World Cup 2010 Blog: “Italy World Cup Team History (Pt III: 1978 – 1994)” plus 6 more |  |
- Italy World Cup Team History (Pt III: 1978 – 1994)
- Daily Dose: May 4th, 2010
- USA World Cup History (Part II: 1990 – 2006)
- Free Shipping on World Cup Gear Until May 15th
- Australia World Cup 2010 Profile
- Germany Now Looking For A Keeper
- World Cup 2010 Jerseys: Netherlands
| Italy World Cup Team History (Pt III: 1978 – 1994) Posted: 04 May 2010 09:00 PM PDT
With the lean years over, it was back to the top of the footballing pyramid for Italy. No longer the first round disappointment, always a contender, and occasionally champion. World Cup 1978 – ArgentinaLooking at their group today, it’s like a who’s who of footballing history: Italy, Argentina, Hungary and France. The other Europeans are certainly no slouches, but France’s time had yet to come – they’d failed to qualify for three of the last four World Cups – and Hungary’s footballing legacy seemed to have ended in the 1956 revolution. So once again, four years later, it was Argentina and Italy, the favorites to break from the groups. Of course that battle wasn’t quite on even ground: Argentina were hosts, and playing at home is like playing with 11.5 men. Italian football at the time was dominated by Juventus with another scudetto in the midst of Juve’s run by Torino, so 15 on hand plied their trade in Torino. In fact 8 of the 11 in the starting lineup against France wore zebra stripes on domestic weekends, including the vaunted defense of Dino Zoff, Claudio Gentile, Gaetano Scirea, Antonio Cabrini and Mauro Bellugi. Safe to say, the team was familiar with one another. With catenaccio gone and Enzo Bearzot at the helm it was a brand new Italy – a stylish, offensive Italy, with Franco Causio, Roberto Bettega and a certain youngster named Paolo Rossi leading the charge, along with Marco Tardelli and the lone aged ranger in Romeo Benetti. It was to be a bright platform for Bearzot and Italy. But not before France stunned hem with a goal within the first minute of the opening game. A quick run down the flank, a simple cross inside and a header just beyond the reach of Zoff. As horrible a start to the World Cup as could be imagined. Then it would be the great Rossi – in less than great fashion. A scrappy goal evened the game, and a second half nap by France’s keeper meant Italy ran out 2-1 winners. Next up would be Hungary, no longer the football power they met in the 1938 final, and leapfrogging goals by Rossi and Bettega in the 34th & 35th minutes, as much through Hungarian collapse as anything, gave the Azzurri all the breathing room they’d need in coasting to a 3-1 victory. An enormously welcome victory, because it meant the final group game clash with hosts Argentina would take place merely for the fans, fitness and final group positioning. They’d win 1-0 and take tops with a Roberto Bettega goal that displayed this Italian team’s smooth skill. Now heading into the second group stage, Italy drew defending champions West Germany, the Total Footballing – but Cruijff-less – Dutch and Austria. It’s a wonder they didn’t just plant the group in Switzerland. Here, the goals would dry up. Only Paolo Rossi managed to scored (when gifted the chance), in the second game against Austria, a 1-0 win, but holding watertight at the back over the first two games meant they’d sealed their date with the Dutch for a chance at the final. Only the group winner of the second group stage was allowed into final, and both teams were sitting on three points, making it all important and largely the semifinal. It was also a fan’s dream: the free flowing Dutch versus Italy’s offensive force. It wasn’t, however, Italy’s dream. Ernie Brandts gifted them an own goal before taking it back with a hammer of a shot, only to see Italy go down and out on Arie Haan’s infamous wondergoal. They’d find themselves in the third-placed game, but lose that by the same score, 2-1, to Brazil. A disappointing final stanza, but it laid the groundwork for the 1982 team, two squads inextricably linked, and announced to the world the stardom of Rossi and Cabrini, the Young Player of the tournament. World Cup 1982 – SpainThe years between Argentina and Spain weren’t kind to Italian football. The Totonero scandal had hit Italy in 1980, which saw 7 teams punished, include immediate relegation for Milan and Lazio. The bright young star, Paolo Rossi, was banned for two years – while maintaining his innocence – and had only played 3 games before the finals, so even his inclusion wasn’t guaranteed due to a lack of fitness. He was called up, but that lack of fitness showed, and he was a shell of the player in ‘78 in the beginning. However, some of the best news to come from 1978 was that the team was very young, which meant they’d peak as a side in 1982, while they’d also added Bruno Conti, the little winger to be a star at the tournament. On the other hand, Dino Zoff was 40 years old, which didn’t matter to Enzo one bit. If starting slow and finishing hot is the route to World Cup glory, Italy did it to perfection in 1982. They didn’t win a single game in the groups amid lofty expectations; a nil-nil with old foes Poland and 1-1 draws with Peru and Cameroon meant 0-3-0, but it also meant advancement by the most narrow of margins: they’d scored one more goal than Cameroon, who’d also run out a 0-3-0 line. They’d in essence become Argentina of 1974. And it was in the second groups where Italy would come alive and Paolo Rossi would become a hero. They were drawn into the South American groups with Argentina and perennial favorites Brazil, rendering Italy heavy underdogs. The first game against Maradona’s Argentina, the defending champions, was Bearzot’s Italian goalscoring at its finest, with phenomenal movement on Tardelli’s first and a phenomenal save by Zoff at one end beginning the movement, which had a few hiccups, on the way to Cabrini’s second. Italy would win 2-1, rendering Diego a nonfactor, setting up the all decisive date with Zico’s Brazil. And that would be the day Paolo Rossi made Brazil cry. Bearzot was running Rossi out without fail despite his form, and in the final of the second groups, he ran him out again. This time, Paolo would repay the faith with a performance befitting of legend. A game largely dominated by Brazil, but the goals dominated by Rossi: Paolo 3 – Brazil 2. To the semifinals they went on his shoulders. And on his shoulders they stayed. Paolo 2 – Poland 0. An extraordinary spring back to life from Paolo, and with that, they were in the final. Cabrini would miss an early penalty, but it was once again the hero, Paolo Rossi’s head, who would open up the scoring. And despite all the scoring his head was doing, it paled in comparison to the second goal, one of the most famous celebrations of in the history of the sport: Tardelli’s cry. It was the 69th minute, Tardelli dove in and hit the second into the back of the net, putting Italy up 2-0 and building a mountain in front of the Germans. With his fists clenched and arms half-raised, he ran screaming to the bench in tears, having scored a goal which would help make Italy champions. A third from Alessando Alotebelli would come and Italy were soon to be champions. An eventual 3-1 win, and a third World Cup title, then equaling Brazil’s record. Paolo Rossi was to win every trophy under the sun – scoring title, Golden Ball, European Player of the Year – Dino Zoff was to become the oldest player ever to win the World Cup, and Enzo Bearzot is today Italian lore. A long, long 44 years later, he’d taken Italy back to the summit. 1986 World Cup – Mexico
Bearzot was back for a third, and final, go ’round shepherding the Azzurri, and he continued with many of the the men who’d won him glory in ‘82. He’d also get to look across to a familiar face in Argentina, having drawn them once again. Paolo Rossi was in the squad, but he was no longer himself, his career coming to a close at 30, and didn’t win a minute. In contrast, it was another final scorer from ‘82 who took to the highlights. Alessandro Altobelli had ended the Italian scoring in 1982 with the third goal, and he ended up doing all their scoring in ‘86. Four goals in four games, all of them in the groups, including a penalty scored on a Diego Maradona handball which was actually called in 1986 (!). Again they trotted through the groups, beating South Korea but drawing with the other two qualifiers Argentina and Bulgaria (FIFA’s ever changing tournament structure and all that), before drawing France in the opening stage of the knockouts. They fell to Michel Platini’s France 2-0, and their hopes of repeating as champions were dashed before they’d seemingly begun. It was the end of an era as Bearzot stepped down and the 1990 World Cup squad had a fresh new look in front of many friendly faces. 1990 World Cup – Italy
Azeglio Vicini graduated from the u21 setup to take over the senior helm, and with him he brought a talented new generation of players, namely two who would become Italian demi-gods: Paolo Maldini and Roberto Baggio. The first game, in Rome, where they’d played their last World Cup game on Italian soil, with plenty of good memories, was the ol’ Italian scoreline, 1-0, with Gianluca Vialli sending in an outrageous cross while falling down to substitute Toto Schillaci. The header was wonderful, but Schillaci was making his Azzurri debut and he’d been on the pitch all of four minutes before scoring his goal. The underdog of underdogs who’d been in Serie B at 25 – not too unlike the recent cases of Fabio Grosso and Luca Toni – before turning Italia ‘90 into his own. He scored the goal and then celebrated like Tardelli, and damn well he should’ve. Their second victory, another classic Italian scoreline, saw them defeat the US with a bit more time on the clock – the 11th minute. The final against Czechoslovakia in Rome – the group stage final, excuse me – brought together old friends and thrust Baggio into the spotlight with his wondergoal after coming on as a sub, but it was Schillaci again, making his debut in the starting XI, who’d scored the early, and winning, goal. It was a pristine Italian showing in front of the home, or Rome, crowds: three wins, zero conceded. This brought Uruguay, a team which had barely made it past the groups, in the first knockout round phase, again in Rome. Another day, another win, another clean sheet, another Schillaci goal – his third in four games. Is this getting repetitive? Quarterfinal, Ireland, Rome: 1-0, Schillaci goal. After five games, all in Rome, they’d yet to concede a goal. This would call forth the semifinal against Argentina, as well as their first trip outside of the capital – to Napoli they would go, the home of one Diego Maradona. Via Argentina’s history:
And in Napoli, they would concede – but not before Toto had done it again. A 17th minute goal, and then Claudio Caniggia finally got one past Walter Zenga. The game would go to extras, where Ricardo Giusti was sent off for Argentina, and then to penalties. Absolute heartbreak. Donadoni missed his, Maradona made his, Aldo Serena missed, and the dream was gone, 4-3. They’d win the third-placed game in Bari against England, Baggio to score, but it wasn’t the same. There’s no place like Rome. However, there was a silver lining: Roberto Baggio had arrived and Toto Schillaci had enamored the world with his six goals, tops at the World Cup. He would retire with seven. 1994 World Cup – USA
Baggio had arrived in ‘90 and four years later he was perhaps the best in the world, the reigning Ballon d’Or winner, with the weight of the world riding on that divine ponytail – and ride it he would. However, not before he rolled in with an ankle injury, and not before things got awfully complicated to start. Italy isn’t really a “groups” team – not consistently, anyway. Slow starters, particularly when they plan to go to a final (it’s always a plan, right?), and 1994 was no exception. The opener saw Ireland peg them back with a reverse of the 1-0 in ‘90, which setup a very meaningful affair in the second game with Norway. In that game, Arrigo Sacchi would unleash two of the biggest watermelons the World Cup has ever seen. In the 21st minute, keeper Gianluca Pagliuca was sent off. With the World Cup on the line, Sacchi was forced to call for a change, and he called for #10. He’d called for Roberto Baggio. It was one of the boldest substitutions in the game’s history, even though Baggio was struggling through injury, which is precisely why he was taken off – they couldn’t play with 9.5, even if that .5 was divine. It also turned out to be a stroke of genius, as Italy would go on to win the game via a Baggio goal of the Dino variety (no relation). Ninety minutes of Roberto Baggio and a 1-1 draw with Mexico polished off one of the strangest group tables the World Cup will ever see:
The Azzurri barely snuck through as the fourth best third-placed team, which means of the 16 teams in the knockouts, they were 16th. Not the greatest of omens. But like Paolo Rossi 12 years earlier, it was here, in the latter stages, that Baggio would come alive. With an unlucky assist in the 25th, Nigeria had gone one up and Italy were still scrapping for the equalizer in the 74th when Gianfranco Zola was sent off. It looked another disappointing exit in the wake of heightened expectations, but Il Divin Codino stole the show, scoring the equalizer in the 88th and slotting home a penalty in extra time. They were to meet Spain next in the quarterfinals, with a bloody lasting impression. The Baggio boys scored goals one and two (Roberto’s an extraordinary switch from defense to attack), each bookending a Jose Luis Caminero Spanish goal, before the game descended into controversy in second half stoppages. Mauro Tassotti elbowed Luis Enrique in the face on a cross, which drew plenty of blood, but the referee called no penalty and Italy ended up victorious. Tassotti was suspended for eight games by FIFA, and he’d never play for the Azzurri again. The semifinal handed the Hristo Stoichkov’s surprise outfit of Bulgaria, who were met with a furious five minutes from Roberto Baggio, scoring two brilliant goals in five first half minutes, eventually winning the game on those goals, 2-1. The final was to be one of Italy’s worst moments, and no help on the back of the disappointment at home in ‘90. Most know the story: the game scoreless through extra time, Franco Baresi and Daniele Massaro missed their penalties, which meant the fifth and final spot kick fell to the tournament hero, Roberto, hurt for much of the festivities, to keep Italy alive. The hero would miss. The lasting images of Italy’s World Cup hands on hips, head hanging with eyes to the grass as Brazil celebrated in the background. Italian history: Pt. I
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| Posted: 04 May 2010 08:40 PM PDT World Cup stars strip for Vanity Fair. (NSFM – Not Safe For Men.)
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| USA World Cup History (Part II: 1990 – 2006) Posted: 04 May 2010 04:21 PM PDT
The first part of this USA World Cup history covered 1930 to 1950, including the third place finish in 1930 and that famous win over England in 1950. But it would be 40 long years before the USA qualified for another World Cup. They made it to Italia ‘90 partly thanks to Mexico being disqualified (for fielding overage players in Olympic qualifying) but very much thanks to this goal from Paul Caliguiri vs Trinidad & Tobago:
1990 World Cup in ItalySo the USA were back in the World Cup. However, this was the period between the death of the North America Soccer League and the birth of Major League Soccer, a period detailed very nicely by Benjamin Kumming on Pitch Invasion. Most of Bob Gansler’s squad was made up of recent college graduates and players from the America Soccer League, which wasn’t granted Division One status by FIFA. Drawn into Group A, the USA lost 5-1 to Czechoslovakia in the opening game: (Decent goal from Caligiuri though) 1994 World Cup in USA
Serbian coach Bora Milutinović had been drafted in to deliver a respectable performance. Very much the Guus Hiddink of his day, Milutinović had already coached Mexico at the 1986 World Cup and Costa Rica at the 1990 World Cup. The US opened strongly, with a 1-1 draw against Roy Hodgson’s Switzerland, the goal coming from an impressive Eric Wynalda free kick: Did I say “impressive”? Clearly I should have said “masterpiece”. Still, good free-kick, good result. The US went on to win the second game 2-1 against Colombia, who many fancied as potential tournament winners. That game is now best remembered for Andres Escobar’s own goal, and subsequent murder (read the full article: Andrés Escobar's Own Goal vs USA) but at the time it was a huge huge victory for the USA, with Earnie Stewart scoring the second, and ultimately decisive goal. The USA lost the final group game 1-0 to Romania and finished third in Group A, going through to the Second Round as one of the four best third placed teams. The opponents in the last 16 were Brazil. Wearing their much less hideous away kit, the US gave Brazil a decent game before losing 1-0 to the eventual champions through a 72nd minute Bebeto goal. The one complaint some US fans have is that their team had a one man advantage from the 43rd minute onwards (after Leonardo was sent off for street-fight style elbowing of Tab Ramos, which you can see in the video above) but failed to take advantage. Still, an excellent performance all around, and a gigantic improvement on 1990 (which itself was a gigantic improvement on the 40 previous years of non-qualification). The other long term effect was that players like Claudio Reyna and Alexi Lalas impressed enough to earn moves to Europe with Bayern Leverkusen in Germany and Padova in Italy respectively. The future looked bright. But then came… 1998 World Cup in FranceIt was supposed to be the World Cup where the US continued the progress of the last two tournaments, especially now Major League Soccer was up and running. Instead it was the World Cup where the USA finished 32nd out of 32 teams after losing 2-0 to Germany, 2-1 to Iran in a politically charged game and finally 1-0 to Yugoslavia. Brian McBride scored the US’s sole goal of the tournament in the 87th minute of the game against Iran. But it wasn’t the cleanest thing you’ve ever seen: Coach Steve Sampson took most of the blame for the USA’s terrible terrible showing in France. One of the problems was the radical 3-6-1 formation, a formation which left no room for cult hero Alexi Lalas (who didn’t take the news too well at all).
It seemed an insane decision to leave Harkes out at the time. However, early in 2010 Eric Wynalda alleged that Harkes had had an affair with his Wynalda’s wife in the run up to 1998, and that this was the reason Harkes was dropped. So maybe Steve Sampson’s not as culpable as thought at the time. But 1998 was still a disaster. 2002 World Cup in Japan & South KoreaAfter dominating MLS with his DC United team, Bruce Arena replaced Steve Sampson as USA coach after 1998. He’d go on to lead the USA to its best World Cup performance of the modern era. Not much was expected of the US after their 1998 performance, especially after being drawn into a tough looking Group D with Portugal, Poland and South Korea. But all that changed when they beat Portugal 3-2 in the first game.
Clint Mathis and his mohawk scored early in the second game, against South Korea, but the co-hosts came back to draw 1-1. The US lost the final game 3-1 to Poland, but went through in second place because Portugal had lost to South Korea. There should be a spot reserved in the US Soccer Hall of Fame for Park Ji-Sung, who scored that Korean goal. In the Round of 16, the US faced CONCACAF rivals Mexico. If you know anything about this rivalry, then you’ll know it basically means everything. Brian McBride and Landon Donovan scored the goals as the USA beat their rivals 2-0 to move on to the quarter-finals. As I understand it, that game was something of a turning point in the history of the USA vs Mexico rivalry. An important victory on the world’s biggest stage that did wonders for US confidence both in CONCACAF and in the wider world of football. Quarter-final opponents were Germany, who were kept in the game by Oliver Kahn’s performance, took the lead through a Michael Ballack header, and somehow got away with Torsten Fring’s handballing on the line. Commendable effort by the US, and some definite bad luck with the Frings handball, but it finished Germany 1-0 USA. Still, a quarter-final appearance was the best US performance since 1930, and the emergence of young talents like 20 year olds Landon Donovan, DaMarcus Beasley, plus the performances of Claudio Reyna, John O’Brien, Clint Mathis and Eddie Pope, seemed to confirm that the USA was rapidly improving and 1998 was just a blip. 2006 World Cup in GermanyBruce Arena was still in charge, and the youngsters from 2002 like Donovan and Beasley were now four years older (and balder). So the USA went into the 2006 World Cup with high expectations. Maybe unrealistically high. They’d been drawn into a rough looking Group E with Czech Republic, Italy and Ghana. But the bigger problem, at least in my opinion, was that Arena had too much faith in the same players that had performed for him four years previously. For example, DaMarcus Beasley was hopelessly out of form, and 32 year old captain Claudio Reyna was clearly no longer physically capable of competing at a World Cup, while in-form but less experienced players like Clint Dempsey started the tournament on the bench. The Czech Republic demolished the US 3-0 in the first game, with Tomas Rosicky scoring a memorable long range goal. That meant a result against Italy in the second game was crucial. In an absolute battle of a game, the US went one down, but equalized through an Italian own goal, before the game went mental with three red cards. A 1-1 draw against the eventual champs was a very very good result, but it left the US needing a win against Ghana and a bit of luck. Instead they got a Claudio Reyna mistake for Ghana’s first goal, a thumping Clint Dempsey equalizer, and then a mysterious penalty called against Oguchi Onyewu to give Ghana a 2-1 win. Despite the misfortune the US didn’t deserve to progress, and exited World Cup 2006 bottom of Group E with just one point. USA World Cup record: - Buy a USA World Cup 2010 jersey.
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| Free Shipping on World Cup Gear Until May 15th Posted: 04 May 2010 10:45 AM PDT
If you’re already kitted out for South Africa 2010, or if your team isn’t going then you can still take advantage. For example, Irish fans could buy a Thierry Henry France jersey and then use it as a dishcloth. All you need to do is visit BigSoccer via this link, choose the jersey or other gear you want to buy, and then enter the following code at checkout. Code: 7BSOCFS Offer is valid until May 15th, 2010.
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| Australia World Cup 2010 Profile Posted: 04 May 2010 09:06 AM PDT
The move to the Asian confederation may have done Australia some good though. That, coupled with what looks like a decent bid to host a World Cup in 2018 or 2022 should have Australia thinking of itself as a more established nation than in 2006. Which is theoretically a good thing. Not so good was the draw, which set Australia up to face Germany, Ghana and Serbia in Group D. No gimmes. So the odds are possibly against the Socceroos, but Pim Verbeek’s men are more than capable of getting a result in any of those games.
FIFA World Ranking as of April 28th 2010: #20 Group D Matches:
Despite the knocks, the one basic fact in Verbeek’s favour is that he qualified Australia for World Cup 2010, finishing top of Group A in the Fourth Round of Asian qualifying. But more on that later. The other thing in Verbeek’s favour: He made a promise that if Australia qualified he would sing national anthem Advance Australia Fair live one television. Pim was as good as his word: Key Players: Veteran goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer provides a rock at the back, while captain Lucas Neill brings the facial hair and tough tackles. But the undisputed key player is Tim Cahill. The 30 year old Everton attacking midfielder is where the goals come from, arriving late in the box or inexplicably winning headers a 5′10″ midfielder shouldn’t be winning. But he’s more than just a goalscorer. Cahill’s a technically sound player who will create chances and keep the midfield ticking. A more creative but less reliable key player comes in the oft-injured shape of Harry Kewell. Now 31 and playing for Galatasaray, Kewell has plenty of tricks up his sleeve (down his socks?) and can play either wide left, or as a sort of second striker. Kewell’s been out for a few months with a groin injury, but recently made his return to the Galatasaray first team. If he’s fit, he’ll contribute some class going forward. If not, he won’t. However, what Australia really needs is a striker. Mark Viduka retired from Socceroo duty in 2007, and a suitable striker replacement has not yet been found. Either gigantic 6′4″ forward Josh Kennedy of J-League team Grampus, or not so gigantic 5′8″ Scott McDonald (once of Celtic, now of Middlesbrough), or maybe even someone we’re not yet familiar with, is going to have to step up and score some goals. Because Tim Cahill can’t do it all. Or at least he probably can’t. Player with best YouTube video: Tim Cahill’s goals for Everton (and subsequent corner flag punching celebration) are certainly worth a watch: Player with best name: This hadn’t occurred to me before today, but Harry Kewell’s real name is Harold Kewell. Which instantly ages him another 40 years. However, if uncapped Klmarniock attacker Danny Invincible somehow makes the Socceroos World Cup squad, he instantly becomes the winner in this category. Player with best nickname: Best I could do was “Tiny Tim”, which is apparently what Everton fans call Tim Cahill. Are there any better ones out there that Australia fans know about? Qualification: Now this is interesting. After years of trouncing Oceania opposition and then being faced with a difficult playoff to qualify for the World Cup, Australia finally upped sticks and moved to Asia in 2007. A gamble for sure, because though Asia had 4.5 World Cup berths to Oceania’s 0.5, it’s a much more competitive region. Yet Australia sailed through. In the fourth and final round of qualifying – that is, the one that really counts – the Socceroos went unbeaten and finished top of Group A, above Japan. Interesting: This will be Australia’s first World Cup as an Asian nation. Yet the country remains in exactly the same location as 2006. Just saying. National Anthem: “Advance Australia Fair”. A slightly more tuneful version than the Pim Verbeek effort above: Kit: Australia will be sporting this rather unique home jersey. World Cup History: Expectations: Group D is tough, and Australia knows it. Getting out of this group and matching the achievements of 2006 with a place in the last 16 would be considered a success. Putting up a good fight and finishing third would obviously not be so successful, but might be acceptable. Squad: TBA. Blog: Kieran, Luka and Vlado are tracking the Socceroos on Australia World Cup Blog. - More World Cup 2010 Team Profiles.
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| Germany Now Looking For A Keeper Posted: 04 May 2010 07:54 AM PDT
We’ve come to the point of no return. 37 days to the World Cup, and the bodies begin to drop. And not just insignificant bodies – these are bodies which deserve to be at a World Cup. The type of players the fans want to see. The German national team has lost Bayer Leverkusen duo Rene Adler and Simon Rolfes. Or, perhaps more accurately: Rene Adler and Simon Rolfes lost the German national team. What was an impossibly tough hole to fill for Joachim Loew late last year has become, somehow, even tougher. It’s difficult to call it a horrible story in light of how the No. 1 came available, but it’s certainly not a good one: after sitting out some time with a rib injury he finally made his injury comeback Saturday, only to find out after the game the injury is “worse than first thought”. From a return for fitness to no World Cup in 90 minutes.
Harsh though it may be, this is serious business, so the next question becomes: next? The answer may be simple: Manuel Neuer. There isn’t a great deal separating Adler and Neuer – young, German, exquisitely talented – but a number of months. Tim Wiese’s also in the hunt, as he was when the No. 1 originally became available, but there was always the feeling Adler and Neuer would battle it out for the No. 1 for years to come – it just began a bit early. And though the World Cup is a loss in itself for Adler, Neuer might never relinquish the No. 1 once he gets it. Simon Rolfes, on the other hand, isn’t as unexpected. In fact it may not be unexpected at all – which would mean it’s expected. His knee had gone through the tried and true wood chipper treatment, and his last game was was on January 24th, so both fitness and match time were out of the question, and thus too was his squad spot. With this info, Jogi will unveil his provisional squad of 30 on Thursday, where there will be no room for Kevin Kuranyi, or so it would appear.
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| World Cup 2010 Jerseys: Netherlands Posted: 04 May 2010 06:26 AM PDT
Ever wondered why the Dutch jerseys are oranje? It’s not just to facilitate the easy puns of football commentators, although everyone who’s ever described Dutch passing as “clockwork” says a big thank you. Orange is the national colour of the Netherlands, taken from the coat of arms of the House of Orange-Nassau, the Royal Family of the Netherlands. So now you know. We’re going to take a closer look at the new shirt below, and I’ll give you my best effort at a review. The away shirt was released back in February, so we’ll cast an amateur critical eye over that too. Netherlands Home Shirt
The reality is that there’s only so much you can do with an orange jersey. You can’t change the main colour, and there’s not a great deal of room for adding extra colour. So it’s all about the trimmings. The collar is a simple black. So it’s not as inventive as, say, the 2006 jersey, which featured the colour of the Dutch flag in the collar. For the Netherlands 2010 World Cup home shirt, Nike have gone with a thin white line down each side of the jersey, and small black horizontal line near the edge of each sleeve. Can’t say I’m a huge fan of either. The thin white line seems to interrupt the orangeness of the jersey. The small black lines are less obtrusive, but seem a bit pointless. Does anyone know whey they’re there? Other than the fact that all Nike jerseys have similar lines near the sleeve this year?
The one feature which possibly saves this uniform, and specifically redeems that white line on the jersey I was a little unhappy about just two paragraphs ago, is the way that said white line joins up with the white line of the shorts. Seems like a clever way of linking the two pieces of clothing, thereby giving the some sort of purpose. Provided the players stand perfectly still of course. Netherlands Away Shirt
I particularly like the design of the red and blue vertical lines. They’re like go-faster stripes for footballers, so Arjen Robben will presumably be just a blur when he hits top speed, and Wesley Sneijder’s shots will hit the back of the net before anyone even sees them. That’s my take. What do you think of these Netherlands jerseys?
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Absolute heartbreak, in a word or two. No one knew better than Italy – though the first-hand generation was dwindling – what having the World Cup at home means. 
Qualification was not a problem in 1994, as the USA had been selected as hosts. Major League Soccer was still two years away, but the US had a handful of key players like John Harkes, Roy Wegerle, Tab Ramos and Eric Wynalda playing for European teams, and many more in the squad who soon would be. Like 24 year old defender Alexi Lalas, of playing guitar and orange beard fame (pictured above left in the famous denim and stars home kit the US wore that year).
The much bigger problem was the absence of midfielder John Harkes. Midfielder Harkes had played for Derby County and Sheffield Wednesday in the English top flight, and had just won the inaugural MLS title with DC United in 1996, then successfully defended said title in 1997. Sampson named Harkes “captain for life” of the US national team. And then left him out of the squad for the 1998 World Cup, handing the armband to 37 year old defender Thomas Dooley.
After the euphoria of making the last 16 at World Cup 2006, Australia are back for another go. Luckily they’ve got most of the same squad as last time around. Whether you think them being four years older is a positive or negative is up to you.
Coach: There are several knocks against Dutchman Pim Verbeek, who took over in 2007. First is that he’s basically Guus Hiddink-lite (Hiddink having successfully got Australia to the Second Round at World Cup 2006). Second is that he’s a little disloyal, having ditched South Korea after just a year in charge in order to take the Australia job. Third is that he asks his team to play more defensively than many Australians are happy with.
The new Netherlands home kit for World Cup 2010 was finally revealed late last week. You won’t be hugely surprised to find that it’s orange. Or, rather, Oranje.
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