June 2010

[Sweder]

I can't help feeling Cappelo has cocooned himself in a layer too far.
The Joe Cole ommission is baffling - why take him if you won't use him as a game-changer?

The Kaka thing was bizarre. At the time it looked as if he raised his arm to stop the IC player running in to him but he clearly did not strike the guy in the face. Parallels with Rivaldo's disgraceful dive in 2002 are obvious; I guess you reap as you sow. I found Fabiano's double handball for the second Brazil goal (the second was premeditated) equally unacceptable. The ref asked him is he'd used his arm and he said 'no, my chest'. So, he knows the TV cameras will show him to be a liar and a cheat but he also knows there's nothing to be done about it. That goal changed the nature of a hitherto tight contest (I think Brazil would probably have won but we'll never know). As long as this goes unpunished you can expect plenty more, including from our own players.

I take a deep breath before I say this: well done John Terry.
He stood up yesterday and in a clear and coherent manner expressed what many of us are thinking. I doubt anything will change, but Terry's candour was refreshing.