The Best and the Worst

Best game – Germany 2 Brazil 0. The best of the best. Strong, organised, clinical Germany versus fast, expressive, skilful, Brazil.

Best player - Marta. But perhaps she could pass the ball a little more next time.

Best fans - All so good, but possibly Ghana for the singing and the dancing.

Best mascot - England’s panda.

Best prediction - ”Do you want to know who will get the trophy? The winner!” Joseph S. Blatter.

Best headline – “Come on … Brazil?” – from the local sports daily after China had just been utterly humiliated by the South Americans, but in the knowledge that a Brazilian victory against Denmark would all but assure the hosts’ qualification for the next round.

Worst game – Germany 11 Argentina 0. Yes, some of the goals were excellent, but this got the tournament off on completely the wrong foot. Women’s football is not the joke this scoreline suggests.

Worst fans – those who booed the Japanese anthem and players.

Worst pitch – Shanghai’s Hongkou Stadium, before it was relaid just before the final.

Worst organisation – the stuttering re-scheduling of the final group games due to typhoon Wipha.

Worst excuse – “Due to Typhoon Wipha, we change the way to provide press conferences passes” Hangzhou Dragon Stadium.

Worst lunch – the plain, dry, chewy bagguette at Hangzhou’s Dragon Stadium.

Worst aspect of play – goalkeeping (Germany’s clean-sheet-queen Angerer aside). And some disappointing diving from Brazil’s players at times.

Worst idea – perhaps the US decision to drop Hope Solo before crashing out to Brazil or maybe Solo’s own public disgust at the decision which led to her dropping from the entire squad for the third place match?

Some thoughts on the tournament

A record-breaking World Cup in the world’s most populous nation delivered plenty of surprises (some welcome, others not) but in the end it was the reigning champions Germany who went away with the trophy.

The opening game was, thankfully, misleading. Germany’s 11-0 destruction of Argentina was far from representative of an increasingly professional, sophisticated and competitive international women’s game. The gaps between the best teams and the good teams is appreciably smaller and the technical standard is rising all the time.

In terms of quality, questions remain over the general quality of goalkeeping. Keepers from Argentina, Ghana and even the US’s Briana Scurry gave performances they will be glad to quickly forget. Having said that, the runaway player of the match in the final was the penalty-saving German goalkeeper, Nadine Angerer.

The fact that the top four teams yet again included Germany, the USA and Norway makes the Women’s World Cup look a little like the closed shop of the English Premier League. Only Brazil posed a genuine threat to the “old guard”. The speed and flair of Marta, Daniela and Cristiane up front lit up the tournament and they fully deserved their “Most Entertaining Team” award. Next time they will look to add a true killer instinct to their play. For all their improved teamwork, they remain a side of great individuals rather than a great side.

FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter has been just one of those praising the increased techincal skills and tactical sophistication almost universally across the board. Argentina, Ghana and New Zealand particularly failed to impress, but most other teams were closely matched in the battle for the knock out stages.

North Korea did not quite produce the shocks expected – for all their strength and speed, they were unable to take full advantage of their chances on goal. England gave a much improved showing – they were the only team to stop Germany from scoring. Norway aside, Scandinavia was disappointed as Denmark and Sweden both crashed out in the first round. While the hosts China blew hot and cold.

The Brazilian team is an interesting case study for looking at the women’s game as a whole. As they collected their silver medals from the podium, a couple of them held up a banner begging for more support from their federation. The opportunistic announcement from the Brazilian football association (CBF) of a new women’s league was announced with glee by Blatter, who had faced criticism just days before over the CBF’s treatment of the women’s game. It has aroused a little more scepticism in the Brazilian media, who claim the details are far too sketchy to take seriously. Time will tell whether their commitment is a fleeting attempt to bask in the glow of their girls’ excellent displays.

FIFA’s 4th Women’s Symposium, held in Shanghai’s plush Grand Hyatt hotel and timed to coincide with the final games, tried to address these very issues of sustaining and developing interest in the women’s game. With near capacity crowds across China and high TV audiences all over the world (the UK’s first channel, BBC1 broadcast a women’s football match for the first time ever) there are certainly firm foundations upon which to build.

The Symposium gave plenty of concrete examples and proven principles for how to develop clear, strategic plans for development. FIFA’s specific funding allocation for women’s football is to be doubled from 10% to 20%. There will always be calls for more, but games like (among others) England v Germany, Brazil v Denmark and the final show that the women’s game is not merely an inferior side-show to the main event of the men’s game.

In fact, the men’s game could learn a few things from the women’s. You’d have to go back a long way to find a men’s World Cup with no straight red cards, and yet that is what this women’s tournament has achieved. No crowding of the referees, no spitting, no serious injuries caused by foul play.

The Local Organising Committee will be happy to claim a similarly clean record for themselves. Stadia were nearly full. Many may have been block bookings and discounted tickets for school children, but, as I have argued before, this is no bad thing. The local fans entered into the spirit of the tournament with volume and enthusiasm. This being China, there was some disappointing booing of the Japanese national anthem and even some of their players. Added to the trouble caused when China hosted the Asian Cup in 2005, this will need serious attention for next year’s Olympics.

Blatter has said that from all he has seen, he is in no doubt that China could, if it chose to, bid for the FIFA World Cup (the men’s competition, that is). Perhaps. Better English would be necessary. And the combined logistics of the largest single sport event in the world would certainly require better planning than the confused handling of fixture changes due to typhoon Wipha. There was also the largely uninvestigated “spying” scandal where Denmark’s training session before they faced China was disrupted. Journalists in Hangzhou also reported receiving uncomfortably close supervision from local authorities. Again, the eyes of a larger portion of the world will be much less forgiving with larger events like the Olympics and any future men’s World Cup.

Record TV audiences saw the final, and a record number of broadcasters picked up the whole tournament. It will be hoped this is a good stepping stone to getting more and more recognition for the women’s game across the world day by day. Not just every four years.

Germany crowned champions again

SHANGHAI, 30 September 2007

Germany created history by becoming the first team ever to retain the FIFA Women’s World Cup as they defeated Brazil 2-0 in Shanghai on Sunday evening. Birgit Prinz and Simone Luadehr were the goalscoring heroes, while goalkeeper Nadine Angerer maintained her incredible 100% clean sheet record with a brilliant penalty save from top scorer Marta.

Brazil gave the defending champions a tough time and had by far the better share of possession, but in the end could not find a way through a strong German defence expertly marshaled by Ariane Hingst.

The contrasting styles of play made for an exciting encounter. Brazil used their pace and close control to try and get behind the backline, while Germany’s build up was often more patient and deliberate, looking to carve a path their way through. Both sides had their chances in a fiercely contested first half.

For Brazil, Formiga could only manage to stab the ball wide after a Daniela free kick caused a scramble in the box, while Daniela herself saw a spectacular volley hit the post with the goalkeeper well beaten. As the half wore on, Brazil were left to try their luck from distance as Germany continued to deny them that final yard of space they needed to get a clear chance on goal.

Despite this Brazilian pressure, Germany had the better clear-cut chances, with Garefrekes and Smisek failing to find the target when given time and space in the penalty area.

They came out in the second half with renewed pace and decisiveness. This pressure took only seven minutes to pay off when Sandra Smisek got through the right channel and laid the ball back for Prinz, whose first-time shot had enough pace to go under Brazilian keeper Andreia.

The Germans were in front and everything about their body language said they had the strength and drive to remain so.

It was not without scares, however. Despite having timed countless tackles to perfection, on 64 minutes Linda Bresonik tripped Cristiane, giving the referee no option but to point to the spot. Marta’s spot kick lacked the power to get past Angerer, who was able to save to her right.

Obviously disappointed, Brazil refused to give up. Cristiane and Marta in particular ran themselves into the ground for the cause, but there was always a German body in the way.

As a final throw of the dice, Pretinha, scorer of the late, late winner against Denmark came on in place of Tania. But it was German substitute Fatmire Baramaj who won the corner from which Laudehr headed in their second and etched Germany’s on the trophy once more.

Special Olympics and FIFA launch “Global Football” partnership

SHANGHAI, 30 September 2007

On the day of the Women’s World Cup Final and two days before the Special Olympics Summer Games in Shanghai, the Special Olympics and FIFA joined forces to launch their “Global Football” partnership. This ongoing program sees the Special Olympics focusing on a single sport for the first time.

Football was chosen because of its universality, said Timothy Shriver, Chairman of the Special Olympics. It gave athletes with mental disabilities the chance to “participate in a global movement – the chance to be seen for people who are usually invisible.” At this year’s Special Olympics Summer Games there will be a “unified” competition, where people with mental disabilities will play with people without in the same team. This way, Shriver says, “It is no longer simply about helping someone, we are actually team-mates; all on the same level.”

The partnership with FIFA’s “Football for Hope” made Joseph S. Blatter a “very proud President of FIFA” in giving his support to “this absolutely outstanding initiative of the Special Olympics”. Citing the instinctive nature of the sport of football (“the game is so easy”), he pledged the full support of all 208 FIFA member associations to promote and facilitate greater participation across the world.

The targets are ambitious: leading up to the World Cup in South Africa, the Special Olympics want to double the number of players, train 20,000 new football coaches and increase the proportion of women players to 30 per cent. Specific programs in Africa aim to increase the participation from 10 countries to 25. “We don’t say we can change the whole world, but for our athletes it is a huge change in their world” said Shriver.

As the icing on the cake of the launch, Adidas’s regional Managing Director, Wolfgang Bentheimer presented Mr. Shriver with a cheque representing all the profits from his company’s “Rainbow Program”. Launched in May 2007, this is a specially designed range of products aimed at raising money for the Special Olympics.

The Special Olympics Summer Games 2007 begin with the opening ceremony at the Shanghai Stadium on Tuesday 2 October, 2007.

Women’s Football Symposium – working progress

SHANGHAI, 29 September 2007

The 4th Women’s Football Symposium concluded with FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter receiving a standing ovation for commending the Symposium Declaration. Delegates agreed, amongst other things, to establish development plans, seek active partnerships with government, media and business, and to develop greater opportunities for girls and women from grassroots to the top level.

Mary Harvey, former US international and host for the event, repeatedly emphasised that women’s football was not a narrow concern. This was about teamwork: “This is not us versus them. This is about us doing something terrific together and enabling women to have more opportunities to play sports.”

The carefully structured format of the presentations meant that the event remained focused, succinct and business-like, despite predictable calls from the floor for more money and vague platitudes about “awareness raising”.

Key to avoiding these generalist traps was careful planning and strategy. Partners should not be merely approached, they should be courted with ideas and proposals that will help them achieve their own aims. Instinctive lobbying of only the Sports Ministry should be supplemented with strategies that looked at how women’s football campaigns can help achieve aims in Education and Health Ministries. Research and targeting was crucial.

In the private sector, New Zealand’s “Small Whites” grassroots football programme has secured sponsorship and shared marketing deals with multinationals eager to reach the young families to whom football appeals. The self-funding project has been so successful that in rugby-obsessed New Zealand, football is now the number one sport with young people – boys and girls.

Stories about the overwhelming popularity of the game were common throughout. Chile, which hosts next year’s U20 Women’s World Cup, was able to boast of an U14 tournament where four new teams were made up of players who just came on their own. One of these girls had come 40 miles and went on to be named player of the tournament.

Another important cause was“credentialising” the women’s game – helping people and the media understand more that there is nothing odd or inferior about female football. At times it was right to strike a different path from the men’s game: development of female coaches, referees and administrators was essential for providing role models and keeping girls and women in the game when their playing careers are over. However, there was nothing wrong with using existing structures and interest in the men’s game. The English FA’s simultaneous kit launch (where Faye White took equal billing with David Beckham) was just one example of how profiles can be raised through co-operation with the men’s game.

Peter Jenkins, President of the St Kitts and Nevis Football Association expressed the concerns of many when he said that “stigma and discrimination are critical points that continue to hold back the growth of women’s football.” An inspirational presentation from Pakistani politician and proud “soccer mom” Rabina Irfan highlighted how much can be achieved with the right plans and partnerships, no matter the fierceness of traditionalist opposition. The Pakistani National Women’s League is now in its third year and is looking to set up regional competitions to accommodate all the teams that wish to participate.

Adapting FIFA’s slogan as “For the Game. For the World. For the Women.” the 4th Women’s Football Symposium proved the many ways in which women’s football is developing at all levels all over the world, from Namibia to New Zealand.

Now that key factors have been identified and examples of success championed, it remains to be seen how well these will be used to bring to full fruition Mr Blatter’s promise that “The future of football is feminine.” It looks like a good start.

FIFA 4th Women’s Football Symposium Declaration

Brazil stun the US to book place in final

HANGZHOU, 27 September 2007

A sparkling individual show from Marta and yet another strong team performance gave Brazil an emphatic victory over the 10 women of the USA. After a fortunate early own goal put them ahead, the Brazilians combined strength and finesse to storm into Sunday’s final against Germany.

Right from the outset Brazil were intent on showing they were not afraid of being aggressive against the strong, tough tackling Americans. The US gameplan was the same as in previous games: direct balls to the front and aggressive defending at the back. With the Brazilians quicker on the turn, if not in a straight sprint, the US defence was reduced to American football-style block tackling.

Brazil took the lead on 20 minutes when Leslie Osborne, under no pressure, stooped low to head into her own net. Similar gasps of surprise greeted replays of the sublime Marta walzing past two defenders to beat tournament debutant Briana Scurry at the near post just seven minutes later.

As US coach Greg Ryan noted after the match, at 2-0 Brazil had only had one shot on goal. But their superiority on the ball was clear and the likelihood of them emerging victorious was increased two minutes into injury time when Shannon Boxx was sent off for a second bookable offence. Caught out again by delightfully fast footwork as Daniella and Marta played a quick one-two, the referee had no option but to produce the second yellow for a deliberate body-check.

Brazil took complete control in the second half as Marta, Maycon, Daniella and Cristiane found more and more space in a stretched US defence. At times they seemed almost surprised to find themselves in such open positions and wasted some excellent chances.

On 56 minutes, Cristiane made no mistake, sliding the ball past a helpless Scurry from Marta’s cross. Marta continued to give Tina Ellertson a torrid time down the left wing, turning her inside out on numerous occasions. Her second and Brazil’s fourth goal was worthy of any game of football at any level. Flicking the ball with the back of her heel, she span around Ellertson, collected the ball, dashed past Cat Whitehill and drove the ball into the back of the net.

It is hard to say whether the US would have crumbled so definitively had they had 11 players on the field. However, their tactics against such a fluid Brazil side made it more likely that one of their players might get sent off. This devasting defeat – their biggest ever – brings to an end an astonishing 51-match unbeaten streak. There can be no complaints.

Brazilian coach Jorge Barcellos was naturally pleased with the win, but insisted 1-0 would have been just as good as 4-0. He cautioned against complacency, saying “We still haven’t won anything. This was the semi-final. We have a lot of work to do before the game against Germany.”

It will take something special to derail the Germans, who brushed aside a strong Norway team 3-0 in the earlier semi final. But, as they proved again tonight, this Brazilian team is very special.

Attendance: 47,818

USA 0

Brazil 4 (Osborne 20 og, Marta 27, 79, Cristiane 56)

Scapegoat Wipha

HANGZHOU, 27 September 2007

Already blamed for the bungled rearrangement of matches at the end of the group stages, for the temporary closure of Media Centres, for re-allocation of spaces for press conferences and the mixed zones, the typhoon that never really was has now been blamed for the poor state of the pitch at the Hongkou Stadium.

In a press release the Media Department of the Local Organising Committee says: “Due to damage suffered during the recent Typhoon Wipha that struck the Shanghai area, the local Venue Organizing Committee decided to renew the pitch at Hongkou Stadium to meet the high standards necessary for the upcoming final of the FIFA Women’s World Cup”

Anyone who attended the opening fixture in Shanghai could have seen that even before the typhoon (which, in the end, did not directly hit the city)  the patch-work pitch at Hongkou should not have been passed fit for the biggest tournament in women’s football.

In addition to this, the chronology of events seems a little confused. The press release says that an inspection was made of the pitch “On the morning of September 25″ followed by “a solution search meeting”. This suggests that it was at this point they decided a new turf was needed. However, it goes on to say that a “Pitch Maintenance group” has been working on the project since September 19. These hard workers have “managed to select, transport the new grass and implement the project in a short time.”

Which is all very nice. The pitch desperately needed replacing. But why did no one think to do so before? Why wait until a week before the final when the tournament has been in planning stages for years? Why close the Hongkou Stadium closed for a year to prepare for the tournament without making sure the pitch is 100% perfect?

Answers came there none.

We are promised a “first class pitch for the final”. Possibly the best outcome would be if, after the final day, nobody is talking about the pitch.

Sepp Blatter – Football Genius

HANGZHOU, 27 September 2007

He’s not the top man in international football for nothing. Responding to questions at an official press conference in Hangzhou ahead of the USA vs Brazil semi-final, Sepp Blatter said of the host team’s performances:

“The Chinese team did well, but some of the other teams did better. Otherwise China would be in the semi-final now.”

He refused to be questioned further on whether the Pope was a Catholic or where bears did their business…

Favourites march on

No shocks in the quarter finals. Tears for the hosts, bloodied disappointment for England, late despair for Australia and no luck for the hard-working North Koreans.

With all defeated teams promising to learn from their experiences and looking now to their Olympic challenge (and England left battling for the right to represent Great Britain), the victors have a short rest before the semi-finals.

Norway’s quiet competence continues – their 1-0 win over China was achieved despite their opponents recording more than 20 attempts on goal. Their ability to soak up pressure and to make the most of their opportunities becomes a great strength in the knock-out stages. They will face a German side that has progressed comfortably through the competition without hitting the fluid highs of their extraordinary first game. The scoreline against Korea may have flattered the Germans, but their ability to defend in strength while always looking dangerous in attack makes them favourites once more.

Brazil conceded their first goals of the tournament in the quarter final against Australia, but again showed their outstading attacking flair to rescue the game with 15 minutes to go. Of all the teams in the tournament they best typify the “Beautiful Games. Beautiful Goals” slogan (or, in direct translation of the Chinese: “Beautiful Women’s Football. Beautiful World Cup”). The USA, on the other hand, have been direct and almost brutal in their progress. Physically strong, imposing and hard-hitting, they have been a different side to the one that lit up the previous tournament, on home soil. No less effective, they have not been one of the more exciting teams to see. The margin of their quarter final win was harsh on England, but was characteristic of the USA’s tendency to take their chances and snuff out danger. This clash of styles has all the makings of a classic semi-final.

That ought to jinx it…

The knock-out stage begins

Only FIFA’s confused handling of typhoon Wipha threatened to overshadow the smooth progress of the Women’s World Cup.So many positives for the women’s game have followed the gruesome 11-goal thrashing of Argentina by Germany in the opening match. Brazil have turned on the style in a way beyond their men last year, North Korea embarrassed the US, England progressed beyond their group for the first time and all in front of near-capacity crowds and high viewing figures worldwide.

Germany’s demolition of Argentina was a false start for the tournament, which has witnessed a level of fitness, professionalism and sophistication beyond expectations. The list of truly excellent matches – including China v Denmark, England v Germany, USA v North Korea, Brazil v Denmark – has far outweighed the walk-overs. In fact, only three teams out of the sixteen could be labelled as significantly weaker.

Each of the teams in the quarter finals will fancy their chances. Top coaches Silvia Neid (Germany) and the USA’s Greg Ryan, have both confirmed the gaps between the top 10-15 teams in international women’s football are getting smaller and smaller. With increasing tactical sophistication and physical strength and stamina, even the teams lower down that ranking are able to effectively challenge the big names.

A passionate round of games on the re-scheduled final day – where Australia knocked Canada out in the last minutes and Brazil and Denmark played an epic – went a long way to divert attention from the confused response to typhoon Wipha. In the event, both Hangzhou and Shanghai were largely spared the typhoon’s wrath, so all games could have safely been played when are where they were supposed to be. That doesn’t matter now, but it was most unfortunate that at a time when on the pitch the women’s game was proving itself a serious, professional, entertaining and enthralling sport to match almost any worldwide, the organisation was drifting close to amateurism.

As the quarter finals get underway, the USA and Germany remain favourites, but Brazil have won the hearts and minds of many with their lightning fast, exuberant attacking flair. They will be tough for anyone to stop. Norway have been quietly efficient – dominating their group without attracting a large amount of attention. If they can hold their nerve with tens of thousands of home fans jeering their every move whilst creating a deafening noise for their own team, China, they should progress.

North Korea have now shown at the top international level what Asia and the under-20s tournament have known for some time – they are a very effective combination of power and pace and passing. As to where a “shock” may be likely to come, they may be one of the leading contenders. Germany have yet to be severely tested and they cannot afford to miss chances as they did against Japan. The suspicion remains, however, that Germany will be able to move up a gear as and when the situation demands.

For all their promise and progress, it would take something very special for England to get past the USA. The Americans have not been on top of their game, and England may see a chance to use a similar gameplan to the one that worked so effectively against Germany. But they will need others to share the burden of expectation placed on Kelly Smith. A first tournament goal from Aluko (if she starts) could be priceless.

Australia will do well to contain Marta, Christiane and Daniela of Brazil. In the South Americans’ last two games they have faced very different sides – China played higher up the pitch, Brazil destroyed them; Denmark played deep and defended excellently and Brazil still won.

The most interesting game could be China vs Norway. The hosts have not had an easy time. The drubbing their received at the hands of Brazil seemed to shake their confidence and they made harder work of defeating New Zealand than they might have hoped. The Norwegians are better organised and more clinical in attack. If they can hold their nerve and shape with tens of thousands of raucous Chinese fans shouting, screaming and singing against them, they should get through.