“Germany – FIFA World Cup 2014 Champions – West Indies and Brazil can learn from the Germans!”

Jul 20, 2014 Sports

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Colin E. H. Croft
What a FIFA World Cup 2014!  What a bruising battle that final was too!  Germany deserves kudos received – fabulous football – while Brazil, the country, put on a magnificent show, best tournament I ever saw!

Goals flowed; 171, joint record with France 1998!
Few expected Argentina and Germany to produce many goals in that final, especially on extremely tired legs that had run for more than a month, so 1-0 was par for that do-or-die last effort!
As a neutral, I am not surprised that Germany won in Brazil.  I said as much in my last article.  But the way that it was done, by absolute industry and total organization, should be copied by most world sports teams, especially and including Brazil’s football and West Indies’ cricket teams.
Also, like so many around the world, I am already suffering from severe “withdrawal syndrome”, or, as it is known in the Caribbean, “tabanka,” now that FIFA World Cup 2014 in Brazil is over.
With massive luck, many prayers, managed and massaged good health, I will be at XXXI Olympiad in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro!
Not surprisingly, all four coaches of semi-final teams; Netherlands, Argentina, Germany and Brazil; had one patently realistic but pertinent observation:  “Winning the World Cup is not easy!”
But obviously, Germany did not win FIFA World Cup 2014 by chance either!
They put a full development plan into place after being utterly disappointed and embarrassed in European Championships 2004, exiting that competition at preliminary stages. Then Germany worked that plan to precision and perfection, to a finite objective, culminating ten years later in winning FIFA World Cup 2014!
The outright, overall work ethic of the Germans was “Team”, with a capital “T”.  It was much more a collective effort than individual stars, a group mostly growing up together since Under-21 days. Perhaps the most profound comment emanating from the German camp after their 2014 World Cup success came from indomitable captain, Philipp Lahm, probably the world’s best central defender: “Whether we have the best individual players, or not, or whatever, does not matter.  You have to have the best team.”
Quite so, sir!
Lahm continued:  “We stepped up, time and again, in this tournament, did not let ourselves get distracted by any disruption and went on our way.  Then, at the end, you stand there as world champions – an unbelievable feeling.  This team has just remained quiet and patient.”
Another tough German center-back Mats Hummels opined more succinctly:  “You can only be world champion when you act as a team.  We wanted to make that clear to everyone the whole time.”
Conversely, Argentina, almost a one-man show that was Lionel Messi, saw a very tired, somewhat isolated player carrying a team and country on his shoulders.  No team, in sports or otherwise, is only one man!
Nauseatingly, Brazil and most of the world’s media allowed themselves to be conned by the supposed presence of some messiah, small “m”, named Nehmar, similar to Argentina, but Messi is streets better.
Most of 200 million Brazilians believed their own absolutely gross hype.  No wonder tears flooded when Germany and Holland flattened them!
Even Pele, who should know, given his teams in 1958, 1962 and 1970, was not impressed by Neymar!
WI suffers a similar syndrome!
Who, right now, is our cricketing “Messi” or even “Neymar”?
When will we win another world competition, be top, or even feature in the top half of world cricket in Tests?
Where is the ten-year plan for WI to be world champion in ICC’s premier event, 50-overs World Cup 2019 or 2023, if not indeed 2015?
World Cup 2015, a competition we last won way back in 1979, is just seven months away!
I would dare anyone to name eleven “good” WI players right now who could win ICC World Cup 2015!
Where is our plan for continuity, ala Germany, who appointed Joachim Low, Assistant Coach 2004 – 2006, to new Head Coach when Jurgen Klinsman, USA’s present Head Coach, left his Germany post?
Who will be WI Head Coach when Ottis Gibson finally expires, either flying the coop, or is fired for continued non-production?  Or will we only go looking again then?
Anyway, the euphoria of winning, Germany’s fourth such success, will take a lifetime to register fully, but their doggedness, unbelievably detailed planning and massive determination saw them through.
For me, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Germany’s midfielder extra-ordinaire, was “Man of the Final.”  Battered but not beaten, he epitomized maturity, attitude and has great soccer skills too.  He may always exist in shadows of “Kaiser” Franz Beckenbauer, but “Schweiny” is the “Chosen One”.
108 games for country, only 29, one of the older players, Schweinsteiger has taken over leadership with aplomb and purpose, laying down his blood for country, Germany’s unofficial vice-captain!
Given that Germany’s team’s average age now is 26, do not be surprised if most, if not all of 2014’s winning team return, much more focused, infinitely wiser, and better, to also win in Russia in 2018!
Thank you, Brazil the country and Germany the team, for putting on a wonderful, electric show.  Enjoy!

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