Hanover 1968 was where it all went wrong, as far as I was concerned.
To my mind, at that time, England were better than West Germany because they were the world champions. Which meant Charlton was better than Beckenbauer. Hurst was better than Seeler. Banks was better than Tilkowski. Moore was better than Schulz. It was all very simple.
By David Owen in Durban
June 25 – If you can’t get a ticket to the match, there are worse ways to watch it than with the sand trickling between your toes on a palm tree-fringed beach lapped by the Indian Ocean.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
June 25 -Former President Bill Clinton, the honorary chairman of the United States bid to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup, has admitted that people’s negative views of the country could scupper their chances.
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On Wednesday night, as England qualified to meet Germany in the round of 16, with the USA topping England’s group and Australia doing Ghana a favour, the great and good of south African football returned to Sandton, the exclusive Johannesburg suburb which they have made their home during this World Cup, and their joy was unconfined.
The reason for the joy was not just on footballing grounds, although these are not insignificant.
They had a record six teams in the tournament but one by one they tumbled out, failing to live up to expectations, dashing the hopes of an entire continent.
The vuvezelas may still be screeching and organisers saying all the right things about the show going on but no-one can ignore the hugely disappointing performances of Africa’s teams at Africa’s World Cup.
By Mihir Bose in Johannesburg
June 24 – South African police and organisers are concerned that England’s match with Germany in the round of 16 match at Bloemfontein on Sunday (June 27) could see German hooligans clash with English ones.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
June 24 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter was today cleared of any wrongdoing after the release of a Swiss court finding which claimed that senior FIFA officials were involved in a major bribery scandal.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
June 24 – Former President Bill Clinton has given the United States bid to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup a massive boost by changing his travel plans so he can continue to support them in South Africa.
June 24 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter has refused to stop the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) holding elections in August by a high-level delegation, including the country’s Sports Minister Isa Bio and former Super Eagles captain Jay-Jay Okocha, who claim that the govering body is corrupt.
By Duncan Mackay in Lausanne
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
June 23 – Jacques Rogge (pictured) today welcomed the possibility of a bid to host the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics from South Africa following the success of the FIFA World Cup.
By David Owen in Johannesburg
June 23 – Ghana kept the African flag flying tonight, securing passage to a second-round clash with the United States, victors over Algeria, on a frigid night at Soccer City.
June 22 – The success of the World Cup in South Africa should encourage other African countries to bid for the tournament, Issa Hayatou, the President of the Confdederation of African Football (CAF) has claimed.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
June 21 – The row over whether FIFA vice-president Jack Warner should be able to combine his role with a senior Cabinet post in the Trinidad and Tobago Government continues to rumble on even though he has been cleared to continue in both positions.
By David Owen in Cape Town
June 21 – Perhaps it will be Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup after all.
