Top 10 Things we won't see at World Cup 2010.

       Spain lost its first match. England has drawn two while France are on the brink of elimination. ‘Nothing is Impossible’ seems to be the theme of this World Cup. So what better way to talk about the World Cup than by discussing those things which surely won’t be happening during this World Cup. This is my list of top 10 things that we won’t see during World Cup 2010:

       10.)Samba Magic : “Ronaldo to Rivaldo, Rivaldo to Ronaldinho, Ronaldinho to Roberto Carlos, Carlos to Ronaldo…(Repeated 5 times)…And it’s a GOAL!!!”. That mesmerizing brand of football won’t be seen on the field this year. While Coach Dunga swears by his much touted ‘effective but not entertaining European Style’ of Football, sales of Sholay VCDs have seen an abnormal rise among Samba crazy Brazil Fans…..OK….Bad Joke!

       9.)Host Team in the Knock out Rounds: For the first time in 19 World Cups, the host team won't progress beyond the first round of a World Cup and poor Bafana Bafana will be the holders of this dubious distinction. Well, at least it will take the sting out of those Buzzing Vuvuzelas.

       8.)Pierluigi Collina: I know he retired before World Cup 2006, but he still deserves to be on this list. The sight of the hairless Italian Referee with those menacing eyes officiating in the World Cup Finals will be sorely missed.

       7.)Arun Lal : Cue Celebratory Music and Firecrackers. This World cup is officially ‘Arun Lal Proof'. No more excruciatingly painful - ‘The Team that plays better will win’- kind of insights. No more….wait did I just see Shebby Singh on that ESPN panel. I knew it was too good to be true. WHERE IS THE MUTE BUTTON ON THIS DAMNED REMOTE???

       6.)Czech Republic: Rosicky, Matejovsky, Papadopoulos, Vlcek, Ujfalusi, Moravek, Hubschman. None of these delightful sounding yet difficult to pronounce names will be present at the World Cup. Who would have thought that the weaker part of erstwhile Czechoslovakia will undertake the journey to SA while the Czechs cool their heels at home. How I miss supporting the Poborskys and the Smicers. Pavel Nedved, Where Art Thou? (Also Croatia)

       5.)Wayne Rooney sent off by a Winking Devil: 34 goals for Club last season and none for the Country. Wayne Rooney sure knows when to score and when not to. In this kind of form, he is more of an asset than a threat to opposition teams. Rest Assured. Nobody will try to get him sent off this year.

       4.)A French Legend head butting a slimy Italian defender: For the simple reason that none of those two teams will progress far enough to face each other. And even if they do, then there are no legends left in that French Squad. So all you guys waiting for an encore can safely turn off your TV sets.

       3.)Guus Hiddink: Netherlands ’98, South Korea ’02 and Australia ’06. Guss Hiddink had mastered the art of ‘upsetting’ Soccer Giants with relatively unknown teams. The master Strategist couldn’t quite turn Russia ’10 into a reality but it’s the World Cup which is poorer due to his absence. Hope to see him back with Turkey ’14. (Also Luiz Felipe Scolari)

       2.)Galacticos: Figo, Zidane, Raul, Ronaldo, Beckham. Each one is capable of single handedly selling out any stadium in the world. It isn’t a surprise then that even C. Ronaldo of Portugal and Ribery of France haven’t been able to fill those huge shoes. And no, C. Ronaldo and Kaka are not Galacticos.

       1.)Maradona dancing Naked in the streets of Buenos Aires: Sorry to break the hearts of all Argentina supporters, but this one surely isn’t happening. Argentina are too fragile at the back to go all the way. And before contradicting me, kindly imagine that dastardly scene if they do win. Oh NO,NO,NO. I won’t be able to sleep tonight. Please God, don’t let Argentina win.

The Forgotten People.

          When after four long years, the month long carnival of football rolled into distant Africa, it was but natural for me to consider writing a blog post providing my analysis of the competition. However, I have no intentions of following in the footsteps of the ‘incorruptible’ fourth estate of this country (which I will vilify later), which has completely ignored the plight of more than a million fellow countrymen held to ransom by a handful of protesting Naga groups aided by a limp wristed government. As the Economic Blockade of Manipur completes two months, inflation in the state has attained dizzying proportions creating a situation of scarcity seen only in underdeveloped African countries while the Government, the Main Stream Media (MSM) and the Opposition continue to be mute spectators. Only via First hand accounts can the true extent of the tragedy be gauged.


          The situation created by the blockade is not new to the people of Manipur or to the Government. Over the years, the state has seen many such blockades the most notable being the 52 day blockade in 2005. The Indian Government’s strategy during all those incidents was the same as its strategy today. They had no strategy. They just waited for the Nagas to lift the blockade themselves as the locals coped with the hardships. As a result, the people of the state have started accepting this as a part of life. Faced with such hardships, the people of any democratic country would revolt either via the ballot or by other extreme methods, hoping to force a change in the lackadaisical attitude of the rulers. However, the absence of such a reaction from the local populace, stemming from a complete loss of faith in the government, suggests that the alienation of the state is complete. While we continue to play vote bank politics under the guise of involving marginalized sections of the society, the step motherly treatment meted out to marginalized states will ensure that calls for separation will only grow louder.

          While the attitude of the government is along expected lines, what is appalling is the virtual black out of this issue by the media. As a country we have enough time to debate the prospects of European and South American countries in a tournament held in South Africa but not a second of airtime is devoted to the hardships faced by our own countrymen. An irrelevant blockade in Gaza draws detailed analysis from the all knowing news anchors but the paralyzed life of Manipuris doesn’t even get a mention on their tickers. While issues of public importance are hardly pursued by the news makers with such enthusiasm as that seen while sensationalizing absurd issues, the blockade hasn’t even received the customary lip service accorded to such issues. Media pressure, in this country, is generally the catalyst which breaks the Government’s inertia of inaction. Unfortunately, media owners choose to use this trigger for all the wrong issues.

          The role of the opposition in mature democracies is to generally address the deficiencies in service of the Govt. The opposition needs to raise issues which the government fails to address and then use the media to pressurize the government to act. Unfortunately, the principal opposition today has become more of a reactionary entity. It has left the business of criticizing the performance of the government entirely to the media and has restricted itself to issuing statements on any issue which the media deems worthy of comment. It has failed to set the agenda of discussion and therein lies its failure to become a responsible opposition.

          Unless these three key players get their act together, the feeling of alienation will only gain ground in the minds of the people living beyond the Chicken’s Neck. With separatist groups and hostile neighbors waiting for a vulnerable opportunity, India can ill afford such feelings. Unless attempts are made to integrate the Seven Sisters with their more fortunate siblings, the unity of the family will continue to be in danger. The Forgotten People may just choose to remind us of their presence and not necessarily in the most pleasing manner.