Where have all the hard men gone?

May 14th, 2006 | by: Chris Heidrich |

A thrilling FA Cup final has left Aussie, and for that matter, World Cup supporters shaking their heads as Harry Kewell limped off early in the second half of the Cup final in which Liverpool came from 2 goals down to be 3-3 after extra time and then won on penalties. Seems like every other day there is a player we’ll not get to see on the world stage due to injury. Let’s hope the aggravation of Kewell’s groin strain isn’t serious and he can get back on the training pitch with the Socceroos soon.

It makes me wonder though. Some of these injuries or concerns I can’t imagine hearing about 10-15 years ago. Sol Campbell’s gone crazy, everyone’s metatarsals are breaking like breadsticks, Ronaldo’s lost his mojo, and I hear van Nistelrooy has a pimple in his nose (man, those things are painful). Gone are the days of Terry Butcher, Roberto Baggio’s heavily strapped hamstring, or Zidane running around looking like a cue-tip. Are there any hard men left in football?

International Football News – World Cup Blog RSS Feed

http://www.trinidadtobago.worldcupblog.org stacy-marie

It’s the metrosexualisation of football.

You’re leaving out the Warriors though! Those are Real Men.
http://netherlands.worldcupblog.org Mike

Nope, they’re all worth too much money.
http://ecuador.worldcupblog.org/ Trent

I think Mike’s on to something. When your metatarsal is an “investment”, the reasons to fight through an injury begin to dry up. Not saying I always blame them, but it does cut back on the drama.
http://usa.worldcupblog.org daryl

I’d nominate Oguchi Onyewu as a hard man. The US defender is big and nasty (maybe too nasty for some World Cup refs?). Looking forward to his battle with Jan Koller on June 12th.
AY

It’s because the clubs are working them harder than ever. They don’t get much time to rest as it is. The competition from younger/better players also make the older ones play harder than they perhaps should.
http://paraguay.worldcupblog.org Daniel

For this reason I will always remember Ruben Martin Ruiz Diaz, he was the Paraguayan goalkeeper when the U-23 team qualified to the Barcelona Olympics. He played the whole tournament with an elbow injure that cost him several months of rest later. When he was asked why he did that, he said that the national team is first on everything.

We need to remember the German goalkeeper Kahn, I believe he played the Korea/Japan finals with a broken finger.
Karl

On the subject of Kahn, does anyone remember the last World Cup final, where Brasil scored after Kahn failed to hold on to a shot? Earlier in the game he did look like he had injured his hand. When the team returned to Germany, his hand was bandaged up in all the photos. Yet, I don’t remember hearing this brought up in anyone’s analysis of the final in the press.
http://paraguay.worldcupblog.org Daniel

ups… I didn’t knew that, I only remember that after the game they said that he played injured
http://www.worldcupblog.org/world-cup-2006/big-question-which-teams-have-the-most-potent-offenses.html Pedro P

About all this, I only hope teams who base their game in fouling should have the proper treatment.

And let´s not forget if a player from Angola (example) makes a nasty foul, he´ll surelly get red. If an italian does the same, he´ll get (maybe) the foul signed by the ref, plus a smile, and a “please signore, please behave, otherwhise after 20 of those I´ll have to show you a yellow”…

On the “virility show off” department ;-), it must be said Simão Sabrosa played half a season with a hernia and refused to be treated till the end of the season. Petit gained a lot of credit with Scolari by refusing to leave the pitch, in a match he was injured.
rob

i like men…
that play soccer
with eachothers BAAAALLLLLSSS!!!!

B=LOVE B=LOVE B B
ROBERT ALCORN

I THOUGHROLY LIKE MENS BALLS