One man's meat is another man's posion. Or is it? For some reason, I just can't stop being amused at one comment which immediately led me to think - Mourinho, watch out! When Chelsea midfielder and Germany captain was being asked on which coach he preferred to work with - it's his current national boss Joachim Loew. Definitely music to the national coach's ears, given he once said in an interview on something like he had never like Ballack being at Chelsea.
"Joachim Loew comes up with a training concept in his head and explains it in crystal-clear terms to his players," Ballack told German Sunday newspaper The Berliner Morgenpost.
"That helps us move forward as a team. He really is the perfect trainer.
"I can say that because I have already worked with a lot of coaches in my career." (http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=afp-fblgerengballack&prov=afp&type=lgns)
So while the 'Special One' (Jose Mourinho, that is) is not bothered at that, it's business at usual in the Euro 2008 qualifiers. Ballack's comment was only revealed the day after his fellow national teammates (he's injured and was not fit in time) scored six against minnows San Marino last Saturday. By the time the match was shown here live (it was on SuperSports Plus instead, not the SuperSports I had found out initially), it's Sunday. Time difference, you know. And I didn't tear my hair when I saw who's in action against San Marino.
Like many, I was expecting another goal-fest (it was 13-0 the last time round the two sides met) in Nuremberg (where the match's being played). You are talking about a side which is 190 places below Germany's 5th in the current FIFA rankings. The deadlock finally ended towards the end of the first-half. Originally Germany was two goals up but minutes before that, a goal was considered offside (or maybe I was looking things). The cameras actually aimed at the national coach Loew as he was about to stand up! Imagine I originally wondered if Germany will be like England in their friendly against Brazil, only scoring it in the second-half.
The goals just came in when the second-half was on. It's a 'blink-and-you-miss-it' moment. And I thought - That is more like it! This is then the Germany I know! The real test comes when they meet Slovakia in Hamburg later tonight (tomorrow morning, Singapore time) for another qualifier. 1-4 to Slovakia the last time round.
It was a match gone horribly wrong, just because of a Danish fan invading the pitch in the Group F encounter for the Denmark-Sweden Euro 2008 qualifier match. The referee had just awarded a penalty to Sweden (it's 3-3 then) when it all started. To think it happened just before the match is about to end. UEFA will be announcing their decision on how to deal with the matter on Friday after analysing the events of the match.
Manchester United winger and Wales captain Ryan Giggs played his last international match against the Czech Republic in qualifier. It ended 0-0, not something Giggs will like to end his international (but not club as well) career. When he first announced the match against the Czechs will be his last internationally, I realised he had not appeared against Germany yet. Wales and Germany are in the same qualifying group (Group D). Germany have not played against Wales. When I thought I could really see Giggs in action on the international front (I saw a bit of the repeat of that match), it's not happening. Bwah!
The day after Italy scored two against minnows Faroe Islands (which scored one in return), the World Cup winners was slammed by the Italian media. The Faroes are ranked 185 in the current FIFA rankings.
England's position in their qualifying group (Group E) did not helped when Russia scored four against Andorra and the Croatians scored one against Estonia. The match again Estonia later tonight is a must-win one for England. David Beckham is back and shone on his return in the friendly against Brazil. He created the goal for captain John Terry. It was 1-1 eventually for that match. Becks in back, but is the former captain in for the long haul? Steve McClaren had hinted it, the English press are overally pleased with Becks's performance. It's a do-or-die mission.
I did saw the repeat of that friendly against Brazil on last Sunday at Star Sports (up till minutes after Terry scored) and strange it may seems, I was impressed at what I saw. I know - oh the horror. This one-time critic of the former captain has changed tack.
I am saying this on the basis that Steve McClaren still live to see his job being saved. I was wondering aloud as I was watching the repeat of the friendly. If that match is anything to go by, I don't see why they can't hold on Germany too on August 22 in that friendly. Yes, straight out of someone who supports the two national teams.
It will be towards the end of this month before Australia play Singapore in a friendly ahead of the former's Asian Cup campaign. But before that, they lost to Uruguay 2-1 in a friendly in Sydney over the weekend. It was sort of seen as a 'replay' given the Socceroos beat the same side and advanced to the football World Cup last year.
Sigh. Isn't it only just a year ago, it was football craziness in Germany?
If the qualifiers and the friendlies are not crazy enough, then I don't know what it is.
