Five Things That Happen at World Cups

1). So called experts write off Germany
Like night follows day, death and taxes, rain in Manchester and regretting eating a McDonald's a matter of minutes after consuming it, every time the hoopla that is the World Cup rolls around the world over (except in the Fatherland of course, where their confidence in their national team sensibly never wavers) without fail journalists, pundits and general footballing know-it-alls go out of their way to write off the Germans - EVERY... SINGLE... TIME. And like a riled up snake the Germans always, always snap back and prove all those foolish soothsayers wrong. Let's look at the stats: In the last seven tournaments they've made the quarter-finals at the very least, finishing runners-up three times and winners twice. Yet as the reams of build up coverage were spewed out in the build up to the start of the current tournament - they were at it again, maddeningly writing the chances of the formidable German team off - do they not understand succeeding at a major football tournament is intrinsic to their genetic make-up. So what happens next? They go and thump Australia 4-0 with easily the best performance of the group stage so far. Rest assured when 2014 rolls around, the hot-air blowers will be at it again mind!
2). An unknown striker takes the tournament by storm, is signed for an over-inflated fee, subsequently flopping
The World Cup - the greatest sporting stage you can take to. Your chance to stamp your authority on the tournament, grab the headlines, put your name in lights etc, etc. But perhaps the biggest spin-off garnered from making a splash at the festival of football is landing a lucrative move into the big-time, i.e. a post-tournament transfer. As, with the world's media, scouting network and managerial eyes all trained on every pass, shot and tackle, it's your chance to well and truly put yourself in the shop window with a view to a big money move to a top European team. At the last World Cup in Germany, the hosts unveiled a goal-scoring gem in Lukas Podolski. As well as scoring three goals the Polish-born forward waltzed off with the Young Player of the Tournament award before joining up with his new teammates at Bayern Munich. Sadly this move didn't work out well for the striker and he rejoined Köln in 2009 (he kept banging them in for Germany though). The reason? Another expensive World Cup flop, Italian Luca Toni.
The towering striker's two goals also secured him a move to Bayern. He too flopped and was loaned to Roma. In 2002 it was the turn of the Senegal players to shine, in particular El Hadj Diouf and Salif Diao. Both were snapped up by Liverpool's then manager Gerard Houllier but after an impressive tournament, both soon fell out of favour and were shipped off to mighty football giants Bolton and Portsmouth respectively. This was small fry compared to the USA '94 though, which was positively littered with soon-to-be big money flops. From Ukrainian Oleg 'I scored five goals in a game, dontchaknow' Salenko, whose exploits won him a short-lived move to Valencia, Tomas Brolin - who followed up his exploits in Euro '92 with another three goals in America and eventually wound up as bloated as his salary at Leeds United to Daniel Amokachi. The bulky Nigerian powerhouse netted twice in the tournament convincing Everton to splash out him, his two-year stint was relatively uneventful though and he was soon shipped off to Besiktas. So keep 'em peeled footy fans and see if you can spot World Cup 2010's future flops-in-the-making!
3). England's preparations are rocked by a late big name injury
For England fans this is depressingly recurrent theme of the build up to every major tournament. With everything going to plan, confidence and excitement building and predictions of finals being made spouted by the public and media alike, a training ground tackle, Premier League foul or Gazza-shaped mishap will throw a World Cup-shaped spanner in the works, jeopardising everything. From Trevor Brooking and Kevin Keegan's injury struggles in Spain '82 to the loss of captain Bryan Robson in Mexico '86 and Italia '90 (the latter, it was subsequently revealed was the result of some bedroom tomfoolery involving Paul 'daft as a brush' Gascoigne, a bed post and the midfielder's unprotected foot) to David Beckham's metatarsal in 2002 (Uri Geller promising to heal it on GMTV anybody?) and Michael Owen's horrific pitch side breakdown in 2006.
This time out, the injuries (Ashley Cole, Glen Johnson, Wayne Rooney) all came recoverably early, so it was sighs of relief all-round when they all made it back in plenty of time. Of course the curse was to strike again though when key holding midfielder Gareth Barry broke down with a ligament injury in the penultimate game of the season and Rio Ferdinand was crocked by Emile Heskey in training - doh! At least there wasn't a metatarsal injury to feverishly worry over this time out though.
4). Speculation that the stadiums won't be ready in time
With the Christmas season out the way and as one year ends and another World Cup year dawns all the media, with little else to write about until squads are named and games commence, can muse over it seems is if the stadiums will be ready or not. February, March, April and May are generally dominated by over-zealous analysis concerning whether or not the host nation will get their act together and finish all the new stadiums that will house all the games during the tournament (except of course in 2006 when it was in Germany, nobody doubted for a nano-second that they'd be ready!).
This time out, the South African FA really got it in the neck on a daily basis, with Sky Sports News et al going to town in their reports. What wasn't really mentioned was they'd already held an extremely successful Rugby World Cup, various high profile cricket competitions and the Confederations football tournament in preparation, but alas it seems because they're a relative footballing outpost they might fall down in the logistics stakes. So far the stadiums and pitches (Wembley take note - lay then pitch and then build the stadium, not vice versa you fools!) have looked magnificent - if a little empty in certain cases. Why leftover tickets weren't handed out to locals for the South Korea v Greece game to fill up the stadium and engender a better atmosphere is anybody guess. Then that's the enigma that is FIFA!
5). The Dutch go out on penalties
If there is one nation who give the English a run for their money for the 'rubbish at penalty shoot-outs' crown it's Holland. In fact so bad are the Oranje in the ultimate challenge of nerve, technique, bottle and more bottle they make England's pitiful track record of messing up at penalties decidedly average. Let first take a look at their roll call of shame before debating their chances this time out. It started in Sweden in 1992 when late Yugoslavia replacements and eventual shock winners Denmark nervelessly dispatched all five of their spot-kicks leaving a living legend (like Italy's Roberto Baggio two years later) to look a fool, namely Marco van Basten. Four years on and it Clarence Seedorf's turn to face the shame, drawing a blank (or should that be blanc?) against the French. And if they thought hosting a competition would provide them with penalty solace they were mistaken, failing miserably against Italy at the quarter-final stage in 2000 with three misses (plus, even more remarkably, two misses during the game to boot!). And their misery isn't just confided to the Euros either with a heart-wrenching loss to future World Cup finalists Brazil in 1998.
They did finally win a penalty shoot-out at Euro 2004, beating Sweden 5-4 to reach the semi-finals. But, as I'm sure you'll agree, it's quite a catalogue of penalty shoot-out slip-ups. So what of South Africa in 2010, well the omens are a little better that's for sure. Thanks to now possessing two players who Robbie Earle would no doubt tag as footballers who 'go cool in hot situations' (who asked you Captain Journeyman?) in Dirk Kuyt and Robin van Persie - namely expert, reliable spot-kickers - the Flying Dutchmen shouldn't crash and burn quite as easily if the score's still level after 120 minutes (unless they meet their arch nemesis and hotshot penalty kings Germany that is, then they're really in trouble!).
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