We're Not in 1974 Anymore...

Darn it. So, there is to be no repeat(esque) in 2014 of the 1974 World Cup Final to tie in with the current drawing project (the current Germany, already qualified, being, to all intents & purposes, in terms of colours & history, the old West Germany of that time, & only Toni Kroos of the team/squad seems to have been born in the East, even: those, by birth, from further east again, in Poland, are better represented, in the form of Podolski & the record-setting Klose), but how close such an eventuality came, with only the familiar ‘lottery of penalties’ thwarting what was beginning to seem like the will of TOoT in arranging such a pleasing coincidence through the sheer force & designs of art. Perhaps it was instant karma, though, that Holland should lose the semi-final shoot-out after Tim Krul’s ugly, boorish antics helped them prevail at the same deciding stage of the game against Costa Rica in the previous round.

For all that the match might most kindly be described as attritional (not necessarily unexpectedly, given that Holland managed to score a total of 2 goals squeezed into 3 minutes of the 5 ^1/2 hours ‘football’ they played over the course of the 3 knockout rounds, & one of those a penalty indeed, & Argentina came into the semi after a pair of ground-out 1 – 0 wins in the eighth- & quarter-finals), it was a glorious aesthetic spectacle to admire in that both teams turned out, resplendently, in their traditional & classic first-choice kits, the orange-white-orange Dutch combo, & the sky blue & white stripes with black shorts of Argentina: nice, & something of a rarity in this tournament.

[image sourced from The Guardian]

World Cup '74 Portrait #92 (Georgi Denev: Bulgaria)

graphite & putty eraser/30x21cm

Today’s randomly-chosen subject proved to be another of the previously-unheard-ofs in the form of Georgi Denev, who was represented in both the FKS & Panini ‘World Cup ‘74’ commemorative sticker albums, & selected for the Bulgaria squad for the Finals, where he appeared in each of his country’s three matches, after which, following two draws & a comprehensive defeat to Holland (during which Denev collected a yellow card), they were eliminated from the tournament at the first stage.

Back at the 2014 World Cup, this drawing was brought to a conclusion to the sound of the commentary of Russia taking an early & worrying lead in their match against Algeria, our African favourites of the tournament, but all ended well as we were able to see & enjoy the Algerians come back to draw the game & thus, delightfully, progress to the knock-out stages, for the first time in their history: now to overcome Germany, to advance further into uncharted territory & make proper amends for the still-disgraceful carve-up of the 1982 World Cup.

Bringing the subjects of archive stickers & albums of & the current Algeria World Cup squad together, a little light match-accompanying research led to the discovery of their manager, the Bosnian Vahid Halilhodzic (a great name), as represented during his time as a player, for the mighty Velez Mostar, in the Yugoslavian-published ‘Fudbaleri i Timovi’ 1974/75 season album, & as a member of the Yugoslavia squad in the Panini album (or at least a reproduction of) commemorating the España '82 World Cup.

And also, topically, here’s the small selection collected (to date) of the Algerian squad’s stickers from the contemporary Panini 2014 FIFA World Cup Brasil album, a delightful gift from A, which has been keeping us occupied, although not necessarily quiet, whilst keeping an eye on the televised matches: at the current count, we have managed to fill 278 of the 639 available spaces (interesting to consider that the figure of 278 is already greater than the total of the earlier albums, not least the 1974 ones which provide the raw materials for this drawing project, but this time so far from completion – in fact, nowhere near even half way). Anyone have any swaps (we have about 80)?

World Cup '74 Portrait #86 (Jan Jongbloed: Holland)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

Today’s subject to be drawn from the random-generator features Jan Jongbloed, the source of whose image is, it must be admitted, the first of one of the few ‘cheats’ that will be employed over the course of the project, as his is one of those names vividly remembered from the time, from the televised experience of the 1974 World Cup, that appeared in neither the FKS or Panini sticker albums published to anticipate/celebrate/commemorate the event, thus necessitating research to find a constructed ‘original’ from which to make the enlarged photocopy that serves as the drawing’s immediate visual reference, the photographic image incorporated within being of a suitable vintage to accord with those upon the genuine sources from the albums themselves.

The inclusion of Jongbloed in the Holland squad for the finals seems a genuine wild card, for he had appeared for the national team but twice before, in a friendly against Argentina immediately prior to the World Cup &, previous to that, as a substitute in a match against Denmark way back in 1962 (indeed, it is a remarkable feature that the three goalkeepers in the ’74 Dutch squad had ‘amassed’ a mere 11 caps between them up to the time of the competition, what appears frightening international inexperience for an event of such magnitude), although, as first-choice ‘keeper, he went on to play in all 7 of the Dutch’s teams matches on their way to the Final (hence the memorability attached to the name).

Returning to the present & the 2014 World Cup, this drawing was processed to the nail-bitingly thrilling accompaniment of our favourite 'Celeste' - Uruguay's - 2 - 1 victory over England: great stuff, & a match for our other favourite Italy's win against the same opponents.

World Cup '74 Portrait #85 (Ove Grahn: Sweden)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

In what seems to be proving a slower week for the drawing project, this most recent subject to be processed represents Ove Grahn, who was selected for inclusion in both the FKS & Panini ‘World Cup ‘74’ collectors’ albums, & the Sweden squad for the finals themselves, where he went on to appear in & throughout all six of the Swedes’ first & second phase group matches.

Unlike a couple of his Swedish teammates, Grahn’s, in common with the far greater majority of the players involved in the ’74 World Cup, is not a name I recall from experience of the television coverage of the tournament, although, having also played twice during the 1970 tournament (& scoring a last-minute winner against Uruguay then), history records a certain World Cup pedigree. He passed away, aged 64, in 2007.

Back in the present (just to prove we can do that too here at TOoT), this drawing was brought to a conclusion to the accompaniment of Spain’s shock demise, eliminated from the current World Cup after only two matches of their defence of the trophy courtesy of a 0 -2 defeat to a most impressive Chile, following their opening, calamitous 1 – 5 capitulation to eventually rampant Holland: how quickly history moves on (although had David Silva scored to make it 2 – 0 at one stage against the Dutch, would that have slowed the process, if not changed the course?).

And why couldn’t Ramos & Casillas have performed quite so incompetently during the Champions’ League Final?

World Cup '74 Portrait #80 (Jan Tomaszewski: Poland)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

This evening might see the kick-off of the 2014 World Cup, with the hosts Brazil playing Croatia in the opening match, but here at TOoT, whilst we will doubtless keep an eye on proceedings over the next month, we’re very much still & settled in 1974 in World Cup terms (when, in a curious coincidence, then-holders Brazil faced the former Yugoslavia - from part of the ashes of which Croatia has subsequently re-emerged, of course - in the tournament’s inaugural fixture), as the project concerning the representation of some of those players who featured in, & some of those of those who didn’t, continues.

That being the case, the latest subject to emerge from the drawing process is the legendary Jan Tomaszweski, who was selected for inclusion in both the FKS & Panini ‘World Cup ‘74’ sticker albums, the Poland squad for the Finals &, subsequently, the team for each of the Poles’ 7 matches in the tournament, where he excelled to the extent of becoming the first goalkeeper to save two penalty kicks at a World Cup, all this in addition to his prior heroics in famously keeping England at bay in the 1 – 1 draw at Wembley that saw Poland qualify for the Finals at their hosts’ expense.

Having already such a high profile enabled Tomaszweski’s to become one of the few names I recognized (quite a few, though, whom were goalkeepers: obviously it’s the singularity of the position that renders its incumbents memorable, more so than many an outfield player) during my first real, concentrated exposure to football as a televised spectacle, & remain in the consciousness, able to be recalled instantly, thereafter.