Poll

[Drummer]

Heres a poll so you can decide.....

[Severus]

no matter how badly brasil are doing, they should always be considered one of the best when the chips are down.

[Drummer]

Maybe if the chips are down for 2 or 3 games , but 9 games in 23 they have lost and thats only in the last 2 years, their record has been diabolical (as a brazilian team)since they lost to France in 1998!! I agree that Brazilian International football will always be considered the most exciting , but that doesnt mean that they should always be considered a great team (current) . Argentina have probobley got the better record since they won it in 1978 (being at 3 finals and winning 2). Brazil will be back Im sure, but for the mo, they have to be considered to be at least not a top 10 team!!!!

[Severus]

fine, but i have an example for you that pertains to this particular situation. during the qualifications for the european championships in 99 we (italia) were losing to tadpoles like belgium and denmark AT HOME. going into the tourney, nobody expected us to even make it past our group because of how horribly we were playing in the events leading up to it. but what happened after ? we were 30 seconds away from winning it all. see what i mean. these futbol powers: italia, france, argentina and brasil should always be taken seriously because they always perform well when the chips are down. this is what i mean. granted, we didn't slump for 4 years like brasil are, but they still have talent and whenever a team can field the likes of a ronaldo, rivaldo, elber, cafu, emerson et al ... they should always be taken seriously.

NOW THAT'S IT !!!!!! I AM TIRED OF STICKING UP FOR THOSE USELESS MONGRELS !!!!!!!!!!

drummer stop it :D

[Drummer]

they should always be taken seriously.

i never said that they should be written off, but there position in world football is very fragile at the mo. Its like France between 1990 and 1998 were poor ( compared to the french team of the 80's). They are not a top 10 team at the mo. They are only 2nd in the rankings because FIFA will never let them slip out of the top 10 , no matter what happens. I know most people dont agree with the rankings but it doesnt mean that we have to defend the brazilians. i would never take Brazil lightly , but I would sure as hell rather play this Brazilian team then any other they have produced in a long time. I hear that Scolari uses an astrologist to help him pick the team!! they will want to replace him soon if thats the case, the Astrologist must be Argentine or something!!!!!!!!!

[001]

The rankings take into account of past games played, and as such teams are able to build a record. Brazil are flying high because of their performances pre France 98,

however you have a strong point, where Brazil only managed to scrape through to the WC and not looking so impressive at the moment,

but then as Severus says when the chips are down, its a different story.

With their potential and the players they posses anything can happen.

Qualification wise, i am not sure if i am correct about this, but Spain stormed through their Euro 2000 qualifiers, but choked in the big stage, even if they lost to the eventual winners.

I suppose you are right about...........

Brazil should be ranked outside the top 10, but then if you think about it there aren't 10 sides in the world that can genuinely say they are superior to the Brazilian national team, and would beat the NT in a COMPETITIVE match.

Certainly the Argentines deserve the top place as they are performing amazingly, with a good load of youngster developing in Aimar, Riquelme and the ever impressive Saviola, but France are no pushovers themselves.

Okay now i am mumbling, gotta stop


:D

[Garrincha]

Originally posted by Severus
... they should always be taken seriously.

NOW THAT'S IT !!!!!! I AM TIRED OF STICKING UP FOR THOSE USELESS MONGRELS !!!!!!!!!!

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahaha! :D

This was beautiful. Thank you for brightening my day, Sev; this helped cheer me up during an otherwise dreary workday (posting from work, shhh don't tell). I never imagined being called a mongrel might sound like a compliment.
:depressed :rolling: :)