinks of himself as a shrewd communicator, but boy is he getting massacred in the press these days. Everyone knows he lies. Every goddamn time. And that's what I hate most about this guy. He is completely dishonest. Horrible coach, but also a horrible man.
 

Hydde

Minimiliano Tristelli
Mar 6, 2003
38,733

No chance against Denmark.

I know it's a friendly, but still...
:lol:

was joking, we will get smashed for sure. We barely made it in the Concacaf qualifiers. From Panama, there is just one young player to watch , and he is training with the NT after recovering from surgery not so long ago...so i dont even know if he will make the final cut for the WC. I hope he does, as he is very talented but very young.

The rest are pretty much below the standards
 

Seven

In bocca al lupo, Fabio.
Jun 25, 2003
38,288
Pretty telling about the fake country of Belgium, that "belgians" won't support their national team.
I don't think you'd support your country's team in a similar situation either. This isn't just about not selecting a player. It's about lying to the public and laughing in our faces. I have a hard time supporting a manager who takes me for an idiot. And apparently many people feel the same way.

If Allegri pulled this shit, I'd find it really difficult to support him too.

More importantly I will always let values prevail over blind nationalism / tribalism, but I guess you are different in that.

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CrimsonianKing

The end of Jihadism
Jan 16, 2013
26,278
I don't think you'd support your country's team in a similar situation either. This isn't just about not selecting a player. It's about lying to the public and laughing in our faces. I have a hard time supporting a manager who takes me for an idiot. And apparently many people feel the same way.

If Allegri pulled this shit, I'd find it really difficult to support him too.

More importantly I will always let values prevail over blind nationalism / tribalism, but I guess you are different in that.

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I feel your pain. Romário was left out by Zagallo for the 98' WC and I'll always believe that final would have been a different story if he paired with Ronaldo given how well oiled and gelled they were in the Copa América and friendlies prior to that. It might have cost Brazil a title or a much better chance in the least.

I'm no expert in the current Belgium team but I know of Naiggolan's quality and looking at the squad I don't see how it can't be a stupid decision to leave him out.

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Now that I'm going back memory lane... I think he was actually injured? I'm getting mixed up with 02' when he was actually left out for personal reasons by Scolari. He was still a top goalscorer then but luckily Brazil won it.
 

pitbull

Senior Member
Jul 26, 2007
11,045
I don't think you'd support your country's team in a similar situation either. This isn't just about not selecting a player. It's about lying to the public and laughing in our faces. I have a hard time supporting a manager who takes me for an idiot. And apparently many people feel the same way.

If Allegri pulled this shit, I'd find it really difficult to support him too.

More importantly I will always let values prevail over blind nationalism / tribalism, but I guess you are different in that.

Verstuurd vanaf mijn A0001 met Tapatalk
manager does not equal the whole team though, it's still the Belgian footballers who'll go on the pitch and do their best, really strange that you'd wish them failure
 

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