Perry's World Cup Journal

Remember These Names for South Africa

2006-08-03T14:11:00.000+02:00

There was a wealth of young and maturing talent on display in Germany during this World Cup, in addition to the aforementioned rising American stars. Many of these players could become household names through their club play over the next four years leading into 2010 and the South Africa World Cup.

Going into his third World Cup in 2010 would be Michael Ballack (above, left), who recently transferred to Chelsea, one of the world's highest payroll clubs. A controlling presence in midfield and a talented server and header, Ballack should be one of the keys to Germany's next push to reach the final.

Also rising out of the ranks of young German players are forward Lukas Podalski and midfielder Bastian Schweinscheiger, 22 and 21-years old respectively this time around. At 32 years old in 2010, German forward Miroslav Klose (above, breaking in on goal), this World Cup's leading scorer, could also be a key cog in that team's lineup, as will be then 26-year old defenders Philipp Lahm (above, right) and the imposingly tall Per Mertesacker.

One of this tournament's controversial players was Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, who was an orchestrator of his Manchester United teammate, Wayne Rooney's sendoff in the match with England. Choosing to take on the wrath of English fans and return to Man U., Ronaldo should be steeled to the next level of international competition by South Africa, adding to his already formidable arsenal of talents.

Rooney himself will also be a rising star in advance of 2010, and could benefit from his 2006 disqualification against Portugal in much the same way David Beckham rebounded from a red card in 1998 against Argentina. Much of England's success will depend on this versatile goalscorer's maturation.

Another proven goal scorer at this World Cup was Czech midfielder Tomas Rosicky, who notched two goals against the U.S. At 26, but looking about 18, Rosicky is capable of scoring from the outside on brilliantly struck balls, as he did against the U.S., or by creating or converting on break-throughs into the area, also as demonstrated against the Americans, who were admittedly, pushed up trying to get back into a 2-0 match on this particular occasion.

Another of the rising talents is Spain's 22-year old forward, Fernando Torres. Trailing 1-0 to Tunisia, Torres put Spain on his shoulders, and in lightning fashion, was in integral part of putting together a 2-1, come-from-behind win. Torres is a speedy and talented ball handler, with a knack for finishing that makes him an obvious successor to Raul.

There are a number of other players also worthy of note but will stop at these for now and encourage fans to follow these, and the other names, through the coming four years.

As with all the content of this blog, written and photographic, Copyrighted 2006, All Rights Reserved, Perry McIntyre, Atlanta, GA - USA.

But Back Again for 2010

2006-07-24T14:40:00.000+02:00

While we do indeed lose some pioneers of U.S. soccer at the highest level, there is also considerable reason for optimism for our prospects in South Africa four years from now.

Leading the charge into his third World Cup, when he will be a very well-seasoned 28 years old, is Landon Donovan. He will likely be the first to admit his 2006 World Cup left a good deal to be desired, as average play from this exceptionally talented player is certainly not the norm. With Reyna's retirement, Donovan may well take over duties with the captain's armband for the U.S., and will also be the starting point for all discussions about the U.S. team.

Also entering his third World Cup, and also at 28 years old, will be DeMarcus Beasley, who has been playing along side Donovan in a U.S. jersey since their successful campaigns as U-17 players. Beasley should improve with age as both experience and an increase in size and strength should be assets to his game.

Two other players would also be representing the U.S., in a third World Cup come 2010, those players being Josh Wolff and John O'Brien. Wolff would be one of the team's elder statesmen by then, at the age of 33, but his history has always been one to beat the odds and make critical plays when called upon to do so. Also into his 30's by then, O'Brien (#5 photo,left) will be past his 32nd birthday by South Africa, but it's more his ongoing issues with nagging injuries, which will tell the tale for this talented, play-making central midfielder. Also an alternate in 1998, O'Brien could be worth a slot on the side just for that historical breadth of experience from four World Cup training camps.

In their prime as mid-20-somethings, three players' progress on the world stage will make a significant impact on the prospects for the U.S. From the back, Oguchi "Gooch" Onyewu (center photo) had perhaps one of the best tournaments in Germany of any American player. Hit with an unjustly called penalty for a solid, legal play in the Ghana match, Gooch, was an imposing figure in the back throughout the 2006 tournament and will just get better with time.

Another solid performance in Germany was logged by Clint Dempsey (#8 photo, left), who could be a key component in the U.S. midfield mix for a long time. Dempsey's work rate and persistence, as well as the critical ability to score big goals, as he did to level the Ghana match, are obvious evidence of this player's value. The other player of growing value is forward Eddie Johnson (bottom photo), who could mature into one of the best goal scorers America has ever produced. Johnson will only be 26 in 2010, and if he can stay clear of injury and continue to develop, he could be the linchpin of the U.S. attack for the next two World Cups.

As with all the content of this blog, written and photographic, Copyrighted 2006, All Rights Reserved, Perry McIntyre, Atlanta, GA - USA.

Some Good-byes to Some Good Guys

2006-07-20T13:24:00.000+02:00

One of the hardest parts of this World Cup for me is not just the disappointment in the showing by the U.S. side, but the fact some of the key personalities responsible for establishing the U.S. on the world stage won't be getting another chance come 2010 in South Africa.

Despite the U.S. being loaded with the promise of young and, now, experienced talent, there are a handful of players who are the true veterans, the holdovers from 1998, 1994, and even 1990. These are the players most responsible for the steady climb towards respectability and competitiveness against any team, any time. In their prime now, four years will very likely remove them from the international stage.

Eddie Pope, who will hit his 33rd birthday on Christmas Eve, has been a steady defender since his National Team debut 10 years ago. Battling through some major injuries, Pope has time and time again returned to form, which is that of a smooth and athletic defender of this highest order.

At 32, Eddie Lewis will also likely age himself off the team by South Africa, but his time with the U.S. has been marked by a versatility up and down the left flank, allowed by his being left-footed. His formidable pace, pinpoint services, big assists and big goals, such as the critical goal against Mexico at Azteca Stadium (the first by a U.S. player there since 1984 and the decisive goal in the U.S. winning their qualifying group) are all things that will be missed.

Celebrating his 34th birithday in Germany during the World Cup, Brian McBride's play was certainly not that of the oldest field player on the team, which he was. To this day, McBride remains one of the world's foremost players in the air and every team the U.S. played gave him special attention, oftentimes beyond the realm of the rules, all over the field whenever the ball was flighted in his direction. McBride's work ethic and big-play abilities are going to leave big shoes to fill for the next in line, if indeed there even is such a player out there.

Kasey Keller is simply one of the world's best all-around goalkeepers, even with his 37th birthday approaching. His positional play and quickness give the U.S. a chance in every single match. This stat alone says it all: in 92 matches for the U.S., Keller has posted 44 shut-outs. Some of those shut-out victims include arch-rival Mexico, several times, Argentina (3-0) in Argentina during the legendary Copa America tournament, as well as every single CONCACAF opponent, at least once, in a World Cup qualifying match. Some more, really big, shoes to be filled.

And finally, Claudio.
You don't even notice Claudio Reyna's play much of the time. He is so smooth and makes the correct decision virtually every time with the ball, that play seems to flow seamlessly through him. Named to the 2002 World Cup All Tounament Team, Reyna is recognized the world over as America's most elegant player. A veteran since the 1994 World Cup team, Reyna leaves a glaring hole in the middle of the field of play, as well as the signature calm and presence on the ball that cannot be taught or acquired, but that one is simply gifted with from the beginning.

No, the results in Germany weren't what we, or especially these guys, wanted, or deserved. The U.S. will be back and be better. One day our team will even convince the world we belong on that biggest of stages. These guys have already earned their place there, however, alongside whatever American team finally does get that done, because they all showed us HOW it should be done.

As with all the content of this blog, written and photographic, Copyrighted 2006, All Rights Reserved, Perry McIntyre, Atlanta, GA - USA.

Auf Wiedersehen to the 2006 Curtain Calls

2006-07-18T12:15:00.000+02:00

Every World Cup marks the final international stage for a certain number of players. Germany 2006 is no different. Some very notable personalities will be missing from the game when 2010 in South Africa rolls around.

Despite the controversy in the way it ended, there can still be very little debate on Zinedine Zidane's career in the game. His leading France to two World Cup finals in the last three tournaments is evidence enough. The way he played the game is what should truly be remembered. Mostly, he was an spirited and energetic presence in the midfield, with ball skills and vision even the Brazilians are still at a loss to figure out. In and around the penaly box, Zizou remained one of the world's deadliest finishers throughout his international career.

Another presence on the international stage for even longer than Zidane was Sweden's Henrik Larsson. When the Swedes made their run to the semifinals in the U.S. during the 1994 World Cup, they were led by a dynamic attacking player with long, flowing dreadlocks. In his final World Cup, Larsson had gone all the way from those legendary locks to a smoothly-shaved pate. The finishing skills were still there, though, as in the match's final minute he salvaged Sweden a draw in a high-profile group stage match by cooly flicking a cross from the left flank into the backside of the English net.

For Portugal, captain Figo was the leader of that country's so-called "Golden Generation", and their run into the semifinals in Germany, seemed to validate, to some degree, the high expectations that assemblage of players carried as a burden for several years. Figo's power, vision and excellent service of the ball were again some of the very best of the highlights for Portugal from this World Cup.

When speaking of service, however, England's David Beckham is acknowledged as one of the game's greats. To 'bend it like Beckham' has become a generational icon. His swerving, darting, dipping shots off set pieces are the stuff of goalkeepers' nightmares. From a rocky start in World Cup play with a dramatic sendoff in 1998 against Argentina, Beckham stablized to rise to the role of long-serving captain of one of the world's most visible teams and prove his value there, as well as when the ball was at his foot.

For me personally, it was an honor to see each play in their final World Cup.

As with all the content of this blog, written and photographic, Copyrighted 2006, All Rights Reserved, Perry McIntyre, Atlanta, GA - USA.

Would Be Remiss to Ignore Femme Fans

2006-07-17T13:15:00.000+02:00

For those who tend to think of the supporters of soccer, football, whatever, as a man's domain, am letting a few images dissuade that preconception. At every match, there were all manner of fans, these caught many more than just my eye...

As with all the content of this blog, written and photographic, Copyrighted 2006, All Rights Reserved, Perry McIntyre, Atlanta, GA - USA.

Tribute to the Fans

2006-07-12T23:48:00.000+02:00

Have probably done an injustice throughout the breadth of these postings not giving ample credit to the fans of virtually all 32 teams in Germany. Their decorum, upbeat spirit and support of their chosen sides was universally commendable.

As a group, the Koreans are an amazing spectacle. They are so well coordinated with their chants, cheers and songs, one wonders when and where they all get together to rehearse. The Swedes apparently have a dress code for their matches, as virtually everyone shows up in their signature yellow.

As individuals, and believe me there are many individuals, how can one not pay homage to a man in a chicken, sorry, rooster suit?

Some of my favorites were the "mixed couples" at given matches (these two shots are Tunisia v. Spain and Germany v. Poland), who obviously came with their priorities in order. All in all, the FanFests, inside the stadiums, as well as outside, were almost as interesting to watch as the matches themselves...

As with all the content of this blog, written and photographic, Copyrighted 2006, All Rights Reserved, Perry McIntyre, Atlanta, GA - USA.

Maybe My Best Match Photo-Wise

2006-07-11T13:18:00.000+02:00

One of the more anticipated showdowns of the Group Stage was England v. Sweden in Koeln. Because of the electric atmosphere, the just-right lighting of Koeln Stadion, the contrasting and brilliant colors of the teams' kits and the placement of the match's action, I had a pretty good night shooting.

The match itself was also dynamic. England led 1-0, then went level. England scored late to lead 2-1.

Sweden equalized in the closing moments. The Gerrard header and the full-goal shot are the last two goals.

Additionally, also had some further personal inspiration, which may, or may not, be shared in a later post.

As with all the content of this blog, written and photographic, Copyrighted 2006, All Rights Reserved, Perry McIntyre, Atlanta, GA - USA.

Some Images to Take My Mind Off the Final

2006-07-11T02:19:00.000+02:00

The next two or three posts will primarily be photos from my having shot 12 matches in 13 days during my travels through Germany. Will let the images speak for themselves. May be grouping the next couple posts by some yet to-be-determined category, or another. Enjoy.

As with all the content of this blog, written and photographic, Copyrighted 2006, All Rights Reserved, Perry McIntyre, Atlanta, GA - USA.

Azzuri but lots of Asterisks

2006-07-10T02:49:00.000+02:00

Well, well, well. The ghost of Roberto Baggio's 1994 miss (photo, left) in Pasadena's Rose Bowl has finally been laid to rest. For the first time since 1978, Italy finally found a way to "beat" France in a major competition.

Instead of the team which chose to play and try to win by attacking, the brutes and bores triumph.

Instead of adhering to the FIFA directives to banish racial slurs and hatred from the game, one of your World Champions uses it as a tool to incite one of the game's greats into a disgraceful sendoff.

Instead of calling the rules, refs continue to call results.

Instead of backing up the integrity of the game, once again as in 1982,
the Italians are rewarded for match-fixing at home by lofting the Cup.

On the positive side, your new World Champions, after having run a succession of the most impotent corner kick routines in World Cup history against Germany and prior, finally hit a couple nice ones. One of these, by the match's hero and villian, Materazzi, ripped the nets. Nine minutes later, another rattled the crossbar.

But, sorry, one man's opinion, France deserved to win this game.

Forget the 51st minute mugging in the box that should have been whistled as a second PK against the team whose country brought you the Mafia. It was the French spirit and possession throughout the second half that created scoring chance after scoring chance. Sure, Italy got one good trap, turn and shot off on goal after intermission -- when the forward settled the ball with his hand, the third blatant handling by Italy ignored in the match to that point. And the delays and diving? Despicable.

Second only to Brazil in number of Cups won?
Truly, travesty lives in the beautiful game.
Long live ugly soccer.
Enjoy your "victory", as well as life in Serie B and/or C.....

P.S. USA 1 Italy 1.

As with all the content of this blog, written and photographic, Copyrighted 2006, All Rights Reserved, Perry McIntyre, Atlanta, GA - USA.

Nice Consolation for a Job Well-Done

2006-07-09T01:24:00.000+02:00

It was a just result to see Germany go out on top of the match for Third Place. The team, sold short by their fans going into the tournament, built up great momentum in their second Group Stage match with the last-minute win against rival Poland in Dortmund.

From there, the home team's play improved to the point that in making their run to the semifinals, they would have indeed been a worthy finalist had Italy not risen to the occasion in the waning minutes of the final overtime period.

Against Portugal in the Third Place match, the first half dragged a bit as the teams played their way into the spirit of the game. Portugal being without their spiritual leader, captain Luis Figo, whom Scolari chose not to start, no doubt had some significant impact on the Portugese. On the other bench, German coach Jurgen Klinnsman proved himself a fair man by starting the 2002 hero, Oliver Kahn, in goal. Another starter, however, would be the catalyst for the Germans in the second half.

The entire tournament, 22-year old Bastian Schweinsteiger had been on the verge of erupting. His high work rate and pace off the flanks had been troublesome for every opponent he faced but his work on the defensive end cost him his starting spot midway through the tournament.

Against Portugal, Schweinsteiger was just the tonic for a German offense, withering under the month-long pressures of hosting and building expectations of an entire nation.

In the 55th minute, Schweinsteiger unleashed a 25-yard rocket shot from the left side of the circle after breaking in off the flank. Portugese goalkeeper Ricardo had no chance on the blast, as Germany went up 1-0. Five minutes later, a free kick by Schweinsteiger, from nearly the same spot as the scoring strike, was deflected in for an own goal by defender Petit.

A done deal by this point, in the 77th minute, Schweinsteiger, a favorite among fans of both his Bayern Munich club and his country's side, nonetheless did more damage from outside the box as he let fly another powerful, bending blast, beating Ricardo again for a 3-0 German lead.

A Portugese goal in the closing minutes, off a Nuno Gomes back-post header when a late-entering Figo served a beautiful ball from way off the right flank, was to keep Kahn from having a clean sheet in what may be his last World Cup match for Germany.

As with all the content of this blog, written and photographic, Copyrighted 2006, All Rights Reserved, Perry McIntyre, Atlanta, GA - USA.

Allez Les Bleus AND Zizou!

2006-07-06T03:07:00.000+02:00

OK, just about time to retire the two-decade attachment to the phrase "Michel Platini, considered by many to be France's greatest player ever."

There can no longer be any argument, as France reached its second of the past three World Cup finals on the coattails of their magnificient midfielder, Zinedine Zidane, affectionately known as Zizou. It is this soon-to-be retired maestro, who is in fact, France's best ever.

The three-time FIFA World Player of the Year effectively dispatched Portugal with a justly called 33rd minute penalty kick to move his team into Sunday's final against Italy. France had to dodge a couple of near misses by Portugal, early and late, but then France was also unlucky not to be ahead 2-0 shortly into the second half as a Thierry Henry shot off his breaking the left flank spun off Portugese goalkeeper Ricardo's wrist just wide of the near post.

Of late, the French have had the Italians' number, beating them in both the 1998 World Cup, on PKs in the quarterfinals, and in heart-breaking (if you're Italian) fashion in a 2-1 win at the 2000 European Championships. In that match, Sylvain Wiltord tied the match at one with only 30 seconds left in second-half injury time, and then the French won when David Trezeguet scored the winner with 13 seconds left in sudden-death overtime.

Sunday, Les Bleus have their chance to cement their place in history as one of the era's best. Italy, chip on their collective shoulders, feeling it's them against the world (and with a number of world-class players soon to be relegated to second and third-division sides as a result of the country's match-fixing scandal), is a formidable object in that path for France.

As with all the content of this blog, written and photographic, Copyrighted 2006, All Rights Reserved, Perry McIntyre, Atlanta, GA - USA.

Just Not Portugal Too, Please...

2006-07-05T15:35:00.000+02:00

Am almost too depressed to write anything.

As well as they played against Germany, and indeed, throughout the entire World Cup, I just cannot enjoy watching Italy play.

First, their slimy tactics of delay and diversion, falling to the ground when an opponent's shadow crosses their path, then rolling around like they'll never walk again, is SO obvious, yet veteran referees just cannot get it. Secondly, while defense admittedly does win championships, that brand of soccer is hard to watch. This World Cup has been the unfortunate 'coming of age' for the ultra-conservative 4-5-1 formation. With just one forward, most teams are relying on winning 1-0 on a counter-attack goal.

Couple that with the different set of rules applied for fouls in the penalty area, leading to a dearth of penalty kicks, which would at least force some action, and the traditional complaints of 'not enough scoring' and 'boring tactics', have some validity. While soccer afficiandos can appreciate a titanic scoreless struggle such as the Germany-Italy semifinal, one can also lament the lost art of finishing one's chances surgically to the far post, not just blasting the ball towards frame with as much velocity as can be mustered.

The consolation, small though it may be on this end, is Italy's first goal was struck with the former, not latter, skill set. A truly great finish, but the photos of five young German defenders standing by and watching an Azzuri defender set up for this strike are hard to look at.

From this point, have to swallow hard, again, and root for France, which is playing brilliantly at the moment. The potential of an Italy-Portugal improvisational acting display is not worthy of even the slightest consideration as a World Cup final.

Sorry, no photos for this post.
The only Italy shots I have are against the U.S.,
you know, the maligned side which is the ONLY team
NOT to lose to Italy in this World Cup.....

As with all the content of this blog, written and photographic, Copyrighted 2006, All Rights Reserved, Perry McIntyre, Atlanta, GA - USA.

Final Four Insures European Champion

2006-07-01T23:48:00.000+02:00

The samba line to the 2006 World Cup has turned into a waltz.

With the surprise outster of pre-tournament favorite, Brazil, by France, 1-0 in the quarterfinals, along with Portugal prevailing, 3-1, in penalty kicks after a 0-0 play out with England, this year's World Cup will be staying in Europe. It is the first all-Europe final four since the 1982 World Cup tournament in Spain, when Italy prevailed, 3-1, over Germany in the final.

Three superb spot saves by Portugese GK Ricardo made misery once again for the English, who have now gone out of their last four international competitions via the penlty kick route. The English had made a valiant effort of it, playing down a man for over 50 minutes due to Wayne Rooney's straight red card in the second half. It could be argued England actually had the better chances at goal in the run of play, but chances only goals make if they're finished.

Finishing with French flair, Thierry Henry buried Brazil's hopes of a sixth World Cup title until 2010, when he blasted a volley home off a Zinedine Zidane free kick in the 57th minute. Billed as Zidane's swan song, the match would now seem to be another step towards the magnificient midfielder's march to a repeat of the 1998 World cup title, the last time Brazil lost in World Cup competition. On the day, it was the French who played fluid football, filled with flair (sorry, I'm just on one of those alliteration rolls). For the match the Brazilians managed only one shot on frame, though several other dangerous chances flew by goalkeeper Fabien Barthez' goal.

The semis are now set, with Germany playing Italy, July 4th in Dortmund, site of the host's thrilling last-minute win over Poland in this tournament's First Stage, followed by Portugal and France the next day in Munich. Both matches are set for 9:00 p.m., local kickoff, being 3:00 p.m., on the East Coast in the States. If past tournaments are any indication, the semis are usually some of the most exciting and compelling drama of the entire tournament, with the "Big One" only one step away.

As with all the content of this blog, written and photographic, Copyrighted 2006, All Rights Reserved, Perry McIntyre, Atlanta, GA - USA.

Half the Semis Settled

2006-07-01T12:26:00.000+02:00

Friday's matches between Germany and Argentina, as well as the other quarterfinal, Italy and Ukraine, were about as opposite as two matches can be.

Italy cruised to an easy 3-0 win to advance to the July 4th semifinal in Dortmund. To date in the tournament, the Italians have allowed only a single goal, that to the U.S., in the Group E draw that was the lone point for the U.S., in this World Cup.

In an effort to deny the U.S. any credit for playing 'the world's game', though, that goal, a powerfully driven free kick by Claudio Reyna and sheparded in by a waiting-if-needed Brian McBride, was credited to Italy as an own goal, despite the defender's incidental contact with the shot not really making any difference on its ultimate destination. Oh, but there I go sounding bitter again....and without even mentioning again the Italian hand ball in their penalty box later in that match the officiating crew chose to overlook (oops).

In Germany's semifinal with Argentina, all the pieces were in place for a World Cup classic. The first half did not live up to those expectations as it was a plodding affair with neither team making an all-out offensive effort. It was Argentina which broke the scoreless match open with a 49th-minute, Roberto Ayala header off a corner kick, putting the pressure on the hosts to stay in the tournament.

A crunching mid-air collision with Argentinian goalkeeper, Roberto Abbondanzieri, and a German attacker would end up being one of the match's turning points. Unable to continue after a playing a few more minutes in obvious pain, perhaps from broken ribs, the Argentinian netminder was replaced by his substitute, Leonardo Franco, who was making his World Cup debut in the match's 71st minute. Given that sense of hope, and the additional lift of Argentina strangely taking off their two best players in Juan Riquelme and Hernan Crespo, perhaps to bolster the defense one can only suppose, the Germans were bouyed with a renewed energy.

Finally, in the 80th minute, German playmaker Michael Ballack scrapped possession of a ball onto the left flank, from where he served it high into the box on the back post. Attacker Tim Borowski found it with his head and sent it in the direction of the tournament's leading scorer, Miroslav Klose, who one-timed a second header just out of reach of the diving goalkeeper to level the match.

Playing through the remaining regulation and two 15-minute overtime periods, the match went to penalty kicks. Germany went first and successively made their first three alternating kicks. The Argentinians ran into problems when German 'keeper Jens Lehmann saved the second Argentinian shot, by Ayala, low to his left. With Germany converting their fourth spot kick, the pressure was on Argentina. The only place you don't want to put your kick is where the German 'keeper just made his save, but, you guessed it, the last-gasp Argentinian attempt, by Esteban Cambiasso, was low and to the Lehmann's left, into the waiting arms of a Germany victory and the home team's advancement to their 11th World Cup semifinal.

As with all the content of this blog, written and photographic, Copyrighted 2006, All Rights Reserved, Perry McIntyre, Atlanta, GA - USA.

Have I Mentioned the Lines?

2006-06-29T14:05:00.000+02:00

There is naturally a major concern with security due to the scope and visibility of an event such as the World Cup. With over 3,500 credentialled journalists, just the marshalling of those, technology-laden, individuals became a day-to-day ordeal in moving from one venue to another. The photo of the long line outdoors is to enter the Berlin Olympiastadion, through one of two airport-style detection stations (those tents in the background). To arrive to this point, members of the media had to walk close to a mile to the far side of the venue from the train station to then be greeted by this scene. Now admittedly, this was a Brazil match but the media numbers were pretty consistent from match to match.

Every venue had an SMC (Stadium Media Center), which was generally located outside of the stadium proper and had several hundred work stations, a cafe', information desks, media offices, restrooms, and for my particular purpose, a photographers' match ticket distribution line. Match tickets were awarded along the lines of three priority groups: 1st Group: competing countries in that particular match and major media outlets (a somewhat shifting definition from match to match) 2nd Group: host country and other major publications and 3rd Group: Everyone else approved for that match. There were roughly 160 photographer seats set up behind the advertising sign boards at each venue.

For most matches I was in Group 3, though for some I found myself on the list in Group 2. No complaints, but then, no real explanation, either. For the three U.S. matches, I was, of course, in Group 1. After close to two weeks at the end of these lines, you'll notice I took my place at the head of the line for the final U.S. match (just once, I wanted to be first in one of those lines!) and got to choose almost the exact seat I wanted. It would have been the exact seat, one place to my right, but that was already held by a German news agency, which did not have to go through the ignominious process of the Distribution Line.

The upside of the match ticket lines was one being able to make or continue new, or old, acquaintances. The downside, if you were stuck in line with a bunch of Italian photographers, who live to talk faster than each other and incessantly complain about everything. This was particularly amusing when the process was derailed and very different at the U.S.-Italy match. At that venue (Kaiserslauten) the media officer chose to sit everyone down in the press conference room and call them, apparently at random, from the Group 1 list. My name came up fairly early in that process, as well, but the luck of day would have the view from that seat blocked by a number of players between me and the critical action of the U.S.'s tying goal. As with everything, there is always an element of luck.....

As with all the content of this blog, written and photographic, Copyrighted 2006, All Rights Reserved, Perry McIntyre, Atlanta, GA - USA.

Sightseeing at 300 KPH

2006-06-26T13:21:00.000+02:00

As has been mentioned in previous posts, a great deal of the two weeks covering the World Cup was spent on some of the splendid (and also some not so splendid) trains of Die Bahn.

The ICE trains (InterCity Express) are what are also known as 'bullet trains' and capable of speeds up to 300 kilometers per hour (roughly 185 miles per hour). They may go faster, that's just the highest recorded speed I saw posted on the cabin display. Much of the German countryside was experienced as it whizzed by the windows.

One thing that caught this Georgia boy a bit by surprise was the number of deer stands in the German countryside, in many cases, right up to the edges of villages and towns. As with so many other things, the Germans must be very efficient in their deer hunting. In all the time travelling through dawn and dusks, only saw one deer.

I did hear that one must pass a test to obtain a hunting or fishing license. Now, hunting, I can understand; hunter safety, weapon proficiency, et al, but fishing? This is one test I would love to see a translation of....

The other thing that sticks out is all the towns and villages have a signature, centerpiece church steeple in the middle of town. I suppose after awhile, one would be able to know what village just blurred by by the architecture of that particular landmark.

Also, noticed the vast amounts of graffitti on anything that stands still. Some of this rampant vandalism ranks as artwork it is so meticulous. Sorry, forgot momentarily, it is still Germany. Many of these elaborate and colorful displays put our crude, everyday graffitti to shame.

Will try to get some more posts up in the near future that address some of the other, non-soccer, aspects of the experience.

As with all the content of this blog, written and photographic, Copyrighted 2006, All Rights Reserved, Perry McIntyre, Atlanta, GA - USA.

I'll Try Not To Sound Bitter

2006-06-25T16:05:00.000+02:00

The U.S. match with Ghana in the final match of Group Stage in Group E had the home team still in the hunt for advancement to the Round of 16. The scenario called for a U.S. win and an Italy win over the Czech Republic to send the Red, White & Blue through.

The karma was not be be, though, for a variety of reasons.

On the very play the American team's heart-and-soul midfield playmaker, Claudio Reyna, knocked knees and went down on a play for a 50-50 ball, the Ghana side took a 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute on a goal by Haminu Draman. The photo shows how close Kasey Keller was to making a spectacular one v. one save on the play.

With Reyna unable to continue effectively, the captain's armband was, it now seems, permanently passed, to Landon Donovan. The U.S. side fought and scrapped its way back into the flow of play and a great second-effort strip and cross by DeMarcus Beasley found Clint Dempsey running backside where he one-timed a powerful blast to level the match.

Playing four minutes of add-on time at the end of the first half, due in part to Ghana's histrionics on every hard tackle, the German referee made a crucial, and very dubious, penalty call in the 47th minute of play. American defender Oguchi 'Gooch' Onyewu made a clean play clearing a ball but Ghana forward Razak Pimpong's dive was rewarded with a spot kick for a 2-1 Ghana lead at half.

The talk at half was that perhaps FIFA now stands for Fix It For Africa, ensuring a team from that continent, and Ghana was the last hope this time around, would advance to the Round of 16. The 2010 World Cup, is, after all, in South Africa, and that continent should appear worthy.

In the second half, an obvious handball by a Ghana defender in the box was ignored, making three of the past four U.S. World Cup matches such an oversight by the referees has plagued the home side. Brian McBride pinged the post on a header that would have evened the match, and what do you think? Was McBride being held on the subsequent corner kick? Could that have also been a penalty?

Sorry, didn't manage to come off as not being bitter. It's a shame the players and the Laws of the Game cannot truly determine such critical outcomes.

By the way, Italy beat the Czech Republic.

The referee was on my train afterwards, exiting, along with his three BundesPolizei escorts, at Wurzberg. Hope he slept well.

As with all the content of this blog, written and photographic, Copyrighted 2006, All Rights Reserved, Perry McIntyre, Atlanta, GA - USA.

On Via Tri Colores

2006-06-25T15:22:00.000+02:00

The match in Gelsenkirchen between Mexico and Portugal was another tribute to the outstanding fans of the Mexican side. Travelling in amazing numbers, both into and outside the stadium, the Mexicans pretty much overwhlemed tiny Gelsenkirchen from daybreak on,

With the threat of rain, the roof on the state-of-the-art Gelsenkirchen stadium was closed. This all the more added to the dynamic pre-match atmosphere of the Mexican fans, their chants, cheers and song. The crowd is very much a family-oriented one for the Tri Colores and at all three of their Group Stage matches, they made the match virtually a home environment.

That was not to help Mexico, however, against a Portugese team which had not lost in 16 consecutive matches. Portugal took an early lead on a Maniche' goal in the sixth minute and built the lead to 2-0 on a 24th-minute penalty converted by Simao Sabrosa. The Mexicans got one back in the 29th minute by Luis Fonseca. Bravo missed a 57th minute penalty, which would have brought Mexico level, and then four minutes later, a second yellow card sendoff of Perez sealed the fate of our south of the border neighbors, who settled for runner-up in Group D and a Round of 16 match-up against a hot Argentina team.

As with all the content of this blog, written and photographic, Copyrighted 2006, All Rights Reserved, Perry McIntyre, Atlanta, GA - USA.

It Was REALLY Worse Than Expected

2006-06-21T10:29:00.000+02:00

Since moving from Koeln, I had known going back to, and leaving, on either side of the England-Sweden match was going to be difficult. The train reservations I had were made with built in cushions to make connecting trains to get me back to my hotel in Nuernburg, then to Gelsenkirchen, today, for Mexico-Portugal.

As it turns out, Die Bahn in Koeln was not prepared for the Norse-Saxon invasion.

The Koeln Hauptbahnhof was overflowing with people looking for trains to replace the ones they had missed. The floors of the halls and main lobby were filled with sleeping bodies, looking overall, very much like a football refugee camp. My 2 a.m. train left the station at 2:35 a.m., without me on it. Would have missed my connection in Frankfurt, which is the opposite way from Gelsenkirchen. Instead, waited until a little after 4 a.m., and cobbled a path via a couple trains to Gelsenkirchen, where I arrived at 6 a.m.

It's now about 10:30 and I watched the town come to life, waiting again, as I was, for the Media Shuttle to the Stadium.

Oh yeah, the England-Sweden game.
Joe Cole scored a brilliant shot from outside the left corner of the penalty area to give England a halftime lead. Sweden equalized early in the second half on what appeared to most of us on the field to be an own goal but the scorer awarded it to Marcus Allback, probably so someone, anyone, other than an Englishman would be in the history books as scoring the 2,000th World Cup goal.

England put Steven Gerrard on for a tiring Wayne Rooney in the 69th minute. It took him a little over 15 minutes to get into the flow of the match before Joe Cole chipped a soft ball to the back post that Gerrard hammered home off a header to give England a 2-1 lead.

It looked like that would stand until the oldest player on the field, Sweden's Henrik Larsson, a veteran of the '94 Sweden World Cup Semifinal squad, but now with a shaved head instead of the flowing dreadlocks of then, heel-flicked a ball to the back post, beating everyone for the equalizer in the final minute of regulation.

There will be some great photos to come from this match later. My laptop, the replacement for my wonderful G3 PowerBook, stolen in January, is woefully inadequate and giving me nightmares every time I download images into it. Have not had a chance to get the match properly edited.

As with all the content of this blog, written and photographic, Copyrighted 2006, All Rights Reserved, Perry McIntyre, Atlanta, GA - USA.

There Is No Internet On Die Bahn

2006-06-20T12:04:00.000+02:00

Sorry for a couple days' absence from posting, have been on the train a great deal recently getting these last four matches covered.

Will get back around to Mexico in a couple posts since I'll see them against Portugal and the Angola match was pretty boring for the most part.

The U.S. match, as well, we'll revisit more in depth. Suffice it to say, getting a point was necessary but felt a bit hollow due to the three sendoffs by the Uraguayan referee, which ruined the integrity of the match by finishing 8 field players against nine. Yes, and Beasley's goal was correctly nullified on McBride's offside but for two World Cups in a row, a referee has refused to whistle an obvious hand ball in the penalty box that could have elevated the U.S.

The France-Korea match in Leipzig, and my stay a little ways away in the town of Riesa, gave me a small dose of the former East Germany. While that area has made tremendous progress, it is still obvious there is a good ways to go. It is interesting to see the artifacts from the Communist era, mostly things like all cities have a Karl Marx Strasse.

Last night, was in Stuttgart for Spain-Tunisia and had to move to Nuernburg having been evicted from Koeln by the English-Swedeish invasion for today's match determining Group B. Am on the train for a very long time afterwards this evening to return to Nuernburg and then turn right back around and go to Gelsenkirchen for Mexico-Portugal. From there, my last match is U.S.-Ghana, here, in Nuernburg, then to Frankfurt and Delta home.

Will post more when computer time becomes available.

As with all the content of this blog, written and photographic, Copyrighted 2006, All Rights Reserved, Perry McIntyre, Atlanta, GA - USA.

Time To Step It Up Lads!

2006-06-16T12:17:00.000+02:00

With a little time to kill in advance of the train to Hannover today, am putting up another short post to advance tomorrow's do-or-die U.S. match with Italy.

A loss effectively ends the U.S. team's World Cup with a meaningless match against Ghana remaining. It would also allow the haughty Europeans to say, "see, the U.S., is just not that good. Stick to baseball." Have already heard that one too many times over here.

A win keeps things interesting. How to get it?
The consensus on the street here with other Americans I've run across seem to be pretty universal. The central midfield needs to be tougher. Clint Dempsey deserves a crack at it and John O'Brien, the most experienced European-based U.S. player, needs to go as long from the start as his fitness allows. The third change would be to get Eddie Johnson on as the withdrawn forward behind McBride, where Brian can be the knock-down target and Eddie can run onto the ball.

More importantly, the boys have to play quicker and with more confidence. Move the ball one and two touches and play their game without being indimidated. Against the Czech Republic, there was a definite deer-in-the-headlights thing going on. That one's over, move on and and show 'em we can shock the world --- again.

Got to go, but tomorrow is a watershed day for U.S. soccer.
Make sure to watch it live, 3 p.m., EDT kickoff.

As with all the content of this blog, written and photographic, Copyrighted 2006, All Rights Reserved, Perry McIntyre, Atlanta, GA - USA.

Back to der Zug und Hauptbahnhof

2006-06-16T07:00:00.000+02:00

After yesterday's day off kicking around Köln (this keyboard actually has an umlaut key, fancy that in Germany), am back on the train today for a three-hour ride up to Hannover (lots of controversy on whether it's one 'n' or two, am going
with what's on my train ticket), for Mexico-Angola.

Yesterday was too gray a day to do the Rhein boat thing, so just ambled around town. Couldn't do much in the way of shopping, since it was a religious holiday, no one seems to know which one, and everything was closed. Went by the in-town Media Lounge and got some things done on-line. Also stayed around to enjoy the matches on TV, either the big screens set up in FanFest, or by stopping here and there and watching all the ones set up along the sidewalk cafes.

A large number of English have already descended on Köln for the 20 Juni date with Sweden in the Group B finale here. Although I'll not be based here by then, will be back to shoot that one. After Sweden's 87th-minute goal to win last night, sets up an interesting scenario.
Originally, the incentive for the Group B winner was to avoid Germany in the Round of 16
as winner of Group A. But now, Ecuador is actually on top of Group A, based on goal differential, so that group is ending very interestingly, as well, with Germany-Ecuador.

This blog inteface, oh, have I mentioned over here it's all in Deutsche, is a little inconsistent. First it won't allow me to post more than two photos. Then, it decides to post two of the same image. Yesterday, it would only post one. So this blog's image will be another shot from Germany-Poland, which I tried to get up yesterday.

Enjoy und Ole'!

As with all the content of this blog, written and photographic, Copyrighted 2006, All Rights Reserved, Perry McIntyre, Atlanta, GA - USA.

German Efficiency and Persistence

2006-06-15T12:02:00.000+02:00

Last night was Germany-Poland in Dortmund, the second-largest stadium among the World Cup venues. Neighboring countries with a long-standing rivalry running through centuries of history, this match was singled out early on as one of the big matches of Group Play.

Not to disappoint, the crowd came early and was in high spirits chanting, cheering and singing for over an hour before the match.

The Process of getting into the stadium and on the field for a photographer not from one of the competing countries was different from the other matches to date. Perceiving themselves the World Champions of Organization, the Germans posted times for the allocation of Pitch Photography media tickets. Being in the third group with a posted distribution time of 7:30, I had been killing time in the Media Center for two hours already, when I walked over to 'que up' at 7:15. Deviating from procedure at every previous match, the FIFA official had already allocated all the Group 3 media tickets and was working on the Wait List. Immediately jumping into the fray, I pointed out I was on the approved list for this match and received one of the last two tickets for field access. Too close for comfort and another black mark against German 'efficiency'.

The match itself was, as expected, hard-hitting and end-to-end. The crowd remained and involved in the match, bouying the German side that extra little bit when a Polish defender received his second yellow card of the match and was sent off. Smelling 'blood in the water', the Germans swarmed the Polish penalty area and eventually got the win in the final minute. Substitute Odonkor penetrated the right flank, crossed the ball into the middle where Neuville knocked it home to send the home crowd home happy.

On the train back to Koeln, ran into three fans from Atlanta, who were painted up and dressed as German fans . . . when in Rome... Turns out one of them played high school soccer at Lakeside and was on the team Lovett beat for the State Championship in 1984. Coincidentally, I was wearing a Lovett Soccer t-shirt.

Today is my one day off and it began drearily, the first day of rain so far. Finished up with the necessary photo and computer work and am now off to be a tourist as the sun is beginning to sneak out. Will probably take a boat up and\or down the Rhein and hoist a local product, Kolsch bier.

As with all the content of this blog, written and photographic, Copyrighted 2006, All Rights Reserved, Perry McIntyre, Atlanta, GA - USA.

Life After Gelsenkirchen

2006-06-14T06:48:00.000+02:00

Was a very long day after the U.S. match's very long night before. Tuesday, and the first six hours of Wednesday, were spent on ICE (InterCityExpress) trains to, and back from, Berlin for the Brazil-Croatia match. So this post will be either brief, and\or, disjointed.

The Berlin venue is Olympiastadion, site of the 1936 Olympic Games. Was a humbling feeling walking to my position on the very stretch of track where Jesse Owens humbled Hitler. The arena has, of course, been renovated since but very much resembles the old film footage of those Games, where Georgia Bulldog Spec Towns was also a Gold Medalist, in the 110 High Hurdles.

Hung out in the Media Center with comedian Drew Carey, who is here as an accredited photographer and shooting shows for the Travel Channel on the World Cup. Pretty much a regular guy with the same private sense of humor he uses professionally. He very much enjoys just being 'one of the guys', in the trenches with the photo corps.

The match was the usual Brazil build-up; whistles, drums, samba lines and all manner of unique yellow-clad 'Copa' paraphanalia. The game was, for the most part, in Croatia's end the first half but it wasn't until the 44th minute, just before half, when midfielder Kaka came up the left side and let a rocket shot go from just outside the penalty area, which stood for the result.

Providence shined on me after the disppointing result from the day before. The position I chose from what was left on the chart when my priority group was ticketed could not have been chosen any better with foreknowledge of impending events. Ronaldinho, who I desperately wanted photos of as he is the two-time reigning FIFA Player of the Year, and truly magic on the ball, possessed and posed for several great sequences. And the goal, well, let the photo say it.

Off this evening to Dortmund for the highly-heated match between the host German team and a Polish side, desperate for a result after losing their first match.

For now, however, breakfast and bed...

As with all the content of this blog, written and photographic, Copyrighted 2006, All Rights Reserved, Perry McIntyre, Atlanta, GA - USA.

Not Exactly What We Had in Mind

2006-06-13T10:56:00.000+02:00

The U.S. opener against the Czech Republic was a deflating experience. First, a large and energetic U.S. crowd offset the large numbers of Czechs in for the day. In pre-game, the fans in the stadium were treated to a dramatic comeback win by Australia over Japan on the stadium's replay screens. Down 1-0 with six minutes to play, the Aussies scored three and won, 3-1.

Surely, that result was an omen. But alas, not to be.

The U.S. came out scared and tentative and the veteran Czech team went for the kill earlier. An ill-advised clearance from goal by Kasey Keller was turned into a quick counter attack up the right flank. As they do with all crosses, the Czechs zeroed in on their huge target player, Jan Koller, who powered the header past Keller from inside the six-yard box.

From there the U.S. was indecisive and took way to much time on the ball, making slow and predictable decisions, not what we had been used to from their play in WC qualifying. A second goal on a blistering, bending shot by the Czech player of the match, #10 Tomas Risicky, was pretty much the death knell.

Time to move on.
Italy on Saturday for the U.S., in a must-win situation.
Today, I am on the train for five hours to Berlin for Brazil and Croatia. Such spirited soccer will be a welcome change.

As with all the content of this blog, written and photographic, Copyrighted 2006, All Rights Reserved, Perry McIntyre, Atlanta, GA - USA.

Last One Leaving Lisbon Hit the Lights

2006-06-12T03:16:00.000+02:00

Well, it would seem anyone with any remote concern for Portugal's football fortunes made their way to Germany for their nation's World Cup opener against former Portugese colony, Angola. Of the announced crowd of 45,000 in Koeln Stadion, about 40,000 were cheering for the maroon.

The exceptions to this were a number of Germans, who had adopted Angola, likely because it was one of the few matches they could obtain tickets to attend. The Angolans who were in attendance were festive and did, nonetheless, make themselves heard.

World Cup contrast ended up sitting either side of me along the touchline at the end where Portugal scored their lone goal early in the first half, when Pauleta, trailing in the middle finished off the good work and fine cross by the captain, Figo. On my right was a very pleasant, well-spoken gentlemen from Holland. On my left, was an Italian photographer, who was neither pleasant nor capable of speaking. Sorry, I forgot, Italians are the only people in the world who play soccer. Too bad their game has never been one to learn that scoring goals is the object of the game. All the more reason to crave a US win this coming Saturday in Kaiserslauten.

As it became apparent late in the match Angola was just not going to have what it took to salvage a point with an equalizer, packed up and was out the gate for the first Media Shuttle. Tomorrow, well, later today, it's all about the U-S-A. Czech that one out. Go on lads!

As with all the content of this blog, written and photographic, Copyrighted 2006, All Rights Reserved, Perry McIntyre, Atlanta, GA - USA.

Home Sweet Koeln

2006-06-12T02:57:00.000+02:00

Today will be a two-for-one post with the first one a brief itinerary of the non-Weltmeisterschaft (World Cup) activities. Sleeping in and taking in more of a brunch than a breakfast about noonish, then grabbed the 'tourist camera' (the light and inexpensive one) and hit the streets.

The same streets as the previous evening, make that early morning, were once again teeming with activity. This time it was the pre-match crowd of mostly Portugese ramping up for the evening's match with Angola. Along the Rhein, the tour boats, cruise ships actually, were in full operation, the green space along the river was full of sunbathers, loungers and pick-up soccer.

Strolling towards the Dom (Cologne Cathedral) and the Hbf (Hauptbahnhof), the crowd picked up all the more and the plaza between the two was almost a carnival. It is not a coincidence the LOC (Local Organizing Committee) of the World Cup chose the area just the other side of the Dom as the site for their FanFest. Unfortunately, I have noticed there is a two-photo posting limit per blog, or I'd let several photos do several thousand words.

Went ahead and dropped into the Hbf while in the area to reserve first-class seating to and from Gelsenkirchen for tomorrow's USA opener, as well as Berlin the next day for Brazil-Croatia in Berlin, and the following day for the border war between Germany and Poland (is that in bad taste?, regardless, WC veterans have warned me there will be all sorts of things being thrown to the pitch from the stands) in Dortmund.

Returned to hotel in time to clean up and head off to Koeln Stadion for Portugal-Angola, but that's another blog.....

As with all the content of this blog, written and photographic, Copyrighted 2006, All Rights Reserved, Perry McIntyre, Atlanta, GA - USA.

Full Moon on More than the Rhein

2006-06-11T01:56:00.000+02:00

Hitting the ground in Frankfurt and going straight to Waldstadion for Saturday's England-Paraguay match made for a long Day One im Deutschland. After the match and checking into my base hotel, the Dorint Novotel on the Rhein River in Koeln, had to reflect on the day's events before entering the Land of Blog.

First downloading all of the match images into my laptop, and showering and shaving while the processor did its thing, I then took a walk along the banks of one of the world's great rivers through history. On the way back to the hotel, the evening's full moon struck me with a theme for the day, at least in Group B, where none of the four team actually scored a goal. England did go up 1-0 five minutes in, but seemingly off the head of one of Paraguay's defenders attempting to clear a David Beckham service. Along with Sweden and Trindad & Tobago's scoreless draw, all those zeros did indeed emulate the full moon.

Speaking off 'Becks', one of my goals for the day was to get a couple images in the can of one of the world's highest-paid and most recognizable players. Getting to that point, however, was an exercise in patience as the media ticket process was about a two-hour ordeal in monotomy, as FIFA tried to deal with a match that had 200 photographers on the Wait List. First impression of the 2006 World Cup Germany is the legendary efficiency and organizational skills of this land have eluded some of the event's organizers. More on that in later posts.

On the upside, nothing can quite compare to being at an England match with 40,000 in unison urging 'Go on England!' on corner kicks and attacking build-ups. We Americans could also take a lesson in singing the Star-Spangled Banner with the gusto that both the fans and team sings 'God Save the Queen'. And though the German Polizei were out in force in Frankfurt's public areas, I'll have to give the Brits high marks for their congenial decorum.

England were also missing Wayne Rooney, who is still recovering from a broken foot but he did go through the full team warm-up and take his place on the bench. In his stead was an unusual sight, in 6-foot-7 Paul Crouch running up top with Michael Owen, who MAY be 5-foot-8. Crouch did a nice job winning and knocking down headers for most of the match.

For now, suffice it to say am extremely relieved to be shooting the Portugal-Angola match here in Koeln tomorrow night at 9 p.m. local time. Gives me a day to sleep in and walk around a bit more and take in some more of this vibrant and upbeat city.

As with all the content of this blog, written and photographic, Copyrighted 2006, All Rights Reserved, Perry McIntyre, Atlanta, GA - USA.

Ducks in a Row to Swim The Pond

2006-06-06T02:47:00.000+02:00

While this blog won't "go live" until I reach Germany this Saturday, June 10th, wanted to get underway with the foreword as it were. This is also a practice exercise to learn the ropes with this particular blog interface and how this thing will work to our best interest.

All indications are "fur wundervolles Wetter in Deutschland am Wochenende". And while the weather may indeed be wonderful, another premise from the onset is to lay a blanket apology out for my extremely rusty German, which will nonetheless, have to serve me through. (and too, I have no clue where the umlaut key combo is on this keyboard).

In laying the scene, I'll hit the ground, hopefully gently via Delta's top-notch equipment and talented pilots' hands, in Frankfurt, travelling directly to Waldstadion to secure my FIFA media credential and match tickets for the first match I'm to shoot; England v. Paraguay. Immediately following that match, am commuting to Cologne (henceforth, Koeln, sorry, again, no umlaut), where I'll be based the first week I'm in country.

The following day, Angola and Portugal kick off to revisit some bad blood from the days of Colonial Africa, before I travel to Gelsenkirchen, Monday, June 12th, for the brutal opener the U.S. drew against an experienced, talented and accomplished side from the Czech Republic.

A strong qualifying run by the home team has been mitigated lately by some lackluster build-up matches but one might suspect, Bruce Arena is holding back some surprises for the Czechs. If those work out as well as the 2002 opener against an also heavily-favored Portugal team, we can live with that.

As with all the content of this blog, written and photographic, Copyrighted 2006, All Rights Reserved, Perry McIntyre, Atlanta, GA - USA.

Waiting Time's Up It's on to the Cup!

2006-06-02T15:03:00.000+02:00

This blog will chronicle Perry McIntyre's two-week experience as an accredited photographer at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, June 10th to 23rd. It will go active as of June 10th.

In addition to covering all three of the U.S. Group 'E' matches, the proposed schedule also calls for McIntyre to shoot all three England Group 'B' matches, to shoot Mexico in Group 'D' twice (sorry, just not enough guts to be a lone American at Mexico v. Iran) and to see the following teams at least once: Germany, Poland, Brazil, Croatia, Sweden, Italy, France, South Korea, Spain, Portugal, Angola, Ghana, Tunisia, and Trindad & Tobago.

This schedule will include travel to: Frankfurt, Cologne (Koeln), Gelsenkirchen, Dortmund, Berlin, Hanover, Leipzig, Nuernberg, Stuttgart and Kaiserslauten ("K-town").

A small selection of images from these matches will accompany each post, along with links to websites where more extensive proofs of McIntyre's work from the 2006 FIFA World Cup will be posted.

As with all the content of this blog, written and photographic, Copyrighted 2006, All Rights Reserved, Perry McIntyre, Atlanta, GA - USA.