Penbo's World Cup Confidential Day 3 - deadset legends and psycho despots
* David Penberthy
* From: News Limited newspapers
PENBO reveals why Bozza is a deadset legend, which psychotic despot plans to rewrite history and which team is flying in emergency supplies of prosciutto.
Mark Bosnich has brought his lovely new girlfriend, Sarah Jones, to South Africa for the World. 'Bozza' is a guest of the Fanatics camp site in Durban, but the new couple has been spared a tent among the great unwashed. They're staying with at the nearby Hilton with former Socceroo Charlie Yankos, whose been joining Bosnich for daily Q&A sessions with the punters. For the record, Bosnich's form on tour has been immaculate. He's posed for endless photos and signed enough autographs to earn RSI within the first day. The ex-Man U goalie's attitude is a welcome change from the celebrities who accompanied the Fanatics to Germany four years ago. In 2006, Frank Farina and Robbie Slater were barely seen mixing with the fans.
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And the Poms think we're the ones that always start the petty stuff. An English newspaper has dubbed the Socceroos the "Sheilaroos" throughout this World Cup. Not sure if they're trying to start the mind games early in case we run into them in the second round, which appears likely if Australia qualify that far, or if they're trying to stop everyone from remembering that the last time the Socceroos - is it really that hard to say? - played England, it was in England and the, ahem, Sheilaroos won 3-1.
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The roads around Jo'burg are bad at the best of times but the main highway into Soccer City had to be seen to be believed yesterday. It normally runs three lanes in either direction but motorists desperate to make kick-off for Mexico decided another couple of lanes wouldn't go astray and jumped the traffic islands and made their merry way to the stadium. The police were threatening to write up tickets but surrendered and just smiled and waved the traffic through. Meanwhile, in more traffic mayhem a group of Spanish journalists had the roof sheared off their media bus when it travelled at speed under a low bridge.
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The more dour and sensible European nations have already started complaining about the permanent din of the vuivuzelas. Now, a new phenomenon has emerged - vuvuzela rage. The Sowetan newspaper reported that police have had to step in and stop several altercations where fed-up European fans driven mad by the blaring plastic horns and have lashed out vuvuzela-toting African soccer fanatics. The South Africans refer to the horns as their 12th man, and when Siphiwe Tshabalala kicked the first goal of the World Cup at Soccer City to send Bafana Bafana 1-0 up against Mexico, you could see, or hear, why.
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The enigmatic North Koreans might have famously knocked Italy out of the World Cup in a 1-0 stunner in 1966, but they aren't expected to repeat their giant-killing exploits this time. But their fans back home might be none the wiser. The bizarrely secretive regime in Pyongyang has issues a government edict that all World Cup broadcasts back home must be favourably edited for the national team. Given they're not expected to win a game, the editing job will be particularly tricky - footage of crest-fallen players marching off the ground with a mocked-up 5-0 scoreline against Brazil superimposed on the screen.
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The food is terrific here in South Africa, if a kilo of steak and no vegetables aside from chips and a mountain of onion rings is your go. But the Italian national team is taking no chances and has shipped in traditional tucker of its own. The Azzurri have flown in 250kg of pasta, 200kg of parmesan, 400kg of peeled tomato, 200 litres of olive oil, 60kg of proper coffee and 40 legs of prosciutto to get them through the Cup.
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Diego Watch, Day Three: From the "do as I say not as I do files", the man who famously used his fist to put Argentina 1-0 up against England at the 1986 Mexico World Cup has issued a stern statement calling for referees to crack down on unfair play in South Africa. Now Argentina's national coach, Diego Maradona said the he wanted the refs to make sure everyone played within the rules, and to stamp out cynical tackles. To make his point Maradona recalled a vicious foul against him by Cameroon at the 1990 World Cup in Italy. "Someone gave me a kick which nearly knocked my head off," he said, which might explain a few things.
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Given the rate of HIV infection in South Africa it was a noble and sensible gesture by the local health authorities. But the question has to be asked - how many condoms does one person actually need? The gents' toilets at Soccer City yesterday were doubling as a safe sex emporium with packets of condoms being handed out for free. Each packet contained 12.
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Straight after the opening match finished the groundsmen were doing their best to keep the grass shipshape at Soccer City. But instead of using a ride-on mower, four blokes with backyard Victas came out and started mowing like mad, and are probably still doing it now.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/world-cup-2010/penbos-world-cup-confidential-day-3-deadset-legends-and-psycho-despots/story-fn5epklx-1225878813599