Planet World Cup

Eric Cantona yesterday backed former Old Trafford team-mate Roy Keane in his dispute with the Republic of Ireland, branding the Irish officials as "amateurs". He suggested Ireland could benefit in the future if they take notice of Keane's complaints. "I think Roy Keane is too professional for Ireland because they are amateurs. They don't understand him because he is such a professional. It's good for the team he said what he did because people may realise in the future that they have to listen to him and

Sense of Humour

We've busied ourselves on the internet the past couple of weeks watching them, watching us, and our favourite report so far appeared in the Saipan Tribune as they welcomed the Irish squad to their island. "Spearheading Ireland's bid for a World Cup title is captain Roy Keane . . . other midfielders include Rory Delap, Gareth Farrelly, Mark Kennedy and Barry Quinn," they said.

"Defenders of the squad include Stephen Carr, Phil Babb, Curtis Fleming, Jeff Kenna, Alan Maybury, and Steve Staunton makes up the rest of the squad's defenders. Robbie Keane heads the squad's strikers. The 21-year-old is joined by Kieth (sic) O'Neill, Dominic Foley and Gary Doherty." Hello?

Saudi scaremongering

"The Germans will be treated the Algerian way," Saudi Arabia captain Sami Al-Jaber told the Al-Riyadh newspaper ahead of Saturday's game, referring to Algeria's shock 2-1 win over Germany in the 1982 World Cup. "We have the resources and capabilities of making a fine result against Germany, and should luck be on our side, many people will have an unlikely upset on the cards by Monday," said his team-mate Nawaf Al-Temyat. True, hindsight is handy, but, crikey.

Cantona backs Keane

"It's great for a player like him to speak out about these things because they have to do it properly in the future and hopefully the preparation and things like this will be better."

Cantona also wrote off France's hopes of retaining the World Cup because central defenders Marcel Desailly and Frank Leboeuf are not good enough. "You can't win the World Cup with bad defenders," he said.

World Cup speak

"Players today never give up. That is very English. You have shown it in the past in those two world wars."

No wonder the Sun has taken to Sven-Goran Eriksson.

"We are now world champions - to beat the champions of the world is to become the champions of the world."

Senegal president Abdoulaye Wade.

"There must be life without Zidane - maybe not as beautiful or bright or as spectacular."

Marcel Desailly on the ugliness of life after Zizou.

"Even if I were to ban the players from having sex while in camp, I'm sure they would sneak out and go looking for it."

South African coach Jomo Sono.

"No disrespect to Kevin Keegan, but he went for players who had done it all, he took the old folks."

Kieron Dyer launches an ageist attack on Sven's predecessor's squad selection policy.

"The faces below the turbans aren't looking that happy as we approach half-time."

The BBC's Tony Gubba observing two Saudi Arabia supporters in the crowd at the game against Germany. Turbans? Tony?

"Everything went to plan. Maybe I am not the best coach in the world but, after tonight, I am not the worst."

Senegal coach Bruno Metsu modest self-assessment after that win over France.

"We are not here to have a great time as we have a job to do and, anyway, Japan is probably not my favourite holiday destination."

Germany's assistant coach Michael Skibbe succeeds in spectacularly insulting his hosts.

"The World Cup gala celebration was attended by soccer stars Pele and Michel Frattini".

The Korea Herald on the Brazilian and, em, French footballing legends' attendance at the Big World Cup Do.

Headline of the week

"Chumps Elysees" the Daily Mirror, after France's defeat by Senegal.

T-shirt of the week

"Two Cork Legends, Michael Collins and Roy Keane - both shot in the back." As spotted in Cork.

Hiddink the thinker

Regardless of how his charges do in this World Cup South Korea's Dutch coach Guus Hiddink has already bagged himself a prestigious award - he was recently voted "most suitable husband" in a poll of Miss Korea contestants. And it's not just because he's viewed as a bit of a beefcake - apparently, even his name is regarded as being proof of his brain power - "Hiddink" sounds likes "He think" in South Korea circles, we're told.

Veron the diplomat

Perhaps the clearest indication yet that Juan Sebastian Veron intends leaving Manchester United this summer came in the News of the World yesterday when he spoke about Diego Maradona's hand-pass into the back of the English net at the 1986 World Cup. "Even though you shouldn't mix up politics and the national flag with football, the hand ball was like getting one over on England after what happened in the Falklands. It was revenge," he said. Can you see him lining out at, say, Upton Park next season? Us neither.

Leboeuf lets loose

If you've just suffered a result of semi-catastrophic proportions in your opening World Cup game what do you most need in the camp? Unity! So then, how did Franck Leboeuf respond to criticism of his performance in France's defeat by Senegal? He blamed Youri Djorkaeff, the man who replaced the injured Zinedine Zidane in the line-up.

"You shouldn't try such an obvious trick at this level," said Leboeuf, referring to Djorkaeff losing the ball in the move that led to the game's only goal. "We definitely needed Zizou to keep the ball in midfield." In other words, all for one, one for meself.