BearcatSA Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 Rather than doing individual player threads, I thought we could have an "in memoriam" thread for notable players and off field staff who have left us during this year. Today, I start this off by acknowledging two great ones, both World Cup winners as players and coaches: Mario Zagalo and Franz Beckenbauer. RIP. ray and Metro 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearcatSA Posted January 8 Author Share Posted January 8 I am surprised that GlobalBC noon news had no mention of Beckenbauer's passing, considering they had a story about Gauld trying to work out a new deal with the Caps. It would be nice to have had former '79 Caps like Bobby L. interviewed to say a few words about what it was like to play against him in NASL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SthMelbRed Posted January 9 Share Posted January 9 So, during the 2002 World Cup, I was living in Japan. One of my best mates travelled over to watch a few matches, and we headed across from Osaka to Shizuoka for Germany vs Cameroon in their last group stage match. We set off in the morning, hoping to catch the earlier kick-offs in a pub or bar in Shizuoka. Japan being Japan, there were no open venues in the relatively small town of Shizuoka, so we ended up in a big group of foreigners crowded around the TVs in an electronics store watching defending champions, France, get eliminated at the group stage, losing to Denmark on the day. After that match finished, we made our way back to the train station to catch one of the special trains to the stadium put on for match day. The train was packed, so we were stuck standing in the entrance way, squeezed amongst the mostly German crowd. After a few minutes of the journey, a buzz made it's way through the crowd. I made eye contact with a German fan pressed up against my mate a few feet away from me. His face was glowing. "Der Kaiser! Herr Beckenbauer is on the train!" Well, at this point, I'd been living in Japan for some time, so I knew how to navigate my way through a crowd. I decided to go investigate. I told my mate to wait, and I'd let him know what I could see. I wormed my way into the actual carriage and got about a third of the way up the aisle when I saw a very well-dressed gentleman sat, cool as a cucumber on a hot, humid day, at a window seat with his laptop open on the table in front of him. He signed a few autographs, and I managed to get both mine and my mate's match tickets signed. However, the best was yet to come. The carriage full of football fans were chatting about France's shock exit from the tournament. They'd, obviously, been one of the pre-tournament favourites. Getting my hands on the conch, I made a bold declaration. "France went out today. Argentina's going out tomorrow. And, the following day, Italy's going out, too!" I declared loudly. At this point, Herr Beckenbauer raised his head from whatever he was looking at on the laptop. He was laughing. My bold prediction had made one of the all-time greats laugh out loud! Well, by now the train was starting to roll into the station and people were packing up to head to the stadium. I took my chance. I asked the Kaiser if he'd mind getting a photo with me. Remember, this was long before camera phones became ubiquitous. I'd have to take out my point-and-shoot camera to get a picture, and you couldn't just take a dozen shots, then pick the one you liked and delete the rest, either! Being the total gentleman that he was, he smiled and told me that he'd happily take a photo, but that it'd be better if we did it on the platform. Now, none of the awestruck Germans in the carriage had plucked up the courage to ask him for a photo, so when he got off the train (I'd had to get off before him due to the crowds in the aisle) he spotted me standing there, walked right up to me, put his arm around my shoulders, and smiled while my mate took a photo. At this point, hundreds of hands jumped in the air, as everyone else on the platform saw their opportunity for a photo with the greatest German footballer of all time. However, as soon as the flash went off for my photo, ol' Franz turned to his assistant, nodded his head towards the stairs, and strode away, leaving a platform full of Germans looking at me jealously! Somewhere in a box at my dad's house in North Burnaby, there's a photo of my with Franz Beckenbauer. I'm disappointed I don't have it with me to look at today. RIP Herr Beckenbauer! Metro, BearcatSA, ray and 4 others 5 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearcatSA Posted January 9 Author Share Posted January 9 ^What a wonderful story! nolando and SthMelbRed 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SthMelbRed Posted January 9 Share Posted January 9 12 minutes ago, BearcatSA said: ^What a wonderful story! For the record, Itally scored a very late goal to draw with Mexico, saving their arses at Croatia's expense. Otherwise, my bold prediction that had so amused Franz Beckenbauer wouldn't been spot on! BearcatSA 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearcatSA Posted January 9 Author Share Posted January 9 (edited) In a possible harbinger for Messi's upcoming visit: My first ever Caps match was vs the Cosmos at BC Place in the summer of 1983. Attendance over 50,000 and they had their usual guns while we had Beardsley, Lenarduzzi, Valentine and an excellent side led by Johnny Giles. This was Beckenbauer's final season as a player with this one year return to NYC and though he played in many of his club's matches that year, this wasn't one of them as he didn't make the trip. Johan Neeskens was moved from midfield to Der Kaiser's spot in the back line for this one. Caps won 2-0. I still have the program That was the high point for the Caps because they were elimimated by the "BringBackthe"Blizzard in the first round, shout out to @Ozzie_the_parrot Edited January 9 by BearcatSA Ivan, Metro and longlugan 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearcatSA Posted January 22 Author Share Posted January 22 (edited) Gigi Riva was a pretty good striker in the 60s and 70s for Cagliari and Italy. Big time left foot. RIP. Edited January 23 by BearcatSA Unnamed Trialist 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearcatSA Posted February 6 Author Share Posted February 6 The last surviving participant of the 1958 World Cup Final, Kurt Hamrin, has passed away. He had a great club career in Italy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
masster Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 12 minutes ago, BearcatSA said: The last surviving participant of the 1958 World Cup Final, Kurt Hamrin, has passed away. He had a great club career in Italy. I was listening to a podcast and they said there is still one member of that Sweden team alive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearcatSA Posted February 6 Author Share Posted February 6 6 minutes ago, masster said: I was listening to a podcast and they said there is still one member of that Sweden team alive. Perhaps in the squad but didn't play in the final? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearcatSA Posted February 21 Author Share Posted February 21 https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/feb/20/andreas-brehme-west-germany-world-cup-winner-dies Andy Brehme was a pretty talented and versatile player. Comfortable on either foot and a very important cog in the NT as well as his club sides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearcatSA Posted February 27 Author Share Posted February 27 "If he could pass a bookies as well as he passes a football, he'd be a very rich man." Stan Bowles, the colourful QPR star from the mid 70s, has passed after a lengthy battle with dementia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearcatSA Posted April 16 Author Share Posted April 16 Bernd Holzenbein was a key member of that 1974 West German World Cup team, drawing the penalty Breitner converted to tie the match. Also a former NASLer before the league folded. RIP. longlugan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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