Re: Hockey World Cup

[JKLever]

When I first watched Hockey (I think 87 world cup) England & GB were pretty good - England got to the WC semis and Great Britain comprised mostly of English players won the Olympic gold in Seoul

I don't think we've done much since then tbh

[Shoeshine]

They got to the World Cup final around then didn't they? Lost to Australia IIRC.

As for the Olympics, that was Barry Davies' finest moment, when his commentary after a GB goal went "Where were the German defence? And quite frankly, who cares?".

[JKLever]

I couldn't really give a crap about hockey now but I definitely wanted to be Sean Kerly when I was younger! I can't remember what I had for dinner yesterday but I can remember some of the names in that GB side.

[doremi]

Cheerleaders, female spectators, etc. Seriously homophobic, this place...

England totally outpaced Pakistan, their attacks were so much faster than Pakistan's.

[The One]

its a delhi or north indian thing i guess, the whole 'desperate male' scenario you see played out all around the city. every female over the age of 15 seems fair game in dilli

[Clamson]

Surprised at how good England are these days

Don't be.
There's a shed load of serious hockey played over here ... Slough (about 10 miles away) have at least 30 very good teams in and around the area from which England have picked the majority of their squad.
A strong Indian influence from past years and a renewed enthusiasm from the local youth who prefer the game to footie.
Artificial surfaces have also made the playing of the game in all kinda weather conditions - which helps.

I work in that shithole and I do hear hockey is quite big there.

My former school apparently once beat the Russian national team. Of course, that may just have been a rumour. But they were definitely a good side, not sure what they are like now.

I never liked hockey after I got hit in the face and in the foot, and couldn't master dribbling. I decided that cricket was less painful for some reason (???).

[Shoeshine]

This is live on the Daily Telegraph website for anyone in the UK. England are playing India at the moment - and are 1-0 up.

clicky

[JKLever]

3-2 and into the semis, which is probably where they'll end up

[Batman]

Strange. Pak like India lost most of their league matches and yet Pak Hockey has started investigations alleging they fixed their match against India. But why the match against India only when they have lost all others against other teams as well? This is sick and insulting to the players.

[horace]

"I never liked hockey after I got hit in the face and in the foot, and couldn't master dribbling."

there are different interpretations of dribbling - eg

at my age I wish could master not dribbling (and thereby jettisoning the bags)

...RD dribbles through the Forum...Mudge laps it up...

[skully]

And thanks to all the Bannies for their hearty congratulations on Australia's winning of the Hockey World Cup (beat Germany 2-1 in Final). You are all too kind.

Oh sorry, you're all a bit distracted by that other important World event, the IPL.

[tac]

Interest in this event faded once it was clear the "whiteys" were going to win . ..

[embee]

...and the whiteys lost all interest when it wasnt attacked by terrorists so we didnt get another stick to poke the bannies with

[tac]

we can still poke them for crashing out embarrassingly from the tournament . . personally (unlike skully and zat) I'd rather not have the terrorists and have fewer sticks to poke with, MB . . .

[embee]

Are you "turning Japanese" on us tac?