World Cup 2010: Postmortem/s

[Gym Beam]

The slogan for this years world cup (Africa's 1st) was: "Feel it. It is here!" Now we are saying: "Wave it goodbye. It is gone!"

What are the overall impressions of Africa's 1st (and probably only) world cup?

Here are my thoughts and feelings as someone who lives in South Africa:

Overall, I think it was pretty good. A few minor problems, and one major one with the failure of the Durban Airport to accommodate the traffic for Germany v Spain semi-final resulting in hundreds with tickets missing the game. I think overall South Africa is to be congratualted on a job well done.

On the playing front - appalling performances by the African teams in Africa's World Cup (Bafana Bafana were dire) with only Ghana showing a bit of class. But even Ghana were lucky, playing most of their group games against 10 men, and getting a penalty in the last minute to beat Serbia.

Europe shaded South America, suggesting that the strength of the European leagues is beginning to create a gulf between Europe and the rest of the world. Even the poor performances by the Italians, English and Portugal did not detract from Europe's dominance, with 3 teams in the semi's coming from here.

Outstanding performances for me were:
New Zealand - unbeaten, finished above Italy;
USA - fighters, team played for each other;
Spain (Barcelona) - played the best football, and would have buried most teams with more clinical finishing;
Holland - played some great foorball, disappointing (and dirty) in the final.

Disappointments:
England
Italy
South Africa (expectedly)
Brazil (awful capitulation)

Special moments:
Tshabala's goal against Mexico (a nation celebrated)

Goal of the tournament: Van Bronkhorst's strike v Uruguay
Save of the tournament: Suarez wonder save v Ghana
Player of the tournament: Diego Forlan
Moment of the tournament: Kick-off of opening match (awesome)

Least memorable - fucking drone of those godamn awful vuvuzelas! I pray they are banned from everything. They made no positive contribution to this event, in fact they detracted from it, the tuneless drone drowning out any attempts at singing and chanting.

Parting shot: I felt it. It was here! Now I'm depressed.
What were your feelings?

 

[g force]

The hype was horrific - pretty clear some of the big names were either unfit (Rooney, Torres) or just plain out of form like Messi.

Nice to see a few talents really emerge like Muller and Ozil.

 

[toblerone3]

You forgot to mention the match of the tournament.

The vuvuzelas were OK in the end I thought. Became more rhythmic and got mixed in with crowd noises. Did the percentage of foreign fans increase in the latter stages of the tournament?

 

[Shreddy]

Hello. I'm the acephalopod mollusk most popularly known as Paul the Octopus.

I am win.

That's my postmortem fuckers.

Next!

 

[toblerone3]

Quarter final Uruguay versus Ghana was the match of the tournament IMO.

 

[Gym Beam]

You forgot to mention the match of the tournament.

The vuvuzelas were OK in the end I thought. Became more rhythmic and got mixed in with crowd noises. Did the percentage of foreign fans increase in the latter stages of the tournament?

Match of the tournament for me was Ghana v Uruguay, if only for the sheer drama of it.

Not sure about percentages. There seemed to be a lot more tourists at the play off games. There were certainly a shit load of dutch and german tourists aound. Durban was awash with portuguese and brazilians during and after their game.

 

[marty21]

nightmare teams

France - total implosion - team at war with eachother
Italy - squad was too old -
England - squad at war - no ideas - lucky to qualify for 2nd round
brazil - too arrogant - got found out against Holland
Portugual - Ronaldo should have done better

great teams -

Germany - played as a team - counter attacking was excellent -
Spain - were the best team in the tournament -
Holland - apart from the final
Ghana - desperately unlucky to lose against Uruguay
uruguay - Forlan was the player of the tournament

Surprise Team

New Zealand - unbeaten

 

[Gym Beam]

Quarter final Uruguay versus Ghana was the match of the tournament IMO.

absolutely - no question. Drama was unbelievable. A penalty missed and a continent wept. It was quite sad. African interest seemed to wane after Ghana's tragi-comedy exit.

 

[skyscraper101]

nightmare teams

France - total implosion - team at war with eachother

That was the funniest moment of the tournament for me.

Also the moment NZ put one in against Italy. The desperation to salvage the match was brilliantly entertaining.

 

[Gym Beam]

How could I forget the French. They were terrible. Appalling lack of class. Deserved to go home in shame

 

[fractionMan]

We were shit, as usual.

 

[marty21]

How could I forget the French. They were terrible. Appalling lack of class. Deserved to go home in shame

and who could have predicted that Anelka would be so sulky?

 

[Gym Beam]

That was the funniest moment of the tournament for me.

Also the moment NZ put one in against Italy. The desperation to salvage the match was brilliantly entertaining.

Watched the Italy game at Durban's biggest Italian restaurant. It was like a funeral parlour when the New Zealand team scored.

 

[Gym Beam]

and who could have predicted that Anelka would be so sulky?

The incredible sulk was in top form! Lived up to his billing!

 

[toblerone3]

absolutely - no question. Drama was unbelievable. A penalty missed and a continent wept. It was quite sad. African interest seemed to wane after Ghana's tragi-comedy exit.

The grief and denial on Urban75 was also palpable. It was a game that spawned a long argument about Penalty Goals and a Onket's spin-off Sticky thread about people who know fuck-all about football.

Uruguay also went to be involved in another couple of pretty good matches their 3-2 defeats to Holland and Germany in the Semis and Third Place play off matches.