⚽️ Kick-off time: 8pm local/12pm AEST/3am BST/10pm EDT
⚽️ Player guide | Bracketology | Golden Boot | Mail Jonathan
On the topic of goalscorers, Justin Kavanagh joins in by email to discuss a striker who failed to find the back of the net earlier today. “Strange how we’ve seen a 40-year-old goalkeeper perform miracles for Cape Verde, and an aging Messi put on a masterclass for the next generation. Yet Ronaldo, for all his years of dedicated self-preservation, looks like the oldest man at this tournament. He used to be wind in Portugal’s sails, but now he looks like their anchor. Yet presumably Roberto Martínez won’t do the necessary and make him walk the plank.”
I agree entirely. Extending the point somewhat, Roberto Martinez must be great in job interviews, or have a massive cache of incriminating photographs of significant football administrators. Behind a modest CV he was gifted Belgium’s greatest ever cohort and never looked like winning anything with them, now he has arguably the strongest squad at the finals under his management. At a World Cup notable for its array of superstar coaches it’s hard not to think Portugal may be handicapped by theirs and his inability to make the tough call(s).
Continue reading…⚽️ Kick-off time: 8pm local/12pm AEST/3am BST/10pm EDT⚽️ Player guide | Bracketology | Golden Boot | Mail JonathanOn the topic of goalscorers, Justin Kavanagh joins in by email to discuss a striker who failed to find the back of the net earlier today. “Strange how we’ve seen a 40-year-old goalkeeper perform miracles for Cape Verde, and an aging Messi put on a masterclass for the next generation. Yet Ronaldo, for all his years of dedicated self-preservation, looks like the oldest man at this tournament. He used to be wind in Portugal’s sails, but now he looks like their anchor. Yet presumably Roberto Martínez won’t do the necessary and make him walk the plank.”I agree entirely. Extending the point somewhat, Roberto Martinez must be great in job interviews, or have a massive cache of incriminating photographs of significant football administrators. Behind a modest CV he was gifted Belgium’s greatest ever cohort and never looked like winning anything with them, now he has arguably the strongest squad at the finals under his management. At a World Cup notable for its array of superstar coaches it’s hard not to think Portugal may be handicapped by theirs and his inability to make the tough call(s). Continue reading…
