Musings after a World Cup Final

Firstly, as an Australian I can live better with our controversial exit in the Group-of-16 against Italy, with Italy winning the tournament overall. Our failure to score against a 10-man Italy when we had 60% possession though remains our glaring controversy IMO, not the penalty given against Neill.

Secondly, and on thereto to the Final itself.

I thought the behaviour of weeping French losers and jubilant Italian winners showed how unworthy of worship the sporting pantheon is. Totti with his Italian flag draped over his head like a widow's cowl. Thuram weeping for not getting another World Cup to go with his '98 honour (unless I am mistaken). Zidane forgetting that "sticks and stones may hurt my bones but words will never hurt me". It all showed me how very human and sinful these people are. Would I act the same way? Probably, for I am a sinner too. Let us reflect though on the adoration these men are given.

Let's focus on Zidane, as everyone else seems to be. I was glad our caller, Martin Tyler, condemned the act immediately. The media has now swung behind Zidane, saying that something so provocative was said as to justify the incident. Since when was that acceptable? It goes against good parenting and thereby social cohesion to suggest that some insults are worthy of a flooring headbutt to the chest.

To the game itself, and I feel that overall at this World Cup the world's best failed to showcase free-scoring football. I will call it the 4-5-1 World Cup, for that was the formation that won and we tried to go with. 4-4-2 I thought was the classic formation, but now we have stacked midfields and two who push forward from midfield to snatch a goal. Not all of us are Frank Lampard or Steven Gerrard who can crack rippers from outside the 18-yard box. So I am sad that with such an opportunity to promote the game (eg in Australia) the neutral, fickle sporting public justifiably went away saying: Boring. Not many goals and the stupid penalty shootout decides the winner. Michaelangelo Rucci, the Aussie-Rules guru writing in the Advertiser, rightly questions why a replay is out of the question. Play the first final through to extra time, if still deadlocked, have another go a few days later - with a shootout at the end of that. Good idea. I don't mind the golden goal concept either, as it leaves it to the fittest team that manages their fitness and substitutions tactically to create a result. Mind you, a couple extra subs at the end of extra time might be justifiable to each team, so as not to be inhumane. After all, the benches are loaded and only 3 usually get a go.

I enjoyed the final itself, as an increasingly purist football fan. I felt that Italy deserved the win given the possession they had and the quality of their chances. Pirlo's corners exposed France's fragility with the high ball into the penalty area.

So for Australia its the Asian Cup qualifiers to focus on, for the other nations their respective conferences' cups such as Euro 2008. I just hope we see more quality players come into the A-League so the fickle public who on a whim buy an A-League ticket see more and better quality versions of what we saw last year - high scoring games with great atmosphere.

Come on all you Reds.