Last of the First

We had a good run, folks.
Although we kindda flopped in the end, we should be happy with what we have accomplished – 4th place, ahead of Brasil, Argentina and all others – ‘nough said!
As I wrote in one of my previous posts, I don’t think this run was ever going to top that one of ’66… that was a mythical team and will only be surpassed with another extraordinary team – that hasn’t even been born probably…
unfortunately, we lost more than a game and a few medals - we loose Luis Figo, Pauleta (and Kahn for Germany) unforgetable players that will be hard to replace...
Congratulations to Germany, as well – they have been honorable hosts, and take 3rd place deservedly, although with a more-than-fair dose of luck.
Indeed, all luck (and endurance) seemed to have abandoned us, in the end; Germany scored 3 goals in 5 shots! That’s a better-than-average ratio, something you don’t see everyday; of course, we had our (many) mistakes as well, and Oliver Kahn been tremendous, making incredible saves and having enough luck in the rest, to clutch an exceedingly plump final score, more flattering to Germany than deserved. In his last apearence for Germany, Kahn could easily have been man-of-the-match, if that other guy whose name is almost unpronounceable , hadn't scored those two important goals...

They’ve been everything, alas, that we haven’t been in the last three matches – efficient, fast, simple, determined.
I believe those are the key-ingredients for success – the closer you can have a team playing to that, the more chances they have of winning.
But then again, everybody’s a couch-coach…