FIVE! With Mr Tom Waldron
Bhavish Adwani, Year 8
Mr.Tom is one who love sports and is a huge FIFA fan who can’t wait for
the world cup.
Bhavish: What is the importance of soccer in history and in today’s
world?
Mr.Tom: The history of football (soccer) is important to give an
understanding as to how the game has developed both globally and
financially. Would people in Indonesia have known about the World Cup in
Uruguay in 1930? I very much doubt it. Will they know about the World Cup
this year? I think the majority will do. Footballers in the past were not as
health conscious as they are today and certainly did not earn the type of
money that likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham have done.
Can you describe a good player?
I think a good player is someone that possesses great technical ability with the ball at their feet. However,
they must also be physically fit and have the desire to work for their team and as part of a team. I really
dislike players that are selfish and do not allow others to use the ball or allow others to have goalscoring
opportunities.
Are you excited for the world cup? Why?
I’m very excited - as always. It only happens every four years and it is a time where you become very
patriotic towards your own country and it gives you a sense of pride when your country does well or wins
a game (not very often in England’s case at World Cups recently though). It is the ultimate showcase
where the best players from all over the world come together to show off their exceptional talents.
However, I am a little saddened to hear how the Brazilian people have been badly affected by this World
Cup with poor working conditions leading to some deaths and the huge cost of staging a tournament like
this undermining the real issues of Brazil including poverty.
Which event of the world cup do you like best?
It has to be the Final. It is the ultimate test of a player’s nerve and mental state to not buckle under
pressure and keep their cool but to also show off their skills to defeat their opponent.
Which country do you think has a huge chance of winning?
England, of course! In all honesty, I think it is a very open competition. Can Spain keep their momentum
going? Can the other European countries adjust to the tropical climate quickly? I think a South American
country may well do it. Therefore, it could be Brazil, the hosts, that do it.
Thank you Mr.Tom for sharing your Knowledge on the world cup with us.
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