erzamacaroonbars

Oh dear! After singing the praises of Howard Webb...... I thought he was a bit soft, I think he was desperate not to show red cards but van Bommer, De Jong and Puyol should all have gone before Heitiger. I agree that it was a terrible game to referee, the Dutch simply wanted to stop Spain, they were a disgrace to the memory of 74 and 78. Spain have been the best team around for 2 or 3 years now, so it was good to see them win!

Its my Mum, but she's not 80 for another couple of years!

Not convinced about the black socks but I like the top ! Good job I think Puma !

Howard Webb is easily the best referee at the World Cup and fully deserves this, not a bad season for him, hampions League final and now this - well done to him (even if he is English).

I sort of agree van Bommel is a thug and Robbens is a cheat and van Persie has been hopeless. However, Dirk Kuyt works his socks off for the team and Scheider is genuinely world class! The Dutch should have won it in 74 and possibly 78 so third time lucky. I do think Spain are the best team in Europe on their day so I don't really know who I want to win! I will be getting up at 4 am to watch though!

There you go then and Ballarat must be the most convenient place for all these Thistle fans to meet - now there's a statement I didn't think I'd ever make. If it was a Jags convention I'd travel, infact "I would walk 500 miles......" (that would still take me just round the corner a bit).

I think it looks no bad! Having said that I liked the tartan Scotland shirt (and whisper it the tartan Morton shirt - sorry!)

That has just depressed me! and confirmed imo that our board are in it for their egos and not necessarily the best interests of the Club. What would I give to be able to buy a meaningful share in the Jags - well I'd at least hand over the wife's housekeeping!

Seems to be a lack of faith in bringing in the young guys! Maybe McCall will start the season with a couple of the young lads?

What's Roughie doing nowadays?

I doubt Suarez had time to think about his actions, although it did look more deliberate than an instinctive action. He was punished by the rules of law as they currently stand, perhaps if its s certain goal that has been stopped the goal should be awarded and the player sent off rather than a penalty! Australia got caught out this way although Kewell did not intend to handle and the penalty was scored. Anyway, I would like to see the Dutch win, they should have won in 1974 and 1978, perhaps they will this time even though this generation is nowhere near as good as either of the sides in these previous final appearances.

As far as I can recall Hodgeson has a good record with all the domestic clubs he has been with (apart from Blackburn). I think he has won domestic championships a few times! I think he is the sort of manager that deserves a job like this.

Congratulations to all at Stirling Albion, the way to go!

Can't really count McLeish's report as interference as nothing at all will happen as a result of it, the same way as nothing at all happened about any of the other major reports into Scottish Football. We must remember at all times the only rule is keep the Old Firm happy.

Hodgeson has a 3 year contract, if he is given the time I think he will be an excellent manager, apart from a very short spell at Blackburn he has been a major success everywhere else he has managed! Good luck to him!

I think if they wanted to sing it they should have asked all the other bits of GB very nicely, in that Maggie Thatcher tone with head tilted to one side, if we minded very much! Of course the answer is YES - its not the English anthem and just because you seem to think England = Great Britain, doesn't make it right. I also think Howard Webb is an excellent referee and should definately get the Final!

Interesting collection of views here! I am one of those 9 out of 10 who have a chip on their shoulder, I like having a chip on my shoulder and I think I may be getting another one on the other shoulder. However, I agreee that fans shouldn't boo the national anthems, but also agree that England show extreme arrogance in using GSTQ in the first place. It is the British national anthem, England are not there as representatives of Britain but just themselves, it would be played even if all home nations were present. Jerusalem is another pointless dirge with sod all the do with England and Rule Brittania, well the clue is in the title (its not English). Perhaps a selection of Chas n' Dave hits would be most appropriate! Seriously though I do wish England would choose their own song, a sdong for England not for Britain! Apart from the commentators and press, it is just this sort of unthinking arrogance that grates on the rest of the British Isles. In my opinion.

Agree with comment above! Contact is not neecessary, its all about intent! I would have sent them both off also!

I wanted England to win this game right up until Lampard didn't score, I haven't laughed so much in years. Uberbeeb has it spot on, 44 years of hurt, where are the Russian linesmen when you need them. Overall in my opinion, England didn't deserve any better, they didn't really deserve to get out of the group stage. I can't really explain their crapness, on paper a midfiels of Gerrard, Lampard, Barry and Milner looks pretty decent but they were all hopeless. Lampard can take free kicks but contributes nothing else, Milner hangs around on the wings and every now and again gets a fairly decent cross, Barry was found out and Gerrard is just a passenger playing wide! I was especially peased that ex-Captain Fantastic showed up to be the big diddy he is, cost them three out of four goals. I pretty much agree with the other posts, England were never good enough, their peak was 8 years ago but they blew it its back to the drawing board, I really hope they sack Capello and appoint Rednapp as boss, now that would be funny! Well, I felt my support out of a clearly misguided sense of duty would help but I now feel very relaxed and can enjoy the rest of the tournament. C'moan the Argies!

I thought it was an awful game. Brazil were too good for Portugal in terms of posesssion and the whole game degenerated into cowardly and spiteful fouls. The referee was spot on initially but should have issued more cards and a few reds also. The Brazilians are the masters of cynical fouling and the wee guy Pepe for Portugal was as dirty and cynical as anything I've seen and all his fould were committed from behind the opponent a real coward. The officials are getting bad press for all the cards but its the players who committed the acts and if that had resulted in less than 7 players on one side then so be it! Imaging a game having to be abandoned in the World Cup, who would be to blame - only the players in this game I'm afraid.

Had to smile at wee fat Gattuso running around rying to kick everything that moved but failing. If the Italians had put as much effort into creating chances as they did into falling over, they would have won the group easily!

Interesting article about Puma, I often get the impression that football shirt designers are taking the piss, just to see if fans will buy the bizzare creations. The Thistle camouflage top is dreadful and the Scotland sttempt is a good example of some smart ares having too much time on hi/her hands! As somebody famous once said Keep It Simple Stupid!

Poor Dougie, all the bus organising was making his hair fall out! The lad deserves a break, he's been organising that bus for longer than Chris Erskines hooter!

Yes indeed I was George W Bush's foreign secretary, well I told him where to drop the bombs! Solvakia, Slovenia, Serbia, its all the same place really, a bit like Greenock, Gourock and Port Glasgow, except nicer! I have slagged off New Zeland for being poor and I think they are terrible but I rejoice in their success, how a country that doesn't have a professional football league get a team out that can draw with Italy if fantastic. France are a complete disgrace, there is no punishment that can be enough for that gathering of egotistical fools. African children dying of food shortages and multi-millionaire not wanting to train as they are in a huff with the coach. Quite how Domaneche remained coach is a mystery antway and his refusal to shake hands with South Africa's manager probably says it all about what is wrong with football. So France are poor, England poor, Italy poor, lets hear it for the All Whites, Soth Africas etc and the teams that go and play with their heart and not for a bonus!

Not sure what the above post means but I sat and watched England last night (at 2 am), although it was a better performance than previous it wasn't any great shakes. Slovenia were desperate, even worse than New Zeland. England were alot better than them and should have scored several. I really, really hope England don't get to the final, most of the remaining teams are playing better than them, but I do have to say if there is only one team I would like to see England beat (and there is only one team I like to see England beat), its Germany! I hate their cynical play, just as bad as any South American/Italian. So for one night only, I will find myself cheering England (now if that doesn't jinx them!!!!)