Topics

31

Football / Bahrain record in Asia Cup 2004

« on: November 11, 2005, 12:01:57 PM »

Howdy,
Much has been said by the Bahrainian posters about there record in the Asia Cup 2004 and how they got there.

Here is there record:
In qualifying while they scored goals they still finished second to IRAQ!. Yes IRAQ in 2003 with no football infrastructure. To make it worse while they beat IRAQ resoundingly 1-0 at home, they LOST to IRAQ 5-1 in Malaysia. Yes IRAQ not Iran. We are not one letter off IRAQ!

In the first round the won one game and tied 2 to finish second behind China. There only win was versus Indonesia 3-2. They had ties versus China and Qatar.

In the second round they won 4-3 on penalties after a 2-2 draw. In the third round they lost to eventual champions Japan 4-3 and for third place they lost 4-2 to Iran.

Nice record.

32

Football / Bahrain writer full of confidence

« on: November 10, 2005, 08:38:05 PM »

Howdy folks,
This was written in the Gulf Daily News on October 19th.

Courageous take on the carefree...

Let's keep this strictly between us, but I think Bahrain has a psychological advantage in its final playoff showdown against Trinidad and Tobago for two reasons.

First, as Bahrain play the first-leg in Port-of-Spain, they can travel to the Caribbean island a week (or more) in advance to acclimatise before the crucial match on November 12.

Even a draw in the first-leg can be considered as half the battle won.

Second, Trinidad, on the other hand, will have only three days to travel halfway across the globe, reach Bahrain, and another time zone (in the process lose about seven hours), and get used to desert conditions here before the crunch second-leg on November 16.

Bahrain will also be making the same journey, and losing the same amount of time and energy, agreed; but they will be making a welcome return home and be playing in conditions most suitable to them.

I think, the same holds good in the case of Australia who play their first-leg at Montevideo against Uruguay in another playoff on November 12, before making a long-winding journey for the second-leg to be played at home in Sydney three days later.

I have another reason to give Bahrain the advantage; my gut feeling following their heart-warming performance in the second-leg against Uzbekistan which was in keeping with their 'steady upward trajectory'.

On that day, Bahrain were clearly dominant, and came close to scoring at least three goals in the first five minutes.

Their attacking style was free of frills, but effective and defensive tactics reassuring; and their overall strategy - to go for goals - a timely reminder of their confidence level at a crucial stage in their patient and painstaking odyssey for a first-ever berth in the World Cup.

At another level, the final playoff is shaping into a mouth-watering prospect - carefree Carribeans against courageous Bahrainis; a clash of different sporting cultures contrasting into a delightful showpiece.

The Carribeans are natural athletes having produced top class sprinters (Ato Boldon), cricketers (Brian Lara) and NBA professionals (Carl Herrera of Spurs). Some of their soccer players too have European pedigrees (Dwight Yorke who played for Manchester United and Russell Latapy based in Scotland).

Bahrain does not have such big names, but only players with big hearts ready to play for national pride alone.

That is my final and most pertinent point as I rest my case.

33

Football / New players

« on: November 06, 2005, 10:31:55 PM »

Howdy,

Just a random thought. When T&T makes it to the World Cup I wonder how many players in Europe of T&Tdesent  will suddenly  start declearing there interest in playing for T&T?

Marc

34

Football / Jamaica Cop out not sell out

« on: November 02, 2005, 04:01:03 PM »

Howdy,
In the past few days I have been a little angry with the whole Jamaica/Bahrain mess that Uncle Jack has gotten himself into.

Somehow Jamaica playing Bahrain a few days before their play-off match with T&T in Uncle Jack's mind shows that Jamaica is selling out to the Dessert Boys.

That is a load of donkey crap. That game with Jamaica would have been a perfect time to truly scout Bahrain and determine there weaknesses. In addition a few knocks from our Jamaican cousins could add to the pressure to Bahrain team who are short on experiance with teams from this side of the Atlantic.

One could imagine the confidence outage that Bahrain would have suffered had Jamaica put a few past them.

Instead under the misguided belief that Bahrain playing Jamaica for money that is needed in the JFF program somehow is a blow to regional unity. That nonsense is further backed up Captain Burrell. He andf Jack Warner has short changed the fans of Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and cost the JFF some vital dollars.

Just before I leave I wonder if the BFF would have complained had T&T played  Saudi Arabia sometime next week.

Good to be back.

Marc

35

Football / Compare the two teams in Qualifying

« on: November 01, 2005, 10:42:40 PM »

Trinidad
http://www.tsn.ca/soccer/feature.asp?fid=9023

Bahrain
http://www.tsn.ca/soccer/feature.asp?fid=8879

36

Football / Where in Toronto

« on: November 01, 2005, 10:36:27 PM »

Where in Toronto can I watch the game Nov 12th.

Marc