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‘World class’ Rooney the key, says Motson
Hong Kong, 12 May 2010 - A fit, focused and in-form Wayne Rooney can inspire England to World Cup glory, says veteran BBC football commentator John Motson.
The broadcasting legend – visiting Hong Kong for this week’s HKFC IP Global International Soccer Sevens – puts Rooney in a class of his own in Fabio Capello’s squad.
“He’s the best England player of this generation, without a doubt,” says Motson of the Manchester United striker. “He’s head and shoulders above anybody else as an England player and as a world-class player.
“If you remember the last World Cup in Germany in 2006, Rooney was touch and go because of injury, then he finally got back into the team and had to play on his own up front, which didn’t really work, and he got sent off out of frustration.
“So we need to keep Rooney’s fitness, form and temperament under control. He will be a key figure in whatever we achieve.”
Motson believes England’s other main weapon in South Africa will be Capello himself. The Italian, who this week named his provisional 30-man squad, is a man who stands out from his predecessors in the national team hot seat.
“I’ve worked with 13 England managers going right back to Sir Alf Ramsey and I would say Capello is the nearest thing I’ve seen to Ramsey in the way he conducts himself, his stature, his relationship with the players, and his ‘I’m the boss’ attitude,” reveals Motson.
“There are some real Ramsey traits about Capello. Some of the other managers down the years have had their weaknesses – getting too close to players, or perhaps not being able to manage at international level as well as they had at their club.
“But guys like Capello only come along once in a generation and I think the FA did very well to get him. It was an inspired choice after two or three hits and misses that hadn’t quite worked.”
Can England win the World Cup? Motson lists them in his top three contenders with Spain and Argentina. “There’s no question England can win it, but will they win it? There are so many imponderables – injuries, the run of the ball, the little bit of luck they do or don’t get, the fear of a penalty shootout and so on.
“Sven-Goran Eriksson took England to three quarter-finals in major tournaments, but I think we can do better than that.
“I know Brazil are everyone else’s favourites but you’ve got to think, well, who else could do it? I wouldn’t be surprised to see a Spain-Argentina semi-final and that would mean one of them would get to the final and hopefully play England. That would be nice, wouldn’t it?”
Motson says “we” because, after almost 40 years of commentating on England matches, he would love to see them triumph on the big stage and he will travel to South Africa hoping that, this time, they get it right.
The man known as “Motty” to millions of fans might have retired from live football commentary after Euro 2008 but he will still be an integral part of the BBC team stationed in Cape Town.
“I shall be very much studio based, probably appearing on BBC1 when England play, doing a BBC2 highlights show every night that looks back on the day with the likes of Lee Dixon and Gordon Strachan, and doing some radio and BBC website work,” he reveals.
Before all that, Motson – accompanied by wife Anne – is enjoying his first ever visit to Hong Kong and is keen to see the Soccer Sevens.
After a visit to Happy Valley races on Wednesday (12 May) and some sight-seeing on Thursday, he will be the guest speaker at the sold-out Sportsman’s Dinner at Hong Kong Football Club on Thursday evening.
The HKFC IP Global International Soccer Sevens kicks off at Football Club at 6:00pm on Friday with matches continuing through to the finals on Sunday evening.
A total of 32 teams are taking part, including debutants Ajax, holders Glasgow Celtic and four-time champions Aston Villa in the Main competition, with the Andy Cole Jura All Stars and IP Global All Stars headlining the Masters competition.
A weekend pass (Saturday and Sunday) costs HK$200 per adult while a day pass (Saturday or Sunday) is HK$120 per adult. Admission on Friday evening is free for all spectators while children under the age of 16 are admitted free throughout the tournament.
The Sportsman’s Dinner might be sold out but fans can still book tables for the FA Cup Dinner at 8:00pm on Saturday at Football Club.
The evening will feature the Chelsea v Portsmouth FA Cup final on the big screen and the Andy Cole Jura All Stars will be present to talk about the game and other football issues. Tables for 12 persons cost $10,000 which includes sit-down dinner and free-flowing beer.
Details of how to purchase tickets for the Soccer Sevens and FA Cup Dinner, plus a wealth of other information about the tournament, can be found at the official website, www.hksoccersevens.com.
Motson is looking forward to an entertaining weekend and plans on enjoying the Soccer Sevens from the comfort of the stands rather than the commentary booth.
“No one has asked me to do that, thank goodness!” he laughs. “I’m looking upon this trip as a bit of a break before the World Cup and I’m rather glad, actually, just to be myself for a few days. It’s a nice change.”
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IP Global (formerly Intellectual Property) sources property investments in emerging and recovering markets. The company has a unique approach; assisting clients in constructing a property investment portfolio tailored to their specific investment strategy and budget. IP Global focuses not only on where to invest but also removes the difficulties that independent investors face when buying property.
IP Global educates investors with the market knowledge required for potential and future investments. The extensive due diligence service provided gives clients the assurance to invest in remote markets which otherwise would not be accessible.
IP Global was launched in Hong Kong in September 2005 and now has offices in Singapore and Dubai to support a rapidly expanding client base and global ambitions. Since inception, IP Global has transacted a total of over US$700 million in property on behalf of its clients.
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Released on behalf of the HKFC IP Global International Soccer Sevens by Two Up Front – Asia’s sports PR specialists.