Blüh' im Glanze dieses Glückes (Bloom in the glow of happiness)

Germany 1 Argentina 0
Brazil 0 Holland 3

Superheroic Schweinsteiger

Oh no! What am I going to do now??

The FIFA World Cup is...sob...choke...sniffle...OVER!!! NNNOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Say it ain't so.

It's been a wonderful memorable delicious month and a bit of world class football.

Delicious? I hate the commentator (are they still called that?) who did this morning's final. Too verbose by half and how many times did he use 'delicious'? Is this the new buzz word?

Anyway - back to me - I've watched every game, got up early to catch the first game each day, put up with football dreams (I've saved a few goals on the goal line but kicked SWMBO a few times in the process - doh!), and loved pretty much every minute of the latest World Cup.

I was hoping Arsenal/ Germany would win the final (three key members of the team are gunners) and yet, I still felt sorry for Messi. He is amazing but unfortunately he peaked early in the tournament and the rest of his team of individuals couldn't match the group focus of Germany in the final.

I won't forget the Brazil drubbing in a hurry either. That's going to hurt for a while.

My top 5 moments from this morning and yesterday's games

• Those shots of Christ The Redeemer
• Podolski's selfie celebrations
• Neymar's appearance and sheepish smile
• The singing of the national anthems
• Mats Hummels' and Bastian Schweinsteiger's exhausted leave-it-all-on-the-pitch approach.

Love and peace - Wozzasacker

Whether you think you can, or you think you can't - you're right (Henry Ford)

Germany 7 Brazil 1

So many thoughts, so much mixed up confusion. That score is absurd. Crazy. Unbelievable. Can't happen.

It was like watching a train wreck in s l o o o w w w w motion.

The inquest will feature Juan Zuniga and that knee in Neymar Junior's back. 

It will feature Thiago Silva's stupid block on the Colombian keeper and his second yellow card which ruled him out of the semi final. 

It will certainly focus on the poor form of Fred.

However, it should centre most of all on the lack of belief throughout the fragile Brazilian team that could not cope with the idea of playing Germany without Silva or Neymar.

It was dire. I was embarrassed for Brazil. When has that ever happened?

If it was a boxing match the referee would have stopped the fight at 3 nil down. 

I need solace (solace - noun - comfort or consolation in a time of great distress or sadness).

But I don't know where to look. This isn't an underdog defeats champ story (a la Buster Douglas v Mike Tyson).

Even amongst lopsided wins it's hard to find a precedent where two equal superpowers in a sport result in such a blowout.

Let's not forget Brazil have won the FIFA World Cup FIVE times, Germany THREE.

The closest I can find is an NFL football game in 1940 when the Chicago Bears beat the Washington Redskins 73-0 in the league's championship game and maybe the 2008 French Open tennis final between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. Nadal, amazingly, won the match 6-1, 6-3, 6-0, but that match didn't happen in Switzerland and it was on clay, a surface upon which Nadal was virtually indestructible.


And that's it! Not even an NHL hockey game in 1944 when the Detroit Red Wings beat the New York Rangers 15-0 rates as it doesn't contain the gravitas of a FIFA World Cup semi final IN BRAZIL!!!

Seven. One.

And there is no upside...yet (Russia 2018 now becomes HUGE for Brazil).

Love and peace - Wozzinho

We are traveling in the footsteps of those who've gone before (Louis Armstrong)

FIFA World Cup 2014 semi finals:
Brazil v Germany
Argentina v Holland

What is Sepp Blatter on? 

He reckons there are no more dominating nations marching on in the World Cup (http://www.tubechop.com/watch/3249219). Is he insane? Does he know who are playing?

Of the four bands of brothers who have marched into the semi finals, three of them are multiple winners of the World Cup and Holland are perennial bridesmaids (three times the runners up).

Poor old Sepp is trying hard to encourage the view that the playing field is equal but he doesn't have a clue how hard it is for teams like Iran, Japan, Australia, Costa Rica and England to make it. Oops - sorry 'bout that England.

I've loved the tournament so far but the big match teams are all predictably there. I wrote off Holland before the games kicked off but I got the other three semi finalists spot on.

I predicted a Brazil v Argentina final and I'm still sticking to that. Even without Neymar Junior I think the boys will rise to the occasion.

Speaking of Neymar - what a disgusting assault by Colombia's Juan Zuniga.  No way can you call it a tackle, Neymar had his back to Zuniga, and was unprotected during the mugging. Horrible.

My top 3 evildoers now comprise at #1 Zuniga; #2 Suarez the Brazilian nutter; and #3 cheating, diving, Robben. Boo hiss x3.

So - all in all GO BRAZIL!!!

Love and peace - Wozzinho

Like a square peg in a round hole (Be Bop Deluxe)

Alright - the group stages are over and time to review my initial picks for the round of 16.  

Group A: 1 Brazil / 2 Mexico 
Group B: Spain (1 Holland) / 2 Chile 
Group C: Ivory Coast (2 Greece) /  (1) Colombia 
Group D: (2) Uruguay / Italy (1 Costa Rica) 
Group E: Ecuador (1 France) / 2 Switzerland 
Group F: 1 Argentina / Bosnia (2 Nigeria)
Group G: 1 Germany / Portugal (2 USA)
Group H: Russia (2 Algeria) / (1) Belgium 

So I got 9 of the 16 teams right and I got 6 of the 9 right in terms of where they finished in the group. Not too bad really. 

The groups were tight and the football WAY better than I had hoped for so I'm pretty happy really.

My predictions for the round of 16, for what they're worth, are next.

Brazil V Chile
Colombia v Uruguay
France v Nigeria 
Germany v Algeria
Holland v Mexico
Costa Rica v Greece
Argentina v Switzerland
Belgium v USA

I love the World Cup (you know it) but I especially love the knock out stages - no strategy at work apart from WIN. No away goals shenanigans - just WIN, at all costs - WIN.

Just like heaven.

Love and peace - Wozzinho

You can't always get what you want (The Rolling Stones)

Time to check how my predictions are going.

Here is my original stab at the group winners / runners up again to remind you

Group A: Brazil / Mexico 
Group B: Spain / Chile 
Group C: Ivory Coast / Colombia 
Group D: Uruguay / Italy 
Group E: Ecuador / Switzerland 
Group F: Argentina / Bosnia 
Group G: Germany / Portugal 
Group H: Russia / Belgium 

Given the results so far - here is my revised list with my place changes in red and my additions in blue:

Group A: Brazil / Mexico 
Group B: Netherlands / Chile 
Group C: Colombia / Ivory Coast 
Group D: Costa Rica / Uruguay  
Group E: France / Ecuador  
Group F: Argentina / Nigeria 
Group G: Germany / USA 
Group H: Belgium / Russia

So the quarter finals I'm NOW predicting will be: 

Argentina v Ecuador (likely winner is Argentina)

Germany v Russia (Germany)

Colombia v Uruguay (a really tricky one - Colombia)

Ivory Coast v Costa Rica (Costa Rica)

Netherlands v Mexico (Netherlands)

Brazil v Chile ( a really tricky one - Brazil)

         France v Nigeria (France)

       Belgium v USA (Belgium)

Right, so -  pretty bad huh - Spain are gone against everyone's predictions, France have been typically unpredictable, I underestimated Holland after a dire friendly pre tournament and Costa Rica have stunned group D. 

Costa Rica have played like England should have played but I'm betting that lesson will not be learned as the lads head back to their squillionaire lifestyles and exalted status back in old blighty in under a week's time.

Love and peace - Wozzinho

Whenever I'm in trouble, won't you stand by me? (Ben E. King)

Germany 4 Portugal 0
England 1 Uruguay 2

These ones lived up to my pre match speculation but really I can't take any credit. Germany to beat Portugal by many? Ronaldo to sulk and pout? England to capitulate to Suarez and Pirlo? Not hard to call was it?

The deluge of goals in the cup this time around has been awesome. It took ages for a nil nil draw between Nigeria and Iran to roll around and it came as a shock -   I'd gotten used to every game being a goalfest.

The England game yesterday sadly went to script as England (like Spain ) now can't advance from the group.

I'm disappointed, but not surprised. Four more years. Let's hope it's Russia in 2018 that they can fulfil their potential!

And Ronaldo? At least we're spared his shirt off Champions league win pose.

Meanwhile - time for another dose of People Are Awesome 




Love and peace - Wozzinho

You're so far away and so long ago but a dream goes on forever (Todd Rundgren)

England 1 - Italy 2

Maybe it was me, but I thought the Italy v England game was slower and less intense than the other games I've watched so far.

England didn't press and so Pirlo ran the show...again. Rooney fizzled. End of story.

If you want to know what the FIFA World Cup means to ordinary Nu Zilders here's a story:

I watched the game wearing my old Umbro England shirt (one star above the three lions - that one) and stuck with it for the rest of the day. When I was out and about in Waipukarau (service station, New World foodmarket etc) I got lots of comments:

"Didn't help ya last night did it mate" (The All Blacks played the second test against England in Dunedin)

When I pointed out it was a football shirt and I was supporting the English against the Italians this morning they looked at me with a billion questions in their eyes.

"Football? You mean soccer?" No I mean football.

Oh nevermind.

In this part of the world rugby is King and the All Blacks are the anointed ones; football is soccer and, ipso facto, soccer is supported by fanatical passionate tribes of weirdos elsewhere in the world. 

The gathering of the tribes happens every four years.

And here we are again - watching England at a World Cup finals, hoping like crazy we can have our very own 1966.

But then the Prince Valiants fall at the first hurdle and we're in familiar territory. 


Love and peace - Wozzinho

Oye como va, mi ritmo (Santana)

The long four year vigil was lifted this morning. Wahoo!

I'm not huge on opening ceremonies of anything but I did enjoy checking into it every few minutes while I was getting ready for school (the thing kicked off at 6 am this morning). Plenty of dancing and young Brazilians having fun, what's not to like?

It did get a bit surreal watching it this way though - at one point I walked in to see J Lo in a skimpy outfit and some beefy rapper guy doing their thing. What the hey??

When the game finally got underway Brazil did the business against Croatia and looked like they were full of goals at both ends. That's fine with me - I like that philosophy of - doesn't matter - we'll just score than you!

The penalty will be debated I guess (by Keegan and me at least). Watching it live I didn't think it was one but the subsequent camera angle from a side view showed Fred being pulled back and that's all it takes in the penalty area. For me - stone cold penalty.

So - my picks to progress from the group stages? Glad you asked.

Group A: Brazil / Mexico 
Group B: Spain / Chile 
Group C: Ivory Coast / Colombia 
Group D: Uruguay / Italy 
Group E: Ecuador / Switzerland 
Group F: Argentina / Bosnia 
Group G: Germany / Portugal 
Group H: Russia / Belgium 

So the quarter finals I'm predicting will be: 

Argentina v Portugal

Ecuador v Germany

Uruguay v Colombia

Ivory Coast v Italy

Spain v Mexico

Brazil v Chile

Yes, that's right - I don't think England or the Netherlands will make it out of the group stage. Not that I don't support them - I'd LOVE England to go all the way, but they are not like Italy who scrape results together and Uruguay are almost playing at home.

As for Holland - they are in a tough group with Spain, who will beat them again, and Chile, who are almost playing at home.

Love and peace - Wozzinho   

I got my mind on eternity, some kind of ecstasy got a hold on me (Bruce Cockburn)

The World Cup is one sleep away. I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!!

Hello happiness - hello football World Cup.

My sweep stake entry has been lodged at school and I am pumped and ready for the action to start!

Before I get to the football though, here's a dose of happiness.

A colleague at school alerted me to this Coke advert which I have to share on the blog as well. 



Keegan suggested I put my picks on the blog and I'll do that tomorrow at school while I'm waiting for 3.15 to roll around so that I can drive home and see the game (Brazil to beat Croatia by 3).

Breathe Warren, breathe.

In the meantime - check out this link sent to me by Adam. Hilarious and SO EXCITING all at the same time.

 

Love and peace - Wozza

It's only love and that is all (The Beatles)

Our passions can define us. 

"It's only every four years", says I to SWMBO every time the FIFA World Cup rolls around and her exasperation grows as I continue my quest to watch every game live and fill in my mega wall chart of results.

It's sad but true - my life has been partly defined by the culmination of joy that is the World Cup every four years.

1967: Representing Auckland aged 10.

The Olympics? Euros? Yeah - they're nice but nothing comes close to the feelings I get from the World Cup.

In rugby the mighty All Blacks will smash England over the next few weeks, the French Open tennis will reach its conclusion, the NBA playoffs will be done and dusted, and I'm pretty sure the NHL's Stanley Cup will play out soon as well.

Yeah they'll be fun but the World Cup is the ultimate sporting endeavour on Planet Earth!!

As I write this post (the first day of winter in New Zealand) I'm watching The Netherlands play Ghana, two weeks out from the start of the World Cup. It's a meaningless friendly but I'm hooked! 

1969: Eden F.C.  'A' Grade Championship winners
(top right with the bowl cut - cheers mum)

I generally love the way the Dutch play football and I'm keen to access their form (if you're interested - Robin missed a sitter and the Dutch flattered to deceive. On that form they won't be troubling anyone!)

It's only love.

My love affair with football started when I was four years old. That's a 52 year old affair and counting.

My parents took me down to our local football club when I was four. I had nagged them hard enough to get my way.

1986: League Champions (played 13, won 13)
(Second from left, middle row with trendy eighties cut
- cheers SWMBO)

Seymour Park was the place and Eden A.F.C. the club. We lived a couple of streets away at the time and I distinctly remember making those early Saturday morning walks to the fields on my own, dressed in my Eden colours - my grandmother had knitted me a black and gold jersey and I loved it! 

I was highly motivated to play the beautiful game. Even if it was in Royal Oak, Auckland rather than the favelas of Brazil.

My mum had bought me the smallest pair of soccer boots she could and a couple of pairs of socks to fill them out and I was off.

I was pretty good too, for a four year old. 

I remember very clearly playing games at Seymour Park as a midget. I was a defender from the start. I guess we did that midget follow-the-ball-at-all-costs tactical manoeuvre but I quickly gravitated to the left back position and made it my own.

At age group levels I was the best left back in Auckland up to the age of 19.

When I left Mt Albert Grammar after three years in the first XI (the last as captain) I drifted away from football during my five years at University, until starting life as a teacher at New Plymouth Boys' High School.

There I was able to be a player coach as the first XI played in a men's grade. When we moved back to Auckland in 1986 I rejoined Eden F.C. and played senior football. SWMBO, Keegan, Adam and I lived in Windmill Road, Mt Eden - one street away from the training ground at Disraeli Street. Perfect!

My competitive playing days ended when we moved to Nelson in 1990, but I continued to play socially, coached girls' and boys' teams and watched Keegan, Adam and later Samantha play football.

The knees have taken a pounding over the last 52 years so these days I am content to just run around like an idiot with my Woodford House Senior XI on training days.

Two weeks to go. Oh baby!!

This weblog began seven years ago - on June 30, 2008, so I've only had one previous World Cup to report on. I can't wait!

Love and peace - Wozza

Fill my head with the future, fill my eyes with the sky (Jake Bugg)

The euphoria of the Arsenal F.A. Cup victory and Rochdale F.C.s promotion to League 1 is still clinging to me. It was an agonising wait but the weight has lifted.

In other football news my girls' team (the second XI) at school is on a streak - three wins on the bounce. That's pretty remarkable given that about half the team has never played football before.

My junior debating team also had a win last week against our local rivals (our Spurs if you will - yes, we're the mighty gunners). It was their first debate and for two girls their first debate ever. Amazing.

All this and the World Cup is gearing up in Brazil! Bliss.

I'm hoping it's a huge success and that it doesn't go according to script. You know the drill - England under perform and implode; Ronaldo cries when Portugal get knocked out; Spain Germany and Brazil fight for the final honours.

It would be great if our ANZAC brothers, the Aussie battlers, ruffle a few feathers and an unheralded team manage some upsets. 

I can't wait. Every four years!! Reminds me - I'd better pick up a magazine tomorrow with the draw and posters for my classroom.

Love and peace - a happy Wozza

All around my hat I will wear the green willow (Steeleye Span)

I will wear the green willow for England - until the next knock out football competition, that is. Which will be 2014's World Cup in Brazil. Who would bet against England making another exit on penalties after a dull scoreless draw??

Tomorrow we get into the semi finals of UEFA's Euro 2012 competition. The way too arrogant Ronaldo vs Spain is first up and then the next day the Germans will take Italy apart and show how woeful England's campaign really was.

Why were the premier league stars like Rooney and Ashley Young so inept? They had great seasons for Manchester United but for some reason they were damp squids when playing for England.

Anyway - Spain vs Germany for the final and the Germans to win.

Sometimes I think my life is the stuff that happens to me in between football competitions.

Since 1974 I can tick off where and what I was doing during the World Cups and to a lesser extent, the Euro competitions since 2000.

That first one in 1974 was in Germany and the Germans won thanks to Gerd Muller.

I was a student at Mt Albert Grammar, playing football and, at the time of the world cup, I was billoting some guy from a team we were hosting. I don't recall that we had live TV coverage but I do remember us listening to the commentary on this guy's radio.

It wasn't Gerd Muller who impressed me in 1974 - instead this was the era of Holland's total football and Johan Cruyff. The romance of total football won me over big time. Then they lost and that just seemed to add to the romance. The pragmatic, disciplined Germans had beaten the free for all spirit of the Dutch.

1978 and I was watching the World Cup in Argentina from the family home at Ramelton Rd., Auckland, in colour.

1982 in Spain was memorable because I was staying with a Scottish family in Hastings while on a teaching section to Havelock North High School. Nu Zild, of course were in the finals for the first time and had to play Scotland  and Brazil in their group. It was freezing (their place was opposite the Freezing Works in Hastings which I thought was really appropriate). This was the year of Zico, Falcao and Socrates which I've written about in the blog before.

1986 in Mexico was Argentina's year. I was teaching at Macleans College and fully into the mullet years.

1990 was played in Italy (Germany won again) and 1994 in USA was Brazil's year again. During these ones I was teaching in Nelson.

1998 was France's turn to host and win. Amazing given the state of French football these days. The family had moved back to Auckland and we were living in the boarding school at Mt Albert Grammar.

UEFA's Euro 2000 champs were held in Belgium/Holland and won by France. This was the first time the Euros entered my consciousness really. I don't recall where or what I was doing with Euros before this one but I distinctly remember watching Sylvain Wiltord scoring to equalise and David Trezeguet scoring the winner in extra time. 

2002 in South korea and Japan was won by Brazil again and we had moved to Cambridge. This is the last World Cup that I've watched and followed from Nu Zild.

Euro 2004 was, of course, the year unfancied Greece went on to win.

2006 was the reverse of 1990. The finals were played in Germany and Italy won. We were watching from the UK and we went to Italy on holiday shortly after the win. An amazing good time feeling in Rome; it was summer and Italy team shirts, images of Cannavaro and flags were everywhere.

2008 and Euro was finally won by Spain - the perrenial underachievers of world football. I was in Stratford, NZ.

2010 in South Africa and Spain finally realised their potential in a World Cup as well. SWMBO and I had to go to great lengths to watch the finals from Qatar. We managed to buy a package from Al Jazeera Sport in Villagio Mall - the one that had the tragic fire in it recently.  

2012 Euro in Poland and The Ukraine. We're in Otane and so far it's been business as usual - Germany strong and never should be discounted, England flatter and then deceive etc etc. 

2014 will be in Brazil but I have no idea where we'll be to watch it. Look for a major announcement in the next post about the near future prospects for SWMBO and your correspondent in the blogosphere.

Love and peace - Wozza