30 May 2014 15:13:31
What's everyone's thoughts on the World Cup then? Who are you backing, who d'you expect to win it?

I'll be supporting Gli Azzurri as my wee nonna (gran) is half Italian but I'd be happy to see Germany or Spain win it.

I reckon the Last 4 will likely be Spain, Germany, Brazil + Uruguay with Colombia, Italy, Argentina + Chile getting knocked out in the Last 8.

{Ed007's Note - I think Argentina will win it but for once I won't be cheering them on, I just can't bring myself to cheer on any team with Messi in it so I'll be supporting ze Germans.}

1.) 30 May 2014
Probably 1 of the most open world cups in a while could see any of about 6/7 teams win it but a actually think spain will do the unthinkable and win it again. They do have a bit of an ageing squad with xavi, alonso, villa etc but if costa gets fit and starts then they have a great chance. Germany are due a tournament win so a wouldn't rule them out. Between they 2 for me

2.) 30 May 2014
Anyone but England (or Brazil) for me to be honest mate lol. Would love a complete and utter outsider like Belgium or USA to win it!

3.) 30 May 2014
Germany to win if they can handle the heat, but I'm going to stick a cheeky fiver on Belgium

4.) 30 May 2014
I've missed something ed, ( why messi)

{Ed007's Note - See below.}

5.) 30 May 2014
Whats the beef with Messi ed007? Not to come across as a messi lover myself its just not something you hear regularly from football fans these days

{Ed007's Note - The way everyone, from supporters and pundits to UEFA/FIFA, fawn over him gives me the boak. If he hadn't been pumped with HGH we would never have heard of him and the world would be an all round better place.
Messi could never have made it without the aid of HGH, he could easily have lived a normal life and been perfectly happy, but he could never have been a professional athlete. That makes him a cheat and IMO and he shouldn't even be allowed to play football. I also think he's over-rated, he can only play in the one system, the one that is built around him, Ronaldo is a far better all round player than Messi.}

6.) 30 May 2014
Ed at what age was Messi given this treatment?

{Ed007's Note - He was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency at the age of 11. His family tried to broker a deal with River Plate to pay for the treatment but they refused, Barcelona stepped in and offered to pay Messi's medical bills on the condition that he moved to Spain and enrolled in their academy.

7.) 30 May 2014
Thanks, wudnt a normal small child with no athletic abilities get these treatments too tho. There would have been no guarantee he would have made it or that the treatment works ed. A little bit harsh on a child me thinks.Surely there is nothing wrong with this for a child of 11, he is not exactly a pro footballer therefore doesn't come under any rules for banned or illegal substances, and is this treatment not legal anyway?

{Ed007's Note - He wouldn't have been able to become a professional footballer without the treatment but he could have led a normal life. HGH is illegal in sport, ask Lance Armstrong about it, the doctor at the centre of his own doping scandal also worked for Barca over the years. Spanish football, at international and national level, has had the cloud of steroid use, HGH and blood-doping casting a shadow over it for a long time now.}

8.) 30 May 2014
Always look for the Germans or Dutch to produce the goods and haven't done for a long time.
A bad Brazilian side isn't going to be far away IMO.
Would love japan/Belgium or an other outsider to win it or at least get people talking. Hate international fitba but world cups different :)

9.) 30 May 2014
Think Brazil will win

10.) 30 May 2014
30 May 2014 20:46:57
Not bothered who wins it and I know Engerland won't win it, but I don't think it's an open world cup, I think Brazil will win it comfortably, not just because I believe they have the best squad but if they find themselves struggling i'm sure they'll be helped out by the officials as most hosts do.

11.) 31 May 2014
Ed exactly my point he wasn't in sport, he was 11 yrs old.He would not have made these choices his parents and advisors wud.

{Ed007's Note - He was in sport, he was with Newell's Old Boys since he was 8 until he was 11/12. People knew he would never be big enough to become a footballer and his parents approached River Plate to see if they would pay for the treatment in return for Messi signing for their youth team/academy. Without HGH he would have went on to lead a full and comfortable life.
Are you actually saying it should depend when you used performance enhancing drugs, would you give your 11 year old a performance enhancing drug so he could compete at Mister Universe when he's 22? Weren't CFC fans up in arms wanting Rangers stripped of titles for historical cheating? A drug cheat is the lowest of the low IMO Rangers wouldn't have won titles if they had paid their taxes and Messi wouldn't be a professional footballer without HGH.
Messi himself has said:

"I know how important it is to have a helping hand. In my childhood I had difficult times because of hormonal problems. If I hadn’t had support, I wouldn’t have been able to fulfill my dreams."

It must be serious when even cyclists are accusing you of cheating!!}

12.) 31 May 2014
Ed surely it can be argued it was a medical issue, and not a performance enhancement drug, it can't be denied he has a god given talent.

{Ed007's Note - If it was a God given talent do you not think God would have gave him the body to go with it, and why the big cover-up? More importantly, if it was such a severe medical issue why did his treatment need to be paid for? Argentina isn't exactly a third world nation, it has a very competent health service.
The 'god-given talent' argument didn't work for Lance Armstrong, and he had his grandma testify that when he was a toddler she knew he was going to be a champion cyclist, his natural talent was there for everyone to see, even on his Mutant Turtles tricycle peddling up and down the street, chasing the ice-cream van and shouting obscenities down drains to Splinter, she knew he would one day win the Tour De France.... but only if he cheated and used performance enhancers.}

13.) 31 May 2014
I think Uraguay are in with a good chance of winning it. They've got some real quality in that squad and it might just all come together for them at the right time.

Also, Saurez is much better than that wee cheating git Messi! :D