South Africa 2010 » Five alternative predictions for the World Cup
Pele, World Cup legend undoubtedly but genuinely rubbish at predictions. Patrick Szymshek via Flickr Creative Commons
With the greatest football show on earth underway, the excitement is palpable and the hope that England will win is increasing with every passing day without the news that Rooney has been injured. I won’t bore you with another endless list of who will win, who will be the best player and which England player will be the first to cry, but a list of rather different predictions.
1. With the return of England to a competitive arena, so returns the Panini football sticker album. Cue pictures of groups of small children exciting trading stickers of Ronaldo and Rooney. That was the image I had in my mind until yesterday when to my shock whilst shopping in Morrisons, I saw a middle aged man shopping with his wife buying football stickers. Now I’m not one to judge what people spend their well earned money but I’m sure he was not very happy when he saw the huge smirk that had developed across my face.
Prediction: You will see a middle aged man buying football stickers
2. With the World Cup brings immense patriotism, the likes of which are not seen during the rest of the year. And with that rise in patriotism sees the return of the dreaded plastic flag – tacky beyond belief – they will most likely be seen flapping from the windows of beaten up, uninsured and untaxed Ford Sierras.
Prediction: You will see a car with a flag in every window
3. The UK government has said it will ban 3,000 hooligans from the South Africa World Cup in an attempt to stop the violence synonymous with England fans at international competitions. However, this has not prevented there being violence involving England fans in the past such as scenes at the Germany World Cup in 2006. However, with South Africa’s reputation of gang crime it remains to be seen how this affects the football hooliganism.
Prediction: England Fans will once again be branded hooligans and be the scorn of the international press
4. Prepare for the barrage of songs that will be hitting the charts in the next few weeks, with the long list of D-list celebrities jumping on the World Cup bandwagon by producing a record in an attempt to spur on the England team. A remake of Three Lions is due to be released with Robbie Williams and Russell Brand involved, but with songs made for the 2006 World Cup including the Crazy Frog’s ‘We Are The Champions’ and Neil and Christine Hamilton’s ‘England are Jolly Dee’ it can be guaranteed that most of them will be complete rubbish.
Prediction: There will be a huge number of unofficial England songs, most of which will be rubbish
5. Pele, one of the greatest footballers the world has ever seen and a player in three World Cup winning squads. His record since the end of his career has not been quite so good with a disastrous record of failed predictions. His predictions for this World Cup are that Ronaldinho will be an influential player and that England, Nigeria and Spain will make the semi-finals. However with Ronaldinho failing to make Brazil’s 23 man squad, England fans will be hoping he finally gets one right.
Prediction: Pele’s predictions will be wrong
So there you are, my five alternative predictions for the 2010 World Cup. Some obvious, some not so, however it remains to be seen whether my predictions are as sound as Pele’s…
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Great article. I still find it amazing that the greatest player the world has ever seen appears to know so little about football.
One of the WORST articles I’ve ever read on Nouse.
Right, lets have a pop at people who are maybe a bit below your social stratosphere. Lets have a pop at “hooligans” (who, lets face it – really don’t exist in English football on any reasonable level anymore)
Nice article, not sure why ‘What?’ is angry really.
The article doesn’t brand England fans as hooligans, it states that the national press enjoys doing that.
And, let’s not forget, there were more England Fans arrested at Euro 2000 than there were from any other competing nation. Oh and Euro 2004 for that matter (though the number arrested was only 76 then). 2006 was a bad tournament as well, though the Germany vs Poland macth out-disgraced our yobs.
We were pretty quiet in 2008 though.
@What?
I’m sorry you feel that way and you are of course open to your own opinion. It was not my intention to “have a pop”.
I was merely pointing out the fact that at three out of the last four major international competitions that England have been involved in, there has been violence involving England fans. Despite, the fact that they are a minority, it does not mean that international press will not have a field day when there is violence. Just to prove I’m not making it up:
World Cup 2006: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x43xfm_english-hooligans-in-germany-world_sport
Euro 2004: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2004/jun/16/euro2004.sport19
Euro 2000: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2000/jun/20/euro2000.sport1
And in the domestic game, I refer you to the York City – Luton playoff game where York City players were attacked by Luton supporters and mass brawls after the Millwall – West Ham Carling Cup game. Although it does not happen week in, week out it does still happen.
I hope this clears up my viewpoint.
Justyn Hardcastle is a legend. That is all xx
that 85% of England fans are hooligans. HARDCASTLE FOR FIFA PRESIDENT!