however for me...this is one of the tournaments i'll actually watch. its for a few reasons, the first is that its the world cup finals...once your out of the group stages there is genuine competition...something to watch...the second one is the politics. it is hilarious the speculation that goes on surrounding nations playing each other. how the hell does a teams geographical location and political administration affect how their national football team plays. but somehow Bill O'Herlihy on RTE sports manages to rant for ages about how south Korea have something to prove because they get a bad rap in the press. and therefore stand a chance of beating Argentina.
have you honestly ever seen a nation so riled up as when Thierry Henry handballed Frances way into the world cup. 7/8 months on and everyone is still talking about it...it became a national concern greater than the big freeze...hilarious.
And of course who could forget the eternal rivalry of England and Germany...IT WAS 65 YEARS AGO!!!!!!!! i get that its a big deal but this is football!!!! i honestly can't wait for Iraq or Afghanistan to get a team into the world cup in the same group as the US. that day....however many years away...i will weep with joy.
anyway i digress...
where was i... so when at work yesterday everyone was talking about the match i had a mild interest. oh they said...almost queuing up to share their tabloid paper match analysis...i think Spain will go through... (well all except one guy...who is Portuguese...HI Portuguese guy who works in the Airside bar...someday i will find out your name)... then they all continued with... how bad it'll be nice to see Ronaldo go home the cocky shit.
Now call me cynical. But all these people support either Liverpool or Manchester United...its Ireland...we jump on the bandwagon of the best team. always have. always will. FACT. just look at Munster rugby. and when Ronaldo played for Man U he was their Wonderkid. Not much has changed since he went to Real Madrid really except the politics kinda comes back into it when he plays against Man U. so why oh why is he so hated as a Portugal team player...
after careful match analysis(pffft) and lots of pondering using my thoughtful pose, here's my conclusion. he's not a Portugal team player, he a player who happens to run around with the Portuguese team for 90 minutes. he carries the team.he gets the ball and everyone expects there to follow a spectacular goal. so he's spectacularly talented...thats why we hate him...no i say, we don't go around wishing Messi a shit world cup. and he's Ronaldo's main competition in the bid for greatest player in the world.
So, Messi vs Ronaldo
My best guess after yet more analysis(pfffft) and speculation is that Ronaldo is just a little too close to home. after all Ireland follows the premiership, but Messi doesn't play in that. so Ronaldo was always that bit more loved than Messi in the UK and Ireland, so first he was loved, but then he left and his talent gets him hated in the area of his old club, despite him having done nothing wrong, and this not even being a club game?!? God i love this country.
but the fact is he should be flattered. he's managed to be one of the most appreciated footballers in modern times for his sheer talent. and that ain't something to be sniffed at. its a compliment in this country that we hate him so much. So ya gotta be loved to be hated to be appreciated and thats how it is...and that brings me back to my title.
I love it when a plan comes together. :D
QED
Jonnie
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