The World Cup Ball

[g.red]

If it really is as different as it's cracked up to be, I also don't see how having a ball most teams haven't played with before makes for anything but a lottery for most and an unfair advantage for some.

Apparently the Germans have been training with the ball for six months.

[Kenneth]

Fabio was slating it. Worst ball in a world cup ever apparently. I know it's whinging, but the complaints against this ball have been more than I can remember previously. Maybe it is just ****.

[CJ]

has NY used all the pictures of dogs on the internet and moved to Pandas?

[CJ]

if the ball rewards just belting it then thats not great is it. Its a skill to curl a ball etc.

[G]

I think the whinging about the ball is bs quite frankly. Plenty of teams and leagues used it, it is just a weak excuse.

The Argie's,Brazilians and Spanish dont seem to have any trouble with it and they have the most technical players in the world.Alonso yesterday was spraying it around in his usual style and dropping it on a sixpence for players.

I think its a poor excuse used by players and managers to hide their own inadequacies.

In any case its been out since February every nation going should've been using it in their league since then,the Premier league and FA should negotiate ball contracts to allow them to switch to the official ball in world cup and Euro championship years.

[paulg]

I suppose it's typical that the English didn't use it, in the league. Too precious is the contract and also we probably have that look down our noses attitude to it, too.

I was going to mention Alonso, myself. His passing was excellent yesterday, as was the shot that nearly broke the bar. Power and precision. Maybe, just maybe our players just aren't that good?

[Kenneth]

England missed out on the chance to practice with the controversial Jabulani World Cup ball after a consignment sent to the Football Association in February went missing.
Full story: Daily Mirror

[MrsB]

Reception

The name might come from the Zulu word for 'celebrate', but many observers hold it directly responsible for the notable lack of goal celebrations in the opening stages of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Indeed, some have nicknamed it the 'Jumanji', after the Robin Williams film, on account of its capriciousness.[7]The ball has been a hot topic among high-profile players, receiving mostly harsh criticism.

Goalkeepers

Brazilian goalkeeper Júlio César said: [8]

It's terrible, horrible. It's like one of those balls you buy in the supermarket.

Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon: [9]

It is very sad that a competition so important as the world championship will be played with such an inadequate ball.

English goalkeeper David James:[10]

The ball is dreadful. It's horrible, but it's horrible for everyone.

English Goalkeeper Joe Hart: [11]

They're doing anything but staying in my gloves. It's hard work with them, but good fun. It makes the game exciting and I think that's what they are trying to do with it.

Australian goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer: [12]

Sometimes the ball has a genuine flight and other times it has a mind of its own so it has taken time to adjust and it will take us time still now.

American goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann replied to the ballmaker Adidas saying:

Technology is not everything; scientists came up with the atom bomb, doesn't mean we should have invented it.

Serbian goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic: [13]

I have played with many different balls in my time—those that swerve a lot, change direction, fly awkwardly—but this one is definitely the worst of all.

South African goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune: [14]

This ball gives goalkeepers nightmares: as a goalkeeper thinking about the way this ball moves keeps you from sleeping because you are thinking about tomorrow and how you are going to manage to play with this ball.

Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas: [15]

It’s a little sad that in a competition as big as the World Cup to have such a poor ball. It’s not just the goalkeepers complaining, but the outfield players as well.

Nigerian goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama: [16]

The only thing is that some of us might be disgraced by that ball at the World Cup.

Chilean goalkeeper Claudio Bravo: [17]

It is a special ball, they do this to make a goalkeeper's life complicated, so that more goals are scored (…) Time and time again they make a keeper's job more difficult.

Outfield Players

Italian striker Giampaolo Pazzini: [18]

The new balls are a disaster. It's not only a problem for goalkeepers, but also for us strikers. When a cross comes in, you go to head the ball, but it moves half a meter and you end up just shaving it on contact.

Brazilian striker Robinho: [19]

For sure the guy who designed this ball never played football. But there is nothing we can do, we have to play with it.

Argentine striker Lionel Messi stated: [20]

The ball is very complicated for the goalkeepers and for us [strikers].

American striker Clint Dempsey: [21]

If you just hit it solid, you can get a good knuckle on the ball (...) you've just got to pay a little bit more, you know, attention when you pass the ball sometimes.

Brazilian midfielder Júlio Baptista: [22]

There is no way to hide it, it's bad for the goalkeepers and it's bad for us. It's really bad. The players try to cross it and it goes to the opposite direction they intended it to go.

It seems to have been made more with strikers in mind than defenders or keepers, because it is so crazy and unpredictable.

Paraguayan striker Roque Santa Cruz insists that the players will need more time to adjust to the new Adidas Jabulani ball saying: [23]

Everyone is complaining about the ball, but players like to complain about everything. I think that we need time to learn the intricacies of the ball.

English striker Wayne Rooney said: [24]

We’re starting to get used to it eventually,’ he said. ‘I can imagine it’s been a nightmare for goalkeepers but for forward players when you get your shot off it’s an advantage I feel. So I think we’re getting more used to it with every day that goes by.

Spanish midfielder Xavi Hernandez said: [25]

Now is not the only goalie who just complain, outfield players were like that too. Disappointed taste of World Cup competition as important as having a vital element of the ball with an odd characteristic.

American striker Landon Donovan: [26]

I think as much as the goalies are frustrated by it, I think the players are, too, you’re seeing a lot of missed chances, a lot of crosses that are mis-timed or mis-played that would normally be goals, that are not going in.

German striker Mario Gomez: [27]

Once you have learned to make proper contact with the ball, you can make it travel very fast. It’s a case of catching it right. You learn how to do that with practice. We are confident about scoring with this ball.

Brazilian striker Luís Fabiano: [22]

All of a sudden it changes trajectory on you. It’s like it doesn’t want to be kicked. It’s incredible, it’s like someone is guiding it. You are going to kick it, and it moves out of the way. I think it’s supernatural; it’s very bad. I hope to adapt to it as soon as possible, but it’s going to be hard.

Danish defender Daniel Agger said: [28]

It's frustrating...it makes us look like drunken sailors.

Coaches

England coach Fabio Capello: [29]

I think it’s the worst ball we have played with at a World Cup. It’s impossible to control the ball for the keeper. For the players it’s not easy. I’ve seen that the ball arrives really fast and the players are having problems controlling it. For the keepers it is terrible because it is always moving.

Denmark coach Morten Olsen after their 1-0 friendly defeat at the hands of Australia said:[30]

We played with an impossible ball and we need to get used to it.

Ivory Coast coach Sven-Göran Eriksson: [31]

You can see in matches and in shooting practice in training that the ball swerves. Goalkeepers are not happy about it at all. It's late to do anything about it for this World Cup but it should be discussed by the authorities. Everyone should listen to the top keepers in the world, this doesn't do them any favours at all.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adidas_Jabulani

[Shaggy]

For the first time ever I think the concerns about the ball must be genuine. Before it's always seemed a bit nitpicky but these balls sound abysmal. I heard they make that horrible PING sound like when you kick a netball or one of those horrible indoor balls.

[G]

The only German quote in that lot and he's very happy with it.

Could it be that its because he's used to it since they have played with it since Feb.

I think the altitude is playing a bigger part,players are hitting it with normal power and finding its flying higher,longer and faster which is what you would expect at an altitude higher than sea level.They need to adapt and those that are adapting to the ball as well as the altitude are finding it hardest and doing the most moaning.

[Mattshark]

The only German quote in that lot and he's very happy with it.

Could it be that its because he's used to it since they have played with it since Feb.

I think the altitude is playing a bigger part,players are hitting it with normal power and finding its flying higher,longer and faster which is what you would expect at an altitude higher than sea level.They need to adapt and those that are adapting to the ball as well as the altitude are finding it hardest and doing the most moaning.

Lots of players have played with it since Feb, not just Germany though.

The altitude doesn't explain performances in Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth.

[G]

Lots of players have played with it since Feb, not just Germany though.

The altitude doesn't explain performances in Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth.

theres no doubt it has different characteristics to what they are used to but its not the full picture IMO and its an easy target.

Messi didnt complain just said it was complicated,Rooney something similar.Some are complaining,far more are not.Goalkeepers always complain so you can leave them out of a sensible arguement.

they way Alonso sprayed that ball around the other day said it all for me

[dww]

Some interesting comments on The Science Of Sport blog and in New Scientist about this.

[Rich]

From watching the games so far I believe that some of the moaning is justified. The ball sounds like plastic when thwacked, and the ball does appear to move left and right randomly when in flight. Finally, the ball does seem to bounce very high too. So while it is the same for all I do think it's had a detrimental effect on the spectacle of the game.

[MrsB]

The only German quote in that lot and he's very happy with it.

Could it be that its because he's used to it since they have played with it since Feb.

I think the altitude is playing a bigger part,players are hitting it with normal power and finding its flying higher,longer and faster which is what you would expect at an altitude higher than sea level.They need to adapt and those that are adapting to the ball as well as the altitude are finding it hardest and doing the most moaning.

Or because he's sponsered by adidas?