WHAT a weekend! England cruise into the quarter-finals, poor old Ireland miss out on penalties, the German's look ominous as they grab a late winner and Mr Miami Vice sees his Senegal side grab a golden goal winner.

Watching this wonderful World Cup is exhausting.

But when it comes to toasting the heroes you have to start with Thomas Sorensen. He is without doubt the most popular Sunderland goalkeeper since Jim Montgomery almost single-handedly repelled Leeds United in the 1973 FA Cup Final.

My one fear before the game was that Denmark would close the game down and frustrate England but no such fear. Super Sorensen did his bar of soap trick - got it, lost it, got it, oops, it's a goal.

And if further evidence was needed that the stuffed suits at FIFA know absolutely nothing about the beautiful game, the fact that the goal has still been credited to Rio Ferdinand proves it.

Don't get me wrong, I am delighted that the God-like defender has been given his first international goal but really, that ball was going nowhere near the goal until its path was crossed by the Black Cat keeper to make it England's lucky day.

It had already been a lucky day for the Germans by then, not so much because of the late winner that was expertly made and converted but because they were playing a side with absolutely no desire to stay in the Far East a minute longer.

Cesare Maldini is clearly coach in name only as eccentric keeper Jose Luis Chilavert is obviously the gaffer. It can only be a matter of time before he becomes the nation's president although his failure to bring on Nelson Cuevas before his side had gone one down in the 88th minute was one-eyed in the extreme.

For heaven's sake, he was the only reason they reached the last 16, scoring twice in the final group game. But he was left on the bench, kicking his heels instead of German butts.

Then on Sunday we had two thrillers starting with Bruno's boys knocking out Sweden. His white T-shirt was pristine, the suit sharp and the hair, well enough said. And on the pitch his boys did not let him down in a match summarised by Graham Taylor, a former England manager who was excited about the number of six footers in the side. Mind you, this is a man who has just added Peter Crouch to a list of signings that includes Ian Ormondroyd.

I watched the game with a Villa fan and his depression as another new Villain Marcus Allback played like a drain was enough to cheer me up even with a hangover in the early morning.

But it is Ireland that woke today with a hangover based on despair. So near and yet so far in a game where the shredded nerves of both sides ensured some of the worst penalties ever seen.

And having started with one Sunderland player let's finish with Kevin Kilbane. Joe Royle, a summariser in Taylor's class, said he ran miles for the cause.

Well, if he wants to be a runner I suggest he finds the nearest track and leaves football to people who can shoot, cross and dribble.

That miss from the rebound with the gaping goal at his mercy was unforgettable - and unforgivable.