mystic pete speaks - petescully

mystic pete speaks

Just a couple of hours until kick-off now for World Cup 2006; I have a big pile of Panini stickers, a load of Pepsi Max, and I'm getting ready to watch Germany roll over Costa Rica. I never published this tournament's Mystic Pete prognostics. Seeing into the future is a particular skill of mine, one which I am remarkably inept at. For several years I would predict the winner of the Champions' League at the start of the season, only for said club to fall away in the first stages. Pete's kiss of death. In 2002 I was confident that Argentina would carry back the golden trophy, only for them to pass off an excellent Scotland impression (aah, the Flying Scotsmen, always first on the plane; the World Cup just isn't the same without them). And I always give Spurs the FA Cup, even in years that don't end with a '1' (it's usually a 'zero', sadly). Yet still I have faith in my prescience.
I'll give an overview of this year's Mystic Pete predictions, but not the full montgomery, just the main teams:
GERMANY: Hosts, not the strongest ever team, but they'll win it on luck, beating England in the final on penalties.
ENGLAND: Read the above - sorry mates. It'll be Rooney's dodgy foot that misses it, and Sven will rue the day (or 'Roo the Day', as the tabloids will have it) he put Defoe back on the plane (today, actually).
BRAZIL: Everyone says they'll win it. It's so bloody boring. I'm bored of Brazil with their bloody samba and their classic kit that everyone in the world buys despite having no connection to South America. Sure they have spectacular players, but they don't have Peter Crouch, simple as that. An Exit in the Semi-Finals, and some robotic dancing on the cards.
FRANCE: "Nobody is talking about France," people say, as if there is some way that these ageing horses are in any way dark. People aren't talking about them because they will not win it. Quarter-finals, no more.
HOLLAND: A great kit, but will they self-destruct as ever? We all know the cliches, best-team-never-to-win-it, but that's wrong - Hungary in the 50s were the best team never to win it. I would like them to do well, but they won't. Quarter-finals.
ARGENTINA: They will get out of the groups with the Dutch, and Messi will probably clean up, but only the quarter-finals for this lot.
CZECH REPUBLIC: They have some real brilliance in this side, and I have a soft spot for them, especially as Nedved is back and still amazing. I foresee the Semi-finals, which means they'll probably go out in the first round. I doubt it though.
ITALY: How romantic it would be for them to win. Not for any specific reason, it's just always romantic for them in the big tournaments. I still think they should have won in 94, when Baggio was the best player on the planet, but couldn't keep the ball down here with him. Quarter-finals?
SPAIN: Spain? Spain? Do me a favour. They will piss out of their easy group, and then get bashed about by the big boys. As usual. Yet they have one of the best leagues in the world, and Spanish players are always excellent. They will need a miracle if they are to actually win it though, and Greece nicked all the miracles in 2004.
USA: Ha ha ha ha! They have no chance with the group they are in. They were great last time, but against the Czechs and the Italians, and Michael Essien's Ghana? They'll need more than Landon Donovan. I'm supporting them of course, but it aint gonna happen.
You get the idea. Top scorer? I would put some money on Peter Crouch. Ronaldinho is up for a few I'm sure. Teams to look out for? Everyone's talking about Ivory Coast, but I think Ukraine will be a big surprise, but I think it'll be a relatively upset-free World Cup. Except for all those England fans who will be upset when Wayne fluffs his penalty, and Klinsmann falls over on the way to lifting the World Cup. I apologise, but Mystic Pete has spoken.

9.6.06 15:56

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To date 5 Comment(s) TrackBack-URL

pog (9.6.06 16:04)
Bugger. Guess who pulled Spain and USA in the office sweepstake.
Yup.

TonyGreenhalgh / Website (9.6.06 17:19)
I got Germany in the sweepstake. I will gladly flush the £80 prize down the bog for an England win!

petescully / Website (9.6.06 17:41)
Yes, I wouldn't worry, Mystic Pete is never entirely accurate, and you may well see some financial gain yet.

Red Queen / Website (9.6.06 19:38)
£80 down the bog for an England win?! Just give me the money, I'll give a cheer on behalf of 18% of Scots who're supporting England...
But honestly, I'd love the Czech Rep to win. And let Brazil sink into oblivion forever. And let no one buy their kit, or know what said kit looks like, ever again. *Wicked cackle*

petescully / Website (10.6.06 00:22)
YEAH! I used to like their kit. But my wife hates it. And she's in charge.
Officially, I don't support England. I want the Czechs to win also, cos they're great to watch, and I bought a US shirt out of solidarity for my new home (it's very Escape To Victory). But normally I'm a Republic of Ireland man. Off the record, however, I will cheer for England and cry when the inevitable penalty is missed. In reality, I only support the Spurs players at the World Cup. And we have quite a few this year (namely the England goalie).