Cyprus-Forum.com

[Kikapu]

I can see why Gareth Southgate is able to commiserate with the three players of the badly taken and missed penalties against Italy to himself with his badly taken and missed penalty against Germany in 1996.

Was Southgate trying to re-live the past to try to prove something to himself by allowing some of these inexperienced youngsters to take the penalties against Italy perhaps?

[Lordo]

He just did not realise that youngsters whilst having practiced for 4 hours were ok taking penalties, they may well be affected if they did not actually take part in the games and came on in the last minute to take penalties. Let’s face it he is not exactly the brightest star in the sky when it comes to football. He has one credit though; he did manage to get the players to work as a team and for each other. What he was missing was a master tactician.

[Paphitis]

I’m just talking from experience. The last time they played Australia in the Wirld Cyp they nearly had their asses handed to them.

Australia didn't play Italy in the last world cup. Here's what happened in 2018...

aust.JPG

You had your arse handed to you by all and sundry!

They played them in the 2006 world cup.

Italy won 1 - 0

But it was a game they should have lost. I remember it like yesterday. Australia was all over them and Italy were rattled and extremely lucky to win.

That's why i'm saying to you, that Italy never do so well playing against physical teams.

Put it this way, Italy are good enough to beat Greece by 4 - 0. But at the same time be on the ropes to a Physical team.

I use to play in the NPL when I was younger. Played for a Polonia - A Polish Team. In the league we had other teams like Juventus, Hellas, Croatia, Birkalla who played a similar style to us. We played a more subdued style with a 4 - 4 2 formation and we played on the floor with short passes. We relied on skill.

But the bane of our existence were the English Teams like Modbury, Salisbury and Blackwood. Oyr short pass style meets the long ball out on the wings and the crosses into the box.

Let me tell you, it was always hard playing against them and we always ended up with injured players.

[Paphitis]

Maybe Australia PAID the Italian national side to come down and play for some charity or promotional event, and maybe the Italians let you beat them to encourage football in your youth, because I can’t see you beating them in a competitive match... the possession would probably be something like:

Italy 99% - 1% Australia

It was the 2006 World Cup. Italy should have had there asses handed to them that day. No way cyprus and Greece could do that to Italy. But when theItalians play a fast and physical team with probing long balls, anything is possible.

remember the Spain Vs Australia game in the World cup. Spain were outplayed for an entire half and could have easily lost that game. In the end, it was 3 - 2 to Spain.

If it was Cyprus or Greece, they would be demolished because you will play them the way they expect an opponent to play them.

With teams like England, it's a lot more unpredictable. Football there and here in Australia isplayed at full pelt from the first whistle. Generally speaking that is. At Polonia, we had an Italian Coach who would lose it if we played off the floor. the only time we could kick in the air was when we would clear the ball, take a shot, or free kicks and corners.

we even sould rehearse every set play.

[Kikapu]

He just did not realise that youngsters whilst having practiced for 4 hours were ok taking penalties, they may well be affected if they did not actually take part in the games and came on in the last minute to take penalties. Let’s face it he is not exactly the brightest star in the sky when it comes to football. He has one credit though; he did manage to get the players to work as a team and for each other. What he was missing was a master tactician.

Let’s just say that rather than the last missed penalty was scored by the 19 year old causing a sudden death penalty shootout, who would have been the next penalty taker for England? Pickford perhaps.? For Southgate who had decided at half time to go for penalties as his best chance of winning the match, it does not seem he had prepared for it that well.

[Paphitis]

Btw Paphitis,

Remember when your football association PAID Juventus to come down and play some friendly matches with your clubs and the Italians sent just 1-2 stars and the rest were from the “B” team, including our very own Kastanos?

Well Kastanos, got a free luxury holiday to Australia, and got to hand out autographs to like 20,000 kids who didn’t even know who he was!

Was that funny or what?

http://rectanguloverde.com/wp-content/u ... stanos.jpg

I doubt it mate.

No one new anything about Kastanos down here.

How many games did he play. oh that;'s right - 0

And btw, they bought their entire squad. Why? You don't pass up the chance of playing in front of 100,000 people at the MCG.

[Paphitis]

Maybe Australia PAID the Italian national side to come down and play for some charity or promotional event, and maybe the Italians let you beat them to encourage football in your youth, because I can’t see you beating them in a competitive match... the possession would probably be something like:

Italy 99% - 1% Australia

Aussies prefer playing “football” with an egg shape ball, no?

Most popular paricipation sport is actually with the round shaped ball.

And our League is far larger than the Greek Super League these days. Attendances are high, but not so good with Covid I'm afraid. it's been the worst year ever for most sports.

But when things are normal, crowds of 55,000 are not uncommon in the A League with major derbies. And it's good to watch. Game is played quite fast, and with pace. Similar to England in many ways rather than other European leagues, on the continent. And yeh, little differentiates the bottom teams from the top. Bottom teams regularly knock off the top teams. The bottom teams are as equally funded as the top tier from the TV rights by Murdoch's Foxtel Sports which pay the A League 100 million per season and all that is split among the teams.

So all the teams have some cash to splash on players.

That's the bueraty about sports in Australia. we have so many options to watch great sport here.

[Paphitis]

Btw Paphitis,

Remember when your football association PAID Juventus to come down and play some friendly matches with your clubs and the Italians sent just 1-2 stars and the rest were from the “B” team, including our very own Kastanos?

Well Kastanos, got a free luxury holiday to Australia, and got to hand out autographs to like 20,000 kids who didn’t even know who he was!

Was that funny or what?

http://rectanguloverde.com/wp-content/u ... stanos.jpg

Are you even sure Kastanos even came to Australia?

he only played 1 game for Juve against S.P.A.L which ended up in a 2 - 1 loss. How many minutes did he get?

Kastanos never got the opportunity to play in Australia. No one even knows who he is here.

the Aussies watch the A League and are fenatical over the English Premier League. The following of the big English Clubs here like Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal, and many more is massive.

The English Premier League has a big following in Australia and speaks to the Australian psyche because it's actually entertaining football.

After that, it's the Serie A because of our Italian Community. that too has a following.

[Get Real!]

Are you even sure Kastanos even came to Australia?

he only played 1 game for Juve against S.P.A.L which ended up in a 2 - 1 loss. How many minutes did he get?

Kastanos never got the opportunity to play in Australia. No one even knows who he is here.

Shut up re Paphiti...

https://www.zimbio.com/photos/Grigoris+ ... ernational


Stop assuming in life and start RESEARCHING for once!

[Paphitis]

Are you even sure Kastanos even came to Australia?

he only played 1 game for Juve against S.P.A.L which ended up in a 2 - 1 loss. How many minutes did he get?

Kastanos never got the opportunity to play in Australia. No one even knows who he is here.

Shut up re Paphiti...

https://www.zimbio.com/photos/Grigoris+ ... ernational


Stop assuming in life and start RESEARCHING for once!

So lucky he got a game.

he would have oeed himself playing Victory in front of 80,000 people.

Get Real, I remember when Australia played Spain and lost after David Villa scored the winning goal in the 91st minute against Australia. Right after the world cup, he was bought by Manchester City for 10 million. The week after the world cup virtually, this Spanish Striker was playing for Melbourne City.

The City Group is the parent owner of Manchester City and Melbourne City. They are sister clubs joined corporately under the same Group.

I was in melbourne and saw that star play at AAMI stadium. We couldn't believe our eyes that we had a current Spanish International from Athletico Madrid playing for Melbourne City.

So dream on if you think Kastanos impresses us in the slightest.