OTF'er of The Tournament (Golden Keyboard)

[gt3]

You know, the person whose contribution to the forum has shone brightly above all others.

I suppose the obvious one is wingco, but I don't want to be accused of nepotism and/or going for the easy option. The other is dalliance, for some perceptive analysis along the way. Especially of England's short-lived tenure in the competition.

However, I think for me, the stand out performer, for his performance on the URUGHA thread has to be Jason Voorhees. Sir, stand up and accept the plaudits of your peers!

[Mumpo]

OTF'er of The Tournament (Golden Keyboard)

How quick you are to forget this.

[G-Man]

OTF'er of The Tournament (Golden Keyboard)

If dalliance gets it, the award must be shared with Tactical Genius.

[Duncan Gardner]

OTF'er of The Tournament (Golden Keyboard)

I nominate my good friend and neighbor Technicky Vizionar, for organisng the Midlands all-dayer and some very perceptive turf accountancy tips. Alas, I ignored them and blew it on that clown Maradona.

Second place- Sam's travelogs on the Mar del Plata ferry over to Monte Video.

[dalliance]

OTF'er of The Tournament (Golden Keyboard)

Dear god no. I'm sure plenty of people contributed more useful stuff than me but TG's stuff was a mismatch of contradictory nonsense more inspired by endless gloating over England's demise rather than any decent attempt to analyse why.

His suggestion that the criticism of certain players would be racially motivated was a disgrace, his suggestion that I should be tarred with the same brush because I commented that Heskey, Lennon and SWP had shocking tournaments still rankles.

I have done well with such claims over the past month, I was also accused of this for daring to suggest that the Turkish League was not world class. What a slur against a country, its people, its football and perhaps even the entire Muslim world that evidently was.

[Nocturnal Submission]

OTF'er of The Tournament (Golden Keyboard)

To be fair dalliance, you've got previous. I still remember the race storm which followed your description of Colm as a "Dublin-based Manchester United supporter."

[Uosdwis R Dewoh]

OTF'er of The Tournament (Golden Keyboard)

I'm going to back the suggestion of SamLKelly for the most excellent reporting from Montevideo. I love hearing/seeing reactions of fans in football.

My heart melted when I saw the countless Japanese faithful clogging the streets of Tokyo with flags and dancing while celebrating their team getting through to last 16.

[Wyatt Earp]

OTF'er of The Tournament (Golden Keyboard)

I found TG and dalliance both really fascinating, but if I have a criticism, it's that they were both just slightly too prone to say "I told you so". Usually to each other. (Something I personally predicted would happen, by the way.)

I can't see past the ex-Melody Maker boys here really: Taylor, Wingco, SR. All three played blinders. Wingco probably nicks it.

[dalliance]

OTF'er of The Tournament (Golden Keyboard)

To be fair dalliance, you've got previous. I still remember the race storm which followed your description of Colm as a "Dublin-based Manchester United supporter."

Ha.

[anton pulisov]

OTF'er of The Tournament (Golden Keyboard)

it's that they were both just slightly too prone to say "I told you so". Usually to each other. (Something I personally predicted would happen, by the way.)

hehehehe

[David Agnew]

OTF'er of The Tournament (Golden Keyboard)

Taylor's played a blinder in this tournament.

[ursus arctos]

OTF'er of The Tournament (Golden Keyboard)

Absolutely. Even by his standards.

[Sam]

OTF'er of The Tournament (Golden Keyboard)

I'm shocked anyone's mentioned me, but thanks a lot! Although Duncan, you mean the Río de la Plata rather than Mar Del Plata, which is a city on the Atlantic coast of Argentina.

Did I link to my Soccernet pieces on Uruguay in the end? I wrote two but might have forgotten to plug them on here.

I'll third Taylor's nomination, personally.

[Mumpo]

OTF'er of The Tournament (Golden Keyboard)

Sorry... I've just realised that the link in my post above goes to my own contribution to the 'funny names' thread; rather than Stu's peerless opener, which was very much the intention.

[West End Zuma]

OTF'er of The Tournament (Golden Keyboard)

I've enjoyed dalliance's tactical analyses, indeed I've quoted him a few times which makes me sound like I know what I'm talking about. Maybe one of these days I'll actually know what I'm talking about when I deconstruct the deceptively simple but hard to fathom pass-it-to-Messi-and-give-your-teammate-a-hug strategy.

I'll fourth the 2nd and 3rd nominations of Sam and Taylor.

[Felicity, I guess so]

OTF'er of The Tournament (Golden Keyboard)

In no particular order, and in no real contradiction to what precedes:

-wingco, brilliant as ever, tho' (controversially?) I actually preferred the shorter-form diary entries this time to the England match reports. Maybe their performances were on the borders of being beyond satire.

-Sam. Open goal for me, with a huge passion for Diego, that there was someone blogging on the spot

-dalliance's analyses can be stunningly sharp, putting into relief what half-arsed crap often passes for 'serious' discussion of football in the broadsheets

BUT (nae offence, big man) it's actually things like SR's Mertesacker Emptiness, and Taylor's musings that bring me back to OTF every time

[Purves Grundy]

OTF'er of The Tournament (Golden Keyboard)

Best tactical analysis for my money came from Taylor & Dalliance.

But poster of the tournament has to be Alessandro, for his "Bafana Nesta Bafana" post.

[ooh aah]

OTF'er of The Tournament (Golden Keyboard)

Oh right I see. Yet again I've been cruelly overlooked.

Bloody cliques

[Pietro Paolo Virdis]

OTF'er of The Tournament (Golden Keyboard)

I should win this for having stayed away most of the time

[E10 Rifle]

OTF'er of The Tournament (Golden Keyboard)

Technique visionar had a stormer - he and NHH are always the go-to people on the many inadequacies of football's overall administration.

Taylor's post on why Steven Gerrard isn't as good as he and loads of others thinks he is was a stand-out too. I've not read a piece of journalism on him stronger than that.

Dalliance and TG were always worth reading, and Alessandro Nesta Mahdi deserves a gong for the best gag of this and perhaps any other tournament.

[Bored Of Education]

OTF'er of The Tournament (Golden Keyboard)

I was going to call you a bunch of cunts for not even mentioning me but I have just seen dalliance paraphrase something that I said and make it sound tons more intelligent and astute so I am voting for him.

I can only worry that he never relaxes when he watches a match.

Has anyone noticed that, when they bring insights about teams or matches from here - either their own or others - to discussions in pubs or at matches, you can see that the game is so much higher on here? I am not sure that that level of nerdiness is something to be proud of but it certainly keeps my head above water when I need to look good as a coach

[Gambrinus]

OTF'er of The Tournament (Golden Keyboard)

Mertesacker Emptiness.

[Tactical Genius]

OTF'er of The Tournament (Golden Keyboard)

To be honest, I have not posted much during the world cup.
I have enjoyed reading the usual suspects and have been surprised and very impressed by Taylors tactical insight.

[Tactical Genius]

OTF'er of The Tournament (Golden Keyboard)

dalliance wrote:

Dear god no. I'm sure plenty of people contributed more useful stuff than me but TG's stuff was a mismatch of contradictory nonsense more inspired by endless gloating over England's demise rather than any decent attempt to analyse why.

His suggestion that the criticism of certain players would be racially motivated was a disgrace, his suggestion that I should be tarred with the same brush because I commented that Heskey, Lennon and SWP had shocking tournaments still rankles.

I have done well with such claims over the past month, I was also accused of this for daring to suggest that the Turkish League was not world class. What a slur against a country, its people, its football and perhaps even the entire Muslim world that evidently was.

Just re-read this and I have a few comments.

1. I don't know what contradictory mismatches you are on about as when I am more than prepared to respond to any challenges to my tactical analysis as you know. Feel free to provide examples.

2. As to scapegoating of black players, I stand by my comments, see the reaction to the Heskey retirement and the blaming of him for England's poor performance.
I never advocated you be tarred by any brush. I did ask you why you slaughtered Heskey for choosing to cross when in a position to shoot yet failed to make any mention of Gerrard doing the same thing in the same position a few minutes later.
I still await the reply.

Why on earth. I know I keep saying I told you so. But that's because I can see England's poor performances coming a mile off and until the problems with the English game are tackled.

[dalliance]

OTF'er of The Tournament (Golden Keyboard)

As to scapegoating of black players, I stand by my comments, see the reaction to the Heskey retirement and the blaming of him for England's poor performance.

What reaction to the Heskey retirement? Who blamed him for England's poor performance?