Special Edition: The Golden Nuggets World Cup 2010 - "Sacrebleu"

By Sports Magician

Before the World Cup the Golden Nuggets 'sold' South Africa's group index which meant that if the hosts finished bottom of the group we would profit to the tune of 11 points. South Africa goes into the last group game propping up the table but given the current state of events, will they stay there? If South Africa finishes third in the group then we would make a 1pt profit. And in the unlikely event that manage to qualify from Group A we would be set for a loss, although that eventuality seems remote to say the least.

In what is likely to be their last game of their home World Cup the ‘Bafana Bafana’ face France - the tragic comedy story of the 2010 World Cup. Let’s take an overview of the French national team.

•    Raymond Domenech somehow coaches the team to the 2006 World Cup final against expectations after it seemed that an ageing squad was on its last legs in the group stage. It is common knowledge that the team was effectively being run by the senior players and that the coach was not one of the reasons they were able to get to the final, but rather not yet a damaging enough influence to stop them getting there.
•    France suffered an awful Euro 2008 in which they looked clueless against Romania, and were then battered by the Dutch and then outsmarted by the Italians. Despite overwhelming public disapproval and constant stories of player unrest, Domenech somehow kept his job.
•    Domenech, far from building a relationship with his players or fans, only succeeded in alienating them further with astonishing personnel decisions and the revelations that he may be picking players based on their…star sign? Yes, their star sign. France stumbled through an awful qualification campaign for the 2010 World Cup in which they were beaten out for top spot by Serbia.
•    Oh, and did I mention that Domenech threatened to sue Gonzalo Higuain and have him banned from international football for refusing a call up to the French national squad? Despite the fact Higuain had made it known many times that his desire was always to play for the nation of his father (Argentina), rather than the nation of his birth (France - where Higuain’s father was playing his club football). How to win friends and influence people - The Raymond Domenech story.
•    France qualified for the World Cup by virtue of the hand of Thierry Henry, and it turns out that qualifying for the World Cup was a worse fate for the French than not doing so. This story wouldn’t be complete without a sex scandal, and that duly arrived, too. Karim Benzema, Franck Ribery and Sidney Govou came under the spotlight for allegedly have sex with an under-age prostitute. Prostitution is legal in France, but not when it’s with someone under the age of 18. Zahia Dehar, the now 18 year old at the centre of the scandal, claims the players did not know she was under-age. Even though Ribery is alleged to have celebrated her 18th birthday with her.
•    Domenech, football genius that he is, decided to leave out Benzema and Samir Nasri from his World Cup squad and lost the services of Lassana Diarra after a potential heart problem was diagnosed in the build-up to the World Cup. More stories of player unrest have circulated ever since Patrice Evra was awarded the captaincy and Henry told that he would spend most of the World Cup on the bench.
•    Oh, and William Gallas decided he wouldn’t speak to the media for the duration of the tournament, supposedly a protest for not getting the armband from Henry. And I forgot to mention they lost 1-0 at home to China with the squad that was to take them to the World Cup. They. LOST. 1-0. At home. To CHINA. Mmmm?

Well, with all that evidence available it can only take a person with more money than sense to place £110,000 each-way on France winning the World Cup. Someone did, though. Probably won’t get a return on that one. If you thought 20/1 was value on France winning the World Cup then you need your head examined, all the signs were there for a poor campaign, but the French have outdone themselves in the past few days.

Two games in and the French have scored no goals, have one point and have virtually no hope. Nicolas Anelka has been sent home for telling Domenech what the whole of France have thought about him for years. The players are furious with the coaching staff to the extent they refused to train and issued a statement stating why. And yet amazingly, this team still have a shot at reaching the knock-out stage!?

The players hate the coach, the fans hate the coach, the players don’t want to train, they have shown through their performances over the past few years that they don’t want to play for the coach, two of their current World Cup squad may be facing jail, the best young player they have wasn’t taken to the World Cup and could be joining them behind bars, Gallas won’t talk to anyone, Anelka has retired from international football, and an Irish pizza company are offering 350 free pizzas for every goal France concede in the tournament.

Stuffed edge with cheese? South Africa haven’t had much to shout about - although that hasn’t stopped them blowing into their Vuvuzela’s - but they have a perfect chance to end their tournament with a win against a side that couldn’t be in more disarray. It’s at times like these when you realise fiction can never be more absurd than reality.

PICK: 3*SOUTH AFRICA BEAT FRANCE @ 3.40 (EXTRABET)

Sports Magician