Posted by harvestmouse on 2016-06-13 23:43:01

I knew it would happen. Every month our level's been getting worse. 4 years ago, this should have been Belgium's peak tourney, but from the warm up games I doubted we'd get through the group phase. Italy don't look bad, but probably not cup winning contenders.

Posted by Wreckage on 2016-06-14 00:05:59

They did the best performance so far imo.
Quite surprising with all those old guys.

One should mention that the Group Phase games are completely meaningless now. Any half decent team is gonna qualify for the end round.

I really hope you don't kick Germany out in the Quarterfinals.


Strangly I had to think about England today and how they are basically letting each federal state of theirs provide an own team... although they aren't a federation of course... But still... Wales, Schotland, Northern Ireland?

That would be like Germany bringing a team for East Germany, Bavaria and Saarland.
Or the US bringing teams for Texas, the East Coast and Alaska.

Obviously a really terrible idea if you ever wanna win anything. I guess they can blame nobody but themselves. :P

Posted by ArrestedDevelopment on 2016-06-14 00:41:01

Wreckage, a few things:

The individual countries keep their own F.A. and vote because it actually affords the UK as a whole more power in football terms.

But on top of that, no, it isn't really like Bavaria and Saxony etc having their own team. Scotland is not a principality of England (you can make your own arguments about how many Scottish players would get into the England squad, my guesstimate is zero).

Posted by Uedder on 2016-06-14 03:36:01

Conte is ace. Great signing for Chelsea.

And Giaccherini is Messi, CR7 all wrapped up in Gravesen-like tenacity.

Posted by awambawamb on 2016-06-14 08:21:04

that's why I posted. didn't see (hear) a good performance of the azzurri in YEARS

Posted by Wreckage on 2016-06-14 09:11:13

I'll just keep laughing at them and how unable they are to work together.
Brexit 2016, please. And then split Scotland and Northern Ireland off please. Actually why not even Wales too, I'm gonna laugh so hard.

Posted by mister__joshua on 2016-06-14 09:36:05

Italy played well. I don't think they'll win it, but they could, they're a decent shout. They're the only team I've watched so far that don't seem to have forgotten how to defend.

Posted by awambawamb on 2016-06-14 09:47:52

I cheer for Iceland secretly.

Posted by hissa-lives on 2016-06-14 10:09:05

Looking at the squad Italy looked to have not a lot, but that team ethic did them well!
Forza Italia! :-)

Posted by Uedder on 2016-06-14 12:24:06

@Wreckage

You hope for Brexit, but I'm quite sure most Europe would rather be in a UE without Germany than in a UE without UK.

They just happen to end up on the right end of history, unlike someone else.. :)

Posted by Wreckage on 2016-06-14 15:25:01

Uedder *shrug*. If that was an actual statement of the current political situation it would be certainly even more retarded than what the British are doing.
Germany is not going to drop out but if you campaign hard enough for it they might. Would be funny to watch the entire south of Europe economically desintegrate. But hey, at least Germany would be out of that unstoppable debt swamp they got into with the irresponsible states, right?
Nah, nah, you're assigning the blame wrong. If the Brexit comes nobody is to blame but the British. And this way of thinking in the first place.

Posted by Uedder on 2016-06-14 15:59:09

Not trying to convince you or call you names.

History will once again prove Germany wrong.
That's all :)

Love.

Posted by Wreckage on 2016-06-14 16:56:14

Uedder, convince me of what?
Prove Germany wrong of what?

I was talking about the ability to cooperate in 2016 and the ability to look at a picture that is greater than oneself. I like to think that a lot of people in Europe are still open to the European idea.
You're talking about history and how you not like Germany and would rather cooperate with a country that doesn't want to cooperate with your country because it is so poor at managing its household. You want to cooperate with a country it would jump ship at the first opportunity it pleases it. I can appreciate a certain amount of anti-German sentiment. There is nothing wrong with it. However, Brexit got nothing to do with Germany. Obviously it's neither in Germanys nor Europes interest if Britain leaves.
The question is just if it makes sense to do this with countries that do not even share the general sentiment that cooperation is a good thing.

Posted by DukeTyrion on 2016-06-14 18:13:50

Germany benefits most from the Euro, as the amount paid into the single currency is heavily outweighed by the restriction in currency valuation, allowing Germany to export at a very nice exchange rate.

Of course, that's just the single currency and not European policy, but as Germany takes such a front role in the numbers, you could argue that the weight of decisions also edge their way.

You can see from Greece and to some degree France and Italy how fiscal policy being decided primarily and a European level, rather than a local level has caused some issues, but again, a slightly different issue.

Countries to some degree are tired of having policies forced upon them when it has little to do with the way they wish to operate, but if Europe is trying to be the new USA then they will need to consolidate everything (even the army).

The interesting part will be what happens to the Euro if the UK leaves. Will the other countries follow suit and cause Europe as is to collapse, or will it be generally accepted that, as we never entered the single currency we never really bought into Europe anyway? Only time (and a Brexit vote) will tell.

But yes, Italy played well and Belgium once again failed to live up to their expectation.

Posted by Wreckage on 2016-06-15 01:15:18

There is more cooperation necessary Duke, not less.

There are certainly severe disagreements about how to go on about it between southern and northern Europe and as a German tax payer and voter I can't really agree with you that it is a good deal for us to loan peoples tax money to other countries so that they strengthen our private companies (like arms industry) which in turn pays almost no tax money. Or that there is any point in being the best at exchanging valuable goods for a currency that is basically handed out for free at a 0% credit rate.

This is not such a good deal as you think it is.

Nevertheless, as far as I can see a difference is still that most countries in the EU try to find a solution. The solution can only be a common economic course, however that may look like. And that a lot of people actually support the idea behind the EU. And this is something I think is more respectable than any differences about an actual political course.
And just when I follow the British debates it is as it has always been, it's all about self-interest.
I assure you the debates in Germany aren't even remotely like this.

And I can only say I have a very special disdain in my heart for anything nationalist. And anyone who spouts nonsense like he is better of on his own. But yet I wholeheartedly wish for anyone who thinks that way that they are allowed to be on their own.
Ideally on a large island.

In fact we should just bring the nationalists of all countries in Europe to that island and see what happens.

Posted by awambawamb on 2016-06-15 18:53:50

GET A ROOM ALL OF YOU