Sanford's Soccer Net

Monday, June 21, 2010

Richard Williams: John Terry was right to question Fabio Capello, a shame he was alone

A brief coup it may have been but, if the England players are unhappy, they should have backed their former leader.

FIFA drops referee after dropped call

Controversial referee Koman Coulibaly was left off FIFA’s list for the next batch of World Cup matches following the error that cost the United States a victory against Slovenia.

The Mill

Monday's Rumours

Martin Rogers: Refs must face the music for bad calls

Forget the millionaire superstars from the soccer’s biggest teams. It is the tournament referees who are the World Cup’s most coddled and protected species.

The sending off of Brazil’s Kaka on Sunday night in a 3-1 win over the Ivory Coast was merely the latest in a litany of atrocious decisions by the men in the middle to cast a shadow over the sport’s showpiece event.

FIFA World Cup 2010: Group Stage Scenarios

Here are the scenarios for each team advancing for groups that have completed two games. Click here for group standings. Here are tiebreakers if teams finish even on points:

1. Goal differential.
2. Goals scored.
3. Head to head (if there are three teams tied, then results between three teams are calculated with the first two criteria).
4. Draw of lots

Doubters failing to understand Capello

There has been an awful lot of rubbish talked by so-called experts in the media over the last few days. Before they spout that rubbish, why don't they actually ask the Capello camp what the score is so that they can give informed opinions? That's what I've done through the contacts built up while writing my book on the England manager - Fabio Capello: The Boss.

Terry Leading England Mutiny?

ENGLAND’S World Cup camp was last night heading for meltdown over John Terry’s call for players to challenge manager Fabio Capello’s methods.

Terry faces the threat of being left isolated or his comments could cause a huge rift, as some of his team-mates are unhappy at the fact he went public about a private players’ meeting and the plan to take on Capello.

The French Revolution II

FRANCE'S stars are in open revolt after refusing to train yesterday. They are protesting at Nicolas Anelka being sent home from the World Cup.

The French Football Federation dismissed him after he told coach Raymond Domenech 'Go f*** yourself, you son of a whore' at half-time in last Thursday's 2-0 defeat by Mexico.

No Brazil complaint over Kaka dismissal against Ivory Coast

The Real Madrid forward was dismissed by French referee Stephane Lannoy for what he deemed to be two bookable offences, the second of which was a collision with Ivory Coast's Kader Keita who appeared to make a meal of the contact.

Roy Hodgson Q&A

The former Inter Milan boss has been in charge of 15 teams during his 34-year managerial career, including Switzerland and Finland at international level. He steered the Swiss to the last 16 of the 1994 World Cup in the United States.

Hodgson, 62, took Fulham to the final of the Europa League last season and was named manager of the year by the League Managers Association.

He took time out from the studio to answer some of your questions on the World Cup sent in via Twitter.

Sitting with the Samba boys

Let me tell you about the evening I spent watching the 2010 World Cup winners-elect with some truly remarkable football fans.

Now with three weeks left of action still to be played out, far be it from me to spoil the surprises that no doubt lie in store in a tournament that produces more twists and turns with every passing hour.

But as I sat and watched Brazil dominate and destroy Ivory Coast on Sunday, no-one around me had any doubt that the team they were seeing will return to Soccer City on Sunday 11 July to win the World Cup.

2010 FIFA World Cup: Weekend Reports

Germany 0 - 1 Serbia
Daniel Taylor at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium

England vs. Algeria
Kevin McCarra at Green Point Stadium

Netherlands 1 - 0 Japan
Daniel Taylor at Moses Mabhida Stadium

Ghana 1 - 1 Australia
Paul Wilson at Royal Bafokeng Stadium

Cameroon 1 - 2 Denmark
Sean Ingle at Loftus Versfeld Stadium

Slovakia 0 - 2 Paraguay
Match Report

Italy 1 - 1 New Zealand
Paul Wilson at Mbombela Stadium

Brazil 3 - 1 Ivory Coast
Kevin McCarra at Soccer City

2010 FIFA World Cup: USA vs. Slovenia

USA 2 - 2 Slovenia
Sean Ingle at Ellis Park
Player Ratings
Referee Analysis

Tim Howard: Angry U.S. fans show they care

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Oi Fuckers! Put yer shootin boots on!

I suppose it makes sense that the land of the cuckoo clock should have woken up the World Cup. Thank God, I was close to falling asleep during the first week and never waking up again. That said, the excitement may have gone up a notch or two, but I'm not sure that can be said about the quality. Germany sparkled in their first game, but the Aussies were woeful. The US/Slov game was good to watch, but, Bradley's goal withstanding, hardly blessed with great football. Last night's Dan/Cam match was full of entertainment, but much of it was the result of errors.

The only team so far to show any consistency has been Argentina. Of the world stars only really Messi has offered something. Kaka is still wearing his Real shirt and Torres started on the bench. Ronaldo pouted a lot, but produced little. Rooney turned red a lot, but looked like he'd never seen a football before.

It has to be said, many of the games have been dull, some painfully so. Too many of them have been influenced by José Mourihno. Again and again we've seen tactically astute teams, particularly in respects to a collective defence. Too many coaches have been studying this year's Inter Milan. Nowhere is this more obvious than in teams denying an opponent's full backs from getting forward. Maicon and Lahm may have done well, but when a team has set out to negate, they've copied Inter, and had success. England, Holland, France and others came with attacking fullbacks, but they've all been pinned back. And as a result, so has entertaining wing play.

But, as we saw last night, when teams have to win, tactics get thrown out of the window. Most of the groups are still open, so the last round, typically the best few days of any World Cup, should provide more goals and more entertainment. Time for Ronaldo, Kaka, et al, to put their bloody shooting boots on.

There has been one very disturbing sight at this World Cup. And I'm not talking about England or France, or Shuan Wright-Phillips thinking running at someone counts as dribbling, or the Spanish referee, or even the American lady with the 'WE ARE THE YANKS' flag. No I'm talking about Germany coach Joachim Löw and his assistant Hans-Dieter Flick.
Breaking the odd rule of fashion is hardly uncommon in the world of soccer, but these two have gone way too far. Wearing a sports jacket over a t-shirt is wrong. Leaving the house in partner look is very wrong. Doing both is just criminal. Sooney Crockett may have gotten away with the former during the 80s, but would he and Tubbs have stepped out of their Ferrari wearing the same outfit? I don't think so.

Friday, June 18, 2010

Horns still stay silent for the underdog USA

If lack of bunting in the street is any indication, America appears to be living up to its reputation for glorious isolation. While the rest of the globe is already gripped by World Cup fever, here in the US there are scant outward signs of football – or rather soccer – obsession.