This World Cup has been an unmitigated disaster for England, no question. While fans in Italy and France in particular may envy our campaign, few others would suggest that it went well at all. Game by game, England only really got going for a total of 3 minutes, 0, 45, and 15 in the entire tournament.
Naturally, the focus needs to fall on the man in charge of such a failure. Fabio Capello yesterday revealed that, while he would be keen to remain in situ, his employers have told him that they will reveal his fate in a fortnight. On the face of it, this would not sound like a particularly positive position. Maybe Fabio is thinking "Shit, they've finally checked my internet history" as most of us would with similar news.
For me, Capello has to stay.
No-one can argue that this went well, and for Fabio to come out and cite tiredness as the key factor certainly seems like a weak excuse, given the performances of many other teams full of players who have endured long domestic seasons. It is the job of his coaching and medical teams to get the players in peak condition, and Capello should ensure that if one player is not at his best, he is not put out on the field. Furthermore, his insistence on shoe-horning players into the team when this seems to all and sundry to be negatively affecting the shape and balance of the side was a frustrating throwback to the days gone by when Gerrard and Lampard walked into every England team regardless.
But, how quickly we forget.
Capello inherited a team utterly devoid of any confidence and belief, and through a series of difficult initiations produced a team far more comfortable in possession, tactical in their approach and dangerous in front of goal. The qualifying campaign was sensational, particularly when compared to the disastrous Euro 2008 shambles. 9 goals against Croatia in two games; 8 straight wins; discovering a system that carried multiple threats but also placed the main focus on Rooney as our best player - all of these are credit to the management.
Prior to the tournament (ignoring the Capello index mistake) there were very few dissenting voices about the management; not from the media, fans, nor (as if they would dare) the players. Now, lo and behold, the complaints come out in a manner that suggest knee-jerk 'I said that all along' mob mentality.
Capello himself recognises the need for change within the team, and has acknowledged that mistakes were made. He has suggested a longer term approach, looking ahead to Brazil 2014, which would revolve around placing trust in the younger hopes of English football, the likes of Joe Hart, Theo Walcott, James Milner. In all probability Lampard, Terry, James, Gerrard et al will be too old by 2014; Capello understands this and should begin removing the old guard straight away, not in a knee-jerk fashion but as an iterative and gradual process.
The main reason however why Capello should remain the man for England is the lack of an alternative.
Who would we want?
The bookies have Roy Hodgson and (shudder) Harry Redknapp as joint favourites to take over. Neither has managed an English 'big four' club (Sorry Spurs fans, this means the Sky four!), neither has won the Premier League, neither has won the European Cup, neither has managed a major international country. When McClaren was in charge, it seemed painfully evident that he did not command any respect from his players. Those with their league titles, Champions League medals, dozens of caps were (rightly or wrongly) able to dismiss him on the grounds that he does not have the credentials to tell them what to do.
There is no English contender for the job that carries the same gravitas as Capello.
Removing Capello (at great cost - think what £12m could do to amateur football across the country) would be removing the best manager we have had in who knows how long. Yes, he has made mistakes at this World Cup; yes, his language needs to improve; and yes he needs to act now to right these wrongs - but to turn to another would be a huge mistake.
Anyone who thinks that 'passion' is what is needed and that only a true Anglo-Saxon can provide this is missing the true issue. It is not Capello's fault that our players, by and large, are technically not good enough.
The biggest problem that English football faces, which has been painfully and brutally exposed by Germany among others, is at the very base of the pyramid - but this is an issue for another day...
Tuesday, 29 June 2010
Sunday, 27 June 2010
Thomas Mueller-ed
England's World Cup hopes and dreams are over for another four years after being utterly hammered by Germany.
The earliest exit from a World Cup since 1998 is far less than England would have targeted from this campaign - but it is impossible to argue that they have been worthy of anything more.
Taking this game in isolation, England were a shambles at the back. The centre-back pairing, mauled by Alan Hansen on the BBC at both half time and full time, seemed to be frightened of not only the German attackers but also each other, so far apart were they at all the crucial times.
Gareth Barry, touted as a crucial part of England's chances prior to the tournament, was inept. A complete and utter inability to provide any defensive cover, to limit the impact of Mesut Ozil and Bastian Schweinsteiger, further compounded the disastrous performances of our centre backs. Barry allowed Mueller to roam forward 20 yards unchallenged to create the first chance for Ozil, lost the ball weakly for the first breakaway goal and was then utterly humiliated by the roasting that Ozil gave him, even with a 5 yard deficit.
The lack of pace and apparent sluggishness so painfully obvious in the fourth goal was a disease throughout the team. Everyone seemed to be running through treacle; they played without any zip, urgency, dynamism or desperation and somehow never seemed to be running very fast at all. Compared to the youthful Germans, and especially both sides in the engaging Mexico Argentina clash, England seemed to be playing at 70% pace at most. It was like the switch from the fluid and exciting Pro Evo 4 to the prosaic and boring Pro 5.
One of the biggest culprits of this Pro 5 disease is the biggest failure and let-down of the entire tournament: Wayne Rooney.
If Rooney is injured, he should have spoken up long before it got to this. Throughout the tournament his touch has been awful, his movement sluggish and his threat non-existent. Ordinarily, the game today would have seen Rooney crashing into defenders and very possibly getting himself sent off, if only out of sheer frustration that it was not going right. He could not even muster up the energy to foul people, let alone create any problems for the German defence.
For many of the players so conspicuous in their absence today, this may be the last time they ever represent England in a World Cup. How could they allow this to occur with such a lethargic, limp and insipid performance - surely as players they learn from past tournaments; but on this years evidence they have improved on nothing and still have a crippling phobia on the biggest stage of all.
All in all this was a bitterly disappointing defeat for England - but it is nothing more than they deserved. Euro 2008 occurred without England - it is arguable that World Cup 2010 did as well.
------------------------------------
The above gives no mention to Lampard's disallowed goal immediately after Upson's header got England back into the game. This is very deliberate. Anyone who believes this is the reason that England were defeated is deluding themselves - for 5 minutes England showed the necessary fight, pace and movement to get back into the game, but in terms of performance they were so far off Germany they were never really in with a chance.
The goal questions again the farcical FIFA stance to continue to rule out adopting goal-line technology. John Motson presented his case opposing technology in that it opens up a whole debate around which decisions can be reviewed, it breaks up the game etc. For video replays this is a valid concern. For goal-line tehcnology it is not.
By the start of the next Premier League season they could introduce the relatively simple measures to confirm when a ball has so clearly crossed the line as it did today. Of course it won't reach further down the league pyramid, but there are not millions of pounds at stake in non-league football.
It is a joke that this can happen - but England should not dare to hide behind it as an excuse.
The earliest exit from a World Cup since 1998 is far less than England would have targeted from this campaign - but it is impossible to argue that they have been worthy of anything more.
Taking this game in isolation, England were a shambles at the back. The centre-back pairing, mauled by Alan Hansen on the BBC at both half time and full time, seemed to be frightened of not only the German attackers but also each other, so far apart were they at all the crucial times.
Gareth Barry, touted as a crucial part of England's chances prior to the tournament, was inept. A complete and utter inability to provide any defensive cover, to limit the impact of Mesut Ozil and Bastian Schweinsteiger, further compounded the disastrous performances of our centre backs. Barry allowed Mueller to roam forward 20 yards unchallenged to create the first chance for Ozil, lost the ball weakly for the first breakaway goal and was then utterly humiliated by the roasting that Ozil gave him, even with a 5 yard deficit.
The lack of pace and apparent sluggishness so painfully obvious in the fourth goal was a disease throughout the team. Everyone seemed to be running through treacle; they played without any zip, urgency, dynamism or desperation and somehow never seemed to be running very fast at all. Compared to the youthful Germans, and especially both sides in the engaging Mexico Argentina clash, England seemed to be playing at 70% pace at most. It was like the switch from the fluid and exciting Pro Evo 4 to the prosaic and boring Pro 5.
One of the biggest culprits of this Pro 5 disease is the biggest failure and let-down of the entire tournament: Wayne Rooney.
If Rooney is injured, he should have spoken up long before it got to this. Throughout the tournament his touch has been awful, his movement sluggish and his threat non-existent. Ordinarily, the game today would have seen Rooney crashing into defenders and very possibly getting himself sent off, if only out of sheer frustration that it was not going right. He could not even muster up the energy to foul people, let alone create any problems for the German defence.
For many of the players so conspicuous in their absence today, this may be the last time they ever represent England in a World Cup. How could they allow this to occur with such a lethargic, limp and insipid performance - surely as players they learn from past tournaments; but on this years evidence they have improved on nothing and still have a crippling phobia on the biggest stage of all.
All in all this was a bitterly disappointing defeat for England - but it is nothing more than they deserved. Euro 2008 occurred without England - it is arguable that World Cup 2010 did as well.
------------------------------------
The above gives no mention to Lampard's disallowed goal immediately after Upson's header got England back into the game. This is very deliberate. Anyone who believes this is the reason that England were defeated is deluding themselves - for 5 minutes England showed the necessary fight, pace and movement to get back into the game, but in terms of performance they were so far off Germany they were never really in with a chance.
The goal questions again the farcical FIFA stance to continue to rule out adopting goal-line technology. John Motson presented his case opposing technology in that it opens up a whole debate around which decisions can be reviewed, it breaks up the game etc. For video replays this is a valid concern. For goal-line tehcnology it is not.
By the start of the next Premier League season they could introduce the relatively simple measures to confirm when a ball has so clearly crossed the line as it did today. Of course it won't reach further down the league pyramid, but there are not millions of pounds at stake in non-league football.
It is a joke that this can happen - but England should not dare to hide behind it as an excuse.
Ze calm before ze storm
In less than three hours the latest installment of the football/history crossover that is England's rivalry with Germany will get under way.
Simon Barnes in the Times wrote an excellent article this week about the impossibility of splitting certain sporting rivalries with their wider context, and surely England v Germany is the epitome of this. Even people with no interest in football will take a break from the sunshine to watch this game today (Hi Gina). It just always feels so massive, so real, so visceral - I love Germany as a place to visit, German people, Bratwurst - but there is just so much there that makes me desperate for us to beat their football team.
If the German players were sent out today in a different kit, and played under a name that held no significance to England, it is reasonable to believe that an improved England side would be able to dispatch with their opponents in relatively comfortable fashion. Perhaps if they could be given the Men In Black memory loss treatment just prior to kick-off, England could step out there with confidence in their own abilities and a disregard for the opposition.
But this is Germany. Southgate, 96. Hamann at Wembley. Waddle. Gazza.
The Germans always perform at major tournaments, and Ozil showed in clear terms what he is capable of against the Ghanaians. They shone in despatching Australia 4-0 in their opening game. There is a chance it could go to penalties, at which point England minds will flood with memories of dissapointment, whereas the only German with any worries will be Lukas Podolski after a recent miss against Serbia.
England, despite all of this, still should have enough to get past this German side, and I'll stick my neck on the line and say they will. The win over Slovenia showed signs of clear improvement, and Rooney has been given another chance to make his mark on this tournament which he will be desperate to take. Defensively they have been solid - credit in no small part to a redemption-seeking John Terry - and the fluidity of play shown throughout the qualifiers was creeping into their game last Wednesday. They just need to treat this game as any other.
Up next, Argentina - at least there isn't any history or rivalry there...
Simon Barnes in the Times wrote an excellent article this week about the impossibility of splitting certain sporting rivalries with their wider context, and surely England v Germany is the epitome of this. Even people with no interest in football will take a break from the sunshine to watch this game today (Hi Gina). It just always feels so massive, so real, so visceral - I love Germany as a place to visit, German people, Bratwurst - but there is just so much there that makes me desperate for us to beat their football team.
If the German players were sent out today in a different kit, and played under a name that held no significance to England, it is reasonable to believe that an improved England side would be able to dispatch with their opponents in relatively comfortable fashion. Perhaps if they could be given the Men In Black memory loss treatment just prior to kick-off, England could step out there with confidence in their own abilities and a disregard for the opposition.
But this is Germany. Southgate, 96. Hamann at Wembley. Waddle. Gazza.
The Germans always perform at major tournaments, and Ozil showed in clear terms what he is capable of against the Ghanaians. They shone in despatching Australia 4-0 in their opening game. There is a chance it could go to penalties, at which point England minds will flood with memories of dissapointment, whereas the only German with any worries will be Lukas Podolski after a recent miss against Serbia.
England, despite all of this, still should have enough to get past this German side, and I'll stick my neck on the line and say they will. The win over Slovenia showed signs of clear improvement, and Rooney has been given another chance to make his mark on this tournament which he will be desperate to take. Defensively they have been solid - credit in no small part to a redemption-seeking John Terry - and the fluidity of play shown throughout the qualifiers was creeping into their game last Wednesday. They just need to treat this game as any other.
Up next, Argentina - at least there isn't any history or rivalry there...
Thursday, 24 June 2010
Deutschland? Scheize.
Landon Donovan's last gasp goal and emotional celebrations to defeat the Algerians and top the group had just as much impact in Port Elizabeth as it did at the Loftus Versfeld.
England's route of progression to the semi finals is now most likely to be Germany followed by Argentina; as opposed to Ghana then Uruguay if Landycakes had not been on the spot.
The clash with Germany is almost guaranteed to be cagey, tactical, dour and negative...for about 5 minutes! The rivalry between these two nations will see everything disciplined fly out the window, replaced by sheer adrenaline and passion brought about by the sense of occasion. It is likely that whoever progresses will not get past a ridiculously gifted Argentinian attack, but the game should be a classic. Bring it on!!
----------------------------------------------
It's an absolute pleasure to write about what a fantastic atmosphere there was at the fan fest yesterday. England fans were out in force - despite many leaving CT on Monday for Port Elizabeth - and the sun shone to create an incredible setting in which to watch a much-improved England showing. There were definite signs of frustration during a sloppy opening period, but the team got the job done and the fans did themselves proud. Thoughts of defecting and going full time Dutch (the city is a sea of orange today and they know how to party) have been abandoned. I knew I could not stay mad at the Three Lions for too long...
England's route of progression to the semi finals is now most likely to be Germany followed by Argentina; as opposed to Ghana then Uruguay if Landycakes had not been on the spot.
The clash with Germany is almost guaranteed to be cagey, tactical, dour and negative...for about 5 minutes! The rivalry between these two nations will see everything disciplined fly out the window, replaced by sheer adrenaline and passion brought about by the sense of occasion. It is likely that whoever progresses will not get past a ridiculously gifted Argentinian attack, but the game should be a classic. Bring it on!!
----------------------------------------------
It's an absolute pleasure to write about what a fantastic atmosphere there was at the fan fest yesterday. England fans were out in force - despite many leaving CT on Monday for Port Elizabeth - and the sun shone to create an incredible setting in which to watch a much-improved England showing. There were definite signs of frustration during a sloppy opening period, but the team got the job done and the fans did themselves proud. Thoughts of defecting and going full time Dutch (the city is a sea of orange today and they know how to party) have been abandoned. I knew I could not stay mad at the Three Lions for too long...
Wednesday, 23 June 2010
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...
Having ranted after the Algeria game, thoughts turned to why we bother with England. It would be so nice to not care so much, and think oh well let's bother about something else. But the nerves have already set in ahead of this epic must-win clash with Slovenia. It means so much, we wait so long for it, they can create iconic moments that last forever.
In a few hours they will either put all the negativity behind them and make millions of people happy. Or they will be vilified and the disappointment will be difficult to forget. I'll be watching from the FIFA fan fest in Cape Town, and hopefully it will be a party to remember.
In the meantime we are off to Robben Island, where Mandela was a prisoner for some 27 years I think.
27 years? England fans have been suffering for 44 and counting...
In a few hours they will either put all the negativity behind them and make millions of people happy. Or they will be vilified and the disappointment will be difficult to forget. I'll be watching from the FIFA fan fest in Cape Town, and hopefully it will be a party to remember.
In the meantime we are off to Robben Island, where Mandela was a prisoner for some 27 years I think.
27 years? England fans have been suffering for 44 and counting...
Monday, 21 June 2010
Viva Ronaldo
Portugal just lit up Cape Town by hammering an unfortunate Korea DPR 7-0, and the Man of the Match award could go to no-one other than Cristiano Ronaldo.
His movement, touch, pace and skill are incredible, but what really stood out when watching him live for the first time was his distribution. He had a hand in almost every Portugal goal and could have set up countless more - his final ball was so often so perfect.
Dislikeable he may well be, petulant he definitely is, but on today's showing he went up in my estimation no end.
What a player.
His movement, touch, pace and skill are incredible, but what really stood out when watching him live for the first time was his distribution. He had a hand in almost every Portugal goal and could have set up countless more - his final ball was so often so perfect.
Dislikeable he may well be, petulant he definitely is, but on today's showing he went up in my estimation no end.
What a player.
Grass Boots FC (update)
A few weeks ago I wrote an article about Grass Boots FC, a kid's football club in Cape Town set up with the aim of bringing the game to disadvantaged children from all walks of life.
The perfect hangover cure after the England debacle was that we were offered the chance to take a coaching session with the kids themselves, so after brushing teeth to mask the alcohol and chugging as much water as physically possible we set off.
The club is set up on the slopes of Table Mountain, with a shipping container as a secure place to store equipment and use as a changing room/kitchen/everything in between. The pitch could do with work but is definitely better than Wembley! But the real point of our trip was not about the facilities or state of the pitch, it was the players.
Due to this being school holidays, the turn-out was lower than they were anticipating - but in fact this made for a great session as we were able to work closely with the kids, and get more involved which is never easy with a massive group.
The coaches very graciously allowed us to lead the session and were keen to ask questions and learn, however I am certain this was more out of politeness than a need to improve - the players all showed impressive touch, skill, understanding and most of all enjoyed themselves. This is clearly a credit to the club and those who put the hours in to run it.
After running some simple drills and some dribbling and shooting work, we were able to join them in a small sided game to wrap things up. This was such a good laugh and a pleasure, and was in such stark contrast to the frustration of the previous night's game.
When watching the millionaires each week in the Premier League and now at the World Cup it is easy to think that football is this massively cynical, money-driven, corporate monster that it seems to have become.
It's not.
The absolute top of the pyramid may be so, but this has never and will never be the most important part of the game. Shayden, Oliver, Jonathan, Innocent, Gift and Sasha - and all their team-mates who could not make it - they are what football really and truly is about. The excitement they showed, the keen-ness to learn, the desire to impress and the joy when they did something well, this is what it is all about.
If Football PLC eats itself one day, the amateur game will still survive. The most important thing is football at the grass roots, or should I say, the Grass Boots.
The perfect hangover cure after the England debacle was that we were offered the chance to take a coaching session with the kids themselves, so after brushing teeth to mask the alcohol and chugging as much water as physically possible we set off.
The club is set up on the slopes of Table Mountain, with a shipping container as a secure place to store equipment and use as a changing room/kitchen/everything in between. The pitch could do with work but is definitely better than Wembley! But the real point of our trip was not about the facilities or state of the pitch, it was the players.
Due to this being school holidays, the turn-out was lower than they were anticipating - but in fact this made for a great session as we were able to work closely with the kids, and get more involved which is never easy with a massive group.
The coaches very graciously allowed us to lead the session and were keen to ask questions and learn, however I am certain this was more out of politeness than a need to improve - the players all showed impressive touch, skill, understanding and most of all enjoyed themselves. This is clearly a credit to the club and those who put the hours in to run it.
After running some simple drills and some dribbling and shooting work, we were able to join them in a small sided game to wrap things up. This was such a good laugh and a pleasure, and was in such stark contrast to the frustration of the previous night's game.
When watching the millionaires each week in the Premier League and now at the World Cup it is easy to think that football is this massively cynical, money-driven, corporate monster that it seems to have become.
It's not.
The absolute top of the pyramid may be so, but this has never and will never be the most important part of the game. Shayden, Oliver, Jonathan, Innocent, Gift and Sasha - and all their team-mates who could not make it - they are what football really and truly is about. The excitement they showed, the keen-ness to learn, the desire to impress and the joy when they did something well, this is what it is all about.
If Football PLC eats itself one day, the amateur game will still survive. The most important thing is football at the grass roots, or should I say, the Grass Boots.
Saturday, 19 June 2010
"They're not creative enough, they're not positive enough..."
Desperate, desperate, desperate.
England's 'performance' last night in Cape Town surely has to rank as one of the most insipid, lifeless and woeful displays that the national side has turned in for a long long time. In 180 minutes of WC2010 now they have only created arguably three goalscoring opportunities, and have been quite possibly the least impressive side in the entire competition so far. At least everyone else, even when defeated, has shown spark, invention and fight. England displayed none of these qualities and left the Green Point stadium to a furious reception.
From a personal point of view, the game was not the only disappointment of the day.
England fans have swamped Cape Town over the last couple of days, and the V&A Waterfront - a major entertainment area with bars , shops and restaurants near to the stadium - was completely mobbed yesterday. Being there for both the Uruguay France and Italy Paraguay games was a great atmosphere, with small pockets of the respective nations' fans.
To their credit, England were represented in numbers at least ten fold compared to every other team to visit CT so far. Seeing St Georges flags everywhere was incredible, it really was a sea of red and white. And yet you could not quite feel proud.
The behaviour of a significant minority of our fans was pathetic, disgusting, rude, ignorant and shameful.
Why we cannot enter into the festive spirit of this event I do not know.
Why every song has to be antagonistic towards someone else I do not know.
Why we have to be aggressive in no particular direction I do not know.
All I do know is that wearing the England shirt makes me feel proud. Always has done, I love it - and I've always imagined what it would be like to actually pull it on as a player. Yesterday, I found myself wishing I had worn a different top.
The element of our support that you would completely avoid at home is far too significant. It's very difficult to feel complete and utter pride, when you basically hate your own fans. Every other team that we have encountered has gone about supporting their team in the right way, I just wish that we could do the same.
It has not been fun writing this but it's truly how it felt - apologies to anyone thinking I'm either hypocritical as a fan myself, or ungrateful for the fact that I was able to be there and have now moaned about it, but I really wish we could be proud of our fans - and our team.
England Team 0 - 0 England Fans.
England's 'performance' last night in Cape Town surely has to rank as one of the most insipid, lifeless and woeful displays that the national side has turned in for a long long time. In 180 minutes of WC2010 now they have only created arguably three goalscoring opportunities, and have been quite possibly the least impressive side in the entire competition so far. At least everyone else, even when defeated, has shown spark, invention and fight. England displayed none of these qualities and left the Green Point stadium to a furious reception.
From a personal point of view, the game was not the only disappointment of the day.
England fans have swamped Cape Town over the last couple of days, and the V&A Waterfront - a major entertainment area with bars , shops and restaurants near to the stadium - was completely mobbed yesterday. Being there for both the Uruguay France and Italy Paraguay games was a great atmosphere, with small pockets of the respective nations' fans.
To their credit, England were represented in numbers at least ten fold compared to every other team to visit CT so far. Seeing St Georges flags everywhere was incredible, it really was a sea of red and white. And yet you could not quite feel proud.
The behaviour of a significant minority of our fans was pathetic, disgusting, rude, ignorant and shameful.
Why we cannot enter into the festive spirit of this event I do not know.
Why every song has to be antagonistic towards someone else I do not know.
Why we have to be aggressive in no particular direction I do not know.
All I do know is that wearing the England shirt makes me feel proud. Always has done, I love it - and I've always imagined what it would be like to actually pull it on as a player. Yesterday, I found myself wishing I had worn a different top.
The element of our support that you would completely avoid at home is far too significant. It's very difficult to feel complete and utter pride, when you basically hate your own fans. Every other team that we have encountered has gone about supporting their team in the right way, I just wish that we could do the same.
It has not been fun writing this but it's truly how it felt - apologies to anyone thinking I'm either hypocritical as a fan myself, or ungrateful for the fact that I was able to be there and have now moaned about it, but I really wish we could be proud of our fans - and our team.
England Team 0 - 0 England Fans.
Thursday, 17 June 2010
The Boys the Boys against the Men the Men
Last night, the whole of South Africa came crashing down to reality with a bit of a bang. The Cape Times summed it up with the headline ' you can only get so far on emotion' and unfortunately it seems that the second round may be too far, even for support as immense as Bafana Bafana have enjoyed. A 3-0 defeat to Uruguay was a fair reflection of the mismatch in quality.
The first goal was unlucky although the keeper should have done better; and the red card seemed harsh although it was a penalty. The key aspect however that has burst the bubble of SA optimism was the complete lack of attacking threat. Teams can often survive with a sub-par defence, provided they are able to score goals themselves. Bafana did not offer enough yesterday and the moment where Mphela struck the post in the first game may well be definitive.
The tournament will undoubtedly suffer if the host nation do not manage to sneak through the group - however the obstacle of defeating the French would appear to be one task too far.
-------------------------------------------------
The cagey approach that almost every team showed in their opening game - resulting in some frustartingly dour games and a general lack of goals - would seem to be lifting now that teams are going into their second game and the results become ever more critical. Argentina enjoyed themselves with a slightly flattering 4-1 result, Greece and Nigeria are going for it, and of course Uruguay opened up to the dismay of SA last night. The next few days promise to deliver some exciting football; the closer teams come to exiting the tournament the more gripping the drama will become.
England should make up for a disappointing start by making a statement against the Algerians; Spain will be out for revenge and Brazil Ivory Coast promises to be one of the games of the group stage. I predict fireworks in the next 3/4 days!
---------------------------------------------
Technology is something of a novelty at the moment, hence the lack of updates to this site. Also Chinsy and Knuckles have gone AWOL, early reports indicate they were spotted trying to use a Vuvuzela to flag a taxi, as yet unconfirmed.
The first goal was unlucky although the keeper should have done better; and the red card seemed harsh although it was a penalty. The key aspect however that has burst the bubble of SA optimism was the complete lack of attacking threat. Teams can often survive with a sub-par defence, provided they are able to score goals themselves. Bafana did not offer enough yesterday and the moment where Mphela struck the post in the first game may well be definitive.
The tournament will undoubtedly suffer if the host nation do not manage to sneak through the group - however the obstacle of defeating the French would appear to be one task too far.
-------------------------------------------------
The cagey approach that almost every team showed in their opening game - resulting in some frustartingly dour games and a general lack of goals - would seem to be lifting now that teams are going into their second game and the results become ever more critical. Argentina enjoyed themselves with a slightly flattering 4-1 result, Greece and Nigeria are going for it, and of course Uruguay opened up to the dismay of SA last night. The next few days promise to deliver some exciting football; the closer teams come to exiting the tournament the more gripping the drama will become.
England should make up for a disappointing start by making a statement against the Algerians; Spain will be out for revenge and Brazil Ivory Coast promises to be one of the games of the group stage. I predict fireworks in the next 3/4 days!
---------------------------------------------
Technology is something of a novelty at the moment, hence the lack of updates to this site. Also Chinsy and Knuckles have gone AWOL, early reports indicate they were spotted trying to use a Vuvuzela to flag a taxi, as yet unconfirmed.
Sunday, 13 June 2010
Trumpets and Fumbles
At the time of writing, the tournament is 7 games old and so far there has not been a classic. No game has produced more than 2 goals, goalkeepers have failed to cover themselves in glory (Hi Rob), and strikers have looked nervous in front of goal (Hi Emile).
The tournament feels like it has yet to burst into life, and Australia Germany could be the game to do this. The Germans will undoubtedly miss their talisman Ballack, and this may give extra optimism to the always persistent and spiky Socceroos. However they have a phrase in German: 'TournierMannschaft' which translates as 'tournament team' - and there can be no doubt that Germany are the epitome of this concept.
No-one will be writing them off and they are strong favourites to progress through their group. On current form this may well set up an epic clash with the Three Lions, who last night got under way in the best possible fashion, and then looked sluggish, tired, unimaginative and toothless for the remaining 87 minutes.
A good tournament can exist happily without England - Euro 08 is a case in point - but for millions of us the performance and progress of the team can add so much. On last night's evidence there has to be serious doubt as to whether they can deliver anything.
Green's mistake was an absolute shocker, no doubt, but the save from Altidore got him some way towards redemption. Far more troubling for Capello should be the no-show from some of his most important figures, no less than the superstar and carier of England hopes, Rooney. Until the last fifteen minutes he was nowhere, looking tired, limp and not himself.
The only saving grace for England is that the threat posed by Algeria and Slovenia should be such that they can get the required results to still emerge from this group - I'll be there on Friday to hopefully witness the Lazarus-like recovery!
-------------------------------------
I'm interested to hear the English view on the vuvuzela?
It is everywhere here, first thing you hear in the morning and just constant background noise wherever you go. Inside the stadium it was an ever-present drone. So far, I don't mind it - but one thing is certain, it is not conducive to a great atmosphere.
At Newlands on Saturday for the Springboks v France, vuvuzelas are banned. The result? A raucous, rousing and fantastic atmoshpere - created by fans of both teams. Cheer in reaction to a good piece of play; roar in an effort to inspire your team, boo for bad decisions - the vuvuzela is removing all of this. I would not mind if it was banned; but I'll be bringing one home!
The tournament feels like it has yet to burst into life, and Australia Germany could be the game to do this. The Germans will undoubtedly miss their talisman Ballack, and this may give extra optimism to the always persistent and spiky Socceroos. However they have a phrase in German: 'TournierMannschaft' which translates as 'tournament team' - and there can be no doubt that Germany are the epitome of this concept.
No-one will be writing them off and they are strong favourites to progress through their group. On current form this may well set up an epic clash with the Three Lions, who last night got under way in the best possible fashion, and then looked sluggish, tired, unimaginative and toothless for the remaining 87 minutes.
A good tournament can exist happily without England - Euro 08 is a case in point - but for millions of us the performance and progress of the team can add so much. On last night's evidence there has to be serious doubt as to whether they can deliver anything.
Green's mistake was an absolute shocker, no doubt, but the save from Altidore got him some way towards redemption. Far more troubling for Capello should be the no-show from some of his most important figures, no less than the superstar and carier of England hopes, Rooney. Until the last fifteen minutes he was nowhere, looking tired, limp and not himself.
The only saving grace for England is that the threat posed by Algeria and Slovenia should be such that they can get the required results to still emerge from this group - I'll be there on Friday to hopefully witness the Lazarus-like recovery!
-------------------------------------
I'm interested to hear the English view on the vuvuzela?
It is everywhere here, first thing you hear in the morning and just constant background noise wherever you go. Inside the stadium it was an ever-present drone. So far, I don't mind it - but one thing is certain, it is not conducive to a great atmosphere.
At Newlands on Saturday for the Springboks v France, vuvuzelas are banned. The result? A raucous, rousing and fantastic atmoshpere - created by fans of both teams. Cheer in reaction to a good piece of play; roar in an effort to inspire your team, boo for bad decisions - the vuvuzela is removing all of this. I would not mind if it was banned; but I'll be bringing one home!
'Twas the night before Christmas...
EDIT - Hi all, apologies for the delay in getting this posted, major difficulty finding the time and opportunity to get online. This was wirtten at the end of Day 1 but have not been able to get the site working until now. Will hope to get things much more regularly posted now that we are here and things are under way!
--------------------------------------------------
Friday 11th June 2010, 10:30 am, approximately 15km outside Cape Town.
The only colour you can see is Bafana yellow, the only sound you can hear is the toot of the vuvuzela. The sheer weight of expectation and excitement is completely and utterly pervasive, and impossible to avoid. The electric atmopshere really hinted that this country was on the verge of something massive.
We arrived into town around 2:30 pm and the place was complete bedlam, trying to find a spot to watch the opening game proved no easy task. We got a spot in a bar and settled in to watch Bafana Bafana get things started. I have no shame in admitting, the moments leading up to kick off including the national anthems were real 100% goosebump moments - it was so clear to see what this meant to so many people. And what a privilege to be there with them. South Africa started very nervously, but after 15 mins or so they seemed to settle and looked increasingly comfortable as the half wore on.
The first half was over in a flash, and then with the start of the second half, a massive roar of encouragement and wave of optimism swept from Green Point right up to Soccer City in Jo'burg. If the players could only feel the vibes from every single person in their country, surely they could find a way through?!
Siphiwe Tshabalala seemed to put every single ounce of energy into swinging his left boot after an excellent piece of build up play by Bafana. I think it is fair to say he took the approach of 'I'm just going to hit this as hard as I can' but "Sho"..what a hit!!! Phillipe Lahm presumably saw that and realised, OK, it's not only me who can open the World Cup with a goal that will be right up there for goal of the tournament in four weeks time. The Mexican equaliser and then the poor miss in the 89th minute gave hint to the naivety and arguably ineptitude that is a feature of the host team - and served to keep reality just about in check for the thousands of excited fans.
Coupled with the un-inspiring and unthreatening draw between U R GAY and France and the impressive link up play that they showed; they should have every chance of continuing the record of every host nation progressing beyond the group stages. Long Street, a main artery through Cape Town, was completely jumping after the game - traffic at a standstill, people dancing, singing, going crazy. It was incredible to be in amongst it, and considering they had only drawn I can't imagine what it will be like if they can win. The other game in Group A was dissapointing to say the least, but there is a hell of a lot of football to be played over the next four weeks and things will only improve. Keep checking the site for regular updates, and let me know if there is anything you want to know about in particular. Check the Twitter feed on the left for a regular update of where we are and what is going on.
--------------------------------------------------
Friday 11th June 2010, 10:30 am, approximately 15km outside Cape Town.
The only colour you can see is Bafana yellow, the only sound you can hear is the toot of the vuvuzela. The sheer weight of expectation and excitement is completely and utterly pervasive, and impossible to avoid. The electric atmopshere really hinted that this country was on the verge of something massive.
We arrived into town around 2:30 pm and the place was complete bedlam, trying to find a spot to watch the opening game proved no easy task. We got a spot in a bar and settled in to watch Bafana Bafana get things started. I have no shame in admitting, the moments leading up to kick off including the national anthems were real 100% goosebump moments - it was so clear to see what this meant to so many people. And what a privilege to be there with them. South Africa started very nervously, but after 15 mins or so they seemed to settle and looked increasingly comfortable as the half wore on.
The first half was over in a flash, and then with the start of the second half, a massive roar of encouragement and wave of optimism swept from Green Point right up to Soccer City in Jo'burg. If the players could only feel the vibes from every single person in their country, surely they could find a way through?!
Siphiwe Tshabalala seemed to put every single ounce of energy into swinging his left boot after an excellent piece of build up play by Bafana. I think it is fair to say he took the approach of 'I'm just going to hit this as hard as I can' but "Sho"..what a hit!!! Phillipe Lahm presumably saw that and realised, OK, it's not only me who can open the World Cup with a goal that will be right up there for goal of the tournament in four weeks time. The Mexican equaliser and then the poor miss in the 89th minute gave hint to the naivety and arguably ineptitude that is a feature of the host team - and served to keep reality just about in check for the thousands of excited fans.
Coupled with the un-inspiring and unthreatening draw between U R GAY and France and the impressive link up play that they showed; they should have every chance of continuing the record of every host nation progressing beyond the group stages. Long Street, a main artery through Cape Town, was completely jumping after the game - traffic at a standstill, people dancing, singing, going crazy. It was incredible to be in amongst it, and considering they had only drawn I can't imagine what it will be like if they can win. The other game in Group A was dissapointing to say the least, but there is a hell of a lot of football to be played over the next four weeks and things will only improve. Keep checking the site for regular updates, and let me know if there is anything you want to know about in particular. Check the Twitter feed on the left for a regular update of where we are and what is going on.
Tuesday, 8 June 2010
Guest Feature: The Contenders
Fresh from the success of his debut contribution (see Guest Features: Ones to Watch) Andy Morris has submitted his lowdown on the other main contenders for the World Cup. Morris applies his in-depth foreign football knowledge to show me up, and this piece will presumably get snaffled up by the BBC just like his last one was...
Spain
Out - Raul, Marcos Senna, Guiza
Star – Xavi, Torres, Fabregas, Villa etc…far too many to mention.
Standout – Andres Iniesta – Has had an injury hit 2010 up until now so will be looking to make up for lost time. Barcelona would also be the current European Champions had he been fit for the return leg. Sour grapes anyone?
Surprise – Jesus Navas – see ‘Ones to Watch’
Brazil
Out - Ronaldinho, Adriano, Anderson, Pato
Star – Kaka – see ‘Five will make you get down now’
Standout – Robinho – Has a point to prove following his disappointing stint in England and is a different player when wearing the famous yellow jersey.
Surprise - Michel Bastos of Lyon who you can expect to see playing in England, Italy or most likely Spain in the not to distant future. Attack minded left back or winger in the mould of Robbie Carlos himself.
Holland
Out – Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Orlando Engelaar
Star – Robben/Sneijder – These two have had great seasons in Germany and Italy and the Dutch will be a serious threat if they continue their stunning form.
Standout – Van Persie see ‘Five will make you get down now’
Surprise – Eljero Elia – Currently playing for Hamburg. Elia is an old fashioned winger with pace and tricks to boot…think Ryan Babel but better.
Argentina
Out – Cambiasso, J Zanetti, Coloccini, Aimar, Saviola,
Star – Messi – Some question marks remain about his international form and unfortunately for England & co, little Leo will be looking to prove his doubters wrong.
Standout – Angel Di Maria – Heavily linked with moves to Chelsea, Man Utd and Real Madrid. He has class and is expected to start alongside Messi to be Argentina’s creative pair.
Surprise – Jesus Datolo - see ‘Ones to Watch’
France
Out – Vieira, Benzema, Lassana Diarra, Nasri
Star – Ribery – Franck will be looking to remind the world why he was top of everyone’s shopping list only a year ago. France appear to be in a bit of a mess but sloth may well pull them through further than people think.
Standout – Henry – The best player I’ve ever seen live is expected to be going stateside this summer so this may well prove his swan song. Hasn’t had much playing time for Barcelona so should be fit and looking to roll back the years.
Surprise – Yoann Gourcuff – May well be filling the void left by Fabregas after his expected move back to Catalunya. Has quality and will be looking for the biggest stage of all to propel him into one of Europe’s biggest clubs.
Portugal
Out - Quaresma, Joao Moutinho, Postiga, Maniche
Star – Ronaldo – The world’s second best player loves a stage and I fully expect him to shine. Apparently he’s also the man we’d most like to be!
Standout – Deco – In a similar situation to Henry. Deco is likely to be playing in Brazil next season so will be looking to go out with a bang. They say form is temporary but class is permanent and this man has bags of the stuff.
Surprise – Danny - see ‘Ones to Watch’
Germany
Out - Ballack, Frings, Kuranyi
Star – Klose – The slot of a German ‘star’ in the absence of Ballack is actually quite tricky. I’ve plumped for Klose due to his goal scoring record in previous tournaments and my inability to spell Schew, Scvwein, Sweistenger…
Standout – Mezut Ozil - see ‘Ones to Watch’
Surprise – Jerome Boateng – Man City’s first signing of the season is a young, powerful full back who is also the brother of German hero Kevin Prince Boateng. Bit of an unknown quantity outside Germany and will be looking to justify moneybags decision to bring in to the Premier League.
Italy
Out - Totti, Toni, Rossi, Del Piero, Borriello
Star – Pirlo – A truly world class footballer who still has a bit in the tank despite his advancing years.
Standout – De Rossi – Very highly rated in Italy and the ‘engine room’ of the team. I expect him not only to shine but to get sent off at least once as he is a few holes short of a full course.
Surprise - Simone Pepe – This was a difficult one to call as the Italians appear short of talented youngsters. Pepe is a direct winger with an eye for goal and has a great sounding name that actually translates to Simon Pepper.
Spain
Out - Raul, Marcos Senna, Guiza
Star – Xavi, Torres, Fabregas, Villa etc…far too many to mention.
Standout – Andres Iniesta – Has had an injury hit 2010 up until now so will be looking to make up for lost time. Barcelona would also be the current European Champions had he been fit for the return leg. Sour grapes anyone?
Surprise – Jesus Navas – see ‘Ones to Watch’
Brazil
Out - Ronaldinho, Adriano, Anderson, Pato
Star – Kaka – see ‘Five will make you get down now’
Standout – Robinho – Has a point to prove following his disappointing stint in England and is a different player when wearing the famous yellow jersey.
Surprise - Michel Bastos of Lyon who you can expect to see playing in England, Italy or most likely Spain in the not to distant future. Attack minded left back or winger in the mould of Robbie Carlos himself.
Holland
Out – Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Orlando Engelaar
Star – Robben/Sneijder – These two have had great seasons in Germany and Italy and the Dutch will be a serious threat if they continue their stunning form.
Standout – Van Persie see ‘Five will make you get down now’
Surprise – Eljero Elia – Currently playing for Hamburg. Elia is an old fashioned winger with pace and tricks to boot…think Ryan Babel but better.
Argentina
Out – Cambiasso, J Zanetti, Coloccini, Aimar, Saviola,
Star – Messi – Some question marks remain about his international form and unfortunately for England & co, little Leo will be looking to prove his doubters wrong.
Standout – Angel Di Maria – Heavily linked with moves to Chelsea, Man Utd and Real Madrid. He has class and is expected to start alongside Messi to be Argentina’s creative pair.
Surprise – Jesus Datolo - see ‘Ones to Watch’
France
Out – Vieira, Benzema, Lassana Diarra, Nasri
Star – Ribery – Franck will be looking to remind the world why he was top of everyone’s shopping list only a year ago. France appear to be in a bit of a mess but sloth may well pull them through further than people think.
Standout – Henry – The best player I’ve ever seen live is expected to be going stateside this summer so this may well prove his swan song. Hasn’t had much playing time for Barcelona so should be fit and looking to roll back the years.
Surprise – Yoann Gourcuff – May well be filling the void left by Fabregas after his expected move back to Catalunya. Has quality and will be looking for the biggest stage of all to propel him into one of Europe’s biggest clubs.
Portugal
Out - Quaresma, Joao Moutinho, Postiga, Maniche
Star – Ronaldo – The world’s second best player loves a stage and I fully expect him to shine. Apparently he’s also the man we’d most like to be!
Standout – Deco – In a similar situation to Henry. Deco is likely to be playing in Brazil next season so will be looking to go out with a bang. They say form is temporary but class is permanent and this man has bags of the stuff.
Surprise – Danny - see ‘Ones to Watch’
Germany
Out - Ballack, Frings, Kuranyi
Star – Klose – The slot of a German ‘star’ in the absence of Ballack is actually quite tricky. I’ve plumped for Klose due to his goal scoring record in previous tournaments and my inability to spell Schew, Scvwein, Sweistenger…
Standout – Mezut Ozil - see ‘Ones to Watch’
Surprise – Jerome Boateng – Man City’s first signing of the season is a young, powerful full back who is also the brother of German hero Kevin Prince Boateng. Bit of an unknown quantity outside Germany and will be looking to justify moneybags decision to bring in to the Premier League.
Italy
Out - Totti, Toni, Rossi, Del Piero, Borriello
Star – Pirlo – A truly world class footballer who still has a bit in the tank despite his advancing years.
Standout – De Rossi – Very highly rated in Italy and the ‘engine room’ of the team. I expect him not only to shine but to get sent off at least once as he is a few holes short of a full course.
Surprise - Simone Pepe – This was a difficult one to call as the Italians appear short of talented youngsters. Pepe is a direct winger with an eye for goal and has a great sounding name that actually translates to Simon Pepper.
Monday, 7 June 2010
He's only gone and done a bloody video
Many could argue that I have too much time on my hands.
They could follow that up by suggesting a 26 year old man should set his mind to productive menaingful tasks.
They could even go so far as to questioning the sanity and maturity of someone who finds amusement in the most juvenile of pursuits.
They'd be right.
Using the link on the left you can see the first video brought to you by Sub Please - you can find Chinsy & Knuckles on Youtube using the link below, or by subscribing to the channel for SubPlease2010.
I'll be updating the Youtube Channel (as well as the blog of course) as often as possible from the tournament and will welcome any suggestions for what you'd like to see the dynamic duo discuss.
One favour to ask is if you have been reading the site and you don't mind it, please could you click the link on the right to 'follow' It's a 1 minute job to register your email but you don't get spam or anything like that and it's good to know how many people this is reaching! Feel free to pass the link on, I'm keen to get this out to as many people as possible so by all means spread the word.
YouTube Channel Link: click here
They could follow that up by suggesting a 26 year old man should set his mind to productive menaingful tasks.
They could even go so far as to questioning the sanity and maturity of someone who finds amusement in the most juvenile of pursuits.
They'd be right.
Using the link on the left you can see the first video brought to you by Sub Please - you can find Chinsy & Knuckles on Youtube using the link below, or by subscribing to the channel for SubPlease2010.
I'll be updating the Youtube Channel (as well as the blog of course) as often as possible from the tournament and will welcome any suggestions for what you'd like to see the dynamic duo discuss.
One favour to ask is if you have been reading the site and you don't mind it, please could you click the link on the right to 'follow' It's a 1 minute job to register your email but you don't get spam or anything like that and it's good to know how many people this is reaching! Feel free to pass the link on, I'm keen to get this out to as many people as possible so by all means spread the word.
YouTube Channel Link: click here
His name is Rio and he's watching from the stands
Emile Heskey announced over the weekend that this year he has been filming a new show for ITV 7+1 HD - 'Emile's World Cup Wind Up's'. His first victim of a hilarious prank was Rio Ferdinand, famous for his own attempt at 'merking' his team mates back in 2006. This time it was Rio himself who got Merk'd thanks to Emile's lumbering idiotic clumsy self battering into him during training, robbing him forever of the chance to captain his country at the World Cup.
Rio, you been merk'd son. But what does this mean for England?
The likelihood is that Deadly Ledley King will step in alongside John Terry at the heart of the defence. Whilst King is without doubt one of the finest defenders in the entire Premier League, the chances of him breaking down 10 minutes into the first game against the USA in less than a week (!) will have Fabio Capello in cold sweats.
Furthermore, it is widely acknowledged that John Terry is not a pacy defender. King is deceptively fast but is certainly not as rapid as you would ideally want for your last line of defence. One upshot of this enforced change is likely to be a greater burden on the full backs Cole and Johnson, both of whom are very quick. This pace will be called upon to cover in behind the two creaking centre backs - and with Cole and Johnson both offering a good deal in the way of attacking threat, this could well limit England.
Ferdinand is arguably one of the last people in the squad that Capello would have wanted to lose. He won't be wishing injury on anyone (until sloppy mistakes are made and he goes all Don Corleone on the touchlines) - but after Rooney and probably Gerrard; Rio was one of the core players in the spine of this team. Although he has had an injury-affected season, his class has been obvious for many years - the 2002 World Cup in Japan and Korea saw him emerge as one of England's few genuinely world class players, and earned him a £30m move to Man United. His ability to read the game, his physical presence but above all else the way in which he can bring the ball out of defence and build the play will be sorely missed by Capello's men.
Other teams are also suffering from the loss of key players to injury - Robben and Drogba doubtful, Essien, Ballack, Mikel all out - and England should certainly be able to cope without Rio and progress through their group.
In the latter stages of the tournament however, when against first rate opposition and after Ledley's knee has blown up bigger than a Guatemalan sink hole, we'll be crying out for the man with the ridiculous lips. Brap.
---------------------------------------------
Technical issues are currently holding up the launch of SubPlease Video - but watch this space, coming soon I promise!!
Rio, you been merk'd son. But what does this mean for England?
The likelihood is that Deadly Ledley King will step in alongside John Terry at the heart of the defence. Whilst King is without doubt one of the finest defenders in the entire Premier League, the chances of him breaking down 10 minutes into the first game against the USA in less than a week (!) will have Fabio Capello in cold sweats.
Furthermore, it is widely acknowledged that John Terry is not a pacy defender. King is deceptively fast but is certainly not as rapid as you would ideally want for your last line of defence. One upshot of this enforced change is likely to be a greater burden on the full backs Cole and Johnson, both of whom are very quick. This pace will be called upon to cover in behind the two creaking centre backs - and with Cole and Johnson both offering a good deal in the way of attacking threat, this could well limit England.
Ferdinand is arguably one of the last people in the squad that Capello would have wanted to lose. He won't be wishing injury on anyone (until sloppy mistakes are made and he goes all Don Corleone on the touchlines) - but after Rooney and probably Gerrard; Rio was one of the core players in the spine of this team. Although he has had an injury-affected season, his class has been obvious for many years - the 2002 World Cup in Japan and Korea saw him emerge as one of England's few genuinely world class players, and earned him a £30m move to Man United. His ability to read the game, his physical presence but above all else the way in which he can bring the ball out of defence and build the play will be sorely missed by Capello's men.
Other teams are also suffering from the loss of key players to injury - Robben and Drogba doubtful, Essien, Ballack, Mikel all out - and England should certainly be able to cope without Rio and progress through their group.
In the latter stages of the tournament however, when against first rate opposition and after Ledley's knee has blown up bigger than a Guatemalan sink hole, we'll be crying out for the man with the ridiculous lips. Brap.
---------------------------------------------
Technical issues are currently holding up the launch of SubPlease Video - but watch this space, coming soon I promise!!
Rivaldo's Shame
Requested by The Cat some time ago - minimal effort here but I didn't want the quality of the artwork to detract from the shocking display of cheating.
Thursday, 3 June 2010
Grass Boots
Over the next 5 weeks the eyes of the world will be on South Africa, and the finest footballers (including perhaps the greatest ever...we shall see) will be providing moments of timeless drama and incredible beauty.
In 6 weeks time, it will all be over. Thousands of tourists will have been and gone, the media focus will have shifted elsewhere, and the dust will be settling on what will hopefully prove to be the best World Cup yet.
So, left behind, will be millions of people with the legacy that the tournament creates - depending on your viewpoint this could be improved infrastructure, global presence, tourism boom, thousands of forcibly relocated people and a crippling national debt.
One thing for certain, regardless of the socio-economic argument or the morality of South Africa hosting this tournament, is that it should provide an opportunity for many to improve their lives. One group that are seeking to do this is Grass Boots FC, a youth football club set up in the Cape Town City Bowl.
They have a three-fold mission:
As well as this the club are ensuring that each member receives an official birth certificate, which for many of the disadvantaged children is a formality that they simply would not have. They have also set up Boot Banks to allow people to donate football boots and other kit for the players to use.
The people behind this have been kind enough to allow us to meet them, and host a training session for the club when we are out in Cape Town. I have long believed in the almost unrivalled potential of football as a tool for bringing people together - regardless of background, race, nationality etc - and the Grass Boots FC initative is an excellent example of this.
Many of these children would simply never get the chance to meet their team-mates, or have their own kit and boots, or know what it is like to be part of a team - the values and education this provides are something that is hard to recreate outside team sports.
It is a privilege to be invited to meet the club, and I can't wait. I'll be bringing news of our training session on here - let's see how well they take to English tactics of hoof it to the big lad and the old timeless classic...'Get Rid'.
In 6 weeks time, it will all be over. Thousands of tourists will have been and gone, the media focus will have shifted elsewhere, and the dust will be settling on what will hopefully prove to be the best World Cup yet.
So, left behind, will be millions of people with the legacy that the tournament creates - depending on your viewpoint this could be improved infrastructure, global presence, tourism boom, thousands of forcibly relocated people and a crippling national debt.
One thing for certain, regardless of the socio-economic argument or the morality of South Africa hosting this tournament, is that it should provide an opportunity for many to improve their lives. One group that are seeking to do this is Grass Boots FC, a youth football club set up in the Cape Town City Bowl.
They have a three-fold mission:
- Give kids from all areas the best possible training and make no discrimination on financial or any other grounds.
- Give every child a meal as part of their training
- Get children out of their houses and encourage them to be actively and productively stimulated.
As well as this the club are ensuring that each member receives an official birth certificate, which for many of the disadvantaged children is a formality that they simply would not have. They have also set up Boot Banks to allow people to donate football boots and other kit for the players to use.
The people behind this have been kind enough to allow us to meet them, and host a training session for the club when we are out in Cape Town. I have long believed in the almost unrivalled potential of football as a tool for bringing people together - regardless of background, race, nationality etc - and the Grass Boots FC initative is an excellent example of this.
Many of these children would simply never get the chance to meet their team-mates, or have their own kit and boots, or know what it is like to be part of a team - the values and education this provides are something that is hard to recreate outside team sports.
It is a privilege to be invited to meet the club, and I can't wait. I'll be bringing news of our training session on here - let's see how well they take to English tactics of hoof it to the big lad and the old timeless classic...'Get Rid'.
Tuesday, 1 June 2010
The Anderton Hypocrisy
12 years ago, as today, a select group of England’s finest footballers (and Phil Neville) were preparing to find out their fate regarding the upcoming Coupe du Monde in France.
As a 14 year old Southampton fan who worshipped daily at the altar of Le Tissier, I was devastated when Glenn Hoddle opted to take Darren Anderton instead of our very own rotund genius. Le Tissier ended the season on a sublime run of goal-scoring form, including a hat-trick and captain’s performance in an England B international (organised specifically to allow players to impress). Despite this irresistible form, and his unrivalled ability to pop up with something special, Hoddle favoured the softly spoken (and presumably less likely to say no to whatever was asked of him – I’m only saying) Spurs midfielder. Favouritise much?
In a strongly-worded letter to Hoddle via the FA suggesting that he had made a terrible mistake, I took a solemn vow not to celebrate anything good that Anderton did at France 98.
26th June, England go into their final, crucial, group game – nothing less than a win will do. The Colombian side also had a chance to progress and with unpredictable talent such as Sideshow Bob Valderrama and the mental Asprilla nothing could be taken for granted. Inside the first twenty minutes, England are piling on the pressure but struggling to find a breakthrough, until little Mickey Owen fires a dangerous cross into the box which falls...WHAT A STRIKE!!!! 1-0, GET IN THERE!!! JUMP AROUND THE LIVING ROOM, SCREAMING YOUR HEAD OFF!!!
Wait…
No, it can’t be, please say it isn’t, anyone but him…
“Darren Anderton has given England the lead!”
Well, so much for my strongly worded letter and solemn vow – at that moment I had to accept it; I had just celebrated like a maniac. I guess that is what World Cup fever can do to you, even uber-chinned limp-wristed weeds like Anderton can become heroes. Mind you, Le Tiss would have got us a lot further in that tournament - he wouldn’t miss his penalty for a start. And I never did get a reply from Glenn.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Whilst I'm not going to go as far as sending Fabio a letter, I do not agree with his squad, announced today after an almost farcical few hours of Tweets and Blog updates spilling the beans on who is in and out of the final 23.
The omission of Theo Walcott AND Adam Johnson is something that few people saw coming. Indeed I have to accept that my predictions look horribly ill-advised, having plumped for Baines, Theo and Johnson, none of whom will be there.
Walcott did not do enough in the recent friendlies to stake his claim - indeed, his performances were so bad that he would have been better off on the bench - but I still feel this is a massive mistake in omitting him altogether. SWP has failed to convince for years and years now, never really doing enough and enjoying many of his best moments thanks to miskicks or lucky bobbles.
If Aaron Lennon gets injured in the opening game, England will suddenly become horrendously pedestrian, predictable, and sluggish. Rooney will inevitably get drawn away from goal in the absence of proper wingers, leaving the unreliable Heskey in the area where he is least effective - in front of goal. Joe Cole now has a massive burden on his shoulders to provide the spark and creativity that takes a team from also ran's to contenders for the final week.
It's not all doom and gloom - the first eleven can certainly match anyone barring the elite - but to win a World Cup you need to use more than 11 players, and beyond the first choice there is a lack of any real threat.
Not convinced.
As a 14 year old Southampton fan who worshipped daily at the altar of Le Tissier, I was devastated when Glenn Hoddle opted to take Darren Anderton instead of our very own rotund genius. Le Tissier ended the season on a sublime run of goal-scoring form, including a hat-trick and captain’s performance in an England B international (organised specifically to allow players to impress). Despite this irresistible form, and his unrivalled ability to pop up with something special, Hoddle favoured the softly spoken (and presumably less likely to say no to whatever was asked of him – I’m only saying) Spurs midfielder. Favouritise much?
In a strongly-worded letter to Hoddle via the FA suggesting that he had made a terrible mistake, I took a solemn vow not to celebrate anything good that Anderton did at France 98.
26th June, England go into their final, crucial, group game – nothing less than a win will do. The Colombian side also had a chance to progress and with unpredictable talent such as Sideshow Bob Valderrama and the mental Asprilla nothing could be taken for granted. Inside the first twenty minutes, England are piling on the pressure but struggling to find a breakthrough, until little Mickey Owen fires a dangerous cross into the box which falls...WHAT A STRIKE!!!! 1-0, GET IN THERE!!! JUMP AROUND THE LIVING ROOM, SCREAMING YOUR HEAD OFF!!!
Wait…
No, it can’t be, please say it isn’t, anyone but him…
“Darren Anderton has given England the lead!”
Well, so much for my strongly worded letter and solemn vow – at that moment I had to accept it; I had just celebrated like a maniac. I guess that is what World Cup fever can do to you, even uber-chinned limp-wristed weeds like Anderton can become heroes. Mind you, Le Tiss would have got us a lot further in that tournament - he wouldn’t miss his penalty for a start. And I never did get a reply from Glenn.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Whilst I'm not going to go as far as sending Fabio a letter, I do not agree with his squad, announced today after an almost farcical few hours of Tweets and Blog updates spilling the beans on who is in and out of the final 23.
The omission of Theo Walcott AND Adam Johnson is something that few people saw coming. Indeed I have to accept that my predictions look horribly ill-advised, having plumped for Baines, Theo and Johnson, none of whom will be there.
Walcott did not do enough in the recent friendlies to stake his claim - indeed, his performances were so bad that he would have been better off on the bench - but I still feel this is a massive mistake in omitting him altogether. SWP has failed to convince for years and years now, never really doing enough and enjoying many of his best moments thanks to miskicks or lucky bobbles.
If Aaron Lennon gets injured in the opening game, England will suddenly become horrendously pedestrian, predictable, and sluggish. Rooney will inevitably get drawn away from goal in the absence of proper wingers, leaving the unreliable Heskey in the area where he is least effective - in front of goal. Joe Cole now has a massive burden on his shoulders to provide the spark and creativity that takes a team from also ran's to contenders for the final week.
It's not all doom and gloom - the first eleven can certainly match anyone barring the elite - but to win a World Cup you need to use more than 11 players, and beyond the first choice there is a lack of any real threat.
Not convinced.
Guest Feature: Ones to Watch
This column has been submitted by resident Foreign Football Expert Andy Morris; keen reader of Sub Please and now the first guest contributor. Andy has plunged the depths of his obscure foreign league knowledge to come up with 5 lesser-known surprise tips to shine in South Africa.
Let him (and all of us) know what you think using the comments below, and if you would also like to get involved then drop me a line or send something over!
Jesus Datolo – Argentina/Olympiakos
Mr Datolo is a bit of a late developer when it comes to international football but has two goals in three appearances under Maradona and it appears Diego likes him. He left Boca in 2009 to join Napoli but never fully settled. He found his feet following a successful loan spell in Greece and may well join Europe’s elite soon. The only downside is he may not get much playing time with the attacking options Argentina already have at their disposal.
You’ll never guess the last Napoli player to lead Argentina to World Cup glory?
Mesut Ozil – Germany/Werder Bremen
Flying winger who is attracting interest from Europe’s top dogs. He has a knack for a goal and his countries success may well depend on his young shoulders following the injury of their talismanic cu..captain Michael Ballack. I believe Ozil would walk into the current English as he is in the ‘left footed but still good’ category that was created following Steward Downing’s international career.
Danny – Portugal/Zenit
Signed by Zenit for a club record 30 million euros back in 2008 and helped his new team to a 2-1 win over Man Utd by scoring on his debut. In early 2009 the strangely named Danny suffered cruciate knee ligament damaged and only returned this spring. His timely return may be beneficial to Portugal whose attacking intent lies with the unpredictable in Ronaldo & Nani, or the aging in Deco & Simao
Jesus Navas
Probably the most known amongst my list is Jesus Navas of Sevilla. His international career has been slowed by his inability to travel due to anxiety issues, a condition he has now conquered. As for Datolo his playing time may be limited by the ridiculous Spanish midfield but Navas is of a different mould to the technical ball playing Xavi’s of this world and that may well open a door for the young whippersnapper.
Nigeria
In a slight change of direction I’ve included Nigeria as the team I believe could well pull of a few shocks or two. Every member of the squad is currently playing in Europe and the front line contains some talent in the form of Yakubu, Martins, Kanu and Victor Obinna (Inter Milan).
Second place is reachable within their group and a large following may well propel them into the latter stages of the tournament.
Let him (and all of us) know what you think using the comments below, and if you would also like to get involved then drop me a line or send something over!
Jesus Datolo – Argentina/Olympiakos
Mr Datolo is a bit of a late developer when it comes to international football but has two goals in three appearances under Maradona and it appears Diego likes him. He left Boca in 2009 to join Napoli but never fully settled. He found his feet following a successful loan spell in Greece and may well join Europe’s elite soon. The only downside is he may not get much playing time with the attacking options Argentina already have at their disposal.
You’ll never guess the last Napoli player to lead Argentina to World Cup glory?
Mesut Ozil – Germany/Werder Bremen
Flying winger who is attracting interest from Europe’s top dogs. He has a knack for a goal and his countries success may well depend on his young shoulders following the injury of their talismanic cu..captain Michael Ballack. I believe Ozil would walk into the current English as he is in the ‘left footed but still good’ category that was created following Steward Downing’s international career.
Danny – Portugal/Zenit
Signed by Zenit for a club record 30 million euros back in 2008 and helped his new team to a 2-1 win over Man Utd by scoring on his debut. In early 2009 the strangely named Danny suffered cruciate knee ligament damaged and only returned this spring. His timely return may be beneficial to Portugal whose attacking intent lies with the unpredictable in Ronaldo & Nani, or the aging in Deco & Simao
Jesus Navas
Probably the most known amongst my list is Jesus Navas of Sevilla. His international career has been slowed by his inability to travel due to anxiety issues, a condition he has now conquered. As for Datolo his playing time may be limited by the ridiculous Spanish midfield but Navas is of a different mould to the technical ball playing Xavi’s of this world and that may well open a door for the young whippersnapper.
Nigeria
In a slight change of direction I’ve included Nigeria as the team I believe could well pull of a few shocks or two. Every member of the squad is currently playing in Europe and the front line contains some talent in the form of Yakubu, Martins, Kanu and Victor Obinna (Inter Milan).
Second place is reachable within their group and a large following may well propel them into the latter stages of the tournament.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
