Gambia- could they do well in next World Cup?

[upsidedownwalrus]

Make sure you don't go to a crap bookies, I went to a Ladbrokes in my town and asked for the odds of France going out in the first round in 2002 (after they lost to Senegal and were about to play Uruguay) and they said they weren't taking bets on them, only England. What a load of crap!!!

What, that they were sure France would go out and therefore it wasn't worth taking bets, or they were doubtful or were takingt loads of bets on france not maing it?

I think Ukraine to make the semis is a fantastic bet.

One team from eastern europe always makes the senis

Ukraine have Schevchenko

Watch them do it`

 

[Bonfirelight]

ukraine won't get to the semis.
They are a handy enough team, but i think 1/4 finals at best. There's always a european team who storms the qualifying only to get rumbled come the finals. I think it's Ukraines turn this time.
And as for Bahrain. I've never seen the Uzbekis play, but i saw Bahrain play against Iran (who were also awful, but have it in them to do better) and i don't think any team would have anything much to fear from them.
france will be back strong, brazil as always, and the dutch may have found their feet again. Czech Republic are now past their best and england will blow themselves out i feel.
My best bet for a suprise semi/quarter finalist is someone like Serbia & Montenegro, a team with some pedigree who are able to get necessary results.

 

[pinched_nerve]

What, that they were sure France would go out and therefore it wasn't worth taking bets, or they were doubtful or were takingt loads of bets on france not maing it?

Sorry, I phrased it badly, they just weren't bothering taking the bets on France or anyone else for some reason, woman behind the counter said something like "we're only doing England bets"... WTF?!

 

[Rocket Romano]

What, that they were sure France would go out and therefore it wasn't worth taking bets, or they were doubtful or were takingt loads of bets on france not maing it?

I think Ukraine to make the semis is a fantastic bet.

One team from eastern europe always makes the senis

Ukraine have Schevchenko

Watch them do it`

The best thing anyone can ever say about Schevchenko (apart from him being God) is that he made Sergei Rebrov look good

 

[Good Intentions]

Looks like South Africa got cocky even before qualification started, would have had them down as a banker...

True... They're a boring team anyway. Always qualify, never get anywhere...

Don't remind me. Please.

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

Sorry, I phrased it badly, they just weren't bothering taking the bets on France or anyone else for some reason, woman behind the counter said something like "we're only doing England bets"... WTF?!

Yeah the bookies irritate me in that sense. Always feel it's somehow 'patriotic' to take more bets on England/give England lower odds etc.

For instance, UK bookies make England 4th favourites for this world cup, with odds of 9/1. Ahead of the likes of the Netherlands. Yet IMO in reality the odds for England at the moment should be about 20/1...

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

The best thing anyone can ever say about Schevchenko (apart from him being God) is that he made Sergei Rebrov look good

True... I wonder what other similar examples there are (strikers who looked fantastic but were exposed as pretty mediocre once they stopped playing alongside a genuine talent)...

 

[pinched_nerve]

Yeah the bookies irritate me in that sense. Always feel it's somehow 'patriotic' to take more bets on England/give England lower odds etc.

For instance, UK bookies make England 4th favourites for this world cup, with odds of 9/1. Ahead of the likes of the Netherlands. Yet IMO in reality the odds for England at the moment should be about 20/1...

Yeah maybe it's the patriotism thing, I'd have thought it might be in their interest to take bets on specific things for other teams though, I dunno. THe only thing strange about it was that if it was English patriotism then it seemed to extend to South Wales I reckon I'd have won at least £50 if they were taking bets on teams aside from England

 

[Jografer]

Yeah the bookies irritate me in that sense. Always feel it's somehow 'patriotic' to take more bets on England/give England lower odds etc.

For instance, UK bookies make England 4th favourites for this world cup, with odds of 9/1. Ahead of the likes of the Netherlands. Yet IMO in reality the odds for England at the moment should be about 20/1...

Ummm, bookies take money, patriotism means bugger all.

The reason for the odds being different in different countries is that bookies will offset their potential losses..... if you put a £1,000 on a three legged donkey for the National at 1,000 - 1, then the odds would drop straight away as the bookie would be potentiall 'exposed' to pay out £1M.... even though there is absolutely bugger all chance of the donkey winning......

 

[Flashman]

Semi-finals: England, Italy, Germany, Brazil with Spain (surely...one year...) and France also in with a chance.

Brazil to beat Germany in extra-time in the final. Italy to beat England in the 3rd place play-off again (if they still do that).

Not an African in sight.

 

[harpo]

aye but the original post was about the U17 World Cup, in which Gambia (affectionately known at the Baby Scorpions) are doing well. Beat BRAZIL (yes!) 3:1 last Sat, the Qatar on Tues, again 3:1. President Jammeh needn't be such a hypocrite either. It wasn't long ago he was trying to 'discourage' football becuse he thought the boys weren't tending to their farming duties; now look at him, giving them all money and compounds. Mind you, a cheeky trick, the plane landing thing.

I think Gambia are now in the quarter finals. It's a big deal. Gambia is tiny, desperately poor, and sick of being crowed at by Senegal. The whole nation is in celebration overdrive and I wish i was there!


Bugger, they got knocked out by Holland.

 

[Harold Hill]

They were really good, I remember now.
I just think Africa has some amazing talent that needs to be invested in, their players are there if you look for them, but they get overshadowed by the likes of the England team who are full of whining little fuckbags who fall over and scream for mummy.
.

Like who?

 

[Harold Hill]

Yeah the bookies irritate me in that sense. Always feel it's somehow 'patriotic' to take more bets on England/give England lower odds etc.

For instance, UK bookies make England 4th favourites for this world cup, with odds of 9/1. Ahead of the likes of the Netherlands. Yet IMO in reality the odds for England at the moment should be about 20/1...

They take far more bets on England than anyone else. Any bookie that still gave long odds would be brave.

 

[Harold Hill]

The African Nations is coming up in January but the winners aren't normally the same team that are the most successful in the World Cup a few months later.

The European World Cups tend to be dominated by European teams by the quarter finals 6 in France, 10 out of the last 12 in Spain. Wouldn't expect it to be any different this time. Anyone going on about the Ukraine, the European team that qualifies first often flops in the group stages (Bulgaria, France, Spain in 98).

Although after the last World Cup its probably daft to speculate about who will get to the last 4 as no one can take luck or good fortune of the draw into account. Portugal look the best of the European qualifiers. England, Spain, Holland and France are putting in some stuttery performances but will get there. Brazil look head and shoulders above everyone though.