Saturday, July 03, 2010

Divine Canaries out-winged by Orange

FLYING DUTCHMAN KANKA - Top o' the Morning to Ye! And what a good morning it is indeed, after a historic win by "LARANJA MECÂNICA" over the "DIVINE CANARIES."

With respect to the teams of Uruguay and Ghana but the "real" semi-final has been played! On average 7 million Dutchmen watched the Netherlands v Brazil in front of their television at home. During the game the number of viewers climbed to 8.2 million in the final seconds of the match.

8.2 million plus eight. Eight "token Dutchmen" came and joined me at the Crossroads pub to watch the match last afternoon/evening. Their names: Bill, Jim, Chris (extra points for the orange shirt), Matthew, Annie, Dan, Glauber and Mark. After having sworn them in as true 'Orange men' and having taught them the first verse of the Dutch national anthem we were ready for the match. ;-)

Not a blow-by-blow match report by me but rather a photo of a moment that occurred in the first half and, apart from the goals naturally, has stuck in my mind. We see a bad-tempered Robinho protesting against Mark van Bommel. The Dutch captain does not flinch and for me illustrates the calmness and resolve this current Dutch squad has during this World Cup campaign – Holland currently 24 games unbeaten.

I'd like to finish with an audio clip (geluidsfragment) of a well-known Dutch radio commentator. I remember for the last 20 years, if not longer, everyone in the Netherlands turning off the sound of their television sets during a Holland match and instead turning on the radio to listen to Jack van Gelder. The fragment is of the second goal by Wesley Sneijder (2-1) of which Sneijder, 26, said:

"This was my first header here, I don't think it will happen again, but it was great. The ball slipped on my bald head and went into the net, a great feeling."


† I have included a transcript of the audio clip in the comments.

Photo by REUTERS

10 comments:

  1. Audio Transcript

    - Oranje gets self-confidence.

    - And the corner is now taken from the right side of the pitch by the left foot of Arjen Robben

    - The ball will undoubtedly spin towards to the goal and based on previous moments that seems a good option as the Brazilian defence has not always been fully alert.

    - Lets take a look at the corner kick.

    - The ball comes low

    - Is headed through by Kuijt

    - And there it goes - IT IS IN!

    - IT IS SNEIJDER - IT IS IN!

    - SNEIJDER HEADS IT IN!

    - HE IS 22 CENTIMETERS TALL BUT HE JUST HEADS IT IN. AND SNEIJDER SCORES!

    - This time not Melo. Not an own goal this time.

    - We know for sure it was Sneijder.

    - Netherlands came back from 1-0 to 2-1

    - Three quarters of playing time has been played

    - MAYBE I CAN UNPACK MY SUITCASE AGAIN; I HAD NOT REALLY PACKED IT YET!

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  2. That was the most 'un-biased' commentary I've ever heard !!!

    Not quite the late Bill MacLaren of Rugby Union commentary fame, but ........ very entertaining and contagious !!!

    Holland to win the World Cup ? Yessssssssss !!!

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  3. Anonymous6:17 pm

    I'm reminded of a famous Norwegian comentator on the occasion of that nation's first ever win over England back in the 80s!Anyone recall?

    Dublin Neil.

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  4. Mmmmmm ..... I've heard of Norway, but ..... hmmmmm not quite sure about the other team you mentioned Neil !!!

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  5. For those you haven't heard of TV commentator Bjørge Lillelien's wonderful comments after Norway's victory over England in a World Cup qualifier in Oslo on 9 September 1981.

    "We are the best in the world! We are the best in the world! We have beaten England 2-1 in football!! It is completely unbelievable! We have beaten England! England, birthplace of giants. Lord Nelson, Lord Beaverbrook, Sir Winston Churchill, Sir Anthony Eden, Clement Attlee, Henry Cooper, Lady Diana--we have beaten them all. We have beaten them all.

    "Maggie Thatcher can you hear me? Maggie Thatcher, I have a message for you in the middle of the election campaign. I have a message for you: We have knocked England out of the football World Cup. Maggie Thatcher, as they say in your language in the boxing bars around Madison Square Garden in New York: Your boys took a hell of a beating! Your boys took a hell of a beating!"

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  6. By the way, nice post Flying Dutchman. I'll be back with my orange shirt for the semi-final. But having seen how Germany played today against Argentina I don't see anyone but the bicycle stealers winning the world cup.

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  7. Anonymous10:08 pm

    Pleased to say I'll be among you all (well about 400 miles away) for the semi finals.Coming over for two weeks holiday tomorrow night and at some point I'll no doubt get into the usual good natured slagging match with the local shop keepers about why it is that they dont stock the Ankaragucu jersey or Denizli or Gencler or Manisaspor ones when they DO always have the Istanbul Big Three.Home AND away.This year I'll really give it to them if they dont have the Bursaspor one!

    Dublin Neil.

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  8. I'll be really surprised if they have a Bursa one Neil.

    However, stranger things have happened ! Look forward to hearing the result of your 'searches' !

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  9. Anonymous10:32 pm

    Yeah Jim, lapping up the sun.Watching the second semi final in local bar here in Didim.Hope Germans win.No lUck yet with the Bursa jersey,part of the fun is the ASKING!
    This game could be headed for penalties.....

    Dublin Neil.

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  10. I wonder what the German defence were doing when Spain scored last night ...... eh ....... sleeping me thinks !!!

    I still say .......... Holland for the World Cup yesssssssssssssssss

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