Bahrain already playing in the World Cup

[marcpurcell]

Soccer squad make Bahrain proud... 
By Vijay Mruthyunjaya

With Bahrain just 90 minutes away from realising a long-cherished dream of playing in the World Cup, I'm already overwhelmed by the infinite possibilities awaiting the national team in Germany next year.

The end of one dream may well begin another, and mine started at 3.30am yesterday as I gave the finishing touches to the four-page GDN World Cup playoff special which carried the story of Bahrain's 1-1 draw against Trinidad and Tobago.

It was a delightful experience: realising the enormity of the achievement, and dreaming of the future possibilities.

Bahrain, for instance, being grouped with either England or France; Germany or Argentina is another exciting prospect while a match against Brazil can be a dream come true: Aal'a Hubail versus Ronaldo or Mohammed Salmeen vs David Beckham.

My favourite, however, will be to see Bahrain's wonderfully gifted goalkeeper Ali Hassan at one end and, perhaps, England's Paul Robinson or Dida of Brazil at the other at an exotic venue like Gelsenkirchen or Kaiserslautern.

At the other end, a clash between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia or South Korea, or even against Japan or Iran in a World Cup can be a fascinating duel among equals.

Or how about a clash of World Cup newcomers: Bahrain versus any of the five debutants - Ukraine, Ivory Coast, Togo, Angola or Ghana.

Even a simple draw or a narrow victory in any of the above showdowns can be as good as winning the World Cup, at least for the time being.

A lot of people have asked me for the secret behind Bahrain's unprecedented success and everytime I have said the same thing - a clear lack of fear and a strong will to overachieve.

These two factors were brilliantly on show against Trinidad, who were overwhelming favourites to win on home soil with a bunch of soccer stars.

But Bahrain played with traditional flair and fluency, and seemed well aware of the fact that they had everything to gain and very little to lose.

Their performance was not flawless, particularly after scoring in the 72nd minute, and they even let their guard down which allowed Trinidad to equalise five minutes later, but, overall, it was persevering and heartwarming.

It's now time to hail our soccer heroes, celebrate the occasion, and cherish the moment!
 

[rasajoy]

you lknow they have to do that

rasajoy

[Peong]

   Ent real men here were talkin just like this a few days ago? 

Oh yeh, we scored because they let their guard down.........

[g]

truly partizan writing, wouldn't expect much difference

[Rotato Poti]

Soccer squad make Bahrain proud... 
By Vijay Mruthyunjaya
.... My favourite, however, will be to see Bahrain's wonderfully gifted goalkeeper Ali Hassan ....

Their performance was not flawless, particularly after scoring in the 72nd minute, and they even let their guard down which allowed Trinidad to equalise five minutes later, but, overall, it was persevering and heartwarming ...

Haha ... wonderfully gifted .... he can't do his own goal kicks, he cannot HOLD ... and he get string up like a bobolee. REAL talent there sah!

Let their guard down? ... dem men was soaking up pressha WHOLE game.
Flawless, persevering and heartwarming ... how about rolling around on the ground, time wasting, injury faking, throwing the ball away, kicking the ball away, breakfoot tackles.


PROPOGANDA I tell you!!! ... Them Middle Easterners win in that department for sure!!

I wonder if AlJazeera covering this .... it must have been beaten out for top spot in the headline news by that deadly Iraqi duo .... husband and wife confession.

[Grande]

Dey in fantasy land.

[Ponnoxx]

 Let's just get on with it....Go T&T

[Jayerson]

I personally hope that their players all read and believe that they are already there. Sounds like a 1989 in the making...at least I hope it is. But on a serious note, these guys think they have us beaten. The more I reflect on the situation, the more comforted I feel. Look at it this way, if we won 1 - 0, Bahrain would come all guns blazing, instead, as it is, we will play our natural ttacking football while they will defend and counter attack as they normally do already with the mindset that they are a superior team and in the WC '06. It is not as bad as a lot of people want to make it out to be.

May the force be with the Warriors.

[real madness]

They moving like us in 1989...I hope the Bahrain players moving the same way.

[capodetutticapi]

dream..dream.. dream...................................dreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeam.....dream.. dream..dream..............................dreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeam.

[Alsalman]

that guy wants a Bahraini passport 

[JDB]

A lot of people have asked me for the secret behind Bahrain's unprecedented success

It is unprecedented that a team so shitty could reach this far without winning games.

[cm103]

They played with flair? He prob only catch d highlights

[freakazoid]

look at trouble bahrain just take with jinx. ah hope we learn though when u look too far ahead in front u could bounce u big toe( '89 and '05  1st leg) focus on d task at hand( or foot )

[Jayerson]

I will give Bahrain credit where credit is due, they played well discilpined football and were well organised at the back and in midfield. They came to get a draw and if possible an away goal, they achieved both. However to say they played with flair is WAAAAY over the top. To make it sound like they controlled the game and their only lapse resulted in a goal when in fact they scored against the run of play is extremely misleading.

[Jumbie]

I will give Bahrain credit where credit is due, they played well discilpined football and were well organised at the back and in midfield. They came to get a draw and if possible an away goal, they achieved both. However to say they played with flair is WAAAAY over the top. To make it sound like they controlled the game and their only lapse resulted in a goal when in fact they scored against the run of play is extremely misleading.

I agree... plus no one controlled that game..not even the ref who was sucking rather than blowing.

[Reggaefan]

A lot of people have asked me for the secret behind Bahrain's unprecedented success

It is unprecedented that a team so shitty could reach this far without winning games.

Are you saying Bahrain didnt win a game in the pre-playoffs? How good is this team really?

[kicker]

Are you saying Bahrain didnt win a game in the pre-playoffs? How good is this team really?

nah Bahrain is yet to win a game in their qualifying campaign.......I would like to say that they are no good, but they know how to dig out mediocre conservative results.......

[Trini]

bahrain = 1 win in 6 or 7 games.

If a team can DRAW its way to the World Cup, this will be a shame and scandal.

T&T need to put these men out of their misery.

If we cant beat them, or even manage a goal scoring draw, we want licks!

[kicker]

bahrain = 1 win in 6 or 7 games.

oops my bad, didn't realize that they won a game..........still shameful that they could get through without winning...

[Peong]

And don't forget that the team they beat was away to N. Korea, and N. Korea then went to Manama and won 3-2. 

N. Korea is ranked 86th. 

Ah tellin yuh, we goin to score some goals in Bahrain.

[Alsalman]

And don't forget that the team they beat was away to N. Korea, and N. Korea then went to Manama and won 3-2. 

N. Korea is ranked 86th. 

Ah tellin yuh, we goin to score some goals in Bahrain.

but we did not play any of our main players that game because we were already guaranteed third spot 

[JDB]

If yuh count three against Uzbekistan and the one against us it is 1 in 10.

How the ass these men does be talking about unprecented success is beyond me.

They keep talking about their asian cup performance, they come fourth and I sure that if they win two games they win plenty.

[FF]

If yuh count three against Uzbekistan and the one against us it is 1 in 10.

How the ass these men does be talking about unprecented success is beyond me.

They keep talking about their asian cup performance, they come fourth and I sure that if they win two games they win plenty.

They win one game in regulation time against Indonesia I believe it was....

[TnTVillan]

Soccer squad make Bahrain proud...
By Vijay Mruthyunjaya

With Bahrain just 90 minutes away from realising a long-cherished dream of playing in the World Cup, I'm already overwhelmed by the infinite possibilities awaiting the national team in Germany next year.

The end of one dream may well begin another, and mine started at 3.30am yesterday as I gave the finishing touches to the four-page GDN World Cup playoff special which carried the story of Bahrain's 1-1 draw against Trinidad and Tobago.

It was a delightful experience: realising the enormity of the achievement, and dreaming of the future possibilities.

Bahrain, for instance, being grouped with either England or France; Germany or Argentina is another exciting prospect while a match against Brazil can be a dream come true: Aal'a Hubail versus Ronaldo or Mohammed Salmeen vs David Beckham.

My favourite, however, will be to see Bahrain's wonderfully gifted goalkeeper Ali Hassan at one end and, perhaps, England's Paul Robinson or Dida of Brazil at the other at an exotic venue like Gelsenkirchen or Kaiserslautern.

At the other end, a clash between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia or South Korea, or even against Japan or Iran in a World Cup can be a fascinating duel among equals.

Or how about a clash of World Cup newcomers: Bahrain versus any of the five debutants - Ukraine, Ivory Coast, Togo, Angola or Ghana.

Even a simple draw or a narrow victory in any of the above showdowns can be as good as winning the World Cup, at least for the time being.

A lot of people have asked me for the secret behind Bahrain's unprecedented success and everytime I have said the same thing - a clear lack of fear and a strong will to overachieve.

These two factors were brilliantly on show against Trinidad, who were overwhelming favourites to win on home soil with a bunch of soccer stars.

But Bahrain played with traditional flair and fluency, and seemed well aware of the fact that they had everything to gain and very little to lose.

Their performance was not flawless, particularly after scoring in the 72nd minute, and they even let their guard down which allowed Trinidad to equalise five minutes later, but, overall, it was persevering and heartwarming.

It's now time to hail our soccer heroes, celebrate the occasion, and cherish the moment!
 

They gonna collapse the way we did in 1989. Dwight has said repeatedly they were in the world cup before they qualified. Same thing bahrain doing now feeling like they in the world cup.

GO SOCA WARRIORS

[Teflon Don]

yea bahrain allyuh run allyuh mouth man all i have to say is 1989 lolololol

[Brej]

alya talkin bout wc already
dont get ahead of yourself

[Jefferz]

Soccer squad make Bahrain proud... 
By Vijay Mruthyunjaya

With Bahrain just 90 minutes away from realising a long-cherished dream of playing in the World Cup, I'm already overwhelmed by the infinite possibilities awaiting the national team in Germany next year.

The end of one dream may well begin another, and mine started at 3.30am yesterday as I gave the finishing touches to the four-page GDN World Cup playoff special which carried the story of Bahrain's 1-1 draw against Trinidad and Tobago.

It was a delightful experience: realising the enormity of the achievement, and dreaming of the future possibilities.

Bahrain, for instance, being grouped with either England or France; Germany or Argentina is another exciting prospect while a match against Brazil can be a dream come true: Aal'a Hubail versus Ronaldo or Mohammed Salmeen vs David Beckham.

My favourite, however, will be to see Bahrain's wonderfully gifted goalkeeper Ali Hassan at one end and, perhaps, England's Paul Robinson or Dida of Brazil at the other at an exotic venue like Gelsenkirchen or Kaiserslautern.

At the other end, a clash between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia or South Korea, or even against Japan or Iran in a World Cup can be a fascinating duel among equals.

Or how about a clash of World Cup newcomers: Bahrain versus any of the five debutants - Ukraine, Ivory Coast, Togo, Angola or Ghana.

Even a simple draw or a narrow victory in any of the above showdowns can be as good as winning the World Cup, at least for the time being.

A lot of people have asked me for the secret behind Bahrain's unprecedented success and everytime I have said the same thing - a clear lack of fear and a strong will to overachieve.

These two factors were brilliantly on show against Trinidad, who were overwhelming favourites to win on home soil with a bunch of soccer stars.

But Bahrain played with traditional flair and fluency, and seemed well aware of the fact that they had everything to gain and very little to lose.

Their performance was not flawless, particularly after scoring in the 72nd minute, and they even let their guard down which allowed Trinidad to equalise five minutes later, but, overall, it was persevering and heartwarming.

It's now time to hail our soccer heroes, celebrate the occasion, and cherish the moment!
 

dis man go feeeeeeel reeeeeeeeeeel chupid when bahrain geh humbled at home about 2-0 ... he aint talkin bahrain's football style is best described as "Bread and butter"

[Jefferz]

AND WHAT FLAIR AND FLUENCY DEY PLAYED WIT!?

[Jah Gol]

That column was totally ridiculous. They talk about being in the World Cup already and bearly even mentioned Trinidad and Tobago.Really poor journalism there. It completely lacks objectivity. It sounds more like one of those letters to the editor.They act as if they played better than us or something. We had 2 clear cut chances that we missed. Those chances will be well compensated for on Wednesday.