Put your mortgage on England winning the European Championship in 2012. Why? Because they beat Wales 2-0 with their Clockwork Orange like performance in a, for England, radical 1-4-2-3-1 formation. Wales, a country with a population of approximately 3 million was out played, out coached and out classed by the heirs to Spain’s throne. The English media would have you believe that Darren Bent will be the top scorer in Poland/Ukraine, Jack Wilshere will be the player of the tournament and John Terry will lift the Henri Delaunay trophy. Please! England beat a team of second rate Championship players and on that basis they will win the European Championship? To put the result in perspective, Ireland recently beat Wales 3-0.
Speaking of John Terry is there a more arrogant, dislikeable and despised player in English football? No, I didn’t forget about Ashley Cole. Is Terry really the next in line of a distinguished list that includes Billy Wright, Bobby Moore, Johnny Haynes, Jimmy Armfield, and Kevin Keegan? He may be the king to a few thousand deluded Chelsea fans, but he is not fit to wear the arm band for England.
What do Shaun Murray, Glenn Hoddle, Paul Gascoigne, Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney, Luke Pike and now Jack Wilshere have in common? They were built up by the English media as being the next Pele or Diego Maradona. Can Wilshere play well against a few teams better than Wales before he is anointed as the next Messiah of English football?
The Welsh public, loyal British citizens roundly booed God Save the Queen, the national anthem of Great Britain and the English football team when it was played before Saturday’s game. The English fans flooded the radio call in shows to vent their moral indignation at the terrible slight committed by their Welsh cousins. The same English fans who routinely boo every national anthem, home and away and who have wreaked havoc everywhere the English national team has played. I guess the land of Shakespeare no longer does irony.
What do Shaun Murray, Glenn Hoddle, Paul Gascoigne, Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney, Luke Pike and now Jack Wilshere have in common? They were built up by the English media as being the next Pele or Diego Maradona. Can Wilshere play well against a few teams better than Wales before he is anointed as the next Messiah of English football?
The Welsh public, loyal British citizens roundly booed God Save the Queen, the national anthem of Great Britain and the English football team when it was played before Saturday’s game. The English fans flooded the radio call in shows to vent their moral indignation at the terrible slight committed by their Welsh cousins. The same English fans who routinely boo every national anthem, home and away and who have wreaked havoc everywhere the English national team has played. I guess the land of Shakespeare no longer does irony.
Contrary to the opinions of the English media, the best player in the world was not playing in Cardiff on Saturday. Shock, gasp, horror, but Jack Wilshere is not the best player in the world. That title belongs to Lionel Messi who wore the #10 of Argentina at the new Giants Stadium in New Jersey. Messi gave the US team the run around for 60 minutes and put on a clinic in passing and dribbling for the 78,936 fans in attendance. The US earned a credible 1-1 draw, but Messi was in a class of his own.
The fans in attendance at the game were a mixture of US fans, Argentina fans, neutral soccer fans and some there for the event, but all there to see the little maestro in the orange boots. Therefore, it was disappointing to hear some around me boo him, accuse him of being a diver, a cheater and demanding the American players to “get stuck into him.” Most of the comments were made by fans of a particular nationality. I guess they are still bitter that a previous denizen of Argentina’s #10 shirt sent them packing from the second Mexico World Cup.
The number of fans that were in Giants Stadium on Saturday night was very impressive by any professional sport standards. The fact that almost 80,000 attended a friendly soccer game has been missed by some in the US media who still cling to the notion that America does not like the sport. A black mark in particular to New York’s, WFAN radio station and Connecticut’s, Hartford Courant. According to them, the “sporting world” was watching the University of Connecticut beat the University of Arizona in basketball’s NCAA tournament and both gave scant coverage to the US game. The editors at both outlets continue to have their heads buried in the sand.
After the latest round of European Championship qualifiers the group leaders have a familiar look about them. France, Holland, Germany, Spain and Italy lead their respective groups. The new power base in European football looks very much like the old power base. Throw in the likes of Portugal, Russia, Greece, Croatia and the Czech Republic who should also qualify and the Euro 2012 finals will be very competitive.
The fans in attendance at the game were a mixture of US fans, Argentina fans, neutral soccer fans and some there for the event, but all there to see the little maestro in the orange boots. Therefore, it was disappointing to hear some around me boo him, accuse him of being a diver, a cheater and demanding the American players to “get stuck into him.” Most of the comments were made by fans of a particular nationality. I guess they are still bitter that a previous denizen of Argentina’s #10 shirt sent them packing from the second Mexico World Cup.
The number of fans that were in Giants Stadium on Saturday night was very impressive by any professional sport standards. The fact that almost 80,000 attended a friendly soccer game has been missed by some in the US media who still cling to the notion that America does not like the sport. A black mark in particular to New York’s, WFAN radio station and Connecticut’s, Hartford Courant. According to them, the “sporting world” was watching the University of Connecticut beat the University of Arizona in basketball’s NCAA tournament and both gave scant coverage to the US game. The editors at both outlets continue to have their heads buried in the sand.
After the latest round of European Championship qualifiers the group leaders have a familiar look about them. France, Holland, Germany, Spain and Italy lead their respective groups. The new power base in European football looks very much like the old power base. Throw in the likes of Portugal, Russia, Greece, Croatia and the Czech Republic who should also qualify and the Euro 2012 finals will be very competitive.
Robbie Keane and the Republic of Ireland are still in contention for a place in the finals. Keane scored the 46th goal of his career in his 105th international. He helped the Irish to a 2-1 win over Macedonia and a share of top spot in Group B. There are some fans in Ireland and amongst the media who think Keane is world class. His goal haul is impressive in number, but a lot of his goals came against mediocre opposition. A last minute equalizer against Germany at the 2002 World Cup in Japan/South Korea does not make Keane world class. He needs to score the goals against Slovakia and Russia to fire Ireland to Poland/Ukraine to silence some of his critics.
Question of the week: What big name MLS player was signed on a huge contract to score goals, but does not score them in practice let alone in games?
Question of the week: What big name MLS player was signed on a huge contract to score goals, but does not score them in practice let alone in games?
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