McFaul

If you made 12 predictions, many of them would be wrong too, but I think they'll all come true obviously at this point. You're just copying off Jonny by saying they're not shite, of course they're shite, the quality of their squad is only marginally better than Ireland. Worst side England have played for a long time. The full back donkey has looked shite in the SPL for example. Ibrahimovic will need to be watched and don't give free kicks away against them because your man Larsson is good at them as we all know, but if we don't beat them, we might as well chuck it.

You do regard yourself as a bit of an authority on overseas football and sometimes what you say shows a lot of insight. However, Sweden are fuckin shite, I've seen them live 3 or 4 times in the last few years. Watched them against Denmark, they could've lost 6-0, ended up 3-0. Against England at Wembley they were the worst side I think we've played for a long time, with a make-shift team now. They've had some decent friendly results since then, but their style isn't for my liking, and I'd rank only Ireland and Ukraine as worst sides in this tournament. Even when you look down the twenty three players they've picked for the tournament, only Ibrahimovic would get in the toon's first eleven and very few you'd want to improve the squad. If we don't beat them we might as well come home.

I think England will get out of the group, purely because Ukraine and Sweden are shite. I think we'll draw with France, they're alright but they're not Spain. I wouldn't be surprised if we draw 2 of the 3 games and win one. Regardless it ends in the Quarters unless we win the group. Spain will win it again. Germany will be shite. Portugal will turn the krauts over. Poland and Russia will win comfortably on Friday. Ireland and Italy will get 1 point each a draw between each other Poland will win their group. Ukraine will go out in the first round. Ronaldo will be top scorer in the competition. Howard Webb will make a few fuck ups. If you back Ireland against Spain with a +2 handicap you'll still lose.

I've got a tenner on Ireland not to score a goal, that's not an entirely unlikely scenario neither.

Hoilett, Klasnic, Bosingwa and Nelsen would all dee as back up, although three of their ages don't fit in with the policy.

The squad is shite, but take Parker away and it's not that bad a side. Nee where near the likes of Euro 96 or Italia 90, but it's genuinely not that bad a side in my view. International football is about hitting the ground running, it's about the collective rather than the individuals, as we saw with Greece and Italia 6 and 8 years ago. Anything could happen.

A rare sensibly correct post.

He epitomises the difference between footballers 20 years ago and footballers today. In his prime he was funny (tell me a funny footballer now), endearing (again there's not that many who are in this era epitomised by the likes of Danny Simpson), honest, transparent, down to earth, and remembered his pals. How many footballers would take a 24 year old to live in Italy with him who'd been on the dole since leaving school, and pay him £1000 a week?! More importantly above his riches, far above, was the pride in wearing all of his club shirts (he hardly had a bad game for the toon) and in particular his England caps. He was living the dream and it was about the honour. He sums up the difference between old and new, and I guarantee now, people of our age in 20 years time won't look at any of the current crop as endearingly as we look at Gazza. ADP fair points, but I'd rather focus on what he represented and continues to represent in terms of English football heritage and him being a clear and present contradiction of far less talented footballers attitudes in this day and age.

Total cynical miserable bollocks as usual. He doesn't look his best, granted. He represents the common man in the street, the kid who couldn't spell his own name, who became a world star, who largely played for his love of the game rather than anything else (he could've signed for more money for clubs when he signed for Rangers). Italia 90, he became an all time legend in English football, he was mint in Euro 96, forget his problems he represents working class people like me, keeping the dream alive and epitomised the attitude people should have towards the pride in England shirt. Not like these wanks since Sven's reign started.

Rodgers succeeded by ball retention and awful defensive tactics away. Swansea were a disgrace here when we drew 0-0. Wigan HAD to beat Liverpool and Arsenal away and Newcastle and Man Utd at home, and they did. Prior to that the squad was decimated with injuries, and not only that they dd it with style especially against us.

Villas Boas is only a 47 days older than me! He looks old enough to be me fatha, because he looks old, and I've got a baby face.

Fair comment, at least if you've got one there's always elocution.

For your age you're possibly the biggest cynic I think I've ever come across. I wouldn't even deprive him a pay day, a model professional at Newcastle and given his longevity here, in my mind he's the best foreign player the club have ever had.

It's only two and a half years since he really fucked it up at Reading. He went two month without a win iirc, and 5 months after Reading paid Watford £1m compensation, he was sacked. He worked wonders with Swansea, but pass pass pass is fine, but as we saw when we did them 0-2, you need penetration too or what's the point. I think we'll come above Liverpool again, and I do think this is a strange appointment. They should've really got a manager who reflects their stature in the game at the moment, someone like Paul Merson.

He might have the encephalopathy but he hasn't got a mackem accent which is the main thing. He looks bad but he looks like he's been doing some gym work at the same time. Bless him.

Shearer was carrying us through we came 3rd and were one goal off a Champions League Quarter Final with AC Milan in the San Siro ya daft cunt. As for the names you mentioned you must be taking the piss? Surely? Moravcik was skillful, but did nothing in his career before he went to Celtic at THIRTY FIVE, Sutton, Hartson and Alan Thompson, no one would touch them, where would they get in our side? Not taking the piss or anything. We had England internationals right through the side, the best foreigner in our history (imo) on the right wing, the best crosser and striker of a ball we've ever had on the left. We came 4th, then 3rd. We had the CL, then the next season got to the UEFA Semi Final deprived of a place in the final by injuries to Bellamy and Woody, and an inspired Drogba. As Tom said this kid can not be serious. I think we'd have probably taken Larsson though, he developed in to a good player at Celtic. It irritates me when people don't have the knowledge to participate properly in a conversation, but try. I think with both sides of the OF, once you've spoken to one you've spoken to them all, is a harsh statement but many would say it's true. Also the lad says we have no respect, personally the only two clubs I respect are Arsenal and Man Utd in this country, but I did say I thought the achievement of the Lisbon Lions was one of, if not THE greatest achievement in club football history.

How many years do you think it is since Celtic had a better side than us. You have to be talking at least 20.

I think Izaguirre is probably good enough to play for us like. I've watched him a few times, and he's got something. Very comfortable on the ball. The rest are about Cardiff's level or worse other than Paddy McCourt, who could be as good as most, if he was at a big club and coached properly. Most skillful player I've seen in Scotland for years.

Ah I agree, and there's not many places on the planet from an area of 1.5m people that have produced as many top class players as Tyneside and its' surrounds. Global names. Absolute world class players like, Bobby Charlton, Shearer, Gazza, Wor Jackie, Beardsley, Waddle, Bryan Robson, Norman Hunter, Len Shackleton....the list is endless. It's at an end now

Aye. It's because of the media. No other reason. If you buy a paper like the Daily Record, you open it up and there'll be three pages on Motherwell. It's the equivalent of Port Vale commanding three pages in the English press. Their media is feverish, and it aids their self worth when basically the whole structure of Scottish football is on a par with say Norway. Boumsong was a £2m defender, we paid £8m for him, Gordon was a £2m keeper, the mackems paid £9m for him. There's no value in Scottish football. Scotland used to be full of some of the best players in Europe. S******s, D******h, Strachan, Jimmy Johnston, Denis Law, Alan Hansen, they could all have played for any team in the world, now because of society, kids having less interest and a drugs epidemic is Scotland, there's no one coming through. When you look at the players Scotland produced from 1950 to 1980 it's a wonder they never won a World Cup (seriously?), but now oh dear.

Disorganised Argentina* Well done Hatem, hopefully in his head this vindicates his move here, and his future at the club.

They have done, at Man Utd as you know he was often up front which is why he got 31 in 34 in hist last season in the Barclays Premier League. This IS what they should go with, but they'll probably chuck Postiga in there, they're still a side I think who will get to the Semi's at least. If they beat Germany in the opening game everybody will go "fuck me", I won't. Germany are vastly overrated, on the back of hitting England on the counter attack twice in South Africa and playing a completely organised Argentina.

Ronaldo can do it all. He's that good. He's one of the ten greatest players in history, and he's suffering because possibly the greatest is playing in the same era as him. He is a completely ground breaking phenomenal player, who is by a million miles the best at this tournament. This is a canny side imo ..............................Eduardo......................................... Joao Perreira...Pepe....Bruno Alves....Fabio Conterao ..........Veloso..........................Mereilles........................ Nani........................Moutinho.....................Quaresma ................................Ronaldo........................................

We are shite, it's undeniable, but we are still better than 9 or 10 countries in this tournament, and wouldn't it just be like England to do something when there is literally no expectation at all. If we get to the semi's though oh dear, even Abu Hamza and that disgusting repugnant crook of a woman "Baroness Warsi" will have a car flag such will be the feverish level of Bandwagon jumping. David Villa will be a massive miss for Spain, and I think Portugal have a really decent outside chance.