Club World Cup

[Total-Football]

It was weird in the late 2000s when Egypt were dominating AFCON but couldn't even qualify for the World Cup.

Exactly ! It's like they are tailor made for Afcons.. but even that doesn't explain the qualifications problems..

However , in defense of Tunisia and Egypt they don't have a diaspora pool to mine players from like Morocco (and slightly algeria and some other African countries )

 

[Maradona37]

Thanks a lot guys (I would quote you both but it's awkward as it's the last post of the previous page and the first post of this). I am not as familiar with African football history as some other continents so would need to look into it.

But Red has given some good background info, and Total makes a good point about lacking a diaspora pool. I never even considered that.

 

[Total-Football]

Unfortunately I don’t know why either. It’s a shame though, last World Cup and 1978 were our best performances. 1 W, 1 D and 1 L.
Somehow Tunisia had the best defence in the last World Cup alongside Morocco in the group stages, just for us to score 1 goal and go out.

That striker u had (forgot the name ) was completely shit and slow ! Think that was ur main issue

 

[Total-Football]

Thanks a lot guys (I would quote you both but it's awkward as it's the last post of the previous page and the first post of this). I am not as familiar with African football history as some other continents so would need to look into it.

But Red has given some good background info, and Total makes a good point about lacking a diaspora pool. I never even considered that.

Well for current context just consider for a moment that morocco was so close to having both Yamal and diaz ! (Barca and madrid ) at once ! Diaz joined but Yamal went for Spain .

 

[RedxMAK]

That striker u had (forgot the name ) was completely shit and slow ! Think that was ur main issue

Jebali what a prat, he was so bad. We screwed up against Denmark because of his misses. And he spent most of the time on the ground, either slipping or looking for a foul. Disasterclass in selecting players by the coach (if he selected them in the first place)

 

[Maradona37]

Well for current context just consider for a moment that morocco was so close to having both Yamal and diaz ! (Barca and madrid ) at once ! Diaz joined but Yamal went for Spain .

True, I knew about Yamal, but didn't realise Diaz til he declared.

Like I said before too (and no disrespect to you as a Moroccan) - the thing is that the best players (Yamal) will play for the best team, whereas the lesser players (Diaz) will play for the side that gives them most chance of getting a game. I am sure Brahim would play for Spain if he thought he could get a game. Not because Spain is a better country than Morocco or anything, but because they are better in football (though Morocco as we know are still good). yeah I know Morocco beat them last WC but you get my point.

There are exceptions but that is generally how it works.

I am sure Lamine is extremely proud of his Moroccan heritage, but he will always choose Spain as they can win more sutff (and he already has won the Euro with them). I bet if Morocco were as good as Spain he'd have chosen Morocco.

 

[Maradona37]

In saying that Hakimi would be starting for Spain right now, so he's an exception.

It doesn't always work that way.

 

[Total-Football]

@Maradona37
Absolutely ! I don't consider either of the two to be Any less Spaniards than other Spanish players or people .. I never have any problem with players choices in those situations.

What u said is facts.. players usually rationally choose the national team based on pragmatism. But, not always the case ! Hakim ziyach at Ajax when he decided to play for Morocco could 100% have started at the Dutch team, and he did not. So the fact is there but not always

 

[Maradona37]

@Maradona37
Absolutely ! I don't consider either of the two to be Any less Spaniards than other Spanish players or people .. I never have any problem with players choices in those situations.

What u said is facts.. players usually rationally choose the national team based on pragmatism. But, not always the case ! Hakim ziyach at Ajax when he decided to play for Morocco could 100% have started at the Dutch team, and he did not. So the fact is there but not always

Yeah there are definitely exceptions. And I don't consider them less Spanish either as I believe in integration for the most part. As long as those people are law-abiding and stuff.

Birdy, me and some others had a debate at the end of last year about how nationality is becoming more fluid and transient in a 'postcolonial' world, and if international football is less clearly demarcated now. I am sure it was in the England thread when a few English guys were moaning about Tam Tuchel, a German, being England manager.

The irony is of course that back in the first half of the 20th century you could represent more than one nation. Guys like Puskas and Di Stefano did.

 

[Total-Football]

Yeah there are definitely exceptions. And I don't consider them less Spanish either as I believe in integration for the most part. As long as those people are law-abiding and stuff.

Birdy, me and some others had a debate at the end of last year about how nationality is becoming more fluid and transient in a 'postcolonial' world, and if international football is less clearly demarcated now. I am sure it was in the England thread when a few English guys were moaning about Tam Tuchel, a German, being England manager.

The irony is of course that back in the first half of the 20th century you could represent more than one nation. Guys like Puskas and Di Stefano did.

More salient during postcolonial era , maybe yes.. but those processes of diversity -integration - assimilation have always been there since forever all over the world.. in our country for example , you could find someone as white as snow or as black as chocolate, speaking Arabic or tamazight (completely different languages ) but they all belonged to the same country (and communities) since centuries ago. Same I believe in the American continent (though don't know a lot about Europe except the UK , I know a bit of its history and it's more or less the same ). Those ultra-nationalists are either driven by ignorance or political ambitions.. only these two explain their rhetoric.

 

[Maradona37]

More salient during postcolonial era , maybe yes.. but those processes of diversity -integration - assimilation have always been there since forever all over the world.. in our country for example , you could find someone as white as snow or as black as chocolate, speaking Arabic or tamazight (completely different languages ) but they all belonged to the same country (and communities) since centuries ago. Same I believe in the American continent (though don't know a lot about Europe except the UK , I know a bit of its history and it's more or less the same ). Those ultra-nationalists are either driven by ignorance or political ambitions.. only these two explain their rhetoric.

True, it has always been there - just more visible now. If you go far back enough Europeans are immigrants to USA, Spaniards and Portuguese in South America, etc. Which also makes sense as everything is bigger and more saturated and noticeable now due to technology, internet, increased new communications etc. But you are right, it has always been present.

I agree, I am not into ultra-nationalism at all. Without wishing to flatter you here, you are Moroccan and seem a very nice guy, Red is Tunisian and the same. If you guys for some reason wanted to come and live in Scotland I am certain I would welcome you, because you both seem good guys and could add to the country, and would follow the law.

Whereas plenty of 'native' Scots are complete idiots and the country would be better off without them anyway.

Immigration, integration and so on will always be a difficult subject. But I have never understood the idea that a country has to be ethnically homogeneous. Immigration is likely over the top in Europe, but I certainly do not believe the solution is to try to go to the other extreme and shut the door completely. I disagree with the leaders or parties who think that's what needs to be done.

The best countries would have a healthy mix of migrants and native population for me. And those people would in general be decent law-abiding citizens.

But this is well off topic now lol.

 

[Total-Football]

@Maradona37

I'm never offended by communication however extreme it's, let alone ur take, which sounds like common sense to me. Of course no one wants rotten elements in their country. Personally I decided long ago that I wanna spend my life in my country despite having an opportunity to work and live either in Canada or Germany.. not interested .

We both are agreeing that topics like these are very very nuanced like u conveyed.. lol. Off topic because wydad were underwhelming second half hahaha.. I had to escape the talk about the match dexterously lol.. well . Let s wait now for the next games now.

 

[Maradona37]

@Maradona37

I'm never offended by communication however extreme it's, let alone ur take, which sounds like common sense to me. Of course no one wants rotten elements in their country. Personally I decided long ago that I wanna spend my life in my country despite having an opportunity to work and live either in Canada or Germany.. not interested .

We both are agreeing that topics like these are very very nuanced like u conveyed.. lol. Off topic because wydad were underwhelming second half hahaha.. I had to escape the talk about the match dexterously lol.. well . Let s wait now for the next games now.

Fair enough. I enjoy conversing with you anyway. Only seen you post more prominently in the past month or so, but enjoy your thoughts.

Wydad ended up getting destroyed in the end. It's a shame as they were still fairly well in it at HT. Yildiz was very good for Juve, just too much quality for Wydad.

Let's see if the Mexicans can upset Real Madrid next. I very much doubt it.

 

[Maradona37]

Btw just realised they're keeping the original Club World Cup/Intercontinental Cup too and playing it later this year. I think PSG go straight to the final, though.

Why do FIFA still need that when they have this expanded CWC now? Because this doesn't take into account the current European champions (even though PSG still qualified).

They are taking the piss.

 

[Horatio]

who’s joining for the RM hatewatch?