Welcome to the "Frog," my little piece of cyberspace to talk about my passion - le foot (or soccer for my North American friends) especially anything around French football. Of course I will have some guest contributors that might want to discuss other aspects of footy!
I support Les Bleus, Arsenal and PSG but really just love watching, analyzing and following the beautiful game.
"You have to trust your teammates, always. If not we are lost."
The Euro draw will take place tomorrow in Kiev to determine the teams that will comprise the 4 groups of 4 teams. Just a refresher - all 16 teams have been placed in pots based on rankings, with Poland and Ukraine in Pot 1 since they are co-hosting. The pots:
Seedings for Euro 2012
Pot 1: Spain, Netherlands, Poland*, Ukraine*.
Pot 2: Germany, Italy, England, Russia.
Pot 3: Croatia, Greece, Portugal, Sweden.
Pot 4: Denmark, France, Czech Republic, Republic of Ireland * As joint hosts, Poland and Ukraine have already been allocated to Groups A and D respectively.
Each group will have one team drawn from each pot. By this time we all know that Les Bleus have dropped into the 4th pot and could be drawn with Spain, Germany and Portugal...yikes...that would be a serious group of death. For me this is really an indictment on the Domenech years once again. The horrendous showing at the last World Cup and European Cup have lowered the French coefficient to a point that they are dropped to the last pot. Of course we cannot forget that before the World Cup, France was also in a situation that might have been difficult and somehow drew South Africa as their #1 seed (avoiding the likes of Brazil, Spain and Argentina) lot of good that did! France went on to scrape together one lousy point versus eventual 4th place finisher and Copa America winner Uruguay - but poor losses to Mexico AND South Africa were ugly...thanks Dumbenech.
So just for fun I did my own draw and here is how it broke:
Group A
Poland
Italy
Sweden
France
Group B
Spain
Russia
Croatia
Denmark
Group C
Holland
Germany
Greece
Ireland
Group D
Ukraine
England
Portugal
Czech Republic
These would actually be decent groups, no really top heavy one. Group C would be tasty due to the Holland - Germany match up, but neither Greece nor Ireland would really pose a threat. Group B would be a walk in the park for Espana. Group A would actually give Les Bleus a chance to get into the knock outs! and Group D could see Ronaldo go against Rooney...oh no wait, the Englishman has already gotten a red card!
It will be interesting to see how the groups break. Until then it is just an idle exercise to pass the time!
So our good friend Domenech is slowly emerging from his shell and addressing some of the topics that have dogged him since that fateful day in South Africa where Les Bleus dropped a final game to the hosts. For the interview on L'Express click here. Overall he, no surprise, refuses to take on too much responsibility for the disaster that was the World Cup. He does call out his players for being spoiled brats for refusing to practice. What is surprising, is his admission that maybe he should have resigned or been sacked after the Euro 2008 fiasco - 1 draw versus Romania and 2 losses against Holland and Italy - that was the famous tournament where he decided to propose to his girlfriend at the end of the Italy match.
«Avec le recul, effectivement, je me dis: "Pourquoi n'as-tu pas démissionné?" Tout était faussé. J'ai manqué de lucidité. Je me demande même pourquoi personne ne m'a obligé à démissionner.»
With hingsight I told myself 'why didn't I resign?" Everything was wrong. I was missing some clarity. I even asked myself why didn't anyone force me to resign.
Sigh, in hindsight I also wish he has left in 2008, maybe the trip to South Africa could have been a little more than an exercise in ineptitude. I guess not being a moron means one can be honest about one's past...first step to recovery is admitting a problem! Better late than never.
The story that will not die, then again why should it I think many are still looking for their pound of flesh from Domenech...myself included! The latest is that it was the manager himself that leaked the naughty words that were said in the dressing room during the half time of the France v Mexico match in South Africa. Not surprising. The rumors were circulating that Domenech was the mole from day 1. Who else was dumb enough to share this with the press? Not the players. Other assistants had nothing to gain. Domenech, however, clearly thought this could serve him to cover his pathetic failure that was South Africa. Maybe he thought this would sway public opinion to his side, demonstrate how childish and immature his team was...um a team he selected and had been managing for 6 years.
Once again another example of the ineptitude of the former France manager. And once again, another piece of evidence that makes me scratch my head as why the federation stuck with this idiotic leader for so long.
The following is a post from my close friend and fellow football fan Jose, until recently he has had to suffer watching his beloved Espana under-perform in major tournaments...but for the past 2 years things have been different! A great post about what the World Cup and soccer means to him:
In the 116th minute of the 2010 World Cup finals, Andres Iniesta kicked the ball into the back of the Dutch goal and an entire nation erupted in nervous jubilation as it realized that a title was within reach. A few minutes later, the referee blew the final whistle and the title was a reality. More than forty-six million Spaniards could finally claim to be World Champions. It was a great moment for a soccer nation that had long failed to live up to expectations. For me, it was the pinnacle of my experience with soccer, a sport that holds a special place in my life.
As the son of an immigrant, I have spent a great portion of my life mixing a Spanish heritage with American surroundings. It has been a life long journey of forging two cultures into one identity. During my youth, I struggled with the two worlds. How could I mold a sense of American self without denying my Spanish background? I tried through several of the following mediums, but most of them were far from flawless: LANGUAGE. Learning the native tongue seemed a sure connection. However, it was a great challenge. I often stumbled in my Spanish words, getting tangled in verb conjugations and finding the perfect translation. And even though I avidly studied the language in school, it did not feel completely right as my accent was a hybrid of several Latin dialects and the words did not come naturally. FOOD. I started to develop a great appreciation for Spanish cuisine. I could identify and savor many of the native dishes. However, I was left to wonder: how did this make me different from say an American tourist who has a great palate for Spanish food? MUSIC & DANCE. Ok, let’s not go there. Can you say tone-deaf teenager with two left feet that cannot move his hips? Finding a link to my ancestors was proving difficult. What could help bridge the gap ?
SOCCER? From an early age, I enjoyed playing soccer. While most of my free time in the neighborhood was spent with my American friends playing football and baseball, I looked forward to autumn when soccer season would arrive. It was a great way to spend a Saturday with my classmates outside of school. We bonded on the field with the game and afterwards with a trip to Dairy Queen. Playing soccer was special not only for the comradery, but also for the sense of belonging. I still remember the thrill of putting on the jersey before the game. A jersey that meant I was part of a team .
At first, watching soccer was not that appealing to me. Why would I want to sit in front of the television when I could be outside playing the game? It was during my parent’s gatherings with their Spanish speaking friends that I started to take interest in the sport as a spectator. Their friends would tell us about great soccer players such as Pele and Kempes. Their children and I would listen intently as they described these men as national heroes because of the contributions to their team ’s success in a tournament called the World Cup. This intrigued me not only because of the sport but also because of the bond that it seemed to have created between the parents and their children. And some of them were children of immigrants, just like me.
Of course, a few years passed before I could really experience my first World Cup. But it was well worth the wait. The 1986 World Cup in Mexico was my first vivid experience with the tournament and it can be credited with making me a fan. It was a tremendous showcase of soccer teams from around the world and dramatic matches: France coming from behind to beat and eliminate powerhouse Brazil, Belgium’s overtime victory against the Soviet Union, and of course the infamous “Hand of God” game with England and Argentina
The final game was also a treat as Argentina edged Germany in a back-and-forth match. There were also some spectacular individual performances by players such as Maradona, Lineker, Platini, and Butragueno. What was also special turned out to be witnessing the joy and bond of our family friends celebrating their country’s victory. I will never forget seeing the shared happiness of those Argentineans basking in the glow of their nation’s achievement.
After watching that World Cup, I eagerly anticipated the next one. But I soon discovered that it was not just an appreciation of soccer that I had gained. I had also gained a new parent-child bond, or more specifically, a father-son bond. As a teenager, it can be difficult to bond with one’s father. A teenager is often caught between the acceptance of his friends and the approval his parents. But with soccer, we now had something safe to share. I think Daniel Stern’s character Phil in the movie City Slickers summarized it best when he defended the importance of sports in his youth “Ok. Maybe it’s just a game and it can be childish. But when I was 18 and my Dad and I couldn’t talk about much of anything, we could still talk about baseball. That was real”. During those awkward teenage years, I found comfort in talking to my dad about soccer.
And the World Cup was providing me an easier and more effective way to bond with my Spanish heritage. No difficult words to pronounce, no awkward dance moves to attempt. Also, I could watch Spain play on television just as Spaniards would be doing in their homes. We would have the common experience of watching our national team play without the barriers of language or environment. We could both talk about our team ’s accomplishments with pride. And we could wear the same jersey. A jersey that meant we belonged to the same team .
However, I would learn that being a World Cup soccer fan was not all roses. LET THE SUFFERING BEGIN….one of my soccer brothers once texted me this before a recent World Cup match and unfortunately those words are often true. Why? First of all, the World Cup is held every FOUR years. So there is no “wait until next year”. You wait four years for your team to play, IF they qualify. Those are four long years in which your expectations rise and rise, until you believe that your team can win. Anything less becomes a disappointment. Secondly, soccer is a low scoring game that is often decided by one goal. And one goal can come as a result of any play, good or bad. So basically you spend 90 minutes praying that your team does not make one bad pass, one bad save, or one bad tackle, and hoping that they somehow score. It can be an agonizing experience. And far too many times I witnessed my team come up short.
But as they say: “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”. And as the years passed, even though my team did not win the World Cup, my ties to my Spanish heritage became stronger. Each game that I saw became another experience that I had in common with my Spanish dad, family, and countrymen. We could talk about our team ’s journey, through good and bad.
Was it really soccer that brought me closer to my heritage? Ok, I realize that we are just talking about a game. And in the end, I did use some of those other mediums to bring me closer to my roots. However, during those troublesome teenage years, soccer maintained my connection to my Spanish blood. So when I was adult, I still had that drive for more. I went back to school to study Spanish literature. I was able to learn even more about the culture of my ancestors. I also improved my language skills, and even though I am far from fluent, I can maintain a decent conversation. As a result, I felt much better about my ties to my heritage. Then the only thing left to do was make my connection official. In June of 2006, I was able to successfully obtain my Spanish citizenship, giving me dual American and Spanish nationality. In a way, it marked a milestone in the journey of a life- long dream to forge the two cultures into one identity.
What is left in this journey? I have come to realize that I don’t want this connection to end with me. It has become a hope that my son Gabriel continues the ties. Soccer presented me with the opportunity to spark his interest. In 2008, he watched intently as Spain played in the European championship. I could see that he was becoming drawn to “futbol”. The only thing missing was a World Cup experience.
Enter World Cup 2010. There were huge expectations for Spain entering this World Cup. They had won the Euro 2008 and had arguably one of their best teams of all time. However, I knew all too well that a letdown was quite possible. Too many times before Spain had been among the favorites, and too many times they had failed. I tried to temper my son’s enthusiasm, as well as my own, in order to prepare for the worst. But then it happened. Spain squeaked out win after win during the knockout stage and made it to the finals. And in the finals they were finally able to come out on top. It was a great triumph. However, the 2010 World Cup was a triumph for me not only because Spain won, but also because it continued to strengthen Gabriel’s connection to his heritage. After the tournament, he asked me about nationality and inquired if he could also obtain Spanish citizenship. He now has the chance to maintain those ties to his ancestors. I could not be more proud…And I have soccer to thank for that.
In an other aftershock from the French team mutiny - a player we all thought was one of the "good guys" has now come out and spoken in depth about his participation. Clearly the malaise was no confined to a few players, according to Toulalan he was one of the catalysts behind the infamous letter that emerged from the bus. He has stepped up and said he is ready and willing to accept any punishment that might come down on him and his team mates. Of course current commentator and outspoken former French international, Lizarazu, had blasted the Lyon player. Saying the situation was even worse than once thought. Liza calls out Toulalan's judgment and had always thought of him as a smarter player who would have handled himself better. Ouch. So the soap opera continues to play itself out...how soon can August 11th come? Once France gets back on the pitch and we get a first glimpse of Laurent Blanc as the new manager we can finally put this fiasco behind us.
So we have time to digest the World Cup...although those in Spain or rooting for La Furia Roja might still be partying, deservedly so. They can read this later. So like many others I have decided to put together some awards and more ramblings:
The Pele 1958 to 1970 award (aka player of the tournament): The top 3 (okay 4) players at this version of the World Cup:
Schweinsteiger: Gold star - Ugh, there I said it...painful for me to admit but the German was the best player in the tournament for me. He might not have scored the most goals or be the center of his team's offense, however he was the glue that held together a young German side. Without the Bayern Munich midfielder I doubt Germany would have retained their 3rd place crown. He was the engine for Germany - shutting down the opponent's midfield, launching German offense and adding creativity to the game. He completely took Messi out during the 4-0 thumping of Argentina, was a rock against England. While he was overshadowed against Spain, one could argue he did his job since Spain scored on a set piece but could not find the combination to the lock during open play. To me he was the most valuable player to his nation and the best player in the tournament.
Forlan: Silver star. The Uruguian was voted best player by FIFA. Scoring 5 goals and leading Uruguay to a surprise 4th place finish, the Atletico Madrid striker was clearly the offensive engine for Uruguay and its on field leader. He scored some vital goals - the equalizer against Ghana being the biggest. More importantly he always offered an offensive option for Uruguay and settled nerves when needed.
Robben: Bronze star. I have the Bayern man over his teammate - Sneijder (who was voted in second place by FIFA). Why? The Dutch winger was the creative catalyst for Oranje. I know Sneijder scored more, however Robben was the player that opponents had to plot on how to stop. This was never more apparent than against Brazil, while Sneijder scored both goals it was Robben that gave Brazil and Bastos in particular absolute fits. The winger's runs on the right forced the Samba boys to defend deeper and took away some of Bastos' marauding runs. Had Robben finished one of the 2 golden chances he had in the finals he would have been #1 on this list.
Villa: Bronze star II. Until the last two matches he was the entire Spanish offense...well at least the majority. Scoring 5 goals he was the savior of the Spanish on more than one occasion. He was a little silent in the finals, although had a sitter close in that he missed. The new Barcelona striker lived up to the hype, he is arguable the greatest striker Spain has ever had wear their colors.
The Raul award (aka great club player but forgot to pack this form for World Cup)
Rooney: Rooney came into this tournament with the hope of a nation on his shoulders. He was suppose to be the offensive force that would carry the Three Lions deep into this tournament. Oops. Zero goals from the ManU striker and a famous angry spew to a tv camera about the fans right to boo the team. Not sure if he was still suffering from some nagging injuries that slowed him down for his club, and to his credit he never used that as a crutch to his performance. But clearly he was a shell of Manchester United best this summer when he donned the three lion kit.
Drogba: Another EPL striker that was much fancied coming to South Africa. With only 1 goal scored the Ivory Coast striker had a poor World Cup and watched his nation leave after only 3 matches...after they were deemed as the nation carrying the hopes of Africa to go far into the tournament. Granted he suffered a broken arm in pre-tournament action, so kudos to him to tough it out. However he clearly did not live up to his lofty expectations nor those surrounding his nation.
Ribery: I could include all the French players...but the Kaiser sticks out to me. Coming to the World Cup many tabbed the Bayern winger as most likely to shine and carry Les Bleus. Unfortunately the Kaiser seemed to carry the French right to ignominy. His future with France is in question based on his actions off the pitch. His play on the pitch was not a glorious run either...he disappeared too often during the games.
Messi: Difficult to put the Argentine on this list, but without scoring a single goal it is difficult not to include Messi. Granted he was the center of much of the Argentine offense, but in the biggest match, against Germany, he was invisible. I would not rank him as "poor" as the others but still he did not live up to his lofty play for Barcelona.
Spain 1982 France v RFA semifinals award (aka best game of the tournament):
This was not a great tournament when it comes to outstanding matches, but the one that stuck out for me was the Brazil v Holland match. Once again the Samba Boys were heavily favorites heading into this tournament while the Dutch had a good qualifying run, but were not fancied to go too far in this tournament. This match started out with Brazil looking very dangerous getting an early goal from Robinho and could have added to their totals through Kaka, but were stymied. The second half was a complete change, with the Dutch pushing the Brazilian back line and defense. Bastos could not slow down Robben. Holland equalized on what seemed an innocuous ball from Sneijder. The got the 2nd goal on a great set piece from a corner. The excitement continued with Robben getting Melo sent off from a straight red card. The game ended with the Dutch wasting some late chances to add to their tally, but the swing in the game made for a great game. To me the most exciting game of the tournament, especially because it involved Brazil! Honorable mentions: USA v Slovenia and Italy v Slovakia.
Maradona 1986 second goal versus England award (aka best goals of the tournament):
The Van Bronckhorst goal against Uruguay was a laser blast that found its way to the upper 90...not bad for the old man of Oranje!
The Suarez goal against South Korea was a thing of beauty. Taking the ball from the left and cutting back to the center Suarez unleashed a curling right footed shot that found the far corner of the South Korean goal.
There was the cracker from Tevez against Mexico...similar to Maradona in 1986 he had a brace in this game - one goal was a fantastic goal and one was controversial. Of course the non-offside call was no where near as bad as the "hand of god" and the long range Tevez bomb was not the same as the amazing run Maradona demonstrated for his second goal versus England.
Finally the Maicon goal versus North Korea, not sure he meant to shoot or was really a miss hit cross...regardless it was a thing of beauty.
There were some other great goals - Muntari's ridiculous bomb against Uruguay in the 1/4 finals, Donovan's goal against Algeria, Tshabalala's opening goal for South Africa against Mexico, Ghana's Gyan scoring against the United States, Slovakia's Kopunek scoring on a cheeky throw in against Italy...and a handful of others.
The Spain prior to July 11 2010 award (aka disappointing nation of the World Cup)
France...um again need I saw anything that I haven't already?
Italy: The defending champions were nothing short of terrible. A draw versus New Zealand is all you need to remember. Trivia question, which nation at the 2010 World Cup left without a loss? New Zealand! The two finalists from 2006 finished last in each of their groups...sad.
Serbia: They were many pundits' "dark horses" other than a famous victory versus the Germans they left South Africa with a whimper.
Overall a great month of football, makes me look forward to the start of the club seasons! A few more random thoughts: most annoying player was Sergio Ramos for Spain, why? He seems to have a self sense of worth greater than that of Lebron James, and did anyone notice what a media hog he was at the finals? He basically pushed aside all his team mates so he could snatch the trophy from Casillas, it was also classic after the finals he used some water to fix his hair for the cameras. Biggest whiner on the pitch goes to Ramos' team mate Busquets. I have never seen a player always getting in the officials face for every little foul as if any time a Spanish player gets touched the offending player should be shown a straight red. After his play acting for Barcelona against Inter it is no surprise he gets this award! Whiniest team - Brazil. I will remember the 2010 World Cup's version of Brazil as a bunch of cry babies...whether it was Maicon or Robinho or Fabiano they seemed to flop and whine about everything. Usually that is reserved for the Italian team, maybe had the Azzurri gotten past the group stages they might have retained that title as well. Worst non call - tough, I will have to say the non call on the attempt by Puyol to physically tackle Robben late in the finals was a call that could have been made, but since Robben kept his run, Webb was correct to not make the call. But the real non call was the Lampard non goal. Even in real time it seemed as if the ball did cross the line, the fact the official did not even speak with his assistant referee made the non call that much worse. But it means it wins this award!
We now have to wait 4 years until we all see each other again in Brazil. Could Spain retain their title? Or will Brazil win their 6th title and first time since 1998 that the host has won the World Cup? What about Germany or Ghana? The two youngest nations in this year's tournament. Could Argentina make a serious run? What about the three lions?
Brazil will have to do some rebuilding, Kaka will be 32, Elano 33 and Robinho 30 of the younger members. The 5 time champions will have to look to the likes of Hulk and Pato to build around....and one thing we all know is the talent cupboard is never bare for Brazil. Spain has a young core - Iniesta 30, Cesc 27, Navas 28, Pedro 26, Torres 30, Pique 27, Ramos 28 at the next World Cup...scary. Even their keepers will be under 33 which is young for that position. They could be the team to beat again! Germany we all know about Muller will be 24, Ozil 25, Schweinsteiger 29, Kroos 24 at the next World Cup. Of course there will be a certain Lionel Messi will be 27 and in his prime...maybe he will have a manager that will figure out how to build a team around him.
4 years ahead of the next World Cup, I will put Brazil as the favorites. They have not reached past the 1/4 finals since 2002!! Playing on home turf will be huge motivation for the Samba Boys. As the host they are guaranteed an easy group and with the backing of their fans and some home cooking they will been seen as odds on favorites to win the title. How is that for a "bold" prediction 4 years ahead of the event!
