Maple Lions

This photo was taken at:

a) a Nike photo shoot; or
b) a Rooney family Christmas party.

Damian P.

Comments(0)

The Beeb helps you sort out who has to do what to break to the knockout stage.  The truly intriguing bit is in Group E with its many possibilities.
Paul Canniff

Comments(0)

1. Today’s Italy-USA match was one of the most entertaining of the WC fixtures: aggressive football with dashes of brilliance and blunder. As for Eddie Pope’s red card, if Roy Keane had executed the same sliding tackle, nobody would have taken notice. Despite the ambition-fuelling handicap of inflated FIFA rankings due to the useless CONCACAAF grouping, the Americans have shown that they belong in the bigger game. And Group E has proven especially interesting with Ghana’s 2-0 victory over the Czechs.
2. At NFL games genuine Bud is the perfect beer: undistinguished but quite refreshing. But this is brand protection gone mad. BTW how can Budweiser be marketed under German purity laws? Just asking.

Paul Canniff

Comments(0)

Once again three points more likely purchased at the Oxfam Shop rather than Harvey Nichols:

1. Yes, Lurch bagged a goal at 83′ but only after making utter shambles of two beautiful opportunities in the first half.
2. John Terry continues to be England’s ironman, bicycling out a prime T&T shot on goal when Robinson was ahead out of position.
3. T&T served up a surprisingly good defensive line close to goal but continually dropped possession at midfield.
4. While Rooney’s return was a great morale booster, Aaron Lennon’s introduction led to impressive collaboration with Becks.

I’d say England still suffers from the poor in-the-box closing form we saw in the Paraguay match.  At least Eriksson is willing now to innovate with his line and formations.

More analysis at the Beeb, SkySports and the Telly.

Paul Canniff

Comments(0)

AutoMotoPortal: Instead of flying a flag from their cars, workers at the Toyota Burnaston factory in Derbyshire have made one from cars. A crack team of 40 yard drivers and workshop technicians spent two 12 hour shifts reversing, turning and parking 400 Toyota Yaris cars into a giant St George’s Cross.

Damian P.

Comments(0)

France drew nil with the Swiss today, shifting the blame to the hot weather from their vintage lineup:

Neither team seemed keen to extend themselves in the disagreeable heat and it was no surprise the sides only managed a goal apiece in their two World Cup qualifying meetings.

[…]

When the final whistle came, the French section of the crowd made their feelings clear, realising perhaps that age has finally caught up with Les Bleus.

One trusts that Noel Coward will be proven right on the day.

Paul Canniff

Comments(0)

From a script for “Footballers’ Wives” to the pages of the Telly:

In the heat of their first World Cup encounter, England’s footballers started well but faded fast. Yesterday, their wives and girlfriends put on a performance of stamina and spending power that showed England have a team to take on the world - at shopping. 

Six of them went on a spree in Baden-Baden, where the England squad is based, buying more than £3,000 worth of designer clothes in an hour.

Coleen McLoughlin, 20, the girlfriend of Wayne Rooney, led the charge, buying Gucci shoes and a Dolce and Gabbana shirt from Monika Scholz, the most expensive boutique in the German spa town.

Five others, including Ellen Rives, 29, the wife of Frank Lampard, and Carly Zucker, the girlfriend of Joe Cole, followed, splashing out on sunglasses next door. They then paid a further £1,500 for shoes and shirts in 10 minutes.

The old rule holds:  too much skin, too little taste.

Paul Canniff

Comments(0)

The Telly reports that the medical consultants who cleared Rooney to join the England squad recommend that he be held back from play until at least the Group B match against Sweden:

The Daily Telegraph has learned that Professor Angus Wallace and Professor Chris Moran, the two specialists from the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham who had the final say on Rooney’s broken foot scans last Wednesday, were asked whether it would be possible to rush him back to play the game in Nuremberg.

They advised against it on the grounds that he would still not be match fit and was at risk of further injury.

Eriksson and England appear to have accepted that advice and Wallace and Moran will instead fly to the England team base in Baden Baden on Friday to check on Rooney’s fitness, with a view to him playing some part in the final Group B match against Sweden next Tuesday.

Paul Canniff

Comments(0)

Lurch proclaims himself cured of Disco Fever:

He explained: “It’s not about robotic dancing. It is about scoring goals and winning matches. It’s an important time for everyone now.

Ah.

(*“Thank you for your kindness, Mister Roboto!”)

Paul Canniff

Comments(0)

While the Daily Telegraph is cautious on the prospect of Rooney playing in next Thursday’s fixture against Trinidad & Tobago, the Guardian delivers the real goods:

Wayne Rooney’s return from injury may come even earlier than previously imagined, with Sven-Goran Eriksson contemplating playing the forward off the bench against Trinidad & Tobago in Nuremberg on Thursday. Eriksson’s hand may be forced after his youngest wunderkind, Theo Walcott, reported a calf injury yesterday, ironically after being “smashed” from behind by Wayne Rooney in training.

Walcott’s right leg had to be heavily bandaged and although he is expected to resume training tomorrow he will need close monitoring if he is to be available for Thursday’s match. Eriksson is confident that the 17-year-old Arsenal reserve will recover but the injury scare exposes the fragility of England’s squad and, in particular, the lack of choice when it comes to attackers.

Between the uncertain match fitness of Owen, pulled off after 55 minutes against Paraguay, and Lurch’s CBGB-worthy pogoing on the pitch, Sven has now truly forced his own hand thanks to betting the ranch on his Gooner debutante. And Jermain Defoe is rightly pissed:

Rooney’s successful scan last week ensured that Jermain Defoe returned home, and the Tottenham striker unleashed some inevitable barbs at Eriksson yesterday. “I don’t know why I’m not out there,” Defoe told the News of the World. “It’s a strange decision and everybody I speak to thinks so as well.

“I have never felt fitter and sharper than I was in training and believe I could have scored goals in the tournament.” Defoe was understood to have been sensational in his final training session before flying home.

Here’s hoping for better results this week.

Paul Canniff

Comments(0)