Oh Ballacks!

So it's not just an English curse then? Germany captain Michael Ballack is out of the World Cup following an ankle injury sustained in Saturday's FA Cup Final victory over Portsmouth.

For any number of World Cup Finals in the past, there's always been a key England player or two injured in the run-up to the tournament - Beckham, Owen, Rooney, Robson... So while it brings me no joy (OK - maybe a little!) to see the Germany captain out of the competition, it certainly makes a change for another country to be getting the headlines on injuries.

The fact that Ballack was injured by a player born in Germany, who played for the German under 21 team, but who has now chosen to represent Ghana the country of his father's birth, will add to the German conspiracy theorists. Why? Because Ghana and Germany are in the same group and will face each other in what could be a decisive third game on June 23.  Had Rooney been injured by a Slovenian or an Algerian, I'm sure English fans would be saying the same!

Ballack out - Read the views of a German tabloid paper

Becks - What a top bloke!

Enjoy this 6 minute BBC interview with David Beckham as he reflects on missing the World Cup, what he thinks he can still offer the England team, and when he'll return to the Galaxy...

It's a real shame that he will miss the competition through injury; personally I think he still has a lot to offer on the right hand side of England's midfield. Certainly none of his successors have done an outstanding job and would take his place automatically in my team. If he had been fit, and he surely would have been picked for the squad if so, then he would have been the first Englishman to play in 4 World Cup Finals. 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/8645556.stm

Ahhh the memories of 2006

27 days 21 hours to go...or put differently, this time in 4 weeks the World Cup will be underway with the first match just about wrapping up!

After yesterday's education/reminder of what the World Cup is all about, here's a compilation of the best bits from the last World Cup Finals, held in Germany in 2006.  This should whet your appetite for the competition...and imagine your team lifting the trophy at the end! 

How many of these moments had you forgotten about? Joe Cole's stunning volley for England, and what about Zidane's headbutt in the final, what a way to end such a storied career!? To put that moment in perspective for American readers, imagine Michael Jordan headbutting an opponent during Game 7 of the NBA Finals, the last ever game of his career, and being sent off (ejected) and costing the Bulls the Championship!  What a wierd game that was!  Let's hope this years Final isn't decided by penalties, and that England spank Argentina 3-0; ok, let's make it 4-0 to calm the nerves!

Be sure to click on 480p, rather than 360p, at the bottom of the video for better quality and have your volume turned up; the Black Eyed Peas add to the 'carnival'! 

Soccer...for dummies...

Now don't take this the wrong way America, but I appreciate that football (as the rest of the world describes soccer) is not your most popular sport...hey, I don't understand how the NCAA basketball tournament works so we're even, so I thought this might be a useful link for you to play catch up on what the whole world is starting to talk about...

And as far as my title goes, check out the link below, this guide really is brought to you by the 'Dummies' people...

For the rest of the world, you will/should know all this, so just indulge me as I bring our American cousins up to speed. After all, the USA does play England in our opening game on June 12th, so we'll need to be all clued up if we're going to suitably rude to each other come match day...

ESPN 2 is a must have channel by the way if you want to watch the World Cup stateside...preferably in HD!

The Basics of the World Cup (for Dummies!)

Wayne Bridge was nearly on the phone...

For a while there, it seemed that John Terry's World Cup may have been over before it began...and that meant Wayne Bridge would have been on the phone to Fabio Capello in  a heartbeat I'm sure...

But it appears that Terry has not broken a metatarsal in his foot and should be fit to play; sorry Wayne, looks like you'll be staying at home with the ex-girlfriend after all!!

Terry's World Cup fears eased

Out with the old...

No Beckham or Owen for England, no Ronaldinho for Brazil, no Ruud van Nistelrooy for Holland, no Luca Toni or Francesco Totti for Italy, no Patrick Viera for France...the old superstars are moving on and it's time for the likes of Messi and Rooney to make their mark on the world stage.

If you're English you won't be able to forget Ronaldinho's shot/cross (you decide) that knocked England out of the 2002 World Cup at the Quarter final stage...I won't be sorry if he doesn't make the plane...just in case we come up against Brazil again...

30 days and counting...

I've been away but I'm back...hopefully with something interesting to say or share everyday from now until the World Cup! You'll notice the World Cup Countdown clock and so with 30 days and 15 hours or so till kick off, it's time to get excited about the upcoming 'festival of football'!  

Today's news...The provisional squads are starting to be announced; the final squads of 23 players will be trimmed down just a couple of weeks before the tournament begins, but for now most players are learning what they'll be up to this summer.

The England squad has been announced; the midfield is strong as usual, but concerns for me are in goal, and up front. If Terry, Ferdinand, Cole and Johnson remain fit, then I think that's a strong defence, but with 'Calamity' James the best of the bunch between the posts, ummm...a little worried. On his day, a great shot stopper, but he does have those 'moments' doesn't he!

Up front we do have a match winner in Rooney, but his recent run of injuries is a little concerning. Crouch does appear to be a super-sub, but Bent, Defoe and Heskey have still to prove themselves as international goalscorers. Heaven forbid anything happens to Rooney, otherwise we'll be relying on Gerrard and Lampard weighing in for goals from midfield. What are your thoughts...?

Provisional England squad:

Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Man City), David James (Portsmouth), Robert Green (West Ham)

Defenders: Leighton Baines (Everton), Jamie Carragher (Liverpool), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Michael Dawson (Spurs), Rio Ferdinand (Man Utd), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Ledley King (Spurs), John Terry (Chelsea), Matthew Upson (West Ham), Stephen Warnock (Aston Villa)

Midfielders: Gareth Barry (Man City), Michael Carrick (Man Utd), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Tom Huddlestone (Spurs), Adam Johnson (Man City), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Aaron Lennon (Spurs), James Milner (Aston Villa), Scott Parker (West Ham), Theo Walcott (Arsenal), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Man City)

Forwards: Darren Bent (Sunderland), Peter Crouch (Spurs), Jermain Defoe (Spurs), Emile Heskey (Aston Villa), Wayne Rooney (Man Utd)

C'mon ENGLAND!