Friday, July 04, 2008
Reigning Spain
So the football fiesta that was Euro 2008 has now come to its conclusion and not too many people would disagree that Spain were worthy winners – particularly those who support either Liverpool or Arsenal who would no doubt have been delighted to see the last chance of Chelsea grabbing even the slightest taste of silverware this year disappear when Michael Ballack’s Germany were soundly beaten by the on-fire Spanish.
Obviously with no England it was a Finals that held little direct interest for us here, but it didn’t mean that there wasn’t still a controversial moment or two involving our proud Anglo Saxon blood. Who can forget the usually incredibly steady Rob Webb’s marginal decision to give an injury time penalty to Austria thus preserving the Co-Hosts participation in the competition and ultimately ensuring Poland didn’t qualify either way…
And then there was little Colin Richards from Walthamstow being reborn as Kasim Kasim, and showing a clean pair of heels to many a top European star as part of the almost fairy tale that was Turkey’s participation in this time round?
Other than that UK interest in the Tournament was pretty much restricted to following the team you’d been lucky enough to pull out of the office sweepstake. Those with Italy or France were no doubt laughing before the big kickoff, whilst those with Turkey or Russia could be seen holding their heads in their hands at two quid just chucked down the drain.
This lack of local interest didn’t however stop it from being a feast of football with the usual stunning goals, dodgy refereeing, Goalkeeping clangers and, in the case of Turkey, an almost Christ like ability to return from the dead. There were far too many great moments in the competition to list but certain thing always stand out, not necessarily on the pitch…….
So what was the highlight of the tournament for me? Was it a great goal such as Ballack’s screamer of a free kick against Austria? No. Was it the brilliant penalty save by Gianluigi Buffon with minutes remaining on the clock and Italy’s hopes of qualification for the knockout stages hanging by a thread? Wrong again. Maybe it was the sight of both the Austrian and German managers succeeding in getting themselves sent off seemingly minutes into the game and then grinning sheepishly at each other as they made their way up into the stands? Nope. It was this……
It was a moment that showed the difference between the ultra efficient German footballing machine and the peasant tractor that is Turkey. And it proved that a cutting edge, 500BHP technologically advanced super car can quite often be outdone by that most basic of farm machinery.
The incident happened 41 minutes into the first half of the pulsating semi-final when Simon Rolfes and Ayhan Akman challenged for the same ball and, following a sickening clash off heads that sounded like a rifle going off, both fell to the ground pumping claret from deep head wounds. Both physios were on the scene immediately and the uber efficient German one had, within mere seconds slipped on his surgeon’s gloves, precisely threaded a needle and proceeded with a perfectly executed cross stitch that would leave barely more than a faintly silver scar on the German’s head, and preserve his Teutonic good looks for the benefit of all the girls, and possibly some of the boys, back in the fatherland. Cut to the Turkish physio who is faced with much the same problem – a gaping wound, a player who would probably prefer to not end up looking like a Somme Veteran after some particularly rough battlefield surgery, but with the added problem that with so few outfield players available to them, this one was going to have to go back out there and do it fast. Faced with one of his toughest decisions yet the Turkish physio reached into his bag, produced a giant stapler, and, with the aid of a medic who was holding the wound on the player’s head together, proceeded to staple the would shut. My wife and I watched open mouthed as this happened, even more so when the player jumped to his feet and succeeded in playing the rest of the game. And the German with all the efficient stitching and BUPA style aftercare? Substituted at half time…..
Obviously with no England it was a Finals that held little direct interest for us here, but it didn’t mean that there wasn’t still a controversial moment or two involving our proud Anglo Saxon blood. Who can forget the usually incredibly steady Rob Webb’s marginal decision to give an injury time penalty to Austria thus preserving the Co-Hosts participation in the competition and ultimately ensuring Poland didn’t qualify either way…
And then there was little Colin Richards from Walthamstow being reborn as Kasim Kasim, and showing a clean pair of heels to many a top European star as part of the almost fairy tale that was Turkey’s participation in this time round?
Other than that UK interest in the Tournament was pretty much restricted to following the team you’d been lucky enough to pull out of the office sweepstake. Those with Italy or France were no doubt laughing before the big kickoff, whilst those with Turkey or Russia could be seen holding their heads in their hands at two quid just chucked down the drain.
This lack of local interest didn’t however stop it from being a feast of football with the usual stunning goals, dodgy refereeing, Goalkeeping clangers and, in the case of Turkey, an almost Christ like ability to return from the dead. There were far too many great moments in the competition to list but certain thing always stand out, not necessarily on the pitch…….
So what was the highlight of the tournament for me? Was it a great goal such as Ballack’s screamer of a free kick against Austria? No. Was it the brilliant penalty save by Gianluigi Buffon with minutes remaining on the clock and Italy’s hopes of qualification for the knockout stages hanging by a thread? Wrong again. Maybe it was the sight of both the Austrian and German managers succeeding in getting themselves sent off seemingly minutes into the game and then grinning sheepishly at each other as they made their way up into the stands? Nope. It was this……
It was a moment that showed the difference between the ultra efficient German footballing machine and the peasant tractor that is Turkey. And it proved that a cutting edge, 500BHP technologically advanced super car can quite often be outdone by that most basic of farm machinery.
The incident happened 41 minutes into the first half of the pulsating semi-final when Simon Rolfes and Ayhan Akman challenged for the same ball and, following a sickening clash off heads that sounded like a rifle going off, both fell to the ground pumping claret from deep head wounds. Both physios were on the scene immediately and the uber efficient German one had, within mere seconds slipped on his surgeon’s gloves, precisely threaded a needle and proceeded with a perfectly executed cross stitch that would leave barely more than a faintly silver scar on the German’s head, and preserve his Teutonic good looks for the benefit of all the girls, and possibly some of the boys, back in the fatherland. Cut to the Turkish physio who is faced with much the same problem – a gaping wound, a player who would probably prefer to not end up looking like a Somme Veteran after some particularly rough battlefield surgery, but with the added problem that with so few outfield players available to them, this one was going to have to go back out there and do it fast. Faced with one of his toughest decisions yet the Turkish physio reached into his bag, produced a giant stapler, and, with the aid of a medic who was holding the wound on the player’s head together, proceeded to staple the would shut. My wife and I watched open mouthed as this happened, even more so when the player jumped to his feet and succeeded in playing the rest of the game. And the German with all the efficient stitching and BUPA style aftercare? Substituted at half time…..
