Argentines and Germans agree: England are rubbish
ARGENTINA and Germany took time out from verbally attacking each other in the build-up to tomorrow’s eagerly awaited quarter-final to join forces and ridicule England’s woeful World Cup.
Martin Demichelis, the Bayern Munich and Argentina defender, sunk the knife in deepest by pouring scorn on John Terry’s below-par performance in Sunday’s 4-1 drubbing by Germany.
Asked about criticism of his own displays, Demichelis said: “Seeing the way Terry played against Germany, if I was Terry I wouldn’t be able to go back to my country.”
Germany captain Phillip Lahm had earlier mocked Fabio Capello’s team, deliberately implying that they did not deserve to be considered a big team.
“Now we have to show we can finally beat a big team – someone like Argentina, Brazil or Spain,” said Lahm. “Definitely, these are bigger opponents than England.”
Such England-bashing was a mere sideshow to the real business of baiting each other, however, with Diego Maradona somewhat inevitably making his voice heard.
Following criticism of his team’s behaviour from Bastian Schweinsteiger, the Argentina coach retorted that the Germany midfielder was just scared, mocking him in a television interview by repeating the accusation with a faux-Teutonic accent.
“What’s the matter Schweinsteiger?” taunted Maradona. “Are you nervoussh?”
He added: “We are coming out to attack them and play in their faces. This is what has made them nervous.”
Schweinsteiger had earlier said: “You see how they gesticulate, how they try to influence the referee. That is not part of the game. That is a lack of respect. That is what they are like.”
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