It may not be a first memory, but every football god fearing fan is indelibly impressed by that one moment, or one sequence of arbitrarily strung events, that has fostered an eternal love affair with the world cup. The alluring quadrennial has the memory-imprinting power of a first kiss. One can conjure up the event and its particulars on demand without so much as a stutter, and the memory evokes a giddy feeling that is immune to ridicule.
For me the love affair began during the 1994 world cup when I was 13 years old. Which is ironic, really. I’m Portuguese, and in Portugal, football challenges the church for Sunday bragging rights, and that particular world cup was held in the US, perhaps the only country where “soccer” is eclipsed by three other sports. Still, Gheorghe Hagi’s masterful 40-yard chip against Colombia was enough to nurture in me a passion for the sport that has been described as both obsessive and infantile – especially by my brother, who nevertheless found himself chewing his fingers off in the summer of 2006 as Cristiano Ronaldo stepped up to take the penalty that would shatter England’s world cup dreams.
While Hagi’s goal reigns supreme in my world cup memory bank, USA 94 provided me with many other significant world cup mementos. The most shocking event that summer, and perhaps the most horrifying in world cup related history, was Andres Escobar’s murder, which rumor has it was in retaliation for the own goal he scored against the US that helped seal Colombia’s fate. Fittingly, the US became the beneficiary of Colombia’s demise, shocking the world with their progression to the second round, where they met, and challenged Brazil, the eventual winners. Everyone had expected the US to roll over and become the first host team to fail to make it out of the group stage, but Eric Wynalda’s supremely taken free kick against Switzerland helped prolong the streak that continues to this day. Romania – Argentina was perhaps the most entertaining match. A back and forth affair that established the imperious Hagi as one of the best players of the twentieth century, and earned him the moniker, “Maradona of the Carpathians.” Interestingly, Hagi could have played against Maradona himself in that game, had the latter not been expelled from the tournament when he tested positive for ephedrine, which certainly explained his meteoric weight-loss. Like all great world cups, 94 had its fair share of dark horses, but none made as much noise as Bulgaria – who became my surrogate team after Portugal failed to qualify, again - led by the temperamental Hristo Stoichkov, and my favorite player and Sporting Lisbon captain, Krassimir Balakov.
The final between Brazil and Italy wasn’t so memorable in itself, even though it included players like Dunga, Romario, Bebeto, Marcio Santos, Baresi, Maldini, Signori, and the Pony-tailed Buddha, Roberto Baggio, who had single-handedly carried his countrymen to the final. It was the only game of that particular world cup that I wasn’t able to watch to the end, thanks to a tremendous thunderstorm that hit the Perigueux region of France – where I was vacationing with a friend at the time - and forced the bar where I was watching the game to close. I was able to make it back to my summerhouse in time to hear the incredulous radio announcer bemoan Baggio’s infamous spot-kick miss. The next day the local paper displayed an enormous front-page picture of the exhausted Baggio, on his knees, clutching at his face while the Brazilians rushed Taffarel, who didn’t even have to make the last save. My friend never forgave me for that thunderstorm, and upon arriving back in Portugal he disposed of me as quickly as Baggio’s miss-hit ball reached the stands of the Rose Bowl.
This year’s world cup will be someone’s first world cup. It will certainly provide thrilling moments and cause inexpressible heartbreak; it will deify a match-winner, who will be bestowed with the love of a nation, and vilify a player who will be flung into abject misery and will forever personify defeat; it will yield at dark horse that will win the affection of millions, and raze potential candidates, relegating them to the annals of world cup disappointment. All these inevitabilities will spark a passion that will prove inextinguishable, and will serve as the springboard for many seemingly ceaseless diatribes extolling the game’s virtues, and deploring the decisions of coaches and players alike. To the very lucky ones, South Africa 2010 will mark the beginning of a life-long love affair, and not what the less fortunate will call an obsession.
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Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Contenders or Pretenders: A Well-Oiled Oranje
How many times have you heard an oranjephile exclaim, “this is their year,” when asked about Holland’s Euro or world cup chances? Probably too many. Holland is routinely labeled a trophy contender, and then routinely goes on to disappoint. Much of the hoopla surrounding the Dutch derives from their reputation as a “total football” playing team that never sacrifices beautiful football in order to win. Yet, while this is the perception, there have been a few occasions when that hasn’t been the case; and history has taught us that when Holland deviates from its game plan, the results are less than satisfactory. A perfect example of this was during the 2006 world cup, when the Dutch were heavy favorites to lift the trophy, and had to face Portugal in the second round, in what is now commonly referred to as the “Battle of Nuremberg.” While both teams were supposed to dazzle the world with their elegant styles of play, the match degenerated into a mosh-pit that produced a record sixteen yellow cards, four reds, and saw the Oranje prematurely ousted.
The same happened in the last Euro. Having reached the quarterfinals after surviving a group of death that included Italy, France, and Romania, Holland faced the tournament’s dark horses in Russia, which was playing dutchesque football under the tutelage of Guus Hiddink. Although by the end of regular time the game remained a one-goal tie, the Dutch were being visibly outplayed, showed no signs of playing the football that got them that far, looked destined to lose, and did. However, this year could well be different. Holland breezed through the qualifying campaign – albeit against fairly weak opposition – and find themselves in a fairly “easy” world cup group that consists of the Cameroon, Denmark, and Japan. In the round of sixteen Holland will likely face Italy or Paraguay, neither of which poses a legitimate threat (famous last words). It’s after that that the Dutch should start to sweat a little, with Brazil standing in the way – or dare I say Portugal? So, is this really their year?
Why They’re Contenders
Bert van Marwijk
Who? That’s exactly the point. After years of being led by coaches who covet the limelight more than many of the players – think Rijkaard, van Gaal, Advocaat, and van Basten - the KNVB has finally found someone relatively incognito, with a strong enough personality to lead a bunch of bickering divas. It also helps that Marwijk has surrounded himself by assistants Philip Cocu and Frank de Boer, who have long been involved with the Dutch team, are former captains, and not far removed enough from their playing days to forget about what makes players happy. One of Marwijk’s priorities this summer is to squash any of the infamous squabbling that occurs between players. This year has been a relatively quiet one, although there has been some vestigial animosity between Wesley Sneijder and van Persie, dating back to the Euro. If that is the only problem afflicting the Dutch camp, then Marwijk is doing something well, since quarreling and egocentrism have plagued the Oranje in the past. Additionally, while the coach’s pedigree is not on par with some of his predecessors, it’s important to note that he did win a UEFA Cup in 2002 with Feyenoord.
A formidable attack
Van Nistelrooy’s omission from the squad has left many questioning Holland’s goal-scoring prowess, as there’s no one else on the team that has the Hamburg man’s scoring record. Nevertheless, this shouldn’t be a cause for concern. The Dutch have more than enough scoring options to make them a threat to any defense they face. Huntelaar scores an average of a goal every two games for the Dutch, while Kuyt, Robben, and van Persie are regular contributors. Kuyt is one of the hardest-working men in football. He will run defenses ragged, and his style of play is reminiscent of Angelo Di Livio’s, but with finishing ability to boot. Arjen Robben may be entering the world cup after his best season yet. He lit up the Bundesliga all year, and his goals have propelled Bayern Munich to the highly anticipated Champions League final against Inter Milan. Van Persie, on the other hand, has been out with an injury for most of the year, and is going to South Africa out of rhythm. Nevertheless, his ability, speed, and thunderous left foot should still allow him to cause some problems for the opposition. Holland’s midfield is also adept at scoring goals. The Dutch will probably line up a midfield comprised of two holding midfielders (van Bommel and de Jong) and two more advanced playmakers (Sneijder and van der Vaart) who will have the freedom to roam and set up the offense. Sneijder has been the offensive catalyst for Inter all season long, with his pinpoint passing and curling free kicks, while van Bommel has anchored Bayern’s midfield giving Robben and Ribery more freedom to attack the wings. Both will be in the Champion’s League final trying to cancel each other out. The biggest problem Holland’s opponents will have is determining where the next attack is going to come from, and when you have that many threats, chances are someone will be left alone to slot in a goal (or two).
Why They’re Pretenders
A slow defense
Holland only conceded two goals throughout qualifying, and yet, their defense may prove to be the team’s biggest liability. The combined age of the usual starting four at the back is a whopping 126 years! At 26, John Heitinga is the youngest of the four, while Gio van Bronckhorst, the captain, is the oldest at 35. Even though Heitinga is near his prime, he is still relatively slow for a right back, something that went unnoticed at Atletico Madrid, but became rather obvious when he arrived at Everton where the Premiership game runs at a much faster pace than La Liga. As the left back, van Bronckhorst is very slow and will surely be the focus of opposing coaches’ team talks, as they will be looking to capitalize on the very few visible weaknesses Holland will have. The two centerbacks, Ooijer and Mathijsen are also a rather inert tandem; although the former uses his size and strength to make up for his lack of speed, and the latter uses his positional acumen – Mathijsen does have the distinction of being one of the smartest centerbacks in Europe. Holland’s defensive problems shouldn’t be much of an issue during the group stage, even though Japan and Cameroon are teams that rely on their speed to spring effective counter-attacks. They’ll be far more concerned with stopping the Dutch offense. However, once Holland reaches the knockout stages, their frailties will become more apparent as their opponents grow in quality.
Temper tantrums
When things go well for the Dutch, a world cup game is comparable to a scrimmage, with the Orange skillfully distributing the ball, lulluing their opponents to sleep, before delivering a striking blow. However, when things go badly, the “orange machine” begins to stutter, frustration begins to seep through, and tempers begin to flare. Just watch the “Battle of Nuremberg” to see how self-destructing this can be. All teams begin to make rash decisions on the field when their players become frustrated, but the Dutch have an uncanny ability of making stupidly dangerous tackles and then mouthing off impetuously to refs. If this happens, expect the brandishing of cards, and subsequent suspension of key players. And for all the talent the Oranje squad has, one of its problems is lack of experience. The Dutch have a very young bench, and in a big game, talent alone may not be enough to beat a good team. Much of the game is psychological, and if opponents sniff fresh meat, they’ll do their best to get inside the heads of the impressionable young Dutchmen.
The Verdict: Contenders
If people truly learn from experience, then the Dutch should be a well-educated bunch. Holland knows what it takes to succeed in the world cup, and the players are very cognizant that the slightest snag can lay an entire campaign to waste. This being the case, I believe that any internal rivalries and antagonisms will be squashed before the Oranje board the plane to South Africa. Many of the players on the current team were members of past disappointments, and they’ll be sure to remind their least tournament-tested teammates that insubordination will not be tolerated. This is probably why van Bronckhorst still has a place on the team. As for the quad itself, of course, there’s an issue of balance. Most teams lack in certain areas, and while the Dutch have a fragile defense, they do have two seemingly inexhaustible anchor-men in de Jong and van Bommel, who will drop back to clog any holes. Offensively, I can’t think of a more threatening team. If teams don’t want to concede many goals to the Dutch, they’re going to have to impose their own game, but with Sneijder and van der Vaart pulling the strings at lightning speed, that will be unlikely to happen. Look for Holland to cruise into the quarterfinals, and if they can overcome that obstacle, expect them to at least make it to the semis. Be prepared to see a lot of orange in the stands all the way into July.
The same happened in the last Euro. Having reached the quarterfinals after surviving a group of death that included Italy, France, and Romania, Holland faced the tournament’s dark horses in Russia, which was playing dutchesque football under the tutelage of Guus Hiddink. Although by the end of regular time the game remained a one-goal tie, the Dutch were being visibly outplayed, showed no signs of playing the football that got them that far, looked destined to lose, and did. However, this year could well be different. Holland breezed through the qualifying campaign – albeit against fairly weak opposition – and find themselves in a fairly “easy” world cup group that consists of the Cameroon, Denmark, and Japan. In the round of sixteen Holland will likely face Italy or Paraguay, neither of which poses a legitimate threat (famous last words). It’s after that that the Dutch should start to sweat a little, with Brazil standing in the way – or dare I say Portugal? So, is this really their year?
Why They’re Contenders
Bert van Marwijk
Who? That’s exactly the point. After years of being led by coaches who covet the limelight more than many of the players – think Rijkaard, van Gaal, Advocaat, and van Basten - the KNVB has finally found someone relatively incognito, with a strong enough personality to lead a bunch of bickering divas. It also helps that Marwijk has surrounded himself by assistants Philip Cocu and Frank de Boer, who have long been involved with the Dutch team, are former captains, and not far removed enough from their playing days to forget about what makes players happy. One of Marwijk’s priorities this summer is to squash any of the infamous squabbling that occurs between players. This year has been a relatively quiet one, although there has been some vestigial animosity between Wesley Sneijder and van Persie, dating back to the Euro. If that is the only problem afflicting the Dutch camp, then Marwijk is doing something well, since quarreling and egocentrism have plagued the Oranje in the past. Additionally, while the coach’s pedigree is not on par with some of his predecessors, it’s important to note that he did win a UEFA Cup in 2002 with Feyenoord.
A formidable attack
Van Nistelrooy’s omission from the squad has left many questioning Holland’s goal-scoring prowess, as there’s no one else on the team that has the Hamburg man’s scoring record. Nevertheless, this shouldn’t be a cause for concern. The Dutch have more than enough scoring options to make them a threat to any defense they face. Huntelaar scores an average of a goal every two games for the Dutch, while Kuyt, Robben, and van Persie are regular contributors. Kuyt is one of the hardest-working men in football. He will run defenses ragged, and his style of play is reminiscent of Angelo Di Livio’s, but with finishing ability to boot. Arjen Robben may be entering the world cup after his best season yet. He lit up the Bundesliga all year, and his goals have propelled Bayern Munich to the highly anticipated Champions League final against Inter Milan. Van Persie, on the other hand, has been out with an injury for most of the year, and is going to South Africa out of rhythm. Nevertheless, his ability, speed, and thunderous left foot should still allow him to cause some problems for the opposition. Holland’s midfield is also adept at scoring goals. The Dutch will probably line up a midfield comprised of two holding midfielders (van Bommel and de Jong) and two more advanced playmakers (Sneijder and van der Vaart) who will have the freedom to roam and set up the offense. Sneijder has been the offensive catalyst for Inter all season long, with his pinpoint passing and curling free kicks, while van Bommel has anchored Bayern’s midfield giving Robben and Ribery more freedom to attack the wings. Both will be in the Champion’s League final trying to cancel each other out. The biggest problem Holland’s opponents will have is determining where the next attack is going to come from, and when you have that many threats, chances are someone will be left alone to slot in a goal (or two).
Why They’re Pretenders
A slow defense
Holland only conceded two goals throughout qualifying, and yet, their defense may prove to be the team’s biggest liability. The combined age of the usual starting four at the back is a whopping 126 years! At 26, John Heitinga is the youngest of the four, while Gio van Bronckhorst, the captain, is the oldest at 35. Even though Heitinga is near his prime, he is still relatively slow for a right back, something that went unnoticed at Atletico Madrid, but became rather obvious when he arrived at Everton where the Premiership game runs at a much faster pace than La Liga. As the left back, van Bronckhorst is very slow and will surely be the focus of opposing coaches’ team talks, as they will be looking to capitalize on the very few visible weaknesses Holland will have. The two centerbacks, Ooijer and Mathijsen are also a rather inert tandem; although the former uses his size and strength to make up for his lack of speed, and the latter uses his positional acumen – Mathijsen does have the distinction of being one of the smartest centerbacks in Europe. Holland’s defensive problems shouldn’t be much of an issue during the group stage, even though Japan and Cameroon are teams that rely on their speed to spring effective counter-attacks. They’ll be far more concerned with stopping the Dutch offense. However, once Holland reaches the knockout stages, their frailties will become more apparent as their opponents grow in quality.
Temper tantrums
When things go well for the Dutch, a world cup game is comparable to a scrimmage, with the Orange skillfully distributing the ball, lulluing their opponents to sleep, before delivering a striking blow. However, when things go badly, the “orange machine” begins to stutter, frustration begins to seep through, and tempers begin to flare. Just watch the “Battle of Nuremberg” to see how self-destructing this can be. All teams begin to make rash decisions on the field when their players become frustrated, but the Dutch have an uncanny ability of making stupidly dangerous tackles and then mouthing off impetuously to refs. If this happens, expect the brandishing of cards, and subsequent suspension of key players. And for all the talent the Oranje squad has, one of its problems is lack of experience. The Dutch have a very young bench, and in a big game, talent alone may not be enough to beat a good team. Much of the game is psychological, and if opponents sniff fresh meat, they’ll do their best to get inside the heads of the impressionable young Dutchmen.
The Verdict: Contenders
If people truly learn from experience, then the Dutch should be a well-educated bunch. Holland knows what it takes to succeed in the world cup, and the players are very cognizant that the slightest snag can lay an entire campaign to waste. This being the case, I believe that any internal rivalries and antagonisms will be squashed before the Oranje board the plane to South Africa. Many of the players on the current team were members of past disappointments, and they’ll be sure to remind their least tournament-tested teammates that insubordination will not be tolerated. This is probably why van Bronckhorst still has a place on the team. As for the quad itself, of course, there’s an issue of balance. Most teams lack in certain areas, and while the Dutch have a fragile defense, they do have two seemingly inexhaustible anchor-men in de Jong and van Bommel, who will drop back to clog any holes. Offensively, I can’t think of a more threatening team. If teams don’t want to concede many goals to the Dutch, they’re going to have to impose their own game, but with Sneijder and van der Vaart pulling the strings at lightning speed, that will be unlikely to happen. Look for Holland to cruise into the quarterfinals, and if they can overcome that obstacle, expect them to at least make it to the semis. Be prepared to see a lot of orange in the stands all the way into July.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
2010's Dark Horses: Fixing Serbia's Image
In 1991 Yugoslavia’s ethnic unrest ignited the worst bloodshed Europe had seen since WW II. A war remembered mostly for it’s war crimes, endured for most of the nineties and reminded the world that even in westernized Europe, peace rested on a tenuous foundation of suppressed animosity. Before the war broke out there had been many signs of an impending war, and perhaps one of the most arresting took place during 1990’s game between Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia) and Red Star Belgrade (Serbia), when fanaticism and chauvanism were personified by Zvonimir Boban’s flying kick into a policemen who was assaulting a Dinamo fan. The fiery Boban was able to make it to AC Milan, becoming one of the team’s most loved players, while Yugoslavia splintered into different countries, and onetime everyday soccer fans translated their organizational skills into the death squads that terrorized the Balkans for years.
Certainly not as important as the tens of thousands of lives lost, but of marking consequence nonetheless, Yugoslavian soccer also suffered as a result of the war. Having qualified for the 1992 European Cup in Sweden, the national team was forced to pull out, and was replaced by Denmark (who went on to win the tournament). Yugoslavia were going into the tournament as potential winners, and their disqualification left fans longing for a team that had earned the moniker of the European Brazilians; a team represented by some of Europe’s most talented players such as, Dragan Stojkovic, Dejan Savicevic, Pedrag Mijatovic, and Robert Prosinecki. In 1998 Prosinecki finally did bring Balkan soccer back to the forefront of world football, along with Croatian teammates Davor Sukur and Robert Jarni, during the world cup in France, where they barely lost to the hosts in the semifinal, and Croatia has since been regarded as the torchbearer of Balkan soccer. However, Croatia’s inability to qualify for South Africa has left the responsibility fully on Serbia’s shoulders, a team reeling from a disastrous showing in 2006’s world cup, and desirous of showing the world that the European Brazilians still reside in the Carpathian basin.
Nevertheless, for many, Serbian success is only a pipe dream, especially since Group D is populated by world cup powerhouse Germany, and two potential spoilers in Australia and Ghana. Still, while Group D may prove to be one of the most unpredictable groups of the world cup, Serbia should not only qualify, but also reach the quarterfinals at the expense of either England or the United States. And here’s why:
Reason 1: Radomir Antic – Outside of Spain and Serbia, Antic is one of the least known top-level managers in Europe, especially to Anglocentric fans. This is unfortunate considering the fact that to this day, Antic is the only man ever to manage Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, and Barcelona. Antic had successful spells with all three Spanish giants, but the zenith of his Iberian career was achieved with Atletico during the 95/96 season, when he did the double, winning both the Copa del Rey and La Liga at the expense of Barcelona. This is particularly jaw dropping when one considers that at the time, the Blaugrana were led by Cruyff and boasted the likes of Luis Figo, Guardiola, Nadal, and Ivan De La Pena. It was with Atletico as well that Antic showed his eye for talent, signing the unknown Milinko Pantic, and bringing him out of Greek obscurity. Antic is also responsible for launching the careers of Adres Iniesta and Victor Valdes at Barcelona. Since being hired as Serbia’s coach, Antic has not been reluctant about imposing his own game philosophy. For one thing, he’s not afraid to take risks. Faced with a roster that included many players who were past their prime, Antic was quick to call-up young domestically employed players, such as Milijas and Tosic (both now applying their trade abroad), to bring vitality to a midfield well anchored by Dejan Stankovic. Any Antic detractors (I doubt there are many) need only to look at Serbia’s qualifying record in order to truly appreciate how far the team has come under his guidance, in a very short time.
Reason 2: An experienced defense – While I cringe at the utterance of a cliché, there’s got to be something to the old adage, “offense sells tickets, while defense wins championships.” Just ask Italy. Serbia will arguably have one of the best defenses on show in South Africa. Apart from possessing one of the more imposing European defenders in Nemanja Vidic, the Balkan back-four also includes Branislav Ivanovic and Aleksandar Lukovic (Ivica Dragutinovic of Sevilla could also have been added to the list, but he’ll miss the world cup with an injury). Vidic has been consistently impressive since arriving at Manchester United. His marking is impeccable and infuriating to forwards, and many believe he’s as important to the English champions as Wayne Rooney - the team is far less frugal at the back when he’s out. Like Vidic, Ivanovic has proved a stalwart for Chelsea since replacing Bosingwa on the right, and his ability to play in middle of the defense makes him even more valuable to the team. Far less celebrated than the aforementioned two; Lukovic has become a mainstay on the team after being capped for the first time in 2005, and as an indispensable member of Udinese for the past three seasons, has gained a tremendous amount of experience defending against the best strikers in Italy. All three defenders are physically imposing, very good in the air, and the first two are a considerable threat from set-pieces.
Reason 3: Wing play – Serbia’s opponents will have the strenuous task of defending against the team’s wing attack. Spearheaded by the unpredictable Milos Krasic, Serbia has some formidable options on the wing (perhaps only Portugal has more options in the same positions). This season Krasic became a household name playing on the right side of midfield for CSKA in the Champions League. Although still under contract with the Russians, it is doubtful that the 25 year old will remain with the team after the world cup given the amount of interest he’s getting from some of Europe’s biggest clubs, namely Manchester United, and Arsenal. Liverpool’s newest signing, Milan Jovanovic is the most likely candidate to partner Krasic. Playing equally well behind a striker, Jovanovic also established himself in the Champions League with Standard Liege this year. The former Belgium player of the year will fit in nicely with the Scousers, but he’ll be tormenting defenders at the world cup first. Though poised to start on the bench, Zovan Tosic and Bosko Jankovic will also see significant time on the field. Tosic may not have made his mark with the Red Devils in Manchester yet, but expect him to play an important role next season, stealing minutes from Valencia. Finally, Jankovic has been a regular starter for Genoa in the Serie A. Last year he was a big part of Genoa’s league success, supplying Diego Milito with the goals that caught the eye of Jose Mourinho. Only adding to the wing threat is the fact that all crosses will be aimed at Valencia’s Nikola Zigic. At 6,7, he may be a little bit of an aerial menace.
Potential Handicap: Vladimir Stojkovic – Finding a weakness in Antic’s team may prove difficult; nevertheless, it is in between the posts that the Serbs are at their weakest. Ironically, Stojkovic has long been extolled as one of the most promising goalkeepers in Europe. As a result many teams have taken a chance on the capricious keeper, only to be frustrated by what David Moyes called a “complicated character.” Nobody knows this better than Sporting Lisbon, who have been dealing with the Serb’s antics since 2007. Stojkovic’s lack of discipline could prove problematic during the tournament, and if problems due ensue, Serbia’s backup keeper doesn’t exactly inspire a tremendous amount of confidence.
What To Watch Out For: Serbia’s game against Germany should prove exciting. Both teams will be battling it out for first place in the group, eager to avoid a first knockout round game against England. History between the two nations may also produce some fireworks. Nazi occupation of Serbia is still very fresh in the country’s cultural unconscious. Plus, what could be better than watching Lukas Podolski bouncing off Vidic?
Certainly not as important as the tens of thousands of lives lost, but of marking consequence nonetheless, Yugoslavian soccer also suffered as a result of the war. Having qualified for the 1992 European Cup in Sweden, the national team was forced to pull out, and was replaced by Denmark (who went on to win the tournament). Yugoslavia were going into the tournament as potential winners, and their disqualification left fans longing for a team that had earned the moniker of the European Brazilians; a team represented by some of Europe’s most talented players such as, Dragan Stojkovic, Dejan Savicevic, Pedrag Mijatovic, and Robert Prosinecki. In 1998 Prosinecki finally did bring Balkan soccer back to the forefront of world football, along with Croatian teammates Davor Sukur and Robert Jarni, during the world cup in France, where they barely lost to the hosts in the semifinal, and Croatia has since been regarded as the torchbearer of Balkan soccer. However, Croatia’s inability to qualify for South Africa has left the responsibility fully on Serbia’s shoulders, a team reeling from a disastrous showing in 2006’s world cup, and desirous of showing the world that the European Brazilians still reside in the Carpathian basin.
Nevertheless, for many, Serbian success is only a pipe dream, especially since Group D is populated by world cup powerhouse Germany, and two potential spoilers in Australia and Ghana. Still, while Group D may prove to be one of the most unpredictable groups of the world cup, Serbia should not only qualify, but also reach the quarterfinals at the expense of either England or the United States. And here’s why:
Reason 1: Radomir Antic – Outside of Spain and Serbia, Antic is one of the least known top-level managers in Europe, especially to Anglocentric fans. This is unfortunate considering the fact that to this day, Antic is the only man ever to manage Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, and Barcelona. Antic had successful spells with all three Spanish giants, but the zenith of his Iberian career was achieved with Atletico during the 95/96 season, when he did the double, winning both the Copa del Rey and La Liga at the expense of Barcelona. This is particularly jaw dropping when one considers that at the time, the Blaugrana were led by Cruyff and boasted the likes of Luis Figo, Guardiola, Nadal, and Ivan De La Pena. It was with Atletico as well that Antic showed his eye for talent, signing the unknown Milinko Pantic, and bringing him out of Greek obscurity. Antic is also responsible for launching the careers of Adres Iniesta and Victor Valdes at Barcelona. Since being hired as Serbia’s coach, Antic has not been reluctant about imposing his own game philosophy. For one thing, he’s not afraid to take risks. Faced with a roster that included many players who were past their prime, Antic was quick to call-up young domestically employed players, such as Milijas and Tosic (both now applying their trade abroad), to bring vitality to a midfield well anchored by Dejan Stankovic. Any Antic detractors (I doubt there are many) need only to look at Serbia’s qualifying record in order to truly appreciate how far the team has come under his guidance, in a very short time.
Reason 2: An experienced defense – While I cringe at the utterance of a cliché, there’s got to be something to the old adage, “offense sells tickets, while defense wins championships.” Just ask Italy. Serbia will arguably have one of the best defenses on show in South Africa. Apart from possessing one of the more imposing European defenders in Nemanja Vidic, the Balkan back-four also includes Branislav Ivanovic and Aleksandar Lukovic (Ivica Dragutinovic of Sevilla could also have been added to the list, but he’ll miss the world cup with an injury). Vidic has been consistently impressive since arriving at Manchester United. His marking is impeccable and infuriating to forwards, and many believe he’s as important to the English champions as Wayne Rooney - the team is far less frugal at the back when he’s out. Like Vidic, Ivanovic has proved a stalwart for Chelsea since replacing Bosingwa on the right, and his ability to play in middle of the defense makes him even more valuable to the team. Far less celebrated than the aforementioned two; Lukovic has become a mainstay on the team after being capped for the first time in 2005, and as an indispensable member of Udinese for the past three seasons, has gained a tremendous amount of experience defending against the best strikers in Italy. All three defenders are physically imposing, very good in the air, and the first two are a considerable threat from set-pieces.
Reason 3: Wing play – Serbia’s opponents will have the strenuous task of defending against the team’s wing attack. Spearheaded by the unpredictable Milos Krasic, Serbia has some formidable options on the wing (perhaps only Portugal has more options in the same positions). This season Krasic became a household name playing on the right side of midfield for CSKA in the Champions League. Although still under contract with the Russians, it is doubtful that the 25 year old will remain with the team after the world cup given the amount of interest he’s getting from some of Europe’s biggest clubs, namely Manchester United, and Arsenal. Liverpool’s newest signing, Milan Jovanovic is the most likely candidate to partner Krasic. Playing equally well behind a striker, Jovanovic also established himself in the Champions League with Standard Liege this year. The former Belgium player of the year will fit in nicely with the Scousers, but he’ll be tormenting defenders at the world cup first. Though poised to start on the bench, Zovan Tosic and Bosko Jankovic will also see significant time on the field. Tosic may not have made his mark with the Red Devils in Manchester yet, but expect him to play an important role next season, stealing minutes from Valencia. Finally, Jankovic has been a regular starter for Genoa in the Serie A. Last year he was a big part of Genoa’s league success, supplying Diego Milito with the goals that caught the eye of Jose Mourinho. Only adding to the wing threat is the fact that all crosses will be aimed at Valencia’s Nikola Zigic. At 6,7, he may be a little bit of an aerial menace.
Potential Handicap: Vladimir Stojkovic – Finding a weakness in Antic’s team may prove difficult; nevertheless, it is in between the posts that the Serbs are at their weakest. Ironically, Stojkovic has long been extolled as one of the most promising goalkeepers in Europe. As a result many teams have taken a chance on the capricious keeper, only to be frustrated by what David Moyes called a “complicated character.” Nobody knows this better than Sporting Lisbon, who have been dealing with the Serb’s antics since 2007. Stojkovic’s lack of discipline could prove problematic during the tournament, and if problems due ensue, Serbia’s backup keeper doesn’t exactly inspire a tremendous amount of confidence.
What To Watch Out For: Serbia’s game against Germany should prove exciting. Both teams will be battling it out for first place in the group, eager to avoid a first knockout round game against England. History between the two nations may also produce some fireworks. Nazi occupation of Serbia is still very fresh in the country’s cultural unconscious. Plus, what could be better than watching Lukas Podolski bouncing off Vidic?
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Letters: re: Revisiting Video Replay
Video replay is perhaps an inevitability, but not for any of the reasons you cite, and there are good arguments against it.
First, it will take loads of time. Even in the NFL, which has had a couple of decades to perfect the system, it's not a simple matter of viewing and communicating in 20 second swoop. Be prepared for 5 to 10 minute breaks in games.
And it's hardly workable for a game without regular stops. What if the scandalous call does not result in a break in play - for example a takedown that's stopped a goal scoring opportunity that's unseen by the referee? Do you have the fourth official blow a whistle to stop the game? And what determines which calls are reviewed? Will coaches have a way of signaling that play should be stopped once or twice a half like the NFL? Of course, it would disrupt the flow of the game -- the question is whether that disruption is tolerable.
Second, it will devalue referees. The press and governing bodies would immediately begin keeping track of which officials had their calls overturned, how often and for whom. And do you expect that home team favoritism or corruption will stop once video replay is introduced? It simply provides another forum for it -- the potential riot when the tension grows over a critical penalty call.
Third, no one says that the game has remained unchanged for over a hundred years. That's a red herring.
I will put forth one argument that makes this sort of tricky, which is similar, however. FIFA must pass rules that can be implemented anywhere -- ROTG or Rule Of The Game. A rule for the World Cup final must also be usable for a third division match in Bolivia, an Asian Cup qualifier in Nepal and district matches in North Korea. The reason it's opposed to video replay is that it is not workable in most FIFA-sanctioned matches or other matches that follow FIFA rules.
Most of these games have no video, no capability of video replay. Even where they are televised, it might be by one or two cameras. What happens when there's no clear video? Or no clear video that's part of central feed -- e.g. the controversial Tore Andre Flo penalty against Brazil in 1998, where the feed that supported the referee was only discovered a couple days after the match ended?
Finally, how would it work in the instances you site -- the Thiago Motta red card and the Toure handball? Yes, Busquets acted terribly, but would video show that Motta did not swing his hand backwards, or did not intend to strike the man in the face? That's a red card by the book. Even if Busquets was "cheating" it was still within the referees field of expertise to adjudge it a red.
The same goes with Toure's handball. There's a moving target of handball calls, like the strike zone in baseball. What you have to do to get a handball is unclearly defined and that's the real problem -- if it's ball to un-extended hand but the hand benefits the player, it's often called a hand-ball. If it's ball to an extended hand but the hand benefits the player, it's often not called a handball (e.g., Frings in 2002 vs. US). The problem here is the certainty of handball calls, not video replay.
Jay Eversman
New Jersey, USA
First, it will take loads of time. Even in the NFL, which has had a couple of decades to perfect the system, it's not a simple matter of viewing and communicating in 20 second swoop. Be prepared for 5 to 10 minute breaks in games.
And it's hardly workable for a game without regular stops. What if the scandalous call does not result in a break in play - for example a takedown that's stopped a goal scoring opportunity that's unseen by the referee? Do you have the fourth official blow a whistle to stop the game? And what determines which calls are reviewed? Will coaches have a way of signaling that play should be stopped once or twice a half like the NFL? Of course, it would disrupt the flow of the game -- the question is whether that disruption is tolerable.
Second, it will devalue referees. The press and governing bodies would immediately begin keeping track of which officials had their calls overturned, how often and for whom. And do you expect that home team favoritism or corruption will stop once video replay is introduced? It simply provides another forum for it -- the potential riot when the tension grows over a critical penalty call.
Third, no one says that the game has remained unchanged for over a hundred years. That's a red herring.
I will put forth one argument that makes this sort of tricky, which is similar, however. FIFA must pass rules that can be implemented anywhere -- ROTG or Rule Of The Game. A rule for the World Cup final must also be usable for a third division match in Bolivia, an Asian Cup qualifier in Nepal and district matches in North Korea. The reason it's opposed to video replay is that it is not workable in most FIFA-sanctioned matches or other matches that follow FIFA rules.
Most of these games have no video, no capability of video replay. Even where they are televised, it might be by one or two cameras. What happens when there's no clear video? Or no clear video that's part of central feed -- e.g. the controversial Tore Andre Flo penalty against Brazil in 1998, where the feed that supported the referee was only discovered a couple days after the match ended?
Finally, how would it work in the instances you site -- the Thiago Motta red card and the Toure handball? Yes, Busquets acted terribly, but would video show that Motta did not swing his hand backwards, or did not intend to strike the man in the face? That's a red card by the book. Even if Busquets was "cheating" it was still within the referees field of expertise to adjudge it a red.
The same goes with Toure's handball. There's a moving target of handball calls, like the strike zone in baseball. What you have to do to get a handball is unclearly defined and that's the real problem -- if it's ball to un-extended hand but the hand benefits the player, it's often called a hand-ball. If it's ball to an extended hand but the hand benefits the player, it's often not called a handball (e.g., Frings in 2002 vs. US). The problem here is the certainty of handball calls, not video replay.
Jay Eversman
New Jersey, USA
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