HOPE ON HORIZON FOR THE SOCCER STARVED
It turns out that empty feeling inside wasn’t hunger after all. One roast beef on rye with some edemame on the side and I still feel empty. I think I miss my soccer already. All the excitement, anxiety, hope, despair and anger has now turned into a dull, empty yearning. Like a junkie I’ve had my fix and it wasn’t enough. It’s never enough. Luckily the substance I’m addicted to isn’t proscribed or likely to kill me. And it’s supply seems endless.
First a few thoughts on this latest installment of the World Cup. Entertaining, yes. Best World Cup ever? I still think France 98 ranks as the best one so far. All the usual suspects showed up for the quarter final and onwards. Some of the results were unexpected but there were no World Shattering surprises. No Senegals or South Koreans this time. While not too many picked Italy to win, some still did. All the quarter finalists were past winners. And I still believe this was a tournament of great halves and not great games. Except for maybe the semi-final between Italy and Germany. And Holland vs Portugal was still the shame of the event. And everywhere you turned where cards, cards and more cards. Maybe FIFA needs to stop fiddling with the game and just let the refs call the game by the rules. Though I think video review for divers with subsequent suspensions (how effective is it to fine a millionaire?) is the right way to go for stamping out diving. Speaking of diving did any team do as much to turn off neutrals as Portugal?
For those of you suffering withdrawal, don’t despair. The European Championships are only two years away. Qualifying begins this fall. The European leagues begin in late August, early September and most teams have opened their training camps. And of course the transfer season will now pick up.Ronaldo is adamant he’s leaving Manchester united. So, it appears is Van nistelroy. Real Madrid have a new megalomaniacal president who seems to have learned nothing from his predecessor about throwing money around. Though Capello, formerly manager of soon to be in deep poop Juventus, should be better able to handle the egos at Real. Provided said president lets him manage the team instead of worrying about how team selection will affect the replica jersey sales. Keep an eye on the Italian Serie A. If one or more teams end up being relegated due to the math fixing scandal as many have predicted they will, there will be a player fire sale unprecedented in the history of the sport. What do I hear for a Buffon? Cannavaro, who needs a Cannavaro?
Arsenal play their first pre-season game Saturday July 15th .
First a few thoughts on this latest installment of the World Cup. Entertaining, yes. Best World Cup ever? I still think France 98 ranks as the best one so far. All the usual suspects showed up for the quarter final and onwards. Some of the results were unexpected but there were no World Shattering surprises. No Senegals or South Koreans this time. While not too many picked Italy to win, some still did. All the quarter finalists were past winners. And I still believe this was a tournament of great halves and not great games. Except for maybe the semi-final between Italy and Germany. And Holland vs Portugal was still the shame of the event. And everywhere you turned where cards, cards and more cards. Maybe FIFA needs to stop fiddling with the game and just let the refs call the game by the rules. Though I think video review for divers with subsequent suspensions (how effective is it to fine a millionaire?) is the right way to go for stamping out diving. Speaking of diving did any team do as much to turn off neutrals as Portugal?
For those of you suffering withdrawal, don’t despair. The European Championships are only two years away. Qualifying begins this fall. The European leagues begin in late August, early September and most teams have opened their training camps. And of course the transfer season will now pick up.Ronaldo is adamant he’s leaving Manchester united. So, it appears is Van nistelroy. Real Madrid have a new megalomaniacal president who seems to have learned nothing from his predecessor about throwing money around. Though Capello, formerly manager of soon to be in deep poop Juventus, should be better able to handle the egos at Real. Provided said president lets him manage the team instead of worrying about how team selection will affect the replica jersey sales. Keep an eye on the Italian Serie A. If one or more teams end up being relegated due to the math fixing scandal as many have predicted they will, there will be a player fire sale unprecedented in the history of the sport. What do I hear for a Buffon? Cannavaro, who needs a Cannavaro?
Arsenal play their first pre-season game Saturday July 15th .
posted by Soft Headed Liberal at Monday, July 10, 2006
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