Quarter-Final Review

When I used to travel to matches in England this was invariably the first question I was asked when phoning to book a seat. Segregation was the buzzword. I was never able to give a satisfactory answer. In those days I didn’t have a team. I simply tried to watch what I considered to be the most interesting fixture of the day.

There are advantages in committing to the colours. Your view may still be prejudiced but not by the kind of obsession that distorts every tackle by the opposition into a foul and makes every referee’s negative decision a travesty of justice. The famous blank page headed “The Average Club Director’s Knowledge of Football” in Len Shackleton’s autobiography would surely expand to a second volume if entitled “The Average Bigoted Fan’s Knowledge of the Game”. I hasten to add that no reader of this column could possibly fall into that category.

Being uncommitted enables you to relish events that might plunge the partisan into depression. On April Fool’s Day 1991 I was fortunate enough to be at Selhurst Park when Niall Quinn scored a wonderful hat-trick of headers. The event is still a golden moment in my memory despite the fact that I had worn Crystal Palace’s colours in youth football. Disloyal? In my book, to adapt Shakespeare, the game’s the thing.

A decade on and Mr Quinn is still gracing the game, leaving his mark on the current World Cup. Alas, no hat trick of headers this time though – that accolade passes to Miroslav Klose. Polish born Klose could be the answer to the Germans’ long-term lack of a striker with pace, but Oliver Kahn is the real reason why they’re still in the competition. Robbie Keane’s last gasp equaliser for Ireland is the only goal he has conceded so far, despite a less than convincing defence in front of him. Klose has not been on the score sheet since the group stages and Germany’s progress through the second round and quarter finals has been by a niggardly one-nil margin on each occasion.

Against the outsiders from the USA, Germany looked a long way off the quality previous squads have brought to World Cup competitions. Outfought and outrun by the Americans, they had an early goal from Ballack and, of course, Kahn to thank for their ultimate survival. Germany is currently one of the World’s great soccer nations in name only. Normally a confrontation with South Korea would seem a formality; now it is uncertain whether trace memory will see them through the semi final challenge unexpectedly provided by their hosts. Much will depend on Kahn.

Another veteran keeper, David Seaman, was at the centre of England’s departure. But the decline really started with another, unheralded, episode in the Beckham metatarsus soap opera. About to become the victim of simultaneous scything tackles from opposite directions, the England skipper wisely bunny jumped his vulnerable feet out of the equation. No danger, the incident was out on the right touchline just inside the England half. Within seconds a swift Brazilian passing movement flatfooted the English defence and Rivaldo, on the right, took his opportunity with exquisite skill.

Until the equaliser, England had been impressive. Solid, well balanced, competitive and calm. None calmer than keeper Seaman, whose presence alone in goal after a long period out injured had brought a false sense of security. They deserved to lead after 22 minutes when an error by Lucio gave Owen the chance to pounce.

But after Brazil scored, the English team never regained its composure and lost the vital midfield battle to run the game. After the event some thought the Ronaldinho long-range free kick that won the game early in the second half was a miskick. Whatever, it was certainly an error of judgement on Seaman’s part. On the front foot for the cross, the England keeper could not adjust his position in time to prevent the ball curling over his head and into the far corner of his goal. The South Americans were ultimately comfortable winners anyway, but poor Seaman will nevertheless join Peter Bonetti in the ranks of England keepers whose errors against Brazil deprived their country of World Cup glory.

Like Germany, the Brazilians lack the pedigree of some of their predecessors. Like the Germans too, they struggled to qualify. The difference is that, since arriving at the finals, they have looked credible winners, adapting their discipline and style to the needs of each game. They have already played Turkey, their semi-final opponents, at the group stage and were fortunate to beat them 2-1. This is the match of the infamous “referred pain” incident where Rivaldo fell, clutching his head, after being struck on the leg by the ball and the Turks finished with nine men. A more experienced official will doubtless referee the semi-final, but Brazil will still start favourites.

Turkey, however, rate the stronger of the two European nations left in the competition. Such is the improvement in their national game, with many Turkish players strutting their stuff in major leagues, that they can no longer be considered soccer minnows. They ended their group stage with a convincing win over China and then comfortably eliminated Japan in the second round. Their quarter-final game with Sénégal, the tournament’s surprise team, could have gone either way and did indeed go into extra time before substitute Ilhan clinched victory with an excellent goal.

The substitution itself was a historic moment. The Turks had enjoyed the better chances but, with their captain and most famous player Hakan Sukur completely out of touch, capitalised on none of them. Hakan Sukur is such a legend in Turkey that it was a challenge for coach Gunes to take him off with the game still in the balance. But Sukur had not scored in five games, Gunes moved after 66 minutes, Ilhan revitalised the Turkish attack and went on to get the winner.

The coach is a key figure in the unexpected success story of the South Koreans, too. Guus Hiddink demanded priority for the national team when he took the job and the shutting down of the domestic league for a period of six months has been a key factor in their preparation. The unity of the squad, their mental toughness and extraordinary level of fitness probably make new standards for the World Cup. To quote my friend Shakespeare again, “the old order changeth, giving way to new”.

Where football is big business around the world, club comes before country. Clubs are big businesses and players are valuable assets. Major clubs’ match schedules are crowded and there is little incentive to release men to risk further exposure to fatigue and injury. Players are now colluding with their clubs to refuse international calls because of injury and retiring from the additional stress of international football to prolong their remunerative club careers.

As with the other aspects of this magical game it somehow survives its strictures. The administrative structure gives national associations the right to demand that their players should represent their countries. But it’s an uneasy relationship when the association is, at worst, old buffers in blazers and the club a plc. Instead of bemoaning the lack of enthusiasm clubs have for international calls it is a sad fact that we should, perhaps, be grateful they are as receptive to the glamour of the international arena as they are.

Sven-Goran Eriksson’s attempts to improve the quality of the England team rely on the opportunity to work with them as an unit as often as possible for as long as possible. With this in mind he has called for the Premiership to be reduced in size. It will be interesting to see whether he succeeds in his domestic reforms and, if he doesn’t, how long he will remain in what is an impossible task. Certainly there is no chance of the Premiership shutting down for six months before the next World Cup to give Eriksson an effective preparation schedule. In that respect the World Cup is already not a level playing field and Hiddink has the advantage. In the light of this knowledge it is no longer quite such a surprise that South Korea has done so well and the Cameroon squad, mercenaries playing all round the world with little connection with their national association except to dispute fees, went home after the group stage.

The South Koreans have also had several large slices of luck. Both the Italians and the Spaniards went home incensed after being robbed of victory over their hosts by errors from officials. Let me say at once that there is no sign of corruption; the problem seems to lie in the appointment of inexperienced linesmen. Overall, the refereeing standard has been encouraging so far. Commentator Barry Davies patronised the Egypt referee who was such a benign presence during the encounter between South Korea and Spain, wondering at his maturity under pressure. Mr Davies has obviously never been to an Egyptian league match!

The hosts’ other major advantage lies in their crowd, that red-choreographed wall that envelops their every effort, squealing with excitement, cheering the simplest catch from their keeper and emitting that strange prolonged gasp of apprehension mixed with disapproval when the opposition have the ball. No sense of detachment for them. Their team has already exceeded the ambitious expectations of their coach. Can they continue to confound? A final between Brazil and South Korea would be an exhilarating climax to this extraordinary World Cup.

Brian de Salvo