Posted on 07/06/2014 11:08:48 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
Sixty games, 159 goals and enough drama to fill an EastEnders omnibus... the 2014 World Cup has provided hours of thrills and spills.
But now it is the calm before the semi-final storm and a rest day as the four remaining teams ready themselves for one last push to reach Sunday's final.
Struggling to cope without any games today? Bored? Withdrawal symptoms? In need of a quick fix from Brazil?
Don't worry - we're here to help. Sit back and kill an hour or two with BBC Sport's World Cup quiz - and plenty more besides.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
Costa Rica's heroic World Cup effort marred by tragic scenes in San Jose
" 'A viaduct collapsed over Neymar'. Do you care now?" (Translated)
The Official 2014 FIFA World Cup Song We Are One (Ole Ola Ole Ola Ole Ola)
All existing yellow cards are now wiped from the slate for the players from this stage of the tournament, however, meaning anyone who is booked in a semi-final will not risk suspension for the final unless they are sent off.
Brazil launch ambitious plan to get Neymar fit for World Cup final
Podolski added: "What is important is to win."
Efficiency is the new old watchword as Germany seek World Cup success
That has always been the strength of German teams.
"Krul good saves, poor antics,"This is insane.
"And it is....you do not have to be an astronaut to see that this is not a quality goalkeepers' trainer. I am not saying this because I did not play, but each time we have had to be in camp for over a week, you get back home feeling worse.
Kwarasey explained " The man has no plan, his techniques are outmoded and there is no clear structure to his training methods. His idea of training is to get us diving around all day. I never had this problem with the previous trainer. And lets be clear; a big team like Ghana deserves to have good technical staff with knowledge and understanding of the game.
"People who can communicate with the players properly. The goalkeepers trainer never exchanged a single word with me after I was dropped, not even how do you feel. It is not about whether I play or not, the idea is that you talk to your keepers to let them know where they can improve when you drop them.
"It is about team work, development and building the confidence of your players, not just making decisions without any clear reasons. Of course it is my responsibility to stay in shape, but it is also the responsibility of the trainer to get the best out of me.
"We can have the best analysts in the world working with the team, but If the technical team in charge do not know what they are doing, the information they supply is useless."
The goalkeeper, 26, cast a doubt about his future with the team, insisting "It will not bother me if I do not get called up again. To be honest, if I get called again and it is the same technical team, like if the goalkeepers trainer is in charge, I will not go because I do not have time to restart myself each time I go to the national team and come back. Something is obviously wrong.
Enjoyed the articles about Tim Krul and the NL PK strategy.
I wouldn’t have been surprised to have seen him get booked for getting in the face of one or two of the Costa Rican penalty takers.
This is Argentina’s WC to lose....
Brazil have always played dirty, and this time is no exception. Now, without Thiago Silva and Neymar—adios!
Two others should have been given automatic red cards in the match against Colombia.
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