Brits suffer humiliating defeat in Iraq

Archaic · April 4, 2003, 04:28

Couldn't see this anywhere else here, so....

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...n_030403202551

Quote:

British marines under the kosh from local Iraqi soccer team
Thu Apr 3, 3:25 PM ET

SOUTHERN IRAQ (AFP) - (Pool material) Eleven British Royal Marines have come under the kosh on the dusty streets of Umm Khayyal, being handed a 7-3 thrashing by the local football team, resplendent in full strip, boots and squad numbers.

A thousand spectators came from all ends of the town, throngs of screaming men and children marking out the boundaries of the pitch.

In the face of such passion, Leading Airman Dave Husbands said the marines were beaten from the start.

"We turned up to play and there was no-one around, just a few kids messing about," he said.

"Then suddenly, out of nowhere, came this kitted-up football team together with a referee and two linesmen.

"The boys thought they must be the Iraqi international side or something. In truth, they thrashed us."

In a dusty old market square, 11 of 42 Commando's K Company finest struggled in stifling conditions under blue skies.

There were no jumpers for goalposts here -- even the referee had a whistle and cards in his pocket, two linesmen proudly carried flags.

Hundreds of children chanted, some sporting the red shirts of Manchester United or Arsenal, carrying playing card pictures of David Beckham and David Seaman.

The Umm Khayyal XI made merry, skipping around the robust tackles and passing the ball around with glee.

Water and oranges at half time could not save the marines, their hair coloured grey with layers of dust, their faces and arms black with dirt.

Football is their passion and, needless to say, "Mister Beckham", Manchester United's star midfielder, is their man.

"Beckham is best, Beckham is best!" shouted Mohammad, a 21-year-old spectator.

"You need him," replied his friend, pointing to the pitch. "You lose bad."

Meanwhile, the commander of the unit, Lieutenant Colonel Buster Howes, attempted to be magnanimous in defeat.

"We want a rematch," he said with a smile.

Sorry if I scared any British members here with the title. ^^;

TheStinger · April 4, 2003, 04:32

We should have shot the crowd for being Man Utd fans

ravagon · April 4, 2003, 04:38

Seriously though - good for the Brits.

Soccer can do wonders for Anglo-Iraqi relations.

TheStinger · April 4, 2003, 04:40

If they insist on calling it soccer it will really hurt Anglo-Iraqi relations

Drake Tungsten · April 4, 2003, 04:41

Quote:

Soccer can do wonders for Anglo-Iraqi relations.

What the hell are we Yanks going to do?

notyoueither · April 4, 2003, 04:44

Lose in your turn to the locals. It would do wonders for your image.

Tingkai · April 4, 2003, 04:54

Good on the Brits. That's the way to win over the locals.

I read an article in the IHT that talked about how Brit soldiers were better at winning over the locals because of their expereince in N. Ireland and Kosovo. This football match seems to be a case in point.

curtsibling · April 4, 2003, 05:07

We even played football with Germany in the WW1 trenches!

We Europeans are football daft, and I am glad the Iraqis are too!
If we can win the ordinary people over to the Allies, we are doing OK.

(Lucky the English football louts were not around though!)

Jarvin · April 4, 2003, 05:15

If i recall my history correctly, England lost that soccer game with Germany in WW1 too...

Man, you guys suck at mid-war sporting events...

Dauphin · April 4, 2003, 05:18

If we won the Iraqis would have hated us. I'm glad we lost.

Can you imagine what the reaction would have been if it was Yanks playing (say American Football) and they annihilated the Iraqis 60-0 and kept grunting "USA! USA!"? It would have done wonders for American-Iraqi relations.

curtsibling · April 4, 2003, 05:18

@Jarvin;

Jealous that the Iraqis are warming to the greatest sport in the world, eh?

I recall the Germans beat you guys at the World Cup too.

No hard feelings, son.

Jarvin · April 4, 2003, 05:56

Oh you'll see, we'll get those Iraqis playing our football, we'll force them, then we'll introduce them to violent TV, gigantic cars and put a McDonalds on every street corner. Oh yeah!

TheStinger · April 4, 2003, 06:06

It is quite strange that the 1 aspect of US life that hasn't been succsessfuly exported is your sports.

basketball has some interest but the game you call football is not played much and only the Cubans Canadians and Japanese play baseball to any graet extent.

Chemical Ollie · April 4, 2003, 06:13

If the Iraqis beat the Tommies 7-3, just imagine what they would do to the Yanks...

Wernazuma III · April 4, 2003, 06:15

You forgot Venezuela. But even they now like (real) Football more.

Does anybody remember that film about POWs in WWII who get the chance to play against a German team in France? Pele was acting in it. Though the referee was obviously bribed and the Germans played hard to say the least, the prisoners won and the French spectator crowd (stadium filled unto the last place) got all up chanting the Marseillaise. Aweful, I tell you, simply aweful.

TheStinger · April 4, 2003, 06:17

Quote:

Originally posted by Wernazuma III
You forgot Venezuela. But even they now like (real) Football more.

Does anybody remember that film about POWs in WWII who get the chance to play against a German team in France? Pele was acting in it. Though the referee was obviously bribed and the Germans played hard to say the least, the prisoners won and the French spectator crowd (stadium filled unto the last place) got all up chanting the Marseillaise. Aweful, I tell you, simply aweful.

Escape to victory is quite simply the bset film ever made.

4-0 down at half time, up aginst a biased referee and in hostile territory the brave allies against all the odds fought back to draw. And they had a goal wrongly disallowed for offside.

Chemical Ollie · April 4, 2003, 06:21

I saw that movie too. Didn't Sylvester Stallone play a part too? I think he was goalie

TheStinger · April 4, 2003, 06:24

Michael Caine, MAx von Sydow. Pele, Ossie Ardilles,Bobby Moore and the Ipswich Town team of the late 70's early 80's.

What a cast

Chemical Ollie · April 4, 2003, 06:43

Max von Sydow? He's from Sweden. I didn't know he could play football. Or perhaps he played German Officer? That part would fit him.

TheStinger · April 4, 2003, 06:45

He was palying a german officer who used to play Football for germany before the war. He applauds a goal by Pele when all the other germans stay stoney faced

MRT144 · April 4, 2003, 06:48

shaolin soccer is much better

The Viceroy · April 4, 2003, 07:33

I read about this on the BBC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2915451.stm

Wonderful to see this kind of thing, it speaks volumns ...

Seriously though, I think once the dust has settled, and things are much safer, the English national side should play Iraq in Baghdad .. from what ive heard, the people in Baghdad are football crazy also ..

Sikander · April 4, 2003, 07:55

When I was in college there was a very good pick-up game at our University every afternoon. I went to Michigan State University which has a very good agriculture school which drew enormous numbers of foreign students, including a few who played for their national side. One of these guys was an Iraqi named Mohamed, and he played midfield as did I. We were on opposite sides, and early in the game an even ball shot between us. We surprised each other with our speed (this guy was very fast, while I am very quick). Neither one of us was going to give way, and we met at the center of the field with an incredible collision.

I was vaguely aware that some of my team were standing near me, but my concussion prevented me from reacting immediately. When I did I got a shock when I noticed that both goaltenders were milling about with the rest. If the keepers have come to the center of the field I reasoned, I must have been out for some time. Mohamed was still down as well, and I staggered to my feet in order to salvage some of my pride by beating him back into action. He got up soon afterward and we gave each other a respectful nod. I made the obligatory "bringing the mountain to Mohamed" joke with my friends, and we returned to the game. Mohamed and I took careful measure of one another after that, each realizing that the other was a crazy mofo who wouldn't give way on an even ball. Fortunately for our brains another truly even ball never came between us that afternoon, and we were both careful not to foul on the close ones, enough brain damage having already occurred to satisfy us for quite some time.

Demerzel · April 4, 2003, 08:42

hehe I saw this on BBC News 24 last night and could have sworn we lost 9-3. Maybe we should draft the England team

Seriously though, I do like it that we really make one heck of an effort to improve relations. Things like this and other simple things like berets instead of combat helmets & lots of patrols ( i.e. meet & greet ) really do work wonders...