Regrets is something I don’t do I’m the type that let things play out. The denouement of my life will read that I was a man that stood by his own convictions and who decided to fall on his own sword. An old friend of mine told me a long time ago that if I ever decide to write online it shouldn't be just about soccer and to add other facets so I don’t become one dimensional. I agreed for a little while but quickly rubbished it because simply, nothing appeals to my soul more than slipping thoughts onto a page about soccer. He was right! I could had conquered the world a lot sooner. Believe it or not I actually have more things to say besides discussing the woes of Andalusian outfit Xerez who make their living in one of the lower regional leagues of Spain. I meet a ton of wonderful people every week and my life experiences are so varied sometimes I feel the need to share it. For example a few months ago I think I met the smartest man I have ever met in my life. I won’t say his name because I believe brilliance like his has to be sought out and not revealed. Well...we spoke for a bit while we were traveling together and he was spewing his thoughts to me which was a treat but with all conversations my turn had come and I told him I wanted to be a soccer writer. He said you must right a lot! My honesty got the best of me and I said not as often as I should. “I had a roommate that was a writer, he writes everyday until his hand cramps up and is sick of it...but when you read his work it is really good. You have to write and read everyday that’s the only way you make it.” He said. Here is a man I only had a working relationship for no more than two days and his words had more impact on my mind than people I’ve known my whole life. My soccer blog can’t highlight my life but know I will drop some gems along the way. I will though leave this kind of talk for my memoirs. A collection I will compile when I retire in my native Barbados somewhere on empty beach. Right now it’s soccer time and I’m bringing back an old underutilized favorite of mine the “Eye On Asia,” series. So let me hop into that. The last “Eye On Asia,” post was on Monday March 26th 2012. That was a crunching three and a half years ago and that's just not going to cut it. In fact this post that you're happening to skim over right now was planned like two years ago. The player that is the focus of this piece has since move to another club. Embarrassing! I know trust me I know but we are here to rectify. If you aren’t aware this series looks to highlight the players, the leagues and rumors emitting out of Asia. This edition I will be raving about South Korean hybrid forward Heung Min-Son. A rave that is long over do like as I mentioned before. Son makes his living in the German Bundesliga a league that that is very hospitable to Asian players. At the moment he is one out of 21 players from the Asian Federation working in the German top flight. Players coming from Asia have been ultra successful while playing in Germany a fact that I find a little odd. I don't if it's the culture in Germany or the mindset of Asian players but there seems to a real level of comfort when it comes to the scenario on both ends. I urge anyone to watch a documentary or scan over the multiple articles on why Asian players flock and thrive on the German soccer scene. I think Son is not only the best Asian player in the Bundesliga he is to me the best Asian player in the world. Never has there been an Asian player ever considered to be the best player in the world overall and I won’t say the 23-year-old forward is even close to that but he is a tidy footballer. The fading star of Japan’s Keisuke Honda and the inconsistency of his countryman Shinji Kagawa has open the door for the young Korean to take up the idea of being the best player from Asia. The fact of the matter is his current club Bayern Leverkusen has and his former club Hamburg SV had the best player from Asia for what is now the past three years. Evidence of this is his Asian Player of the Year award he snapped up in the 2014-15 campaign. As much as I have been watching Son over the years I couldn’t put a finger on who he reminds me of. It’s a weird combination I’ve pegged him to. In full flow he reminds me of Pedro the Spanish international. The way he cuts inside and the close the little touches he uses the manipulate the ball reminds me of the once Barcelona man. When he strikes the ball he has a quick snapshot sort of like Ronaldo and Bale. The ball leaves his foot so quick while in stride the opposition just can’t react. He isn’t of the calibre of those players but this young man is special. Hamburg couldn’t hold onto him and if he has another stellar season in a Bayer 04 shirt I will bet they won’t be able to keep grasp of him either. The energy he posses is a typical trait of players from Asia but his ball control sets him apart from the rest in the region. Him and Shinji Kagawa definitely are the point guards of the AFC. They handle the ball with such dexterity it’s unsettling. I get uneasy when I see Son and Kagawa on the ball just because it seems surreal. It’s not like Heung Min-Son is a mystery at this point I should had hopped on this article years ago. Hence why this article is a little short on the footballing side. Ironically as I write this I checked my Twitter and saw Tottenham Hotspur just tabled an 18 million bid for the Korean. I couldn’t even make this up! The week I decided to put this article to rest something comes about to debunk my findings. Let this be a lesson to all.Don’t put off till tomorrow what you can do today. In my case don’t put off till three and a half years.
I haven’t worked this hard in an editorial sense in a while. I have to admit I was intimidated by the
volume of work it would take to comb through these World Cup groups and the time I had to do it in. I’m a working man. I have things to do. Although football is always on my mind its what I dream about and it’s something that I want to be apart of for the rest of my life. However things have to balance itself out if I’m to make a crack at this sports writer thing and that means doing regular old fashion work at my many jobs. I didn’t think I could make the World Cup deadline given my late start but I did. Now are they some grammatical errors I’m committing? Probably. Is my sentence structure on point? Of course not. Despite my shortcomings. I know I am here for a fight and I am determined to leave a mark as a soccer writer as tiny as it maybe. I have weird confidence that comes from an odd place. Simply I back myself even when I’m not doing so well. Group H is the final pot, I guess I will be previewing and for the teams in it this will be a big moment for them because in my opinion each one of them need to prove a point. For one reason or another.
Group H
Algeria Belgium Russia South Korea Algeria
Last World Cup I made myself look rather silly by hyping up Algeria. This time I am not going to be that foolish. I have a kind of weird adoration for North African teams. I can’t put a finger on it but there is something about them. I don’t know if it’s style of play or what but I do fancy them. Enough about that let’s talk about Algeria for a while. The Algerians after CAF group play landed a fixture against a promising Burkina Faso. Algeria loss 3-2 in Burkina Faso and needed to win and not concede to advance to the World Cup. In Algiers the home side came away with a cagey 1-0 win. A result that sealed their right to play in Brazil. “Les Fennecs,” are coached by Bosnian Vahid Halilhodzic the man that oversaw Côte d’Ivoire’s preparation for the 2010 World Cup but didn’t get to take them to the tournament due to his unjustified firing. A decision that was none his fault. He led the Ivory Coast to a tidy unbeaten streak in his tenure and Algeria will hope he will bring some solidity to their program. Some of the key players for Halilhodzic are captain Madjid Bougherra, Hassan Yebda, Djamel Mesbah and Sofiane Feghouli. To me, Algeria has the feel of Egypt a few years ago. There is a defiance about them that cannot be underestimated and they are playing a better brand of football. Let’s see if they can put it all together this summer Key Man- Sofiane Feghouli is the best Algeria has. He’s quick, nice acceleration and is good on the ball. He can create a fair bit of chances and if the Algerians are suppose to get anything out of this group he is going to have manufacture a lot. Belgium
It’s funny. For a guy who works in a basketball arena I run into a lot of conversations about football. One day before the World Cup I had the pleasure of meeting an elderly Belgian couple. Their English was bad and I gathered they were from the French side of Belgium. I was right but that didn’t make my French any better. I helped them out giving some directions. After that the husband ask me. “Do you like soccer?” I smiled and said I know a little then his wife said you like the “Red Devils? You know they will win the World Cup!” I said if Marc Wilmots were playing then you would have a shot. They both looked at me and said. “You know a lot. You tricked us. Why do you work in a basketball store?” I just smiled and said thank you.” That made my day and it meant a lot to me as silly as it sounds. Before they left the lady waved at me and said the whole of Belgium are hopeful they win the World Cup. I didn’t have the heart to tell a woman who looks as old as my own grandmother to dream on. I don’t think Belgium will win the World Cup but they will make noise. The Lowlanders were casted in UEFA’s Group A. Putting Scotland, Wales Serbia, Croatia and Macedonia all to heel as they won the group. In recent times there has been an explosion of talent coming through halls of Brussels. This current crop of Belgium players can call themselves the second Golden Generation. Eden Hazard, Vincent Kompany, Romelu Lukaku, Christian Benteke, Axel Witsel, Thibaut Courtois and Jan Verthongen are some of names all tied to Belgium. The crazy thing about that, is the list I just rattled of is just a fraction of the names. There is so much more. Marc Wilmots finds himself in a odd situation as the coach of this national team. Belgium is probably the most talented team on an individual level so that should equate to World Cup success. He has to do well here but my question is what is a job well done for Belgium? Does it have to be the cup itself? Does have to be stellar play or an infiltration into the latter stages of the tournament? I don’t know but I do know they can’t win the World Cup. What ever they achieve in Brazil is important because Belgium is a team for the future. Key Man- Eden Hazard is one of the darlings of European football and I will go on record and say he can be the greatest player in world in a few years. Russia
I am very excited for Russia at this World Cup. I see them as a dark horse. I haven’t heard anyone talking about them and they are dangerous which is confusing. They came out of UEFA's Group F as the winners just above Portugal. They are coached by Italian mastermind Fabio Capello and they have the young talisman Alan Dzagoev. The last Euros showed me something. Russia had an identity issue. In the past they didn’t know what their game was. Under Capello, Russia will be doing a lot of kicking with out the ball and a lot of tidy smooth offensive plays with it. The Europeans will be sturdy defenders and they will bully the opposition. My only fear I have is Russia’s psyche. For years I don’t think Russia saw themselves as a big boy in football. Yes Russia is a big country literally but in a football sense I don’t think the Russian people thought so or the players. Capello is trying to cultivate a culture of superiority. Russia has to start seeing themselves a top team and they should. Their performances and stats say that they are. I hope Capello can get these guys mentally sharp for this tourney because I of believe Russia is a sleeper. Key Man- He was awesome in the Euro 2012 and I think he will do well this summer. Alan Dzagoev is a top player and can be a difference make for the Europeans. South Korea
I love South Korea’s team crest by the way. That white tiger looks pretty cool. I just thought I would share that before I delve into South Korea’s chances at this year’s World Cup. So what do the Asians have? Well they can be assured that they have been here before. This will be the Koreans 9th World Cup so they shouldn't feel too much pressure. South Korea also has a young energetic team. When you scroll through the Korean team all your seeing is a bunch of 24 year olds sprinkled with some 21s and the odd 27 year old hanging around . That has to count for something when your running through the midday South American sun. The Koreans also have the skills of a very promising young player in Son Heung-Min. I usually like to give a little snippet of each team’s key player later on in the post but Son’s abilities warrants an early preview. This kid is lighting up the German Bundesliga. He is mobile and a big big big goal threat. South Korea will depend heavily on him and the goalkeeping prowess of veteran Jung Sung-ryong. Mr. Hong Myung-bo will be coaching the Korean team at this World Cup and should take great confidence from his side’s qualifying campaign. South Korea advanced out of the AFC by finishing second out of Group A just behind Iran. The chances of South Korea advancing out of this group are slim. Belgium are too good and Russia will be too strong. The only points I can see Korea getting is against Algeria and even then I don’t think can peg back the North Africans. So what do we have here? We have a solid side. In a fair group. That will play well but will come up short. Key Man- Son Heung-Min is a special player and he will come up against two stout defenses in Russia and Belgium. it will be a challenge but I am looking forward in seeing him attacking it. Predictions- Russia 1st, Belgium 2nd, South Korea 3rd and Algeria 4th. I’m going for the Russians I think Capello will have them primed for this moment. Belgium are awesome but I do see some kinks and injuries are swirling around in their camp right now. South Korea will pick a few points. The Algerians won’t. Algeria
The other day while I was at work I had the pleasure of running into a young man from Brazil. We talked for a bit and for me it was an interesting conversation. He went on and on about basketball and he told me his favorite players and he even told how Brazil beat Team USA years ago in basketball to win a championship. I was impressed. He rattled off names like Nenê, Anderson Varejão and Tiago Splitter. His knowledge of basketball was surprising. Surprising...because I stereotyped him. Why would a Brazilian know anything about basketball? I asked myself but he knew his stuff. I was curious I had to ask what he thought about the World Cup? He said. “I hate it.” I was shocked I said why? He said that this World Cup is not for the people in Brazil. He followed by saying if it were local kids playing the game he was all for it but for these big names and companies he couldn’t get on board. He added that the World Cup is taking the people’s money and that he would rather the government there put the money to better use. I think he is absolutely right. I think FIFA has only considered the game and has disregarded what effect it would have on the populous. They overestimated Brazilians love for the game and now the situation is getting out of hand. I am not an economist or a social commentator but I know when something is looking a little shaky and this is. Hopefully for us neutrals we can have a World Cup that is full of great moments and for Brazilians I pray they can get what they want. Not a great way to segue into a group preview but sometimes seriousness is the order of the day. Group F Argentina Bosnia-Herzegovina Iran Nigeria Argentina
Where do we start with Argentina? Home of arguably the best player on the planet...Lionel Messi. Home of one of the greatest players of all time Diego Maradona. Two time Copa America and World Cup winners. Home of some quality bistros as well. Seems like the South American nation has it all but does she have what it takes to win it all? Argentina qualified for this World Cup by topping CONMEBOL finishing with 32 points, two points clear of Colombia and four points beyond a hot Chile. Leading the Argentines this summer will be Alejandro Sabella and the 59 year old has oodles of talent at his disposal. Up front he can count on the magical Lionel Messi, Sergio Agüero and Ezequiel Lavezzi. While in midfield he has the likes of Ángel di María, Fernando Gago and Javier Mascherano at his service. The defense will feature the Manchester City duo Pablo Zabaleta and Martín Demichelis while in goal it looks like Sergio Romero. I am going to go on record and say that Argentina is my pick to win the World Cup. Simply because Mr. Messi has had a barren year. He didn’t win any thing last season so I have to think he will be extra motivated. I think his anemic performances for the national side will be put to bed this summer. Argentina for the chip! Key Man- Lionel Messi. Do I really have to write a following sentence? Bosnia-Herzegovina
The football legacy that Yugoslavia has left behind is absolutely stunning. Here I sit giving all the glory and pomp to yet another country that has risen out of the old empire. Bosnia-Herzegovina like Croatia, like Serbia and like Montenegro are promising footballing nations that are giving the established order in Europe a run for their money. Croatia and Bosnia are off to this summer’s tournament and the latter will be going to the World Cup for the first time and they aren’t here to just make a number. Bosnia made it to the championship when they advanced out of UEFA’s Group G. A group that featured Slovakia, Greece, Latvia, Lichtenstein and Lithuania. The Balkans topped the group purely on goal difference with Greece dropping down to second. Bosnia are coached by Safet Susic, a coach who believes in attacking and he will set up his side out to fire in some goals no doubt. Men like Edin Dzeko, Miralem Pjanic, Zvjezdan Misimovic and Vedad Ibisevic will be doing the firing. While in the back goalkeeper Asmir Begovic and defender Emir Spahic will look to shepherd the back line along the way. Bosnia find themselves in a light group and should advance. The Argentines will get by them but I don’t expect Iran and Nigeria to. Bosnia with their firepower will upset a few. Key Man- Edin Dzeko is a tall, slick and most of all unforgiving striker. He has been in the goals for the past few seasons and I see him netting a bunch for Bosnia this summer. Iran
If I’m honest my knowledge about Iran as a football team isn’t that great and I definitely have to cast an eye over them in the near future. That’s what I like about the World Cup it forces me to be a bit of a scholar because normally I wouldn’t be talking about Iran. The last thing I wrote about Iran came in the form of an editorial piece and that was a few years ago. It was kind of uncomplimentary to the Iranians. I made suggestions on what countries in that part of the world needed to do to become more successful. Now, I’m not taking any credit for Iran’s success but I do want to believe my article on this blog helped them to get where they are today...probably not but since my story the Iranians have really pushed the envelop. Iran made it to Brazil by coming out of the AFC’s Group A. Where they topped a group that had South Korea, Lebanon, Qatar and Uzbekistan. Iran aren’t mugs and this isn’t there first World Cup either having qualifying for the tournament three times before. The nation are also three time Asian Cup winners and are usually at the front of the queue when it comes to lifting the trophy along with Japan and South Korea. Some of the men in the Iranian squad at this World Cup are skilled midfielders Javad Nekounam and Ashkan Dejagah. Iran can also rely on the man who I think has the coolest name at the tournament forward Reza Ghoochannejhad aka “Gucci.” Iran should take a lot of good from this World Cup and with a favorable group I can see them getting at least one decent result Key Man- Javad Nekounam has been playing in Spain for a number of years and though it maybe with Osasuna, Iran will welcome it. At 33 years old it’s a wonder if he still has the legs. What he does have is the passing ability and that will be on show for sure. Nigeria
I always feel that Nigeria is at the World Cup but remarkably this is only the fourth tournament.The Nigerians got to Brazil by winning Group F in the second round of African qualifying where they bested Malawi, Kenya and Namibia. In the third round Nigeria defeated Ethiopia in a two legged playoff advancing 4-1 on aggregate. The Nigerians are coached by former player Stephen Keshi. Keshi has picked a strong side to vie for the cup. A lot of European based players are in his squad. Players like the excellent goalkeeper Victor Enyeama. Chelsea’s John Obi Mikel and Liverpool’s Victor Moses. How far can they go is the issue. I think it will be Nigeria and Bosnia-Herzegovina battling it out for the second spot. The Nigerian players do have the big game experience that Bosnia does not have yet so they might be able to advance out of the group. Key Man- Not a very stylish pick but he is a man I know. John Obi Mikel is a patient player who can quietly affect a game in a positive way. Mikel is vastly underrated. Predictions- I have Argentina coming out on top with Bosnia finishing second. Nigeria will fill that third spot and Iran will round out the group. As I said before I expect Argentina to win the World Cup I have a funny feeling about them. Bosnia can easily outscore their opposition. Nigeria have talent but will they be able to be consistent at both ends of the field at the same time? As for Iran, I don’t think they have the personnel to cope with the sides they will face. Argentina
Group C is next on the agenda and when I first saw it I didn’t know what to make of it. A few months on and I still don’t know what to make of it. The four teams bunched together are no means lightweights but if they were casted in other groups you would have to say they would be the second or third options. For the four nations in Group C there is nothing to really fear at this stage. All of them would look around and say we can get something good out of this thing. The participants to me have a great advantage because they can simply fly under the radar, gain confidence while lowering the expectations of more illustrious foes, that they will face in the latter stages of the tournament. It can be a really sweet scenario. Avoiding larger more accomplished teams in the early takes the pressure off and here is hoping that the teams in the group decide to play their natural game. Will some one form this group win the World Cup? Probably not but I am looking for a sleeper to come through and upset a lot of teams on their way. Group C Colombia Côte d’Ivoire Greece Japan Colombia
Making there fifth World Cup appearance the Colombians have to be pleased about the strides they have made over recent years. For a while the men from Bogota were absent from the tourney. As I continually bark, qualifying from CONMEBOL is super difficult and with the likes of Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Uruguay knocking about you know you know it was going to be tough for Colombia. I say that and they end up finishing second in qualifying behind Argentina this time around. I’ve always said what has been missing for Colombia for along time was star power. Back in the day players like Carlos Valderamma and René Higuita made the South American side charismatic and fresh. They were watchable and they could play. I think the emergence of James Rodríguez, Fredy Guarín, Juan Cuadrado and more importantly Radamel Falcao has brought back that spark to national side. As I said before Group C is a wide open but I do favor José Pékerman’s side to advance out of the of this early round. Pékerman is an experience coach and will come with his tactics. Then you have the players at his disposal. The names I mentioned before alongside defenders like Pablo Armero, Cristián Zapata and Juan Zúñiga make Colombia look like a real solid outfit. The X-factor for this side is the fact they will be heavily supported while in Brazil. There is no doubt that their fans will be there in droves to cheer them on. Key Man- It is well documented that star forward Radamel Falcao suffered horrible leg injury in France while playing for his Ligue 1 side Monaco a few months back. Ever since then the player and his nation has been doing everything they could to get him ready for Brazil. Reports has his chances of making the World Cup up in the air. If he does make it he won’t be 100% for sure, due to the serious nature of the injury. If he doesn’t make that will be a heavy blow for Colombia. So I have earmarked James Rodríguez to be the man to propel the South Americans forward. A hybrid winger/attacking midfielder, James has had a good season alongside Falcao at Monaco so he is in good form. Côte d’Ivoire
I was pretty hard on the Ivorians last time around. It was premature. I didn't really know what the Africans could do and I was basing it on performances of some the players prior to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. I was a tad bit ignorant and I undervalued them. This time I won’t make that mistake. This will be the Ivory Coast third World Cup and I'm more optimistic about their chances in this one. The last two trips to the finals the Africans failed to get out of the group stage. Drawn with Brazil and Portugal four years ago didn’t serve them well but this group they find themselves in is too easy not to advance. The African side came out of Group C in CAF qualifying, topping Morocco, Gambia and Tanzania in round two, earning a two legged playoff with Senegal. The Ivorians took initiative by dispatching the Senegalese 3-1 in the first encounter. While the second leg produced a 1-1 draw allowing Côte d’Ivoire to advance 4-2 on aggregate. Ivory Coast has a luxury of stars to call on. Yaya Touré, Kolo Touré, Didier Drogba, Gervinho, Seydou Doumbia, Salomon Kalou, Cheick Tioté, Wilfried Bony and Max Gradel all make up the Ivorian squad. This side will do very at this tournament and will be a headache for the other Group C combatants as well as opponents as they move deeper in the tournament. Key Man- Yaya Touré is the alpha dog for the Ivory Coast. He has won things for Barcelona and Manchester City. He is a multiple African Footballer of The Year recipient and is generally seen as one of the most dominating players on the planet. I fully expect him to put the opposition to the sword. Greece
I have to applaud the Greeks. Every time the Euros or the World Cup comes around they always seem to be there. Look at the Europeans countries who haven’t book passage to Brazil. The Czech Republic, Sweden, Denmark, Austria, Republic of Ireland Serbia, Montenegro, Norway, Ukraine, Poland and Turkey will not be joining us. There is some big countries on that list and Greece did what they couldn’t do. The Greeks got to this World Cup via UEFA’s Group G. The Mediterranean nation actually finished joint top of the group along with Bosnia-Herzagovina but finished second due to goal difference. Not qualifying automatically meant they had to enter a two legged playoff against Romania. The Greeks bested the Romanians 3-1 in Athens and in the return leg in Bucharest managed a 1-1 draw to advance 4-2 on aggregate. Greece is trying to live a life after long time coach Otto Rehhagel who has got her so much success in the past. The new man in charge is the Portuguese coach Fernando Santos and he will look to make Greece’s third trip to the World Cup a good one. Santos will depend on the experience of Giorgios Samaras and Giorgios Karagounis to them through but the real power punch for Greece will come from Konstantinos Mitroglou. Greece will have to play well as I do see them as the weakest in this interesting group. If they play their game they have a shot. Key Man- Last World Cup I poked fun at the Greeks for putting the phalanx out and just defending with little regard for attack. The Greeks in fairness to them are very good defenders and should play to their strength and this World Cup they should look to do so but this time around I think they have more of an attacking edge. Konstantinos Mitroglou will give the Europeans a greater threat than in recent times. Bless with a high football IQ, Mitroglou will be a danger. Japan
The first team to qualify for the 2014 World Cup, Japan is easily the best team in AFC. For years Japan has shown steady growth in the sport. Seeing off the advances from the likes of Saudi Arabia, South Korea, North Korea and now Australia for dominance in the region. The country fully deserves any plaudits given. Japan booked her trip to Brazil by coming out of Group B in the latter stages of AFC qualifying. Where they topped the group finishing ahead of Australia, Oman, Iraq and Jordan. This will be the Japanese fifth World Cup and the “Blue Samurai,” will look to go beyond the Round of 16 their best ever finish. The man leading the Japan into Brazil is Italian Alberto Zaccheroni. The Italian led AC Milan to a Serie A title back in 1998 and also boast fantastic records with Lazio, Juventus and Inter Milan. The Japanese squad traveling to tournament is packed with European based players. Shinji Kagawa, Keisuke Honda, Atsuto Uchida, Eiji Kawashima, Makoto Hasebe, Yuto Nagamoto and Shinji Okazaki all ply their trade in Europe but Japan just won’t rely on them. The Japanese J-League has been churning out some wonderful players over the years and believe some them will be making the trip and will have prominent roles to play. This World Cup the climate is a talking point. Out of the four in this group the Japan come from the mildest climate but I don’t expect that to hinder their chances. Traditionally the Japanese have always had players blessed with great levels of energy and I fully expect Zacheroni to tap into that. Key Man- Keisuke Honda was my pick for Japan four years ago and this time it’s no different. He sparkled while he was in Russia and now he has moved the to AC Milan looks even more polished. A dead ball specialist and virtuoso with the ball, Japan has a special talent in her ranks. Predictions- Let’s get to it! Côte d’Ivoire 1st, Colombia 2nd, Japan 3rd, Greece 4th. If Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal couldn't stop Yaya Touré this year, I don’t expect the teams in Group C to. Making Colombia 2nd was a tough choice. The Falcao issue is a concern but I think they have too much reserve to fail. Plus it’s in South America, Colombia is right next door to Brazil their fans will push them over the edge. Japan I’m a big fan of but can they out fox the two teams I just mentioned? I doubt it. As for Greece I don’t know if their midfield can actually create enough chances for the front men. They might become rather painful to watch if they don’t get it right. Japan
Admittedly I feel like I’m a little bit behind schedule with my World Cup previews. I’ve got about two weeks before the big dance and as I write I literally just forced out Group A out of chasms of mind. If I didn’t know me I would be really worried about not cranking out the other articles but as a guy who use to pump out seven stories on a day on a difficult topic like classical music, this is nothing. Now that I have stroked my ego. Here is the hope I don’t fall flat on my face and trip over my grammar. It’s all about getting better while trying to hold onto the confidence you gained from past experiences. I see four teams in Group B who would do well to follow this mantra. Each one of them have specific targets in mind and clear cut ideas on what a positive result looks like. I don’t know if I have anymore build up left in me or if I have the skill to add a few more lines to this little intro without revealing the members of Group B... I’m talking like if you guys are actually waiting on me to tell you who is in the group. Anyone with a computer or can read already knows who the teams are but you have to admit my stall tactics weren’t that bad. Group B Australia Chile Netherlands Spain Australia I love how Group B alphabetically goes from weakest to strongest and it makes my job easier. I don’t have to my rack brain about predictions it’s perfect. Australia comes into this tournament off the back of a strong qualifying campaign. In the first phase of qualifying the “Socceroos,” were placed in Group D alongside Saudi Arabia, Thailand and Oman. The Australians easily bested the group and moved on to the final round of Asian qualifying. This time Australia faced stiffer opposition when they were deposited in AFC’s Group B alongside Japan, Iraq, Jordan and Oman yet again. The Australians finished behind Japan thus qualifying automatically for the World Cup. Let me start off by saying what has impressed me most about Australia. Firstly, jumping federations is not any easy thing. Since their move into the AFC from Oceania Australia has been nothing short of amazing, giving Japan and South Korea a real test. Secondly, this will be Australia’s fourth World Cup and for a country that prioritizes rugby and Aussie Rules Football that is pretty impressive. The state has done well to become a regional power in Asia but here is where my praise ends. I look at squad for the Australians and I’m squinting to find quality. I don’t think Tommy Oar , Tim Cahill and Mile Jedinak will get them anywhere. Cahill probably the greatest Aussie to play the game, when the World Cup kicks off will be in his mid 30s and has been unable to stay fit at length for his club New York Red Bulls in recent times. I can’t see them not getting steamrolled by the Dutch and Spanish and taken to task by the Chileans. The talent Australia is pushing out is getting better but they are seriously outclassed in this venture. Key Man- Mile Jedinak will have a lot to do because his side will be facing some of the world’s best attackers. His communication and organizational skills will be very important. Jedinak is coming of a solid season with Crystal Palace and will need his form to continue. Chile
Chile are a very interesting team. You never really here about their players but you know they can play. The first Chilean player I ever heard about was Marcelo Salas and what a player he was. I think because they are in South America and they have to put up with the Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and teams like Paraguay and Ecuador they always seem like a second thought. Which shouldn’t be the case when you look at the fact that this will be their ninth time at a World Cup. In 1962 when they hosted the tournament they even finished third. So maybe it’s me who pushes them at the back of the mind. Qualifying out of CONMEBOL is really not that easy but somehow the Chileans have manage to do it time in and time out. This campaign the Chileans finished third in South American qualifying behind Colombia and Argentina and just above Ecuador and Uruguay. It is worth noting that the Argentines won the group on 32 points while Chile rounded up 28 points. Being off the top by just four points isn’t bad. Chile’s coach Jorge Sampaoli will heavily depend on his star men, Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal. With the latter in a race to fit according to the latest reports. Not to be forgotten are the likes of goalkeeper and captain Claudio Bravo as well as Gary Medel, players who Sampaoli will rely on also. Chile has to look play the role of spoiler going into this group. They have to hope either Spain or Holland slip up so they can sneak in. Now will that happen? Most likely not but they have to play well and pray to lady luck. Key Man- The guy for Chile is Arturo Vidal. All reports are saying he is in a race against time to be fit for the tournament after undergoing surgery. If he is well there is no doubt that the play will be ran through him. Netherlands
I think the Netherlands and Portugal are the only two major European nations not to have won the World Cup. The Dutch have come close. Like loss in the final three times close. The most recent disappointment was in South Africa in 2010 when they were edged out by Spain. This will be the tenth time Holland will be at the World Cup finals. They got to Brazil by topping a relatively easy Group D in the UEFA qualifying zone. The Dutchmen brushed aside Turkey, Romania, Hungary, Estonia and Andorra like nothing and finished nine points clear of the closest challenger. I don’t know what do say about the Netherlands really. They are a wonderful offensive side with a style of play that is world renown. Players like Robin van Persie, Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder have been here before and they will look to bring along the likes of youngsters Memphis Depay and Jordy Clasie. All in all the Dutch has a sweet mixture of youth and experience a template that has a proven track record. Some pundits say that the defenders in the Netherlands squad are lacking but I say let the youngsters play and see what they can do. This could be Holland’s year. Key Man- Arjen Robben is that guy for me. His past few years have been electrifying. There was a knock on him for scuffing good opportunities but those days are long gone. The titles he won with Bayern München has definitely gave him a wonderful confidence. Spain
Trying to capture it’s second consecutive World Cup title, Spain will be favorites to lift the trophy again. Coached by the excellent Vincente Del Bosque the Spanish waltzed into their 14th World Cup when won Group I. A group that boasted a classy France and the makeweights Finland, Belarus and Georgia. I think this maybe my shortest team preview simply because Spain is so deep in all spots on the field. The main sub plot about the team is the fitness of their naturalized forward Diego Costa. Will he make it to Rio? As I write it’s too earlier to tell but right now there is a concern. To call names would be silly here. Spain has such a deep, deep, deep squad full of world beaters. Although I have my own favorites to win the tournament, let’s be honest Spain is probably going to come along and just win it again. I don’t see any weakness and now they have a champion’s mindset. I don’t see why they shouldn’t go all the way again. Key Man- Finding the key man for Spain is really hard. As I said in the above stanza there is no weakness in the Spanish team but one man I do like is Sergio Ramos. Not the most sexiest pick but he has put in the work to merit my choice. Predictions- No doubt that there will a one-two punch when it comes to this group. Spain and the Netherlands in that order. These two are the rich uncles who you always hear about from your mom whom you never met because they are always off doing miracles. Like swimming with sharks in Tortola. My uncle actually did that once...Chile, I think they will be stylish and competitive but both of those thing won’t get you pass the group stage. Again my thoughts on Australia has not changed over four years. Thanks for the effort, the color and spirit and most of all thanks for coming. Spain
Now that we know who is going to the World Cup in Brazil and what groups they will be in I expect a whole bunch of predictions from a whole lot of folks, to the pundits on your TV screen, to the guy that stands in front of you every morning in the cafe when your trying to get life saving cup of Joe. Everyone will be an expert and I'm actually looking forward to that. I want to hear the bandwagons and crack pot theories that will accompany the World Cup this time around. People will thrust their favorites and dark horses in your face and you will be wondering how your friend that thought only a few months ago that Cote d'Ivoire was a type of men's cologne is now the guy that knows Honduras' third choice right back. I love it! I myself am going to try to play super analysis and bury myself into a world of player stats and historical clashes between sides and will do what I did a time back. Which is do some team previews and look to pick a winner for this World Cup but before I get trigger happy with predictions there is the matter of facts. They are 32 teams that will compete in Brazil come 2014 for the prestigious World Cup. If my math is correct and it usually isn't there is about 193 countries according to the United Nations at the moment. So…that would leave like 161 nations literally not doing anything football wise when the summer of 2014 rolls around. Not all in that number are bad, some are fairly useful and some really good. Ages ago I compiled a list of countries that I think could have made the World Cup and I'm back at it again. Like last time I'm very disappointed in teams on this thing for one reason or another. I've picked 32 sides to best mirror the World Cup number. Here is the best of the lot that didn't make the cut. New Zealand- It's hard for New Zealand. The way how Oceania's qualification process is set up it almost ensures failure just ask Australia. Having to wait so long to enter the next phase of qualifying is not beneficial and the level of opposition the "Kiwis," face just to enter said phase is so poor it's a wonder how New Zealand keeps it's competitive edge. However, New Zealand knowing the scenario should be able to ready themselves for the test of a mental and physical layoff. It's not like they haven't been through it and they have made World Cups before via the same route. Paraguay- Having seen Paraguay youth teams excel in tournaments it is a bit perplexing to see a nation that always seem to be at World Cups not in this one. CONMEBOL has always been tough and they have managed to get out of there alive but this time around it just hasn't happen. Having a strike force of Roque Santa Cruz, Lucas Barrios and Oscar Cardozo you would think they would have been okay but instead they finished last in CONMEBOL behind a quirky Bolivia. Disgraceful. South Africa- FIFA loves to make a speech about how when they award a World Cup to a nation it is allowing football to grow in that land. Well obviously they forgot to water the plant that is South Africa because having host the last tournament the African nation has done very little. South Africa finished behind Ethiopia in group play in World Cup qualifying, last time I checked being out muscled by one of the minnows of your qualifying zone was not progress. Egypt- Bob Bradley's Egypt absolutely put on the blinders when it came to qualification for the 2014 World Cup. It's been well publicized over the past few years the north African nation has had it's fair share of political turmoil and way of life for the citizenry has been tough but the "Pharaohs," really pushed hard to make it to the summer tournament in South America. Despite forwards Mohamed Aboutriaka and Mohamed Salah finishing as the region's joint top scorers in World Cup qualifiers the might of Ghana was too much for Egypt and the sub-Saharans waltzed by them. Morocco- Adel Taarabt, Mauroane Chamakh, Younes Belhanda, Mounir El Hamdaoui, Omar El Kaddouri…If you let me I could name all their first team regulars and have a pop and their U-21s as well. All that talent could not get them past the magnificent Ivory Coast in group play. It's a shame they could have been nice to watch in Brazil. Burkina Faso- Every year or two an African team seems to just appear out of the blue and really start to wow people. One of my wows has been Burkina Faso. Losing finalist in the 2013 African Cup of Nations, Burkina Faso was gaining real momentum at the tail end of 2012. That wave of good energy took them deep into World Cup qualification in Africa but I don't know if it was inexperience or Algeria's toughness that halted their march to Brazil. Tunisia- Traditionally a leader in African football, Tunisia set about their qualifying campaign in fantastic fashion. The Tunisians topped Group B breezing pass the likes of Sierra Leone and Cape Verde. It all went wrong when they met Cameroon. Long story short Cameroon are in the World Cup and the Tunisians have to contend with watching the tournament back home in Tunis. Senegal- I actually do feel for Senegal. After going through a lull the Senegalese look to be back amongst the big boys in African football. Top heavy upfront with the likes of Demba Ba and Papiss Demba Cisse, Senegal looked very dangerous. That being said so did Cote d'Ivoire. The Ivorians snuffed out the Senegalese Brazilian dream. North Korea- North Korea actually has a pretty decent record when it comes to World Cup qualification. They were in South Africa in 2010 and they have been to prior tournaments. As a country the secretive DPR Korea tend to keep everything under wraps. What wasn't a mystery was how badly they were outclassed by Japan and Uzbekistan in the first stages of Asian qualifying. It always surprises me how well North Korea do but maybe now they are now dropping where I think they should be. Which is a difficult side to play but not hard to beat. Saudi Arabia- What is plaguing Saudia Arabia is the fact that their players are very homogeneous. If your were to look through the Saudis national team in recent years you would see that her players never play outside of the Gulf. It's okay to have homogeneous players but you have to make sure there is a strong domestic league for them to flourish. Despite having a cash laden league the Saudis are not producing the players they once were thus no World Cup place. Uzbekistan- I am very impressed by the Uzbeks. This is a country that just plugs along. May it be regional competition or World Cup births Uzbekistan is always battle ready. My kind words however can not mask the truth. Uzbekistan does not have the quality of Japan, South Korea, Iran and now Australia has come to the party the Uzbeks have been moved down the pecking order. The only thing they can do is look to play the role as spoiler moving ahead. Losing out to Jordan in a World Cup to face Uruguay just shows how far behind they really are. Panama- My grandmother is from Panama so I have a huge soft spot for Central Americans and I was really pulling for them to make it out CONCACAF. As with most things I don't ever get what I want so now I am left here to complain. "The Canal Men," loss out to due to sloppiness. Beating the USA in Panama City in the final game of qualifying, they concede two goals allowing an avenue for an awful Mexico to slip through. The Mexicans faced New Zealand for a spot in Brazil and we all know how that went. I had Panama to beat New Zealand too. Jamaica- The strongest of the West Indian sides, Jamaica really struggled in CONCACAF's Hexagonal. Couldn't score goals or keep them out. My problem is the players Jamaica used. Jamaica really needed to settle on a set strike force in qualifying and generally needed to move the ball better. There was Premier League, MLS and European based players in that side. I don't understand why they really had such a difficult time. Could have easily been in the mix at the end of qualifying. Gabon- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is one of the best players on the planet right now. I believe in him, so much I thought he could have dragged a lowly Gabon across the line and get them to the World Cup. Granted the Gabonese have never really been good at the sport but their massive improvement in recent times really had them posturing to come out of African qualifying. Venezuela- Venezuela as far as I can remember was the team in CONMEBOL that everyone use to beat up on. Teams literally walked into Caracas and said thank you for the three points. Some how Venezuela has become much more sturdier and their FIFA ranking in the top 50 currently suggests that a lot of work was put in. As I said before to qualify out of South America is difficult and Venezuela to date have never made it to a World Cup themselves but I feel the strides they have made and cleaning up their reputation from being the whipping boys of the continent really had them on course for a World Cup birth. Qatar- You know when FIFA picks nations to host World Cups one of their prerequisites should be that the country doesn't suck at the game. Qatar are awful at football. Plain and simple. I don't know how good they will be in 2022 when the World Cup goes there but let's hope they find some talent. Qatar could not even secure a playoff birth so they could have potentially face Uruguay. I heard the Qatari league has a ton of money. They should start investing heavily into their national team set up asap. There you go that is half of teams I think had a case to be in Brazil in 2014. If you notice no European sides were mentioned. That's for the next installment. Some really good teams didn't qualify out of Europe anyone of the teams on my list could have easily been in the running in Brazil.
Regrets is something I don’t do I’m the type that let things play out. The denouement of my life will
.png)
