World Cup 2010 - The Grand Finale
By the time I complete writing, our good friend Paul the octopus would have become seafood - sashimi or otherwise unless political asylum is granted. That is why we are all only as good as our last deal whether it's your business or working for others. One moment you are a shining star, the next moment when mighty Germany crashed out, you may end up as seafood on the table.
I am somewhat disappointed by the quality of this World Cup. France imploded, Italy faded, England fulfilled their destiny, Mexico and Argentina thrilled but faltered. Asia, Korea and Japan plus small teams like New Zealand, Slovenia and especially Uruguay shone like a beacon. Germany are tournament machines, Holland remained undefeated while Spain who truly showed what they are capable of in beating the German started with a loss.
When you talk about the semi-finals, you have to give it to unfancied Uruguay. Before the World Cup nobody would have given them a chance. Small population but giant efforts with great defenders led by captain Lugano and great forwards in Suarez and Forlan. Sandwiched between giants Argentina and Brazil and with a small population of 3.5 million they gave some food for thought for other small nations. They were not cowed by Holland. Singapore, are you listening?
Give it to the Dutch too for their unbeaten streak which stretched back even before the World Cup so they must have been doing something right. No more Total Football though. The wonder is that this is a team that is not as colourful or able than those of 1974 and 1978. Funnily enough, Sniejder was a Real Madrid reject and Robben was a Chelsea reject but they both flourished at Inter Milan and Bayern Munich and now this World Cup, they are both in full throttle. Dirk Kuyt was used sometimes at Liverpool by Benitez but he is like a worker bee which it seems was what Holland needed and wanted. Robbie van Persie wasn't really at the top of his game. The Dutch have been winning without really being "excellent". Is this the hall mark of a champion? Could be but they were dominated by Brazil during the first half of the semi-final.
Spain or Espana as I have mentioned in the beginning were in a class of their own and it is their World Cup to loose. Spain has been like this for the last three years and only lost twice in 52 games. They have beaten all the best teams in the world as you saw in their game against the mighty Germans, they didn't give Germany a chance to play. If Holland gets dominated by Brazil, they will be even more against the Spaniards.
Third and Fourth Placing
Some World Cups ago, I have already thought they should do away with this meaningless tie for third or fourth placing. It was cool in the beginning as there weren't too many games around and vying for third or fourth may be a proud moment still but this has lost its meaning, demoralised from not making the final yet you have to stay to play this match to determine who is third. Does it matter? Are you going to shout: "Yeah we are the third best team in the world!" You are already among the best four. Maybe if they want to sell more tickets they can have a seventh and eight placing. It is just like American Idol.
Can you imagine the torture when a contestant having high hopes and has just been voted out then towards the end of the show they call you up to be on stage and show a video clip replay of how you have performed throughout just so that they could remind everyone how second-best you were and that was why you have been voted out in the first place and just when your dreadfulness is about to go away, they ask you to go on stage and sing a song a last time, just one more time to remind you and all once again that indeed there is no mistake that you have been horrible and deserved to be out! Oh C'mon, spare us the agony.
Final
In a final, that very one game is a defining moment. The 2010 edition has guaranteed that a new winner will emerge who has never won the World Cup before - Spain or Holland. Rinus Michels introduced Total Football and through Johann Cruyff and his team captivated the world in 1974 only to do down 1-2 to the then West Germany but the Dutch resurfaced in 1978 only to be disappointed a second time losing to the Argentines. How cruel? Yet on those two occasions they have more brilliant players then today's team but Sneijder and Robben have been excellent particularly the former. It is any one's game in such a one off and the Dutch deserved their place and is capable of pulling it off.
Spain like England was at one time one of the world's most under-achieving team. They have even lost to England 0-3 at Villa Park in a 2001 friendly where Michael Owen was playing at the time but they have always play to their tempo which like the superfluous yet immensely fiery Flamenco of their cultural music and dance. Before I fell in love with the way they interpret soccer I got smitten by their dance and music. Long time ago when I was in Bali, I rediscovered Spanish music and songs and the Flamenco. In a place with such idyllic calm, rustic charm, laid back atmosphere, surfers aplenty, artists galore with their local painting works, downing some "Bintang" beer or the local capuccino became a daily compulsion. They were lovely and yet cheap.
Of course the people were friendly and the places were like a giant painting of lovely natural landscape from heaven. At that time, there were many Volkswagen vehicles being used there as transport - not your typical vehicle but one that looked like the entire roof has been ripped off to resemble a beach buggy. However, the most memorable thrill I got was everyday at all the pubs or cafes and restaurants they were all playing the same and very beautiful Spanish songs throughout the night and day which fitted in perfectly to the mood of that time.
Finally when I couldn't resist it any longer, I asked some of the waiters around what it was till one day I got one who knew it and he introduced it to me. I asked if there were any shops in the vicinity that might still be selling it and he gave me an address. Unfortunately, when I got there on the last day of my trip, they have completely sold out. It must have been a hit there and then. When I got home, nobody was carrying the music and songs of this band but my persistence paid off when many months later I found it! It was like a magic moment when you found the soul of the music and beat again. In the next couple of years, this band won countless accolades and achieved fame and success. Ladies and gentlemen - "The Gipsy Kings"! and that was ages ago. Please enjoy the music of the Gipsy Kings:
The Flamenco, oh don't you love it, I'm crazy about it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8t7ngya7e90&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7CAURqdiAY
Bandsters you will love this one from Herb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass's Lonely Bull:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaMzjJ7slJg&feature=related
Even Elton John agreed the Spain is beautiful: "they say Spain is pretty..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AY5_CNHRqqk linking it to Espana in the World Cup is purely intentional. Spain, for the last three years has been playing soccer in this awesome manner and that is why they won the European crown for the first time in 2008. They are the winningest team because they play completely as a team with no broken parts, a flurry of short passes, movements, playing constantly to a tempo and rhythm. The Spaniards knew where they are going to pass the ball before they even received the ball. That is the ultimate for a soccer team. They are fluid and flow like water and as Bruce Lee said "Be Like Water" because water has no shape nor form.
It flows accordingly to the shape in a particular situation and takes the shape of a cup, bottle or tea pot. Water can crash hard like a water fall or flow meticulously through cracks or it will flow until it finds a crack in the case of Spain finding cracks in opponents. The pass master will pass their opponents to death, they will move and flow like water till it finds a crack and by then they would have penetrated and scored. Bang! I certainly hope they can play to form then turn on the style that is when you can turn on the music of Flamenco and you will get fully immersed when the music, the tempo and the Jabulani flow as one.
Spain are not impossible to beat but it is just that they will lose twice in 52 times including all the best teams in the world thrown in. They have lost to the Swiss in a shocker opening game. Their next loss may be quite some time away unless the Oranje really play out of their skins. It is Spain's World Cup to loose. I rate them even way above the Samba boys.
Spanish soccer is going in the right direction and Germany too because the local boys are playing in their top league teams. Athletico Bilbao / Madrid may not have big moolas to spend but they source their players locally and even within their precinct and they could still give the big boys Real Madrid and Barcelona a run for their money. England are you listening?
I really wish that the Dutch could win as I love their soccer since 1974 but at the same time I am an unabashed admirer of Spanish soccer. I imagine Flamenco playing in the background, a beautiful Spanish dancer strutting her stuff. I see the glowing ember of flames fluttering on the walls. I see a matador in the ring with a raging bull. Then shouts of "Ole! Ole!" ringing in my ears.
Remember the joke I told you before about the man who ordered his meat balls in a Spanish restaurant? He had one the day before and enjoyed it so he came for another and when he was served he can't help but find that they were noticeably smaller and enquired of the waiter. "You see Senor", some days the matador wins and some days the bull wins" came the reply. Ole!
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