20 June 2010 – Day 10

The phrase there is “always someone worse off” comes to mind this morning. Whilst the grizzly details of Friday may be still fresh in the mind, I couldn’t help but think about our dear French cousins. One minute you are the darling of the crowd, European and World Champions and as recently as 2006 World Cup finalists, the next minute – sacre bleu!

The French have yet to score in two games after a goalless draw with Uruguay and a two nil loss to Mexico and seem to be heading for the departure lounge earlier than expected. At the moment the squad resembles a bunch of surly and petulant 15 year olds on a Geography field trip, who are giving the form teacher the run around. To cap it all “Le Sulk”, Monsieur Anelka, has been sent home from the trip after a half-time rant at the soon to depart Coach Domenech. See I feel better already….

Meanwhile Groundhog Day continued with the fixtures yesterday with more unfilled stadiums and goalkeeping errors. Two for the price of one yesterday with Netherlands handed victory after Japan’s custodian of the net Kawashima palmed one in. Not to be outdone, Ghana glove man Kingson caught a big dose of dropsy in gifting Australia their goal. Highlight though of the game, the sending off of Harry Kewell. Having flayed around in the opening part of the game like a rag doll in the wind, he then goes and handles the ball on the line. Having watched the replay, I was for a nanosecond sympathetic to his plea that it wasn’t handball and then I remembered:

(a) he left Leeds without a backward glance

(b) he plays in Turkey

(c) he’s Australian

Bye bye Harry….. And since my mood is so positive, thanks to Denmark and Cameroon last night for an end to end game. It might not have been technically fantastic, but it had commitment, passion, pride, desire and a bit of drama. Are you listening England?