Germany Forced to Play Opener for WC

FIFA orders Germany to play 2006 World Cup opener.

http://football.guardian.co.uk/breakingnews/feedstory/0,14546,-4579050,00.html

excerpt: "FIFA has ordered 2006 World Cup hosts Germany to play in the tournament's opening match, dashing the hopes of coach Juergen Klinsmann who had wanted to delay his team's first game to keep the pressure off his players."

Good thing FIFA has acted decisively to end this juvenile charade. Now, the organizing committee can get on with real organizing. Klinsmann has to become less anally retentive quick.


Herr Klinsmann Ponders His Next Decision

 

Hey, at least it's not violent, and needlessly insulting to families of victims from 9/11 and Iraq casualties.like your avatar .

It's not obscene, it's bizarre, but not more so than a lot of other pictures or avatars. Drop the vendetta, guy, this ain't the place for it.

 

I think that both sides have a valid case. I don't feel strongly about either returning to the old pre-74 decision (which I like) or the more recent Champions opener tradition. What I didn't like was the organizing nation deciding to return to the old tradition (for valid reasons of "opening" the new Munich stadium, and celebrating the first major sporting event in Germany since reunification), but then threatening to change it around for strategic reasons raised by it's new coach (which I don't think is valid). Make up your mind and stick to it. I'm glad that FIFA decided that the organizing committee had to be settled after the initial decision (I don't think FIFA cares one way or another whether Brazil or Germany starts, they just want it settled).

I also think that most criticism concerning the return to the pre-74 tradition has just been holdover criticism of the spring 2002 decsion to make the Champions qualify for the next match, which is a different issue.

Most tournaments have the host team playing in the opener, it's just common sense in my opinion. It also adds lustre to the host nation's ceremonies. It also helps many of the non-soccer fans in a country focus on the event. Korea did not really get interested until they played their first match against Poland, and there was general disinterest in France until theeir team started playing in 1998 (and interest did not greatly get sparked until France got the first WC golden goal against Paraguay in the first playoff match).