Mexico are the lucky participants, alongside host nation South Africa, who will walk out onto the pitch at Johannesburg to kickoff the opening game of this year’s World Cup. The 11th of June at 4 o’clock in the afternoon is not the time to make a cup of tea, as millions of people around the world will be switching the TV on to witness the month long party begin. So whether you have your vuvuzela or sombrero the time has finally arrived.
I say that Mexico are the “lucky” participants in the opening game, yet history shows us that the host nation fairs a lot better than they usually do in the World Cup. 2002 gave us South Korea when the hosts reached the semi-finals. Mexico’s best performances came on home soil in 1970 and 1986 when they reached the quarterfinals. And of course England won in 1966. So whether South Africa are really the nation you want to face in your group is debatable.
South Africa is however one of the worst ranked host nations ever, so Mexico should have been relatively pleased when they got drawn in Group A, as South Africa were technically the seeded team in that group, as opposed to a Brazil, Italy and Spain in others. Yet, the un-seeded France later got drawn in Group A, meaning that the group does field a top international side. Uruguay are the other opponents, and with Forlan on form Mexico could be in real trouble.
Mexico though have qualified for their 5th consecutive World Cup finals, with the previous 4 ending in the last 16. It appears that they are the West Brom of international football, good enough to get promoted from the Championship, but not really good enough to stay in the Premiership. The last 16 is probably the highest they can once more achieve.
Qualifying was not so straight forward as one may expect, with Sven-Goran Eriksson getting the sack after a dismal start to the campaign. Mexico recalled Javier Aguirre who coached the national side in 2002 – to the last 16 – and his experience proved vital, as he guided Mexico into second place in CONCACAF.
Pivotal to the resurgence was bringing back into the side inspirational playmaker Cuauhtemoc Blanco. If you watched the friendly England played against Mexico you will agree with the Mexican medical staff that Blanco is a little overweight, meaning he is unlikely to play the full 90. But the 37year old has over 100caps and 38 goals for his country. And in France 98 he introduced the World to the Cuauhtemina – the ball between the legs bunny hop to skip in between two opposing players. Classic.
Against England they did show some very confident, slick passing football, exemplifying their typical Latino style ability. Arsenal’s Carlos Vela and West Ham’s Guillermo Franco may play integral parts in Mexico’s forward play. However, Javier Hernandez is the main man up front and is evidentially a man to key an eye out for, Sir Alex Ferguson believes so, having snapped up the striker before the World Cup for £6million.
Mexico are captained by Barcelona’s Rafael Marquez, another man with a wealth of experience. The cultured centre-back should control the game from defence, and hopefully will resolve those defensive deficiencies that England opened-up and punished.
El Tri will use their pacy wingers to create opportunities for their lone striker, Hernandez. Giovani Dos Santos failed at Spurs, but his national team play is invariably more consistent. Andres Guardado terrorises the right-wing. The Deportivo winger was viewed as one of the best foreign players outside the “top four” in La Liga. And if one of those two is not performing, Pablo Barrera will be brought on to provide even more speed to a wing.
Mexico play some decent football, yet their defence is not entirely stable when they play a team of greater skill. In any other year, I would suggest that Mexico would once more reach the last 16 of the tournament, qualifying second in the group. Yet, with South Africa hosting the tournament, the opening match may well decide who progresses to that elusive stage of the competition. With home advantage and the whole of the world behind them, Mexico may find themselves overawed by an overly excited South African team.
Sunday, 30 May 2010
Saturday, 29 May 2010
Japan
The Japanese, ever the optimists it appears. In the land of the rising sun natives have been blinded in recent years but shades have finally begun to flitter through allowing football fans to witness the true capabilities of football players outside the realms of the J-League.
Stifle a laugh because it really is not funny, more embarrassing, but Japan’s manager Takeshi Okada aim for this summer is to reach...the semi-finals...I personally think if you are going to shoot so high you may as well go for glory and state that you are going win the whole tournament, but evidentially that would be unrealistic.
Maybe I am being overly harsh though, so, let’s look at the statistics. This is the 4th consecutive World Cup Japan have qualified for. In 2002, they were the joint holders of the competition along with South Korea, who outshined their co-hosts and made it to the elusive semi-finals. However, Japan did at least win some games and make it through to the second round.
In 1998 and 2006 Japan faired a lot worse. In their first ever World Cup appearance in France, they lost all three games. In 2006 they could only muster one draw against Croatia, effectively meaning they have not won a World Cup game on foreign soil yet.
If Japan are going to “defy” expectations then it is their midfield that is going to have to get them there. Junichi Inamoto is still about, an integral part of the defensive midfield. Next to him lines up Makoto Hasebe, one of the rare players to play outside the J-League – for German side Wolfsburg.
Another player who plies his trade elsewhere is Keisuke Honda. The CSKA Moscow midfielder is a powerful player, but also has an eye for a goal. Expect him to bring some European style to the Japanese midfield.
Ex-Celtic star, and Japan’s most famous player, Shunsuke Nakamura shall add slight glamour to the side. Yet, whether his left-foot can carry the team to a victory, let alone to the semi-finals, is once again debatable. Nakamura’s set pieces are a dangerous threat, but he will have to share this role with Yasuhito Endo, who got voted Asian Player of the Year in 2009.
Yuji Nakazawa is Japan’s captain and also their most experienced player. The centre-back is solid and having gained over 100caps for his country, he will be looked upon to lead the defensive line against the high quality opposition that Japan are set to face.
Japan have been drawn in Group E in South Africa. It is not the hardest group but it will still be a struggle for the Samurai Blues. The Netherlands are the likely team to top the group. Cameroon are one of the best African sides in the tournament. The Danes came through a tough qualifying campaign, beating off the likes of Sweden and Portugal, but then again Japan fended off Qatar and Uzbekistan.
The midfield 5 will need to shine if the sun is not to set on the Japanese advance on South Africa. How they will fair in reality will no doubt be obvious to all in Britain come tomorrow, when the Japanese face England in a friendly in Austria. Semi-finals? Fully unachievable.
Stifle a laugh because it really is not funny, more embarrassing, but Japan’s manager Takeshi Okada aim for this summer is to reach...the semi-finals...I personally think if you are going to shoot so high you may as well go for glory and state that you are going win the whole tournament, but evidentially that would be unrealistic.
Maybe I am being overly harsh though, so, let’s look at the statistics. This is the 4th consecutive World Cup Japan have qualified for. In 2002, they were the joint holders of the competition along with South Korea, who outshined their co-hosts and made it to the elusive semi-finals. However, Japan did at least win some games and make it through to the second round.
In 1998 and 2006 Japan faired a lot worse. In their first ever World Cup appearance in France, they lost all three games. In 2006 they could only muster one draw against Croatia, effectively meaning they have not won a World Cup game on foreign soil yet.
If Japan are going to “defy” expectations then it is their midfield that is going to have to get them there. Junichi Inamoto is still about, an integral part of the defensive midfield. Next to him lines up Makoto Hasebe, one of the rare players to play outside the J-League – for German side Wolfsburg.
Another player who plies his trade elsewhere is Keisuke Honda. The CSKA Moscow midfielder is a powerful player, but also has an eye for a goal. Expect him to bring some European style to the Japanese midfield.
Ex-Celtic star, and Japan’s most famous player, Shunsuke Nakamura shall add slight glamour to the side. Yet, whether his left-foot can carry the team to a victory, let alone to the semi-finals, is once again debatable. Nakamura’s set pieces are a dangerous threat, but he will have to share this role with Yasuhito Endo, who got voted Asian Player of the Year in 2009.
Yuji Nakazawa is Japan’s captain and also their most experienced player. The centre-back is solid and having gained over 100caps for his country, he will be looked upon to lead the defensive line against the high quality opposition that Japan are set to face.
Japan have been drawn in Group E in South Africa. It is not the hardest group but it will still be a struggle for the Samurai Blues. The Netherlands are the likely team to top the group. Cameroon are one of the best African sides in the tournament. The Danes came through a tough qualifying campaign, beating off the likes of Sweden and Portugal, but then again Japan fended off Qatar and Uzbekistan.
The midfield 5 will need to shine if the sun is not to set on the Japanese advance on South Africa. How they will fair in reality will no doubt be obvious to all in Britain come tomorrow, when the Japanese face England in a friendly in Austria. Semi-finals? Fully unachievable.
Friday, 28 May 2010
Ivory Coast
When you talk about “The Big 5” in Africa one of the animals you are referring to is the elephant, in African football this is no different. The Elephants are one of the 6 nations representing Africa this year in the first World Cup to be held on African soil, in South Africa. How one of the greatest African sides will fair though, is very much debatable.
The Ivory Coast cruised through qualifying, but then what would you expect against teams such as Burkina Faso, Malawi and Guinea, with no disrespect intended, but ultimately given. However, qualification came not without trouble, as 22 supporters died after an excited crowd, crammed into an already packed stadium to watch the Ivory Coast beat Malawi 5-0 in their opening group game. This was an extremely sad way to start the final road to the finals.
More unrest came when Manager Vahid Halihodiz got sacked, after a poor team performance in the African Cup of Nations this January having already qualified for 2010. It was the coaches second loss in 2 years of football, yet his criticism of the players came back to haunt him, with them seemingly forcing the successful manager out without a replacement. In March though, Sven Goran-Eriksson took the mantel, giving the star players the star manager they undoubtedly craved.
In 2006 the Ivory Coast made their first ever appearance in the World Cup but fortune did not favour them. The Elephants got drawn in the “Group of Death” along with the Netherlands, Argentina and Serbia and Montenegro. Two 2-1 losses against Argentina and the Netherlands saw an early exit, however, they did restore some pride in beating Serbia and Montenegro 3-2 to give them their first World Cup points and victory.
In 2010 they appear no luckier. Brazil and Portugal both got drawn in Group G alongside the Ivory Coast, with North Korea the unlucky hitchhikers. This is an especially hard group, which says more about the state of the African side than about the other nations.
The main star is one everybody who knows anything about football, or possibly even not know about football, should know well. Didier Drogba is the Ivorian captain. The Chelsea star is one of the best strikers in the World, with an unbelievable international scoring record, 42 goals in 66 caps. If he plays well, the Ivory Coast plays well. If he plays poorly, the Ivory Coast plays poorly. Therefore, his form is imperative, his diving antics and hot-headedness are less welcome at the finals.
There is a battle to partner Drogba in South Africa, with Salomon Kalou, Aruna Dindane and Bakary Kone each bidding for that spot. Kalou’s increased form at Chelsea may well see Eriksson give him the nod and he will no doubt not disappoint.
The centre of midfield then boasts one of the World’s most destructive pairings as Sevilla’s Didier Zokora and Barcelona’s Yaya Toure dominate that area of the pitch. Yaya Toure is one of the best defensive midfielders in world football, yet his partner in crime is just as capable, meaning that Yaya will on occasions be looked upon to provide support to the frontline, an usual experience for the Ivorian.
Yaya’s brother Kolo plays behind him in the heart of the Ivory Coast defence. His form at Arsenal seemed to dither slightly towards the end of this spell there, yet his time at Manchester City has once again reinvigorated the defensive dynamo. Next to Kolo on the right-hand side of defence is his ex-Arsenal teammate Emmanuel Eboue. Eboue has come in for some stick over recent years at Arsenal, although his form over the last 6 months has been blistering. Utilised by Arsene Wenger in almost any position, expect him to wander the pitch, but to play effective football nonetheless.
The problems start for the Ivory Coast with their lack of preparation time for the new man in charge, Eriksson. Only 3 weeks will be provided and although this team has known each other for a long time, their reliance on Drogba, despite other big international names, is still evident. In positions where no egos are placed, players who are not quite of an international standard fill the gaps.
The left-side of defence is a problematic area, with no stable left-back, and Hibernian’s Souleymane Bamba on the left side of the central pairing. Although the midfield provides superb defensive cover, behind them is a keeper prone to making a variance of performances. Barry may be the firm Ivory Coast number 1, but in his time playing in Belgium, he won awards for his inconsistency in his performance...
So, Africa will hold its collective breathe to see whether the Elephants can do what they failed to achieve in 2006 and escape the “Group of Death”. Unfortunately, despite the extra push they may receive from playing in Africa for the first time, the poachers of Brazil and Portugal may well prove too much for this endangered species.
The Ivory Coast cruised through qualifying, but then what would you expect against teams such as Burkina Faso, Malawi and Guinea, with no disrespect intended, but ultimately given. However, qualification came not without trouble, as 22 supporters died after an excited crowd, crammed into an already packed stadium to watch the Ivory Coast beat Malawi 5-0 in their opening group game. This was an extremely sad way to start the final road to the finals.
More unrest came when Manager Vahid Halihodiz got sacked, after a poor team performance in the African Cup of Nations this January having already qualified for 2010. It was the coaches second loss in 2 years of football, yet his criticism of the players came back to haunt him, with them seemingly forcing the successful manager out without a replacement. In March though, Sven Goran-Eriksson took the mantel, giving the star players the star manager they undoubtedly craved.
In 2006 the Ivory Coast made their first ever appearance in the World Cup but fortune did not favour them. The Elephants got drawn in the “Group of Death” along with the Netherlands, Argentina and Serbia and Montenegro. Two 2-1 losses against Argentina and the Netherlands saw an early exit, however, they did restore some pride in beating Serbia and Montenegro 3-2 to give them their first World Cup points and victory.
In 2010 they appear no luckier. Brazil and Portugal both got drawn in Group G alongside the Ivory Coast, with North Korea the unlucky hitchhikers. This is an especially hard group, which says more about the state of the African side than about the other nations.
The main star is one everybody who knows anything about football, or possibly even not know about football, should know well. Didier Drogba is the Ivorian captain. The Chelsea star is one of the best strikers in the World, with an unbelievable international scoring record, 42 goals in 66 caps. If he plays well, the Ivory Coast plays well. If he plays poorly, the Ivory Coast plays poorly. Therefore, his form is imperative, his diving antics and hot-headedness are less welcome at the finals.
There is a battle to partner Drogba in South Africa, with Salomon Kalou, Aruna Dindane and Bakary Kone each bidding for that spot. Kalou’s increased form at Chelsea may well see Eriksson give him the nod and he will no doubt not disappoint.
The centre of midfield then boasts one of the World’s most destructive pairings as Sevilla’s Didier Zokora and Barcelona’s Yaya Toure dominate that area of the pitch. Yaya Toure is one of the best defensive midfielders in world football, yet his partner in crime is just as capable, meaning that Yaya will on occasions be looked upon to provide support to the frontline, an usual experience for the Ivorian.
Yaya’s brother Kolo plays behind him in the heart of the Ivory Coast defence. His form at Arsenal seemed to dither slightly towards the end of this spell there, yet his time at Manchester City has once again reinvigorated the defensive dynamo. Next to Kolo on the right-hand side of defence is his ex-Arsenal teammate Emmanuel Eboue. Eboue has come in for some stick over recent years at Arsenal, although his form over the last 6 months has been blistering. Utilised by Arsene Wenger in almost any position, expect him to wander the pitch, but to play effective football nonetheless.
The problems start for the Ivory Coast with their lack of preparation time for the new man in charge, Eriksson. Only 3 weeks will be provided and although this team has known each other for a long time, their reliance on Drogba, despite other big international names, is still evident. In positions where no egos are placed, players who are not quite of an international standard fill the gaps.
The left-side of defence is a problematic area, with no stable left-back, and Hibernian’s Souleymane Bamba on the left side of the central pairing. Although the midfield provides superb defensive cover, behind them is a keeper prone to making a variance of performances. Barry may be the firm Ivory Coast number 1, but in his time playing in Belgium, he won awards for his inconsistency in his performance...
So, Africa will hold its collective breathe to see whether the Elephants can do what they failed to achieve in 2006 and escape the “Group of Death”. Unfortunately, despite the extra push they may receive from playing in Africa for the first time, the poachers of Brazil and Portugal may well prove too much for this endangered species.
Italy
The famous boot of Italy is one of Europe’s iconic landmarks, and it is inhabited by Europe’s most successful football nation. Italy have won the World Cup on 4 previous occasions and, going into the tournament, are the World Champions having won in Germany in 2006. Whether they will remain so on leaving African soil is yet to be decided.
Italy is only one of two nations that have won the World Cup consecutively, although the tournament was very different in 1934 and 1938 to what it is now. Brazil, unsurprisingly, are the other successful country, having won in 1958 and 1962, another era long gone. Yet, to rule Italy out on the assumption that it is clear that the teams you face play doubly as hard to prevent you from earning glory again is somewhat misguided.
Italy are once again under the control of Marcello Lippi, after he was coaxed back to manage the national side after a poor Euro 2008 campaign. The ex-Juve man relies heavily on the Juventus of today to provide players for the squad, players which he has known for a prolonged period it seems, with as many as 6 or 7 of his probably starting 11 being over the age of 30, and not by a short way either.
This age factor does appear to be a cause for concern, with many believing the likes of Cannavaro, Zambrotta, Buffon, Pirlo, Camoranesi and Gattuso – to name a few – are far beyond their use-by date. However, when you consider that Italy generally rely on 1-0 concrete defensive victories, what better players would you want then those that have enough experience to know how to keep a sinking ship afloat?
Qualifying, although at times a little nerve-racking, was, in statistical terms, a breeze. Admittedly a lack of goals were scored, with Gilardino being the top scorer on a less than impressive 4, especially so when 3 of those goals came against Cyrus in the final match having already qualified. Yet, you do not need to score many if you do not concede many, something which the Azzurri are more than adept at.
Despite this wealth of experience and class that will mean we witness Grosso and Zambrotta bombing up and down their respective wings, whilst Pirlo creates in the middle of the park, with Camoranesi providing some fire-power and a fiery attitude to proceedings, it is Daniele De Rossi who has gradually stolen the Italian crown that players such as Del Piero and Francesco Totti have donned before him.
This midfield maestro has it all. He creates, breaks-up play, scores and his work-rate is above all else. The talisman of the Azzurri is expected to take over the captaincy once Cannavaro’s legs finally give way (with the reason why he has been able to last so long probably due to the fact he has less height with which his legs have to hold up than any other world renowned central defender). Cannavaro may wear the armband, but De Rossi wears the Italian nation on his heart.
Buffon will be expected to keep his goal empty of balls throughout the tournament, whereas Gilardino and Iaquinta will be hoping to do the opposite down the other end. Both are good target men to hit, but their goal scoring record leaves much to be desired. But then again, so does Emile Heskey’s. Expect these two tall target men to cause enough havoc for other members of the Italian squad to finish off the moves.
South Africa sees Italy drawn in Group F where they face Paraguay, New Zealand and Slovakia. It may be harder to find an easier World Cup group. I say may and not will because there is a slight chance you possibly have not seen England’s draw... This is not to say it will be easy, just the group is favourable for the Italians who should comfortably make it through the group stages. This should set them on their way, especially with a second round match against Denmark, Japan or Cameroon facing them afterwards.
The quarter-finals though should see Italy face Spain, or possibly even Brazil. At this stage, despite their wealth of experience, with goals hard to come by, a loss may be on the cards for Lippi’s men. However, a lukewarm Italian side won in 2006, can an aging one win in 2010?
Italy is only one of two nations that have won the World Cup consecutively, although the tournament was very different in 1934 and 1938 to what it is now. Brazil, unsurprisingly, are the other successful country, having won in 1958 and 1962, another era long gone. Yet, to rule Italy out on the assumption that it is clear that the teams you face play doubly as hard to prevent you from earning glory again is somewhat misguided.
Italy are once again under the control of Marcello Lippi, after he was coaxed back to manage the national side after a poor Euro 2008 campaign. The ex-Juve man relies heavily on the Juventus of today to provide players for the squad, players which he has known for a prolonged period it seems, with as many as 6 or 7 of his probably starting 11 being over the age of 30, and not by a short way either.
This age factor does appear to be a cause for concern, with many believing the likes of Cannavaro, Zambrotta, Buffon, Pirlo, Camoranesi and Gattuso – to name a few – are far beyond their use-by date. However, when you consider that Italy generally rely on 1-0 concrete defensive victories, what better players would you want then those that have enough experience to know how to keep a sinking ship afloat?
Qualifying, although at times a little nerve-racking, was, in statistical terms, a breeze. Admittedly a lack of goals were scored, with Gilardino being the top scorer on a less than impressive 4, especially so when 3 of those goals came against Cyrus in the final match having already qualified. Yet, you do not need to score many if you do not concede many, something which the Azzurri are more than adept at.
Despite this wealth of experience and class that will mean we witness Grosso and Zambrotta bombing up and down their respective wings, whilst Pirlo creates in the middle of the park, with Camoranesi providing some fire-power and a fiery attitude to proceedings, it is Daniele De Rossi who has gradually stolen the Italian crown that players such as Del Piero and Francesco Totti have donned before him.
This midfield maestro has it all. He creates, breaks-up play, scores and his work-rate is above all else. The talisman of the Azzurri is expected to take over the captaincy once Cannavaro’s legs finally give way (with the reason why he has been able to last so long probably due to the fact he has less height with which his legs have to hold up than any other world renowned central defender). Cannavaro may wear the armband, but De Rossi wears the Italian nation on his heart.
Buffon will be expected to keep his goal empty of balls throughout the tournament, whereas Gilardino and Iaquinta will be hoping to do the opposite down the other end. Both are good target men to hit, but their goal scoring record leaves much to be desired. But then again, so does Emile Heskey’s. Expect these two tall target men to cause enough havoc for other members of the Italian squad to finish off the moves.
South Africa sees Italy drawn in Group F where they face Paraguay, New Zealand and Slovakia. It may be harder to find an easier World Cup group. I say may and not will because there is a slight chance you possibly have not seen England’s draw... This is not to say it will be easy, just the group is favourable for the Italians who should comfortably make it through the group stages. This should set them on their way, especially with a second round match against Denmark, Japan or Cameroon facing them afterwards.
The quarter-finals though should see Italy face Spain, or possibly even Brazil. At this stage, despite their wealth of experience, with goals hard to come by, a loss may be on the cards for Lippi’s men. However, a lukewarm Italian side won in 2006, can an aging one win in 2010?
Honduras
The tiny country from Central America is stepping out onto the World’s biggest stage for only the second time in their colourful history. A 1-1 draw against hosts Spain in 1982 was a superb achievement, but one further draw against Northern Ireland and a loss against Yugoslavia were enough to send them home after a brief encounter with the World Cup.
28 years later and a tasty tie against European champions Spain is yet again on offer, a 1-1 draw here would certainly eclipse their finest hour in 82. Unfortunately, that outcome is somewhat unrealistic, so it may be against Switzerland and Chile that the success of their trip to South Africa is decided.
Yet, really the true success was getting there in the first place. Amongst a presidential coup – of Jose Manuel Zelaya – Honduras saw qualification fall within their grasp, only to be taken away again briefly after a loss to Mexico and the USA. With one game to go, away at El Salvador, Los Catrachos were sitting 4th in the group, with Costa Rica two points above them where a tricky tie against the USA awaited them.
Carlos Pavon scored the only goal, giving Honduras a 1-0 victory. The radios around the stand were then quickly turned on to listen to the fate of the other match. Costa Rica were winning 2-1, leaving Honduras in a play-off position. However, in the 94th minute American defender Jonathan Bornstein scored a last-gasp equaliser, sending the Honduran fans into ecstasy, as they qualified automatically due to having a greater goal difference than the unfortunate Costa Rica.
The country declared a national holiday in celebration of the achievement, much to the annoyance of Harry Redknapp, whose player Wilson Palacios was refused a flight back to England in order to return in time for his Premier League match for Spurs, instead being forced to join in with the celebrations that were in store. It is a hard life for some.
Expect Palacios to be the driving force behind the Honduran side, in a team that is expected to lose emphatically in South Africa. Renowned for his defensive ability, Palacios may well also be burdened with creating opportunities further up the field, not because he is necessarily the most attacking player, but simply because he is by far the best footballer the country has.
The Wigan pair of Hendry Thomas and Maynor Figueroa will add some familiarity to the team, yet despite both playing in England, to say they were even the highlight of the Wigan side would be like suggesting that Hamilton Accies can win the SPL next season. Sure, they are in the same league as Rangers and Celtic and on one-off occasions they can cause an upset, but they are never going to outperform them consistently. Honduras will be hoping for at least three one-off occasions this summer.
Anchoring the midfield is veteran captain Amado Guevara. He is one of a number of players who now plays domestic football back in his home country, however, having been capped a record breaking 133 times by Honduras, expect him to play a fundamental role in organising and inspiring his fellow teammates.
Up front, Genoa’s striker David Suazo will be looked upon to bag the vital goal. The Honduran has been flaunting his trade in Serie A since 1999, and is officially on loan from Inter Milan. In 2006 Suazo won foreign player of the year in Serie A, so clearly he has the potential to perform at a high level.
Columbian coach Reinaldo Rueda has already succeeded well above expectations in advancing Honduras to South Africa. He has been granted Honduran citizenship due to his achievement but anything other than a group stage exit will be a miracle. He will organise his side well, relying on a defence that conceding the least amount of goals in the CONCACAF group. However, players are apparently prone to lapses of concentration and against better opponents expect this to be punished.
Honduras has done exceptional well to make it to the World Cup, however, if they expect anything from their campaign they are likely to go home embarrassed. Spain are one of the natural favourites for the competition and Chile are regarded by most as a possible surprise package. The Swiss are generally boring but always do alright, effectively leaving Honduras with an insurmountable task. Hopefully they will at least score a few goals and provide their fans with some reason to cheer come June.
28 years later and a tasty tie against European champions Spain is yet again on offer, a 1-1 draw here would certainly eclipse their finest hour in 82. Unfortunately, that outcome is somewhat unrealistic, so it may be against Switzerland and Chile that the success of their trip to South Africa is decided.
Yet, really the true success was getting there in the first place. Amongst a presidential coup – of Jose Manuel Zelaya – Honduras saw qualification fall within their grasp, only to be taken away again briefly after a loss to Mexico and the USA. With one game to go, away at El Salvador, Los Catrachos were sitting 4th in the group, with Costa Rica two points above them where a tricky tie against the USA awaited them.
Carlos Pavon scored the only goal, giving Honduras a 1-0 victory. The radios around the stand were then quickly turned on to listen to the fate of the other match. Costa Rica were winning 2-1, leaving Honduras in a play-off position. However, in the 94th minute American defender Jonathan Bornstein scored a last-gasp equaliser, sending the Honduran fans into ecstasy, as they qualified automatically due to having a greater goal difference than the unfortunate Costa Rica.
The country declared a national holiday in celebration of the achievement, much to the annoyance of Harry Redknapp, whose player Wilson Palacios was refused a flight back to England in order to return in time for his Premier League match for Spurs, instead being forced to join in with the celebrations that were in store. It is a hard life for some.
Expect Palacios to be the driving force behind the Honduran side, in a team that is expected to lose emphatically in South Africa. Renowned for his defensive ability, Palacios may well also be burdened with creating opportunities further up the field, not because he is necessarily the most attacking player, but simply because he is by far the best footballer the country has.
The Wigan pair of Hendry Thomas and Maynor Figueroa will add some familiarity to the team, yet despite both playing in England, to say they were even the highlight of the Wigan side would be like suggesting that Hamilton Accies can win the SPL next season. Sure, they are in the same league as Rangers and Celtic and on one-off occasions they can cause an upset, but they are never going to outperform them consistently. Honduras will be hoping for at least three one-off occasions this summer.
Anchoring the midfield is veteran captain Amado Guevara. He is one of a number of players who now plays domestic football back in his home country, however, having been capped a record breaking 133 times by Honduras, expect him to play a fundamental role in organising and inspiring his fellow teammates.
Up front, Genoa’s striker David Suazo will be looked upon to bag the vital goal. The Honduran has been flaunting his trade in Serie A since 1999, and is officially on loan from Inter Milan. In 2006 Suazo won foreign player of the year in Serie A, so clearly he has the potential to perform at a high level.
Columbian coach Reinaldo Rueda has already succeeded well above expectations in advancing Honduras to South Africa. He has been granted Honduran citizenship due to his achievement but anything other than a group stage exit will be a miracle. He will organise his side well, relying on a defence that conceding the least amount of goals in the CONCACAF group. However, players are apparently prone to lapses of concentration and against better opponents expect this to be punished.
Honduras has done exceptional well to make it to the World Cup, however, if they expect anything from their campaign they are likely to go home embarrassed. Spain are one of the natural favourites for the competition and Chile are regarded by most as a possible surprise package. The Swiss are generally boring but always do alright, effectively leaving Honduras with an insurmountable task. Hopefully they will at least score a few goals and provide their fans with some reason to cheer come June.
Tuesday, 25 May 2010
Wacky World Cup Adverts
Watching a game of football is meant to be a form of entertainment. The main test for how entertaining a match is, is not the possession percentage, the shots of target to overall shots ratio, but how long it takes the crowd to start a Mexican wave. 28 minutes it took for one to be formed around Wembley in England’s friendly against Mexico, showing just how bored the crowd were.
King and Crouch had scored scrappy goals before Franco put one in for Mexico on the stroke of half time. The Mexicans deserved the goal after playing more of the attractive football, with Baines, King and Ferdinand all looking slightly suspect at the back on occasions.
England was playing the North American opponents in a bid to gage how the USA may play in the group stages of the World Cup which commences in just under a month. So in a bid to become more American myself, my thoughts drifted to how our cousins across the Atlantic view sport.
Naturally my first inkling was to think outwith the realms of soccer and instead contemplate on what the Americans call “football”. This connotation took me towards the Superbowl. And what is the main attraction of the Superbowl? The Television adverts! So as half time commenced I decided I would scrutinise which football players had already performed well this summer.
First man on my screen is 6ft 7in robot lanky man Peter Crouch. The Spurs striker appears in two adverts for his main scalp, the one and only, Pringles...Not only does he lose all credibility for another robot dance performance, this is imitated by a fat man who looks like he is in the middle of Barcelona, nowhere near South Africa, but also that checked shirt just doesn’t do it for him. Fortunately, he is redeemed slightly due to the fact he appears alongside Anelka, Fabregas and Dirk Kuyt. Very slightly. Yet, exclaiming “Pringoooals” at the end just about sums up this decisively poor commercial.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24E8q0vhRss
Albeit, that is the better of his two forms of embarrassment. Next in front of my eyes, a plethora of talent, one which truly encapsulates the essence of the World Cup, let down only by their ending slogan “Write Your Future” – boring (and rather misleading, as we simpletons cannot write our own future as we are not one of the men fortunate to represent our country in South Africa). Superstar after superstar enter this 3 minute long escapade, yet it is worth every second. The intensity of emotions, the highs of winning to the lows of losing all summed up by Nike. Frank Ribery to Kobe Byrant, from witnessing Wayne Rooney in his natural habitat, to him beating Roger Federer at tabletennis. As for Homer Simpson, his part is sheer class. But then what else did we expect from Nike?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idLG6jh23yE
Frank Lampard is the next man up, joining the renegades who did not quite make the cut in the Nike advert, yet still are well above the likes of Peter Crouch. Pepsi provide the first commercial that actually presents an African feel, with the setting and song both clearly being inspired by that continent. Lampard at times looks like the in animal of the moment, the Meerkat. As for the shirts, a most have for any night out that is labelled “Bad Shirt Night”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1hMSL7vyD0
Nationwide have incorporated the whole of the English team, as they are one of their main sponsors this is understandable. Capello even gets a starring role. Unfortunately though, they have opted to use a Little Britain sketch which has long surpassed its use-by date. Originality is low, the comedy even less so. Therefore, despite having the use of all the England players who did not have better commercial deals, this advert is somewhat lacking in style.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYDS-D8BN5g
Carlsberg have also offered us an attempt at an iconic advert, without compromising on their slogan. There are legends throughout, in terms of the advert and also English history. Sir Ralph Fiennes is even involved. Jeff Stelling gracing us with the English flag stamped across his bare-chest is a moment of genius. However, it all feels a little over the top. The Sir Bobby Robson part, although an extremely nice gesture to a man who deserves such honour, helps push it too far. A good effort, but unfortunately verging on the point of being cringe worthy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66OuJZGDCHE
Next we are all “Crossing Our Fingers” for the KitKat ad. The commercial talks the nation through everything we are hoping for at this upcoming World Cup. It is dull and boring. Their main star – Sol Campbell. I think that pretty much says it all. I for one am not that bothered about seeing a chubby 10year old squeeze through the crowd to get Campbell’s signature.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmVafJeZMB4
Finally before the second half commences, where Glen Johnson goes on to score a good goal to ease England to a 3-1 victory in an unconvincing performance, we get the joys of seeing John Barnes perform a rap for Mars. The rap is absolutely terrible, although I think that is part of the joke. The rest of the joke includes the fact that Mars have a more than pleasantly plump Barnes rapping away, clearly having enjoyed testing the product out before his shoot, yet his legs remain incredibly thin.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yi_64ifLI9U
So, it is Nike again that come out as ‘King of the Ads’. But what did we expect from the company that brought us the Brazil team dancing their way through an airport terminal (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbFmK4zZ9Ys) or the cage tournament in 2002 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egNMC6YfpeE). Still, can you really beat El Tel, Graeme Le Saux and Gareth Southgate with a bag over his head, walking into a pillar in pizza hut, whilst the others exclaimed “This time he’s hit the post”? Classic.
King and Crouch had scored scrappy goals before Franco put one in for Mexico on the stroke of half time. The Mexicans deserved the goal after playing more of the attractive football, with Baines, King and Ferdinand all looking slightly suspect at the back on occasions.
England was playing the North American opponents in a bid to gage how the USA may play in the group stages of the World Cup which commences in just under a month. So in a bid to become more American myself, my thoughts drifted to how our cousins across the Atlantic view sport.
Naturally my first inkling was to think outwith the realms of soccer and instead contemplate on what the Americans call “football”. This connotation took me towards the Superbowl. And what is the main attraction of the Superbowl? The Television adverts! So as half time commenced I decided I would scrutinise which football players had already performed well this summer.
First man on my screen is 6ft 7in robot lanky man Peter Crouch. The Spurs striker appears in two adverts for his main scalp, the one and only, Pringles...Not only does he lose all credibility for another robot dance performance, this is imitated by a fat man who looks like he is in the middle of Barcelona, nowhere near South Africa, but also that checked shirt just doesn’t do it for him. Fortunately, he is redeemed slightly due to the fact he appears alongside Anelka, Fabregas and Dirk Kuyt. Very slightly. Yet, exclaiming “Pringoooals” at the end just about sums up this decisively poor commercial.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24E8q0vhRss
Albeit, that is the better of his two forms of embarrassment. Next in front of my eyes, a plethora of talent, one which truly encapsulates the essence of the World Cup, let down only by their ending slogan “Write Your Future” – boring (and rather misleading, as we simpletons cannot write our own future as we are not one of the men fortunate to represent our country in South Africa). Superstar after superstar enter this 3 minute long escapade, yet it is worth every second. The intensity of emotions, the highs of winning to the lows of losing all summed up by Nike. Frank Ribery to Kobe Byrant, from witnessing Wayne Rooney in his natural habitat, to him beating Roger Federer at tabletennis. As for Homer Simpson, his part is sheer class. But then what else did we expect from Nike?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idLG6jh23yE
Frank Lampard is the next man up, joining the renegades who did not quite make the cut in the Nike advert, yet still are well above the likes of Peter Crouch. Pepsi provide the first commercial that actually presents an African feel, with the setting and song both clearly being inspired by that continent. Lampard at times looks like the in animal of the moment, the Meerkat. As for the shirts, a most have for any night out that is labelled “Bad Shirt Night”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1hMSL7vyD0
Nationwide have incorporated the whole of the English team, as they are one of their main sponsors this is understandable. Capello even gets a starring role. Unfortunately though, they have opted to use a Little Britain sketch which has long surpassed its use-by date. Originality is low, the comedy even less so. Therefore, despite having the use of all the England players who did not have better commercial deals, this advert is somewhat lacking in style.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYDS-D8BN5g
Carlsberg have also offered us an attempt at an iconic advert, without compromising on their slogan. There are legends throughout, in terms of the advert and also English history. Sir Ralph Fiennes is even involved. Jeff Stelling gracing us with the English flag stamped across his bare-chest is a moment of genius. However, it all feels a little over the top. The Sir Bobby Robson part, although an extremely nice gesture to a man who deserves such honour, helps push it too far. A good effort, but unfortunately verging on the point of being cringe worthy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66OuJZGDCHE
Next we are all “Crossing Our Fingers” for the KitKat ad. The commercial talks the nation through everything we are hoping for at this upcoming World Cup. It is dull and boring. Their main star – Sol Campbell. I think that pretty much says it all. I for one am not that bothered about seeing a chubby 10year old squeeze through the crowd to get Campbell’s signature.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmVafJeZMB4
Finally before the second half commences, where Glen Johnson goes on to score a good goal to ease England to a 3-1 victory in an unconvincing performance, we get the joys of seeing John Barnes perform a rap for Mars. The rap is absolutely terrible, although I think that is part of the joke. The rest of the joke includes the fact that Mars have a more than pleasantly plump Barnes rapping away, clearly having enjoyed testing the product out before his shoot, yet his legs remain incredibly thin.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yi_64ifLI9U
So, it is Nike again that come out as ‘King of the Ads’. But what did we expect from the company that brought us the Brazil team dancing their way through an airport terminal (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbFmK4zZ9Ys) or the cage tournament in 2002 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egNMC6YfpeE). Still, can you really beat El Tel, Graeme Le Saux and Gareth Southgate with a bag over his head, walking into a pillar in pizza hut, whilst the others exclaimed “This time he’s hit the post”? Classic.
Monday, 24 May 2010
Greece
A nation renowned more for its feta cheese than its football travels to South Africa in a desperate attempt to restore some national stability in a country crippled by potential financial insolvency. If evidence was needed that international sporting events can have a positive global impact, reunification amongst the Greeks is surely the proof we want to see from 2010.
This is only the second time Greece have reached the World Cup. In USA 94 they failed to earn a point, or even score a goal, having been beaten comprehensively 4-0 by Argentina and Bulgaria, whilst Nigeria put 2 past them. I am sure the Greek’s are glad they won’t have to play those nations again...
Instead, Greece got drawn in Group B along with Argentina and Nigeria...(oh dear), however, the mighty Bulgaria – who did reach the semi-finals in 1994 with the likes of Stoichkov – have been replaced by South Korea. Greece will be hoping to overhaul some of the ghosts that gave them the worst record in World Cup history.
The Greece of yesteryear and the Greece of today are very different teams however. Sandwiched in between their World Cup appearances came a shock victory in Euro 2004, where they beat hosts Portugal in the final. This memorable achievement and their sturdy defence has enabled them to climb FIFA’s rankings, which meant they got drawn against a lower class side when they only managed to make the playoffs, having been beaten by Switzerland in the group stages of qualifying.
Greece were drawn against the Ukraine and having played a shutout in Athens they were up against it on the return trip to Donetsk. Once more though, the defence proved impossible to break down and one goal from Salpigidis proved to be enough to send the Europeans to Africa.
Greece are managed by Otto Rehhagel, a German with a wealth of experience in both playing and managerial roles. He is the only man to have participated in 1,000 Bundesliga games as a player and a coach, an outstanding achievement. The 4-3-3 formation is a favourite of his but expect the side to both attack, and more importantly, defend as a team.
In the team there are few recognisable names, although that may be due to some of them being called Sokratis Papastathopoulos. If Papastathopoulos is partnered at the back by Papadopoulos flick your screen onto Sky Sports News and let’s hope that Dean Windass is reporting on the game. However, this is an unlikely event with Liverpool’s Kyrgiakos being the first choice centre-back.
Karagounis will no doubt play a fundamental part in the midfield, with the captain very adept at keeping possession of the ball. A skill which is necessary if the attackers are caught further down the field defending as the manager requires.
Celtic’s Samaras will be playing as one of the front three. Leading the line will be Fanis Gekas. Gekas was the Europe’s top scorer in the World Cup qualifiers with 10 goals and so will be looked upon to grab the vital goal for the Greek defence to then manically protect. Charisteas makes the three complete, and if you are wondering why you recognise his name, it is because the Nurnberg striker scored the goal that crowned Greece European Champions in 2004.
Greece have a very organised team. Opponents will find them hard to break down, giving the Greeks an opportunity to galvanize their nation. Argentina should top the group, but under Maradona a shock exit may occur. This leaves a Nigeria side who has seen better days and South Korea who surely cannot do anything like what they did in 2002. One slightly nervous point though is that they came second in qualifying to a team who relies on Alex Frei, a great underachiever. If they cannot topple Switzerland, who can they beat?
This is only the second time Greece have reached the World Cup. In USA 94 they failed to earn a point, or even score a goal, having been beaten comprehensively 4-0 by Argentina and Bulgaria, whilst Nigeria put 2 past them. I am sure the Greek’s are glad they won’t have to play those nations again...
Instead, Greece got drawn in Group B along with Argentina and Nigeria...(oh dear), however, the mighty Bulgaria – who did reach the semi-finals in 1994 with the likes of Stoichkov – have been replaced by South Korea. Greece will be hoping to overhaul some of the ghosts that gave them the worst record in World Cup history.
The Greece of yesteryear and the Greece of today are very different teams however. Sandwiched in between their World Cup appearances came a shock victory in Euro 2004, where they beat hosts Portugal in the final. This memorable achievement and their sturdy defence has enabled them to climb FIFA’s rankings, which meant they got drawn against a lower class side when they only managed to make the playoffs, having been beaten by Switzerland in the group stages of qualifying.
Greece were drawn against the Ukraine and having played a shutout in Athens they were up against it on the return trip to Donetsk. Once more though, the defence proved impossible to break down and one goal from Salpigidis proved to be enough to send the Europeans to Africa.
Greece are managed by Otto Rehhagel, a German with a wealth of experience in both playing and managerial roles. He is the only man to have participated in 1,000 Bundesliga games as a player and a coach, an outstanding achievement. The 4-3-3 formation is a favourite of his but expect the side to both attack, and more importantly, defend as a team.
In the team there are few recognisable names, although that may be due to some of them being called Sokratis Papastathopoulos. If Papastathopoulos is partnered at the back by Papadopoulos flick your screen onto Sky Sports News and let’s hope that Dean Windass is reporting on the game. However, this is an unlikely event with Liverpool’s Kyrgiakos being the first choice centre-back.
Karagounis will no doubt play a fundamental part in the midfield, with the captain very adept at keeping possession of the ball. A skill which is necessary if the attackers are caught further down the field defending as the manager requires.
Celtic’s Samaras will be playing as one of the front three. Leading the line will be Fanis Gekas. Gekas was the Europe’s top scorer in the World Cup qualifiers with 10 goals and so will be looked upon to grab the vital goal for the Greek defence to then manically protect. Charisteas makes the three complete, and if you are wondering why you recognise his name, it is because the Nurnberg striker scored the goal that crowned Greece European Champions in 2004.
Greece have a very organised team. Opponents will find them hard to break down, giving the Greeks an opportunity to galvanize their nation. Argentina should top the group, but under Maradona a shock exit may occur. This leaves a Nigeria side who has seen better days and South Korea who surely cannot do anything like what they did in 2002. One slightly nervous point though is that they came second in qualifying to a team who relies on Alex Frei, a great underachiever. If they cannot topple Switzerland, who can they beat?
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