As Friday's big kick-off approaches QOTW takes a break from domestic affairs to go global.
Who's been saying what in the build-up to the 2010 World Cup
As Friday's big kick-off approaches
Quotes of the Week takes a break from domestic affairs to go global. From nervous coaches to champing-at-the-bit players there's been plenty said to keep us entertained. Diego's threatened to go naked, Branco's been advocating pursuits of the night to keep the troops entertained, while Raymond Domenech has laid down the law to his France side.
"If we win the World Cup, I'll get naked and run around the city's Obelisk." The football community prays for an early Argentina exit as
Diego Maradona makes a terrifying pre-tournament promise.
"I have 23 wildcats prepared to leave their skins on the pitch." Just as long as you keep your kecks on
Diego do as you feel with your players.
The Argies are always good value for a quote and while Fabio Capello has banned the WAGs and reportedly prohibited his players from even thinking about nocturnal activities, Maradona's men won't have any such sanctions to deal with.
"The players will be able to have sex during the World Cup in South Africa, but with regular partners and without champagne or other drinks," said Argentina team doctor
Donato Villami.
"Sex is part of everybody's social life and it's not a problem in itself. Problems arise with the excesses: all the extras, a non-regular partner or in hours reserved for rest."
Argentina may just be on to something here, with Brazil legend
Branco having revealed that sex and booze were key to the Samba Boys claiming glory in 1994.
"What harm is there in it? My son Stefano was conceived during the 1994 World Cup when I spent a day off in San Francisco with my wife," he said.
"Sex is good for you. It relieves tension. We hadn't won the World Cup for 24 years, so it didn't do us any harm. Sex at the camp should only be ruled out with a team-mate's wife. What you can't do is stuff your face until four in the morning or stay in a brothel."
"Gio is very hurt and he wants to be at home with us,"
Zizinho dos Santos confirms his son Giovani considered quitting the World Cup after his brother failed to make the cut for Mexico.
"It's bitter to get a diagnosis like that before the World Cup. There's naturally a lot of disappointment. But that's football. Life goes on."
Michael Ballack concedes his World Cup dream is over.
It's been a rum couple of weeks for poor old
Ballack: "Chelsea was always my first choice as I had four great years at the club and enjoyed every minute, but it was not to be. It's still my first choice, even now, but it was not up to me. The decision was down to Roman."
"It's no fault of his at all. It's just a freak accident that could happen at any given time and it had no connection to any previous injuries I've had."
Rio Ferdinand refuses to blame Emile Heskey after joining Ballack on the sidelines.
"I know what can happen but that is the job. What do you do? Swim and not play? You have to train. Sometimes you try to be careful and it still doesn't work."
Fabio Capello rules out introducing synchronized swimming to England's training regime.
"Maybe this World Cup, being the first in Africa, can change attitudes. I hope so but I suffered a lot in Italy this year."
Samuel Eto'o hopes the World Cup being held in South Africa can give football's battle against racism a shot in the arm.
"You didn't see any cows walking around at the hotel in Germany." America midfielder
DaMarcus Beasley reveals the subtle differences between this World Cup and the last one in Germany.
"Rooney insulted me, he said 'F*** you'. He must learn to control his temper," referee
Jeff Selogilwe falls foul of Wayne Rooney's potty-mouth.
"He could get sent off in the World Cup, especially if he uses this kind of language. If he insults a referee like me, then he will use that vulgar language to other referees as well. Maybe the England players thought 'This is just a friendly, we can do what we like and the referees are not that professional'."
You're dead right Jeff, bet you're really fuming?
"Actually he is still my favourite player. He apologised to me and gave me the shirt he was wearing."
"I don't play alone, and I can't perform miracles." Whisper it quietly....but is
Cristiano Ronaldo starting to believe he might be a mere mortal after all?
"Even a street lamp would have seen that Franck was a very good player, but you had to watch him like a pan of milk on the boil. He was a kid who had grown up in the street." Franck Ribery's youth coach,
Jose Pereira, on his former charge.
"After his operation on his shoulder he did not play a lot of games. He was not the same player we knew before the injury." Capello gives
Theo Walcott the chop after some insipid displays in the pre-tournament friendlies.
"It's part and parcel of being a footballer nowadays. I think a couple of lads would have liked to have seen a couple of them being eaten by a few lions while we were out there."
Joe Cole on snap-happy photographers.
"Actually, I don't see any favourites. There are many strong teams like Spain, Argentina, England, Italy, many others and also Brazil." Brazil captain
Lucio has England down as a contender for glory in South Africa.
"They must be clever and forget their ego to realize that the only thing that matters is the team, not them. If they don't understand that, I will need a gun."
Raymond Domenech lays down the law to his France players.
"No-one is safe from a shock like 2002, if we arrive with flowers in our gun barrels, we'll be going back quickly."
Djibril Cisse hopes Raymond didn't buy his gun from a joke shop.
"For my own sake, it's a good job that I chose football. If not, perhaps I'd be stealing or drug-trafficking." Chile defender
Gary "Pitbull" Medel ponders an alternative career.
"Maybe it was good. Now I'm sitting here, going to the World Cup anyhow, with a very good team, maybe better than Mexico, so I'm happy, very happy."
Sven Goran Eriksson - if that guy dropped a quid on a Monday, he'd find a tenner on the Tuesday.
"It sounds cold, and I don't like the cold. Just the word, "glacier," that's not for me."
Patrice Evra objects to a training hike up a glacier in the French Alps.
If any of you are getting a little tetchy ahead of Friday's big kick-off,
Joe Cole has managed to put everything in perspective: "At the end of the day it is only a game of football."
Breaking news.....Joe Cole has been left out of Fabio Capello's starting XI against USA.
