Updates and info from on the ground during our 11 week and 5 week Experiences in South Africa
So that all-too familiar feeling of pain, anger and disappointment was with us again last Sunday – the end of England’s World Cup dreams, for another four years at least, dashed this time by our old foe that is the German Football Team. Not since Italia ‘90 have Germany been the ones to do the damage at a World Cup, they went on to win the tournament that year and who’s to say they won’t do it here in South Africa with their new-look-ish young team?
Four years ago it was Gelsenkirchen and Portugal, this time around, Bloemfontein and Germany. Last time Sven took us to the quarters, Fabio came unstuck at the second round stage. The inquest has already begun, the questions are being asked will continue for some time I’d imagine. Does the Premier League need a winter break? What was wrong with Wayne Rooney? Should Fabio have broken from his rigid 4-4-2 system? And is he the right man to take the team through to 2012? The performances were lacklustre to say the least, and the team just could not reproduce the form seen during the qualifying campaign. After scraping the group stage, we were convincingly outplayed by a better team who stuck effectively to their clear game plan and it is the Germans who will face Argentina in Cape Town this weekend.
Speaking of Cape Town, the tournament is very much still alive and kicking down here. The city continues to embrace its visitors, the locals are packing out the stadium for every game and picking a team and not holding back! I was lucky enough to watch last night’s game in what is a truly awesome stadium, surrounded by crazy Spaniards and mental Portuguese, I kept the faith and wore the England shirt. Spain are clearly a force to be reckoned with as they gave Ronaldo and co absolutely nothing last night, if Del Bosque would only start with Llorente and use Torres for the last twenty, they could go all the way!
Despite England being back home already, there are massive games coming up and it only gets better from here on in. So Chin Up-Son, enjoy the footie and let’s start building for 2014, see you in Brazil!
Doug
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