2006 Fifa World Cup Finals

[adarian_too]

You really don't like the french at all, and you are letting it spill over to the world cup now. That is not fair to the team.

You're right, absolutely right. I don't like the geo-politics of the French.

But. When what's-her-name recently won Wimbleton, I had no objections. She won it for herself and just happened to be from France. Good for her. I would rather have seen Kournikova duking it out against Sharapova, but "we can't always get what we want."

But Zidane's teammates were playing for the glory of the country. It wasn't Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munchen. It was the pompous blowhards vs the Italians. Yes, it's jingoistic. Maybe it's a over-generalization. But no, it's not unfair to the french Flag.

I could have said I preferred the Italians because they came out of the same division as the US. But that wouldn't have been to the point. After the French ingrates sort out their own immigrant and racism issues, then they can climb on their pompous white horse again and lecture us about how we responded to Katrina in New Orleans.

You're right. I don't like them. And a sporting event isn't going to make me forget their insults.

[Fat Pang]

I would just like to add my support to adarian.

It seems to me that whenever there is a point of principle to be maintained or defended the French, as a political entity, generally fail. One only has to look at their behaviour over the EU arms embargo on China to find recent cause for my comments and their non-support of democratic reform in Hong Kong in favour of commercial opportunties in China.

I could easily go on.................

French foreign and domestic policy is targeted at the regeneration of the 'French myth' of cultural superiority and finds as it's fuel, it's perpetual resentment over the course of history. The rise of the Anglo-saxon and their pestilential language (English) is often railed against in public and in private.

As regards their football team. They lost. It happens. They'll get over it.

Italy, in my view, played as Italy always do. Defensively and on the break. Penalties are an awful way to win a game and Materazzi is a thug. He was in England when he played for Everton and he remains so now. Zidane, had a responsilbilty to himself and his team to respond in an appropriate way. He didn't and was sent off.

C'est la vie.

As this has strayed into the realm of politics I shall say no more.

Other than that, this was the worst world cup I have watched since U.S.A '94 and did football, as the world game , no favours at all.