Thank you Germany, Thank you Italy

So the World Cup has been with us for almost a month now. I have been watching match after match, getting excited, jumping up and down, and generally surprising those who know me due to them not realising what a football buff I am.

OK. I'm not a fan who wears the colours, flies the flags, and boos national players because they play abroad (what the hell is that all about.....stoopid Brits).

But I am a fan, who loves the game, who does indeed think it's the beautiful game. That is, when players aren't diving, stomping on other player's 'packages', and generally behaving like degenerate thugs.

The semi final last night reintroduced me to 'The Beautiful Game'. A game where players play with respect for each other. A game where red and yellow cards aren't being passed around like a parcel. A game where diving was not the main tactic. Shots on goal a many, and extra time where both teams didn't sit back and play in their own half. A scoreless game that felt like there had been 3 goals scored a piece.

So Italy scored in the last 2 minutes of extra time. A beautiful goal, that deserved to be a winning goal. Not a goal scored from a bogus penalty given in the last 30 seconds (bitter and twisted referral to Australia's ousting from the World Cup).

The British press doesn't help either. Never before has the 'lowest common denominator' been so evident as when the World Cup is on. The lead up to the World Cup reached the sharp end about 2 months ago. Is Rooney going to play? Is his 4th metatarsel ok? Is Becks fit enough? What designer is Posh wearing? Oooohhhh...looky here....Posh seems to have lost more weight. Blah....blah....blah.......

After the Portugal match, one of the leading tabloids front page was a huge picture of Christian Ronaldo on a dartboard.....which was indeed dartboard size. Oh? Ok! Of course. The reason why England lost the match was because of Christian Ronaldo. Not the fact that England played without any passion or vigour. Not the fact that in not one match, did England look comfortable (except the Portugal match).

Ok. If I were laying blame, then I would say that Sven Goran Erikson's choice of team was very questionable. The formation he played with every match, was ludicrous. Playing with one striker up front, when its obvious that those strikers work better in a 4-4-2 formation as opposed to a 4-5-1. Crouch up front is fabulous, when coupled by another striker. Same with Rooney. Playing Beckham was an obvious choice, but I think his fitness let him down. He should have been subbed for Lennon, who has great speed, agility and youth. And don't get me started on Theo Walcott. Please dont get me started. Ok....that's it. Walcott? Never played in the premirership league. Erikson had NEVER seen him play. He was never used. He was one of 4 forwards taken on the squad. Two of the 4 had questionable fitness. I'm completely gobsmacked. This guy is the highest paid coach in the world coming in a 5 million a year (that's Brit £ folks). And for what????? I reckon that somewhere, there is a million £ bet going for England not to make the final. Sven MUST have put money on that.

Then again.....I feel it's about time that Australia won the World Cup (warning: cocky Aussie comment coming right up)......After all, its probably the ONLY main sporting event that we haven't won.