1. ● In Italia 1990, which
Dutch defender spat
repeatedly at
Germany’s Rudi Voller?
A. Ber-
gkamp, B.
Rijkaard,
C. Koeman
● In
Mexico
1986, the
midfielder became the
first English player to be
sent off in the finals for
launching the ball at the
referee?
A. Barnes, B. Robson, C.
Wilkins
● In USA 94, this
German player made
obscene gestures at his
own fans?
A. Effenberg, B. Moller,
C. Hassler
SPOT
KICK
KICK-OFF
HT SPORT WORLD CUP SPECIAL
4 2 D A Y S T O G O
Friday, April 28, 2006 Page 21
The beautiful game is
dead and buried. It is
history
—— CCooaacchh SSccoollaarrii
ddeeffeennddss BBrraazziill''ss
pprraaggmmaattiicc ssttyyllee iinn 22000022
SHOOTING
FROM THE LIP
BEN James
London
THE 1966 World Cup will always be remembered
for the ‘most debated and questionable incident’
in soccer history. Those words, significantly,
came from Geoff Hurst. It was he who sparked
the debate. And his life has never been the same
ever since. England striker Hurst, still a new-
comer to the team, scored a hat-trick in the 4-2
win over West Germany in the final at Wembley.
But it was his second, and England's third goal,
in injury-time which broke German hearts. The
ball was adjudged by Soviet linesman Tofik
Bakhramov to have crossed the line after com-
ing down off the underside of the crossbar.
The former West Ham striker, in his book
1966 And All That, asks: “Was it a goal? Did the
ball cross the line? Those two questions have
haunted me for most of my adult life... I don't
know the answers. I don't think I ever will.
“Having listened to the arguments over the
decades and watched the replay hundreds of
times on TV, I have to admit that it looks as
though the ball didn't cross the line... But until
someone proves otherwise, I'm happy to go
along with Herr (Gottfried) Dienst (the referee)
and Tofik Bakhramov.”
Life's great feats often hang by the slenderest
of threads and the most fortunate of coinci-
dences. England's finest hour was to rely on a
coach who had not been the first choice for the
job, on tactics only finalised late in the tourna-
ment and on a striker who began the event on
the substitutes’ bench.
England, while competitive, hard to beat and
among the leading favourites, were regarded as
‘efficient rather than inspired’. Argentina,
Pele's Brazil, Uwe Seeler’s Germany and Euse-
bio’s Portugal appeared to have more deep-seat-
ed quality. Only about half of the English team
— goalkeeper Gordon Banks, centre-half Bobby
Moore, full-back Ray Wilson, attacking mid-
fielder Bobby Charlton and striker Jimmy
Greaves — were seen as world class.
It showed in their first match — a dull 0-0
against Uruguay. Two 2-0 wins followed, over
Mexico and France. Neither was totally con-
vincing, as coach Alf Ramsey continued to shuf-
fle his team.
Portugal, meanwhile, were catching the eye,
winning all three first-round games and even
knockingouttwo-timewinnersBrazil.NorthKo-
rea were providing the shocks — their win over
Italy was one of the greatest upsets in history.
The quarter-finals proved decisive for England.
Facing the highly fancied Argentinians, Ram-
sey decided to stop using wingers — his team
would hence be remembered as the ‘wingless
wonders’ — and instead rely on midfielders
Martin Peters and Alan Ball to provide the
crosses. He also introduced Hurst for the first
time, as a replacement for the injured Greaves.
After a series of bookings, Argentinian cap-
tain Antonio Rattin was sent off for dissent.
England stole the game late on, a Peters cross
headed home by Hurst, before the police came on
to protect the referee from the Argentinian play-
ers at the end. Ramsey, meanwhile, refused to al-
low his players to swap shirts, branding the Ar-
gentinians "’animals’.
Hurst added: “They all wanted to fight after-
wards and threw a chair through our dressing-
room door. ‘Send them in’, cried Jack Charlton,
‘Send them in! I'll fight them all!’ England's 2-1
semi-final against the Portuguese — Germany
beat the Soviet Union by the same score — was a
completely different affair.
Hurst recalled: “No foul was committed until
the 23rd minute.” Again, he put England's suc-
cess largely down to a Ramsey masterstroke -
giving midfielder Nobby Stiles, whose tackling
was ‘just the legal side of murderous’, the role of
man-marking ‘the incomparable Eusebio’ out of
the game.
That victory set up the dramatic final. And yet
again Ramsey, who had predicted when he took
over in 1963 that England would win the World
Cup, took a bold step, sticking with Hurst rather
than recalling the fit-again Greaves.
Ramsey, who ruled with such an iron grip that
he even decided when his players went to bed. “I
missed the ending of Butch Cassidy and the
Sundance Kid three times during Alf's reign as
England manager,” recalled Hurst. “It wasn't un-
til 1990 that I realised they got shot.”
For Hurst, it was ultimately the England
coach rather than his final hat-trick which won
the World Cup. Even years after the famous vic-
tory, it’s the controversial goal of Hust that’s
been discussed more than the triumph.
DPA
Was it a goal?Action replay:
DPA
ABOVE: Geoff Hurst scores the controversial goal. (Left) Bobby Moore with the Jules Rimmet Trophy.
The most controversial goal in the history of
World Cup still haunts Geoff Hurst
IT WAS England's year in every sense. After
facing the ignominy of being bundled out from
the previous editions in the blink of an eye, the
vindicated Englishmen did make amends this
time, on their home turf too. Led by mercurial,
adventurous and provocative Bobby Charlton,
England lifted their first-ever World Cup title,
as the nation went berserk. Here are the
wicked facts from the 1966 edition:
GOBLETS OF PAPER: To counter hooliganism
and agent provocateurs, the English authori-
ties decided that the spectators wouldn't get
their regular pints in glass beakers and gob-
lets. Drinks were rather served in cardboard
containers or paper-cups.
FA PUP: For a while it seemed that the Trophy
that the teams are sweating and fighting for
wouldn't be seen. While on display at a
London stamp exhibition, the Jules Rimmet
Trophy was stolen. Nation's pride was hang-
ing in the balance and inevitably a massive
police operation swung into action, only for
the Trophy be found under a bush by a dog
named "Pickles"! So famous did the mutt
become that, together with his owner, Pickles
was allowed to attend the posh hotel celebra-
tion party after England's win! Sadly, Pickles
died soon after, accidentally strangling him-
self with his own lead!
NO MERCY: The culprit of the theft was
nabbed and incarcerated soon after. While
fawning the judge, the argument he put for-
ward to move him was: "Whatever my sen-
tence is, I hope that England win the World
Cup"! To his chagrin, the stolid judge was
unmoved and sentenced him to two years in
prison!
OUTSTANDING BOOKING: In their final group
match against France, England's tough-tack-
ling midfielder, Nobby Stiles, was booked for
a foul… but not by the referee! A FIFA official
was sitting in the stand and he issued the
caution after the match was over!
HE'S GOT THE LOOK: In England's quarter-
final, Argentina's captain, Antonio Rattin, was
given his marching orders for arguing with
the referee. However, what made this book-
ing a ludicrous one was the fact that the pug-
nacious Rattin was arguing in Spanish while
the referee spoke in only his native —
German! When asked how could he have
comprehended the supposed invectives the
Argentine captain spewed, referee's explana-
tion was simple. “I sent him off because of
the look on his face!”
FADE TO BLACK: Scotland player Dennis Law
was not a fan of the English team. On the
country, he despised them from the bottom of
his heart. On the day of the final he went out
to play golf rather than watch the match on
TV. On returning to the clubhouse, the mirth-
ful members told him that England had won.
"It is the blackest day of my life," was his seri-
ous retort!
—Compiled by Varun Gupta
London, April 27
ENGLAND STRIKER Michael
Owen delivered his country's
World Cup hopes a major boost on
Thursday with confirmation that
he is ready to return to Premier-
ship action this weekend. The 26-
year-old has been out of Newcas-
tle's first team since December 31
when he fractured a bone in his
foot in a collision with Tottenham
and England goalkeeper Paul
Robinson.
There had been fears that Owen
could miss the World Cup or at
least not be able to play competi-
tive domestic football beforehand.
However, Owen said he was hope-
ful of playing for Newcastle away
at Birmingham City on Saturday.
"I've been training since Monday
and it has been really good," Owen
told The Times.
Totti boost for Italy
ROME: Italy playmaker
Francesco Totti returned to com-
petitive soccer two months after
breaking his left leg to play on AS
Roma's junior team in a friendly
on Thursday. The quick recovery
of the classy AS Roma captain
was expected to lead to his inclu-
sion in Italy's roster for this year's
World Cup in Germany.
About 3,000 Roma fans and the
player's mother, Fiorella, cheered
Totti as he started in the game
against Cisco Lodigiani at Stadio
Flaminio. Totti said he hoped to
play an official match with Roma
within two weeks.
Roma are scheduled to play
their last Serie A matches be-
tween May 7-14 and in the Italian
Cup finals against Inter Milan be-
tween May 3-11. Agencies
London, April 27
FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION offi-
cials confirmed on Thursday
they have spoken to former
Brazil World Cup winner Luiz
Felipe Scolari about taking over
as England coach. Amid reports
that the FA has already offered
Scolari the job, chief executive
Brian Barwick would only say he
had held talks with the Brazilian
in Lisbon. Scolari will coach Por-
tugal at the June 9-July 9 World
Cup in Germany.
"It's well evidenced now that
we were in Lisbon speaking to
Luiz Felipe Scolari as part of the
process of recruiting the next
coach and that process contin-
ues," Barwick said after arriving
at Heathrow Airport on his re-
turn from Lisbon.
Asked if he had made an offer
to Scolari, Barwick didn't reply.
Barwick's admission was in con-
trast to a denial by Portuguese
team officials that Scolari had
spoken to the FA. "He has not had
any contacts or any meetings
with anybody," Portugal team
spokesman Afonso Mello said"He
has given his word that he won't
speak to anyone about his future
until after the World Cup. That's
the pledge he has made and he's
sticking to it."
Mello said he wasn't aware
whether Portuguese Soccer Fed-
eration president Gilberto
Madail had met with anyone
from the English FA. "I doubt it,
though, because Scolari and
Madail have an agreement that
the issue is off the table until the
end of the World Cup," Mello
said. The 57-year-old coach has
become a surprise front-runner
eclipsing Englishmen Steve Mc-
Claren, Alan Curbishley and
Sam Allardyce, along with Mar-
tin O'Neill of Northern Ireland,
were early favourites.
Should the talks in Lisbon
bear fruit, a decision to appoint
Scolari would still need to be rub-
ber-stamped by the FA Board,
who are due to meet next Thurs-
day.
A proven winner with a wealth
of international experience, and
reported to be offered an annual
salary of 3.0 million pounds
($5.35 million), saving the FA two
million pounds a year on Eriks-
son's estimated wages, Scolari's
appointment would still cause
some controversy.
The man known back in Brazil
as "Big Phil" would not be wel-
comed by those who want a
home-grown candidate to take
over from Eriksson.
Agencies
ENGLAND SET TO NET BIG PHIL
STIFF UPPER LIP
● Pele knows nothing about
football
● Shoot, shoot — Chilavert
(Paraguan goalkeeper) has
400 kilos of fat
● I don't talk to Spaniards.
This is war. It is a case of
kill or die
— While refusing an interview
to a Spanish radio ahead of
their match against Spain in
Euro 2004
The Big Phil story
1948, Nov 9, born in Passo
Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
1991After a playing career at
Gremio in the 70’s takes over as
coach of Criciúma, in Santa
Catarina, and wins the Brazilian
Cup
1994Takes over at Gremio
and again wins the Cup (1994),
the Libertadores da America
(1995) and the title (1996).
Follows up with successful spells
at Palmeiras and Cruzeiro
2001Appointed coach of
Brazil. Qualifies them for the
2002 World Cup and wins it
2002Leads Brazil to their
fifth World Cup title
2003Takes over as coach of
Portugal and leads them to the
final of Euro 2004, which they
lose to Greece. Still in charge
until after 2006 World Cup
Doggeddisplay:When‘Pickles’savedhoststheblushes
WICKED HOUR
Healingtouch:
Owenrecovers
DPA
FA PUP: Pickles became a Nation’s hero even before the kick-off.
Was it a goal? Did the ball cross the line? Those two questions have
haunted me for most of my adult life —Geoff Hurst
ANSWERS TO WEDNESDAY’S
QUESTIONS
1. A. 1958 and 1998
2. B. One
3. C. Oleg Salenko
—Compiled by Abhishek