World Cup Wildes

The days are starting to turn over. I'm on my summer vacation officially but I'm looking for that premier summer job. The negative me says I have been unemployed for two weeks now but the positive me says I have been relaxing for two weeks.I'm not unemployed I'm funemployed that's the way I see it. The World Cup is pretty much upon us and they are teams who will see things in different ways sort of how each of us see things differently. New Zealand and Slovenia just chuffed to be there. The African teams are out to prove a point. The powers of football like Italy and Brazil see this as a must win. Myself I see this an integral part as my development as well. If I'm suppose to be serious about this football thing I really have to put steps in place so that I can be apart of it in the future but at the same time it has to be fun because I refuse to be stuck in a job that I hate for the rest of my life. As promise more group stage insight and if I'm correct after "A" is "B." So here we are from Alpha to Beta.

Group B
Argentina
Greece
Nigeria
South Korea

Argentina



Well as much as I love powerful teams like Argentina there is better than to rain on their parades that's right, defecate on their hopes and dreams. Unlike Uruguay I don't have to tell you what you already know. Argentina won the World Cup twice first in 1978 and then in 1986. They are multiple South American champions they boast world class talent for years now. What you may not know that they struggled to get the Dark Continent. They finished 4th in South American qualification behind Brazil who finished 1st which is not a shock but Chile and Paraguay roared passed them which was a shock. Maybe not, because they are being coached by ex World Cup legend slash Coke fiend Diego Maradona. Now I love Maradona my uncle thought he was the greatest thing since slice bread in fact he thought the Boca legend was the grain that made the bread. I however am not a fan of him as a coach. Actually he and Raymond Domench France's coach at this tournament are the worse of the lot. Machiavelli, Maradona is not, I'm not sure even if he has tactics. He is what I like to call a gusto coach. This is what a gusto coach does, they make a gay ass speech to the players talk them up fill them with pride and industry and all that wonderful stuff and hope their inner patriot comes out. That being said I have spent to much on him to his troops now. Do you know who is Argentina's number one goalkeeper? You don't! Me either. I do three things with my life go to school (I hope), Think about females and watch a ton of football. That being said I know none of them and if I don't know you there is a huge problem. From the roster I see their best keepers play in Holland and for a bottom feeder club in Serie A in Catania. Where is Lux and Abbondanzieri, Maradonna? I worry for Argentina's defenders, quite simply they have an old backline Samuel and Demichelis not the quickest and they left Coloccini and Cambiasso in Buenos Aires. Offensively they are the best in the world I don't have to call names but I will leave you with this, Cristiano Ronaldo can carry Portugal, he has done it so many times, Messi has never been on a team without a sporting cast and if Argentina get caught out he has no experience of digging teams out of trouble.

Key Man- Lionel Messi: Best player in the world and really needs to blow out the opposition because I don't think Argentina will be able to defend a full 90 very well.

Greece


The Greeks, they have brought us democracy and beautiful literature that Hollywood can turn into highly commercialized short films. What is not very beautiful is the way Hellas plays football. They are bruisers and they really aren't about killing you with passes but what Hollywood teahes us about the Greeks they are very effective. To qualify out of the UEFA zone is a feet worthy of praise. They finished second behind the Swiss in their group stage which forced them to playoff against Ukraine whom they dispatched. Greece shocked the world when they won Euro 2004. I too was shocked but Otto Rehhagel is a fine coach who maximizes what resources are at his disposal. Can they win it? They could, if this was in Europe and didn't have to contest nations from various continents. Seriously I think defense wise they can even stop a team like the Netherlands but Brazil would pose a different challenge. The Greeks are a really tidy unit and they put up walls with their physical play but they need goals to progress out the group and despite having good strikers like Theofanis Gekas and Georgios Samaras the key word is good but they are not great. The Greeks have to keep doing what they do well which is defend and maybe they can go far.

Key Man- Sotirios Kyrgiakos: Their a lot of things that make the Greeks tough, besides the pronunciation of their names and their beards. Their defence is extremely stout and Kyrgiakos is at the center of it. The Liverpool defender is always down for a tackle just hope he can get it right for Greece.

Nigeria


The Super Eagles were once the premier team in Africa but after a series of retirements of influential players such as Jay Jay Okocha have seen them just sit back in their seat for a little while. Their path to the World Cup was pretty much a stroll, they topped their qualifying group and here they are. I to be honest have never liked Nigeria but I respect them. They have some nifty and useful players like John Obi Mikel, Obafemi Martins and Victor Anichebe. They have a new coach in the Swede Lars Lagerback. A man that failed to get his own nation to the big dance. You would think that alarm bells would ring in the ears of the big wigs in Abuja. You fired your coach who got you here and you essentially appointed a loser. I don't get that but who am I but a young black male with a blog who lives with is mom in a flat in New York. Nigeria have a chance to advance out of the group but I'm just not sold on them. There is something about them that doesn't seem legit. I want to say they have a good team but I just can't. They don't seem to step outside of Africa and do the job. I know the tournament is in Africa but you know what I mean. The verdict is out on these guys I hope they prove me wrong.

Key Man- John Obi Mikel: Nigeria don't have a lot players who win tournaments besides Mikel who has have numerous cups to his name. He has a winners mentality which will be key to inspire his side. It takes a winner to lead winners.

Korea


I would have never in my life thought I would have a Korean friend let alone several. Since I have enrolled at C.W. Post Long Island University I have met people from all over the world. I have a Swedish friend, Bermudan friend, Iranian and Japanese but it is my Korean friends that I am mostly close too and I met them through playing football. I was brushing my teeth with my Manchester City jersey on and in stepped Jaeman, a Korean student, we never talked before that. He being a Man United fan had pretty harsh words for me and out of that I had a new friend. He introduced me to the best footballer I ever played against a 5'5 Korean Diego his name was Jae. After we played a game Jaeman told me that I can come to South Korea and come live with him. He said it like this "O'Jai U Come live me in Korea soon." That was one of the most touching things anyone has ever said to me, it was a tad bit gay but here was this Korean kid who hardly speaks a word of English inviting into his home that was really sentimental. What won't be sentimental is Jaeman's homeland chances in the World Cup. South Korea are the big boys of Asia but outside their confederation they are no more than water weight. As to be expected from any Asian team they are organize and they have that typical Asian chase down any ball attitude but I really to fear for the White Tigers. There is some hope in Park Ji-Sung and Lee Pyo- Young and Choon-Lee but their lack of height and pure goalscorers can hurt them.

Key Man- Park Ji-Sung: Captain Fantastic, was there any other that they could call on, he is a god in Korea.

Predicitons- Argentina 1st, Greece 2nd, Nigeria 3rd and South Korea 4th. Perfect alphabetical order. Argentina will out gun everyone with their cannons up front. It was tough to decide who would be second but I gave it to Greece because they know how to protect a lead. Nigeria will fall short as I said I'm not convinced by them. Sorry Jaeman and Jae your boys are out classed here and are to small physically. If me playing against you guys is an indicator Korea will be bullied of the ball despite their skills.