麻豆约拍

World Cup 2006 Blog

From our reporters in Germany

Over and out

claire_heald66.gifGELSENKIRCHEN - St George was unavailable for comment as he left the stadium after England鈥檚 defeat last night. Or at least the man dressed up as St George, yes, I know it鈥檚 not him really.

That鈥檚 highly unusual for an England fan. Throughout this tournament they鈥檝e had all the answers for me and 鈥榞iven good quote鈥. But they鈥檝e only ever asked me three questions in return.

鈥淐an you get me on tele?鈥 is always number one. 鈥淣o, I鈥檓 afraid I鈥檓 too lowly,鈥 is my stock reply - I can鈥檛 even get myself on tele...

鈥淐an you get me into the game?鈥 is their follow-up. Again, my form here is as bleak as England on penalties. I bought a black-market ticket for Euro350 to see the game in the ground last night. It was the only way in for thousands of people outside.

There were only just over 4,000 tickets to the FA for England fans, but a stadium full of them last night - someone is making a fortune from this trade and it is something Fifa surely must address before South Africa 2010.

The fans' closer question, without fail, is always: 鈥淗aven鈥檛 the German鈥檚 been amazing hosts?鈥 And my answer to this one is yes, absolutely.

England鈥檚 travelling support has been incredible in its scope, colour, passion and humour. In return, bar a few arrests, the Germans have welcomed them in their thousands with open arms, organisational-nouse, helpful locals and icy cold beer.

Off the pitch, the World Cup in Germany has been beyond expectation, a time to make friends indeed.

Comments  Post your comment

  • 1.
  • At 01:06 PM on 02 Jul 2006,
  • wrote:

ALthough I am not a supporter of English team, my sympathy is with them and I can understand what they are going through. My country Bangladesh is not playing in World CUp but millions of people here are supporting Argentina and Brazil. Many of them became too passionate and just like English supporters
World Cup has lost attraction for them after Argentina and Brazil both suffered
exit. Two
after Argentina lost to
Germany on Friday night. I wish that English supporters do not suffer the same.

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  • 2.
  • At 01:20 PM on 02 Jul 2006,
  • Alain wrote:

You鈥檙e too rich!

Let me try an explanation on what happens to English football (I鈥檓 not a football expert, but I know about economics).

Where are the richest football clubs? In England, Spain and Italy. Which great football countries lost every major tournament for over 20 years? England, Spain and Italy!

I think there is a relation. Your best English clubs, like Chelsea, Arsenal or MU, are so wealthy that they can afford every good player in the world. No need to spend efforts in detecting local talents, educating and training them. The result is obvious: excellent clubs, but a poor national team.

The goal keeper problem is significant: all the major English clubs take foreigners. Good when you play the Champion鈥檚 league. Pathetic if the national team has to stop penalties.

Here in France, our richest club is Lyon: its revenues might be 1/10 of Chelsea鈥檚! No way to recruit stars! So what do the average French 鈥淟igue 1鈥 clubs? They have to invest on education and training; it takes years to build a good professional player. When it succeeds, the guy will say: 鈥渢hanks and bye-bye, now I鈥檒l make money in England (or Spain, or Italy)鈥.

Sorry for you, English fellows! You can enjoy the talent of our French (or Brazilian, Ghanaian, etc.) footballers all through the regular season. Let us have them kicking you off every 4 years, it鈥檚 not so much!

And if you want the English team to win some cup again in the future, there is only one solution: stop flooding your clubs with money. Easy: refuse to overpay tickets for a game, don鈥檛 buy shirts and other crap, and don鈥檛 subscribe for cable TV. As soon as they are broke, Chelsea, Arsenal and MU will pay much more attention on English players. You will even have Englishmen (other than Beckham) playing in foreign clubs, where they will get experienced (like Henry or Makelele did in England). At the end, you鈥檒l have a decent national team!

As a French supporter, it is a wish: I miss genuine English football.


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  • 3.
  • At 01:28 PM on 02 Jul 2006,
  • Russell wrote:

I would like to ask all football experts a question!!!!
Do you think this team would have beaten Portugal last night?

Robinson

Neville Terry Fernidand Cole

Haregreaves

Lennon Gerrard Cole

Rooney

Crouch

I am no expert but everytime I ask myself the above question the answer is YES!!!!

What's more I would have picked that team for around 拢25,000.

So I think (and I would like the football experts opinion on this) that if the FA had given me the job as England manager, they would find themselves today both in the world cup semi-finals and alot richer.

PS.I would have wanted them to pay my tax on the 拢25,000.

PPS.If they offered me 拢35 million instead of 拢25,000, I would'nt have turned it down, as some strange people in the media seem to think Erikson should have.

Best Regards

Russell

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  • 4.
  • At 02:25 PM on 02 Jul 2006,
  • sue wrote:

Probably, you are right, but then again I thought that Cole (J)didn't play as well as his last game and tends to be a little egoistic. Crouch?... don't think so... but he did play better yesterday, Rooney didn't play well either but then again, know one plays 100% everyday.You didn't mention the manager.... still Sven??

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  • 5.
  • At 02:31 PM on 02 Jul 2006,
  • Andreas wrote:

As a German I fully agree with Alain, post #2. This is exactly the English problem and is exactly why Germany is always doing well at EC's and WC's.

More than 100,000 people at the Frankfurt fan fest along the river Main embankments last night agreed: Germany will meet France in the final!

Also, all of a sudden Frankfurt was flooded with French cars, all carrying 67 and 68 license plates ;-)... A final among friends... now that's something!

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  • 6.
  • At 02:51 PM on 02 Jul 2006,
  • wrote:

If the Germans are such great hosts, how come they haven't let England win the World Cup? When I invite people round to my house, I always let them win at Trivial Pursuit, despite the fact that I am immeasurably cleverer than they are. It's just good manners.

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  • 7.
  • At 03:03 PM on 02 Jul 2006,
  • Andreas wrote:

Hi Greg S,

believe me, we did what we could. But just as I said to my Swiss friends a couple of days ago, if it's only one of your players and the opponent's goalie, you must get that ball into that goal! And it does work. Ukraineans, Argentinians and - of course - Germans have proven that this tournament alone. It's really not our fault that the only English player capable of scoring at a shootout is Bayern Munich's Owen Hargreaves. But hey, send more of your players over for practice lessons. We'd be delighted to help you learn how to play good football ;-)

But again: We've loved having the English over here! It's always good partying with you guys. Please come back on private visits as often as you want!

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  • 8.
  • At 03:40 PM on 02 Jul 2006,
  • darnel wrote:

The writing was on the wall for England from day one,the wrong squad was taken, flair over substance indeed. How could Sven select his team without Johnson, Dafoe and Bent. Bent score the most goal as an English player this year for god's sake.why these three players were not good enough to represent England at the WC is a mystery! replaced by a kid two injured player and a six foot seven joker who after finally scoring his first goal for Liverpool was seen as an hero and that day a national holiday sort of. Two in the back of my head or this english squad, the dicision is easy, a no brainer if you would. Reality is what it is, you got what you deserved. Any team that playes one striker in this high level game doesn't deserved to win, it's a shameful display from England, you are not Trinidad and Tobago. Mr rooney you are a thug, and someone have to be brave enough to call you out, and stop providing sooo much excuse to cover up all his short comings, his reputation preceded him, he is a bully first, foot baller second. If you love this bloke then chastise him, what an ass, is this the attitude you want young english player to emulate ? This guy is so over rated and such a dunce, he needs more than a kick in his ass to wake him up, else he is going to hurt someone eventually an cost his club or Country games...help him to save his career, don't pat him on his ass.... kick him.

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  • 9.
  • At 03:53 PM on 02 Jul 2006,
  • Rolf Habich wrote:

I feel pity for an England team that , although playing poorly in the preceding matches, put in an impressive fight even when outnumbered and were closer to scoring than their opposition.

And then the curse of a penalty shootout. It almost assumes dimensions of an antique drama. Or even tragedy.

So I have decided to, at long last, let you guys in on the secret of the German success series in penalties.
Actually it is surprisingly simple:

You guys like to call us 'Krauts'.
The background of course is the uncontested fact that we Germans eat sauerkraut day in, day out each and every day. And so do, naturally, the German players. Munch and munch sauerkraut.

And there lies the secret. Just go and tell your players to do likewise.
You will be surprised - in your next shootout.

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  • 10.
  • At 04:02 PM on 02 Jul 2006,
  • Alex wrote:

I watched yesterday an emotional 麻豆约拍 videoclip of England defeat vs Portugal with a beautiful song as background music...is here anyone who knows that song?
Thank you very much!

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  • 11.
  • At 06:08 PM on 02 Jul 2006,
  • Bellamy wrote:

Greg S, you're off your rocker, sunshine, if you think that's how international football is conducted. Honestly, why should Germany let England win? They have just as much right to compete as anyone. What a ridiculous idea.

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  • 12.
  • At 06:28 PM on 02 Jul 2006,
  • bobbylebonfire wrote:

methinks bellamy has had a sense of humour bypass! HE'S TAKING THE PISS!

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  • 13.
  • At 06:37 PM on 02 Jul 2006,
  • Bellamy wrote:

I am not taking the p*ss, chummy. Greg S clearly thinks he runs FIFA and so has come up with this ridiculous idea. The game is a contest of skill and last time I checked good manners doesn't come into it.

If you live life like that you'll always be holding the door open for people and never get through yourself!!

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  • 14.
  • At 07:25 PM on 02 Jul 2006,
  • wrote:

Tsk. The song in question was Numb, by the Pet Shop Boys.

And yes, it was a joke. I do not actually believe that Germany should be banned from winning, simply because they're the hosts. Quite the contrary, they should be awarded the World Cup automatically, without playing any games.

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  • 15.
  • At 08:00 PM on 02 Jul 2006,
  • Chips For Tea wrote:

I'm a very, very disappointed England fan today.

Personally I feel England played very well after Rooney was sent off. The back four were superb, particularly John Terry and Rio Ferdinand. Owen Hargreaves had his best game in and England shirt. Gerrard played ok and helped Ashley Cole out on the left when faced with Ronaldo and Miguel. Lampard and Joe Cole (aka step-over, step-over) were disappointing. Crouch held the ball up quite well and Lennon did a commendable job when he came on for Beckham. Ok, we went out in the dreaded penalty shoot-out again, but I'd rather that than be down to 10 and lose by a few goals to nil.

I also think that the FA should not pay players for representing England. The majority of players are wealthy from playing for their clubs and it shuld be an honour and a privilege to pull on an England shirt, the promises of bonuses if England win is ridiculous.

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  • 16.
  • At 08:31 PM on 02 Jul 2006,
  • Bellamy wrote:

Greg S, above, I understand why you're saying that Germany should be awarded the World Cup. After all, a schoolboy studying marketing could tell you that there would be a commercial reason for the hosts to always win. They will have the most fans at the event (unless the tournament was held in a really small country!!) and so would therefore be able to generate the most in the way of 'revenue'. Football is a business, they say. And a very big business it is indeed. Don't you forget it.

But I'm not entirely sure you've thought it through: it would be difficult to motivate the team who was in the final against Germany. You, would have to make second prize a very special prize indeed -- say a million dollars per squad member?

Keep the ideas flowing though. You are the Wilf Lunn of this blog.

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  • 17.
  • At 08:36 PM on 02 Jul 2006,
  • wrote:

Ah, I am doomed to be misunderstood in my time. The host nation should automatically be awarded the World Cup, but to keep things interesting, once a week a member of the host squad should be executed in the centre of the main stadium (I prefer firing squad but I am open to suggestions). That way the host/winning nation learns the human cost of success.

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  • 18.
  • At 09:00 PM on 02 Jul 2006,
  • Flo wrote:

@ Greg S

I think this could be because of 2 reasons:

1) It's because England invented Football: It would be so easy for them to win, but known as great sportsmen they act like fools und let the others be victorious and have all the fun.

2) Because of the WC '66 and the Wembley Goal: They simply used all their luck in this event and now there isn't any left.

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  • 19.
  • At 09:07 PM on 02 Jul 2006,
  • wrote:

Flo, you are as wise as a tiny horse. Of course, you speak the truth: England could win any World Cup with a squad of just four players, but our impeccable manners mean we deliberately lose in the quarter-finals. It shames me that many other teams don't have the simple good grace to lose before the semi-finals.

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  • 20.
  • At 09:11 PM on 02 Jul 2006,
  • Bellamy wrote:

@ Flo

You're right that the English are arrogant about sports they invented. The arrogance they show around the snooker table is legenday. There are several foolish snooker players who don't know how to have fun. Some of these are English.

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  • 21.
  • At 10:00 PM on 02 Jul 2006,
  • Luis Figo wrote:

Xenofobic people,accept you had been beaten,allways,with all the players you can have and use,money,glamour, wag's and your medias dirty tricks don't help,Alain have all the reason,he only miss something ,look who originate the biggest football revolution in the last years in your country,with Chelsea?,with Carvalho and Ferreira supporting the regional fame of Terry,was british?,was a sweed?,was DUTCH?,no?fill it: .........,thanks, and for me the most beautifull football in your country comes from Arsenal,that gives you something too reflect about and ask yourselfs if you are going the right direction,you know,drinking,driving and reading bad literature don't seems to be the best way,at least you can get jealous,and see it foggy,respect your opponent,be a good looser and a good winner,like the old british way and things gonna already get better for you,greetings and the best next time.

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  • 22.
  • At 11:01 PM on 02 Jul 2006,
  • Steve wrote:

Alain is absolutely spot on....and i say that as an Englishman.

We have all this money in English football, so what do we choose to do? We invest it all back into foreign players, smart move!

It doesnt take a genius to work out who's getting the best deal, the English football fan, or the foreign footballer.

Brazil & France, two recent World Cup winners both have weak national leagues....its as Alain says, money is spent on young french players in france, not on expensive imports.
Once those players then get to a certain level, they go off around the world to gain experience.

This means, the French league is full of French players.

While some would prefer to watch the flair and ingenuity of foreign players, I would prefer to see all this money go back into re-building english football from the foundations.

Unfortunately Alain, our English FA is a very old stuck-in-its-ways establishment, and I cant ever see them being so brave as to completely overhaul the way we run football in this country. We are run by an old boys network where money is the aim of the game, and while that situation exists, we will be highly entertained at club level, and constantly highly disapointed at national level.

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