World Cup 2010

"This time" is a bit harsh Capital! He is often right or at least has a strong view on issues where there is no right or wrong

Just as I knew so very little about Cromwell and his men that destroyed all the great castles I love going to see, I have never understood what has gone on over the years in South Africa and it is something I’m going to have to learn about and try an understand as best as my education will allow.

All I do know is that I hope everything goes off without any real problems and South Africa will stage a world cup they will be proud of for many years to come.

I do have to take issue with Merse however with the part of his post I have quoted above, this time last year I was very upset with him as he wanted to call me a bigot just because I was unhappy that travellers had moved into our local play field a few hundred yards away.

I was also unhappy that merse so often likes to just stick labels on people and put them in boxes he feels they belong him, something I feel is very wrong to do.

My Carol is in no way political in any way shape or form, she is a very intelligent and bright lady who does have a very long attention span and she is not interested in looking at a pair of tits, she just wishes she had a pair herself as she had once before.

She buys the Sun newspaper everyday as she simply enjoys reading it and would not have a clue if the paper supported one political party or another, I showed her the part I have quoted and she rightly feels it is rather insulting and unfair on anyone who buys the paper as she does simply because it’s a paper she enjoys reading.

Is it really necessary to start putting labels on people just because of the newspaper they read? Its no better than those who state all football fans are just thugs and lowlife lower class people, we know that is not the case and its wrong to class all football fans that way, just as bad in fact of what you seem to like to do merse

.....................and to that I would also urge you to take on board the following:
* There was no universal suffrage in the country until 1994
* In 1960 the National Referendum that took the unilateral decision to become a republic and cease to be a Dominion of Great Britain only took the opinions of the white citizens and at a stroke the minimal non white suffrage was removed.
* Before then, the only non whites permitted to vote were a highly selective group of black and coloured men (as decreed by the apartheid regime) in the Cape Province only and absolutely no non white women whatsoever.

The National Party's imposition of apartheid resulted in the forcible re-locating of non whites to live in decreed areas, and even forbade citizens of different ethnic groups to marry or have children together. They were forced to use separate public transport, separate parks and separate beaches. Many thousands had to endure long and arduous journies to and from work as they were forbidden to live in or near the areas in which they worked..................some even used to have to leave home for months at a time such were the distances they were forced to live from their places of employment.

A largely ugly regime indeed!

Self-destruction hasn't happened since 1996.

In 1998 we were beaten by a lucky Brazil and I believe that the Dutch were the best team that tournament.

In 2000 we missed too many penalties in one game against Italy, should have reached the final at least.

In 2002 we missed out by losing against the Irish. In 2004 we were just not good enough.

In 2006 we played well but lost in a crazy game against the Portugese.

In 2008 the Dutch cruised through the first round after slaughtering the French and the Italians. We lost (deserved) against Russia who had a very clever coach in Guus Hiddink.

You would have to read Brilliant Orange to understand what I meant by "self-destruct", but the five penalties missed in the Euro 2000 semi-finals (in Amsterdam) should go some way towards it. When playing free-flowing football, the Dutch have been the best team in the world for years, arguably since 1974. It's the scrappy defending, the pressing and holding, "parking the bus" that they don't like.

And penalties. Holland have been knocked out of Euro 92, 96, 00 and World Cup 98 on penalties.

Historically, the Dutch football team have turned their backs on the unglamorous side of football and consequently have failed to turn their undoubted superiority into tournament wins.

Or so David Winner tells us.

As much as we all believe that England will get knocked out this year in the QF's on penalties, because it has happened too many times before; many believe the Dutch team will be the best in South Africa but fail to win the tournament.

Neither is true because football does not follow precedent. But it makes for interesting discussion.

An excellent piece and lets just hope the last bit is correct and we play when we have to. Personally I dont think we are clever enough to just "peak at the right time" but who knows.
USA will be a tough opener I just hope the players are mentally switched on as so often happens in cup matches the underdog triumps because they want it more and have little to lose.
One things for sure if we do fail I wont blame the manager - I just love his no nonsense approach.