http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2002/blog Football's equivalent to the Olympic Torch Sat, 20 Sep 2008 16:08:27 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en It is now. The Ball has now returned back to England, but we're not done with it quite yet - this site will continue to develop even though there's no more Cup. As well as the continuing saga on video, there will be flashbacks to times we didn't manage to write ... http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2002/blog/2002/07/08/they-think-its-all-over $video_id=14; include($_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'].'/common/includes/video_insert_wp.php');  Homeward bound... $video_id=74;include($_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'].'/common/includes/video_insert_wp.php');  Well, we eventually touched down in Paris, where we were met by a driver from Kirker Travel, who kindly donated Eurostar tickets for the two of us to get back to Ashford (where we're to be picked up by Ben and hopefully driven straight to the ... http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2002/blog/2002/07/06/leaving-japan How bright his star is shining I was trying to think up tabloid headlines like 'Kahn you believe it?', 'Ronaldo the Kahnivore' to title this entry, but decided to keep it simple instead. Indeed, I'm only going to burden the world with another two points of game analysis. But before getting ... http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2002/blog/2002/07/01/penta-campiao So, The Boy Noble signs off at the end of a fantastic World Cup, from every perspective. The amazing results, the wonderful Japanese - who can't be praised highly enough, and the fans from all round the world who were nothing but friendly, and from a personal point of view, ... http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2002/blog/2002/07/01/samba-time-but-one-of-only-two-finals Camera to camera brings on the smiles Again we have the pleasure to share a stadium with the Brazilian fans, but this time they won leaving only one game between themselves and a possible FIVE World Cup championships. 'PENTA Campion' rings off their lips with understandable confidence, though of course the ... http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2002/blog/2002/06/28/brazil-gobble-turkey Nothing in Tokyo is this free $video_id=72; include($_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'].'/common/includes/video_insert_wp.php');  http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2002/blog/2002/06/28/tokyo-stylee Phil holds the precious tickets, but his wallet is now lighter than air Not a report on the game - mainly because it hasn't happened yet. But when it does, we're going to be pitchside - just scored two category one tickets... Must dash - got a game to see! http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2002/blog/2002/06/26/brazil-v-turkey Crowds framed by umbrellas Unlucky Korea went out to the Cup last night... rather overpowered by a German team playing a similar style of football - a disciplined team game with little flair and much hard work. Korea had far fewer chances than they did against any of the latin teams ... http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2002/blog/2002/06/26/a-beautiful-red-sunset $video_id=16; include($_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'].'/common/includes/video_insert_wp.php');  Well I woke up this morning, To catch a bullet to the game... Shooting ourselves in the foot(ball) But the waking wasn't worth it, Coz the football match was lame... Bullet train logo Sixty quid each invested in two return tickets to Shizuoka - no hope of getting in to the game, but ... http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2002/blog/2002/06/22/japan-in-blue We're finally in Japan on the same soil as our boys, who in 3 'n' a half hours are taking on Brazil. The tension in me runs. We are heading off to Shizuoka to get as close as we can, have no ticket and aren't certain of a big screen ... http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2002/blog/2002/06/21/here-we-goooooooo So then, it's goodbye to Korea... the Ball is moving on today, and there's just enough time to write a fond farewell to a country we have really enjoyed visiting. I will miss Korea very much - the people have been generous, hospitable, and I've loved their enthusiasm for all ... http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2002/blog/2002/06/20/farewell-korea What the hell are we going to do? Plan our travels, that's what. Phil and I have finally got our tickets home - we head back to Europe on the 4th of July... to Paris. All the flights to the UK are booked out until the 9th July, and we both ... http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2002/blog/2002/06/19/so-then-no-football-today Unbelievable! "We learnt that it's not the winning that counts. Wherever you go, playing football can be used to improve diplomatic relations and promote peace." - an ex North Korean footballer talking about his team at the World Cup in England in 1966 But the winning sure does feel good... $video_id=88; include($_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'].'/common/includes/video_insert_wp.php');  Koreans ... http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2002/blog/2002/06/18/its-a-madhouse-out-there Be the Reds! The atmosphere in Seoul is electrifying again tonight, with seemingly the entire population working themselves into a frenzy in anticipation of tonight's big match - everyone is uniformly dressed in "Be the Reds" t-shirts (despite the team playing in pink) and starting on the soju early. We were ... http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2002/blog/2002/06/18/forza-korea A word from your England correspondent making his maiden speech all the way from Cairns, Australia. After arriving in Japan tired, ticketless and homeless, I was immediately buoyed by learning that the French had been beaten by Senegal. From that moment on started an eighteen day rollercoaster ride of Japanese culture ... http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2002/blog/2002/06/18/hello-from-japan-from-oz