Ousmane Sow,
cheap jerseys from china, sculptor
Despite not sculpting full-time until the age of 50, this former physiotherapist - who once worked with the Senegal national team - hit the headlines in 1999 when three million people visited his exhibition on the Pont des Arts in Paris.
It brought him public adulation to match his critical standing, and in 2001 he was commissioned by the International Olympic Committee to craft 'The runner at the start line'. That was followed a year later by a sculpture of Victor Hugo for the
Médecins du Monde in celebration of the 'Rejection of Poverty and Exclusion Day'. The piece adorns the Place des Droits de l'Homme in the French town of Besançon and, at 70, its creator is considered one of the world's greatest living sculptors.
What was the last match you watched?
I just saw Togo–Switzerland and unfortunately it exposed all the problems with African players. They have good technique but very little team spirit. And because most of the players don't have clubs, they're using the occasion to get noticed (
NB. although some are amateurs, every Togo player currently has a club contract). You can't really blame them for that, as every scout in the world is either watching on TV or from the stands, but all the players are attempting to stand out with moments of individual genius. It makes you wonder how Togo qualified in the first place when you see them play with so little togetherness. They'll still be dangerous against France, though, because they've got nothing left to lose.
Did you watch France's game last night?
Yes, unfortunately. Without wanting to be mean, they should have respected (Zinedine) Zidane's initial decision to retire as he wasn't on his best form. The heat was definitely a factor, but it was the same for everyone. It hurt me to see him come off like that. He's sensible and intelligent enough to know it's time to retire now,
cheap jerseys from china free shipping, and that's good. Let's be honest: we didn't see the Zidane we all know.
Then there was that stupid goal, with (William) Gallas hesitating too much. It's easy for us to be critical in front of our TVs, but let's just say France have played two mediocre games. Yesterday's was a little more promising with Thierry Henry in fantastic form, but that's nothing new. When Thierry is on song, he can win a match single-handedly. I was saddened to see him go through a rough patch recently, and I'm delighted to see him getting back to his best, little by little. After that, there are guys like (Lilian) Thuram, who always maintain their high standards.
Which teams have impressed you the most?
Brazil haven't shown what they're capable of yet, but Germany look to be their usual selves: well-organised and hard to beat. I've also enjoyed seeing great displays from teams no one expected to do well, like Ecuador and Ghana.
And let's not forget Korea. I had to ask myself where they found all that energy, both in attack and defence. There was some clumsiness in their play too, which saved France from even more problems,
cheap jerseys china, but it was impressive to see all that red everywhere on the pitch. It reminded me of Holland in (Johan) Cruyff's era, when they played total football with everyone capable of attacking and defending.
Which team have you been supporting?
With Senegal not there, I'm supporting France. I didn't know this Ghana team, but they've really surprised me and I think I'll be following them as well. I'm more familiar with the Ghana side from Abedi Pele's day and, above all, their 1967 team. They knocked us out of the African Nations Cup when I was the Senegal squad's physio.
What was the first FIFA World Cup™ you ever watched,
cheap authentic nfl jerseys?
The 1958 tournament. It was the first World Cup for Pele, Garrincha, Didi, Vava etc. It was also the era of the Hungarians, while France had men like Fontaine and Kopa. They were excellent players. My first idol was Garrincha. I liked Fontaine a lot too,
wholesale jerseys from china, as well as Roger Marche. You don't hear about him these days,
cheap nfl jerseys wholesale, but he was an extraordinary player.
What was the greatest game you ever saw?
The last Final, between Brazil and Germany. It was brilliant.
Have you got a prediction for the Final?
I think there'll be surprises. Considering how well Ecuador are playing, it wouldn't shock me to see a smaller team get close. I don't see much difference between sides like Italy and Germany, and everything will come down to the consistency of the players.
Do you have a message you would like to share?
I think it's good that players get involved in charity work, like (Bernard) Lama does with his football school and Zidane does for leukodystrophy (with the European Leukodystrophy Association). I have nothing but encouragement for them when they use their success to help others.
And what is your official website?
www.ousmanesow.com Related articles:
http://www.h5deal.com/blog/space.php?uid=28576&do=blog&id=297628 http://61.155.238.11/sc/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=4892020&extra= http://www.truesake.com/blog/about-sake/hot-sake/
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