Yes Pips, I've seen Nakamura play.

It was indeed a good game. Very nerve wrecking at the end. And a very emotional moment for the Japan. It was worth waking up at 4 am. I think that was the first time I've sat thru an entire soccer game.

I hope Ghana goes far also.

Ohhh~ Philipa, this girl saw my favourite player play in Yokohama. You know he's back in Yokohama if I'm not mistaken. RCD Espanyol didn't work out so he kept his promise with his wife and returned to J-league J1 football.

But he did give something special. His last season in Celtic, he scored a hat trick on my birthday. It was against either Kilmarnock or St. Mirren, can't remember for sure, but either way he scored 3 on a 7-0 win. He scored two peaches and his bread and butter, the free kick. I was ecstatic.

Sad to see Japan lost, they cant break the history today. hope it will break someday. They were doing great work though, handle a great team, play over 2 hour. Salute to Japan team. Its just a matter of luck

Some day just some day a country from Asia grab the trophy


World Cup winner will be from European country this time, i hope.

GO Germany

Paraguay 0-0 Japan (5-3 after penalties)....Well footballs answer to Russian roulette, the penalty shoot out, and the cruellest finale to Japan ?s campaign ,5 shots at goal from a white penalty spot 12 yards away, if still dead locked after, it?s sudden death ..

Pretty straight forward you would think, in reality the penalty shoot out is by far the most stressful activity a footballer can be asked to endure, arising from the personal capability of individual responsibility combined with the knowledge that failure will cost their team and country dearly.

Yesterdays penalty shoot out with Paraguay was no exception, incredibly exciting, tension ratcheted to the max, it all seems rather unfair, quite often the least deserving team will feel under less pressure and thus perform better in the shootout, so penalties have much more to do with state of mind rather than talent or ability, if you are of a nervous disposition you are much more likely to miss.

Paraguay scored all five of their penalties and Japan will agonise after watching Yuichi Komano's spot-kick rattling the woodwork. Both Paraguay and Japan were bidding to reach their first quarter-finals..... My Heart goes out to Komano whose miss proved decisive; he will probably remember this for some considerable time.

So Friday July 2nd, Quarter finals Netherlands v Brazil and Uruguay v Ghana, then Saturday 3rd July Argentina v Germany and Paraguay v Spain.....It would be a fairy tale ending for Germany to go all the way and lift the trophy... however to beat Argentina will require more than a leap of faith, Argentina are beginning to look more like World Champions as they?ve progressed through the group stages ..

Holding the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa has been a god send to UK footy fans... I can watch the matches after college, I don?t think I could position the matchsticks under my eye lids at 04:00 am and be on planet earth mentally for college at 08: 00, kudos to a_kikoo..

Well, according to google translator

Utada must be supporting Germany and Argentina. It's pretty interesting because I'm supporting Argentina, and my brother is supporting Germany.

Sepp Blatter warns elected President Nicolas Sarkozy that he will suspend France from international football if the French government continues to interfere with the French national team.

Blatter ........"In France they have made an 'affaire d'Etat' with football, but football remains in the hands of the federation, French football can rely on Fifa in case of political interference even if it is at presidential level, it is a clear message, we will help the national association and if it cannot be solved by consultation then the only thing we have is to suspend the federation."

......then wonders why he has been slapped down and told in no uncertain terms to sit and swivel, the arrogance of Blatter still continues to take the breath away, he wonders why he is being undermined and politically briefed against.

This will only the beginning, no action was taken against France when Thierry Henry controversially guided the ball into the net using his hand in play-off against the Republic of Ireland , Bladder was humiliated then, politics is not for silly old fools to meddle in there are simply no rules........

I kind of think FIFA is getting rather arrogant with its position, demanding this and that while at the same time it can't even handle its own problems.

Anyway, the freekick goals from Japan are definitely the best ones in this WC. Sad to see them out...

Rooting for Brazil, I think they have played very well this time around. Strong in defence, good possession and convert their opportunities.

On another note, Torres is just plain ....goes down too easily and can't get pass the defenders. Spain is just depending on Villa.

Are we to witness an all South American World Cup Final....Brazil v Argentina ?....A truly scintillating prospect !!!!

Steven Gerrard has allegedly taken out a court injunction (two week gagging order) to prevent details of an affair with his wife's 17 year old sister who is (and I emphasise allegedly) expecting Gerrards love child, speculation surrounding this sensational story started to surface when John Terry made his impromptu news conference, apparently Terry wanted Gerrard to be removed from the Captaincy, the judge granted the order banning publication, thus providing the FA and Capello time to respond to the obvious media storm that will follow.

Edit:

This is were this nonsense is coming from, one very interesting fact is Steve Gerrard wife, Alex Curren does not have a sister ?.....

http://www.football.co.uk/blogs/5010/727037.shtml



Yes, French pride in their national football team is sacrosanct they can deal without FiFa interference....

I don't want to watch battle of South America teams on final match, its gonna be a totally boring match

Today match Brazil vs Netherlands , i was hoping Netherlands won this time. If they can handle Brazil Bermuda triangle Kaka, Robinho, and ups forgot his name, they can win against Brazil

Takeshi Okada ..... Japan head honcho..... ?I don't think I have anything left to do now, probably, it's my responsibility, we did not insist enough. when I look back at what I could have done for the players and what I did as a head coach I should have been more insistent on winning, Japan paid the price for a lack of ambition, they represented Japan and also Asia as a whole and they played until the end so I'm proud of them, I was not able to make them win, that's my responsibility, I did not make them eager enough."
.....a very harsh personal assessment from a proud and honourable man, who is clearly considering his future, my eyes filled up with water, Okada has sacrificed his heart and soul, Takeshi Okada first guided Japan to the finals in 1998 but resigned after failing to pass the group stages he returning in late 2007..

Also announcing his retirement from international football is Kuma?s (aka Utada) favourite footy squeeze Shunsuke Nakamura (Yokohama Marinos) who at 32 and with 98 caps (appearances) for Japan since early 2000, went on to score 24 goals .....Kayoko will be gutted ....

Some photo?s ....



Nakamura......plus friends ....



Pin-up boy Honda (no flies on H san ) ....Stand by your beds Girls......