We’re on match day 6 of the World Cup, and so far there hasn’t been a whole lot to talk about regarding the football, but there have been plenty of other stories to keep us amused!
ITV HD ruin Gerrards goal!
Yup, we sat down to watch England in their opening game against USA and had barely had time to open the second tub of Pringles when an advert broke the coverage for 10 seconds or so. “Wouldn’t it funny if we missed a goal” I told my better half, who of course was enthralled at this point! Not so funny when it actually happens, as right after Glen Johnson took the throw in, the advert mistake managed to do just that, make me, and over 1 million ITV HD viewers, miss what was a well worked goal by the new captain Steven Gerrard! I don’t think annoying quite covers that one!
More trouble for ITV, and Robbie Earle!
News broke out yesterday that ITV football pundit, Robbie Earle, has been sacked, and his rather lucrative contract cancelled. Why you might ask? He has apparently passed up to 40 World Cup tickets, bought for “friends and family” as part of privelages for TV pundits, which have ended up in the hands of a group of women involved in a marketing stunt at the Holland vs Denmark game. Apparently, the contract was worth £175,000 per year.
FIFA under pressure to ban the Vuvuzelas?
Fans, pundits and even top players have all joined in to state their desire to have the Vuvuzela’s banned from the World Cup! The instrument, which can generate sounds louder than that of chainsaw at close range, have generated complaints from players such as Ronaldo, Messi and Patrice Era, who is more troubled by the disturbance it is causing his team at night! “We can’t sleep at night because of the Vuvuzelas. People start playing them from 6am, we can’t hear one another on the pitch”. Said Evra.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter though is having none of it, “I don’t see us banning the music traditions of fans in their own country. Would you want to see a ban on the fan traditions of your country?” A point well made Sepp.
More moaning about the Adidas Jabulani…
Now Sven Goran Eriksson has agreed that the ball is causing problems, and has now asked that FIFA and Adidas consult players and team officials for future competitions.
“I think it should be discussed and everyone should listen to the top goalkeepers in the world because I am sure this doesn’t do them any favours at all.” said the Ivory Coast coach. “Maybe we will see some goals, but discussion between managers, the company who produce the football and the football players, that would be good.”
Should FIFA, the governing body who has passed the ball through rigourous testing process as it’s most succesful ever, and Adidas, who have created World Cup match football since 1970, really have to answer to players? I can;t see that ending too well, especially as many of the players have used this ball since December 2009!
Three’s not a a crowd say Honduras!
Honduras have made World Cup history, by including three brothers in their World Cup squad. Jerry Palacios was called up on Tuesday to replace an injured player, Julio Cesar, making him the third sibling in the Palacios family to be named in the World Cup sqaud. His brothers are Wilson, who plays for Tottenham Hotspur, and Johnny, who plays in Honduras for Olimpia. Jerry himself plays his football in China for Hangzhou Greentown.