World Cup: English Papers Turn Green With Ire

http://blogs.wsj.com/dailyfix/2010/06/13/english-papers-turn-green-with-ire/

By Dave Kansas

U.K. newspapers howled Sunday morning, mainly wailing about the calamitous goalkeeping blunder by England's Robert Green that enabled the U.S. to garner a 1-1 draw against the Group C favorites in South Africa.

Hand of Clod was easily the favorite headline, maybe because it was the Lord's Day. The News of the World, the Independent on Sunday and the Sunday Mirror all went with the double-meaning headline. Along with lambasting Mr. Green, it provided a sly reference to Diego Maradona's goal ('The Hand of God') against England in the 1986 World Cup.

Various other efforts to lambaste Mr. Green had a so-so quality. It seemed Sunday editors were just as busy drowning their sorrows as thinking up clever headlines. The biggest missed opportunity: It's Not Easy Being Green. Clearly, no Kermit fans on this side of the pond.

Here's what the English did conjure up:

"We was Rob-bed" (News of the World)

"Going, going…oops it's Gone" (Observer)

"Oh no, not again" (Sunday Telegraph)

"Rob-bish" (Daily Star)

"God Save our Green" (Sunday Mirror)

"Capello to Axe Clown Green" (Sunday Express)

"It was all going so well…then Calamity" (Independent on Sunday)

Inevitably, some BP references surfaced.

"Green Fingers – One Disastrous Spill the Yanks Won't Complain About" (Sunday Times)

"Maybe the Americans got the most appropriate revenge for the BP-engineered disaster. They scored because England's keeper had oil on his hands." (Sunday Telegraph)

And, lastly, let's not forget the English are known for their pluck; they struggled at the start of their only victorious World Cup campaign in 1966. Maybe they drew against the widely derided Yanks (Calamity! Disaster! Horror!) but that doesn't mean the end of the world.

"Don't Panic Fabio…We Started With a Draw in 1966." (The Mail on Sunday)

"Don't Panic…We Will Still Bring Cup Home" (Daily Star)

Some England optimists also noted that Italy drew with the U.S. 1-1 in the group stages of the last World Cup. And Italy went on to win that tournament.

You see. It's all going according to plan.