Spain are 2010 World Champions

Help Howard Out. What to look out for in the World Cup Final.

It truly is the biggest officiating job in the world, Refereeing the 2010 World Cup Final, and this time it's an Englishman, Howard Webb who is in charge. Howard perhaps didn't have his best ever season in the premiership but he is a top referee and hopefully won't make any howlers in front of the one billion people watching live on Television.

What Howard Webb needs are some tips to help him spot the real infringements. Here's a couple to start things off.

1. If you see a tightly wrapped orange ball rolling around on the pitch, you can just ignore it, it's just Arjen Robben pretending he's been fouled again.

2. Mark Van Bommel should be booked, just for walking onto the pitch.


So what else should Howard be looking out for? Suggestions please...

Who Will Mark Van Bommel kick first?

2010 World Cup South Africa: Vuvuzelas, What's the problem?

The title to this piece is ‘ Vuvuzelas, what’s the problem’ which seems a funny title when you start to type it out but conveys the idea and purpose of this article in a non-threatening way quite well. There has been some discussion about Vuvzelas, and when I say some, I mean a lot, Loads, it hasn’t stopped. The vuvuzela is a loud horn that in the last ten years has become popular in South Africa and has put a very effective end to the native singing that was previously much beloved around the soccer grounds of South Africa.

So the Vuvuzela is a cultural artefact of South Africa, it may drown out all other fan’s voices but what is the problem with it? Are those complainants who despair at its B flat drone, somehow aging racists who are hating the heritage of this African country?

Well, it seems to me the answer is blissfully simple. If you watch the Netherlands playing what do you expect to hear? Is it the traditional Dutch supporters band? If you watch South Korea what are you expecting from the sound? Perhaps the traditional drumming that dominated South Koreas games as host at the last World Cup?

If you see Brazil playing football on the television do you expect to hear that familiar Samba beat? Perhaps as an England fan you would like to hear the singing of England fans just to know they are there? Even with the USA you know the dull chants that will accompany the game.

So what is the thing standing in the way of the fabulous cultural diversity of the World Cup? The reason that you will never know just from listening which of the diverse nations of the world is playing? The thing preventing the spreading of understanding of national identity throughout Africa? Yes, it’s the vuvuzela.

Some of the more simplistic on the left have sought to characterise the dislike of the vuvuzela as some kind of racism. Others have talked of the oppression of ‘Cultural diversity’. Surely the vuvuzela is a thing for the games of those African nations that employ it, and in the other games we should embrace the cultural identity of those countrys playing in the match. To not do so would make us all seem like fascists surely?

The real key to all this is to just remember the name of the competition, it’s the World Cup, not South Africa’s Cup, the World Cup. So come on South Africa let us hear the sounds of the world, it’s why we are all here after all.

World Cup 2010 Holland Denmark Match Report

After a hugely impressive start from Germany who destroyed Australia 4-0 the Dutch side may have wanted to announce their arrival at the 2010 World Cup in style. In Holland’s way a Denmark side they were expected to beat easily.

Holland looked to take the game to the Danes from the start but Denmark resisted comfortably. As the first half went on Denmark looked stronger and stronger.

Denmark’s best chance of the first half fell to Bendtner with a header in the 27^th minute, Bendtner put the ball just wide, and perhaps should have done better.

Another Denmark chance saw Rommedahl on the break in the 34^th minute but his shot was easily saved by Holland’s keeper. `For Holland Van Persie had a 43^rd minute shot that went comfortably wide. The half ended nil-nil, advantage Denmark.

Holland quickly took the lead early in the second half as S. Poulsen scored in his own goal in the 46th minute with an attempted defensive header off the back of team-mate Daniel Agger. Van Persie should have made it two nil five minutes later when clear but took too long over his shot.

Mark Van Bommel hit the side netting in the 74^th minute as Sorensen made the save. Then Sneijder hit the bar with a shot in the81^st minute. The dutch dominance was finally rewarded with a Goal in the 85^th minute as Kuyt tapped in to the Denmark net after Elia hit the post. A fantastic goal-line clearance from S. Poulsen denied Holland a third.

After a slow start Holland were convincing 2-0 winners and justified those tipping them for a big performance at this World Cup.

World Cup 2010 Betting

It's will come as no surprise to anyone to see Spain as World Cup 2010 favourites, one time second favourites England now drop to fourth position at a slightly more realistic 8/1. The 16/1 offered about holders Italy perhaps the best value.

Spain 4/1
Brazil 9/2
Argentina 13/2
England 8/1
Holland 9/1
Germany 14/1
Italy 16/1
France 20/1
Portugal 25/1
Ivory Coast 50/1
Serbia 60/1
Chile 70/1
Mexico 80/1
Paraguay 80/1
USA 80/1
Cameroon 100/1
Ghana 100/1
Uruguay 100/1
Denmark 125/1
Nigeria 125/1
South Africa 150/1
Australia 150/1

Odds from Paddy Power. Subject to change.

John Terry Dropped as England Football Captain

John Terry was sensationally dropped as the England captain after a twelve minute meeting with England boss Fabio Capello. Terry had had an alleged affair with Wayne Bridge’s former girlfriend and mother of his 3-year-old child Vanessa Perroncel. Capello stated that after dropping Terry he saw no need to alter the previous pecking order which saw Rio Ferdinand as the vice captain. This means that Rio Ferdinand is now the captain of the England football team with Steven Gerrard named as the vice captain. After the meeting with Capello, Terry was described as being ‘upset’.