Give us some football!

THIS World Cup has had everything so far but one thing would make it perfect – football, as I am writing Argentina has just beaten South Korea 4-1 so maybe my dreams are coming true. The first round of games was so cagey; every team was scared to lose its first game so football was nowhere to be seen. Because of the lack of football we had moaning and excuses, the ball, the vuvuzelas, the altitude indeed anything to blame was blamed. The vuvuzela is much more sinister than you think; we are mostly watching the games with the volume off, because of the terrible racket. What the vuvuzela has brought about is the death of atmosphere in football, no more singing, no more chanting, no more drums. I used to love the Brazilian samba drums, the click-sticks of Ivory Coast, the funny chants of England and the honking horns but now we just have noise. So of all the teams I have seen, only two have really impressed in the first round; Germany and North Korea. Australia were absolutely terrible in just laying down to get spanked by zee German, but Germany took their chances. North Korea gave the best defensive display and were very unlucky to lose that game, Brazil fluked the first goal and could have drawn. North Korea are ranked just two places above Rwanda and played like champions, they showed that if a team is well organized they can play as well as the best in the world. As for Africa, it says a lot that only Ghana has won; the problem is none of the African teams are playing what we can call African football. Most players in Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Nigeria, Ghana and other countries play in Europe. So it is hard to come out with an African style of football. Cameroon in 1990 shocked the world with robust aggressive football allied to skill. Now African teams hire European coaches to coach the “African-ness” out of them. We have to find our own way of playing, a leopard can never beat a lion by pretending to be a lion, we have to use our own skills and strengths not imitate others. Now I hope that teams will open up, it’s now do or die, South Africa are more or less out unless out unless they beat France. France is the best African team at Woza, and their Africans play like Africans not wannabe Bazungu. My tip is still Holland, Germany has a lot of fans but we cannot judge them on one game but they have good balance in the team. Brazil look strong but Robinho is the star and not Kaka. Italy are weak in all areas, in defense, in midfield and particularly upfront. Spain have also started slowly, many are blaming the long European season for the sluggish starts of most of the favourites but I think the smaller teams are playing better. Let’s see some football please!! Ends