Group D (Australia, Germany, Ghana, Serbia)

[Fernandinho]

butt is good covering, my ass...

[Tee]

Serbia won a cracking game 4-3 v Cameroon yesterday. I think they will upset the odds in this WC.

[Fernandinho]

dont say that!! the aussies put in a solid performance to loose to the USA 3-1

[Mattshark]

Serbia won a cracking game 4-3 v Cameroon yesterday. I think they will upset the odds in this WC.

Did you Germany v Bosnia? Marin was taking it past 2 or 3 players every time he got the ball. Cacau was excellent too.

[Mostar]

...

[Mostar]

Yeah, they don't take their friendlies lightly really, most of their football fans are insane - right wing extremists (with some demented war weterans trown into the mix), hooligans, murderers... And they are all completely fanatic and don't give a crap about the consequences. It's a shame really, because when it comes to the actual support on the stadium, they are amongst the best in the world (untill they start stirring **** like this and chanting songs in support of war criminals).

YouTube- GROBARI Madness!!! Keep OUT!
Fans of Partizan Belgrade :O

Most of Serbian fans are not as you described them. They are definitely passionate (just like Turks, Brazilians, Argentinians, etc.) about their club allegiances ((since the breakdown of former Yugoslavia they are only 2 teams in Serbia that demand some attention Partizan Belgrade and Red Star (once winner of CL)) and their national team. To say that most of them are extremists, murderers etc. (and you would know that how?) is untrue and deeply insensible.

Serbia can score goals but aren't so good defensively. Yeah Germany should win the group but their squad doesn't look all that does it? Gomez and Klose have barely played this year and their midfield looks weak tbh. Defence is a joke too. I see them getting knocked out in the 2nd round if they come up against a decent team

Imo Germany and Serbia will be in close contention for 1st spot. Except the very weak goal keeper they are not bad defensively (Vidic and Ivanovic).

to say they are average players in ridiculous, even if they're not getting a lot of game time at their clubs - the national team is a completely different matter altogether, and both of them are very talented players with bags of ability, which antić utilizes in the best possible way.

also žigić scored goals everywhere he played or should i say got the chance to play, and stankovič played 43 times for inter this season, bench warmer indeed

Zigic can score. He is probably one of the strongest players in air and as long as they feed him he will not disappoint. Stankovic is a great player. Perhaps he already peaked but he can still pass, defend, score, dribble etc. Don't ride him off just yet.

[Shaggy]

Devastating for all concerned

SOCCEROOS stand-in goalkeeper Brad Jones has left the squad on the eve of the World Cup after his son Luca, 4, was diagnosed with cancer.

His teammates cried when told Luca had leukaemia. Jones last night arrived in France to join his family after taking the tragic call on Friday. The news has left the Australian squad with a feeling of helplessness days before the opening of the 2010 World Cup.

"They were visibly upset," a Socceroos source said last night. "They are probably still in a bit of shock, to be honest.

"It's a bit of a blow to the bloke because his World Cup is in jeopardy but, more importantly, his son has been diagnosed with leukaemia.

Jones, 28, was told Luca had leukaemia by his former wife Julie. He immediately informed his friends.

The following day Socceroos captain Lucas Neill broke the devastating news to the squad, hours before the friendly against USA.
"It makes football completely irrelevant, even a World Cup," Neill said.

Pim Verbeek said: "It's very sad news."

"It was a very, very sad day for us and still is for us. Its not helping us to be, again, over here, but we have to go on and play this World Cup game.

"Its a very serious matter and we wish him strength and luck and everything that's necessary."

Jones, 28, was about to live the dream after surviving the cut to be Australia's backup keeper at the World Cup.

However, he is now a shattered man.

Luca is in St Tropez with his mother Julie.

The Australian squad quickly closed ranks around Jones, with news of his withdrawal held until his family in Australia could be informed.

Jones told friends he is unsure whether he will try to get back to South Africa to play in the World Cup

It is not known how long Luca has been ill.

Jones was vying with Reading's Adam Federici for the backup position behind Mark Schwarzer.

The FFA last night applied for special dispensation to have a fourth keeper come in to replace Jones. He plays for Middlesborough in the English Championship.

[Kenneth]

Poor little fella.

[Mike]

Terrible news, hope his son is ok.

[Reece]

Jesus, without meaning to sound clichéd it puts things into perspective really doesn't it. Hope he makes a full recovery the poor little lad

[Bender]

sad news indeed hope the little fella gets better

[Craig_H]

Really horrible Wish the poor kid all the best, and hopeful for a full recovery.

Obviously this doesnt matter and i'm being a pedant, but why does the article say 'on the eve of the World Cup' ? That isnt until Thursday.

[Daffy Duck]

Most of Serbian fans are not as you described them. They are definitely passionate (just like Turks, Brazilians, Argentinians, etc.) about their club allegiances ((since the breakdown of former Yugoslavia they are only 2 teams in Serbia that demand some attention Partizan Belgrade and Red Star (once winner of CL)) and their national team. To say that most of them are extremists, murderers etc. (and you would know that how?) is untrue and deeply insensible.

I agree, I was a bit unfair by assigning all these attributes to "most of football fans", as it is obvious that a big part of football fans is represented by just regular folks, no matter what country we're talking about. And Serbian fans are indeed very passionate, loud and loyal. But when it comes to the behavior of these "organized" fans (who are also largely represented among the Serbian football population), I believe they are right there with the worst in the World. Singing songs about Chetniks preparing salads because they'll also have meat from slaying the Croats or Albanians, songs about Srebrenica, war criminals Mladić, Karadžić and Šešelj at football events certainly doesn't make them pacifists, neither does the killing of the OFK fan (shooting on the stadium) in April, or the killing of the Toulouse fan in September, or some other incident before that (you really have a number to pick from) - these latter ones have occurred at the club level, but they are often also brought into the international level - like the latest incidents at an unimportant friendly match.
Still, I was at the Serbia and Montenegro vs. Ivory Coast match at the 2006 world cup with the Serbian fans and they were great, very friendly and in a good mood despite the 6-0 defeat versus Argentina, so I admit calling most of them extremists was unfair, but if you ask me which fans present a potential risk of causing problems at the World Cup, I'd definitely name Serbia as one of them.

[Mostar]

I agree, I was a bit unfair by assigning all these attributes to "most of football fans", as it is obvious that a big part of football fans is represented by just regular folks, no matter what country we're talking about. And Serbian fans are indeed very passionate, loud and loyal. But when it comes to the behavior of these "organized" fans (who are also largely represented among the Serbian football population), I believe they are right there with the worst in the World. Singing songs about Chetniks preparing salads because they'll also have meat from slaying the Croats or Albanians, songs about Srebrenica, war criminals Mladić, Karadžić and Šešelj at football events certainly doesn't make them pacifists, neither does the killing of the OFK fan (shooting on the stadium) in April, or the killing of the Toulouse fan in September, or some other incident before that (you really have a number to pick from) - these latter ones have occurred at the club level, but they are often also brought into the international level - like the latest incidents at an unimportant friendly match.
Still, I was at the Serbia and Montenegro vs. Ivory Coast match at the 2006 world cup with the Serbian fans and they were great, very friendly and in a good mood despite the 6-0 defeat versus Argentina, so I admit calling most of them extremists was unfair, but if you ask me which fans present a potential risk of causing problems at the World Cup, I'd definitely name Serbia as one of them.

I don't think there will be too many of them there. With their country being in total economical disarray (unemployment rate around 20%), very few ones will have monetary means to make the long trip to South Africa.

[lickedlollipop]

i think that germany have no chance really... serbia will be 1st, and it will be interesting who'll fight for second place!