Can't believe I will be quoting former goalkeeper Oliver Kahn. The former Bayern Munich and Germany captain was saying after Bayern's UEFA Cup quarter-final second-leg match (which Bayern eventually advanced on away goals) that he has never seen anything like it. He was referring to how Bayern came back from the dead, and scored enough goals to see them through.
Kahn has a point. With Bayern, he had played many matches on the European stages and had encountered the likes of Manchester United and so on. But for him, nothing compares to what happened when his club was up against Getafe. Coming into the match, Getafe managed to snatch a 1-1 draw before the final whistle in Munich in the first-leg. Fast-forward to Euro 2008, and the Austria-Germany match in Vienna. Both sides want points to survive and go into the quarter-finals.
I know matches between neighbours Austria and Germany has always been emotionally-charged affairs. While we have action on the pitch (or lack thereof at times) in Vienna, off the pitch too? I don't know what to say. It almost left me scratching my head when the first-half came about (this was when the match was shown live). To think this afternoon I found myself having this thought when watching the repeat of the Austria-Germany match in Vienna: To think my mother think you are handsome. She, the non-football fan, saying that. She (my mother, not me) is actually referring to the man whom they call Jogi back in Germany. Yes, Germany coach Joachim Loew. But before that, let me bring back an incident from the 2006 World Cup. Two years ago during the World Cup in Germany, she always seemed to be happy whenever she sees Zinedine Zidane on TV. Then the infamous incident happened in the final when France and Italy met in Berlin for the final (then me kept reminding her that Zidane has retired when she asked about him after the tournament).
This afternoon as I was watching the repeat of the Austria-Germany match (by the way, Germany are through to the quarter-finals after captain Michael Ballack's free-kick minutes into the second-half came about), I remembered I was like asking aloud 'What is going on?', 'Hello?' after Loew's brief 'moment of madness' (sidethought: can't believe I use that phrase) against his Austrian counterpart Josef Hickersberger before the referee ordered the two to be off...to the stands. A first for me since I started to watch football matches (no matter club or international matches), I swear! One coach being sent off to the stands for contesting the referee's decisions, that I know (it has happened before). Not two. Anyhow, it was around those time when I was asking the questions aloud my mother came out of the room (which meant for me, cue turning down the volume of the TV given my mother has always never like me having the living room TV loud...but then again, we both have different interpretations of loudness) only for me to realise that she wanted to have her teabreak. Had she noticed what had just happened on the TV screen, I wondered what is she going to say.
I could had secretly disliked those who were once my classmates (especially a handful of the guys), resigned to the fact that my brother and I have the same set of parents. But until we wait for UEFA's verdict by tomorrow, what both Loew and his Austrian counterpart Josef Hickersberger has to say (that was after the match, and this is the day after when both were speaking to the German and Austrian media respectively). I don't know, Jogi made those I once secretly disliked in school and my own brother...look like angels. I only remembered my mind was having this thought before I switched off the television (this was after the match's over) - Jogi, you are owing all of us an explanation. 30 million of us. Ahead of the match in Vienna, it was reported that 30 million viewers watched Germany in action during the tournament. If it includes the overseas audience, that's a whole lot of people (including me) owing an explanation to.
This tournament was supposed his time to be in the spotlight (for the right reasons...given the incident in Vienna could really make him famous for all the wrong reasons for the international audience who are seeing him for the first time, but not me given I started to support Germany since the World Cup), after being the assistant to Juergen Klinsmann two years ago during the World Cup and the latter always getting the stick for the decisions he made especially prior to the match. I had never forgotten what Klinsman has to say of Loew on the day he stepped down from his Germany job - He is more than an assistant to me.
Six paragraphs of ranting away on the incident that should not have been broadcast all over the world. I will talk about the Poland-Croatia match first. 1-0 to Croatia in Klagenfurt and the eventual only goal of the tournament at Klagenfurt was scored by Ivan Klasnic. I remembered after watching Germany captain Michael Ballack scored a real cracker of a free kick against Austria (and I'm a Manchester United supporter even, given he plays for Chelsea), I just switched to SuperSports (the Poland-Croatia match was on there) and Croatia is also 1-0 up. After realising who scored, I was really delighted. The soon-to-be ex-Werder Bremen striker (it was him who wants out of the club), who only had a kidney transplant a year ago, really announcing his return to international football (he was first recalled in Croatia's friendly away in Scotland early this year) by scoring in Euro 2008. What a tale! When events are going kind of topsy-turvy in Vienna (refer to my first six paragraphs), a fairytale in Klagenfurt.
For the man who helped his country secured a 100% record in the group stages, he can be content now. Before the match, Ivan Klasnic has said that he had not come into the tournament just to be a fan. Really, really amazing. So after the win (and sending Poland home as Germany had won in Vienna against co-hosts Austria), Croatia will face Turkey on Friday (Croatia, winners of Group B, up against Turkey, runners-up of Group A) in Vienna. And how the Croatian press reacted to the latest victory. With Poland coach Leo Beenhakker saying they were not good enough.
Speaking of Vienna, yes...the match. The home crowd (and the press) all wanted another Cordoba, 30 years on. Austria coach Josef Hickersberger knows all about Cordoba, given he was part of the famous squad which beat then-West Germany (who were the reigning World Cup champions at that time) despite Austria only have pride to play for in Argentina (where the World Cup was held at that time). While it was his then-teammate (who later went on to play for Barcelona) Hans Krankl stealing the show with two of his goals creating shockwaves in Austria and Germany, the man who's nicknamed 'Hicke' said ahead of the Germany match that Cordoba is history. Hickersberger knows all about the Germans, having encountered them as a player and once coaching Fortuna Dusseldorf in Germany. Matches against the Germans had always been special to him.
In the end, Josef Hickersberger was right. The 30 years of hurt...will still go on. I have to admit in the first-half of the match, both sides were like not giving away much (just don't make me launch into a rant about Mario Gomez's miss in the opening minutes of the match...I'm all the more pissed given he plays for my club in the Bundesliga, VfB Stuttgart). It only started to become alive minutes into the second-half. Germany earned a free-kick and the captain stepped up. Beauty. Michael Ballack is not the captain for nothing. And when the cameras aimed to the stands where his banished coach was at, I can't helped but almost laughed for some funny reason. For a while, I had almost forgotten Joachim Loew is at the stands (eep!).
After the final whistle, it took me a while to realise that Germany are through. To the quarter-finals. Since winning the title in England in 1996. A 12-year curse has been broken. Though it wasn't the spectacular of matches (most of the time, the action was off the pitch...you get the idea and, photos from Vienna), at least Germany managed to join Croatia to enter the quarter-finals as the two from Group B advanced. And they will be meeting Portugal (whom Luiz Felipe Scolari had been hoping to meet since Portugal qualified with a match to go) next in the quarter-finals in Basel on Thursday.
Yes, that means the Germans have one day less of rest. Maybe it's a blessing in disguise that Germany are going to be the underdogs this time, as according to captain Michael Ballack. With even the media back home in Germany are less than impressed with the overall performance in Vienna, and at the rate Portugal are going...buck up!
Of course I'm happy Germany are in the quarter-finals but, more can be done. And in view of the touchline fracas in Vienna, as what Oliver Kahn used to say - 'I had never seen anything like it'.
Euro 2008 thought of the day (or sort of): I had my brief moment of madness before. In fact, more than once. Given the 'goody-two-shoes' reputation which I earned in secondary school, I thought my ex-classmates were like shocked I let my temper got the control of me. It was in Secondary Four and I was the class treasurer (i.e., the one in charge of the class's finances) at that time (I rather don't talk about it given I only knew later on my form teacher was nearby and I was lucky enough not to be reprimanded by her on the spot). The other time was even more worse (here, have to scroll down for the story) because by then, I was having a near-confrontation with another classmate. In front of the class.
Uneasy lies the crown on coaches' heads (Football may be the beautiful game but it is also a cruel one and no-one is more vulnerable to the ups and downs of it than the man in charge - the coach. Hailed as heroes one minute and then castigated the next they would be right in thinking whether they are coming or going and for several here at Euro 2008 having achieved success in qualifying they will be going because they have failed to meet expectations.)
Vlog on the pitch - Spain are not definitely missing Raul (When Spain’s coach Luis Aragones decided to leave Real Madrid striker Raul out of his squad for Euro 2008 some thought he would live to regret his decision. However, Valencia striker David Villa has stolen the headlines at the tournament after a cooly taken hat-trick in Spain’s opening 4-1 victory over Group D rivals Russia and an excellent stoppage-time goal in Saturday’s 2-1 win over Sweden.)
Italy may look to wild card Cassano (World champions Italy, having managed just one goal in their opening two Group C matches, could turn to a wild card in Zurich on Tuesday in the shape of Antonio Cassano as they try to see off France to reach the Euro 2008 quarters.)
Hard work paying off for Kuyt (Clinical, technically gifted, quick, impressive to watch - the compliments have been coming thick and fast after the Netherlands' first two games of UEFA EURO 2008. And having put a combined seven goals past the two finalists from the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™, the Dutch have rapidly assumed the mantle of tournament favourites. One of the stalwarts of this seemingly flawless unit is a player who may be lacking in flair but certainly not in heart: Liverpool's Dirk Kuyt.)
Russia's star set to shine again (Russia have endeared themselves to many at UEFA EURO 2008 with their smart and flowing football, but what they have lacked is the final killer touch and here on Wednesday they hope that returning star Andrei Arshavin will add it.)
Why is Bruce Springsteen playing for Italy? Euro 2008 lookalikes (On footballers and coaches at Euro 2008 looking like celebrities, etc.)
