Super Jan foils Roberto plan with fine winner
ADNAN JANUZAJ was the toast of England last night after sending Gareth Southgate’s men crashing to a World Cup defeat.
Confused? You should be, because what happened in the Kaliningrad Stadium last night didn’t make much sense.
The whole episode was so bizarre it was difficult to comprehend – and the man most to blame is Belgium boss Roberto Martinez.
That’s because Martinez appeared to send out his side with instructions not to win because he wanted Belgium to finish second in the group.
Did Januzaj not listen to what he said in the team meeting before kick-off ? Did Januzaj leave his sheet of instructions in his bedroom?
I know some footballers are not the sharpest tools in the box but he must be able to read, surely?
The goal the former Manchester United and Sunderland winger scored to decide the game was a belter, to be fair.
He cut inside Danny Rose before unleashing an unstoppable drive past Jordan Pickford and into the top corner.
Whatever happens for the rest of his career, Januzaj will now have a marvellous moment to cherish.
But it’s doubtful Martinez will look back on it with much fondness. How dare one of his own ruin the plan like that?
Winning wasn’t in the script and it showed, too, because when the ball hit the back of the England net, Martinez stood there motionless before producing a modest clap that was more akin to what is heard at Hickstead when someone produces a clear round.
Januzaj was in serious danger of being forced to take a cold shower instead of a hot bath with the rest of the lads.
Worse still, would he have to hitch a lift back to the team hotel instead of being allowed on the team bus?
But the world of football – and not just England – should be grateful for Januzaj’s ability to ruin Martinez’s dastardly plan.
Martinez has previous convictions when it comes to upsetting FIFA, considering he was sent home from the last World Cup in shame.
He was caught sharing his accreditation with a friend who wanted to watch Holland train. It was revoked because he had contravened the rules.
But this crime was nothing compared to the one he was in danger of committing here.
His opposite number, Gareth Southgate, was not blameless, it has to be said, considering the rival bosses made a staggering 17 team changes between them.
It turned the contest into an utter farce, nothing more than a high-profile reserve team game and Martinez should hang his head in shame.
The notion of not wanting to win a game and so finish runners-up in a group is nothing short of absurd.
It smacks of arrogance towards potential opponents in the next round – in this case Colombia – a trait us English have been accused of many times down the decades and often been found guilty as charged.
Perhaps Martinez has spent too much time working in England, because it now appears to be in his DNA too.
He said before kick-off winning wasn’t the priority. Those words will become infamous and has every chance of coming back to bite him further down the line in Russia.
Winning should always be the ‘priority’ because teams owe it to their supporters.
But, sadly, Martinez appears have his priorities all wrong.