The Hindu : Sport : Tension mounts as countdown begins

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Wednesday, Jun 07, 2006

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Sport

Tension mounts as countdown begins

The standards will be high and I am sure there will be some great games, writes Franz Beckenbauer

The tension is rising. Even my old friend Pele at 65 is getting nervous. He is worried because all the experts are making Brazil as the favourite. And favourites often fall, he says.

However, the Brazilians have always coped well with this burden. Even four years ago in Japan and South Korea the talk was that Ronaldo was carrying too much weight. He was the leading tournament scorer all the same, his goals helping Brazil to a fifth world title.

And at that time Ronaldinho did not have the status he enjoys today — as the world's best footballer — a reputation he now has to live up to. Nevertheless I can understand Pele's concerns, because a World Cup tournament in Europe is much more difficult for the South Americans.

All the same I am eager to see Ronaldinho, Kaka and Robinho. They are slowly replacing the old guard of Roberto Carlos, Cafu and Ronaldo, and have learned, at an early stage, about the speed at which the game is played in Europe.

It's for this reason as well that I am really looking forward to the 64 matches, 48 of which I, as World Cup organising committee president, will witness.

I will be flying from stadium to stadium by helicopter so that I don't miss most of the action. The standards will be high and I am sure there will be some great games.

The Italians have a very strong side, but could perhaps be affected by the football scandal which has rocked the country. Spain seems to be at last a solid outfit; England has its best team for years whether or not Wayne Rooney is fit; the French, proud as ever, will fight to the last drop for victory. France's hopes will depend on Zinedine Zidane's form.

Don't forget the Dutch

I ought not to forget the Dutch. Coach Marco van Basten has formed a strong young team. The Dutch always have the class to become world champions, but will have to avoid falling into the trap of sitting back and admiring their own game.

You have to count host Germany among the favourites in view of the incredible wave of enthusiasm in the country. Some 40,000 spectators came to watch a perfectly ordinary public training session in Dusseldorf. And the problems experienced in the test games are, I believe, a good sign rather than a bad one. The players now know they are going to have to step up a gear.

The fact that Japan was 2-0 up against Germany last week in the warm-up match before drawing 2-2 shows just how much football in Asia has developed. Japan and South Korea have made great tactical progress and can switch play, counter attack and close down their opponents.

The Germans are at least in top physical shape. Otherwise they would not have been able to come back from two goals down. The defence is a cause for great concern. But up front we can expect something positive from the duo of Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski.

Costa Rica, Germany's opponent in the opening match, has also had its problems, suffering one defeat after another in its test matches in Europe. Yet this is irrelevant.

An opening game is a test of nerves. Most people will be expecting a goal feast for the Germans, but I think it will be an extremely tight and hard-fought affair. Costa Rica will rise to the occasion, but I take Germany to come through all the same.

Hard task

We will be a good tournament host. The only thing we cannot influence is the weather. Temperatures have been much too low for this time of the year.

Ivory Coast is a team I believe could do well. They have some fine players, not just the outstanding Didier Drogba. Ivory Coast though must first get past the first round in a group with Argentina, Holland and Serbia and Montenegro — a hard task.

As head of the organising committee I am neutral and wish every nation a lot of fun and much success.

It will, of course, be good for the overall atmosphere if the home team also stays in the tournament for a long time.

If I look at Germany's possible opponents in the last 16 — probably England, Sweden or Paraguay — then reaching the quarterfinals could be more difficult than the quarterfinal match itself.

I'm sure my friend Pele would have nothing against another Germany vs Brazil final, but Argentina and quite a few other nations will have something to say about that. A good thing, too. I hope that all 31 guest countries will have fond memories of Germany and the World Cup tournament. — Copyright SKK 2006/Asia Features

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