The hype is building though and you cant go far without seeing a St Georges Cross waving in the wind or some corporate offer like a TV for free if we win. The multi-billion pound football juggernaut is up and running and the adverts and gimmicks are coming thick and fast so you can’t but help buy into it and get caught up in world cup viva whether your a footie fan or not. Personally, I am rather cynical about this aspect of the beautiful game, however, I do love the adverts that come out, like the Carlsberg team talk with Jeff Stirling bare chested sporting a St Georges Cross going mental, or the 5 minute Nike ad featuring a ridiculous cast of footballing and non footballing superstars. I’m looking forward to the Adidas reply to this, as no doubt they have a similar star studded advert to come too.

I have great faith in Fabio Capello but cannot quite see his obsession with Gareth Barry, Emile Heskey and Steven Gerrard.

Now to move away from the parasitic brands looking to sap you of all hard earned cash by getting behind your team and ‘truly’ support them, let’s look at the favourites. Bookies have Spain down as faves’ at 4-1, with Brazil at 5-1 and England third favourites at 7-1. Spain are without doubt the most talented team assembled since the France squad that dominated world of football at the turn of the century. Throughout their squad they ooze class, technical ability and belief.

Pepe Reina can only look on from the bench as Casillas is their No 1. in defense they have the powerful and skillful Ramos and Puyol, although I’m not the biggest fan of Capdevila. However, their midfield and attack is just ridiculous. Like Reina in goal, Fabregas and Alonso have to battle it out against the likes of Senna, Iniesta, Xavi and Silva, with another slight but highly technical player in Cazorla waiting in the wings too. On top of that they have a few hugely talented young players like Pedro and Navas, who whatever they lack in athletism, they more than make up for it with their ability at keeping the ball. And up front, in my opinion, the two most dangerous strikers in world football; Fernando Torres who has electric pace, physical strength and can beat two players in one swift move, and the smaller, yet equally as deadly goal machine David Villa, who if he was a 14th century archer could probably out do William Tell and fire two bows, whilst simultaneously standing on his head facing backwards and still hit the hit the apple. Brazil will always be dangerous too, although where as before they always seemed to have unlimited resources in attack, their strength may well lie in their defense with Juilo Ceasar in goal and up front Lucio and Thiago Silva, protected by the hulking presence of Felipe Melo.

England should have a decent tournament and I do believe are rightly one of the favourites after a nearly floorless qualifying campaign. I have great faith in Fabio Capello but cannot quite see his obsession with Gareth Barry, Emile Heskey and Steven Gerrard. Barry is unbelievably one sided and hugely immobile, much like Heskey who’d I hope Crouch is given the nod ahead. Gerrard has never replicated his league form for England, and whilst has less of a free role for England, I would have Lampard ahead of him and go for a straight 4-4-2. Injury free, my England team would be, Hart, Johnson, Terry, Ferdinand, Cole, King, Lampard, Cole, Lennon, Crouch and Rooney. Joe Cole is the most un-English Englishman in our squad, in the sense he has fantastic dribbling ability and can conjure up something out of nothing, and surely must be utilised even if Carlo Ancellotti has under used him this season. But at least Capello got one selection right, no more Gary Neville... hip hip HORAY!

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BRISTOL & BATH // 18 MAY 2012

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World Cup 2010 Insight

13 June 2010

So the World Cup is upon us and England are possibly going down in history as legends, or 6 or so weeks from crashing out as over rated, over hyped Prima Donnas who would rather wear their heart on their sleeve for the respective clubs than for The Three Lions.

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