We simply can’t get enough of Mexican manager Miguel Herrera, Louis van Gaal’s package has apparently been painted gold and it’s sh*t or get off the pot time for our boys JOEpan.
Why Miguel Herrera is our favourite World Cup manager
Some football fans prefer their managers to appear calm, passive and to display few signs of emotion on the touchline, but the more demonstrative and passionate the better as far as we’re concerned.
No manager has shown those two qualities in greater abundance than Mexican boss Miguel Herrera, who despite all the great goals and moments of high drama, might just be the best thing about this World Cup so far.
Last night, we brought you footage of Herrera’s reaction to Mexico’s crucial second goal against Croatia, but that was just one example of Herrera going through the full gamut of emotions on the touchline; when people talk about a manager kicking every ball, it’s managers like Herrera they’re talking about.
What a man.
Arjen Robben gets a little excited by Louis van Gaal’s ‘golden willy’
Given the way he’s started the World Cup so far, Arjen Robben can pretty much say anything and get away with it and he put that theory to the test in the aftermath of Holland’s win over Chile yesterday, a victory that assured top spot in Group B and a clash with Mexico in the last 16.
Commenting on Louis van Gaal’s decision to introduce Leroy Fer and Memphis Depay off the bench – both of whom scored in Holland’s 2-0 victory – Robben said: "Maybe Louis does have a golden willy.”
Quite what prompted Robben to say that we’re not sure – he was obviously just talking c**k, literally and figuratively – but Van Gaal’s response was pretty golden too.
"I don't know,” Van Gaal replied when Robben’s comment was put to him. “Truus (Van Gaal’s wife) has never told me that!"
All or nothing for JOEpan
Not since Ireland’s opening clash with Croatia at the Euros has there been as much excitement about a match at a major tournament as there is ahead of Japan’s crucial clash with Colombia in Cuiaba this evening. We can only hope that tonight doesn’t turn out to be as much of a damp squib as that one.
Qualification is, of course, out of Japan’s hands as the Ivory Coast will go through if they can topple bottom of the table Greece in the other Group C clash tonight, but after two mediocre displays to date, we’re confident that our boys will go out with all guns blazing and that, if it turns out that they don’t qualify, that it will not be from a lack of trying.
Besides, if they do go out, we’re sure that nobody will mind a mid-tournament switch of allegiance to Miguel Herrera’s Mexico, right? Mexi-JOE anyone?
