Losing never felt so bad

But perhaps we all need a little breather and prepare ourselves for the quarterfinals, four games that, for differing reasons, should be absolutely fascinating. It was also time to take stock of the price of failure, which, if reports are to be believed, is becoming even harsher.

The battering that the English, Italian and French teams have taken in their respective media is nothing compared to the dose of reality meted out by the Nigerian government after their side's first-round exit.

President Goodluck Jonathan

It's Goodluck bad luck for Nigeria

President Goodluck Jonathan (what a name!) has banned the Super Eagles from competing in international tournaments for two years, ruling them out of qualifying for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.

He has basically told them that they need to use this time to sort themselves out, with rumours of maladministration, the improper use of funds and general mismanagement by the Nigerian Football Federation.

I have bad news for Mr Jonathan. It is going to take more than two years to sort out the issues that continue to dog Nigerian football, and I have my doubts whether they ever will be completely brought to an end. There is too much greed and self-serving going on.

I also have my doubts as to whether this ban will come to pass, because FIFA's strict rules on government interference in football would mean the Nigerians would be banned by the governing body for a lot longer than two years should it all come to pass.

Blue Moon suggests Koreans could face 'miner' punishment?

Just the fact that Thierry Henry met French president Nicolas Sarkozy last week to discuss their disastrous campaign got Zurich all of a twitter, leading FIFA to fire off a warning to them. Don't mess with the money train, boys ...

But a ban from international football will be nothing for the Nigerians compared to what the North Koreans could potentially face, with one former coach, Moon Ki-Nam, suggesting their World Cup humiliation, in which they lost all three matches and conceded 12 goals, including seven against Portugal, could see them sent to the coal mines for two years.

"The players and coach are rewarded with huge houses when they win," Moon said. "But they have to atone for losing by being sent to work in the coal mines."

Harsh.

Images sourced from www.fifa.com