Sometimes you do really have to wonder. Do managers, even especially international team managers, really understand football? Or do they get so bogged down in detail, so confused by the complexities of their task — and after all it can be a lonely life for such functionaries — that they make the kind of mistakes even an ordinary rational fan — they do exist — would hardly commit.

Sven-Goran Eriksson of England has been a dismal example. One hardly needs to stress the abysmal piece of cheap gimmickry which induced him crazily to choose for his squad the wholly untried 17-year-old attacker Theo Walcott, who hadn't even kicked a ball for Arsenal since his expensive move from Southampton. This at the expense of such experienced internationals as Spurs' Jermaine Defoe.

Lacking guts

A situation made appallingly worse when in the game against Sweden, Michael Owen cracked his knee so badly, again. Still, Eriksson lacked the guts even to put Walcott on the field, desperately relying on a Wayne Rooney whom, after his metatarsal injury, it was a huge risk to use at all. Let alone as early as in a first qualifying game.

Still in all fairness to Eriksson even he could hardly be blamed for the pitiful collapse of the England defence in the second half versus Sweden, when even the simplest cross, corner or long throw in sowed panic in the ranks.

And was it right against Ecuador to use Rooney, inevitably far from match fit after being out of action for weeks, as a lone striker?

Dick Advocaat, Dutch manger of South Korea, is another who seems short of sheer common sense. Why was he so absurdly reluctant to use the quick, clever and incisive little Ahn?

I saw the game against Togo when Ahn came on at half time and at once thanks to his lively partnership with Park Ji-sung brought the Koreans to life and turned the tide. Yet against France, Ahn sat on the bench till less than 20 minutes remained.

Wrong omission

Not that the French manager, the much-criticised Raymond Domenech, showed more logic in his choices. He omitted a winger in such ebullient form with Barcelona as a disgusted Ludovic Giuly and then left out an effective striker as David Trezeguet until the final minutes of the game against South Korea. In the third group match, Trezequet actually started and his partnership with Thierry Henry, began years ago at Monaco, paid off.

In that highly impressive Argentine team, which Mexico so gallantly extended, the ever-creative Juan Roman Riquelme continues to make an impact on me. Even in a match as fast and hectic as that against the inspired Mexicans he was forever finding time and space, justifying the faith of his manager Jose Pekerman in his ability to play successfully at his own pace.

Only once, in 120 minutes, did he gave the ball away, when he tried to head it back to a teammate — though he wasn't involved in the build up to that astonishing, volleyed goal by Maxi Rodriguez, which won the match for Argentina, in extra time. When teenaged striker, Lionel Messi came on he looked so quick and effective.

Even when England muddled through the deeply embarrassing second half against Sweden, they found themselves on a hiding to nothing in their pre-quarterfinal against Ecuador, a team which in its first two matches had annihilated Costa Rica and Poland before collapsing to Germany at the death.

Digressing, let me say how pleased I was that Ghana at long last reached the World Cup finals and overcame their first diffident display against Italy, when they conceded that awful second goal, their big Roma centre back Kuffour allowing Vincenzo Iaquinta, who had never previously scored for the Azzurri, to brush past him and get his first.

Transformed Ghana

But when they came up against the Czechs in their second match, it was a transformed Ghana, whipping in two splendid goals. And even without these scorers they got past a somewhat unlucky USA. Their first goal came when the veteran USA captain, Claudio Reyna, by his own admission, wrongly dwelt on the ball, only to lose it, to crack his knee, and to give Ghana their opening goal. A somewhat dubious penalty kick provided the Africans with the winner, but who could grudge them their success when, after being for many years Africa's obvious best, before other African teams reached World Cup finals, they qualified at last?

Brazil took a while to warm up, their first two games, featuring a sluggish and plainly overweight Ronaldo, giving little suggestion that they deserved their place as favourites. Big Adriano, coming off a poor season in Italy with Inter, was equally disappointing. But while people were quite properly singing the praises of Argentina, playing such good, incisive football under their progressive coach Pekerman, Brazil put the free kick specialist from Lyon Juninho into their midfield, preferred the young quick incisive Robinho to Adriano and easily took care of Japan.

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