| So called experts write off Germany.
Like night follows day, death and taxes, rain in Manchester and regretting eating a McDonalds a matter of minutes after consuming it, every time the hoopla that is the World Cup rolls around the world over (except in the Fatherland of course, where their confidence in their national team sensibly never wavers) without fail journalists, pundits and general footballing know-it-alls go out of their way to write off the Germans - EVERY… SINGLE… TIME .
An unknown striker takes the tournament by storm, is signed for an over-inflated fee, subsequently flops
The World Cup - the greatest sporting stage you can take to. Your chance to stamp your authority on the tournament, grab the headlines, put your name in lights etc, etc. But perhaps the biggest spin-off garnered from making a splash at the festival of football is landing a lucrative move into the big-time, i.e. a post-tournament transfer. As, with the world’s media, scouting network and managerial eyes all trained on every pass, shot and tackle, it’s your chance to well and truly put yourself in the shop window with a view to a big money move to a top European team. http://www.mbopmegashop.com/world_cup_facts.html Sadly, things don’t always go to plan once the glory of the World Cup has faded!
England’s preparations are rocked by a late big name injury
For England fans this is depressingly recurrent theme of the build up to every major tournament. With everything going to plan, confidence and excitement building and predictions of finals being made spouted by the public and media alike, a training ground tackle, Premier League foul or Gazza-shaped mishap will throw a World Cup-shaped spanner in the works, jeopardising everything.
Speculation that the stadiums won’t be ready in time
With the Christmas season out the way and as one year ends and another World Cup year dawns all the media, with little else to write about until squads are named and games commence, can muse over it seems is if the stadiums will be ready or not. February, March, April and May are generally dominated by over-zealous analysis concerning whether or not the host nation will get their act together and finish all the new stadiums that will house all the games during the tournament (except of course in 2006 when it was in Germany, nobody doubted for a nano-second that they’d be ready!).
The Dutch go out on penalties.
If there is one nation who give the English a run for their money for the ‘rubbish at penalty shoot-outs’ crown it’s Holland. In fact so bad are the Oranje in the ultimate challenge of nerve, technique, bottle and more bottle they make England’s pitiful track record of messing up at penalties decidedly average. It started in Sweden in 1992 when late Yugoslavia replacements and eventual shock winners Denmark nervelessly dispatched all five of their spot-kicks leaving a living legend (like Italy’s Roberto Baggio two years later) to look a fool, namely Marco Basten, and it hasn’t got much better since.
http://www.mbopmegashop.com/world_cup_facts.html |
