The Finishing Straight - Europe (by HappyDude88)

AFTER the thriller in Canada, it was always going to be difficult to follow for any circuit on the calendar, let alone the most dullest and pointless track of the season.  The European Grand Prix in Valencia produced its usual lacklustre affair, and although there was some intense fighting down the field and the frontrunners stayed in close formation throughout, there was a lack of show stopping drama that the fans have been expecting throughout the season.

VIABLE: Alonso has been great for Spain, but are two races viable now?

    I think it is time for Bernie Ecclestone to consider the future of having two races in Spain.  There can be no doubt of Fernando Alonso’s impact on the sport and the massive adrenalin it has on the Spanish fans.  However, there are currently 21 races on the 2011 calendar, and presuming Bahrain returns next season, a race will have to go.  Istanbul remains the favourite, due to its lack of promotion, but do we really need two events in Spain?  We only have one in Germany; and it seems like that has sorted out the financial difficulties of both Hockenheim and the Nurburgring.  I honestly think Spain should follow suit.  Valencia may be a beautiful place to visit and the weather is gorgeous, but the race circuit looks like a supermarket car park, not a high-class venue.  I think it’s pretty shameful when you think of the world-class facilities in Abu Dhabi and Shanghai and the top circuits such as Suzuka and Spa. 

     The championship race is all over bar the shouting after Sebastian Vettel’s dominant weekend in Valencia.  Questions were raised by the media after Vettel’s last lap slip-up in Canada last time out, but he answered all those doubters in stunning and flawless fashion.  Once he got into the first corner first, there was little doubt that Sebastian was going to win the race.  Scary to think that if he had been on the right tyre strategy in China and not made that error in Montreal, he could have easily won all eight races so far this season.  He looks almost impossible to beat and if Mr. Optimistic himself, Alonso has ruled himself out of catching the German, you can understand why everyone else has him down as a double world champion now.  The engraving of his name might as well begin now.  In fact, give him the championship now; he doesn’t need to wait until the annual FIA Gala dinner in Monaco before Christmas to collect his prize!

     Arguably, they have had the fastest car in the last three races, but McLaren’s race pace went missing in Valencia.  It became a familiar theme in the race; Lewis Hamilton would pit early, set some searing quick lap times and then fade away with poor grip levels from the option Pirelli tyres.  In the end, Lewis salvaged fourth, whilst Jenson Button was a lonely sixth, losing a load of time behind Nico Rosberg in the early exchanges.  Both drivers seemed disheartened afterwards and a radically improved Ferrari was not on their gameplan.  Silverstone will offer a fair reflection on the pecking order and with Red Bull so far infront, the Woking team won’t want to drop behind Ferrari too.

UNWANTED: At least Karthikeyan now has a place in the records!

     On Sunday morning, I predicted that all 24 cars that started the European Grand Prix would finish the race and I was proven right.  I wonder how Narain Karthikeyan feels to finish 24^th in a Grand Prix!  It is only the third time this has happened in the sport’s history (discounting the six-car farce that was the 2005 US Grand Prix.)  Technology has improved radically and reliability is now incredible.  However, I do agree with Jarno Trulli’s viewpoint that it is becoming a bit too robotic now.  If a car retires now, I almost react with shock!  The days of 10/11 cars finishing races are well and truly over now.  Of course, we all want the drivers to be safe and well and no serious accidents, but I miss the spectacular engine blow-ups, the shearing of driveshafts and the explosive clutch failures.  Retirements from races should be part and parcel of the game and maybe FOTA need to look into this, especially if drivers like Trulli have these viewpoints.

     Two drivers who I was delighted to see in the points in Valencia were Jaime Alguesuari and Adrian Sutil.  Alguesuari made a two stop strategy work to perfection and finished a fighting eighth, matching his best career result.  For the third consecutive race, he went out in Q1, but more performances in the race like this will mean that Daniel Riccardo’s chance at Toro Rosso will have to wait.  It’s interesting to see that Alguesuari is now ahead of Sebastian Buemi in the drivers’ championship, despite Buemi outperforming him on a regular basis this season.  Sutil has also had a tricky season, with personal problems and the possibility of a court case hanging over him, following a nightclub incident after the Chinese Grand Prix in April.  However, he looked up for it on the streets of Valencia and for the first time this season, led the way in the Force India team, having been overshadowed all season by the plucky Paul di Resta.

     Mercedes GP had another dismal weekend and having looked threatening in China and Turkey to the frontrunners, the team has fallen behind the top three teams again by a considerable distance.  Although they are pulling away from the likes of Renault and Sauber, the gap is increasing between themselves and Ferrari.  Rosberg finished seventh, which was the best he could hope for.  Finishing 100 seconds behind race winner Vettel tells its own story.  After his Canadian exploits, Michael Schumacher made another rash overtaking attempt on Vitaly Petrov, and as in Turkey, came off worse.  Michael admitted fault after the race, although Ross Brawn seemed to hint that it was Petrov’s fault.  Sorry Ross, but what do you expect Petrov to do, drive into the barriers or vanish into thin air!  Heavy rear tyre wear is Mercedes real issue and it seems like a problem that won’t go away for them, definitely in the short-term.

     Finally, time to give out my Driver of the Weekend and Driver of the Day awards.  Vettel is the clear winner of Driver of the Weekend, whilst I give Alguesuari the nod over Vettel and Alonso for Driver of the Day.  Hopefully, the hustle buzz of F1 2011 will return at the British Grand Prix next week.

NOTE: DUE TO AN IMPENDING WORK PLACEMENT IN LONDON, THERE WILL NO FINISHING STRAIGHT BLOG FOR THE BRITISH GRAND PRIX DUE TO A LACK OF TIME.  THE SILVERSTONE WEEKEND WILL HAVE JUST A RACE REPORT.  I WILL RETURN FOR THE GERMAN GRAND PRIX AT THE NURBURGRING WITH A RACE REPORT, FINISHING STRAIGHT BLOG AND MY HALF-TERM DRIVERS REPORT.   

The Finishing Straight - Spain (by HappyDude88)

THE teams are gathering in Monte Carlo for the most spectacular and exciting weekend of the calendar.  This gives me the time to reflect on the events of last weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Catalunya.

PUSHED: Vettel was made to work incredibly hard for his win

     Red Bull Racing seems to have all the covers based, against main rivals, McLaren and Ferrari, particularly on a Saturday afternoon.  However, Barcelona showed signs that they can be beaten totally fair and square.  On Sunday, Lewis Hamilton seemed to have the faster, more stable package than Sebastian Vettel.  If only his McLaren could stay close through the last corner, it would be a similar result to China last month.  True, Vettel was hobbled again by the lack of use of KERS during the Grand Prix, but his car did look far more unstable compared to Hamilton.  He was far from comfortable and really had to work hard for his victory on Sunday, unlike previous successes in Australia, Malaysia and Turkey this season.  Some will say that Vettel’s regular successes are now getting boring for the sport.  Thankfully, there is plenty of entertainment further down the field to keep the purists interested. 

     Although Vettel won again on Sunday, Lewis Hamilton must be encouraged by the form and speed that McLaren had last weekend.  Traditionally, Barcelona is seen as a circuit which rewards those teams who have the best technical package around.  Consequently, it will suit Adrian Newey’s team, and it is no secret to look at the previous history of results at the Spanish Grand Prix and see the domination of Williams and McLaren in the 90s here, when Newey was the spearhead of those teams.  So, for McLaren to be so close to race-winning pace was very encouraging.  Hamilton is the best hope for many to challenge for the championship, as long as he stays consistent and continues the discipline he has shown so far in 2011, Malaysia aside.  It is disappointing to see him accuse the likes of Sebastian Buemi, Jamie Alguesuari and Michael Schumacher of deliberately blocking him last weekend, in his pursuit of Vettel.  From watching the race again, I saw no evidence of this, and if Hamilton has anyone to be aggrieved with for blocking, it has to be the Hispania of dopey Indian driver Narain Karthikeyan.  Karthikeyan never seems to check his mirrors at any stage, and is more of a stationary roadblock on the M1 than a racing driver!  Looks like Andrea de Cesaris influence on Grand Prix racing has continued into the 21^st century then!

     Mark Webber will be mystified by his lack of race performance on a circuit, where he has outshone Vettel significantly in the past.  Webber produced a perfect lap in qualifying on Saturday afternoon to end Sebastian’s pole streak, which had stretched back to Brazil last season.  However, 40 seconds behind at flag fall does tell its own story, and the Aussie is likely to be mentally shattered to have been outperformed so dramatically by his younger team-mate, on a Webber-style circuit.  Like Vettel, Webber had limited use of his KERS power boost button during the race, but I was disappointed to see him just sit behind Fernando Alonso’s much slower Ferrari and not do anything about it.  On harder tyres, Alonso was a sitting duck and I expected Mark to breeze past him.  He didn’t, and with the force that Jenson Button showed in passing both Webber and Alonso aggressively in just one lap, it highlights the fact that Mark Webber has never won the world championship, whereas Button has.  That’s the difference; you need to have that killer instinct as a racing driver at all times.  As sad as it is, Mark just doesn’t have that.  It is okay to produce stunning drives like the one he produced in Shanghai, but it has to be done on a consistent basis.  Vettel, Hamilton, Alonso and Button are all capable of it, and are all world champions.  Sadly, Mark Webber can’t.  I can only see him being an occasional race winner now this season, and riding shotgun to Vettel for the rest of the campaign.  It will have to take a staggering amount of bad luck on Vettel’s side of the garage to allow Mark a shot of the drivers’ championship in 2011.

REWARDED: Alonso got his desserts for a special start

     Ferrari’s Stefano Domenicalli has admitted that their hopes of winning either championship are looking increasingly slim, especially if Vettel continues on his victory charge.  Well, if that’s the case; Stefano will need to pick up his P45 from Luca di Montzemolo with immediate effect.  The highlight of the Grand Prix was Fernando Alonso’s incredible start.  From fourth on the grid, Alonso repeated Jarno Trulli’s trick in 2004 at the same circuit and vaulted into the lead by turn one.  There was a load of bravery, aggression and commitment from Alonso in those first few hundred metres and he deserved the rewards.  The onboard camera from his car off the grid was just a joy to behold.  For twenty laps, the home hero used all of his driving skill to keep the much faster cars from Red Bull and McLaren behind.  Ultimately, as Ferrari had a useless set-up on the harder Pirelli tyres, he was powerless to resist them through the pitstops.  By the end of the race, Fernando had been lapped.  Not his fault, his car is severely limited and Barcelona just highlighted how far Ferrari really is behind.  When a Ferrari is lapped, they will claim it to be a national embarrassment in Italy, and it is.  My advice would be to write this season off and concentrate on next year’s car.  Like Webber, they might win races, but have more chance of winning the EuroMillions jackpot than either world championship!  Felipe Massa had a very poor weekend and was struggling to even rescue a point from it when he stopped with gearbox problems five laps from home.  There is a lot of soul searching to be done at Maranello.

     Youth continues to shine in Formula One and Sergio Perez showed signs that he could be a natural successor to Felipe Massa at Ferrari.  After a breathtaking debut in Australia, which ended in an unfortunate technical disqualification, Perez has gone off the boil, but it has to be expected for the Mexican to have peaks and troughs in his rookie season.  He looked strong all weekend in Catalunya, outqualifying and outracing Kamur Kobayashi.  Plus, he passed Massa on-track, although the Brazilian was already struggling with a gearbox problem.  This time, his points stood and they won’t be the last this season.  Credit has to be given to Kobayashi too, as he had contact with Jaime Alguesuari on the first lap and had to pit to replace a punctured tyre.  To come back to tenth and the final championship point is then some effort.  Sauber have a very good motor car this season, and they could well be challenging Renault to be best of the rest behind the four main teams; Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes and Red Bull by the end of the season.

     A driver who is under a great deal of pressure, both on and off the track is Force India’s Adrian Sutil.  Sutil’s dalliance at not signing a contract extension last season with the Silverstone based team angered some members inside the team.  His 2011 season did start with points in Australia, but he is struggling to recapture the form he showed in the closing stages of 2009 and early exchanges of 2010.  After the Chinese race on April 17, Sutil is reported to have been involved in a nightclub incident with the chief executive of Genii Capital, Eric Lux.  Genii Capital owns the Renault Formula One team.  Lux has filed a criminal complaint against Sutil, who could go the same way as Bertrand Gachot did in 1991, when the Belgian was unfairly jailed for spraying CS gas at a London taxi driver.  With Paul di Resta continuing to outperform him on the circuit, this is a tough time in Sutil’s career, both personally and at his occupation.  It is clear that the German’s performances have suffered; due to the lack of technical development from his Force India team, plus the penalties that hang over his head should he be found guilty of this nightclub incident.  I’m pleased to see Vijay Mallya has come out in support of Sutil and will honour his contract.  The ‘innocent till proven guilty’ aspect is the right way to go, and I just hope that Adrian Sutil, who is one of my favourite F1 drivers can pick his form up, fight these charges off and turn his career around from this stalling point.

BLAZING: The charred remains of Nick Heidfeld's Renault

     Finally, Hamilton is my driver of the day, for his relentless pursuit of Vettel, but Nick Heidfeld deserves a special mention.  On Saturday morning, a spectacular exhaust fire saw Heidfeld forced to abandon his burning Renault chassis.  Despite the best attempts from his mechanics, Nick had no chance of qualifying, so he had to start last.  Granted, he had six sets of fresh tyres available, but on a track where overtaking is normally impossible – it looked set to be a fruitless weekend.  Come the end, Nick had been able to climb from 24^th to finish eighth, which was a great performance and had the race ran two more laps, it would have been sixth.  However, with team-mate Vitaly Petrov starting sixth, running fifth early on and ending up out of the points, it does reveal a qualifying flaw.  Saturday is starting to become a non-event, and I’d like to see the FIA make some tweaks to flatten out the Saturday failings with Sunday’s action.  Let’s see what will happen this weekend in Monaco.  It could be interesting to watch, especially with DRS available.  Don’t miss it!

Spain MotoGP 2011 - Lorenzo survives in the Spanish rain

WORLD MotoGP champion Jorge Lorenzo survived an attrition-packed Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez to claim the points lead.  Lorenzo beat countryman Dani Pedrosa, on a Honda by nearly 20 seconds with Ducati’s Nicky Hayden finishing third.  However, it was clash between Pedrosa and Hayden’s team-mates that made all the headlines after the event.

     At a grey and damp Jerez, Casey Stoner got off the line perfectly from pole position to lead Lorenzo and Marco Simoncelli in the early exchanges.  Team-mate Pedrosa had an awful lap.  He slipped from second to tenth, as he struggled with a bugging arm injury.  After starting a dismal 12^th, Valentino Rossi took full advantage of the dismal conditions to move quickly into fourth place, showing his formidability on a wet track.  Meanwhile, countryman Simoncelli was right at home, as he managed to usurp a careful Lorenzo and Stoner to snatch the lead.  Rossi eased past Lorenzo for third before the moment of the race.

TANGLE: Rossi's ambitious move took Casey Stoner out

     The Italian attempted a move on Stoner for second spot.  It was ambitious to say the least and the result was Rossi went down at the first corner, and took the unfortunate Stoner with him.  It was an unbelievable moment and shows that even world champions can make a hash of overtaking attempts.  Rossi was pinned under the bikes, whilst Stoner got up quickly, ready to remount.  However, the Repsol Honda team were furious that the marshals only seemed interested in helping Rossi and not their Australian championship leader.  The Ducati of Rossi rejoined well down and field and Stoner had been cruelly eliminated through no fault of his own.

     Pedrosa started to move his way back through the field, having now got a feel for the equipment he had underneath him.  He sliced his way back upto third, but that was to become second on lap 11 when disaster struck Simoncelli.  He was pulling away from Lorenzo and the race was his for the taking, until he got a high-side on at Turn One and dropped the bike.  He was out and Lorenzo had been gifted the lead.

     Britain’s Cal Crutchlow had been having a good run and was keeping Hayden in his sights, when he became another victim of the tricky conditions.  He was fifth before falling off his Tech Speed Yamaha, eventually remounting to finish ninth.  With four laps to go, American Ben Spies passed Pedrosa to make it a Yamaha 1-2.  Pedrosa had no response, as his tyres were absolutely finished.  Luckily for him, Spies went into the gravel on the very next lap and out of the race.  This allowed the likeable Colin Edwards onto the podium, but the Texan Tornado’s bike packed up and left Colin stranded on the last lap.  

ODD: Lorenzo's celebrations seem to get more strange with each race

     Ahead of all the drama, Lorenzo took the chequered flag at the end of a thrilling race.  Pedrosa and Hayden completed the rostrum, whilst Rossi somehow recovered to fifth, before going to apologise to Stoner for their crash afterwards.  This was the case of last man standing in Jerez and Jorge Lorenzo came out on top.  If this is anything to go by, MotoGP 2011 has all the ingredients to be a very special season.

Paul The 'Fautless' Octopus Dies

PAUL the Octopus – the unlikely hero of the 2010 World Cup has died.  He passed away peacefully in his sleep on Monday night in his aquarium at his base in Oberhausen, Germany.  Paul put football pundits around the world to shame by correctly predicting a string of key football results at the finals, which turned him into an overnight sensation.  His death won’t come as a great surprise to some, as he was two and a half years old, which is the traditional expectancy for an octopus.  Staff at the Sea Life centre in Oberhausen are said to be “devastated” at his tragic passing away.

In the summer, Paul made his name by successfully choosing a mussel from one of two boxes that were bearing the flag colours of the competing nations in the latter stages of the tournament in South Africa.  In total, he correctly predicted seven games correctly, including Germany’s semi-final defeat to Spain and the Spanish victory over Holland in the final.  Although passionate German football fans called for him to be grossly killed, he was loved across the rest of the world.  In fact, he was so popular in Madrid after the Spanish success; there had been a request for him to end up in a Spanish museum.  Amid all the excitement, Paul replaced the disgraced ex-ITV pundit Robbie Earle as an ambassador for the England 2018 World Cup bid.

After the finals, he was retired from football punditry, quashing the rumours and hope that he might make a shock guest appearance on Match of the Day!  A memorial at the aquarium in Germany is to be erected in his memory.  His life may have been brief, but it was incredible and he will not be forgotten.

R.I.P Paul – You were the star of the World Cup 2010

£113 Million Result for UK EuroMillions Winner

THERE was a British winner of the EuroMillions jackpot on Friday night, bagging a massive £113million in the process.  However, Camelot has revealed that the identity of the winning ticket is yet to be revealed.

If the winner can be found, it will the biggest win for any UK individual since the lottery format came into existence back in November 1994.  The winning numbers on Friday were 9, 30, 35, 39 and 46 with the two lucky stars being 6 and 8.  It is still unclear also where the winner lives, or whether it is an individual or syndicate victory.

Nine European countries play the EuroMillions draw, which has been around since March 2004.  The UK winner was the only ticket to match all seven numbers from across those countries that participated.  Until Friday’s win, the most that anyone had won the EuroMillions jackpot was £84million earlier in this year.

EuroMillions is now played in Luxembourg, Austria, Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium and Switzerland as well as in the UK.  Since June last year, ten people have scooped the EuroMillions top prize.

Rooney Plays Away - Why Are Footballers Caught Cheating?

Wayne Rooney answered some of his doubters last night, with an excellent performance in England’s 3-1 Euro 2012 qualifier against Switzerland.  The Manchester United striker scored his first goal for the Three Lions in over a year and after a miserable summer in South Africa and a lacklustre start to the new Premiership campaign with his club, he looks to be back to his best.  However, it’s his scoring off the pitch that is making the headlines.

Tabloid newspapers the Daily Mirror and the News of the World reported on Sunday that Rooney had been playing away and sleeping with another woman, allegedly a prostitute in Spain.  It is also alleged that Rooney had paid this mysterious woman over £1,000 for steamy sessions, whilst his wife, Colleen was carrying his child.  True or not, this latest escapade adds to the list of high-profile footballers who have been caught out in their private lives this year.

First in January, the then England captain John Terry was reported to be having an affair with model Vanessa Perroncel, who was involved with Terry’s former Chelsea team-mate Wayne Bridge.  In March, Bridge decided to retire from international football, as he couldn’t play in the same team as Terry.  England boss Fabio Capello had little alternative in sacking Terry as England captain, replacing him with Rio Ferdinand.  Soon after this news broke out, Terry’s high-profile team-mate at Stamford Bridge, Ashley Cole had a barrage of tabloid reports, suggesting he’d had sexual relations with at least five women.  This was the final straw of his tense four-year marriage with the X-Factor judge and Girls Aloud sensation Cheryl Cole and a divorce was granted last week in the High Court.  Last month, it was Tottenham’s lanky striker Peter Crouch who came under fire for having relations with several women in Spain.  Although still together, it has severely damaged Crouchie’s previously clean reputation and his relationship with the model Abbey Clancy.  Now, with Rooney under the spotlight, you begin to wonder how many more footballers will have their private lives turned under the screw before the end of the year.

Capello and Rooney’s personal sponsors, Nike, Coca Cola and EA Sports have all backed Wayne publicly, insisting that it is just a ‘private matter.’  Surprisingly, his club manager Sir Alex Ferguson has remained quiet under the matter, and he is bound to face a grilling from the journalists at his traditional pre-match press conference at United’s training ground, Carrington on Friday morning. 

Some of the blame has been shifted onto the media, and news spreads fast nowadays, especially with the social networking generation.  Also, clubs such as Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and especially Chelsea need to draw a line under these issues and tighten their policies when it comes to their highly-paid superstars going out to posh restaurants and flashy nightclubs in town.  Then, there’s the matter of the women involved, some seem to be in the game for having a good time and even launching ‘a career’ out of these saucy stories.  However, it is the footballers who need to trend a tight line.  One step out of line and the media have the capability of blowing the whole story out of proportion.  It takes two to tango, and maybe footballers should be setting a better role model to their idols, such as young children.  If these kids see these stories, they are going to think it is okay for them to do at an older age.  There can be no doubt that these are distasteful stories and they will get people interested, but it does set a very bad example for younger generations.

Rooney may have got through the initial stage with flying colours, but it will be interesting to see how Ferguson handles his troubled star, especially as Rooney is bound to get an absolute pasting this weekend.  Manchester United only head down to Merseyside on Saturday lunchtime to play his former club, Everton, who have never forgiven Rooney for his move to Old Trafford for £27million six years ago.  It could well be a spicy occasion and a very tricky afternoon for Rooney to keep his discipline in check.

World Cup 2010 Review

Seven days have passed since the closing of the greatest show on earth.  The 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa provided plenty of drama.  Over 140 goals in 64 matches, with some giants of the game found wanting, stars of the international game flopping dramatically and some fairytale stories, that would capture the imagination of any World Cup fanatic fan.  This is my comprehensive review of the tournament, picking out twenty moments that made this World Cup stand out, both off and on the pitch.

All the Fears Were Unnecessary

There was a lot of anticipation, but also fear in the build-up to Africa’s big moment.  It was reported that terrorists were planning to attack the England v USA group match in Rustenberg, and after what had happened to the Togo national team in Angola, when they were ambushed at January’s Africa Cup of Nations, there were always going to be increasing concerns about the safety of fans, players, the worldwide press and local South Africans.  Thankfully, these fears totally turned out to be no more than threats.  Despite the odd issue, such as a match steward’s strike and a pre-tournament fan crush before a Nigeria game in the days leading up to the spectacular, but overall, South Africa 2010 turned into a rousing success.  Travel was hardly an issue, tickets sold on the black market were eliminated and hooliganism simply did not exist.  It was a carnival for the fans, and a pleasing success for the tournament’s organisers. 

The England Failure, But Who Was To Blame?

We can talk about this for years to come.  Quite frankly, I’m fairly bored of the entire topic, but I do feel I should express my viewpoint before shutting up on this issue for good.  Fabio Capello made some massive tactical blunders during the tournament.  For example, no back-up plan if the team got into trouble, the goalkeeper situation – as he had no idea who to earmark as a No.1 and telling the team two hours before a crucial match who would start.  However, although the buck must stop with Capello, the team must take some of the stick too.  Wayne Rooney was hopelessly unfit and useless; Emile Heskey looked like Bambi, not an international striker.  Robert Green needs to learn how to catch a football, it’s not hard – whilst Steven Gerrard lacked the passion he shows week in, week out in a Liverpool shirt.  Even the energetic Ashley Cole looked a yard short all throughout the finals.  John Terry aside, the passion for the shirt must be called into question for these failures.  This generation has had its chance, TWICE!  They have blown it and now, its time for the youth to get a crack at the whip.  Sadly, I don’t think England has much chance in the international game, unless the fundamentals dramatically change.

The ‘Woe Cup’ on ITV

When ITV decided to ditch Formula One at the end of 2008, to entirely focus on Football, it seemed like a risky, but successful move.  Two years on, Michael Grade might well be regretting that move.  Yes, the studio base, just outside Soccer City was top-notch as was the theme music – ‘When You Come Back,’ by Vusi Mahlasela, which is the best football theme I’ve heard since the legendary ‘Nessum Dorma,’ by Pavarotti for BBC’s coverage of Italia 90 and Marcel Desailly was a charismatic and passionate pundit.  However, that is where all the positives end.  Taking a commercial break seconds before Steven Gerrard’s opener for England v USA in Rustenberg was a blunder of the first magnitude.  Robbie Earle was sent home in disgrace, for a ticketing scam, whilst Adrian Chiles truly proved that he is not cut out for live television.  He should just stick to GMTV; at least Steve Rider knows what he is talking about.  Craig Burley’s commentator voice is more suited to funerals, whilst Gareth Southgate forgetting who Holland were playing in the semi-finals just about summed it all up.  This was a nightmare World Cup for ITV, and one they will need to forget very quickly.  Their reputation has taken another battering, and they still have the FA Cup and Champions League rights.  This concerns me a lot.

Diego Maradona – What a Character!

Diego Maradona may have his fans, and those who will never forgive him for the ‘Hand of God,’ in 1986.  However, no-one can diminish his passion and love for the game of football.  His story was remarkable, and it was a largely happy and united Argentina camp throughout South Africa 2010.  Once again, they played the best football in the group stages – dismantling South Korea and missing a hatful of chances to overcome Nigeria.  Defensively, there were concerns, but with the attacking prowess of Carlos Tevez, Diego Milito, Gonzalo Higuain, Martin Palermo and Lionel Messi, these errors could be easily covered up in the early exchanges.  However, when it came to the crunch, Germany exposed Argentina’s weaknesses to the fore, leaving a nation in tears.  Maradona has been offered a new four-year deal to stay on as manager and I hope he does, because his gestures and passion from the touchline was one of the stand-out moments of the finals.

The Jabulani – The Worst Football in History!

Receiving a lot of criticism throughout the tournament was the Jabulani football used for the sixty-four matches.  Quite simply, it is the worst football to have ever created.  Goalkeepers found it difficult to control, midfielders couldn’t dribble as much as they would have liked to and when it came to free-kicks, there was more chance of the football ending in orbit, rather than the back of the net.  Diego Forlan and Japan aside, no-one seemed to be able to cope with the Jabulani from a dead ball situation and although the negativity in some of the opening games was painful to watch, the ball didn’t help matters.  I hope the makers of the Jabulani, Adidas are hanging their heads in shame.  Let’s hope Nike get an exclusive FIFA contract for the 2014 finals in Brazil.

Why Did So Many Superstars Flop On The Greatest Show On Earth?

That is a question that will be difficult to answer, was it the dreaded Jabulani? Were they tired after a long, tiring domestic and international season?  Do the lack the passion for the international game?  Whatever the answer maybe, Kaka, Samuel Eto’o, Cristiano Ronaldo, Fernando Torres, Didier Drogba and Wayne Rooney all flopped horrendously at this World Cup.  Rooney limped throughout the finals, Eto’o simply didn’t step up to the plate for a failing Cameroon, which suggested major friction between him and the now former coach, Paul Le Guen.  Kaka was unluckily sent off against the Ivory Coast, but continued where he left off for Real Madrid, playing poorly.  Ronaldo did score against North Korea, but was left a frustrated and forlorn figure as Portugal played defensively in three of the four matches they competed in.  Drogba was nursing a shoulder injury during the group stages, meaning his physical advantages in his game could not be used and Torres lacked form and match sharpness, which culminated in him being dropped from the semi-final onwards.  So, why did so many superstars flop on the greatest show on earth?  The answer is several reasons, but the main reason is – they just didn’t perform when the chips were down.

Germany – A Joy to Watch

The Germans are normally associated as a team that grinds out results to make the showpiece events.  This wasn’t the case in South Africa.  The team played with flair, fluidity and showed no fear whatsoever.  Yes, Serbia did surprise them in the group stages in Port Elizabeth, but that was largely on a bad day for Joachim Low’s side, when nothing went right.  They blitzed Australia and ripped apart England and Argentina in the knockout stages.  Only a well-drilled Spain crushed their dream in the semi-final.  However, the likes of Meszut Ozil, Sami Khedira and Thomas Muller are here to stay, and with such an impressive young unit, Germany could well dominate the international game for at least the next five years.

FIFA Embarrassed With The Lack of Technology – Surely It Must Be Used Now?

Six minutes before half-time in Bloemfontein and Frank Lampard hits a cute chip, that beat Manuel Neuer in the Germany goal, and drags England back to 2-2 in their last sixteen encounter.  However, it wasn’t given – as the incident was missed by the hopeless Uruguayan officials.  Television replays confirmed what we had all previously thought – the ball had gone miles over the line.  I personally hope Sepp Blatter, who can’t stand the use of technology, was squirming in his seat.  Later that night, the Italian officials awarded a goal to Argentina’s Carlos Tevez against Mexico, despite him being at least five yards offside.  England and Mexico were the unlucky ones this time, with the lack of technology.  Surely FIFA and the game in general must use the equipment and resources available to them; otherwise there will be a lot more hard luck stories to be heard of in the future.

Italy – A Tournament Too Far For the Ageing Champions

Italy came into these finals playing down their expectations.  However, everyone expected them to cruise through a group consisting of debutants Slovakia, inconsistent Paraguay and the ‘amateurs’ from New Zealand.  However, the defending champions made a limp start, drawing 1-1 with Paraguay in Cape Town.  It set the tone for their tournament, always having to come from behind to save themselves.  Eventually, it caught up with them, as Slovakia punished them to maximum effect in one of the best games of the tournament on June 24^th.  Injuries didn’t help, with Andrea Pirlo and Gianluigi Buffon playing less than ninety minutes between them, but it was a tournament too far for the ageing champions.  The Azzuri were dethroned, and left with egg on their face.  Finishing behind New Zealand, a country that doesn’t even have a professional league is staggering!  Thank goodness England didn’t end up as bad as they did; this could well be the end of a golden Italian generation.

The Vuvuzela – The New Feature of Football Sound

The controversial and very noisy ‘vuvuzela’ made their debut in the World Cup finals and whether it has taken onto the European game in the next season remains to be seen.  In the early games, the sound was just plain annoying, sounding like a ‘swarm of bees.’  In the later stages, they just added to the occasion.  I hope they don’t turn up in the Premiership next season, and can see a ban being imposed if they were.  However, they added to the atmosphere and the drama of World Cup 2010, and if that’s how the Africans like to appreciate their football – let them embrace it in their own style.

France – Disgraced and Defeated

The worldwide media were predicting either a France team that could cause a surprise, or most likely pick the self-destruct option.  Unsurprisingly, they chose the latter option.  A dull goalless draw with Uruguay in their opener set the tone for a flimsy and pathetic tournament.  Coach Raymond Domenach couldn’t control the squad, and on the touchline against Mexico, really couldn’t care less about what happened out on the pitch.  Playing left-back Eric Abidal in centre-half must be one of the most ridiculous tactical decisions I have seen in my life.  Thierry Henry was a frustrated spectator throughout, who could only laugh at the fracas.  Temperamental Nicolas Anelka was sent home for a blazing row with Domenach, and then the team refused to train, in support of the Chelsea striker.  Captain Patrice Evra was dropped for the final group game, and behaved like a dog all throughout the shameful episode.  To be honest, a 6-year old could control the team better than Domenach, and they got what they deserved – eliminated with 1 point, 1 goal and flying home in economy class! France were disgraced and defeated and Laurent Blanc has got some job in reviving their fortunes. 

Negative Football Is a Disappointment

The amount of negativity from some teams was a real disappointment to witness.  Argentina and Germany were the only total attacking sides, out of the main superpowers throughout the finals.  The early games were punctured, with some very tedious games – many totally afraid to lose their opening game.  The main concern was the lack of attacking intent from some on display, which was very disappointing to see.  However, these results don’t win you tournaments.  Both Japan and Portugal paid the price in the knockout stages and likewise, Greece and Ivory Coast in the group stages.  So, it was good to see more attacking styles from most in the knockout stages onwards.

Chile – Full of Thrills and Entertainment

Chile arrived at these finals believing in themselves.  However, they were written off by many as a side just there to make up the numbers.  Driven on by a flag at their training camp, in remembrance of those who perished in the devastating earthquake in the country at the beginning of March, their thrilling football was a joy to watch.  Marcelo Biesla knows how to play attacking football, and it paid off against Honduras and Switzerland, with two devastating attacking displays, even though the 1-0 scorelines don’t suggest this.  Sadly, their tendency to go forward left them exposed against better opposition in the form of Brazil and Spain, but with a talented young squad, like Carlos Carmona, Alexis Sanchez and Matias Fernandez, Chile could well be a major threat in major competitions in the coming years.  They won a lot of fans, including myself for the fluid approach to the game at these finals.

Howard Webb – A Very Successful Tournament

England may have flopped miserably on the world stage, but Howard Webb’s reputation increased massively, with his well-disciplined approach to the games he refereed.  His performances in his three preliminary games (Spain v Switzerland, Slovakia v Italy and Brazil v Chile) were exemplary.  Full credit also must go out to his assistants, Darren Can and Mike Malarkey too for their eagle eyes, when it came to tight offside calls.  Some will question his performance in the final, but any referee would have struggled to control that match last week, and I thought he handled the situation very well actually.  He deserved to get the final in the first place, and it wasn’t a disastrous performance either.  At least England did have a finalist in the end.

The Hand of Luis Suarez

In the dying stages of a pulsating quarter-final in Soccer City, Ajax striker Luis Suarez showed that his goalkeeping ability is second to none.  The Uruguayan hitman deliberately handled on the line, to deny Ghana a last-gasp winner in extra-time.  Rightly, Suarez was dismissed for his actions, but Asamoah Gyan went on to smack the bar with his spot kick.  Suarez’s reaction afterwards was very unsportsmanlike, but his efforts had helped Uruguay win a surprising semi-final place.  The incident wasn’t very sporting, but if that was replayed 99 times out of 100, he and many others would have done exactly the same.  Though his actions robbed Ghana out of a semi-final berth, it was an instinctive reaction, not deliberate cheating.

The African Continent Disappoints

Despite Ghana’s fairytale run to the quarter-finals, Africa’s entries disappointed at these finals, and showed that the continent still has some way to go, if they want to challenge the heavyweights of Europe and South America in the near future.  Nigeria and Cameroon were major letdowns, and are living far too long on former glories.  Algeria always were at the finals for the party and nothing more, the Ivory Coast were in a horrible group, yet had their chances to punish Portugal’s lack of ambition, but didn’t take them.  In the end, despite the expected early elimination, the hosts did very well in the circumstances.  They beat a disorganised French unit and probably should have beaten Mexico in the tournament opener.  Had it not been for a more wooden display against Uruguay, they might well have escaped Group A.  However, they left their home tournament on a high and far from disgraced.  What the African champions Egypt could have done, no-one really knows, but apart from the Ghana drama, it was a disappointing conclusion once more for the host continent.

Paul the ‘Psychic’ Octopus

Despite being 6,000 miles away from South Africa, Paul the ‘Psychic’ 8-legged octopus has become a star overnight and left football pundits shaking in their boots.  Their jobs at predicting the games are suddenly under intensifying threat.  He got all his predictions right, including an early Italy elimination, Argentina’s quarter-final defeat and a Spain World Cup win.  Well done Paul, you are a legend!

Holland Scrape Through, Then Lose Their Heads

Previous Dutch sides have a reputation for their camp to be split down the middle, between two units and for their football to be explosive, but lacking the rewards it deserves.  This time around, the Dutch showed a grittier side to their game, and a more determined steel which their coach has created.  Apart from a super second-half display to eliminate the Brazilians in the last eight, Holland missed the usual ‘Total Football,’ tag that is normally associated with this country.  Sadly in the final, they decided to kick their opponents, rather than attempt to outscore them.  Their tactics were dirty, unnecessary and won themselves no plaudits.  It was a good result for football then, to see the team that actually wanted to play football, win the World Cup.

Spain Finally Fulfil Their Potential

After years of underachievement and failure, Spain has finally produced the goods, when it matters most.  When they lost their opener to Switzerland in Durban on June 16^th, it left them on the brink and many questioning, whether this crop of players was going to go down the same route that many predecessors had managed.  Instead, they managed to grind themselves into the last four, with sketchy performances against Paraguay and Portugal, yet produce moments of inspiration that got them through.  Against Germany and Holland, they played the better football in both games, and that makes them worthy champions.  Congratulations to Vicente Del Bosque and his men on achieving this well-deserved success.

The Awards

A brief word on some of the awards I would give out for the 2010 FIFA World Cup:

Player of the Tournament:                          Diego Forlan (Uruguay)

Young Player of the Tournament:               Thomas Muller (Germany)

Golden Boot Winner:                                Thomas Muller (Germany)

Golden Glove:                                           Manuel Neuer (Germany)

Best Defender:                                          Carlos Puyol (Spain)

Best Midfielder:                                        Wesley Snejider (Holland)

Team of the Tournament:     Manuel Neuer (Germany), Sergio Ramos (Spain), Arne Friedrich (Germany), Carlos Puyol (Spain), Fabio Coentrao (Portugal), Andreas Iniesta (Spain), Wesley Snejider (Holland), Meszut Ozil (Germany), Thomas Muller (Germany), David Villa (Spain), Diego Forlan (Uruguay)

SUBS: Iker Casillas (Spain), Giovanni Van Bronckhorst (Holland), Andre Anyweu (Ghana), Alexis Sanchez (Chile), Dirk Kuyt (Holland), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany), Miroslav Klose (Germany)

Goal of the Tournament:                              1^st: Giovanni Van Bronckhorst (Holland v Uruguay)

                                                                                2^nd: Fabio Quagirella (Slovakia v Italy)

                                                                                3^rd: Luis Suarez (Uruguay v South Korea)

Match of the Tournament:                          1^st: Uruguay 1-1 Ghana – Quarter-Final, 2^nd July

                                                                                2^nd: Slovakia 3-2 Italy – Group Stages, 24^th June

                                                                                3^rd: Uruguay 2-3 Germany – 3^rd Place Playoff, 10^th July

Roll on Brazil 2014!

World Cup Final 2010: Holland 0-1 Spain - Iniesta Ends Years Of Underachievement

Spain becomes the eighth different team to win the World Cup, after a bruising and battering game in Soccer City on Sunday night.  Barcelona playmaker Andreas Iniesta was the difference, settling the outcome with Holland when we looked set for another final to be decided via the cruel fashion of penalties.

On paper, this match had the ingredients to be an absolute classic.  Holland, despite lacking the former ‘Total Football,’ guise, were playing well and in players like Arjen Robben and Wesley Snejider, the quality to turn a game on its head, just ask Brazil.  Spain turned up as slight favourites, and could also turn on the style when required, but also have the ability to grind out a result, should it be required.  Sadly, the billing didn’t live up to its occasion. 

Early on, it was the Spanish who produced the early pressing, with Maarten Stelkenberg forced into a smart save from a Sergio Ramos header.  Soon afterwards, the game transcended into a wrestling contest.  The Dutch took the ‘1990 Argentina’ approach, kick the living daylights out of your opponents and hope for the best.  English referee Howard Webb struggled to keep a complete control on events, slightly flustered it seemed, by having to dish out five yellow cards in fifteen mad minutes.  Mark Van Bommel was a disgrace all night, bickering with every single decision that Webb made, and as the game wore on, the Dutch started to drag their opponents into a wrestling contest.  Shortly before half-time, Nigel de Jong, Manchester City’s defensive shield, produced a shocking ‘kung-fu’ kick on ex-Liverpool man Xabi Alonso.  Webb tried desperately to not send anyone off, but how de Jong escaped with a challenge that frankly, is more associated with a cage fighting battle, is beyond me. 

In the second half, Snejider, involved in the general fracas, produced a moment of quality; with a measured pass which Gerard Pique made a meal of it.  Consequently, Robben was in the clear, with the whites of the goalposts beckoning.  Unfortunately, his shot was saved by Iker Casillas, with his legs.  Was that Holland’s golden chance?  During the brutal assaults on players, Ramos missed a golden chance with another header, and David Villa, desperate to score another goal that would win him the golden boot, narrowly missed making contact with a Jesus Navas low cross.  As extra-time beckoned, the yellow card count increased.  Howard Webb eventually showed 14, a new record for the World Cup final.

In extra-time, Robben missed another chance and was promptly booked for dissent, whilst substitute Cesc Fabregas missed a one-on-one.  Before the end of the first period, Johnny Heitinga took out Iniesta cynically and having being booked, Webb had no option, but to send the Everton defender off the field.  In the process, Heitinga joined the likes of Zinedine Zidane and Marcel Desailly in becoming the fifth player in World Cup final history to be dismissed.  With five minutes left, a Dutch free-kick took a double deflection off Fabregas and went behind.  Webb missed the deflection and left Holland incensed.  They then wanted a free-kick for a challenge by Joan Capdevilla on Eljero Elia, which wasn’t given. 

The Spanish went down the other end, and at the second attempt, Fabregas played a lovely ball through to Iniesta, who shook off Gregory Van der Wiel’s attention and stroked the winner past the despairing Stelkenberg.  Although Fernando Torres pulled up in the closing exchanges, with a suspected groin injury, Spain held on for a deserved success.

It was left to captain Iker Casillas to lift the trophy aloft, and ensure that the Spanish are really, the total dominant force in the international game.  They become the first team to win the World Cup, after losing their opening group game, as they did against Switzerland on June 16^th in Durban.  Despite only amassing eight goals in seven games, the Spanish deserve this success because they attempted to play football.  On Sunday, Holland turned the beautiful game into a disgraceful act of foul play, they got what they deserved which was nothing and scathing criticism worldwide.

CONGRATULATIONS SPAIN, ON BECOMING 2010 FIFA WORLD CUP WINNERS.