Despite the inconvenient match times here in the US, I find myself inextricably caught up in the football fever. Apart from the genuine quality on display, an element of mystique always surrounds the event. Rather like an exotic medieval market, where traders from around the world display their wares, attempting desperately to outwit their fellow hawkers, trying passionately to convince the passersby of the value of their goods. While some simply nod at the overzealous peddlers, the eyes of some others light up in delight. Some smile in amusement at their enthusiasm, while some shake their heads in lament. Though the traders are the players in this unsophisticated game, pitted against each other in a bid to usurp the spoils of the day, they will do well not to lose track of their equally formidable adversary- the restless minded, fickle passerby meandering through the market with coins clinking around in his pockets, looking to unburden himself off the onerous responsibility of choice.
Well, since I am this smitten, I might as well go out on a limb and make a few predictions on who I think will qualify for the knockout stages from each group. However, I must admit, Germany 2006 thus far has been largely devoid of any major surprises, with form closely correlating with reputation. Hardly the same can be said of the last WC, where to paraphrase one columnist, a South Korea v. Turkey final loomed as a distinct possibility.
Group A: Germany and Ecuador
Group B:England and Sweden
England is extremely overrated. I guess this is because most of their players represent (or have represented in the past) high profile clubs in the Premiership, greatly enhancing their visibility. However the absence of a really strong second team means they will finish at the top of group B.
Group C: Argentina, Netherlands
The group of death, or, as one columnist put it, the group of life. Some of the most attractive football on display thus far has come from the teams in this group.
I'm rooting for Ivory Coast to pip Netherlands for the second spot.
Group D:Portugal, Mexico
A fairly nondescript group, thanks to Mexico’s inflated FIFA world ranking. The Portuguese play attractive football though.
Group E:Italy, Czech Republic
Again, a very tough group. I’m surprised this group did not receive much media attention from the labelers le fatale.
I hope Ghana edge out the Czechs.
Group F:Brazil, Australia
A pretty competitive group. Samba and Kangaroos don’t really belong in the same sentence, but in this case, we can make the exception.
Group G:Switzerland, South Korea
With France stuttering like a 2 year old with a speech defect, this group seems wide open.
Group H:Spain, Saudi Arabia
A ridiculously easy draw for Spain means that they should steamroll their way into the last 16.
9 comments:
Rudra- since you added to my comments count, just returning the favour.Lets put startegy to ovetake Kaushik !
anyway, very washt predictions !
naanum ujaalaku maaritten - Football rocks (more than cricket).
Did you catch the Ecquador-Costa rica match?
@mucastic:
The score went like: 1-0, 1-1, 2-1, 2-2! Gooood entertainment!
Your demiurgic inspiration for comparing the biggest sporting event in the world to a medieval market, at first glance seems to vie for the nonpareil in the poetic niches of the blogosphere, but after a second helping, one does detect a concomitant which exposes your allegory as extremely banal.
Dont let the suuroundings of Casbah cafe creep into your posts while watching football there :)
mr sambandhi :
That post beats atlantis and mucastic hands down !
Atlantis: not bad predictions, but does that just prove that soccer is just an uninteresting game where everything happens as expected !
Sambandhi....romba kalakitta! hahaha!
sambandhi...what did that mean in simple english?
And Prem...:P (stick my tongue out at u permanently)
mucastic- i can imagine how that'll look !
prem : rejected
sambandhi: Even at the risk of sounding a tad self-defensive I feel it is within the realms of propreity to point out, that, though your reasoning is not without merit, a minor technicality compromises its validity. I wrote the post before I first came to 'Kasbah'.
mucastic: as always, my pleasure.
dreamer: well, atleast you took the time off your reviews to visit my blog.
psrivats: football rocks. but cricket is in thine blood.
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