Important announcement...

We know that everyone is gearing up for the big Oz-Brazil clash this weekend, but don't forget one thing...

Spare a cheer or 3 for the Blue Samurai as they line up against Croatia in the curtain-raiser. A Japan win would do wonders for the 'Roos chances of making the round of 16.

We know that they were a bit cheeky in the lead-up to their game against the Green & Gold, took numerous dives, and snuck in a dubious goal against us, but we've all moved beyond that. We've had our whinge and as a nation Australia does the sporting thing and moves on. That's right. Ok?

(Plus, now they've finally figured out that Timmy Cahill fouled them in the box in the dying minutes, I think we're all square.)

So, c'mon you Blue Samurais, do your Asian neighbours proud (that's us remember) and give it your all against Croatia!!



Hopefully they can show the same fearsome samurai spirit displayed by Bresha in this picture here (we think he was planning this if things got nasty in our match against Japan, but The Boss dragged him before he could unleash his mighty Fighting Crane stance). Feel free to use this one against Croatia, boys.

So remember: it's blue all the way tomorrow night - from Munich to Nuremberg!

More World Cup fun

Round Ball Footy is still celebrating the Socceroos' joyous first World Cup win. And now we've found something else great to cheer about: Togo.

Reasons to like Togo:

• their best player, Emmanuel Adebayor, is a Mega Fauna


• they know voodoo


• they wear the Green & Gold


• it's their first World Cup ever


• Nothing ever goes right for them:
  
  
  
  • their coach quit 3 days before their first game, then re-joined the morning before kick-off
  
  
  • they almost didn't even get their national anthem played at their opening match
  
  
  • they managed to take an early lead, then were reduced to 10 men after their captain got sent off, and lost in the second half
    
  
  


• their fans wear muu-muus


• they do a cool little victory dance after scoring goals (see above)

A good omen?

Ok, I know it's only early days but it doesn't hurt to dream......

After last night's three games, which included Brazil's 1-0 defeat of the Croats, Australia is sitting proudly atop the Group F standings. A cheeky draw against the Samba Kings this monday morning (Eastern Australia Time) would enable us to stay in first place.

Two-goal hero Timmy Cahill is also currently in first place for the coveted Golden Boot on the official Fifa Goal Scorers list, with his two goals in 38 minutes seeing him have the highest strike rate of anybody at the tournament.

If there was a list for Genius of the World Cup, well we all know who would be on top, our very own (for now) Maestro Guus.

What a man!

What a team!

Bring on the Samba Kings, lets see what they have for our table-topping heroes!

If only it could be this way forever........

Oooh, that bloody ref!!

Round Ball Footy couldn't keep quiet any longer ... it's time for an extended rant.

That bloody ref nearly cost us the game - plus the hopes and dreams of a nation historically hard-done by on the world stage of Round Ball Footy.

Notwithstandingly your opinion of the alleged opening 'goal', numerous soft free kicks against the Green & Gold gifted undeserved chances to the Blue Samurai and lost us possession in the midfield. A little bit of spine in response to the constant diving and simulations displayed by Japan wouldn't have gone astray either.

Well, well, well, Essam Abd El Fatah, hope you weren't planning a holiday to Australia any time soon.

83 minutes into the Socceroos crucial pool game against Japan, and millions of Aussie supporters were cursing you every which way. And only some late Socceroo magic saved you from the full extent of the Maestro's wrath.

And this even after the devious comments in the match lead-up - which were so obviously intended to sway the ref's opinion - about the unfairness of Australia's hard-nosed game-play.

So, what's the damage Mr Abd El Fatah has inflicted upon us?

First, the penalty count (22-11) doesn't have much of an effect in the cool light of day, other than having caused a few hoarse throats from yelling obscenities. But the 4 yellows (RBF counted 2 for 'backchat'!!??!!) Essam issued sure sting.

It looks like the naughty foursome Vincenzo, Moore, Timmy the Hero, and John Weezy might have to watch themselves in their next two matches.

Hopefully, we get assigned a ref with a little more big-match experience for the Brazil and Croatia games, because there's sure to be even more mind games from Parreira and Kranjcar in the coming week - trying to put some more pressure on the refs to over-penalise Australia.

One final note - after all this whistle-blowing, how the hell did Luke 'The Cutter' Wilkshire manage to stay out of the ref's book. He's been a bit sluggish of late, and Guus wouldn't be sweating if he was the only 'Roo forced to do a bit of bench-warming from here on in.

Ok, rant over. I feel much better now.

Socceroos 3 - Blue Samurai 1

Round Ball Footy
We're off to Germany
Round Ball Footy
On our way to victory!

We sure are! What a win!

The four-pronged attack of Mega Fauna, John Aloisi, The Duke and of course two-goal hero Timmy Cahill that Maestro Guus played in the last 10 minutes only underlines the true genius of the man.

Here's what Lucas Neill had say: "In big pressure situations he makes big decisions and he has that canny knack of pulling them off and he did that again today, he's such a genius, a masterstroke."

With the Blue Samaurai acrobatically diving whenever they could feel the ground tremble with the presence of a Socceroo, they saved their best dive till last: 3 goals in ten minutes seeing them crash with a tremendous thud.

YEEEESSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!

What a result!!!!!!!!!!

Round Ball Footy is not usually prone to hyperbole. But in this case, you can forgive us for saluting a PHENOMENAL RESULT!!!!!!!!!!!

3 goals in the last 9 minutes exemplifies the fighting spirit of this great team.

More on this game to come...

Lies, damn lies!!

Understandably, the Boss has reacted angrily to unfounded accusations directed at the mild-mannered Socceroos.

Some opponents - amazingly two of the coaches of teams in our pool - are implying that we are "overly physical", "un-sportsman-like" - and even that we "attack player's ankles"!!!

Well, Round Ball Footy is deeply offended by such blatant lies and cynical attempts to influence referees.



The picture above should dispel any illogical suggestions that ANY player in the green and gold attacks ankles.

Here is a copy-book example of how to dispossess a skilled opponenet such as the Ruud. Nice one, Vincenzo, hope you have a blinder against those Blue Samurai and their schemey coach.

Babe World Cup

Further to the fiercely debated poll below - here is some more off-field World Cup nonsense.

Check out the alternative tournament:

Babe World Cup

What's in a name?

So, by now we're all aware of the simple equation:
football + soccer = Round Ball Footy.

There is plenty more word-play craziness going on at the World Cup. The Dutch v now non-existent Serbia-Montenegro is a prime example.

SCG (which stands for what?) was represented by 17 -ics in its squad of 23 - and you can add to that its iccy coach, Ilija Petkovic. The collared Holland - the Dutch from the Netherlands - is also confusing punters with its 3 names for the country.

Round Ball Footy was also delighted to note the Dutch combination of Arjen Robben, Robin van Persie, Percy Snejder. (Delighted, that is, until we found out that Snejder's name is actually Wesley.)

The only answer that RBF has for all this nonsense is to why they wear so much bloody Orange. Something or other to do with their old ruler, King of Orange, ummm, something like that. Why don't you go check Wikipedia?

Anyhow, on to the cut-throat Socceroos-Japan game...

Win free Round Ball Footy merchandise

Yes, thats correct Round Ball Footy has decided to give away some of our sweet Round Ball Footy merchandise.

Just send a photo of your Round Ball Footy World Cup party to roundballfooty@roundballfooty.com. The best ones will receive an official t-shirt as seen above. So go on, get partying!!!!!!!!

Remember official Round Ball Footy merchandise can be purchased from www.roundballfooty.com at anytime for only $15 how cheap is that!

Year of the Mega Fauna?

Well 6 games in, we have already seen some cracking goals and the mighty Trinidad pick up a point against Sweden! And yet one important question remains unanswered.....

Is this the World Cup that will be remembered for the scoring feats of the Mega Fauna?

As Round Ball Footy first announced to the world on 8 June 2006 Australia have their Mega Fauna Joshua Kennedy - set to be unleashed against the Blue Samurai on monday night Australian time.



England have their own Mega Fauna in Peter Crouch, who is getting noticed not only for his Mega Fauna status but his robot dance goal celebrations.

How many teams will regret not having the forsight to have a Mega Fauna in their squad.

Only time will tell.