The second group A match, between a confident Turkish side and the rudderless Portugese. Can Portugal get it together on the field? Listen for yourself to the MP3s, then look below the cut for managerial comment, analysis and voting details.
TURKEY: Grup Hepsi – “Ask Sakisi”
The manager says: With an appropriate rhyming product emblazoned upon their new strip, the Hepsters are raring to meet the Portuguese team with some slick footwork and blinding flashes of r-n-b brilliance. After three seasons at the top of the Turkish league, these lasses have both experience and energy to tackle the most formidable foes. Any rumours that the team had recently adopted a dangerous nu-rave tactic for 2008 have been firmly toppled by recent Youtube form. Iyi ?ans, girls!
Our analyst says: In this kind of form, nobody will want to meet Turkey. Like a lot of Turkish sides they build attacks from the back, but they have a cutting edge up front and some lovely wing play: I can’t see them not scoring tonight and I’m not sure they’ll concede many either.
PORTUGAL: Madredeus – “A Andorinha De Primavera”
The manager says: Portugal were still managerless and it’s not entirely clear who submitted this team or coached it, but in STOP PRESS NEWS the former, Pop World Cup winning manager of the Czech Republic has agreed to come out of retirement and coach Portugal starting with their next game. Portugese fans are overjoyed at this development – “Truly, Greg is the Special One” – and will be cheering on tonight’s team of veterans – Madredeus’ blend of folk, fado and pop has been winning them respect and devotion for 20 years.
Our analyst says: The new Portugese manager may have an uphill struggle – these lads have beautiful technique and some of their build up work is breathtaking, but there’s a big question mark against their pace, which you have to say might tell against them in the modern game. There’s plenty of quality on in their side but you have to ask if their back line is just too slow.
HOW TO VOTE: Listen to the tracks and simply tick the one you like best. You have until 10AM on Monday 24th March to vote in this one.
Turkey v Portugal: Which of these tracks do you prefer? [ballot]
- PORTUGAL: Madredeus 64%
- TURKEY: Grup Hepsi 36%
Total Voters: 25
Poll closes: 24 Mar 2008 @ 10:00
Loading ...COMING NEXT: Thursday’s match sees co-hosts Austria take on Croatia. Austria haven’t tasted international success since the yodelling era, and they’ve turned to Steve M, who worked miracles getting Togo to the Pop World Cup quarter-finals, to restore some international pride. Croatia, meanwhile, crashed out of that tournament after fielding an experimental side, and they’ve dug deep to hire Portugal’s former management team, renowned for an extensive scouting network. It promises to be an interesting clash between two teams with a great deal to prove.
If I weren’t playing I’d be putting a tenner on Portugal to win right now.
I would say the favourites in this one would appear to be Grup Hepsi, but actually the Portuguese track takes me back to sitting in a smoky bar in Porto sipping port,. Oh hold on, that would be Faith No More!
Difficult to compare like to like, but found the Grup Hepsi a little blander than I expected from Turkey’s usual strong fielding. Could be a victory for the weaker underdog.
I found it a close decision – I did prefer Grup Hepsi, thanks to the singer who initially seemed raw but improved as the track progressed. But I think the Portugese might well grab a much-needed point here.
Turks get my vote by stylistic default if nothing else.
Meanwhile, one of the Austrian team’s most promising young strikers has been withdrawn from the squad after clarification of their birthplace rendered them ineligible to play. It is a blow for the co-hosts so close to their opening game although the coach is adamant that neither squad morale nor gameplan will be significantly affected. “If anything it eases my selection headache!” piped their coach optimistically.
Oh man, this may be the best match of any FT/Poptimist orgafun ever!
Grup Hepsi: Delicious violins, sly and passionate vocals, catchiness, dance beats, the works. As Grand Funk would say, she has the whole show and that’s a natural fact.
Madredeus: Full florid lips, beautiful guitar strums, gentle rhythms with a nice sway but that never fail to walk you home. Very nice.
My vote went to Grup Hepsi, but there are not many others who’d have beaten this Madredeus track.
The Madredeus track is pretty beautiful; very evocative and sensual. And as Pete says it makes me want to crack open the port (AUTOMATIC WIN).
I like what the Turkish girls are aiming for, not sure if they succeed though: it’s a bit too cheap and cheerful to really work as r&b.
Much better than the last lot though!
First shock of the tournament for me. Portugal’s managerless rabble resist the temptation to go all out and kick the opposition, and instead play their natural game, deft of touch and vision, good approach play, nice, sensible and unhurried, with some understated flair upfront.
By contrast, I’m not sure the much-fancied Turkey team ever takes off – they’ve taken a leaf from US tactics and I can see what they’re trying to do, but lack that moment of inspiration and the final ball isn’t really there either.
VERDICT – triumph over adversity for the Portuguese.
my god, who’s that coming up the tunnel, it’s EUSABIO! he’s back to save c ronaldo from another blubbing exit. the turkish players look confused, not expecting such silky smooth play from what they may have thought was a team in disarray. their functional play can’t match this surprise package…
we’ll have to see where the Special One takes them after this, but this is a good opening salvo.
This one is going to go down to the wire isn’t it?
it will be interesting to see if the vocal commenters are representing the views of the “masses”, and if number of listens reflects the votes as well…
ATTn Tom let me know you got my replacement track for Thursday’s game thanks
ATTN Tom let me know that you got my replacement track for Thursday’s game thanks
Yes I did!
At the MRS conference today (and yesterday) so not online.
A check of the polls suggests multiple voting by some people, including at least one actual player. Don’t do this pls!
DOPING SCANDAL!
NOT THAT IT WAS ME BUT, what’s wrong with that? if people have multiple computers why not? also are the data you are using IP addresses, cos that’s a bit harsh on participants who happen to live in the same house innit…
woah, if they’re doing it from different computers/IPs how do the polls tell you the same person has voted twice?
Er I may have voted twice in the first game when the poll wasn’t working? I thought it had been reset though :(
Kat – don’t worry – you won’t have voted twice.
the options are to ID people by IP/FTcookie or by username. we’re not yet going to insist on logging in to vote, so IP/cookie it is. as it stands duplicate votes are not terribly numerous.
I can exclusively reveal that a well known FT contributor has voted twice on one poll – once for each act. EH??
so if i vote for my tracks both at work and at home, you will know eh? unless i log out?
just askin like…
I think it should be one person one vote! Just cos it’s unfair on the people who don’t have two logins/computers (especially if they’re playing!)
I will confess I have indeed voted twice both times though, once for each track. The first time was to check both options were working (as one side had a rather dramatic lead), and the second time was cos I changed my mind but had already voted, so I ‘revoked’ my vote as it were. (Is there a way to change your mind? The lesson is: don’t rush to judgement)
BTW sorry if my earlier comment came off as brisk – I was in a total panic over impending conference doom!
Narrow win for Portugal!
well well well brian, they’ll be singing and dacing on the streets of lisbon tonight, i think we all thought that was heading for a draw…
Interesting result given that the Turkish entry got more downloads.
The Turks remain unbeaten in spirit!
gurup hepsi sizi cok seviyorum ama ke?ke gülçin böyle bi?e yapmasayd? neden arkada?lar?n? yüz üstü birakt?k? anlamad?m ama neyse bö?verin gülçini hepsi sizi ben hale cok seviyorum özelike de eren ve cemre yi cokk seviyorumm onlara selam gönderiyorum sizi seviyorum gurup hepsii