John Helm: Town make for a happy return
John Helm: Town make for a happy return
THE final pieces of the jigsaw puzzle that make up the 2010 World Cup are being put into place today and then the build up to football’s greatest showpiece will really gather momentum.
Having already received my schedule I’m excited about the prospects in South Africa and can’t wait to grab hold of a microphone in Johannesburg, Rustenburg and Cape Town, where I’ll be headed next week for the final draw.
The footballers of France, Portugal, Russia, etc. who still have work to do in tonight’s second leg qualifiers don’t yet know for certain that they will be on board however.
It would be a shame if the likes of Andriy Arshavin, Cristiano Ronaldo and Thierry Henry are not in South Africa, but it is no foregone conclusion that their countries will be successful tonight, and no player has a divine right to play in the World Cup – remember George Best?
Slovenia, for example, are quite capable of overturning a single-goal deficit against the Russians, while the French campaign has been a faltering one because of their refusal to sack the despised, bumbling, eccentric Raymond Domenech, who lost the trust of players long ago.
Having covered all but one of the World Cup finals since 1978 – ITV discarded me shortly before the 1998 finals in France – it is the blue riband event to which I look forward most of all.
Commentating on the final in Soccer City in Johannesburg in July will be another milestone for me, and knowing millions around the world will envy me, only serves to heighten the honour I feel.
I think I would retire happily if it just so happened that England were to win the World Cup with my voice on the winning goal.
To be honest I can’t see that happening, though we do have our best chance since 1990, and events in Doha at the weekend underlined our problem.
The strength in depth just isn’t there, and I dread to contemplate an England squad without a Gerrard, Lampard, Terry or Rooney.
We can’t afford any one of that quartet to get injured, but let’s look on the bright side for now. At least we know we’re already invited to the party.
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