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It all starts tomorrow, then (29 years ago)

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    It all starts tomorrow, then (29 years ago)

    Espana '82. For so many, the most memorable World Cup of all time. This thread will revisit our thoughts, hopes and memories of that tournament replayed day by day as it happened, then we can bookmark it in the World Cup section.

    Pre-tournament thoughts from me. Brazil and Argentina have to be favourites. Zico, Socrates and Falcao on the one hand, Ardiles, Kempes and Maradona on the other. I'm not bothered about any of that Sun newspaper nonsense about "the Argies", I think they've got a great side. France look good, with Platini, Giresse and Tigana? And of course West Germany, European champions, always look strong, but let's not forget that their clubs have lost out in the last few European and UEFA Cups to Liverpool, Forest, Ipswich and Aston Villa. So we must consider England, back in the finals at long last for the first time since 1970. We've got to be among the favourites, haven't we? Scotland, have they got the team that can erase the memories of Peru and Iran from four years ago? Northern Ireland of course are just there to have a bit of fun, in the group they've got with hosts Spain and Yugoslavia.

    Opening game tomorrow on the 13th, Belgium against Argentina. Opening games are always dull affairs, this will probably end up 1-0 to Argentina, Kempes to score.

    Then on the 14th we've got Italy against Poland, and Brazil against the USSR. Don't fancy Italy much this year, they were a shambles at Italia '80, could be an upset there. Brazil just look magical, but the USSR teams are always tough to break down and that could be a test for them. Scotland would love that game to be a draw.

    #2
    It all starts tomorrow, then (29 years ago)

    (Maybe should've held over to next year, but, nice thread...)

    I'm told the BBC and ITV are planning to boycott the ceremony and opening match. Never thought I'd see the day, but I guess the Falklands War meant Argentina vs Belgium was never going to see airtime. (Why do we call it that? 'War' was never declared.)

    The holders will be difficult to beat, and Brazil also look to have their best squad in a decade - so must be favourites - but I fancy England to make a better showing than most anticipate after the fraught qualifying tournament. And this despite Ron Greenwood's increasingly miserable interviews with David Coleman...

    But my money's on France for an each-way: 14-1 looks good for Hidalgo's men.

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      #3
      It all starts tomorrow, then (29 years ago)



      I'm copying this onto my maths homework book as I write.

      Spain, bless them, will never win anything if they think football should be all about having smiley little lads juggling the ball with stylish haircuts. Mick Mills and Terry Butcher will kick them off the park.

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        #4
        It all starts tomorrow, then (29 years ago)

        Maths homework, eh? I have an art school interview coming up on the 14th - I confidently predict I'll get in. Should also be back in time for Poland vs Italy (ITV, 4.15).

        Echo & The Bunnymen's new single 'The Back of Love' is very good.

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          #5
          It all starts tomorrow, then (29 years ago)

          Luckily for me, my parents were also 'breaking the back of love'...

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            #6
            It all starts tomorrow, then (29 years ago)

            West Germany look very strong, qualifying with a goal difference of 33:3. They only have Brazil and Argentina to fear, in my opinion. They will easily beat European and African sides like Austria and Algeria. Unlike the Argentinians, West Germany are always cool and never resort to outright violence.

            I think France will start strongly, beat England, but will then fade in the second round.

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              #7
              It all starts tomorrow, then (29 years ago)

              Brazil are the favourites, of course. Argentina look good, but where is Uruguay, who looked so great just over a year ago in that tournament of past world cup winners?

              But this is Europe, and a European side will probably win it. And there is no way past West Germany, easily Europe's best side. Their opening group should be easy to navigate, though the Austria game will be keenly contested.

              Belgium did well in 1980 and will go far. I hope the French will do well because I have a bit of a Framce fetish, with my Nantes and Strasbourg replica shirts and having seen Girondins Bordeaux play Hamburg last autumn.

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                #8
                It all starts tomorrow, then (29 years ago)

                I wasn't 3 yet. Screw you all.

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                  #9
                  It all starts tomorrow, then (29 years ago)

                  Dad, I don't want to watch football. Jamie and the Magic Torch is on. Awwww, Daaaaad!

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                    #10
                    It all starts tomorrow, then (29 years ago)

                    Just bombed out of school. Me Dad's been dead for 3 months. I'm old enough to hitch 3 miles to the nearest pub, which doesn't have a telly. This World Cup is going to pass by almost unremembered......

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                      #11
                      It all starts tomorrow, then (29 years ago)

                      Incandenza wrote:
                      I wasn't 3 yet. Screw you all.
                      I wasn't born yet. Enjoying this thread so far though.

                      I'd be interested to know how many of these 'predictions' are what you all genuinely thought at the time, and how many are being done for comic after-the-event effect. And, indeed, whether the people writing them are entirely sure which is which, since our own memories play all sorts of funny games with us sometimes...

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                        #12
                        It all starts tomorrow, then (29 years ago)

                        What I wrote reflects accurately what I expected. Especially the keenly awaited West Germany vs Austria game.

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                          #13
                          It all starts tomorrow, then (29 years ago)

                          I'm not sure why everyone is raving about this Brazilian team so much. They're salad.

                          The keeper (Valdir Peres) is not very good, the defence is shaky as hell and that's just the central defenders Oscar and Luisinho who even pay attention to the art of defending, the striker (Serginho) is rubbish as Careca and Reinaldo are not available.

                          So it is an unbalanced team full of creative central midfielders, all of them play narrow so the only width comes from the full backs Junior and Leandro. I think that Socrates is the biggest waste of space footballer I have seen in my short life so far but I predict I will feel the same about him in roughly 30 years anyway. The only time he ever breaks into a run is to get to the fag shop before it closes.

                          I do not care about the abuse I am getting in the playground for my curmudgeonly attitude to this team which are pretty but have nothing underneath, a footballing Linda Lusardi if you will (who I saw in the furtive copy of Fiesta one of the older looking boys bought). My friends all want to be Socrates or Zico, I want to be Falcao because he is the most disciplined and European member of the team.

                          I predict that this Brazilian team will not win the World Cup and this will not be the only time in my life my football views will deviate away from the mainstream. Meanwhile I'm off to watch Hayzee Fantaysee on Top Of The Pops, the bird from them is not wearing a bra!

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                            #14
                            It all starts tomorrow, then (29 years ago)

                            Especially the keenly awaited West Germany vs Austria game.
                            Yes, after both Germany and Austria have given 'what for' to minnows Algeria, I fully anticipate their final group match to be a keenly-fought do-or-die affair to determine who'll come out on top. Can't wait for that one.

                            I wasn't 3 yet. Screw you all.
                            So start an 'Italia '90' thread. I believe I'm right in saying that's where the next-but-one tournament is due to be held..?

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                              #15
                              It all starts tomorrow, then (29 years ago)

                              Very, very hazy memories of Spain '82. In fact, I think we must have been in France for some of it (camping, so no telly), because I remember my World Cup wallchart being in French.

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                                #16
                                It all starts tomorrow, then (29 years ago)

                                Or start a Colombia '86 thread instead.

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                                  #17
                                  It all starts tomorrow, then (29 years ago)

                                  The 1990 hosts aren't due to be decided until next year. England might bid.

                                  Interested to see whether the expansion to 24 teams has an effect on the overall quality of football at the tournament. I'm also pleased to see the return of the semi finals for the first time since 1970.

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                                    #18
                                    It all starts tomorrow, then (29 years ago)

                                    Scotland are fucked.

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                                      #19
                                      It all starts tomorrow, then (29 years ago)

                                      Or start a Colombia '86 thread instead
                                      Indeed. How the hell did they get it, eh?

                                      Still, it's probably the only way we'll get to see the several good players in their country's ranks: I reckon 20-year-old skinhead Carlos Valderrama's one for the future...

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                                        #20
                                        It all starts tomorrow, then (29 years ago)

                                        You'll never beat the El Salvadoreans at this level, Brian.

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                                          #21
                                          It all starts tomorrow, then (29 years ago)

                                          Bah. I'm working the evening shift when most games are on. Still, we'll do nothing with kis- there's some lad up front who's only turned 17...

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                                            #22
                                            It all starts tomorrow, then (29 years ago)

                                            Argentina Belgium tonight. The Belgians don't stand a chance do they?

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                                              #23
                                              It all starts tomorrow, then (29 years ago)

                                              Actually, I fancy Belgium to spring a surprise. I have the autographs of many of them: Pfaff, Ceulemans, Gerets, Vercauteren, Van der Elst, Millecamp. Decent side, these Belgians.

                                              I'll skip the other game in their group though. Has 0-0 written all over it.

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                                                #24
                                                It all starts tomorrow, then (29 years ago)

                                                The opening game's been blacked out here in the UK so I'm nipping across to Calais to watch it on French TV with the press, if anyone fancies it?

                                                I really don't get on with water transport, though. If only we had some kind of high-speed rail link.

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                                                  #25
                                                  It all starts tomorrow, then (29 years ago)

                                                  Rogin en la butaca wrote:

                                                  Northern Ireland of course are just there to have a bit of fun, in the group they've got with hosts Spain and Yugoslavia.
                                                  I'm looking forward to the whole island of Ireland getting behind Billy Bingham's boys. It's wonderful to see the Emerald Isle represented in the WC for the first time since 1958 - even if, as expected, they go out with heads held high in the first round.

                                                  I too think that the plucky Belgians could spring a surprise. Obviously the attention is focused on Maradona - but will he cope with the weight of expectation on his shoulders?

                                                  Btw, are the rumours true that he's off to Barcelona after the tournament?

                                                  The new number one by Adam Ant isn't bad -

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