Justice. Retribution. Karma. Whichever way you look at it, I feel safe in assuming that nobody sees Laurent Blanc’s request to suspend France’s 23 World Cup players today as over stepping the mark. From the moment Thierry Henry handled the ball in Paris (and twice at that), the team as a whole were always going to face a struggle to prove to the world they deserved to be a participant of its premier tournament.                                                                                                  `

Nobody knows better than newly installed coach Laurent Blanc how precious playing at the World Cup is to a person. The defender was forced to watch the 1998 triumph from the sidelines thanks to Slaven Bilic’s melodramatics in the Semi-finals. The tournament should be the pinnacle of a player’s career and talking to the BBC, the ex- Man United player stated, “I obviously cannot act as if nothing had happened in South Africa. I followed the events with sadness, I was disappointed with the sporting results and I was shocked by certain behaviours.”

Blanc isn’t on his own in his criticism either. Fellow ’98 stars Lillian Thuram and Marcel Desailly both called for Evra to be expelled from the squad permanently while current goalkeeper Hugo Lloris has admitted that the decision to strike was “completely stupid”.

The man between the sticks told French sports newspaper L’Equipe: “We acted as a team. To strike was the decision of a squad who felt lonely, who believed that no-one had stood up for them and who had a message to convey.

“However we went too far. It was a big mistake, completely stupid. But there were so many problems. We all want to improve the image of Les Bleus. We must make all possible efforts and give everything. It’s important for us. We must go back to basics – respect the jersey, of course, the team and the institution of France.”

Now it hasn’t escaped my attention that Les Bleus were at the mercy of an incompetent oaf, who openly admitted to selecting players based on their star signs. The man should have been removed a long time ago, indeed he only kept his job following the Euro 2008 debacle after his proposal stunt seemed to somehow detract the French F.A from his inevitable sacking.

However, if the players were that strongly against the regime, it surely wasn’t hard to group together and override Domenech’s demands and play to how they were happy. It’s not an ideal scenario, but far more desirable than the path they did take. Patrice Evra was within his rights as captain to stand up for a wronged team-mate, but the quarrel should never have entered the public domain. It certainly shouldn’t have followed the team onto the pitch, not at this level.

To stand up for your team-mate is one thing but to utterly shame your country and fans who have parted with their hard-earned money in travelling far and wide in your support is disgusting. Let’s not forget that this was the second time in eight years that France have finished bottom of their group at the World Cup. The way it acted in front of the World’s media was nothing short of abhorrent.

All that’s left now is to look toward the future. A future that looks quite bright for the French. Now at the helm is a talented young manager who has four trophies to his name after just three seasons at Bordeaux. Furthermore, even without the 23 renegades, Blanc can still call on the likes of Karim Benzema, Samir Nasri, Hatem Ben Arfa and even Philip Mexes, a player too often overlooked by the overly-superstitious Domenech.

Nick Byrne

England v Germany
27 June 2010
Bloemfontein.  15.00
Germany 4-1 England

England:  James, Johnson (Wright-Phillips, 87 mins), Terry, Upson, Ashley Cole, Milner (Joe Cole, 64 mins), Lampard, Barry, Gerrard, Defoe (Heskey, 71 mins), Rooney.  Subs not used: Green, Dawson, Lennon, Crouch, Warnock, Carragher, King, Carrick, Hart.

Germany: Neuer, Lahm, Friedrich, Mertesacker, Boateng, Schweinsteiger, Khedira, Muller, Ozil (Kiessling 83 mins), Podolski, Klose.  Subs not used: Wiese, Jansen, Aogo, Tasci, Badstuber, Trochowski, Cacau, Kroos, Marin, Gomez, Butt, Joaechim.

Sunset in the savannah often brings with it colossal drama.

Predators begin to stir under the blood-red skies as they seek the prey that sustains them. Tension clings to the dusty arid air and the smell of adrenaline lingers in the scrubland. The hunt becomes a matter of life and death with the smallest of nuances often determining who survives to witness the dawn.

Last night was no exception. But it is the lions that awake hurt, hungry and nursing their wounds, their roars subdued by the blaring of the vuvuzelas.  It was scripted to be so. The World Cup has often been unkind to the inventors of the game and history has a tendency of dealing some rotten cards upon a nation that cares so deeply.

Clumsy commitment

The weight of expectation rested heavily on English shoulders. Talent gave way to fear and clumsy commitment as Germany split open England’s defence. In the 19th minute Miroslav Klose fed off his goalkeeper’s kick to slot the ball home. One wave produced another and it was not long before Lukas Podolski drilled the ball into the goal off the far post with Thomas Muller supplying the cross. Germany appeared to have done all that was necessary.

But Mathew Upson justified his place in the side in the 37th minute when he nodded Gerrard’s cross home from ten yards. A revitalised England came to life and played with greater zest and flair.  Nineteen sixty six was revisited just three minutes later, when Lampard hammered the ball against the underside of the bar and despite crossing the line by a good yard, play continued.

The team retired to the dressing room at half-time, baying for Sepp Blatter’s blood, but believing that they still had a chance. Needing a goal to level, the Lions launched a sustained attack on the German goal but in doing so exposed themselves to the counter attack.  Muller capitalised in the 67th minute to beat David James at the near post. And then just to rub some salt into an already deep wound, Mesut Ozil supplied Muller who put away his second just three minutes later. The Germans then controlled the remainder of the game with consummate ease to issue England with their heaviest ever World Cup defeat.

England will be on the plane home, Capello will be rueing the day he ever took on the England contract and Wayne Rooney will probably score a plethora of goals for his club next season.

Jason Mennell

Russian linesmen, the hand of god and Graham Poll all have one thing in common – World Cup controversy.

World Cup Finals are packed with controversy often before a ball has even been kicked. Keith Peacock, former player and coach of West Ham and Charlton will enjoy his 13^th World Cup when England travel to South Africa in June and he has witnessed his fair share of controversy along the way.

After experiencing his taste of the media spotlight in 1965 following ‘that’ appearance as the first ever substitute, Keith gave us his view on some of those World Cup moments never to be forgotten.

Bitter Rivalries

The year was 1962 and the clash involved hosts Chile and Italy. It was dubbed ‘The Battle Of Santiago’, not to be confused with the conflict between the American and the Spanish navy of 1898 which saw 2,000 Spaniards die. The game was refereed by Englishman Ken Aston and is described by many as the ugliest game in the history of the sport.

“We didn’t have a TV for the 58 finals so this game was really stuck in the memory. There was a bad tackle straight from kick off and it was a really shocking game of football,” said Keith.

The first foul came after 12 seconds and the first red card awarded after eight minutes. Italy finished the game with nine men after punches were thrown and only the pitch side police stopped the game from turning into a full scale riot.

BBC commentator David Coleman introduced the game as “the most stupid, appalling, disgusting and disgraceful exhibition of football, possibly in the history of the game.”

The 1966 finals go hand in hand with controversy mainly thanks to a certain Russian linesman. Geoff Hurst’s disputed goal on the 101^st minute to give England a one goal lead over West Germany left a huge question mark as to whether the ball did actually cross the line or not. Tofik Bakhramov, the linesman at that end of the pitch convinced the referee it had crossed the line after hitting the underside of the bar and the goal was given.

“Watching it on TV, my first reaction was a goal. We have seen replays since and it isn’t clear whether the whole ball crossed the line, so it was very brave of the linesman to give it,” said Peacock.

Although Hurst famously went on to complete his hat-trick it is felt that the goal was the turning point of the match and it remains a hotly debated World Cup event.

Dishonourable Decade

Controversy was particularly rife in the 80’s, the World Cup semi-final of 1982 between France and West Germany a classic example. German goalkeeper Harald Schumacher charged out to intercept a pass aimed for French attacker Patrick Battiston but clattered into the Frenchman at full force making no attempt to play the ball leaving him unconscious. Similar to a case of assault, Schumacher somehow managed not to give away a free kick and astonishingly escaped without any punishment whatsoever. France captain Michel Platini feared his teammate had died on the pitch due to the force of the tackle.

“It was a terrible tackle and Battiston was lucky to be able to walk again afterwards,” added Peacock.

Unsurprisingly the Germans progressed on penalties after a six–goal thriller, while Battiston ended the game with two less teeth and a damaged vertebra.

Moving onto Mexico and 1986, the phrase ‘hand of god’ left most Englishmen with a bitter taste in the mouth. The most controversial moment in World Cup history involved one of the most controversial players.

The infamous incident occurred during a quarter-final tie between England and Argentina when five-foot-five Diego Maradona found himself on the end of a miscued clearance by defender Steve Hodge and clearly palmed the ball into the back of the net after rising above six-foot-one goalkeeper Peter Shilton. Referee Ali Bin Nasser seemingly missed the handball and the goal stood.

“You could see there was something wrong as soon as he scored it. It was such a blatant handball the referee had no choice but to blow, however for some reason did not give the foul.”

“Typical English luck I suppose!” smiled Peacock.

Four minutes later Maradona scored what is recognised as one of the finest goals in history. The brilliancy was somewhat overshadowed by his earlier conduct.

Baffling

More obscure than controversial, the 1998 World Cup final revolved around Brazilian striker Ronaldo who created one of the biggest mysteries in football history after his name was left off the original team sheet only for it to re-emerge just in time.

The in-form striker failed to live up to expectations in the final, being outshone by France captain Zinedine Zidane who scored twice. Rumours of injury and sickness emerged prior to kick-off but it was eventually confirmed the Brazilian had suffered a fit in his sleep the night before the game.

“It was strange to see Ronaldo playing the way he did in the final, he was obviously not right and probably shouldn’t have played,” claimed Peacock.

Clearly not fully fit throughout the match, reports surfaced that Ronaldo was forced to play the final due to sponsorship demands from Nike, however this was later denied.

English referee Graham Poll starred in his own piece of World Cup controversy at the 2006 finals in Germany when he issued three yellow cards to the same player.

In a group game between Australia and Croatia, Poll had sent off two players before failing to issue a red-card to Croatian defender Josip Simunic following a second booking. Poll made the error after marking the first booking in the wrong column, therefore appearing as though Simunic had not been booked. To further Poll’s embarrassment he booked Simunic a third time after the final whistle for dissent which resulted in a later than scheduled red-card.

“It was slightly embarrassing for England and for English referees but Graham was a good ref and he did a lot to raise the profile of professional referees,” said Peacock.

From referees to linesmen and from goalkeepers to strikers, nobody is safe from controversy on the biggest stage of all. The World Cup is host to everything from delightful to disgusting.

Cameroon go into the 2010 World Cup knowing that any extended run in the competition would be an impressive feat for an African team.

Since the inaugural World Cup in 1930, only Cameroon and Senegal have been as far as the quarter-finals of the tournament, out of as many as 12 African teams to have played a part in the competition through the years.

In five appearances at the World Cup, it is surprising to see that ‘The Indomitable Lions’, as they are dubbed in their homeland, have struggled to progress to such an extent. Fans and pundits alike believe that this year, Cameroon are capable to go beyond the group stages of the tournament for the first time since 1990, crashing out of Italia ’90 to eventual semi-finalists England.

Experience

Manager Paul Le Guen has included experience, youth and proven performers in his provisional 30-man squad. Rigobert Song, the country’s most capped player of all time with 135 appearances, will compete in his fourth and final World Cup having announced his international retirement with effect from when the competition finishes.

Song’s cousin, Alex Song, at just 22-years-old, holds down a regular starting place in the team having established himself in recent years at Arsenal as a player suited to the big stage. Samuel Eto’o, of 2010 Champions League finalists Inter Milan, is Cameroon’s most prolific ever goal scorer, with 44 goals from 94 caps.

The Cameroon squad is not short of established names. Geremi, once of Real Madrid, Chelsea and Newcastle, will play in defence with Tottenham duo Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Sebastien Bassong. Lyon midfielder Jean Makoun is another familiar name to make the cut.

French boss Le Guen is hardly short of experience, either. Having won Ligue 1 three consecutive times with Lyon between 2002 to 2005, the former Rangers manager will fancy his chances with a squad possessing the ability to potentially be a force to be reckoned with.

Home advantage

Cameroon go into the World Cup as the highest ranked African team in the competition, and the significance of the tournament being held on African soil for the first time is to be regarded as an historic event, author Bea Vidacs explains.

“For all Africans this World Cup has enormous significance because this is the first time it is held on African soil.  Most likely this fact is going to give them a psychological advantage because they will absolutely want to show the world what African players are capable of.  But I think this will be a positive factor for all the African teams, not just for Cameroon, and South Africa will also have the home team advantage.”

In Group E with the Netherlands, Japan and Denmark, there is hope that Cameroon can go one better than the 1990 quarter-final shock. Bea Vidacs continues.

“Not many countries in the world have managed to reach the Quarter Finals of the World Cup, and in Africa, Cameroon’s 1990 performance has only been matched by one other country, Senegal in 2002.  I think Cameroonians would be quite happy if the Lions repeated that achievement this time.  With the proviso that anything is possible in football, I think it is unlikely that the Lions will do better in 2010 than the 1990 team.

“It is not easy to predict how the Lions are going to fare in the World Cup.  They are good players and have the talent to go far.  Much depends on how well organised the preparations are and that there should be unity on the team.  They have a chance to reach the second round, beyond that it is hard to predict.

“Given the pool they are in, Cameroon has a chance to pass on to the second round, but Ghana may surprise too, and of course the Bafana Bafana [South Africa] will have the entire country behind them.”

African ascendancy

A record number of six African teams are represented at the 2010 World Cup, topping 2006’s record of five as rank outsiders South Africa, currently ranked 90^th in the FIFA world rankings, the lowest of all teams in the Cup, are given automatic qualification to the competition as hosts. Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Ghana and Algeria make up the other African teams.

Although unlikely the two teams should meet in the World Cup, given the set up of fixtures, a deep-rooted rivalry with France remains for Cameroon, stemming from colonial roots dating back to the early 20^th century.

Bea Vidacs comments on the potential of a match up between the two countries. “Meeting the former coloniser in the World Cup is always of tremendous significance to a team.  In such cases the match takes on symbolic meanings that go well beyond the actualities of the match in question.

“In fact such a match is even of great importance to the population of other former colonies, not just the country whose team actually confronts the former colonial power.  Such a match is an occasion for people to rethink their history and to reevaluate their relationship to the former colonisers.

 “Cameroonian fans will be much more interested in the fate of their own team and that of the other African teams than that of France.  France often evokes either negative or ambivalent feelings in many Cameroonians.  People also have individual preferences and support other great teams such as Brazil or Italy.”

 Having made their World Cup debut in 1982, Cameroon mark the 2010 tournament as their sixth, a record number for any African team. Having missed out on the 2006 World Cup after failing to qualify, the team will be hoping to make up for their absence with a strong display this year.

 Bea Vidacs adds: “These players are professionals, they are used to getting up and restarting.  I don’t think the disappointment of 2006 will have any bearing on the results of 2010.”

The world has watched South Africa prepare for the continent’s first World Cup. But the Ivory Coast have been busy building a strong and unified squad. One which, with a bit of luck, could go all the way in this year’s tournament.

Cote d’Ivoire, or the Ivory Coast as it’s known in English, currently boast it’s finest generation of players. Chelsea’s Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou and Manchester City’s captain, Kolo Toure, will be a few of the big names lining up against Portugal on the 15th June.

Not only will this star-studded squad go in to the tournament packed with talent on the field, they will also be under the guidance of former England manager: Sven-Goran Eriksson. Nicknamed “The Elephants”, the West African country will charge in to the tournament with their tusks razor sharp.

But as with most people, African football is not my forte. With the Ivory Coast looking to establish themselves amongst the big boys of world football, it may be time to get to know our African cousins a bit better.

‘Civil War’

Côte d’Ivoire is a young country, only gaining complete independence from French rule in 1960. With the development of their main export, cocoa beans, and large amounts foreign investment, it quickly established itself as one of the most prosperous West African states.

But like we’ve seen so many times in Africa, political corruption has been at the forefront of the country’s downfall. In October 2000, leader Robert Guei rigged an election and declared himself the winner. This led to a number of riots and a military coup in which 180 people died.

Unfortunately this was just the start of a number of military coups on the Ivoirian Government. September 2002 saw the start of the Ivoirian Civil War which continued for 5 years. With the help of The UN, March 2007 saw a successful peace deal signed by the government and the rebels. But political unrest still exists and riots and coup attempts remain common place.

Cote d’Ivoire has also had it’s share of religious-related problems. Muslim migrants from less developed countries have been the source of major conflict issues with the majority of Ivoirians being Christian. Muslims do not receive the same rights as Ivoirian nationals and this has also caused many riots, protests and political unrest.

The country, estimated to have a population of 21 million, has struggled to develop at its earlier rate as the civil war deterred all but a few foreign investors. Most of the population now rely on the production and sale of cocoa beans, in which they are the largest producer in the world.

The country’s GDP has therefore always depended on the price fluctuations of cocoa. Their most reliable source of income remains their limited offshore oil reserves. The country has now become completely dependent on such unreliable and non-renewable sources of income, providing over 70% of the nation’s total exports.

But it’s not all doom and gloom for this developing country. Whilst so many things like politics and religion have torn the people apart, football and the national team are always looking to bring them back together.

15 teams now play in their well-attended ‘Ligue 1’ and a number of the national side now play for the dominating teams in Spain, England and France. Salomon Kalou and, Côte d’Ivoire captain, Didier Drogba have just won the league and cup double with Chelsea; the latter picking up the Golden Boot in the process. Yaya Toure, brother of Kolo, has also just won La Liga with Barcelona.

But despite the players enjoying domestic success, Côte d’Ivoire have failed to do such a thing on the international stage. The African Cup of Nations in Angola this year was ended in massive disappointment. Despite being strong favourites, Côte d’Ivoire were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Algeria.

Powerful Elephant’s defender, Sol Bamba, knows the team has been underachieving. He said: “The African Cup of Nations is something we always feel we should win. We let ourselves and the nation down. Now we have the World Cup, the best stage possible, to redeem ourselves.”

“Underachieving”

Of course underachieving has been commonplace in world football. A Brazilian team with Zico and Socrates, and a Holland side inspired by Johan Cruyff both went without winning a World Cup. And a France side defending a world crown with the likes of Henry, Vieira and Zidane crashed out at the group stage in 2002.

This generation of Elephants now risk falling in to the same bracket, having not won a single major title. Not winning anything with such a talented squad will be considered a massive waste and they know they may never have such a good chance to excel.

Despite being in the “group of death” containing Brazil, Portugal and North Korea, the pressure is now mounting on this team to perform, not only from the Ivorian people but by the entire continent.

Bamba said: “We want to do well for the continent as well as our country. We are fully aware of the expectation and we hope to thrive under the pressure. The African people are looking for us to show the world that an African team are capable of winning the World Cup.

“Didier Drogba”

“We’ve set our sights on the first game with Portugal. That’s going to be massive for the team as we consider ourselves on a level playing field. We want to get a win from the first game and then beat Korea which should send us through. Brazil are going to be tough so Portugal is the key fixture.”

Didier Drogba has been citied as key to their success in South Africa. He is Côte d’Ivoire’s all time top scorer and the heartbeat of the team. Not only is he Ivory Coast’s most influential player but he is also seen as the symbol of African Football. “He is definitely our most threatening player, he ‘s in the form of his life at the moment and it brings confidence to the whole team knowing he is leading the line.” Bamba said.

If the Ivory Coast can steer clear of injury and find a way to use their huge amount of quality, maybe Sven Goran-Eriksson can do for them what he failed to do for us and win them the World Cup.

They’ve had years to blend together and with many players like Drogba reveling in the prime of their careers, the stage is set for the fiery orange of Côte d’Ivoire to set the world alight.

With a metatarsal injury scare to John Terry, Rio Ferdinand struggling to get back to full fitness and Wayne Bridge leaving himself out of the squad, Daniel Jacobs talks to Oxford United defence coach Mickey Lewis about England’s crisis at the back and the problems they will face in South Africa.

As reports came in that John Terry had damaged his metatarsal, the entire nation prepared for the worst, fearing the Chelsea skipper would be out for the World Cup.

Once it was thought Terry would be out, the question was asked, do England have a strong enough defence to take to South Africa?

Micky Lewis, coach for Oxford United

Although Terry was given the all-clear and would be fit to play, it has appeared that England’s defence could be a weak link, in what on paper looks a very strong side.

Mickey agreed: “I believe that the strongest area in the England team has always been their defence, however, this year I’m not so sure.

“It is definitely a boost that Terry is fit. He is a leader and even though he lost the England captaincy I believe he still carries a huge influence in the team and that’s what you want from your centre-backs. It’s who should play next to Terry that will be interesting.”

Who should partner Terry?

In the named 30-man provisional squad, Rio Ferdinand, Ledley King, Michael Dawson, Mathew Upson and Jamie Carragher will all be in contention to play alongside Terry. Ferdinand is favourite to partner Terry, however, Mickey is concerned whether he will be fit enough to play.

“Ferdinand’s fitness may be a bit of a concern, but I think with the group fixtures we have got he won’t be troubled too much. Although it is good that we will have decent back-up for him on the bench, as we are probably going to need it.”

England have a number of options to replace Ferdinand if required, although Oxford United’s defence coach admits that each replacement has his flaws.

“Ledley King is a very good centre-back. He has had an excellent season with Tottenham, but his fitness is questionable. He usually can’t play two games in a week, so how would he cope with the fixtures?

“With Upson, he has been the current stand-in for Ferdinand but after watching him play for West Ham this season I think he needs to get his confidence back.

“Dawson is a bit of a wild-card. I thought he had a good season with Tottenham, but he is an International rookie. Personally I think he will be cut from the squad anyway.

“Carragher is a good choice. I like him because he has the experience and I would say he is a utility player. But I think he would be used as full-back rather than a centre-back”.

It is the full-backs that are the problem

Despite the problems at centre-back, Mickey believes that it is the full-back positions that may cause England the most problems.

Mickey explained: “Ashley Cole getting injured and missing most of the season wasn’t ideal for England but I thought he was going to miss the World Cup altogether, so even though he hasn’t had much playing time it is still good to see him in the side.

“I don’t think England have a problem in Cole. He is a good defender but to add to that he is also a good attacker. He provides support down the wing and I believe that is a good asset to have. When coaching I encourage the full-backs to get forward and support the midfield.

“However, I think the problem for England will be the right-back position with Glen Johnson. Although I like the fact that Johnson gets forward and attacks, sometimes I wonder if he forgets he’s a defender. Also if England play a half-fit Ferdinand then we need the full-backs to help out as much as possible. If Johnson doesn’t provide the cover then England will be in trouble.”

Although Cole is back fit for the trip to South Africa, Mickey was still disappointed that Wayne Bridge didn’t reconsider playing again for England and believes that Bridge is an excellent player.

“From a coach’s point of view, I think losing Bridge is disappointing, especially for the reason why he left. Bridge is a good full-back and even though he doesn’t get in the England starting XI he is still a good man to have on the bench. Unfortunately, with him gone England have had to look elsewhere for another replacement full-back.”

The other full-backs in the 30-man provisional squad were Leighton Baines and Stephen Warnock, but Mickey is worried that they are both too inexperienced.

“They are both good full-backs, my only worry is that they are new to the international game. Playing at the World Cup, in my opinion, is the biggest footballing stage. I would feel a lot more comfortable having someone with more experience.”

We can still win the World Cup

Although it is apparent that England have a few defence problems, Mickey is optimistic about their chances.

“We have been given a very kind draw, and also to add to that the way the groups have been laid out means we miss some pretty big teams like Brazil until the Semi-Finals. I know you have to beat the best to be the best but I believe England have a real shot at winning the World Cup.”

IT WAS A TENSE moment when Sepp Blatter stood up in front of the TV cameras in Zurich on the 15^th of May, 2004. The Fifa president was announcing to the public who would host the 2010 football World Cup.

The result prompted the great man himself, even at 85 years of age, to revel in victory. “I feel like a young man of 15. The World Cup will help unify people, if there is one thing on this planet that has the power to bind people, it’s soccer,” announced Nelson Mandela.

Unfortunately, when you look past the excitement and cultured environment that SA will bring to the tournament, there is one problem that will not go away. Crime.  

Crime is rising in South Africa less than nine months before the country hosts the World Cup. The crime rate is among the highest in the world and remains one of the major anxieties overshadowing the biggest sporting event ever to be held on the continent. With fans safety at risk, ticket sales are already down on what the authorities would have hoped.

So will the tournament be overshadowed by crime? Dr Johan Burger, who spent 36 years in the South African police force and is now a senior researcher in crime and justice for the Institute of Security Studies, does not think so.

“Unfortunately, some media reports appear to sensationalise the problem and feed existing anxieties around crime. Violent crime is a huge concern but should be understood in the proper context. It is not mentioned that 80% of murders happen within a very specific social environment (mainly poor communities) where victims and attackers know each other. This does not pose a threat to visitors,” said Burger.

Statistics

The statistics are not pretty viewing. Two point one million serious crimes were reported last year with the overall crime level rising by nought point two percent from the previous year. Sexual offences have risen by ten per cent, car jacking by eight per cent and burglaries by 14.8 per cent (combining results for business and residence theft). However, good progress is being made as common assault is down by four per cent and the murder rate fell by three per cent although 18,148 people were still murdered. It is easy to see why some fans would prefer to stay in the comfort of their own front living room.

In Rustenburg, where the England squad will be based, crime is also on the increase with street robbery the main threat. “Street robbery is the only real concern. Criminals will look at the World Cup and all its visitors as a huge opportunity. Although victims in this instance stand to be threatened with firearms or knives, chances are they will not be harmed unless they resist,” added Burger.

Issues have been raised even greater since the horrifying attack on the Togo national side in Angola at the African Cup of Nations. The team was attacked with gunmen killing the assistant coach and leaving eight wounded. The attack serves a stark reminder that high profile international events are hugely attractive for terrorist groups and criminals. Officials were quick to dismiss the claims that this sort of attack will happen in SA, something that Burger was also insistent on:

“South Africa has prepared adequately. In Angola they have a liberation movement which has been around for years deciding to exploit an international event for their gain – we do not have that kind of situation. It is unfair to conclude that the incident in Angola now raises questions about the security here,” he said.

SA Police force

One thing that is for certain is the Police are doing everything possible to make sure the event runs smoothly. One hundred and nine million pounds has been spent on security with over 41,000 new security guards being trained to go along with the 700 police officers who will patrol the stadiums. The ISS is sure the SA police (SAPS) will be able to handle the fans.

“I have no doubt. Since the successful Cricket World Cup in 2003 the SAPS have increased by over 60,000 members and they have acquired some of the most sophisticated equipment. They have also involved the French national police in the training of crowd control units. The additional resources will also enable the police to increase their visible presence much wider than only at venues,” said Burger.

The SAPS have also launched a fitness regime to battle obesity. The new measures for officers will enable them to be fit enough to tackle any situation. “The security plan of the police is comprehensive and impressive. It provides for all kinds of contingencies such as natural and man made disasters, hooliganism, rioting, protest marches and crime in general,” explained Burger.

 SA is ready

South Africa will be only the second country in the world to have hosted the cricket, rugby and football World Cups. The tournament begins on the 11^th June and the bafana bafana will be hoping it runs as smoothly as the Confederations Cup help in 2009. The event officially passed the test with only 39 incidents of crime with no major security breach occurring.

The main crime that did occur was theft, especially wallets and mobile phones. Special detective teams were employed to ensure criminal activity was kept to a minimum. All participating teams were protected and escorted at all times. The whole of South Africa was very proud of how the tournament was run. “Because of the high crime levels in South Africa and the International attention, the authorities have gone out of their way to make sure that we have all the necessary resources,” said Burger.

Of course there is still room for improvement. With several hundred thousand football fans expected to travel to SA in June, the reality is that a few muggings and robberies are inevitable. If, however, this is the worst security incident of the month long tournament, the tournament will be deemed a success. And one thing is for sure, once the tournament gets underway the only focus is going to be who is winning the matches.

“I think that once the tournament gets going all the attention will be on the sports and the excitement it will generate and crime will become less of an issue,” concluded Burger.

Italian dictator Benito Mussolini saw the 1934 World Cup as a chance to spread fascist propaganda. He categorically succeeded.

In 1934, football was emerging as an international sport around which national identities could be moulded and manipulated; it had become the sport to represent nations on the world stage.

No sooner had Italy been given the rights to host the tournament, fascist leader Benito Mussolini began to assert his power with every aspect of its organisation. He was determined to gain political advantage and demonstrate his regime’s achievements and creative potential, not only to Italians but the rest of the world.

Il Duce saw football, and more importantly the World Cup, as an opportunity to promote his nation and gain international prestige.

Mussolini’s azzurri

Professor John Foot, who has written on the history of Italian football and is a reader in Modern Italian History at University College London, believes Mussolini knew exactly what political impact a successful tournament could have.

“Mussolini was acutely aware of the powers of propaganda in shaping public opinion. He recognised that as the sport of the masses, he could use football to gain the support of a nation,” said Foot. “Mussolini had a desire to propagate his images of the ‘new Italian’ as courageous, physically attractive, vigorous and sporting.”

A regular spectator at Rome’s Nazionale stadium during the tournament, the dictator made the 1934 World Cup his Berlin Olympics. He used the platform of football and the spectacle of the World Cup to showcase Italy and trumpet his Fascist regime to the world.

The Italian team were ‘Mussolini’s azzurri’. Indeed such was the desire of the leader to showcase his country’s strengths, he even had an additional trophy commissioned – the Coppa Del Duce, whose dimensions dwarfed the FIFA trophy. FIFA President at the time Jules Rimet was quoted as saying, “FIFA are not organising this tournament, he [Mussolini] is.”

Mussolini taking control

Though the tournament was a huge success for the regime, it wasn’t without its fair share of controversy.

“In the majority of countries the World Cup was called a sporting fiasco, because besides the desire to win, all other sporting considerations were thrown out of the window. Italy naturally wanted to win, but they allowed it to be seen all too clearly,” explained Foot.

Not content with home advantage, Mussolini decided which referees would officiate at each match, something that would prove decisive in his quest for victory.

In the quarter-final replay against Spain, the behaviour of the referee immediately aroused suspicion of corruption. A series of contentious decisions in Italy’s favour ensured the hosts progressed, eventually. Mussolini’s intervention was working to perfection.

Italy’s opponents in the semi-finals however, threatened to upset il Duce’s plans. The pre-tournament favourites Austria were renowned for their stylish play and prodigious talent.

However, the Austrian’s were up against more than a quagmire of a pitch and a determined Italian team. They were also up against the referee chosen by…. il Duce.

“Mussolini appointed a young Swedish official for the game, and allegations were rife that [Ivan] Eklind had been bribed ahead of the game. Indeed, it is heavily thought that the pair had dinner together the night before the match to ‘talk tactics’,” Foot said.

One report even stated that the referee was seen intercepting a pass by an Austrian player and heading the ball back to the Italians.

Despite that, things weren’t easy for the Italians and they relied on a contentious goal that many believed was offside. Nevertheless, Italy and Mussolini were through to the final.

The final

The national stadium of the fascist party in Rome was set to be the scene of Mussolini and his nation’s greatest propaganda triumph.

On June 10, the whole of Italy stood still when ‘Mussolini’s azzurri’ and Czechoslovakia clashed in the final. Cheered on by the whole of his nation the only thing now standing in Mussolini’s way was a talented, but relatively inexperienced, Czechoslovakian side.

Amazingly the fascist leader again insisted that Eklind, who officiated the semi-final so contentiously and clearly in Italy’s favour, would referee the game.

“The Czech team knew from the start they would have the Italian team, the crowd and more importantly the referee against them,” explained Foot.

During the final, the Italian coach Vittorio Pozzo used a militaristic approach to spur on his team, describing his players as soldiers and the matches as battles.

Throughout the game Italy’s aggressive style of play went unpunished. The scores were level at 1-1 after the regulation ninety minutes and so the match went into extra-time. Angelo Schiavio was to be the Italian hero as he scored the goal that won the first World Cup in his country’s history.

“The victory in Rome, more than anything else, cemented the popularity of Mussolini,” added Foot.

Such successes were uniting the Italian public behind the regime and symbolised the rise of the Fascist Italian nation. The national glory was related to Mussolini’s role, ‘The Duce’s congratulations for the great success of the Italian players’, was one headline after the tournament.

The closing ceremony of the tournament possessed other features that mixed fascist themes with the appearance of international approval, with the fascist anthem ‘Giovinezza’ playing loudly throughout the stadium.

For the Italian people to celebrate the victory was to celebrate fascism. The 1934 World Cup will be remembered for, perhaps unfortunately, propaganda for a fascist state and a fascist regime. Mussolini realised before anyone that: to manipulate football is to manipulate the masses.

The more sceptical wondered if Italy would have won anywhere else in the world. Four years later, they would get their answer.

This country has seen its fair share of ups and downs throughout the years, which began long before Beckham kicked out at Diego Simone and long before Gazza started crying. So why are we still surprised when an England player does something humiliating on the pitch, has a moment of madness, or quite simply isn’t having the same game as he’s been having in the Premier League?

A certain expectation

It because England fans have a certain expectation of their team that they should be producing quality football at the highest standard all the time, regardless of the talent that is on the pitch. England could be ranked 87^th in the world with Wes Brown as our key player and we would still be expected to go out and beat Germany. Why? Because we have done it before.

And when the teams playing well, the praise generally falls on England’s captain for having such wonderful leadership skills on the pitch and in the dressing room. This may be true, but is it not also true that there are 10 other players on the field?

In 1966, Geoff Hurst scored a fantastic hat-trick in the World Cup Final against West Germany to bring the Jules Rimet Trophy home, but who lifted it first? Captain Bobby Moore’s face is remembered in that famous picture that sees his teammates lift him into the air, and sure he had a good game but didn’t Hurst, with the help of a certain Russian linesman, score three of the goals that helped us win the game?

Moore v Beckham

The point being here that Bobby Moore is considered by many to be the greatest captain in the national team’s history, mainly because he was captain when England won its one and only World Cup. England Supporters Group member Mark Perryman said: “I’m not sure what Bobby Moore actually added to that ’66 team apart from being a damn good defender. The role of the captain is an overestimated job that should be done by a good manager.”

However, in sport as in life, those who achieve notable success aren’t fully appreciated until they pass away, and the same could be said about David Beckham. With 59 of his 115 England caps coming with an armband, Mr. Beckham has seen some great moments as England captain, and has actually created some of them too.

Without David, its unlikely England would have been subjected to another brutally heartbreaking exit at South Korea 2002. It was his signature free-kick in the 93^rd minute against Greece that sent us to the World Cup on the 6^th Oct 2001. A mark of a good captain, or a good player?

It is also true that David Beckham lead the side to one of their most historic and satisfying victories in recent history, the famous 5-1 thrashing of Germany at Wembley. Despite not scoring, Beckham was a talisman throughout, perhaps like Bobby Moore was in 1966.

“Beckham was a good captain because he had more of a media role and was able to get people unaware of national football to develop an interest in it. I was at the 5-1 game and Beckham has an energy that runs right through the team.” States Mark Perryman.

Moore and Beckham are not the only candidates though. You could make a decision based on facts and statistics. Billy Wright is the highest capped England player to have worn the armband with 90 appearances – the same as Bobby Moore. Or maybe even Cuthbert Ottoway, the first player in the history of football to have worn the armband in an international match for England; coming on the 30^th November 1872 against Scotland.

England’s greatest captain can be defined in many ways, but what is the best way to make a decision? Mark Perryman explains: “You could almost suggest that England’s best captain has been when England have done best, be it the 1966 World Cup win, 1990 Italia World Cup semi-final and so on. It that sense, you would suggest Bobby Moore or Gary Lineker.”

It is also possible that England’s greatest captain has yet to have been found. John Terry has a superb record as England skipper and brought years of captaincy experience to the team from Chelsea. Yet, despite the long and controversial dismissal he received from Fabio Capello recently, it’s unlikely Terry will find himself in the captain’s hall of fame: “I don’t respect John Terry as a player or as an individual” Blasts Mark Perryman, “but I don’t think Terry should be judged so harshly when 50% of marriages end in divorce anyway, so it’s likely half the men out there do what he did anyway.”

South Africa

With the current uncertainty over the captaincy, and with the World Cup in South Africa fast approaching, it might be possible for Terry to get a recall, with very few candidates good enough to fill his boots: “A captain should be a player that is regarded as undroppable. In that sense, I would not pick Steven Gerrard., I think Rio Ferdinand is most likely to get the job this summer, although my personal choice would be Ledley King.”

 Rio Ferdinand, Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard have all been rumoured to be next in line, but are any of them good enough to lead the team like Moore or Beckham did?

 Perhaps if Beckham were fit, he could also have been a contender to take the armband back: “I think you need a consistent key player to be captain, and Beckham is probably the best impact substitute in the world.”

 The fact that Beckham has been offered a coaching role at the World Cup as part of Fabio Capello’s backroom team is a testament to the respect he commands from his fellow players and the coach himself. Having been in the England side for over 12 years now, remembering his embarrassing exit from World Cup 1998 against Argentina and the backlash he received then from England fans, it shows how far he has had to come to win the fans around. Now, as a leading ambassador for England’s 2018 World Cup bid, there would have been no better captain in the World Cup.

 For Beckham at least, it isn’t to be. One miserable night in Italy made sure of that. But there are many other hopefuls, none of which however are likely to hold on to the armband for long.

 At the moment, the sun has set on the England side, with a decent team but no-one to lead them out onto the pitch and keep their heads in the game. We must remember that Beckham managed it with some level of success in 2006 despite the glamorous release from the field that the WAGs provided. But there is hope for the future of English football, as bright young talent continues to burst through the seams and provide hope that the sun will soon rise again around the England captaincy: “The future of the England captaincy looks set to be firmly in Wayne Rooney’s hands, with very few under-21 players able to break through and take it. Rooney is most likely to be captain in the not too distant future.”

IF AN AUSTRALIAN was asked which sporting event was going to be the most important to the people of Australia in 2010, then the answer would be the Ashes in the winter. However, for the first time in their history, the Australian football team have qualified for consecutive World Cups and will be looking to build on their 2006 performance.

A Frustrating History

‘The Socceroos’ as they are known in the world of international football have endured a frustrating past. They had only qualified twice for the World Cup prior to 2010 in South Africa but they have fallen at the final hurdle on many other occasions.

Serbian born manager Rale Rasic guided the Aussies to their first World Cup in West Germany 1974. The side however came up against the hosts, East Germany and Chile in the group stages. The side that was full of non-professional players apart from legend Johnny Warren struggled and only claimed one point against the Chileans and failed to score a goal in the competition.

From the 1994 competition in the USA, to South Korea in 2002, the national side endured pain and heartbreak in not qualifying for the competition at its final qualification stage. Despite being the dominant force in the Oceania qualification system, they have always found it tough in the play-offs against South American or Asian opposition. They suffered a heart-wrenching defeat to Argentina in 1994 before losing to Iran in 1998 and Uruguay in 2002.

Their luck finally changed when under the guidance of World Cup expert Guus Hiddink, they qualified for the finals in Germany. With an experienced squad of players including the likes of Mark Viduka and Harry Kewell, they made it beyond the group stages to face Italy in the second round. Hiddink’s side put in a valiant performance and forced the game to extra-time when Fabio Grosso won a controversial penalty for the Italians which Francesco Totti tucked away as the Australians suffered yet more heartbreak.

An Evolving Sport?

Despite being the number one sport around the planet, the sport has yet to have the same country-uniting effect down under. Other sports such as cricket, rugby union and the unique aussie rules have always taken a driving seat in the hearts of the Australian public. There was hope after the last tournament that the sport may have given a boost after the country’s improved performance however BBC commentator Steve Wilson disagrees with this.

“It’s the fifth biggest sport in the country, and I don’t think it is ever going to be as big as the other four,” commented Wilson who will be commentating on Australia for the BBC in South Africa.

With most youngsters in Australia being brought up to follow sports such as Aussie Rules, it has often been amongst the immigrants from Europe that the sport has been most popular.

“The sport has become more popular down under due to the big population of Serbians within the Australian society,” stated Wilson.

There has been a massive reform in the infrastructure of Australian football in recent years.  The Australian Football Association was disbanded in 2004 in favour of the creation of a new league, the A-League.

The league is formed of ten teams from Australia and one from neighbouring New Zealand. However the league has yet to have an effect on the game in Australia with attendances falling since it’s inaugural season and the average attendance for a game is around 10,000.

This could be the reason why the side hasn’t really improved and that the 2010 squad is very similar to that of 2006.

“It is an interesting A-League set up but it hasn’t produced any home-grown talent for the country and there are no youngsters coming through into the set-up,” said Wilson.

The league hasn’t really attracted any big name stars and the only player to have made the trip down under is England veteran Robbie Fowler. Which could lead many to believe that the league may start to become an alternative retirement home for European players, who have up till now being using the USA as the place to end their careers with players such as David Beckham making the trip across the Atlantic.

Tough Prospects

Australia breezed through their qualification group for the competition in South Africa. They finished top of their group, clear by five points to their nearest rivals Japan. Another Dutchman, Tim Verbeek, now manages the side. Verbeek was the assistant coach to Hiddink in South Korea when he guided the side to the semi-finals, and he was also Hiddink’s right hand man in 2006 so he is not short of experience.

The draw hasn’t been kind to the Australians this year, they have been drawn alongside three-time World Champions Germany, Serbia who finished ahead of France in their qualifying group and Ghana who are one of the African sides who could cause an upset in the competition.

Wilson believes that they have been drawn in a mini group of death and that it will be tough for them to get out of.

“The group has levelled up with the absence of Ballack for Germany, but Australia haven’t moved on a lot since 2006 and it is still the similar squad with the absence of Viduka.”

There are a lot of players from the Premiership that will be travelling to South Africa with the squad such as the experienced Mark Schwarzer, Brett Emerton and Vince Grella but they will be looking to one-man in particular to try and help them through the group stages.

“Everton’s Tim Cahill is the star,” said Wilson. “I however unfortunately don’t think that they will get out of the group stages. Serbia are a strong, organised unit and Ghana have a good blend of youth and experience in their side and will be tough to beat.”

Despite being an ageing Australian side, Tim Verbeek’s side need a good performance in South Africa to try and give football a boost down under, and promote the new league set-up to try and advertise the game to the youths so that they can start bringing new young players through their system.