The Yak Shack Forum

Well the latest FIFA world rankings are out and the US is ranked 5th in the world and England is ranked 9 :P

Can't wait for the World Cup

I can't wait either!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D

Enjoy it whilst you can guys - it won't last... ;D

Australia 44....

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

 :-X _{You're probably right! ::)} :-X

I'm not sure quite what you're looking at Becks - but the one I saw has France in 5th position - a tonne of nations tied at 6th and then (because of the tie) England below at 9...

Is the US now conjoined with France?... well I never ;D you guys forgive quick!

Here it is Roz,
Plus and minus being movement from last rankings, you are right on the ties but that was the last rankings:
http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/5414768

FIFA MARCH RANKINGS

1  Brazil  835  -- 
2  Czech Rep.  789  -- 
3  Netherlands  788  -- 
4  Argentina  765  -- 
5  USA  764  +1 
6  Spain  763  -- 
7  Mexico  762  -1 
8  France  760  -3 
9  England  756  -- 
10  Portugal  755  -- 
11  Turkey  743  -- 
12  Italy  738  -- 
12  Nigeria  738  -- 
14  Denmark  736  -- 
15  Cameroon  726  +1 
16  Sweden  725  -1 
17  Egypt  714  -- 
18  Japan  712  -- 
19  Iran  705  +3 
19  Croatia 

Given the woeful performance of England recently, I am not surprised ;)

Just remember guys, these rankings mean little on the pitch ;)

Roz:

I almost lost my dinner reading your post about France and the U.S. being conjoined!!!   :P   Have not forgiven nor have not forgotten!   >:D

Yeah, and we just got beaten by France in the Cricket too... LOL it's all good fun ;D

You lost to FRANCE in CRICKET? Surely you jest! :rofl:

Umm yes - our team are in India... so unless the French are there too then there might be a bit of trouble playing them ;)

 :-[ I haven't been following your boys, been keeping tabs on our lot in South Africa! I'm slightly sleep deprived, explaining why a French cricket team suddenly materialised in my foggy, sleepy mind ;)

I think it looks great and all that the US are sitting in fifth in the world.  But that doesn't change the fact that we are doomed in Germany this summer.

Even if we somehow make it out of our group (Italy, Ghana, and Czech Republic), we will most likely be rewarded with a first round game against Brazil.  Those guys are real loafers... :rofl:

As much as I'm looking forward to the WC, I can't imagine US is going to duplicate their run in 2002.

You think that you have a bad group... our group consists of Brazil, Japan and Croatia :P

I was talking to a football nut who told me that the number of friendly matches you play adds to the points that you gain... so all you have to do to get to the top is 1. Play a zillion matches with New Zealand or 2. Duplicate the Brazilian national team

I think their is a limit on the number of friendly matches a team can play each year.  Otherwise, as you said, one would just play terrible teams very often in friendly matches.  Now the FIFA world rankings are the officially recognized ones, I know that their are some others that take count other factors in and some people consider to be more superiour.

I know you guys got a bad draw with Brazil, which will easily take one of the advancing seeds.

However, we really got screwed over because the US (as a top 8 team) deserved to get any easy bracket.  Despite the fact that Czech Republic is ranked second in the world, they weren't seeded highly as a World Cup team because they did not qualify last year.  We all know that Italy can bring it.  So I'm worried that Italy and Czech Republic are going to split their games and just ride into the first round together. 

Ghana isn't a slouch either, being one of the top teams in Africa.  So we are definetly going to have to play well to get out of this years so called "Group of Death"

When does the World Cup start?  I am a huge fan, but admit, I haven't looked up any dates yet :-[  I know it is coming up though.

I also admit that I likr Argentina.  Don't know why, I just do :P  I know 4 years ago they didn't make it far, but that doesn't stop me from being a fan.

Don't get me wrong, I cheer for the US too ;)

Here you go Sara!! I had to Google (because I didn't know either  ::) )
It begins June 9th!!  ;D

http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/w/schedule.html

You may enjoy this:

                        THE SLAP

Sitting together on a train, traveling through the Swiss Alps, are a French guy,
an American guy, an old Greek lady, and a young blonde Swiss girl.


The train goes into a dark tunnel and a few seconds later there is the sound of a loud slap.
When the train emerges from the tunnel, the Frenchman has a bright red hand print on his cheek.
No one speaks...

The old lady thinks: The Frenchman must have groped the blonde in the dark, and she slapped his cheek.

The blonde thinks: That Frenchman must have tried to grope me in the dark, but missed and fondled the old lady and she slapped his cheek.

The Frenchman thinks: The American must have groped the blonde in the dark. She tried to slap him but missed and got me instead.

The American thinks: I can't wait for another tunnel, so I can smack that Frenchman again.

Hahahaha!  Excellent!  My co-workers had to ask me why I suddenly burst out laughing.  I love it.

This reminds me of all the French War jokes

I believe Ross Perot said that "Going to war without the French is like going hunting without an accordian"

and then I also believe that Scrwartzcoff said, "In a battle I'd rather have the French in front of me then behind me."

Sorry, don't mean to turn this into a nation bashing thread.  But I imagine some good international ribbing can't hurt with the coming World Cup.......

Thanks Jackie!  I can't wait!

WOW!! How much do World Cup athletes get paid anyway?  :o
I just found this:

http://my.earthlink.net/article/top?guid=20060510/44616540_3ca6_15526200605101745991861

I wish they showed a picture!!  >:(

Never mind!!! Googled it!! ;D

http://www.theolympian.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060415/SPORTS/604150320/1002/SPORTS

Right, so this puts you way above Italy - so in theory your next match is a walk in the park... right?

Anyone just watch the Agentina match beat Serbia 6-0

Cheers

Paul