World Cup 2026

[I Bent My Wookie]

@Retro Red I definitely wrote it wrong or jumbled as hell. I meant more for example if Group Js 4th place drew 3 times but Group Ks 3rd place won 1 game by a high amount then 2 games lost by a big amount. Meaning realistically that the 8th best 3rd place team would still technically be worse than a 4th place team by goal difference. 

It was a very pedantic and poorly wrote suggestion by me but thanks for attempting to answer 😂 

[Retro Red]

Totally get it, just grows arms and legs though.  3rd place in a group of death could technically be lower than 4th in a relatively easier group, I think the very presence of this sort of debate shows it’s not a good idea to have this 3rd place qualification route at all.

We were out after the Brazil game, the days following have just been family watching a loved one slip away holding on to the faintest of hope that the odds will be defied, but knowing at heart they won’t. Fairly sure the club teams would have preferred their players back for pre season training too instead of almost a week of limbo.

[I Bent My Wookie]

4 minutes ago, Retro Red said:

Totally get it, just grows arms and legs though.  3rd place in a group of death could technically be lower than 4th in a relatively easier group, I think the very presence of this sort of debate shows it’s not a good idea to have this 3rd place qualification route at all.

We were out after the Brazil game, the days following have just been family watching a loved one slip away holding on to the faintest of hope that the odds will be defied, but knowing at heart they won’t. Fairly sure the club teams would have preferred their players back for pre season training too instead of almost a week of limbo.

I'm pretty sure Kieran Tierney doesn't train anymore and they can frankly keep Anthony Ralston in the MLS so I'm not too fussed about any of my lot being knackered. 

5 of my rabble are still out there to be fair for another game at least and I'd rather have all of them back first 😂 

[neil]

I went to the Norway - France match yesterday. I was surprised and disappointed that Norway didn't play their strongest team. I get some of the reasons, but you have a player competing for golden boot, you could win the group, and yeah sure you probably would've lost anyway and what if someone got injured, but like Norway is only going to go so far in the tournament anyway....why not put the best team out every match?

I went in supporting them, ended up appreciating France a lot more for playing a strong side. I hope the Ivory Coast beat their "well rested" players.

[SuperBacon]

England bought on Jordan Henderson. In 2026. Not so sure they'll win the World Cup you know.

[Tamura]

I do wish they'd stop filming John Terry in the crowd. You just know the full kit wanker has his shinpads in his luggage just in case...

[I Bent My Wookie]

Steve Clarke has resigned. And the answer to what is the best possible outcome for Scotland has happened. 

[RedTwoster]

7 hours ago, I Bent My Wookie said:

Steve Clarke has resigned. And the answer to what is the best possible outcome for Scotland has happened. 

I’m curious as to who they’ll appoint. At the moment David Moyes and Ange Postecoglu are the bookie’s favourites, but I can’t see the SFA shelling out enough money to land either. Plus, things are going well for Moyes at Everton, why would he swap that for the pressure that comes with being Scotland manager?

Personally, I’d prefer to see them take the Gareth Southgate or Craig Bellamy approach and appoint someone younger to the role - or the under 21 manager, Scott Gemmill. Someone like Darren Fletcher, Barry Ferguson or Kenny Miller (although Miller is doing well in his current job so might be unwilling to switch)

But hey, we’ll see. There’s certainly no obvious choice.

[Daaaaaad!]

Scot Gemmill must not be allowed to take that job. He has constantly and consistently underperformed for the U21’s and is as big a part of the problem as anyone. I don’t want him failing upwards. 

Hard to see who’d want it. Even harder to think who would be progressive enough to make some real change. But it was definitely the right time to go and if Clarke decided to resign rather than be pushed, I do retain that bit more respect for him. 

[I Bent My Wookie]

Darren Fletcher would be a horrible choice, if only because his son(a) are actually quite good at football but I don't need the nepotism conversation every round of games. 

It'd be interesting to test the resolve if someone like Alex Neil at Millwall and see if he's willing to move on after missing promotion again. 

Personally I'd like to see Scott Brown and Barry Ferguson reboot the Walter Smith and Tommy Burns odd couple approach, but only if it's linked to a WWE Unreal style mockumentary where they also have to live together and maybe also solve crimes. 

Edited June 28 by I Bent My Wookie

[RedTwoster]

47 minutes ago, I Bent My Wookie said:

Darren Fletcher would be a horrible choice, if only because his son(a) are actually quite good at football but I don't need the nepotism conversation every round of games. 

To be honest, that’s why I’d want him - if he can secure his two extremely talented sons for the national team, it’s a win from my perspective…

Ultimately, Southgate didn’t seem like a great choice at the time and it worked out very well. I obviously don’t expect the new manager to reach finals like Southgate did, but I’d like to see someone who is unafraid to blood in form players and younger players who are performing well.

47 minutes ago, I Bent My Wookie said:

Personally I'd like to see Scott Brown and Barry Ferguson reboot the Walter Smith and Tommy Burns odd couple approach

Scott Brown is an excellent shout actually, I’d be completely on board with that. I’d not be against David Gray either. Rough start with Hibs, but he really turned thing around with them, building a strong, difficult to beat side.

The SFA being the SFA, I’d put money on someone like Russell Martin or Gordon Strachan.

[NeverYield]

Much better from England, still not showing as much as I'd like in terms of getting into the winning stages of the tournament, but they managed to stretch Panama and from that point you could see the goals coming.

I thought from the first goal we may have got more than 2 tbh but at least we done the job.

[Chilly McFreeze]

At least we managed to break them down, but they weren't playing a low block like Ghana, really it was Bellingham who dragged us to a win but it should have been easier.

I found it really worrying by the end. I was quite optimistic even after the Ghana game, but that back four looks terrible at the moment. 

Rashford clearly has more about him that Gordon so I hope he stays in, but he has that annoying habit of leaving it too late to pass or cross. Bellingham gave us the best bit of wing play all game.

[Lion_of_the_Midlands]

I have a real mental block when I read DR Congo, because in my head I think "Who is Doctor Congo?" Is it just me that's a racist of some sort?

[SuperBacon]

4 minutes ago, Chilly McFreeze said:

but that back four looks terrible at the moment. 

That's because it's been different every single game. How is a defence supposed to achieve consistency when it's changed every game? They just need to "Ossie Ardiles" this tournament and win games 6-5.

England were absolutely terrible again. When I said they'd played the best football of the tournament so far after the Croatia second half, I was right, but since then they've been very very bad. Squad depth is important, but when you're making so many changes (forced or otherwise) every sinhle match, it's not going to look fluid.

If by a miracle England win the tournament, it'll be because of Kane and Bellingham. The rest look shit.