Not just making up the Numbers this time

With every country now having played two games, Phill Chadwick gives his thoughts on all the big (and small) things that have caught his eye so far.

Australia's win against Japan, and strong showing against Brazil have ensured that this team will be taken seriously.

Qualification this time around is clearly not enough. Our lads are there as real competitors and are not just making up the numbers. We have a real probability of making it through to the knock-out phase. And in a knock-out competition, who can say how far we could go?

So, before it all goes pear-shaped and we have to post-mortem the dead body of our hopes and dreams, here are a few random observations that seem to have stuck in my sleep-deprived brain.

The best fans, unpatriotic as it may seem for me to say so, are the South Koreans, by a mile. Their level of co-ordinated singing and the amount of noise they generated during their game against France was phenomenal and the European supporters are poor in comparison.

Why is Johann Neeskens, with hand on heart, singing Advance Australia Fair? I though he was Dutch. Perhaps Amanda Vanstone has granted him, at short notice, Australian Citizenship. Maybe he figures Frank Lowy will be impressed enough with his patriotic fervour to give him the job, after all.

If you have any interest in the England team, or just like a good laugh, check out Baddiel and Skinner's World Cup podcast. These guys have a refreshingly English take on the tournament, and the England squad in particular.

Speaking of England, they must be mightily relieved that Wayne "Shrek" Rooney is now able to play. The whole team's confidence, playing style and demeanour lifted when he ran on to the pitch against Trinidad and Tobago. Now, if only I could watch without laughing when that human stick-insect, Peter Crouch, runs around, I might take them as a serious contender.

Argentina's six-nil win shows how easily a class team can get on top of lesser opponents. And, for me, the goal of the tournament so far is the one scored by Argentina's Cambiasso after twenty-odd consecutive passes, including a back-heel. Magnificent!

What is wrong with Ronaldo this time? He is getting around like a neutered tomcat, grown fat and lazy. Even so, he still holds grave danger for defenders, as Australia discovered. One touch of brilliance is all it takes to score or set up a killer goal.

The match officials now have radio communication between themselves. This must be a good thing. They used to get the decisions wrong all alone. Not they get decisions wrong collectively. The only technical flaw I can see is their failure to find sticky tape that can reliably stick to the side of the face. Maybe that is next in their Research and Development Plan.

One feature of this, and many other tournaments these days, is the habit of having small children accompany the players on to the pitch before the game. What is the point of this? Maybe I am just a grumpy old man, but his really annoys me. The children may get a thrill out of the situation, but what does it achieve in the context of a sporting spectacle? I can't quite put my finger on why I don't like it, but I don't.

Has anyone else noticed the touch of panic creeping in to AFL-supporting media commentators? While football is still a minority sport in terms of media and corporate support, the media cheer squads for other forms of football, most notably AFL have become increasingly vitriolic in their denigration of football.

Why do they feel so threatened? If, as they repeatedly assert, AFL Football is so magnificent, and Association Football is so boring, why do they worry?

So, now for Croatia. Roll on Friday!

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