Liverpool FC Forum

by **zarababe** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 2:44 pm

The World Cup said goodbye to its biggest attraction in Cape Town.

By Kevin Garside - Telegraph

The defeat of Argentina also saw the exit of Lionel Messi, but he is not the colourful ball of energy that we will miss. Messi went quietly, the latest in a depressingly long line of fireworks that failed to go off in South Africa. No, the one for whom tears were shed was Diego Maradona, in whose image Argentina set about this World Cup.

As Ossie Ardiles said in his excellent commentary in The Sunday Telegraph, Maradona was a joy to be around here. He was not the eccentric figure of ridicule that many expected him to be. His omissions were perhaps fatal in the end. What Argentina might have done against Germany had Esteban Cambiaso been at Javier Mascherano's side in deep midfield and Javier Zanetti stationed at left-back instead of that washed-up stiff, Gabriel Heinze.

But you can't have it all ways with Maradona. His investment in the people he liked and trusted made Argentina the tournament's most vibrant team in the early stages. His walk down the line in the tunnel embracing each of his players in turn with a kiss on the cheek, his vaudeville goal celebrations in those ridiculous silver threads, his demonstrations in training of how to tame the reluctant Jabulani, shaping it over the wall like a 20 year-old with the world's best left foot, and best of all, the drawing on that Havana cigar while participating in five-a-sides. All gone, maybe forever. In the aftermath of defeat he hinted at walking away from the job, although Heinze yesterday led calls for him to stay on.

"Now is not the time to make these decisions," said Heinze. "Surely it would be better to wait until the emotion has cooled."

The Maradona model might be called the charismatic method. It relies on the ability of the talisman to inspire those around him to believe that anything is possible. Maradona imbued his team with a sense of camaraderie, joie de vivre and nationhood that took them deep into the tournament but ultimately foundered when confronted by a systematic organiser. This World Cup will not be won by the guru managing by mood but by the method man with a team drilled to perfection.

Joachim Löw and Germany are the greatest expression of that in this tournament. Low does not have a Messi, a Wayne Rooney, a Cristiano Ronaldo, a Kaka with which to work. He has Bastian Schweinsteiger, a gate keeper compared to Messi but a player with iron in his soul who carries out instructions to the letter.

Schweinsteiger, aided by experienced pros like, Phillip Lahm, Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski, provided the framework for the youthful, enthusiastic legs of Mesut Özil and Thomas Müller.

Argentina's woeful defence was shredded in the opening 25 minutes during which Germany could have been out of sight. Maradona did not have an answer because ultimately, he did not have the players. His greatest asset, Messi, could not bring his genius to bear. He was a distant traveller wandering through the battle zone like a soldier in shell shock.

For Messi read Ronaldo and Rooney, none of whom could get themselves up for national service in South Africa. One wonders if they were not all afflicted with the same malaise linked to the highs and exertions of the club game. They are employed by three of the biggest clubs on earth, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Manchester United, institutions at which they can fulfil all their ambitions in the game. One goal between the three of them and that by Ronaldo in a seven-goal rout of North Korean, takes some explaining.

Maradona and Löw were asked about this and neither had any intelligence to offer. Maradona scratched his beard for a bit before losing interest in the question. You couldn't blame him. Different times, he said. Maybe the game was different in his day, with teams prepared to indulge individual talent more, was his best guess.

Mine is that when playing for their clubs, Messi, Ronaldo and Rooney are motivated by being surrounded by better players. The Champions League sets the highest standards these days, not the World Cup.

The German experience is different. The Bundesliga is not regarded as the pinnacle. Germany does not pay the mad wages of Spain and England and the players with the stellar profiles do not play there. This might explain the powerful motivation to prove themselves as a country.

by **stmichael** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 2:48 pm

zarababe wrote:The German experience is different. The Bundesliga is not regarded as the pinnacle. Germany does not pay the mad wages of Spain and England and the players with the stellar profiles do not play there. This might explain the powerful motivation to prove themselves as a country.

Nail on the head for me. Everybody in that German side knows their jobs. They bascially play exactly the same way as a club side.

by **zarababe** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 2:55 pm

Imagine the reception if Argentina would have won !

Inspired a nation and the world cup.. Maradonna brought love and entertaiment to the World Cup..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uccBDCnDH7I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjLarnhnBek&feature=youtube_gdata

by **Big Niall** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 3:39 pm

I love the German model.

It has the highest attendances as tickets cost about €15, players earn sane salaries, when "stars" like Ballack hold out for more money, they are allowed leave. This allows room for homegrown talent to come though.

Their clubs are financially prudent.

This is how football should be.

by **dawson99** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 3:52 pm

but the bundesliga can't command money for tv right slike other leagues... and thats what is more important to some people

by **Big Niall** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 4:15 pm

dawson99 wrote:but the bundesliga can't command money for tv right slike other leagues... and thats what is more important to some people

The German economy is by far the biggest in Europe, and they do love their football, I'd assume it sells the t.v rights for a fair amount of cash? do they have a subscription sports channel?

by **laza** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 4:21 pm

Paul the English born octupus is now batting five out of five for game predictions after getting Argentina game (which is even better then Lakes)

I don’t know if you have heard about Paul the German octopus that is predicting all of Germany’s matches in the 2010 World Cup. For those of you that haven’t I will give you the background story.

Paul is an octopus born in England but he is currently residing at Sea Life Aquarium in Oberhausen, Germany. The people over at Sea Life Aquarium somehow came up with the idea of letting this octopus predict all of Germany’s matches in the 2010 World Cup. After having predicted the correct outcome in all of Germany’s five games in the World Cup so far he has become a world wide celebrity which gets a LOT of media attention.

Paul the Octopus predicts the games by eating a mussel out of one of the two containers that his caretakers are sending down in his tank. One of the boxes has the German flag and the other box has the flag of the opposing team. The box out of which he eats is the winner of the game. That’s how the advanced octopus predictions work.

In yesterdays game against Argentina he managed to predict another Germany win and it has now reached the point where some people actually think this octopus has the power to predict World Cup matches. I do have to admit that five out of five correct picks is a great achievement so far but I would say that it’s luck rather than skill.

.

by **zarababe** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 4:31 pm

Yeh heard about him.. wonder if he can predict when LFC's troubles will be over..

In the menatime I shall hunt him down and 'squish' it.. dumping Argentina out.. :angry:

by **tubby** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 4:37 pm

stmichael wrote:
zarababe wrote:The German experience is different. The Bundesliga is not regarded as the pinnacle. Germany does not pay the mad wages of Spain and England and the players with the stellar profiles do not play there. This might explain the powerful motivation to prove themselves as a country.

Nail on the head for me. Everybody in that German side knows their jobs. They bascially play exactly the same way as a club side.

Sure I heard that somewhere before.

That's right it was on the Guardian daily world cup podcast yesterday. Another for the collection. :laugh:

by **tubby** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 4:39 pm

zarababe wrote:Yeh heard about him.. wonder if he can predict when LFC's troubles will be over..

In the menatime I shall hunt him down and 'squish' it.. dumping Argentina out..

Oi... don't be mean to Paul. What you got against an Octopus?

It's not his fault Argentina were shi.t.

by **zarababe** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 4:53 pm

bavlondon wrote:
zarababe wrote:Yeh heard about him.. wonder if he can predict when LFC's troubles will be over..

In the menatime I shall hunt him down and 'squish' it.. dumping Argentina out..

Oi... don't be mean to Paul. What you got against an Octopus? It's not his fault Argentina were shi.t.

Oi... the octopus is colour blind.. so he'll always plump for the GDR's.. but you're right.. animal cruelty and all that - I'll just squish Paul instead :angry:

by **laza** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 5:03 pm

Holy Calamri , Its not Paul's fault it turned out he wasnt the only damp squid

by **zarababe** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 5:59 pm

I bet 'Mr odds' is 'squids- in.. aay

:down:

still dperessed ere.. Argies out - WC has no meaning..

by **Ben Patrick** » Tue Jul 06, 2010 4:51 pm

Well my boys are in the semi's later, going to break my booze ban and get on it.
Just stuck little bet on our Dirk first goal just to make it slightly more interesting as well.

Might wear me orange Y fronts over me kecks tonight.

by **supersub** » Tue Jul 06, 2010 5:58 pm

got £20 on Kuyt 1st goal and Holland 2-0.......40/1

Liverpool FC Forum

WORLD CUP 2010 - Official thread(for all talk etc)

Who is online