World Cup 2010

I think African Teams have always had skill and technique in adbundance, it's been the composure and tactical awareness that's let them down over the years. They seem to lack the ability or the awareness to close games down when they're in the bag. A lot of this seems to stem from the more defensive positions. Most African Teams have attacking flair and midfield power in almost envious abundance but it's the defenders that hold the key to the success of African Football. I'm not denying that players like Benjamin Massing, Taribo West, Andre Bikey and Rigobert Song don't or didn't have all the necessary physical attributes to become top class defenders, it's the mental attributes that has held them back over the years. Stephen Tataw, Captain of Cameroon in 1990, had those more "European" qualities about him but players of his type are few and far between. I watched Andre Bikey play for Burnley this year and he's big, strong and quick but he has no positional sense or composure.

I think Merse is right about the African FA's not really doing enough to help their own cause. Nigeria has this habit of qualifying for a International Tournament with a Nigerian coach (Shaibu Amodu, his 4th time in the job) and then replacing him with a foreign coach (Lars Lagerback). I guess this lack of continuity might be the reason why Nigeria never really live up to the expectations people have of them. I guess the feeling is that they need a tactically aware coach European coach in order to compete tactically during tournaments and then they don't have enough money to employ them after the tournament has handed. Most of the foreign coaches they've had have never stayed longer than two years (Philippe Troussier, Berti Vogts). The one who stayed for five years, Dutchman Clemens Westerhof, did have enough time to get them qualified for USA 1994 and create a legacy which they haven't really lived up to since.

Any one see the report about the Boer the got executed by the blacks? The Boer`s are going to hit back at the blacks is what is being circulated and it`s all gunna kick off in time for this World Cup! Have you seen the Boer emblem? It`s just like the Nazi Emblem that Hitler used except it has one less leg on it, does that tell you anything? I hope I`m not correct but history would suggest that I am, the World Cup will be damaged because it is going to be held in an unstable country just like I said and got slagged off for ages ago by certain know it alls! Queue the know it alls to tell me I know nothing and wrong again!

I have seen Eugene Terreblanche described as "not a racist but a white supremist" ~ well anyone who can make that sort of statement must be as one eyed as he was.

Certainly he was a Neo Nazi, separatist; and downright dangerous character who in fact had only a minority following amongst the ethnic Europeans of South Africa. His "war" was as much against the "British" as the Africans, and he would have claimed he was not at war with the Africans at all, but that he merely wanted the different ethnic groups of the country to exist seperately (i.e. maintain and expand apartheid) As leader of the AWB with their Neo Nazi three legged swastika (almost like the Isle of Man symbol) and his penchant for making public addresses from the back of a horse, his mind and hence his politics dated back to the Boer Wars between the Afrikaaners and the British.

His paramilitary army vowed to fight for the existence and survival of the "White Tribe" of South Africa, to him the onset of democracy was the slipperty slope to communism, black rule and the destruction of the nation he loved as he saw it. Established in the rural farmsteads of the north of the Republic and almost non existent in the main areas of settlement and the cities, his was a strangely non representative view of the majority of the "Whites", much like the laughable British National Party is in this country.

That he died such a grizzley death being hacked to death in his bed in retribution over non payment of just £29 in unpaid wages to two employees shows just how underpaid and undervalued the black African figured in his mindset.

I wouldn't expect any undue civil unrest over this murder as indeed in the cities (as I stated) his importance and influence was minimal.

Well only 29 days to go so what will be the headlines and the things we will remember, fondly or not, in years to come? Political unrest involving the Boers, terrorism, violent crime, hooliganism, betting and match fixing scandals, players failing drug tests, everybody arriving by road as a volcano has closed all the airports? Hopefully of course none of these, although all are a possibility for the fifth tournament to be held in the Southern Hemisphere but the first on the Continent of Africa. Our wish is for a festival of football that will long be remembered for flamboyant skill, colourful and loud supporters, and a multi-cultural fun party with the only controversial incidents being offside and goal line decisions (followed by another debate on the use of technology!)

I am relieved that this year for the first time in living memory the media have not over hyped the chances of England winning the World Cup. Every other tournament the media headlines in England have been such that if they were to be believed we would only need to turn up to win. Always to end of course in another penalty shoot out and rapid auf wiedersehen. I suppose this year the media have had other things to think about with a general election followed by a squatter in Number 10 and an unholy alliance plotting outside to oust him. Give me the football headlines any day!

My own following of the fortunes of England has really run parallel to my support for Torquay United over the years.

My support for the Gulls began in 1963 at the age of 11 and in the first six seasons we finished 6th,10th,3rd (promoted),7th,4th,and 6th. Since when we went into decline with the odd sparkle of promotion but followed quickly by relegation.

England very similar in that the first tournament I remember was in 1966 when we won it for the first, only, and maybe last time. Since then abject failure with like Torquay United the odd sparkle reaching the semi-finals of the World Cup in 1990 and the Euro Championship in 1996 (both games of course losing to Germany on those irritating penalty shoot outs where the Germans are just like robots!)

Although I have clear memories of watching my first televised FA Cup Final Wolves v Blackburn Rovers in 1960 I cannot really remember the 1962 World Cup tournament. I know from the record books that it was played in Chile and that England lost 3-1 to Brazil in the quarter-final, but I have no recollection of ever seeing any of the games on the television. At that time mind Chile might as well have been on a different planet. The games were probably played in the middle of the night UK time and there were no satellites to beam images direct into our living rooms.

So 1966 my first World Cup memory, and like with Torquay United I started on a high with no inkling that that particular summit may never be reached again.

1966. Seems like a different World, and I suppose in many ways it was. England captain Bobby Moore lived in a semi detached house and travelled to games on public transport, hardly any football on the television, games that were shown were in black and white, there was an emerging youth culture, Lambrettas and Vespas were everywhere, Carnaby Street, Woodstock, the Isle of White, Jimi Hendrix, Mods v Rockers Brighton Bank Holiday bust ups, England had coal mines and industry, apprenticeships existed for kids leaving school, and it was a full three years before the first moon landing (or before the Americans staged the first moon landing in a Hollywood studio depending on your take on it!).

So a great start for my support of my club Torquay United and my country England, but the parallel stories do not end there.

All Torquay United fans know the story of Bryn the police dog who saved us in 1987 from relegation to the Conference by savaging our full back Jim McNicholl resulting in additional time being added during which we equalised and sent Lincoln plummeting through the trap door.

But England have their doggie stories as well. In 1962 a four legged intruder invaded the pitch during the quarter-final tie between England and Brazil. Jimmy Greaves showed an unusual turn of speed and captured the errant canine who immediately urinated on him. Brazil legend Garrincha was so amused that after the game he adopted the dog and named it Bi; 1966 and the World Cup was stolen whilst on display only to be found a few days later by a dog called Pickles in a South London park (strange story and I have always had suspicions about those connected with Pickles ... but who knows? ... the truth is often stranger than fiction!); 1970 and the England squad took a fearsome looking bulldog (yes even more fearsome than Guy Branston!) to Mexico as their lucky mascot. It didn't bring much luck, Bobby Moore was arrested for theft before the tournament, England players were kept awake every night by fans outside of their hotel, followed by allegedly being cunningly poisoned by enthusiastic waiters before our semi-final against Germany. Result a stand in goalkeeper, some star players flagging in the second half, and a two goal lead disappearing into a 3-2 defeat.

Despite the coincidences between the fortunes of Torquay United and the England team and the connection of both with our four legged friends of the canine variety, I think the most remarkable (and tenuous!) connection is that England probably would not have won the 1966 World Cup without the involvement of Torquay United!

On the 1 May 1957 at Selhurst Park with seconds remaining Crystal Palace full back Jack Edwards (later to become coach at Plainmoor) kicked a Torquay United shot off the line to keep the score at 1-1 and secure a draw. That result left Torquay finishing second on goal average in the Third Division (South) to Ipswich Town under manager Alf Ramsey (who were promoted to the Second Dvision). Five years later Alf Ramsey had led Ipswich Town to the Football League title. After leading Ipswich from the Third Division (South) to the pinnacle as English champions there was only really one choice to become England manager. There is no doubt that Alf Ramsey was a key figure in guiding England to success in 1966, so what if Jack Edwards had not kicked that ball off the line back in May 1957 and it was Torquay United who got promoted?

By 1966 Alf may still have been languishing in the Third Division (South) with Ipswich Town, if he had not been sacked due to lack of success .... and the England manager? Eric Webber and a far different history for Torquay United? ;D

Well it's all looking as tense in Korea as it has probably been since the end of the 1950-1953 Korean War, and apart from the damage to world stability and a further blow to the economic markets, we have the small matter of the rapidly approaching World Cup, with for the first time both North Korea and South Korea competing together in a finals tournament.

As luck would have it, or actually probably by design, they could not meet each other until the semi-finals, which seems an unlikely scenario.

Will they actually pull out if the situation develops into war, which at the moment seems highly likely? Also what about the USA and Japan, both also in the finals and both closely aligned with South Korea?

I expect the Irish are watching the situation carefully to see if a last minute vacancy occurs so that they can raise the Thierry Henry handball again, they've probably got their bags packed just in case!

Why, what's happened to him?