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Article: Football: World Cup 2002: No, you can't have your game back; The power shift No team will ever be able to approach a World Cup again living on reputation and presuming easy scalps
- Article from:
- The Independent (London, England)
- Article date:
- June 23, 2002
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 2002 The Independent - London. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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One of the joys of this dotty World Cup has been that, for three
blessed weeks, no one has mentioned the Champions' League or the
Premiership. That is until, emerging into the rain after Japan's
defeat by Turkey last week, I encountered a well-respected and highly
knowledgeable English television commentator. Now, admittedly, a long
queue and the absence of taxis did not help my mood, but his
suggestion that the standard of the match was worse than the
Champions' League hit a raw nerve.
What I saw from Japan was a young team giving absolutely
everything in a vain attempt to fulfil the rising and largely
unrealistic expectations of its people. This was only Japan's second
World Cup and the ...