oh you're so just smart and quite the soccer pundit aren't you, traveler.

i guess you've completely forgotten about 2002 then when we dominated germany in the quarterfinals before they went on to lose to brazil (who we had on the ropes in the confederations cup this summer) in the final.

anything can happen, traveler. we're underdogs obviously but we've got fitness and speed and that can count for a lot with a little luck thrown in.

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Not really, but other people seem to think so... I don't even really follow the game anymore, i have grown t hate it, haha.

I remember 02, and i thought we might well do better because of the geographical conditions being better in Japan and South Korea for our liking, and it showed, because not only did we do well but so did South Korea, and the likes of France, Italy etc, really struggled.

Germany had an easy group playing the Saudi's and what not, and got where they did because of an excellent kepper, and when he messed up in the final so did the entire team...

As for the conf cup, i watched the final, and on both of our goals i was talking out loud at the time "on the counter, cut the ball back in, play it in to Donavan, cut in on your right side and play it under the keeper etc", literally as it was happenning, expecting them to score, and then saying even after the second goal "i expect us to lose".

Again, some of the heat conditions helped in SA and will do again in next year's tournament, but i don't see us doing well at all.

Maybe, but remember in 06? We had Italy in our group and we were the only team capable of holding them in a match in that tournament, and we did well. We got no luck in a group of deatn and were ranked 4th in the world. We had a goal disallowed for offside rules in the Italy match that was never offside in a million years...that's when we were good and capable of winning.

Now? Not so much. (Relying on a six goal swing to get out of the group stages is less likely to happen next year.)

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now that davies won't be playing we will be extremely lucky to get out of the group stage. he was a game changer and will be sorely missed. i hope he recovers fully and understand that soccer is probably not his highest priority right now.

so...what you're saying is that i'm right? we can win it?

we're a lot better than we were in 06...and even in 02.

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"My country is the world, and my religion is to do good." --Thomas Paine

is it for sure that he won't be playing? have they released any details of his injuries yet?

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"My country is the world, and my religion is to do good." --Thomas Paine

I don't think we can, but like you said we are the underdogs, and with a bit of luck...i mean we coul make the quarters or maybe even the Semi's but its a real long shot.

For a start we don't even know what group we'll get, i mean if we get another group of death like 06....

One thing though, especially this year, in our favor, is that big name nations, like Argentina, Portugal, France, the Czecks etc, may not get through, opening the path for us.

Though on the flip side to that, given their abysmal route to the finals in SA next year, they may get second seed rankings, so there could be several groups with top seed teams like Brazil, Spain, Germany and Italy, and those same groups could well have France, Portugal, Argentina etc.

If we end up in one of those groups, i think we're finished...(remember the group in last year's European championships with Holland, France and Italy?) What chance did Romania ever have...

I don't agree there. I think we were excellent in 06 and should have qualified for the second round.

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Goes to show what i know, i had to run a quick search to even find out what had happened, didn't know anything abiut the crash!

It said he had a damaged fibia and lacerated bladder which caused him to be air lifted to hospital for emergency surgery. So long as he hasn't permanently damaged his bladder or kidneys he should be OK to return before the WC, and according to the Doctors he is doing very well.

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yes it's for certain. he had a lot of injuries, broken leg in multiple places, ruptured bladder, broken elbow, multiple facial bones broken. the doc said something like it's going to be 6-12 months before he can even begin to rehab. it possible he won't ever play again, unfortunately. he was just a bright young star, something like 4 goals in 18 games. really the striker we've all been waiting for

not sure if i am allowed to post links but this is from the us men's website:

" Davies suffered a lacerated bladder and fractures to the tibia and femur bones in his right leg. He also suffered facial fractures and a left elbow fracture. Davies was air-lifted to the hospital where a team of doctors first repaired a ruptured bladder and then inserted titanium rods in both the tibia, the bone in the lower leg, and the femur, which is the thigh bone, with no complications. Davies will be hospitalized for at least a week and additional surgeries will be required to stabilize his left elbow fracture and possibly the facial fractures.



“Injuries of this nature usually require a recovery period of six to 12 months and extensive rehabilitation,” said U.S. Soccer physician Dr. Dan Kalbac, who is with the team in D.C. and collaborated with the treating doctors. ”Due to Charlie’s fitness level, his prognosis for recovery and his ability to resume high-level competition is substantially improved.” "

Hmmm the reports i read didn't say anything about a broken elbow. They said he would miss the entire French season but not that he would be out beyond April or so next year.

They said he might well be able to start physiotherapy early next year.

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Yeah, sure you can, its allowed. (So long as its not Spam of course).

Looking at this, its saying that a year or so would be required, as a worst case scenario to get him to a state of recovery which seems too long, so he may well indeed miss the WC.

Of course being able to walk and function day to day is not enough to play in thw WC, as you have to be immensley fit and active.

Looks like he will miss the WC. (My wishes for him to make a speedy recovery).

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well since the wc isn't until july, it seems to me like he might still be able to play (with some luck). who knows if he'll be able to return to form though. he and jozy were supposed to be our guys...

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"My country is the world, and my religion is to do good." --Thomas Paine

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"My country is the world, and my religion is to do good." --Thomas Paine

yeah, it's been a joy to watch him and jozy develop together. i don't mean to rain on anyone's parade...no one is more bummed than me that he won't be playing but if i'm wrong i will very happily eat crow. even if he were somehow able to come back there's just no way he would be the same player that quickly. hopefully he one day regains his form.

"Alexandre Lacombe, president of French club Sochaux, where Davies plays, says: "We are all in shock. The American federation was exemplary and informed us of all the events. Regrettably, his dream of South Africa has gone away and his career might be in danger. All our thoughts at FC Sochaux are with Charlie." (Thanks to French journalist Sebastien Daucourt for his assistance with this comment.)"

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/soc...=soccerinsider

Getting him match fit might be a struggle though. If he keeps recovering at the rate he is, he should be walking before the end of the year (allbeit on crutches) and he should be able to travel a bit to get some of his normal day to day life back together. But he bladder has to make a full recovery which is key...he can't play otherwise.

But this is all of course assuming that he wasn't to blame for the accident, in which case he will be sitting in jail more than likely.

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