World Cup 2010 - World At Their Feet IV
At the beginning of 2009/2010 EPL soccer season, I wrote about why Manchester United may not retain their title and selected Chelsea and Arsenal as possible candidates. Well, chickens should not be counted before they hatch but it is Chelsea's title to lose and when affirmative, Manchester United should come in second and Arsenal third. Chelsea need a home win over Wigan to seal their fate while Manchester United will be at home to Stoke City. So, two out of three ain't bad.
Great salutations must be given to Harry Redknapp who transformed Tottenham Hotspurs who went fourth and qualified for UEFA and Roy Hodgson whose Fulham is the only English outfit that is going to a European Final and that is better than even Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool. In previous articles I have hailed the records of both Redknapp and Hodgson and in my opinion they are good enough to be made England manager after the tenure of Fabio Capello considering the troubles they faced and especially in Hodgson's case a limited budget. If Liverpool is serious about protecting its rich and proud history and their future endeavours, they should dispense with Rafa Benitez who has lost the plot and put in place someone like Jose Mourinho or Roy Hodson.
For me, the latter would be a great choice because Mourinho doesn't play, he stops others from playing and if you just wanted result then he is a good choice. One of them either Redknapp or Hodgson should be named Manager of The Year and that would make Singapore's sports award look ridiculous where they have named the Sportswoman of The Year but no Sportsman of The Year. The best sporting achievement by a male should win the title, that's all.
Great salutations must be given to Harry Redknapp who transformed Tottenham Hotspurs who went fourth and qualified for UEFA and Roy Hodgson whose Fulham is the only English outfit that is going to a European Final and that is better than even Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool. In previous articles I have hailed the records of both Redknapp and Hodgson and in my opinion they are good enough to be made England manager after the tenure of Fabio Capello considering the troubles they faced and especially in Hodgson's case a limited budget. If Liverpool is serious about protecting its rich and proud history and their future endeavours, they should dispense with Rafa Benitez who has lost the plot and put in place someone like Jose Mourinho or Roy Hodson.
For me, the latter would be a great choice because Mourinho doesn't play, he stops others from playing and if you just wanted result then he is a good choice. One of them either Redknapp or Hodgson should be named Manager of The Year and that would make Singapore's sports award look ridiculous where they have named the Sportswoman of The Year but no Sportsman of The Year. The best sporting achievement by a male should win the title, that's all.
Back to the World Cup. Singapore is one of the few places left that still didn't have the World Cup televise rights. When competing between themselves, the telcos had forgotten who they are serving and dished $300 million of good money for EPL rights for three seasons instead of working together for Singaporeans which does not make sense when they are both of the same parents. I am sure they didn't expect FIFA to make certain demands after watching money fall from trees. However, such sibling rivalry does exist in real life at home or at the office.
When competing to win, to impress, people tend to forget the big picture and ego gets ahead of everything else and forgot that they are actually serving customers but they alone shouldn't be blamed. FIFA who promotes soccer world wide should just work out a reasonable sum and just get on to let the show begin instead of letting this go on into brinkmanship to see who would blink first. When you need a Minister to step in to say or do something, things are obviously not going right. I think the message to FIFA is clear when a senior government official stated in parliament that older folks can ask the younger ones how to find alternative ways to access the World Cup through the Internet or something to this effect. Be ready to fore go it I say.
The best soccer is dished out at club level as I have said many times and we just wanted to participate in a global festival like the World Cup. Those who got too excited may have already went ahead to purchase all kinds of antennae or equipment which may have cost them $60-100. If you have been confident, you could have save this money to pay the telcos. I think the deal must come through for a city rated second as a sports city with no World Cup telecast? What is Sepp Blatter's son doing pray tell?
When competing to win, to impress, people tend to forget the big picture and ego gets ahead of everything else and forgot that they are actually serving customers but they alone shouldn't be blamed. FIFA who promotes soccer world wide should just work out a reasonable sum and just get on to let the show begin instead of letting this go on into brinkmanship to see who would blink first. When you need a Minister to step in to say or do something, things are obviously not going right. I think the message to FIFA is clear when a senior government official stated in parliament that older folks can ask the younger ones how to find alternative ways to access the World Cup through the Internet or something to this effect. Be ready to fore go it I say.
The best soccer is dished out at club level as I have said many times and we just wanted to participate in a global festival like the World Cup. Those who got too excited may have already went ahead to purchase all kinds of antennae or equipment which may have cost them $60-100. If you have been confident, you could have save this money to pay the telcos. I think the deal must come through for a city rated second as a sports city with no World Cup telecast? What is Sepp Blatter's son doing pray tell?
I have selected the Netherlands, Brazil, France, England, Argentina, Germany, Italy and Spain and I believe not many would dispute that these are the great soccer nations in the past, currently or consistently and throughout. I have even deduced that the last four standing to be England, Brazil, Argentina and Spain and that is my view how the semi-finals would look like:
Semi-Finals:
England v Brazil
Having to pick between England and Brazil is heart-breaking as it is like being asked to choose who you would save - your mother or your wife when you have been ship wrecked in the middle of an ocean. Most of us have been brought up with English soccer which is the best soccer on TV and even Fernando Torres as much admitted after his recent surgery that the EPL is the toughest league in the world. So England is like the mother. This pairing brings you back to the days when Bobby Moore play against Pele and company where Gordon Banks made that famous save from Pele through Jairzinho's cross. Then there was Bobby Charlton and Rivelino. Brazil plays the "beautiful game" with all the one-touch, back heels and side flips and is therefore, like the wife.
England
We must try not to let emotion get in the way. Let's try to analyse England who like Spain has always been said to be over-rated and under-achieving but both of them boast the best soccer leagues in the world in the EPL and the La Liga. One is action-packed with lots of crunching full-blooded tackles and incredible goals while the other is played with lots of possession, tempo and scintillating moves. If anything, blame the English Press for they would build up stories how the English team are world-beaters and will surely win the title but only to lamblast them when they had just one poor game. There is unnecessary pressure comparing them to 1966.
This World Cup somehow seems to be favourable to England in quite a few ways. Firstly, in Fabio Capello they have a very strong leader who knows his stuffs (won multiple titles in Italy with different clubs and in Spain). He's a disciplinarian who treasures teamwork without stifling individual flair. The EPL plays without stoppages during winter and the South African World Cup will be played in winter conditions. All top English teams like Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal are out of the UEFA semi-finals meaning that they will have more rest ahead of the WC.
Rooney has recovered from injury and ready and Ashley Cole has already returned to action. Joe Hart has been voted in the PFA's Team of The Year for 2009/2010 season and it is an irony that Manchester City placed Shay Given ahead of him and putting him on loan to Birmingham and now with Given injured they couldn't get Hart back. I still think Joe Hart should play for England at goal. Liverpools' Glen Johnson has the skills and pace of a winger but having returned from injury he doesn't look as effective. Ashley Cole has recovered which is good news. John Terry and Rio Ferdinand should complete the defence. By their own high standards, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard are just having an ordinary season. This is not to say they were poor but Gerrard has been great only in spurts while Lampard has just registered 26 goals this season from midfield (including penalties) after last weekend. Not many strikers could even achieved that.
I suspect that they have been sub-consciously reserving some energy for the World Cup which is possibly their last hurrah. I hope Joe Cole can make it as he is more Brazilian than English. Gareth Barry will probably be there as an anchor in midfield. England must play with speed and pace through their wingers like Aaron Lennon, Theo Walcott, Shaun Wright-Philips maybe even Adam Johnson. Johnson has been keeping SWP out from the Macnehster City line up and has been in very good form. He may be selected at the last minute as a wildcard. Geoff Hurst, the only player to have scored a hattrick in a World Cup Final was not a veteran of the England team when he went ther in 1966.
Their main and real hope is Wayne Rooney who has just won not only the PFA Player of the Year but also the Football Writers' Footballer of the Year! The first award came from votes from their fellow professionals while the second came from sports writers. While he used to play decoy and also out of place in the past he has shown that he has added new arsenal to his weaponry scoring 26 goals in EPL and 34 in all competitions. His headed goals has improved and increased too. Rooney has pace, power, skills, desire, a certain determination and fearlessness. He conquered Euro when he was not even 20 till injury forced him out and now at 24, he will be one of the top players to watch.
This World Cup somehow seems to be favourable to England in quite a few ways. Firstly, in Fabio Capello they have a very strong leader who knows his stuffs (won multiple titles in Italy with different clubs and in Spain). He's a disciplinarian who treasures teamwork without stifling individual flair. The EPL plays without stoppages during winter and the South African World Cup will be played in winter conditions. All top English teams like Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal are out of the UEFA semi-finals meaning that they will have more rest ahead of the WC.
Rooney has recovered from injury and ready and Ashley Cole has already returned to action. Joe Hart has been voted in the PFA's Team of The Year for 2009/2010 season and it is an irony that Manchester City placed Shay Given ahead of him and putting him on loan to Birmingham and now with Given injured they couldn't get Hart back. I still think Joe Hart should play for England at goal. Liverpools' Glen Johnson has the skills and pace of a winger but having returned from injury he doesn't look as effective. Ashley Cole has recovered which is good news. John Terry and Rio Ferdinand should complete the defence. By their own high standards, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard are just having an ordinary season. This is not to say they were poor but Gerrard has been great only in spurts while Lampard has just registered 26 goals this season from midfield (including penalties) after last weekend. Not many strikers could even achieved that.
I suspect that they have been sub-consciously reserving some energy for the World Cup which is possibly their last hurrah. I hope Joe Cole can make it as he is more Brazilian than English. Gareth Barry will probably be there as an anchor in midfield. England must play with speed and pace through their wingers like Aaron Lennon, Theo Walcott, Shaun Wright-Philips maybe even Adam Johnson. Johnson has been keeping SWP out from the Macnehster City line up and has been in very good form. He may be selected at the last minute as a wildcard. Geoff Hurst, the only player to have scored a hattrick in a World Cup Final was not a veteran of the England team when he went ther in 1966.
Their main and real hope is Wayne Rooney who has just won not only the PFA Player of the Year but also the Football Writers' Footballer of the Year! The first award came from votes from their fellow professionals while the second came from sports writers. While he used to play decoy and also out of place in the past he has shown that he has added new arsenal to his weaponry scoring 26 goals in EPL and 34 in all competitions. His headed goals has improved and increased too. Rooney has pace, power, skills, desire, a certain determination and fearlessness. He conquered Euro when he was not even 20 till injury forced him out and now at 24, he will be one of the top players to watch.
Brazil operates at a different level. Their best players are playing elsewhere in Spain, Italy and everywhere. They are the most lovable team to watch and with Dunga as coach he has added steel to their play. Dunga was the destroyer and hard man captain of previous teams so his Brazil will be a bit different, less gung ho for sure. Brazilians by nature do not play to a fixed pattern or set of skills honed methodically over time. They play instinctive soccer.
It is like how Bruce Lee would fight. Jeet Kune Do was never a fixed set of movements on how to defend or attack. JKD is a philosophy. One of Bruce's favourite analogy is that of water. Water takes the shape of containers they were filled in. Water flowing down a waterfall could hit hard and water flowing through the cracks of wall would fill up the cracks responding to the situation according. Never the same but always effective. A good Brazilian team plays soccer like Bruce Lee would fight - with such grace and fluidity, like water flowing naturally, instinctively. It is hard to beat up water.
Bruce Lee would say: "Be like water". Not many people know that one of the world's great martial arts comes from Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. This art was derived from the Japanese art of judo (jujutsu) that focuses on grappling and ground fighting. It uses leverage technique most notably joint-locks and chokeholds to defeat opponents. It is exactly like how a spider locks or choke its prey. It doesn't look powerful and Muay Thai is a powerful art but I saw in a World Championship no-holds-barred fight how Brazilian Jiu Jutsu overpowered a Muay Thai exponent to win the title. Brazilian Jiujutsu will be staging a fight at RWS in Singapore soon.
It is like how Bruce Lee would fight. Jeet Kune Do was never a fixed set of movements on how to defend or attack. JKD is a philosophy. One of Bruce's favourite analogy is that of water. Water takes the shape of containers they were filled in. Water flowing down a waterfall could hit hard and water flowing through the cracks of wall would fill up the cracks responding to the situation according. Never the same but always effective. A good Brazilian team plays soccer like Bruce Lee would fight - with such grace and fluidity, like water flowing naturally, instinctively. It is hard to beat up water.
Bruce Lee would say: "Be like water". Not many people know that one of the world's great martial arts comes from Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. This art was derived from the Japanese art of judo (jujutsu) that focuses on grappling and ground fighting. It uses leverage technique most notably joint-locks and chokeholds to defeat opponents. It is exactly like how a spider locks or choke its prey. It doesn't look powerful and Muay Thai is a powerful art but I saw in a World Championship no-holds-barred fight how Brazilian Jiu Jutsu overpowered a Muay Thai exponent to win the title. Brazilian Jiujutsu will be staging a fight at RWS in Singapore soon.
When Owen scored for England first in a previous WC quarter-finals encounter, England was playing well but changed strategy by sitting back allowing Brazilian to win 2-1. You can't sit back against such a team. For this type of stranglehold on a game you have to ask Jose Mourinho or the Italians. But hey, Fabio Capello is Italian but can the English learn? It will be close depending on how the English play but Brazil will have the possession. The most important thing that Capello need to instill is "Belief".
Other than Italy's Gianluca Buffon, Brazil has the other top keeper in Inter's Julio Cesar who has 47 caps. Spurs goalie in hot form Gomes should be on. Other outstanding defenders are Inter's Maicon (56 caps) & veteran Lucio (89 caps) and Barcelona's Dani Alves (33 caps), you can see they were responsible for UEFA Champions semi-final between Inter Milan and Barcelona and Liverpool's Fabio Aurelio and Chelsea's Alex. Their well known midfielders are Kaka (Real Madrid), Felipe Melo (Juventus), Julio Baptista (Roma) and former Man City player Elano. Topping theri scorer's chart is Luis Fabiano of Sevilla, former top star Ronaldinho (if selected), young upstart Aelxander Pato (Milan), Adriano and former Man City star Robinho.
England 1 Brazil 2
Argentina v Spain?
Argentinian soccer is like their dance - the Tango while the Spanish dance to the tune and tempo of the Flamenco. Who will dance better on the day?
Argentina
Latin teams play a more artistic version of the game and in South America other than Brazil, Argentina is not only a great rival but also boast exciting players and teams. However, in Diego Maradona, no doubt once one of the all time great players, he is proving quite different as a coach. SInce taking over the helm in late 2008, he has called up more than 100 players. Argentina struggled during the qualifiers and nearly missed the boat. Maradona lacks experience as a coach and was widely criticised for his tactics and he doesn't seem to be able to decide his best group of players.
They do have a few youngsters who could be stars - Higuain and Aguero, the latter being Maradona's son-in-law. Argentina has good players but I'm afraid that Maradona is messing it up. I picked them to go further because of Lionel Messi, a player out of this world. His presence and success is needed at World Cup level. While absolutely outstanding for Barcelona, he has been quiet turnign out for his country. Some folks suspected that Maradona's ego dictated a way of playing where Messi is stifled so that he could not be bigger than Maradona.
Lionel Messi
This time, I have decided to write nothing about him. They say a picture paints a thousand words what more a video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7TWkaPON7Q
Spain
They are the reigning European Champions.This is the Spanish squad:
Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Pepe Reina (Liverpool), Diego Lopez (Villarreal).Defenders: Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid), Carles Puyol (Barcelona), Gerard Pique (Barcelona), Carlos Marchena (Valencia), Raul Albiol (Real Madrid), Nacho Monreal (Osasuna), Joan Capdevila (Villarreal). Midfielders: Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal), Xavi (Barcelona), Iniesta (Barcelona), Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid), Marcos Senna (Villarreal), Albert Riera (Liverpool), Juan Mata (Valencia), David Silva (Valencia).Forwards: David Villa (Valencia), Fernando Torres (Liverpool), Dani Guiza (Fenerbahce).
Spain are rate 4-1 favourites to land the World Cup. All top Bookmakers are banking on them but all these can be derailed if Barcelona's Xavi and Iniesta could not recover from injuries in time as the duo are the heartbeat of the team just like how they have been propelling Barcelona. Spain's movement from defence to midfield to attack is seamless. As an internationl side they have been the best.
Argentina 1 Spain 2
Whether it'll be England/Brazil v Spain/Argentina, it will be a spectacle but as an armchair critic and following it from television, Brazil v Spain would be a great match even for all neutrals. Sorry to have brought you to the World Cup Final so early. All these could mean nothing because sometimes, the team that wins may not be the best team in how we think nor the best players. From experience those who know their soccer will lose money if they punt.
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