DoofersDad

Someone remarked today that the World Cup was turning out a bit like the 2nd World War. The French were defeated early, the Italians are running off home having achieved nothing, the Yanks have left it late in getting involved and so it's down to the English to take on the Germans.

New Zealand could do what Scotland did a few years ago and become the only unbeaten side in the competition. I hope that doesn't happen because that would probably mean Germany would win the cup.

Enjoyed watching Japan tonight.

You got the numbers right, just a little bit jumbled up - final set finished 70 - 68. The equvalent of playing roughly 18 sets of tennis in 11 hours 5 minutes. Mahut looked fresh right through until he lost when the big Yank went from looking dead on his feet to being full of it, til the commentator asked him how he was looking forward to his doubles match in 30 minutes. Thanks for the correction. I can't cope with such big numbers.

Isner won today 78 - 60. I don't think Mahut had time to warm up properly.

59 games all when bad light stopped play. Apparently the final set alone has lasted longer than any other entire match in the history of the game. It's quite astonishing. I watched quite a bit of it and the quality of the play was remarkably high. The French guy must have put more effort into this single match than the entire French World Cup squad combined put into their 3 matches.

I feel a bit uncomfortable about the mixed messages this gives. One the one hand we tell children not to talk to strange men and then we tell some poor kid to hold hands with Wayne Rooney! Whatever the arguments about that, I just don't see the point. If the idea is to give the kids a great memory then why not let then run onto the pitch a couple of minutes before the teams appear and kick a ball into the net in front of 60,000 supporters who would cheer each time the ball trickled over the line. That would be much more fun than holding hands with Wayne.

Another battling draw as England remain unbeaten in the Group of Death

The Irish must have mixed emotions. Good to see France get gubbed but the fact that they were so poor and seem to have so little desire to be there must surely have grated with the Irish to whom being there would have meant so much. The lack of passion shown by the French was just unbelievable - whoever takes over as the new coach should start from scratch and not let any of that shower pull on the national shirt again. After tomorrow night it might be difficult being English but at least I will have the consolation of not being French. On a more positive note it was good positive play from all the winning sides today and that bodes well for the knock out stages.

Is this the consensus? I thought it's been a pretty decent WC, so far. One or two duff matches but pretty decent overall. Doofer's Mum thinks the World Cup is very disappointing - but that's because she had to cut the lawn whilst I watched the South Africa game last night.

Disappointing to see so many South African supporters leaving early from the match tonight. It's the world cup for heaven's sake! Seeing so many leaving early must have been just the kind of inspiration their team needed. Uruguay looked pretty decent though. One of the few plusses in an otherwise disappointing World Cup so far.

Couldn't agree more.

By the way, Chick Young's Brazilian name is Childo. I just report the fact but make no comment

Have they also mentioned that 1966 was the only other year North Korea have qualified for the finals?

Having seen Maradonna score using that tactic in a previous World Cup, the lad must have been hoping to become a national hero.

So you support ICT for a laugh then? Oh I see where you're going. I was actually commenting on the link, above me. As for ICT, I support ICT as they are my local team. I have supported them since I bought my humble abode in Inverness 14 years ago. When I was mocking Scottish football I was talking about the national team. Unlike the national team, ICT actually win things. :D Sorry to play devil's advocate here, Oz, but on that basis is the Scotland National team not your local national side now that you've moved here? Should you not support Scotland now? Why? I'm not Scottish, I have never claimed to be. I merely live here. If you moved to America would you support them and give up your allegience to Scotland? If I lived my life according to your logic I would have had to change my "team" a hell of a lot as I have lived in several countries during my time in the Army. As it happens I have a strong leaning towards Scotland and most things Scottish. It's not that straightforward. You're not an Invernesian so why support ICT? Why continue to support the national side of your birth but not the club side of the town you were born in? - maybe you do support your home town side but who would you want to win if they played ICT? This is really just an observation because I have been in Scotland for more than half my life and will always support England over Scotland but would support ICT over Aston Villa any day. Is there any logic in this? Probably not. We support who we support for whatever reason and people should respect that. Let's not take or give offense or criticise others' choices, but lets enjoy some banter about the choices we make and enjoy the World Cup both on and off the pitch.

So you support ICT for a laugh then? Oh I see where you're going. I was actually commenting on the link, above me. As for ICT, I support ICT as they are my local team. I have supported them since I bought my humble abode in Inverness 14 years ago. When I was mocking Scottish football I was talking about the national team. Unlike the national team, ICT actually win things. :D Sorry to play devil's advocate here, Oz, but on that basis is the Scotland National team not your local national side now that you've moved here? Should you not support Scotland now?

The BBC may be sending Chick Young to South Africa for the World Cup, but are they bringing him back after?

To be honest, I've got a bad feeling about this world cup. I think the general standard will be poor and that England will go out at the first stage and that therefore I will have to endure the jibes of Scottish supporters who will conveniently ignore the fact that their team failed to qualify in the first place. But then I didn't think ICT would get promoted. I look forward to being proved wrong - again.

Scotland on their way to winning..............Oh, nothing, as usual. Oh and by the way it's a penalty not a penatly. When was the last time england won anything ? Its because of people like you that I hope england dont get past the group stages . With the World cup just a few days away I can see this site livening up again. Let's all hope that England don't go out too early so that we can keep the banter going well into July :P

I take it that TB will not be signing the Son's keeper as cover for Esson. Not to take anything away from Bobby of course.

10 minutes each way and then 70 minutes to shake hands with everyone.

Great news. If everyone can be persuaded to sign it sends out a really good message to those TB wants to bring in that this is a good place to be. It will also mean that we need to bring fewer players in and that will allow a more focussed approach. This should allow the momentum of last season to be kept going.

Good suggestion.

Ross County. Team of the year? That's like saying the BNP are the political party of the year. They got the 5th most votes in the election and like County won nothing.