Spain begin a new era in World Football

Andreas Iniesta celebrates after scoring the winning goal for Spain. Photo © Gerhard Steenkamp/Cleva Media

It was hard to watch and not the beautiful game that everyone expected. However, with so much at stake it was never going to be a fiesta of goals, but the best team won in the end. Their class and perseverance paid off in the end and a new era in football has begun in which Spain is the all-conquering European and World Champions.

The game itself was dominated by numerous missed chances and littered with yellow cards. Howard Webb lost control of the game, he needed to stamp his authority on the game in the first half when the Dutch team switched tactics and started to foul the Spanish almost at will in an attempt to break their rivals attacking dominance. Spain started the match brightly and could or should have scored on several occasions with Sergio Ramos coming desperately close. Yet after this exciting open spell to the World Cup final the match then transpired into an ill-tempered affair instigated by Holland.

Mark Van Bommel was lucky to stay on the pitch after a number of bad fouls and Nigel De Jong should have received a straight red car for his outrageous kung-fu kick on Xabi Alonso. Once the first half ended it was clear that Holland had found their best option of winning, by roughing up Spain and counter attacking. Their tactics nearly worked as Spain struggled to get into a rhythm as the referee was constantly stopping the action.  I feel it would be an injustice if the negative football played by the Dutch had won the day and Arjen Robben will be kicking himself as he had a golden opportunity to score. How many times will he relive this missed chance when he was put through on goal and only had Iker Casillas to beat. The Spanish Captain rose to the challenge and although diving the wrong way managed to save Robben’s goal bound shot with his feet. As extra time approached it become clear that if either team was to win without penalties, one goal would separate the sides.

Much has been made of the attacking brilliance of David Villa, Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder, but it was the silent assassin Andreas Iniesta who broke the Dutch hearts. With only four minutes remaining in extra time he latched onto Cesc Fabregas’ pass on the edge of the box and it appeared like time stood still as he cocked his right boot and drilled the ball into the corner of the net past a helpless Maarten Stekelenburg. The stadium erupted in celebration and Andreas Iniesta was mobbed by his team mates as they knew this was the decisive moment that had captured the World Cup. It was a fitting end to a great World Cup tournament and although the Dutch remonstrated after the match to the referee and the press about missed chances, they know in their hearts who the true Champions are. Spain have played with a great team ethic and dignity throughout the tournament. They were gracious in defeat against Switzerland as well as the ultimate victory winning the World Cup final for the first time.

Spain celebrate winnin the World Cup fianl. Andreas Iniesta celebrates after scoring the winning goal for Spain. Photo © Cleva Media/Insidefoto

The style in which they have played throughout this tournament has been a dream to watch for the purist. Maybe not as exciting as Argentina and Germany, but they have won the cup with a mix of attacking genius and solid defending. Something that can only be achieved after years of playing together and careful planning. The Spanish FA, Vincente Del Bosque and Luis Aragones have nurtured the best talent available to them and delivered the new version of Total Football.

By Eoin Mundow

Spain set to reign the World Cup?

David Villa has the opportunity to win the Golden Boot tonight. Photo © Cleva Media/Motivio

Holland and South Africa have a long and well documented history. In 1647 following the ship wreck of Nieuwe Haarlem the first Dutch settlement was created on South African soil in Cape Town called “Sand Fort of the Cape of Good Hope”. Since that day the paths of South Africans and the Dutch have been inextricably linked for good or for bad. The Afrikaans language originated mainly from Dutch and is the chosen tongue of just over 13% of the people living in the country. I wonder tonight as Spain and Holland contest the first World Cup Final played on African soil who most South Africans will be cheering for?

Breaking the trend of previous World Cup Final matches that have been contested outside of Europe, today’s Final will represent the first time in which a European country has won the competition outside of its continent. There are many interesting elements that make up this Final. Both teams are steeped in history, for Spain they have finally stepped out of the shadows of dark days of communist rule under Franco, more than a generation ago and united the country through football. The national side is made up of the stars of Barcelona and Real Madrid, who have built a camaraderie to overcome the prejudices of the past. I think it would be quite apt should they win as there are many comparisons to be made between Spain overcoming communism and the host nation healing the wounds of Apartheid.

For Holland they have given so much to football in the way of style, throughout the golden era of the 70’s, yet this current Dutch team along their Spanish opponents have one thing in common. The winning team will write themselves into the history books in their respective countries forever as they can become the first national side to win the World Cup.

Spain will be attempting to become one of only two teams to win the European Championship and World Cup in succession and few would bet against this team from completing a successful double. Whilst having lost their opening match against Switzerland 1-0, Spain have improved in every game they have played. The backbone of their team is made up of a mixture of Barcelona’s finest players David Villa, Xavi, Iniesta, Pedro, Puyol and arch rivals Real Madrid Iker Casillas, Xabi Alonso, Sergio Ramos. Add to this the talents of Fabregas, Navas, Torres and others and you have the ultimate team.

What is apparent in this current squad is the unity and respect that each team member shows for each other, whether they are in the starting line up or not. Watching the game against Germany, substitutes such as Barcelona’s goalkeeper Victor Valdes who is used to playing on the biggest stage was one of the first to celebrate with his team mates, even though he will probably not get to play in this tournament, he embodies the spirit which unites this team.

Unlike France, who are the other team to have claimed European and World Cup success, the Spanish squad have kept everything low-key and stayed on a college campus without the airs and graces that could so easily be bestowed upon them. They have one aim and that is to win the World Cup and it is of minor importance whether their bed sheets are made from the finest Egyptian cotton. The English and French teams stayed in the lap of luxury and achieved very little apart from the embarrassment of their early departures from the tournament. Vicente Del Bosque has kept his team of stars feet firmly on the ground.

Spanish Coach Vincente Del Boque is quietly confident. Photo © Cleva Media/Motivio

Del Bosque has no illusions that a Spanish victory is assured or will be easy. He realises the Dutch are a dangerous side and will take nothing for granted ahaead of tonights game explaining;

“They’re very similar to us, players of great technical ability in midfield,” he told AP.

“Players of great quality and very fast that don’t improvise as much as we do, but play a more dangerous direct game. A very dangerous team “

Del Bosque the former Manager of Real Madrid has chosen his team carefully based on form and  irrespective of which club his players are signed to. It is this unbiased approach that has united the team and along with the fine work of their previous coach across Luis Aragones who coached the same set of players to win Euro 2008, not much has changed tactically.

This is a team for the ages and could well be go onto to dominate for years to come. Technically they Spanish team are a joy to watch, the subtle nuances and craftsmanship displayed by Barca team mates Xavi and Iniesta is outstanding as they move around midfield making the most intricate of moves look easy. Whilst watching the Semi Final match against Germany, I was in awe of how this duo carved out opportunities from nothing for their team mates.

The Dutch play a more direct, but effective game. Their only apparent weakness is their defence. Spain on the other hand are solid throughout their line up. Whilst I expect the game to be intriguing, I would be surprised if it ended up being a five goal thriller. My prediction is that Spain will come out on top in a very tight game, similar to that against Germany and become World Champions. I may be wrong as predictions are not my forte, but  I’m going for a 2-1 Spanish victory.

By Eoin Mundow

We are Ghana win, Obama, we are sorry!

A Ghana fan reassures Africa that Ghana will triumph. Photo © Cleva Media/Insidefoto

We are Ghana win, Obama, we are sorry. Picture the scene, thousands of jubilant fans on the march, limited street lighting, and hawkers still plying their night trade, motor bikes being over revved. A middle-aged gentleman with a painted white face, wearing nothing but an off-white jock strap is roaming around aimlessly. The red, yellow, green and black star adorns everything in sight. All life’s ills have been dashed aside, patriotism or bust. Wait there is more; the air is filled with hysteria and euphoria. People are screaming their heads off, out of all the cacophony, there is a rhythm emerging. Some sort of musical chant, suddenly it catches on, every one begins to sing “O Bama, We’re Sorry! O Bama, We’re Sorry! O Bama, We’re Sorry”. Catchy isn’t it.

These were the scenes on Oxford Street, Osu in Ghana’s capital, Accra, by a local reveller. I dare say this was replicated across the whole of Ghana and with similar scenes being played out in the Diaspora and in many African homes. An African team had made it to the quarter finals of the first Fifa World Cup to be held on African soil. So Ghana are in the quarter finals of the World Cup, the last African challenge, after crushing the American dream, 2-1. A case of déjà vu and an improvement on their last appearance at the four yearly event.

Rajevac said: “Ghana are now among the eight best teams in the world. This is fantastic. When we reached the final of the African Cup, the boys learned how to compete. That is the most important thing and I now hope Ghana will go further. ”

At the beginning of this tournament, the talk was all about the Ivory Coast and Cameroon and at a push Nigeria. No one was prepared to stick their neck out for Ghana’s chances, all because our talismanic captain, the global superstar, Michael Essien was injured as a result of his last outing with Ghana. Any way a lot has come and gone, and we are where we are. Ghana faces Uruguay on Friday 2nd June, knowing that a win could mean a semi final against Brazil or Holland. I feel a highly anticipated and competitive contest would be played out between Ghana and Brazil. The Brazilians were responsible for the demise and quarter-final exit of the Black Stars at the last World Cup. But recently Ghana beat Brazil on penalties in the Under 20 Fifa World Cup to lift the trophy, something the Brazilians still haven’t forgotten.

Uruguay danger man Diego Forlan in action against South Africa. Photo © Cleva Media/Insidefoto

However, before that mouth-watering prospect, Forlan, Suarez and Uruguay stand in the way of Rajevic’s plans. News from the Uruguayan camp indicates that, their plans have had a setback with their defender Diego Godin not 100% fit so will not be in the team. The injury and suspension woes are worse in the Ghana camp. Returning from a knee-injury, Vorsah, one of Ghana’s first-choice centre-backs, has not played since the opening match, a strategic 1-0 win over Serbia. Vorsah’s return comes as a major boost to coach Milovan Rajevac, who will be without suspended teenage defender Jonathan Mensah, who has stood in for Vorsah.

“It is very good news,” Rajevac told AFP.

“He is an important player for us and he can play in a couple of positions “

The Black Stars will also be without suspended influential midfielder Andre Ayew on Friday as they seek to become the first African nation to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup. Inter Milan’s Sulley ‘Sully’ Muntari is expected to replace him. Another player giving the coach a headache was, Asamoah Gyan, who was restricted to light jogging on Tuesday’s training session because of an ankle injury. But he is on record as saying; he would be ready for Friday.

“I think I will be back in training tomorrow,” he said.

Kevin Prince Boateng, who pulled a hamstring in the win over the United States, is still a major doubt, and his presence will be very sorely missed if he doesn’t make it. In the second round against the USA, after ‘the Prince’ had scored, he was seen waving frantically and pointing to someone in the stands, but at the time the identity of the person was not known. It turns out; he was dedicating his goal to the Ghanaian Head of State, His Excellency, President Atta Mills. Before the game kicked off, Prez Mills, as he is affectionately known, visited the Black Stars in the changing rooms to wish them well, and to share in a prayer. On his way he was heard to have told certain players to be more clinical in front of goal. Seems Gyan and Boateng took heed. Let’s hope he does the same on Friday.

Remember this, Messi and Gyan have taken the most shots at goal, 22 each, but Gyan has three goals under his belt. Go figure!

More Vim! Go Ghana.

By Dj Kobbie

Goal Line Technology – Check your local networks as prices may vary

Referee Roberto Rosetti defends his controversial decision. Photo © Cleva Media/Insidefoto

Just like trying to get your Grandfather to use a DVD player or search the internet, it’s painful to watch and almost impossible to explain. FIFA and the Football governing bodies can only have some perverse ulterior motive as to why they will not introduce goal line technology.

When questioned by the media FIFA communications director Nicolas Maingot made his excuses;

“Replays can be shown but not when there are controversial situations. We will work on this and be tighter in future. It has worked so far very well. Last night was a mistake. It should not happen again.”

“Refereeing is a global part of the game and we will continue to work on this.” explained Maignot when pressed on the issue.

Unwilling to embrace new technology for the good of the game, surely fair play is the number one priority?

Is it because FIFA do not own the patent to this technology? It has been perfectly fine to profit from other money making ventures that utilise new technology to stream football coverage and charge a premium.  Whether it be via your favourite mobile phone provider, internet search engine or television station promoting High Definition TV images from the “Greatest Show on Earth”, everything has a price when it comes to selling your soul.. sorry commercial rights to the World Cup.
How much did it cost the Irish economy when Thierry Henry hand balled in Paris? How much did it change the outcome of this weekend’s big matches between England and Germany or Argentina v Mexico?
Sorry FIFA this is one thing we can’t buy, your excuses are laughable.  I think it actually adds drama to an already epic event when the referee utilises video replays.  Football can learn a lot from other sports; look at tennis and see how much human error there is.  The same can be said for rugby and a host of other major sports. It’s time to stop sitting in Switzerland counting the profits that you have swindled from your unsatisfied viewing public and invest in the future of the game.

FIFA have suffered the indignity of being exposed to a global audience.  We all saw the evidence and expert analysis via our team of football pundits and broadcasters, each of these television stations have paid an extortionate licencing fees in order to transmit live images from each  game. Unfortunately despite their being an obvious solution to ensure that we do not suffer from this ever-increasing human error again, it appears that FIFA are unwilling to commit their hard-earned cash on goal line technology. Football’s World governing body are adamant that this is one revolution that will not be televised, unless there is a profit to be made.

By Eoin Mundow

The One Goal Project

Andrew Ayew and John Pantsil celebrate as Ghana qualify for the last 16. Photo © Cleva Media/Insidefoto

The United States has enjoyed good relations with Ghana at a unofficial, personal level since Ghana’s independence. Thousands of Ghanaians have been educated in the United States. Close relations are maintained between educational and scientific institutions and cultural links particularly between Ghanaians and African-Americans are strong. 

The United States is among Ghana’s principal trading partners. Political stability, good governance, overall sound economic management, a low crime rate, competitive wages and an educated, English-speaking workforce have increased Ghana’s potential to serve as a West African hub for American businesses. 

Bearing this in mind, in the 2006 World Cup, Ghana beat USA 2-1 in the Group stages and I doubt the Americans have ever forgiven Ghana for that. Come Saturday Ghana’s Black Stars are ready to spoil the US show once again.

However, is ‘The One Goal Project’ enough to propel Ghana into the last 8, to face Uruguay or South Korea? Ghana is a side that has not scored twice in a game since a World Cup qualifier against Mali last November and yet they somehow managed to reach the final of the Cup of Nations. Four of their last seven competitive games were won 1-0. The theory principally works on getting the ball to Asamoah Gyan with the hope he sets the game on fire, whilst allowing the other nine players to sit behind the ball.

The Ghanaian Coach Milovan Rajevac has repeatedly in the past reiterated that he ‘cares far less about style than he does winning’, but in saying that there is a certain beauty in their defensiveness.

I strongly believe this game is not going to be an open one and more than likely it will be decided by the first goal. As fine a team Ghana is, they have in the past been rather poor at holding a lead when the onus is on them to grab the goat by the horns and go for it. In fact, last time Ghana successfully overcome a deficit was in the game against Mali last November.

Bad boy Sulley Muntari, aka Sully, just can’t help but be a painful thorn in the side of the Black Stars’ rosy campaign. He allegedly threw his dummy out of the pram again when he was left on the bench against Australia. Word in the Ghanaian Press states that he did an Anelka on Milo, to which the Ghanaian Coach threatened to send him home. If it hadn’t been for the intervention of ex Captain Stephen Appiah, the serial agitator, Sully would have hitch hiked a flight with the unsuccessful Nigerian Super Eagles back home earlier than anticipated. Muntari! Go home!

What’s with these arrogant footballers who think they know more and are better equipped to choose team tactics than their managers?

You can accuse me of stating the obvious but the game against the USA is undoubtedly the most important game for this World Cup. I make this bold statement purely and simply on the fact that there are no more African teams in the competition and as such all their respective fans will hopefully be blowing their vuvuzelas in support of their fellow Africans.  Ghana is now left with the hopes, dreams and life changing aspirations of the African continent, all to be played out  in a game of 90 minutes , possibly 120 minutes and definitely conclusive after penalties.

The Black Stars of Ghana go into this game with one simple goal – to advance to the quarter finals of the competition, an improvement on their previous showing at the World Cup when they bowed out after a 3-0 loss to Brazil.

This battle against old foes means revenge will be at the forefront of the American’s cranium as the likes of Oguchi Onyewu, Steve Cherundolo, Clint Dempsey, DaMarcus Beasley and Landon Donovan still have memories of the last defeat.

Landon Donovan celebrates scoring the winning goal against Algeria. Photo © Cleva Media/Icon SMI

Due to this, there is talk of the Black Stars holding a slight psychological advantage over the Americans. I totally disagree. The fact is every game is different and the very fit Americans won’t go down without a fight. The Black Stars face a very stiff opposition, and in my opinion probably their most difficult so far. Landon Donovan is going to be a nightmare and I sincerely hope Milo gets his tactics right on the day, because the average Ghanaian fan will never forgive him.

Milo is on record as saying “We are at the knock out stages and we have to play to win at all cost because points do not count at the knock out stages anymore”. Such clever words and never a truer word spoken.
I envisage that to mean, he will reign in or loosen the chains to allow the free ebb and flow of his team to flair. Hopefully benefitting his team in dealing with its inability to convert and take advantage of the numerous chances created in games. Remember they are not dubbed the African Brazilians for nothing.

I expect Sulley Muntari to start in the midfield replacing Tagoe (started off well but deteriorated) and Kevin Prince Boateng (the new darling of African football) to shuffle on to the right side of attack.

The draw has been good to Ghana; it will be a shame to waste this opportunity to advance further against our old foes.

I believe there will be tears, and I hope there will be no hard feelings after this monumental game.  The United States has enjoyed good relations with Ghana since its independence and long may it continue.

Remember this, the star might be black, but it shines very brightly.

By Dj Kobbie

Football Rivalries – A New Frontier

Jermain Defoe of England celebrates after scoring a goal to make it 0-1. Photo © Cleva Media/AMA

This weekend the World Cup is host to some old rivalries and some unexpected gatecrashers as the tournament reached the knockout stages. Having navigated their way past minnows Slovenia, (if only they could beat them in the Eurovision song contest that would be a double) England qualified with ease to make it into the last 16 of the World Cup. It was a stroll in the park and that was how the script was supposed to be before the tournament. Now the conscientious objectors will start believing in their team of ‘Bulldogs’ and claim glory as they take on old enemy Germany, cue as predicted all the vile tabloid racist headlines making reference to the first and second World War.

OK, stop for a minute and think before you put on your England and Germany shirts…

First of all this is just a game or the so-called beautiful game and surely there are more creative ways in which to describe the skills of both sides who are from a generation far removed from the dark times of the past. I really hope that the media, fans and players alike can express themselves in a positive manner that is befitting to this World Cup.

Take a look at the hosts South Africa and follow their wonderful example as a progressive nation, yet one that understands it is far from perfect. South Africa has used this World Cup as a platform to heal old ideologies and move forward in a positive manner. The way in which they have supported, hosted and played the game at this World Cup should be applauded, as they have laid the blueprint of how to embrace each other irrespective of their differences and provided a perfect example to the young kids watching.

Off the pitch the unprofessional behaviour of teams such as England and France has been well documented.  The players and coaching staff have a duty to set an example and the way in which France exited the tournament certainly set an example of how not to behave. In the end the real victims in all of this will be the players and their disgraced coach, Raymond Domenech.

The stigma attached to the French National side will take years of hard work to overcome, that is why with a sigh of relief we can say au revoir to Thierry Henry, Raymond Domenech and Nicolas Anelka. This World Cup has benefited very little from their participation. Having being housed at a luxury resort throughout the World Cup and costing the French Football Federation 1 million Euros, the disgraced team returned as second class citizens on a La Poste charter flight, giving them 12 uncomfortable hours to reflect on their behaviour.

The French players are waiving their right to a share in the commercial revenue generated from sales of merchandise and sponsorship, however it is too little to late.  As President Sarkozy starts his inquisition with players and coach, I would be interested to find out if their now former coach Domenech has decided to forgo his commercial windfall or will that be one “golden” handshake he is willing to accept before riding off into the sunset.

On a lighter note and back to football, after all this is what we came to watch. Argentina continue to impress and their strength and depth is scary. Lionel Messi has made a new discovery and inspiration this World Cup thanks to Manchester City’s Carlos Tevez.   Having introduced Leo to the musicial delights of Oasis and the Gallagher brothers, Messi  been playing their CD’s regularly and hopes to share his new found love with his team mates if they win the World Cup

“I showed the rest of the boys in the Argentina squad their stuff and I promise you, everybody absolutely loves it. A few knew a couple of their songs but for most of them it was their first listen. We have agreed that if we win the World Cup we want to fly them over to Argentina for our celebration party. We just need them to name their price.” explained Messi

Spain are back on track and looking good. David Villa was phenomenal against Honduras, bring on Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal next, this should make for a mouthwatering tie.

Ghana are the sole survivors from the African nations and are in with a shot against USA. My heart tells me Ghana will win, but my head says USA.

Mesut Oezil scores the winner against Ghana. Photo © Cleva Media/Insidefoto

Germany have a young team and as predicted Mesut Oezil lit up the stage with his stunning strike against Ghana. They have the ability, but  I think they might struggle to beat England in the last 16. However, it will be an interesting and tense encounter as always, let’s hope we do not have to face the dreaded penalties again and get a clear winner in this tie.

The Socceroos saved a bit of pride and scored two great goals against Serbia, who also exit the World Cup. Serbia were unfortunate to go out, but ultimately only had one great match in them when they defeated Germany.

It was not really a massive surprise that Italy, the current World Champions, were knocked out. Their team has gone backwards since the last World Cup and they were lucky to have qualified.  The Italians have a tendency to get overlooked in the group stages and normally qualify without drawing attention to themselves. I’m happy that the anti-football style which Marcello Lippi  encourages will play no further part in this World Cup.  Two things they have in common with the French are both teams struggled desperately against the Republic of Ireland in qualifying and have now been knocked out and the lack of sportsmanship shown by both Manager’s Lippi and Domenech in refusing to shake the hand of their opposing Manager at the end of the game.

I love the emergence of the underdogs in the knockout stages. Paraguay, Slovakia, Japan, Mexico and South Korea have entertained us all and surprised many with their free-flowing football and ability to score some fantastic goals. I hope for the sake of the tournament that we have more surprises in store as the football landscape changes somewhat and some genuine stars emerge from these nations.

Finally, Holland have been looking strong, but lack the all out flair of previous Dutch teams. Maybe this is the key to their success, to keep it simple. As their most famous player Johan Cruyff once explained.

“Football is simple but the hardest thing to do is playing simple football.”

By Eoin Mundow

Rainbow Nation – The Soap Opera!

John Terry reacts during the match against the USA. Photo © Cleva Media/Insidefoto

As the Northern Europeans lose it, their apparently hot-headed Latin counterparts are all sitting pretty having qualified for the knockout stages with ease. Both Argentina and Brazil have qualified for the knockout stages without breaking a sweat (Kaka’s unjustifiable sending off aside) and whilst all around him are losing their heads, decorum and self-respect, one man, El Diego, is looking assured and confident.  Who would have thought that Diego Maradona, dressed in a conservative yet stylish grey suit would resemble a senior statesmen and have the air of composure and maturity normally befitting a manager with years of experience at International level.

His confidence comes from the reassurance and knowledge that his players have the commitment, skill and the respect for him to enable them to perform to the highest level. A team bursting with stars who have left their egos at home, you do not hear of dissent from any of the players that are left on the bench such as Champions League winner Diego Milito or that Lionel Messi or Carlos Tevez not being happy with the service they receive. They simply play to their strengths and have one goal –  to become World Champions. This is not something that cannot be achieved individually, it can only be achieved by a team of players that are willing to be there for one another, no matter how famous they are.

In stark comparison, this World Cup England and France have given us more diva’s than Dynasty. In a time where players, their agents and the Football Associations have lost sight of what makes a team successful. Egos have far outweighed the level of skill and commitment that is required and demanded to fulfil a successful World Cup campaign. There should be less emphasis on the importance of individuals and their ability to win the cup for any given team, as this just gives rise to the mistaken belief that one player is far more important than another. England have suffered from this epidemic for a long time, whether it be Wayne Rooney this World Cup or David Beckham in the past. The expectation heaped upon these players is ultimately counter productive and causes friction within the squad.

This pantomime is indicative of the World we live in today with so much media and public attention given to dire programmes like “Britain’s got Talent” or “Star Academy”. The most common misconception – many people actually believe that Britain does have talent! The format of these programmes was created to highlight the dearth of quality entertainment we have in our country and somewhere along the line, people (many of whom believe England can win the World Cup) have got it twisted and actually believe Britain was again Great. Any country that has the arrogance to call itself Great in the first instance is setting itself up for a large fall.

Like the English and French teams, the public have become lazy and lost sight of reality, neither country possess this self-proclaimed talent and have not done so for a long-time. The next move may be for the FA to consult with Simon Cowell to give the boys that X-factor.  Nothing would surprise me in this day and age, but comparisons could be made between the England team’s performance and Simon Cowell’s former clients’ number one hit “Here come the Teletubbies”, they were both horrific!

This latest performance by England is a reality and it is being played out for all to see live and in HD on TV.

NATO needs to call an emergency meeting to get these loose canons in line. England, Germany, Spain and France are normally united in their show of responsible and reasonable behaviour, but with the latest diplomatic ‘faux pas’ the rest of the World must be laughing!
The usual cool and composed German coach Joachim Loew lost his cool when his young side lost 1-0 to a resolute Serbian team. Following their scintillating performance against the Socceroo’s, Germany lost their nerve and didn’t capitalise on their great start to the tournament. Loew snapped late in the game throwing a bottle of water to the ground in disgust.

Joachim Low (Loew) loses his cool and throws a bottle of water during the match against Serbia. Photo © Cleva Media/Motivio

When John Terry becomes the man of reason for England you know your are in trouble. A player whose personal morals have to be questioned and is happy to try to impose a super injunction against the press reporting on his personal misdemeanours, now wants to share his pearls of wisdom and for us to listen! The only place that he should be trying express himself is on the field. Fabio Capello has proven himself as a world-class manager and must be wondering what he did to deserve such a shower of under achieving spoilt brats. I’m sure £6m a year can sooth some of the pain, but as predicted following his outburst in Rustenburg, the press are sharpening La Guillotine and Fabio will be sitting on the beach in 3 weeks time wondering WTF just happened!

Finally, one can’t help but laugh at the French team’s plight. A team that cheated their way to the World Cup in the first place are now in free fall and have even called upon President Sarkozy to end the feud which has outraged their Nation. The public will be divided on who is right and who is wrong, but many would have cheered as Nicolas Anelka told Raymond Domenech exactly what he thought of him. Maybe not in the same rhetoric, but I have yet to meet a French person who actually likes Domenech, but then again same could be said for Anelka.

Just like the first lady Carla Bruni’s attempts to grow old gracefully, no amount of Botox could cover the cracks within this French team, which appear to get deeper and deeper by the day. This is one French institution in need of a major facelift, lets hope Laurent Blanc has the necessary skills to sculpt a new and improved French national team rather than this disjointed bunch of playboys.

One thing is for sure, this World Cup has been far from dull. Maybe the action on the pitch has not always lived up to what we expected, but the temperamental diva’s from the soap opera “Rainbow Nation” have given us lots to smile and laugh about.

Dodgy Balls, Man Love and Sweet Revenge

A Mexico fan. Photo © Cleva Media/AMA

The World Cup is alive and kicking again!

Just at it appeared that rigamortis was starting to set in, Diego and his boys resuscitated the flagging tournament and showed us why we tuned in. The attacking flair of the Pumas was a sight to behold and to think Milito was not even in the starting line up. I’m still impressed with South Korea, they could shock someone in the knockout stages should they make it. The UK press continue to try to poke fun at Maradona, this time (as we covered in our previous post ‘The Madness and magic of Maradona’) asking him why he expresses joy and affection for his players by kissing them.

A bemused Diego Maradona responded “Well I still prefer women. I am dating Veronica who is blond and 31-years-old. No I have not gone limpwristed. But I like to acknowledge and congratulate my players when they play as well as they did today. That was a pleasing result and display. It was a job well done.”

Be warned, the UK press can make fun of ‘El Diego’ all they want, but if history should have taught them anything, it could come back to bite them on the arse. England need to concentrate on winning their games rather than the press reopening the same old wounds and grudges from the past. It won’t be long before the tabloids print “The Germans are coming” or making reference to the Falklands if we face Argentina. In 2010 I hope we see a new approach to how we tease our opponents.

With both Nigeria and South Africa on the verge of going out of the World Cup following their recent defeats, it is left to Didier Drogba’s Ivory Coast,  Ghana and Algeria to carry the hopes of Africa.  With the current wave of upsets, lets hope one of these three teams can add to the excitement. With Robert Green in goal, plus the Adidas Jabulani ball which has been vilified by Fabio Capello who stated  “This ball is the worst ball that I have seen in my life” anything is possible or is it impossible is nothing?

My brothers in green and white did us all a favour and put the skids on France reaching another final. Whilst it is all still mathematically possible for them to reach the second round, Mexico and Uruguay only have to draw to send the ‘Aristocats’ back to Paris empty-handed. Whilst Raymond “Parker” Domenech looked on bemused from the touchline and had the air of a bored pensioner waiting to catch a bus, there was no gesticulating, no passion or desire to bring on public enemy number one Thierry Henry to change the course of the game. He simply looked bored and resigned to picking up his golden handshake before riding off into the sunset.  I ask myself what was the point of the French losing the respect of the footballing World by denying the Republic of Ireland a replay, just so they could put up this tepid display?

France Manager, Raymond Domenech. Photo © Cleva Media/Sportsphoto

I have to say well done to Mexico, they played really well and rather than be wound up by Florent Malouda’s petulance they responded in the best way possible. Two goals and the prospect of keeping up their good record of qualifying for the knockout stages of the World Cup again. Many an Irish fan will be waking up today with a tequila hangover after toasting to the Mexican’s great victory, Slante!

A final thought, after their shock defeat against Switzerland expect Spain to come back with a vengeance. Losing was possibly the best thing that could have happened for us the viewer, now Spain with all their creative brilliance and attacking flair will have to throw caution to the wind. I say give Torres his chance and we will see a hatful of goals!

By Eoin Mundow

The curse of the Galacticos

Kaka in action against North Korea. Photo © Cleva Media/Gerhard Steenkamp

After all the anticipation and excitement of the opening match and the first weekend of the World Cup which left me in awe at the brilliance of the Germans, amused by the comedy of goalkeeping errors and having witnessed some great goals, I’m nursing a football hangover.

What followed on Monday and Tuesday cured my insomnia as we were subjected to a couple of days of uninspiring matches. The rain poured down in Cape Town as a creaking, old Italian side tried hard to mask their rapid decline, battling back to draw with Paraguay 1-1 and the only positive that can be drawn from the highly anticipated showdown in the “Group of death” between Portugal and the Ivory Coast, was the inclusion of Didier Drogba. If all the games in Group G are this bad we will die of boredom!

Where is all the free-flowing football the adverts enticed us to believe we would see?  Adidas promised us the Spark v Thunder, I was hoping they were not just talking about the winter weather in Cape Town.

I have to liken Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup form to a lap dancer. Whilst on the surface they can get your pulses racing,  titillate, tease and seduce you with their wily ways, you the punter will go home feeling short-changed, underwhelmed with no end product. Despite all the hype, the experience will not bring you to a euphoric climax!  For all the step overs and tricks that Ronaldo performs, he has never dazzled at a major tournament. He needs to pay less attention to preening himself and covering his hair in duck fat and more attention on doing the things that made him a success in the first place. Maybe a phone call to Sir Alex is required as CR9 needs to check his SAT NAV as he appears to have lost his way.

Maybe we expect too much. Brazil v North Korea provided some light entertainment, Maicon’s second half strike was fantastic and Elano’s goal slick. With a slight scare at the end when North Korea scored in the 89th minute, it will act as a reminder to Brazil that they need to improve on this performance if they are to reclaim the World Cup.  One player really living up to his name is Kaka. The curse of Real Madrid appears to be affecting quite a few of their Galacticos at this tournament.

Spare a thought for Brazil Coach Dunga. Unlike his International counterparts who are earning millions the Brazilian’s annual salary is only 800,000 Euros. That is roughly the same amount that Vanessa Perroncel was paid “allegedly”  not to expose the details of her sordid affair with former England Captain John Terry. Whilst Dunga is not being paid a fortune, I know which assignment I would prefer!

Franz Beckenbauer has reopened old wounds after bemoaning England’s style of football exclaiming in the UK press;

“What I saw of the English against the USA had very little to do with football,”

“It looked to me as if the English have gone backwards into the bad old days of kick and rush.”

On current form if it was a race between two cars Germany would look majestic and purr like a high-class Mercedes whilst England would stutter up the hard shoulder in their Robin Reliant. Was Sven Goran Eriksson really that bad? 5-1 in Munich seems like a long time ago, I bet many English would welcome Sven’s army back in exchange for Capello’s clowns.

Sven Goran Eriksson. Photo © Cleva Media/Hugo Dixon

By Eoin Mundow

The World Cup so far…it’s giving me the horn!

A fan of South Africa blows his Vuvuzela horn. Photo © Cleva Media/AMA

South Korea are the surprise package so far in this World Cup. England may do well to request a new UN resolution to inspect their training methods, as they could learn much from the compact and incisive football of the Koreans.  I was impressed with the way they outplayed Greece, they could well go far in tournament.

Another enigmatic figure entertained us as he showed off his ball skills on the touchline whilst watching his star player Lionel Messi confirm why he is regarded as the best player in the world. Maradona’s Argentina put in a solid performance and were only denied a more convincing victory by the heroics of Nigerian goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama, a transfer target in the making.

The stage was then set for the ‘Three Lions’ to roar. With Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard leading them into battle they got off to a great start when Emile Heskey laid on a great pass for Gerrard to slot home the opener on the fourth minute. Following his defenses lapse in concentration, former Manchester United goalkeeper, Tim Howard, looked like he was going to spontaneously combust, his Tourette’s syndrome appearing to return in an instant as he chastised his players at every given opportunity. That was until, whilst in cruise control it happened as predicted, the England goalkeeper Robert Green dropped a clanger and then England chased the game, but to no avail.

Fabio Capello’s men tried as hard as they could, but 1-1 is not a terrible result against the USA. England are notoriously bad starters at the World Cup, although they are not great at finishing them either. However, having witnessed the dire match between Slovenia and Algeria they have nothing to fear and should qualify if they can overcome their defensive and attacking incompetence. At least they share one thing with Algeria…a dodgy goalkeeper!

The Black Stars kept the African dream alive by beating Serbia 1-0 and Germany have just upped the stakes by displaying a masterclass in free-flowing attacking football beating the Socceroos 4-0, the performance of the World Cup so far. Mesmut Ozil the young German winger looks like he could be one of the star players of the tournament. Joachim Loew has every right to look as cool as a cucumber, his young team have ominously clicked just at the right time.

If you thought the English press were unsympathetic and highly critical of their team, then spare a thought for the poor  French squad. Like a neurotic French girlfriend, the media are spitting feathers and debating whether their team is the most hated team at the World Cup! As a Republic of Ireland fan, I can’t really sympathize with them. Following their inclusion in the World Cup via the hand of Thierry Henry, Patrice Evra added more fuel to the fire when his bizarre excuse for the teams bad performance was due to the vuvuzela!

‘We can’t sleep at night because of the vuvuzela. People start playing them from 6am.’

‘We can’t hear one another out on the pitch because of them.’

With FIFA being pressured by the players and media to ban the horn synonymous with the World Cup in South Africa, I can’t help feeling that they would be acting like a grumpy father with a stinking hangover. Yes it’s annoying,  but you cannot simply give a child a toy to keep it amused for your own gain and then simply take it away when you have had enough, complaining that it’s giving you a headache. Unfortunately, although it may be irritating, it is music to my ears in comparison to listening to the chants of “Who are ya…who are ya?”

By Eoin Mundow