The one thing above all else that made the Olympics suchcompelling viewing was the certainty of seeing the athletes strive, in theirown catch phrase, ''to be the best I can be.'' Hubris was permissible, providedit was backed up by performance. To be the best they can be, they would need aperiod of familiarisation and integration. They will get very little, becausehundreds of them are scattered across four continents, called up by theirnational federations to play in friendly matches.
The clubs that pay the players’ salaries have no choice.FIFA, the world governing body, mandates that the clubs must release theplayers if the federations call upon them. FIFA fought for it because thefederations want the money those games can make, and because the federationsvote in the FIFA presidential race. So players leave their preseason trainingcamps with their clubs and fly off to give what often turns out to be half amatch in a distant continent.
Shinji Kagawa is a prime example.The 23-year-old rising sonof Japan moved this summer from Borussia Dortmund to Manchester United. Earlierthis week Kagawa flew to Sapporo, where Japan played against Venezuela onWednesday. Among his new Manchester colleagues, Javier ''Chicharito’' HernÃndez was in Mexico City, taking pot shots at the Everton goalie Tim Howard.
Meanwhile, the world champion, Spain, travelled to play inPuerto Rico, without many of the stars who will be on duty in the Spanishleague this weekend “ always assuming that La Liga goes ahead as scheduled. ''XaviHernandez is very important for us, even more important than the coach,'' DelBosque said of the 32-year-old playmaker. If the good folks of Switzerland getlucky, they might get to see a new star arising from the pretense on which theywere persuaded to buy their tickets. If Kagawa shines in Sapporo and makes itback to England to play some part in Manchester United’s game at Everton, allmight be forgiven. But some fans, somewhere, are going to feel they have paiddearly for a glimpse of players who are in no position to be the best they canbe.
