Location: Johannesburg Airport, 10.10pm, Friday 25 June
Two weeks have passed since this World Cup began. So far it’s passing as quickly as it always does with the games coming in quick succession. Trying to remember where we were a few days ago is difficult.
All I know is that Colm Magee, my producer, Matt Holland, the former Ireland player, and I are flying to Port Elizabeth (PE) for our first assignment in the knock-out stages, as Uruguay take on South Korea.
I saw Uruguay twice in Group A. Their opening game against France, a cagey scoreless draw, was the first evidence that the European teams would struggle in this competition.
Les Bleus lacked spirit, hardly surprising considering how unpopular Raymond Domenech is with his players and the French fans. For their part Uruguay were impressive, deserved to win the game, and have moved onwards and upwards. Their display against South Africa in Pretoria even silenced the infernal vuvuzelas.
Diego Forlan, too quickly dispensed by Alex Ferguson, has revelled in Spanish football. He has been his team’s creative leader and is backed up by a solid, dependable defence and a hard working midfield. They have a great chance of going all the way to the semi-final as the draw definitely favours them.
Mentioning Pretoria reminds me that I am leaving there now for three games on the coast - in PE, Durban and Cape Town. The Courtyard Hotel in Arcadia, just a stroll up the hill from Loftus Versfeld stadium, has been a wonderful base for the past eighteen days. The staff have been at all times friendly and reflect the general mood in this wonderful country.
Of course there are exceptions.
Last night in a local bar I ordered drinks for Colm, Matt and I and the barman attempted to rip me off by saying that I hadn’t given him the money when I had. Maybe he was confused – but I doubt it. That was the first time in nearly three weeks that I have seen anything untoward.
There are stories about the security tightening up in Rustenburg. They have brought in sniffer dogs checking all vehicles for explosives. My impression so far is that security is a bit of a joke.
Yesterday, Colm and I were able to walk from the International Broadcasting Compound (IBC) to the Soccer City stadium, a distance of about 1km, without so much as one security person looking at our wheeley bags. Anything could have been in them as we walked, unmolested, into the Media Centre.
I was checking out of the Arcadia hotel this morning. It’s a lovely old manor house, about 100 years old. Matt Holland was going up the stairs from the reception desk and said to me 'I have a big case’, and the receptionist said 'Are you a lawyer?’ We cracked up. It’s typical of the little humorous moments that happen when words get lost in translation.
Yesterday, before the incredibly exciting Slovakia versus Italy game, Colm and I visited my old school friend, John Robbie. He is famous over here for his radio show on channel 702. I heard him a couple of days ago. His style is full of infectious enthusiasm and he has a great way of talking to any and all of his viewers. John played rugby for Leinster and Ireland and also senior rugby out here in South Africa.
He and his wife, Jennie, entertained us royally in the bar they have created in their lovely home. Unfortunately, we had to work so he was unable to pull us a pint of Guinness. Hopefully the next time we visit we will have a little more time. They send their best wishes to their families and friends back in Ireland.
Back to the football and I have already given my assessment of Uruguay. Well, the story of this World Cup for me has to be the failure of Africa, and to a lesser extent, Europe, juxtaposed with the success of South America. Here’s the last 16:
URUGUAY V SOUTH KOREA
USA V GHANA
GERMANY V ENGLAND
ARGENTINA V MEXICO
NETHERLANDS V SLOVAKIA
BRAZIL V CHILE
PARAGUAY V JAPAN
SPAIN V PORTUGAL
All five South American countries are through to the last 16 plus Mexico and the USA, making almost half from the Americas!
Only six European sides have made it – and they all play each other. And with Japan and South Korea getting through for the first time away from home, it means Asian football is also on the rise.
It’s impossible to give any particular reason for the demise in Europe’s fortunes. We all knew that Raymond Domenech is a basket case. France has paid the price for persevering with an astrologer. Their fate was in the stars even before Thierry Henry’s infamy.
I was in the airport in Bloemfontein on mid-winter day down here in South Africa. France had just been beaten by their hosts. The team were on a bus being driven to the plane. Their fans were in the restaurant booing and gesticulating – a very unhappy camp. You have to feel sorry for the real fans that shell out thousands of euro to support their country and get let down in such a wretched way.
They are having their Saipan moment, and there will be all sorts of inquiries to find out how those in charge of the Federation were able to create such a fiasco.
The champions Italy have also gone, disgraceful in all three games and unable to produce another ‘Miracle of 82’ when they drew all their group games and went on to lift the trophy. Their narrow defeat to Slovakia, though a little unlucky, was a product of their habit in starting tournaments slowly. I saw the games with New Zealand and Slovakia. In the former their passing was sluggish, their movement non-existent and their opportunities to score few and far between.
Gianluigi Buffon’s injury in the first game forced Marcello Lippi to use Federico Marchetti in goal. His jitters spread through the side. Fabio Cannavaro is past his sell-by date and this was one World Cup too far for their hero of 2006.
Adrea Pirlo’s injury robbed their midfield of the only player capable of changing the angles with the cleverness of his feet and the accuracy of his passing. Only when he came on in the second half did their play improve. Daniele de Rossi, Riccardo Montolivo and Simone Pepe were shocking. With the midfield creating nothing – until Pirlo’s introduction – the front men were living off scraps.
Italy v Slovakia will live long in the memory. The last 20 minutes of that game were as exciting as football gets. Pirlo pulled the strings, Fabio Quagliarella, a second-half substitute, gave a different option and but for Martin Skrtel’s goal-line clearance and an offside 'goal' that might have been given, they might have gone through. Slovakia, for their part, deserve to progress.
They bossed the game for three-quarters of it, scored goals that exposed the soft centre of Italy’s defence, and they will be sturdy opponents for The Netherlands in the round of 16 – and for Ireland in the autumn in the next European qualifiers.
So it’s prediction time as the hors d’oeuvres are consumed and the main feast is on the table. I am finishing this in the Port Elizabeth Media Centre. Uruguay and South Korea are about to kick off the round of 16. For me there are five cracking matches and three not so good – though don’t say that too loud in Montevideo, Tokyo or Dakar.
I think the last 8 will be:
Uruguay v USA
Holland v Brazil
England v Argentina
Japan v Spain
The big surprises are probably my tip that England will beat Germany and that Japan will get through against Paraguay. Gerrmany’s young side started superbly and have disimproved. England, from a very bad start, are beginning to improve. I have a feeling that this may be a tournament too soon for the Germans and that England will prevail in a very tight game.
As for Japan, they have been outstanding. Their defeat of Denmark was a wonderful display of disciplined aggression and in Keisuke Honda they have a very gifted striker capable of creating and finishing in equal measure.
It promises to be a fantastic next four days as the sixteen qualifiers is reduced to eight. The way the draw works out it will be Holland or Brazil versus Uruguay or the USA. And England or Argentina against Spain or Portugal in the semi-finals. What a prospect as we look forward to the business end of World Cup 2010!
