The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: The World Cup, #Kreisout, and More

We’re back again with another round of The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Has anything happened in the last week or two? It seems like there must be something to talk about, right? Well, let’s dig in and see what we get.

The Good

This one was easy. The World Cup! It’s here and there’s already been plenty of drama. Defending World Cup champs Germany were handed a defeat by El Tri. Ronaldo made a golazo free kick and an excellent header, while Lionel Messi missed his chance on the same day. That very same game saw Iceland (everyone’s favorite Cinderella story), shock Argentina with a 1-1 draw. Host team Russia has been on a scoring tear, and will advance to the knockout rounds. Hopefully, you’ve been watching all of this (or at least following on your computer at work), and I’ve told you nothing new. My point is it only happens every four years, and with the USMNT out of this World Cup, it’s very possible to enjoy the rest of it all the more. If nothing else, it’s a great excuse for day drinking.

The Bad

This one is a little personal, but I think most will be able to at least empathize. During the Champions League final, Sergio Ramos judo flipped Mo Salah, injuring him. Liverpool lost the match, and Salah’s ability to play for Egypt was put in doubt. So much so, that Salah didn’t appear in Egypt’s first match loss to Uruguay. He did make the second match against Russia, and even buried a penalty kick for Egypt’s only goal, but it wasn’t enough and Egypt will be out. Fortunately, Salah is young enough to get another chance in 2022, but it is still a disappointing end for an outstanding season. Cristiano Ronaldo will likely win the Ballon d’ Or based on how he’s performed in the World Cup. But, aren’t you sick of him and Messi winning it every year? Wouldn’t it have been better if Ramos hadn’t been such a dirty player, and Salah had at least had the opportunity to truly show what he can do? Unfortunately, he won’t and we’ll just have to live with it. Very likely, Mo Salah will take it all in with a smile as he is wont to do.

The Ugly

Whether you were one of those on the #Kreisout bandwagon or one that felt he should have through the next transfer window, it was still ugly how it went down. Seemingly, there was no plan in place when Kreis was sacked. This makes things difficult until he is replaced or even quite a while after. Only time with tell if it was the right decision, and even then there’s still plenty of speculation of what could have been if Kreis had more time. The lack of a plan is what garners the Ugly this week. No disrespect to Bobby Murphy, but there’s a reason he’s not a head coach at this time in his career. I’m sure he’ll do an admirable job, but Orlando City needs a coach, and they need one soon. How long it takes will determine how ugly it gets.

There you have it. Agree? Disagree? Let us know in the comments below, and we’ll see you next week.