Originally posted by Pietro Paolo Virdis
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WHAT THE JEFF JUST HAPPENED: CRO-FRA Final
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I've never really understood the population argument to the nth degree - whilst a larger population creates a larger pool of players to work from, ultimately you only need 22 players of sufficient quality to win you a World Cup. There's not a country in the World that couldn't have a team go all the way, the use of China and India are the perfect examples used previously.
As with anything it all comes down to the culture of sport in said country - in India, cricket is God and they consistently have one of, if not the best cricket teams in the World. Football is number one in most countries, but the ones where it isn't has seen little, if any real success.
Croatia getting to a World Cup final with a population is not really a shock when you see how well they have tended to do in the tournaments they have played in. They may have overachieved slightly, and them getting to the final is a bit of a surprise (not a full on shock) but weren't they always seen a little bit as a dark horse?
I will be fully behind Croatia on Sunday - and it's not just because I have them in a sweepstake.
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Croatia were 40/1 with the bookmakers, only 12th in shortness of odds. That makes them a proverbial dark horse but not a minnow, which would be 100/1 or longer.
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If Vida did that about Belgrade, he should get a proper bollocking.
I did this yesterday ahead of the game to a bunch of my Serbian friends where I said that if theirs had to go on an early vacation, ours would score a few goals for them instead. Three.
That sign with the fingers is a very Serbian thing. Before anyone starts, it's not nationalistic in the sense comparable with a Heil. It's their thing, it's how they do the cross over the chest, among other meanings. We, Croats, catholic do it with fingers pressed together and from forehead, chest, left-right. They, orthodox do it forehead, chest, right-left and with three fingers.
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Originally posted by Бога Нет View PostFor future reference, do we not swear in thread titles now?
Inside a post, carry on as normal you muddy funsters.
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Croatia is unique place in the world of cultural athletics, it's got that unique combination of Slavic rigour along with Mediterranean flair. Add a dose of post-war nationalism and you've got a strong contender punching way above its weight.
Vida's worst public offense was his "Burn Belgrade!" locker room video, no excuse for that kind of crap. The mindset is still stuck in mid-90s, it seems.
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Originally posted by Snake Plissken View PostAdmin note: Edited the title as it's NSFW.
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Nevermind me, Patrick. I'm still drunk. The party never ended yesterday. Two hour sleep and then we were back at it.
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Croatia's achievement isnt a one-off. They have qualified for 9 of 12 tournaments entered. Berba's boys 3 in the same period
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Berba, what I mean is that you can't look at population and that's it. You can't.
You have to take into account schools, what they do there, how developed the sport academies are and I don't mean the professional clubs but on a common level. Where kids can just turn up and participate.
Croatia is a small country but there is not a child who doesn't participate in a sport and not has the opportunity to be part of a club. An elite even up to a certain level. Much like it is in Sweden.
Kids in Croatia have so many chances to do sports, and just like in Sweden they will at young age do several. Like hockey in winter, football in summer.
This is the thing you miss if you only look at population.
And this is the thing you miss when you then wonder why India doesn't have a national football team to speak of. Well, because the kids there don't have even a fraction of the opportunity the kids in Croatia do. And yes, this with sports in Croatia that everyone should do is a heritage from communism.
So, this comparing population, it doesn't say anything. You have to venture deeper.
You are talking about population and population only, as if sports culture isn't even a thing.Last edited by Pietro Paolo Virdis; 12-07-2018, 17:11.
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Stop apologising man and continue going in with both barrels blazing.
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PPV, Croatia are an absurdly small country to be in the World cup final. Croatia is a small country. That's what makes their achievement so insanely impressive. I'd relax about it and just enjoy it more.
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I'm really escalating this into a flounce, aren't I?
Sorry Patrick T, don't take it personally.
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Originally posted by Patrick Thistle View PostSo is Domagoj Vida (of Russia baiting fame) a raging right winger or not? Maybe PPV knows. It's a subject of debate in our house because of his, and I quote, "white supremacist hair cut".
He has played in Ukraine, Russia has invaded a part of Ukraine, etc etc
Do what you want with it. I'm not going to help you because I'm tired of this fuckmuppetery new hobby trying to find as many racist as you can Pokemon style which has spread all over social media and places like this. Where people are so fast label some racist than sit back as if they themselves were not at all because they donate a quid every month to the Red Cross.
I'm not saying you'r doing it here and now, dude, but I'm a bit... it's not getting us anywhere trying so desperately stasi-like pinpoint the cunt.
That's one reason I can't stand this place as I used to, beyond the football fora I mean. It's become a Stasi nest.
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Originally posted by The Awesome Berbaslug!!! View PostCroatia are the 27th biggest country in europe in terms of population, and the 128th biggest country on earth
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Originally posted by Бога Нет View PostFrance are “home” team for kit choice, yes? I would love it to be blue/white/red v red & white/white/blue but it won’r Happen will it? Maybe France will swap blue shorts in which would be OK.
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So is Domagoj Vida (of Russia baiting fame) a raging right winger or not? Maybe PPV knows. It's a subject of debate in our house because of his, and I quote, "white supremacist hair cut".
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Croatia are the 27th biggest country in europe in terms of population, and the 128th biggest country on earth. (which puts them in the bottom third of Fifa members) the Netherlands are about a third of the way down the list of Fifa members.
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Originally posted by The Awesome Berbaslug!!! View PostCroatia has a smaller population than Ireland. It's a minnow. The Netherlands is a small country in population terms, and Dutch domestic football has become decidedly minnow like since the 70's. I also think that everyone was surprised by Italy being in the 2006 final. Particularly given their previous two outings, and the fun and games happening in their domestic league over the previous four or five years.
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Originally posted by ursus arctos View PostI refuse to accept Croatia as a minnow, but agree with the suggestion that the Czechoslovaks in 1962 were the last surprise finalist of this type.
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They are a more qualified side for Pot 1 than Poland were. Their place in Pot 2 was partly due to being cheated in the 2014 Brazil match.
Were West Germany perhaps a minnow in 1954? Or was the concept of minnow not applicable back then because the era was pre-modern?
Croatia have been a tip for the final since they beat Argentina so it's more a case of them being under-rated coming in.
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And the former Yugoslavia team managed two more World Cup semi finals, two Euro finals and a further Euro semi final. Of course Croatia is only a part of that, but that is still surely a part of this team's history?
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So, yeah, that's France being a frog. Which is fine.
Croatia aren't a minnow, surely. They're in the A-League of the UEFA Nations League, have reached two WC semi finals in the last 20 years, and a couple of Euro quarter finals to add to that. You'd mention them in same breath as (say) Belgium or the Netherlands. Stickleback minimum, but probably not a trout.
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