Hello to everyone taking the time to read this blog,
I hope it provides a useful source of information and thought provoking comments to keep you entertained, interested and more importantly coming back!!
I've decided i want to pursue a career in sports journalism after spending 6 years doing my current job, I'll be leaving that in early June and have the fantastic opportunity to watch a World Cup from start to finish which is something I've never been able to do before so i thought I'd help keep people who can't watch it up to date with live tweets (Buster_5265) from all the games as and when they happen as well as providing match reports, reactions and latest news via this blog. up until the world cup i will be blogging on football leagues and competitions from around the world.
I thought I'd make my first blog about the team that i will be following through the World Cup as well as my prediction to win (even putting money where my mouth is!!) Argentina.
As an Englishman it probably surprises you that I'm backing a team who aren't exactly popular amongst England fans but I'm so disillusioned by everything that's wrong with the English national team I've decided to look to foreign shores for my world cup team. don't get me wrong, i will be cheering England on and as my home country but they won't be my No 1 team anymore. So why Argentina? my first memories of watching the World Cup is 1994 and Maradona's celebration in the Greece game they won 4-0 along with Batistuta's hat-trick, and Caggnia's double against Nigeria but what really grabbed me was Maradona. Sadly at the time he clearly wasn't at his best although some of the things he did were still breath taking but all the hype around him along with the references in commentary made me want to find out more. unfortunately no one in my family was that in to football so i had to pester family friends and friends older brothers until i finally got my hands on a home made video of the 1986 World Cup and finally got to see the 2 goals commentators would frequently reference and the second goal, I'm sure like so many before me, took my breath away. Ever since then I've always held a soft spot for South American football and when Brazil won in 1994 i was pleased that a team from my favourite area won the tournament although i was very disappointed with the final because all I'd heard before hand was about how this was going to be an amazing game and it was very dull although being 8 at the time i didn't quite understand why!!
in 1998 i was very excited to see Argentina in action again, especially after the 5-0 thrashing of Jamaica in which Ortega & Batistuta were incredible however in the 2nd round England and Argentina came up against each other in a game remember for a phenomenal solo goal by Owen and that kick out from Beckham, on that night i was an England fan and was devastated to see the team knocked out. In the next round though Argentina came up against a very good Holland team and the game looked destined for extra time until an incredible goal from Dennis Bergkamp sent Argentina tumbling out.
2002 was not a good year, Argentina getting knocked out before the knock out rounds with reports of infighting, bickering and ego's causing problems which showed in below par-performances with a team that should have got further - obviously Beckham's revenge was the key story over in England but Argentinian football took a hammering as a result of 3 poor performances, especially from an attacking perspective which is normally where Argentina excel.
2006 started off much better, especially with the brilliant 6-0 drubbing of Serbia involving one of the best team goals ever seen which had a build up of 24 pass's before Cambiasso finished to score the 2nd goal. Sadly the Argentinians came up against a wall in Mexico, having to wait till extra time before Maxi Rodriguez put them through but sadly they fell at the next hurdle with a draw against Germany before going out on penalties again leaving the tournament feeling they hadn't quite achieved what they should have
2010 could be a different story, with attacking talent like Di Maria, Aguero, Higuain and of course, arguably the worlds best player right now Lionel Messi. Alot of people are saying that for Messi to be considered on the same level as people like Maradona he needs to really step up at this World Cup. what people forget is he is still only 23 - at this age Diego got sent off in the '82 world cup for stamping on a Brazilians goolies!! even if Messi doesn't perform at this tournament his tournament will be the 2014 World Cup when he's 27 - Maradona was 26 at the '86 World Cup so people saying he has to perform at this tournament is a bit over the top, although i still think this stage could well be set for him, his form seems to be getting better and better and really the only man that can stop him being as great as Maradona on the world stage is, ironically, Maradona and only he knows what he has planned for the World Cup.....either way, it's certainly going to be interesting to watch!!
Thanks for reading, let me know what you think via Twitter (Buster_5265) or e-mail me at Buster_5265@hotmail.com, i'll try and write another blog soon discussing the Inter v Barcelona game along with Bayern v Lyon
