World Cup '74 Portrait #180 (Johan Neeskens: Holland)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

Continuing the this week daily progress of the Project with a ‘re-mediated’ drawing of Johan Neeskens, as represented in sticker form in the FKS ‘Wonderful World of Soccer Stars World Cup 1974’  album (the player was also featured in the Panini ’München 74’ collection).

Subsequently selected for inclusion in the official Holland squad for the Finals, given the central role Neeskens played in his country’s progress through the 1974 World Cup, playing in all of their matches & scoring 5 goals, including one in the effective ‘semi-final’ win over Brazil & the second-minute penalty that gave the Dutch the lead over West Germany in the Final, it seems inevitable that his name would have become one of the relative few to have registered during a novice’s exposure to the televised coverage of the tournament, as indeed it did, memorably so.

World Cup '74 Portrait #179 (Kazadi Mwamba: Zaire)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

The subject of this drawing is Kazadi Mwamba, who was represented in both the FKS & Panini World Cup ’74 sticker albums (honoured to be amongst the streamlined 6-player selection in the latter) & included in the Zaire squad for the Finals, appearing as first-choice goalkeeper in each of his country’s 3 matches, although he was substituted after 21 minutes of the second of these, with Zaire already 0 – 3 in arrears to Yugoslavia (his replacement fared no better, conceding a further 6 goals before a joint-record World Cup loss was concluded).

World Cup '74 Portrait #178 (Horst Hottges: West Germany)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

This latest drawing off the production line is a ‘re-mediation’ of Horst Hottges as he was represented in the FKS ‘Wonderful World of Soccer Stars World Cup 1974’ sticker album, appearing very un-mid-Seventies from this source photograph in comparison with many of his contemporaries.

Subsequently selected for inclusion in the official West Germany squad for the Finals, Hottges made one, brief substitute appearance during their course, in the ‘political derby’ defeat to East Germany, entering the field of play shortly before Jurgen Sparwasser scored what proved to be the only goal of the game, which, research reveals, marked the conclusion of Hottges’ international career, having previously played at both the 1966 (5 of 6 matches, including the Final against England) & 1970 (the first 4 of 6 matches) World Cups.

World Cup '74 Portrait #177 (Fernando Morena: Uruguay)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

Today’s drawn ‘re-mediation’ of a sticker image features Fernando Morena, who was represented in both the FKS & Panini World Cup ’74 album collections (our original being sourced from the latter), & included as a member of the Uruguay squad for the tournament itself, playing in all 3 of the Uruguayans’ matches as they made an undistinguished & utterly unmemorable First Round exit.

World Cup '74 Portrait #176 (Jimmy Rooney: Australia)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

The latest subject in the Project is an image of Jimmy Rooney, who was featured in the 16-man selection representing Australia in the FKS ‘Wonderful World of Soccer Stars World Cup 1974’ sticker album (but not the reduced 6-strong choice in its Panini ’München 74’ counterpart, which unlike the egalitarian approach of the FKS publication, put the minnows in their place), from which original source this drawing was processed, & the ‘Australian’ squad for the Finals, at which he appeared in each of his adopted country’s 3 matches (like any number of his fellows, Rooney had been born elsewhere – in his case Scotland, where had had played for Montrose & also in England for Peterborough United, before emigrating). 

World Cup '74 Portrait #175 (Ramon Heredia: Argentina)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

Today’s subject is an image of Ramon Heredia, ‘re-mediated’ from the original source sticker as featured in the FKS ‘Wonderful World of Soccer Stars World Cup 1974’ album, & who was selected as a member of the official Argentina squad for the Finals, where he played in each of his country’s six matches, scoring a goal in the first, a 2 – 3 defeat to Poland.

By another of those curious, random coincidences, shortly prior to the World Cup, Heredia had played in the European Cup Final of 1974, & its unique replay, for his club, Atlético Madrid, as had our immediately previous subject, Conny Torstensson, for their opponents.

A drawing processed from the same source image-object featured in an earlier incarnation of the 1974 World Cup project, here.

World Cup '74 Portrait #174 (Conny Torstensson: Sweden)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

The latest drawing in the Project features as its subject Conny Torstensson, who was represented in both the FKS & Panini ‘World Cup ‘74’ collectors’ sticker albums previewing & commemorating the tournament (the former publication providing the original source material from which the ‘re-mediation’ proceeds in this instance), & subsequently selected as a member of the official Sweden squad for the Finals, during which he went on to make 5 appearances, scoring once, the late winning goal in the Swedes’ last match, against Yugoslavia (2 – 1).

Although his name was one that would emerge into consciousness within the year, as a member of the Bayern Munich team that beat Leeds United in the 1975 European Cup Final, Torstensson’s is another of the great majority that would not have registered during my experience of the television coverage of the 1974 World Cup.

World Cup '74 Portrait #173 (Renato: Brazil)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

Coincidental to the previous randomly-chosen portrait subject, this latest drawing in the Project also depicts a reserve goalkeeper in the form of Renato, who was represented as a member of the Brazil squad as featured in the FKS ‘Wonderful World of Soccer Stars World Cup 1974’ sticker album & subsequently made the cut for his country’s official selection for the tournament, although he too failed to make an appearance in any of their seven matches.

World Cup '74 Portrait #172 (Sven-Gunnar Larsson: Sweden)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

The latest subject to be randomly drawn is Sven-Gunnar Larsson, who was a member of the Sweden squad as represented in the FKS ‘Wonderful World of Soccer Stars World Cup 1974’ sticker album, & then the official one for the Finals themselves, where, as reserve goalkeeper to Ronnie Hellström, he alas didn’t get to make an appearance in any of the Swedes’ six matches, although the records show he played twice at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, displacing Hellström after Sweden’s first group match. Needless to say, he remained one of the many unknown names of the ’74 World Cup until the acquisition of the sticker album & the beginnings of this drawing project.

World Cup '74 Portrait #171 (Carlos Reinoso: Chile)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

Featuring as our subject today a re-mediated image of Carlos Reinoso, appearing every inch the archetypal Seventies' footballer, who was represented in the FKS ‘Wonderful World of Soccer Stars World Cup 1974’ sticker album & subsequently chosen as a member of the official Chile squad for the tournament, where he played in each of his country’s three matches: although I do remember Chile as being one of the teams present at the ’74 World Cup, I must admit to having no recollection of Carlos Reinoso or any of the individual players.

As regards contemporary matters, disappointing news of two of our favourites from a couple of the European city derby matches this weekend, with Red Star Belgrade losing to Partizan & Grasshoppers being defeated by FC Zurich. In Budapest, though, its rather pleasing to see grand old MTK up in second place, keeping winning to put a bit of pressure on the top spot, &, behind them Ferencvaros back up to fourth with a win.

World Cup '74 Portrait #170 (Carlos Babington: Argentina)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

The latest subject in the Project is a depiction of Carlos Babington of Argentina, the second of what should eventually be four ‘cheats’ over the course of the project – essentially names particularly remembered from experience of the televised coverage of the 1974 World Cup but who appeared in neither the FKS or Panini sticker albums previewing/commemorating the event, in which context they become, in fact, the most ‘ghostly’ of all, having no physical presence in the form of image or text, leaving (or being afforded, through omission) no trace of their participation via such enduring artefacts of memorabilia.

This being the case, an original image must be sourced from elsewhere in order to construct a ‘sticker’ from which to work, with the internet providing as usual in such times of need – something of a slightly unsatisfactory fudge, given the physical nature of all the other original source material, the hauntological objects of the stickers, but in such an instance it seems more important to leave a drawn trace of a remembered name than include an ‘unknown’ in its stead.

The name of Carlos Babington might well have proved memorable particularly for its invertedly-exotic Englishness in an Argentinian context, but the records show he enjoyed something of a profile during the World Cup, playing in 5 of Argentina’s 6 matches (missing only the first of their second phase fixtures, the 0 – 4 hammering by Holland), scoring in the first, the 2 – 3 defeat to Poland, & being booked in this & the subsequent two games.

World Cup '74 Portrait #169 (Victor Esparrago: Uruguay)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

Continuing with the project & a drawing representing/re-mediating a photographic image of Victor Esparrago, who was featured in both the FKS & Panini World Cup ’74 sticker album collections, & subsequently selected as a member of the Uruguay squad for the tournament, where he played in each of his country’s three matches as they made a first round exit, slipping out without making any memorable impression on my consciousness at the time of exposure to the televised coverage of the finals.

World Cup '74 Portrait #168 (Rivelino: Brazil)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

Featuring as our randomly-generated subject in the drawing project today is the mighty Roberto Rivelino, who, as an already-established bona fide World Cup star (having played in 5 matches & scored 3 goals in Mexico in 1970, for the eventual winners) was represented in both the FKS & Panini World Cup ’74 sticker albums & selected for inclusion in the official Brazil squad for the Finals, going on to appear in each of the Brazilians’ 7 games & scoring another 3 goals as they finished 4^th this time.

Rivelino, with his exotic name (soon to heard echoing across our school playground), magnificent moustache & bending free kicks (one such trademark effort resulting in the winning goal against East Germany, for example), was one of those instantly iconic figures & thus one of the few players who made a memorable impression during my experience, as a football novice, of the television coverage of the ’74 World Cup, going on to appear again as very much a known quantity during the 1978 edition.

World Cup '74 Portrait #167 (Mario Gonzalez: Uruguay)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

The portrait subject of the latest drawing in the Project is Mario Gonzalez, who was represented in both the FKS & Panini World Cup ’74 collectors’ sticker albums & chosen as a member of the official Uruguay squad for the Finals, although he was not picked in the team to make an appearance in any of the Uruguayans’ three unsuccessful First Round matches, thus condemning him to anonymity for those of us experiencing the World Cup via the televised coverage.

World Cup '74 Portrait #166 (Arsene Auguste: Haiti)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

Today’s subject is Arsene Auguste, who was featured in both the FKS ‘Wonderful World of Soccer Stars World Cup 1974’ & Panini ’München 74’, sticker albums, honoured amongst a most select mere 6-player ‘squad’ representing minnows (Panini were brutal about this fact) Haiti in the latter.

On a point of visual interest, FKS & Panini featured the same photographic image upon their respective stickers, but reversed: the original source for this drawing was the FKS sticker, which might picture Arsene Auguste as he was or otherwise the mirror image of.

Included in the official Haitian squad for the Finals, Auguste went on to play twice in the tournament, in Haiti’s matches against Italy (1 – 3) & Poland (0 – 7) before missing their third & last defeat, to Argentina (1 – 4). He died in 1993, aged 42.

World Cup '74 Portrait #165 (Ivan Buljan: Yugoslavia)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

This latest drawing in the project represents Ivan Buljan, who was featured in the Panini ’München 74’ sticker album (from which original source the drawing, as a ‘re-mediation’, has ultimately been processed) & subsequently selected as a member of the Yugoslavia squad for the Finals, where he played throughout all six of the Yugoslavs’ first & second round group matches, his name quite possibly becoming memorable because of this & the television exposure it would have enjoyed as a consequence.

World Cup '74 Portrait #164 (Paulo Cesar: Brazil)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

Continuing the drawing project with another early Tuesday morning session & the subject of Paulo Cesar, who was represented in both the FKS & Panini World Cup ’74 sticker albums & chosen as a member of the official Brazil squad for the Finals, where he went on to appear in 5 of his country’s matches, memorably so in that his was one of the relatively few names present that registered during my experience of the televised coverage of the tournament, being possessed, one recalls, of a certain flamboyance that enabled him & his name to stand out from the generality of the masses (like others of his Brazilian teammates such as Francisco Marinho, Jairzinho & Rivelino).  

World Cup '74 Portrait #163 (Nelson Vasquez: Chile)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

The latest struggle with the pencils & source material has resulted in this study of an image of Nelson Vasquez, as represented in the Panini ’München 74’ sticker album but who was not subsequently selected for inclusion in the official Chile squad for the tournament, being thus another of those particular ‘ghosts’ present in relation to the event only via such memorabilia where, of course, he appears to enjoy equal billing as any other, as indeed this drawing does, as time blurs memory.

World Cup '74 Portrait #162 (Wim Van Hanegem: Holland)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

After another of those later-week drawing lulls, we’re able to get the weekend going with the latest subject in the project as it continues, representing here an image of Wim Van Hanegem, who was selected for inclusion in both the FKS & Panini World Cup ’74 sticker albums, & subsequently the official Holland squad for the tournament, in which he went on to play in all 7 of the Dutch team’s matches on the way to their losing appearance in the Final itself, & is a name remembered from the television coverage of the tournament, one of the handful that registered at the time.

By one of those wonderful occurrences of serendipity, this very morning, before embarking on today’s drawing process, a long-required copy of the 26^th October 1974 edition of Shoot! magazine arrived at TOoT Towers, having been tracked down at last, including the must-have-for-the-archives ‘Results’ section featuring the first mentions of a number of our enduringly-favourite European clubs as they’d been drawn against British teams in the first rounds of the 3 continental competitions, those names that had so stirred the blood & romantic tendencies (Strømsgodset, RWDM, Ajax & Ferencváros), & also carrying an interview with the very same Wim Van Hanegem, most interestingly speaking his mind about a number of footballing matters, not least the ’74 World Cup & its Final match & the domestic Dutch rivalry between Ajax & Feyenoord, then in what was probably an unremarkable manner but now reads shockingly forthright in a PR-driven age when footballer-drones say nothing that could be considered anything other than anodyne, utterly content-less & opinion-free in nature as it is (although the managers might have a post-match grumble-in-the-moment, which isn’t the same thing as a considered critique anyway).

In a further coincidence, the ‘Focus On’ feature in this particular Shoot! has as its subject Eric Morecambe (whose football connection was his then-presidency of Luton Town), with suitably light-hearted responses to the usual series of questions, also half the subject of the stage production ‘Eric & Little Ern’ which, with rather a great deal of anticipation, A & I are off to see this very evening.

(P.S. it was a wonderful, highly enjoyable show, spot-on performances & a fitting tribute)