Probably my least favorite group at this Copa América Centenarío and for good reason. The competitiveness in this Group B will be a little off. At the top you have Brazil who is absolute world class and on the other end of the spectrum we have the lowly but spirited Haitians. These two nations are flanked by the other two competitors in the group, the South American duo of Ecuador and Peru. So here we have Brazil,Ecuador, Haiti and Peru and you can see where my frustration comes from. I want to see Brazil playing in difficult games. I want to see Haiti be competitive and be able to do well and this group won't really allow that. As for Ecuador and Peru I would rather not see them play if I am being honest. I don't hate them but seeing middle of the road CONMEBOL teams isn't going to stop me watching new episodes of the PowerPuff Girls on Cartoon Network. I feel I'm going to be robbed of at least three competitive fixtures when Brazil squares up against rest in the group. I'm betting that Brazil's games in this group phase are going tough viewing and I don't envy Haiti, Peru or Ecuador. I've said all I said say on this and now it's time for the review. Group B Brazil Ecuador Haiti Peru Brazil
Stacked, powerful, privileged and more importantly pissed off. Brazil come to this thing as favorite along with the likes of Argentina, Uruguay and Colombia and to a lesser extent Mexico and the United States. Like Jürgen Klinnsman of the United States, Dunga has to be on his last legs as well. Brazil isn't in a transition like the United States they are expected win things every time and with Dunga at the helm they haven't looked very victorious in past tournaments. I'm actually surprised the Brazilian FA haven't axed him after the shortcomings of the "Selecão," at the World Cup at home and last year's Copa America in Chile. When Brazil don't bring home titles it's a problem! This review will be super short because even if you aren't a soccer fan you know about the mystique of Brazilian football. The last time they lifted a major trophy was back in 2013 and that was a Confederations Cup the precursor to the World Cup they hosted. In now his second term with Brazil Dunga has brought with him the best he could. The two notable omissions being Neymar and Kaká. The latter a recent pull out, the other due to agreements between club and country. No reason to fear though Brazil will still have plenty of razzle dazzle left on the pitch as the likes of Ganso, Philippe Coutinho, Hulk and Lucas Lima are all in the ready. This is a great opportunity for Brazil to flex on everyone else. They will definitely accomplish that in this group and I want to see 7-0 score lines from Brazil. Hopefully the savagery of Brazil will return because the world deserves an overpowering Brazil. Key Man- Strange to say that a defender is Brazil's leading man but that is the case. Dani Alves is a winner. Flat out and I don't have to go any further. I hope he lifts the trophy comes the tournament's end. Ecuador
Going to try to be nice here when it comes to Gustavo Quinteros' men and give them a fair and just evaluation despite what I said about them in the past and most recently at the top of this page. Ecuador come into this tourney looking to leave a mark and capitalize on yet another prized tournament. To Ecuador's credit they have been making it to the big dance (World Cup) pretty often since the start of the decade. Last World Cup in Brazil they gave a good account of themselves even though they didn't get out of the group stages. Going against France and Switzerland was always going to tough ask but they did manage to be competitive which is always a nifty pick-me-up. Copa America in Chile in 2015 saw Ecuador lumped together with host Chile, Bolivia and Mexico in Group A. A scenario that saw them flounder resulting in a third place finish behind the host and surprise package Bolivia. Given Ecuador's fortunes in recent tournaments it doesn't really stir up too much confidence but they have to dream. However a plus for them is the return of easily their best player Antonio Valencia. The Manchester United winger wasn't available in Chile after undergoing surgery last off season but he is healthy now. Valencia didn't feature a lot for his club side this past term so that could be a concern. If he gets back to his best Quinteros and Ecuador could receive a shot in the arm. Key Man- As I just mentioned Antonio Valencia is the guy here. The bouncy winger will look to use his old school wing play to teach lessons and peg back the opposition's fullbacks. Haiti
When the fixture list came out for the Copa I looked at where the advantages lied for some teams. Obviously the United States hosting the event will be welcomed at every turn, that's a given. Mexico has huge support in America and their fans will no doubt turn out especially in the South Western states like California, Arizona and Texas. Having massive crowds accompany your team is a huge morale boost and a team could play better. It's simple human logic. If you are loved and supported you will be more relaxed! Haiti I think have a pretty good gig in at least two of their three group matches. Their first encounter is against Peru in Seattle, Washington in the North West of the country. I don't expect to find any Haitians except the players themselves up there so that's a write off but after that it gets interesting. Haiti's second game is against Ecuador in New Jersey's Red Bull Arena. Their is a sizable Haitian population in the New York/New Jersey Metro area and they could come out in numbers. Something that could only raise their spirits. The icing on the cake is when Haiti plays Brazil in Florida. More than likely Brazil will absolutely smack them but playing so close to home has to be such a mental high for them. Such is the Haitian populous in Florida that there is a Haitian enclave called Little Haiti in the state. I don't expect much from Haiti not just yet at least so highlighting their potential advantages albeit massive crowd support can only add to their feel good story. On the footballing aspect of things I honestly do think they are the quickest team man for man in the tournament. I saw them in last year's CONCACAF Gold Cup and they showed real dynamism moving forward and a genuine willingness in the tackle. If only they could learn how to shoot but they did have nice ball retention something I was not expecting. Haiti is led by Frenchman Patrice Neveu a man who has a reputation of taking on embattled football nations and making something out of them...just look at the jobs he has had over the past few years. He took charge of Guinea , DR Congo and now he has Haiti is in his possession. Neveu has called upon players like veterans Jean Sony Alcénat and Kim Jaggy who hold blocks of experience. I could only hope Haiti spring a quick surprise on Ecuador and Peru and see what they can bring to Brazil in Florida. Key Man- Johnny Placide is a showman of a goalkeeper and "Les Grenadiers," need him to put on a show because he will be called on a lot especially against Brazil. If he doesn't get frustrated Haiti could find their footing in this group stage. Peru
Peru has had a great Copa America last year in Chile. Coming third overall overcoming Paraguay in the 3rd place game. They had great individual performances none more so than frontman Paolo Guerrero when he notched four goals in the competition. Peru were in one of the most entertaining games of that tournament when they squared up against Chile in the semis where they were defeated 2-1. This is success is new found, seeing that they haven't qualified for a World Cup since Spain 82'. The last time they snatched up the Copa was in 1939 when they hosted the darn thing. So we have a country in Peru that is looking to build on the small success they stumbled upon. South American qualifying for the World Cup and the Copa America can be daunting on the likes of Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. So anything this trio can get they'll take because we know Colombia, Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay will take the cake most of the time. Peru's chances in the United States this summer are slim. Their coach Ricardo Gareca brought a Peru side that is very homogeneous with most of his squad playing their careers in Peru. Which isn't a bad thing because you could have a harmony and style of play conducive to a league and could translate better to a national team but we have to ask ourselves how strong is the Peruvian league really? Also are Peru's better players not good enough to travel abroad and play? We'll have to wait and see what "Los Incas," conjure up and if they are on an upward tilt. Key Man- He is getting up there in age now but Paolo Guerrero is still serviceable and I hope he carries on his good form in international play. If he starts to percolate Peru can be dangerous. Predictions- There is a gap here clearly and Brazil is the elephant in the room. Brazil 1st, Peru 2nd, Ecuador 3rd, Haiti 4th. First place for me isn't shock nor should it be for anyone. I was up and down for who advances with Brazil and I think Peru will pip Ecuador just because of Paolo Guerrero's presence...I had to give it from the men from Lima. I am a blog so I can afford to be bias and be a little emotional and as much as I appreciate Haiti's efforts in all regards I can't see them winning a game. I would be rather shocked if they get a win and it would make me a smile a lot too.
If this Copa America 2015 preview seems rushed to you I apologize...because it is. In fact when it comes to a preview of the last group at a major competition I usually just want to get it out of the way. I did it last World Cup in Brazil with Group H. At the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Group H felt the brunt of my laziness and rashness editorial flaws as well. So what now of this Group C of the Copa America? Normally I would have some complicated retort to my own ridiculous question but I’m so fatigued I just want to get the each country’s preview and be done with it. It’s a bad attitude to have but I like to keep it honest with you guys something a lot of columnist won’t do. Of course I will keep what integrity I have when it comes to the actual content but just like an athlete wear and tear does effect performances and your boy is feeling it. On top of that the fact that I have to preview Peru and Venezuela is not something that get my juices flowing. I can only talk about Jefferson Farfan and Claudio Pizzaro for so long without losing a part of my soul. I will do my research as usual but I’m not going to like it. Again a sucky attitude to have especially if you are me, a person who swears they want to do this as a profession for the rest of their life. It's potentially a bad PR move on my part by being so lax but let’s hope that future employers of mine in the sports media world don’t come across this particular article. If they do hopefully they don’t read this intro and are amused by the pretty bright colors of the website. All I have to say is thank goodness Brazil and Colombia are up first in this preview. Group C Brazil Colombia Peru Venezuela Brazil
This is a big tournament for Brazil. We all know they hosted the last FIFA World Cup and we all know how they preformed even the novices. A 7-1 semi final exit to the eventual tournament winners Germany was embarrassing and unacceptable on every level and that display will forever tarnish the Seleção. Dunga the coach of Brazil will be looking for absolute redemption and is expected to come good at this regional competition. This is a serious matter and a business like tone should accompany the Brazilians all throughout this championship. They should come out ready to treat Peru and Venezuela like step children and punch Colombia square in the mouth to assert it’s position as alpha male straight away. Brazil need to get over what malaise they are under and be ruthless if not she will not capture that 9th Copa America crown. I’m not Brazilian and even I feel an overwhelming sense of retribution casted over this Brazilian squad. Every notable voice on the Brazilian football scene feels the same way. It’s like an unfinished project that needs to know completion. I’ve heard former players like Taffarel, Rivellino and Bebeto speak of the need to restore Brazil’s honor. That crushing exit in the World Cup has left Brazil scarred and frankly bruised her ego and now the whole vibe about them seems just vengeful. One of my favorite books of all time is “The Count of Monte Cristo,” by Alexandre Dumas. The main character was a dude called Edmond Dantes a lucky go happy man who wanted nothing out of life but had everything taken away from him through wrongful persecution to one day return to the peak of his powers. I see a lot of comparisons between Brazil right now and Mr. Dantes. There is sense of theft and Brazil will look to right it. Dunga has called on players like Philippe Coutinho and Neymar to perform sorcery and return Brazil the head turners they once were. If those two can brew up some magical moments I know for sure only Messi and cohorts can debunk their road to glory. Key Man- Neymar has gone from a showman to the shaman Brazil needs to cure them of their ills. I doubted Neymar’s maturity at some point but he has grown into a pretty decent leader and figurehead. The guy is talent probably the second best talent at the competition behind Lionel Messi but one thing is for sure he won’t want to be finishing second. Colombia
Forget Radamel Falcao and James Rodriguez they both can take a backseat to my main man Carlos Bacca. This guy has absolutely starred for Sevilla this past season. His 20 goals in La Liga helped his club to a 5th place finish. One point off a Champions League birth but that didn’t even matter because his seven goals in the Europa League allowed his side to win the tournament thus cemented their place in Champions League for next season. So I’ve got him pegged to have an excellent tournament and I think coach José Pékerman would be a crazy man not to start him despite having the likes of Victor Ibarbo, Teo Gutiérrez, Jackson Martinez and the already mentioned Falcao to chose from. The truth is Colombia is incredibly top heavy, all of those names I just mentioned plus Juan Cuadrado and James Rodriguez makes “Los Cafeteros,” saturated with buzzing goal scorers. The defense and midfield are nothing to get excited about. Cristian Zapata and James holding rank in both departments while between the sticks David Ospina should be solid for them. Pékerman is a great coach, him and Óscar Tábarez of Uruguay are real mentalists and the prior will look to deliver his side a second Copa America title. A task that I don’t think he can do. I just look at Colombia’s defense and I get critical. Sure the Colombia can gun down the opposition with their goal scoring ability but if they want to play the “Goal Blitz Game,” I know three sides that play that game even better...Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay and they don’t lose at it! If Colombia is going to win this competition Pékerman will have to find the right mix of defense and attacking flair but that’s pretty cliche and every coach will be looking to find that combo. What he really needs to do is get men like Bacca and James to play like extraterrestrials only then could they take home the silverware. Key Man- I would say Carlos Bacca should be the key man here but I don’t even know if José Pékerman will actually play from the start. So my nod will go to James Rodriguez a legitimate star. I think the world has figured out the young Colombian’s game by now. It isn’t like the last World Cup where he was relatively unknown to those outside the major leagues of Europe. I love his game, a hybrid midfield man with pace. He should do well this summer. Peru
What is alarming about coach Ricardo Gareca’s squad is the lack of defenders...I only count six! I know I said I was tired and was feeling sluggish but I don’t know if it’s injuries or if Gareca think he can get away with just six ball stoppers or if this is a typo. Surely there must be a problem or maybe he feels that the Andean country is depleted of defenders but anyway we carry forth and I won’t dwell on it any further. Gareca will have a task ahead of him because Peru has not been percolating now for a very long time now. In fact their last World Cup appearance was in 1982 six years before I was born. What I won’t do is paint Peru with all doom and gloom and one point that Peruvians can rally around is the fact they did win the Copa America twice. These wonder marks in this nation’s history came way back in 1939 and more recently in 1975. So they have some pedigree at the tournament and not to mention they finished 3rd in the 2011 Copa but I don’t think they will have what it takes to even bother the opposition this time around. One problem I have highlighted for Gareca is the fact that Peru's stars are aging. Striker Claudio Pizarro is currently 36, Juan Manuel Vargas a talented left sided player is 31 so is forward Paolo Guerrero and Jefferson Farfan their best player is 30. Going into a tournament like this one’s age is not a problem because in reality the most games you can play is like seven but having players long in the tooth doesn’t help your chances to do well either. I predict a quick and swift lesson for Peru and Gareca. Key Man- Jefferson Farfan is the liveliest of the aging lions and still plays with tremendous energy and the Peruvians will need his quick tempo to rouse them against Brazil and Colombia and to get pass Venezuela. Venezuela
Here is a side that I have huge respect for. Venezuela and Bolivia have been seen for a very long time as a running bad joke. Bolivia are still the brunt of a bad joke but Venezuela has really raised their game. They haven’t turned into Portugal overnight but they certainly aren’t as meek as before. “Los Vinotinto,” will look to build on their best ever Copa America finish of 4th in 2011. Where they loss on penalties to losing finalist Paraguay. Then went on to lose to ironically Peru in 3rd place game. New man at the helm of the national team is Noel Sanvincente and he will need to keep the good vibes high for the men from Caracas. It will be hard because Brazil and Colombia are not meant for the moving and Peru do fancy themselves against the Venezuelans. What Sanvincente has to work with is good but not great. Veteran Juan Arango is a serious threat over a dead ball but at age 35 one has to wonder if he can really be heavily relied on? Fernando Amorbieta and Oswaldo Vizcarrondo are both rough and tumble defenders but they are not the most mobile. While midfield man Tomás Rincón is like a Duracell battery but a puller of strings he is not so don’t look for him to be very influential. Venezuela's super hero comes in the form of now Zenit St. Petersburg striker Salomón Rondón. He has impressive stats over there in Russia. In the 36 appearances to date he has 20 goals. I’m not good at goal per game averages but to me that seems like pretty a tidy ratio. To add more to his fame, while playing for his homeland he has netted 12 goals in 38 appearances so far which isn’t bad. If Venezuela are even thinking of getting a point he will have a lot to with it. Key Man- I will go for Oswaldo Vizcarrondo. Not only do I think his surname is kind of cool but given who the Venezuelans are playing in Group C they will need an Atlas like figure at the back to hold things together. Vizcarrondo and his equally sturdy partner Fernando Amorbieta will need to play perfect games. Predictions- Brazil 1st, Colombia 2nd, Venezuela 3rd, Peru 4th. Brazil has a point to prove. Colombia has more fire power than the old Soviet Union. Venezuela are willing but are four players too short to make a real impact. While Peru will look to give their fading stars their last hooray.
I am not going to make this about me. There will be no story to tell. It is all business. The World Cup is here and I’m very excited about it. It is a special tournament and deserves a lot of media and fan fare. The fact that it is four years makes it even more intriguing. Ask yourself where were you four years? What were you doing? What was your frame of mind? I can tell you where I was. I was in college. I was preparing my thesis for my final year of school and I was tad bit negative about stuff. This World Cup has returned to South America and I do think Brazil was a fine choice despite of the country's socio-economic problems. Despite the protests and all of the clamor about the climate and the murmurs about stadium completion. Brazil is still a proper football nation with the right attitude for the game and no one deserves this opportunity more. The problems that the country face is a major concern and it is not right to just sweeping them under the rug because they need to be discuss but I don’t think I am the one to tackle them. So I will deal with what I know or pretend to know and that is the football. So here is my semi educated attempt of a group preview. Group A Brazil Cameroon Croatia Mexico Brazil
Naturally let us start with the host. Unlike the last World Cup this year’s host can actually play the sport. I’m trying to be ask courteous to South Africa as I can but they aren’t and weren’t very good and in my opinion didn’t deserve the honor and if they didn’t host the tournament would not have being vying for trophy in 2010. In contrast Brazil are the model host. A past winner. A country with the pedigree in the game. A regular World Cup attendee and a land that belches out one football great after another. Brazil is aiming to capture her sixth World Cup crown a stat that is crazy if one was to think about it. The objective is clear for the “Seleção,” win the World Cup at home. The pressure to do so will be enormous but coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has the credentials to do it having won the tournament before but that was in 2002 in France. To lift the cup at end will be difficult, I just can get pass the pressure this group of young men from Brazil will face. The country may actually suffocate them but that being said it could go the other way, the energy from nation could embolden them. It will be interesting for Brazil and for their coach who has to get a side sharp that has not played a competitive match since the Confederations Cup in 2013. Granted Brazil did host and won the tournament but playing a handful of games in a tourney that boasted Tahiti does not compare to the grind of a World Cup qualifying campaign. We will see how they do. A lot of factors will be at play. As for the personnel I think host look strong throughout their squad. They have some solid goalkeepers and the defense is very strong, which is even weird to say when talking about a Brazilian national side but Thiago Silva and company have proven in recent times to be very rigid. In midfield, Oscar is the name that leaps out at you as well as young Bernard. Up front it’s all about Neymar. With all of that, will Brazil win the tournament? They could but they aren’t my favorite despite that I do think they will go deep. Key Man- If Brazil are to win their sixth World Cup crown Neymar will have to play a big role. The party tricks he breaks out will have to be flawless and his ability to score will be needed to sling Brazil into winning positions. Cameroon Volker Finke’s men virtually strolled through the process of World Cup qualification. Cameroon secured her seventh trip to the FIFA World Cup by firstly topping Group I in the Africa’s qualifying zone (CAF). A group that contained Libya, Democratic Republic of Congo and Togo. After the group stage Cameroon went onto hammer North African heavyweights Tunisia 4-1 in a two leg play off thus booking their passage to Brazil. Cameroon along with Côte d’ Ivoire are the only two African teams that should actually be feared in my opinion. The men from Yaoundé will for me ultimately battling out with Croatia for that second spot in Group A as I expect Brazil to dominate and Mexico to flag. Cameroon’s squad is littered with European based players. The likes of Samuel Eto’o, Alexander Song, Benoît Assou-Ekotto, Joël Matip and Jean Makoun have all been knocking about Europe for years and have some big game experience and will be called on to perform. If they can’t produce I see a third place finish because the Croats are too business like to slip up. What could work in the Africans favor is the climate...I know people are talking about how hot it will be in Brazil and every pundit has spoken at length about it. As they should. Cameroon does have an advantage playing in these conditions it's nothing new to them but it isn’t new for Brazil or Mexico either. The odd man out is Croatia but I even ask how much advantage is it in a case like this. It’s not like Croatia is a winter land, the Balkans can get steamy too. Cameroon as a country has a ton of World Cup experience and has a well travelled squad so you never how far they can go but I have to say I can only see a lone Mexico win in their future. Key Man- There has been a lot of talk about Samuel Eto’o’s age but to me he is still a stud. It’s funny how Jose Mourinho never once mentioned Didier Drogba’s age. A man who is a clear three years older than Eto’o. Cameroon will peg almost all their attacking endeavors on Eto’o. If they are looking to advance out of the group the Cameroon will have to find him early and often. Croatia
Under the umbrella of Yugoslavia, Croatia has seen a few World Cups and as apart of the old federation they have seen wonderful times. As a lone entity the Croats will be making their fourth trip to the World Cup but their qualification took the long route. Croatia was placed in Group A of European qualification along with Belgium, Serbia, Scotland, Wales and Macedonia. The Balkan state finished second behind group winners Belgium and was forced into a two legged play off with Iceland. A match up that the Croatians eventually topped by coming out 2-0 winners. My thoughts on Croatia are leaning to the optimistic side and why not? In their ranks Croatia have a recent UEFA Champions League and Copa Del Rey winner in Luka Modric. A multiple Bundesliga champion in Mario Mandzukic. They also have Ivan Rakitic´ a player who just wrapped up a Europa League title with Sevilla and Dejan Lovren who is coming of a fine season with Southampton. In short the Europeans are stacked. I think they will have what it takes to slot in behind Brazil for the second spot above Cameroon and Mexico. This is a nation who has always done well at FIFA tournaments I feel that this one will be kind to them as well. Key Man- Mario Mandzukic’s goals will be vital for the Croatians. I don’t think that this group in the World Cup boast the most defensive savvy teams and there will be goals to be had. It’s just matter how much more Mandzukic can score than the rest of the bunch. Mexico
I have seen a lot of Mexico these past four years and let me say they should prepare themselves for a short stay in Brazil because they just don’t look very good. The constant hiring and firing of coaches. Poor Gold Cup and Confederation Cup showings and the shaky World Cup qualifying campaign has Mexico looking fairly soft. This World Cup will be the 15th for “El Tri.” The man chosen to lead the Mexicans is Miguel Herrera and to his credit has steered the national side through a bad patch. The fact that Mexico needed the United States to pick up a victory against Panama in the CONCACAF Hexagonal to ensure a playoff birth against New Zealand shows what bad a shape they were in. All said in the end New Zealand were beaten so all the stress of qualifying must now be a bad memory for Mexico. I honestly don’t think Mexico’s players will have what it takes to topple Cameroon, Brazil or Croatia. Main players for Mexico are either in or out of form like Giovani Dos Santos or have not been playing enough like Javier Hernandez. A big blow to the side has the self omission of Carlos Vela. Which is a real shame because the striker has had a stellar year for Real Sociedad. If Mexico are to get out of this group which I doubt they will, coach Herrera has to heavily depend on home based players like Oribe Peralta, Miguel Layun, Rafael Marquez and Marco Fabian. Key Man- Giovani Dos Santos has to produce the silky skills and look to link up with other members of Mexico’s attacking force. Blessed with amazing vision and is a true playmaker. Mexico will need all of his wizardry to advance out of this group. Predictions- Brazil to win the group with the Croatia hanging on to second, with Cameroon slotting into third with Mexico propping up the table. I hope I’m right simply because I hate being wrong. Brazil’s World Cup pressure will come in later rounds, this group will cause no problem to them. Croatia’s big game players will have enough to teach Cameroon and Mexico a lesson. Cameroon will be very dependent on Samuel Eto’o’s goals. if he can not find the net the Africans will look lost. As for Mexico I just feel the lead up to the games wasn’t the best and the bad habits will spill over into this tournament for them. Brazil
Count yourself lucky! Not just because I am here with some more soccer knowledge or the fact I've brought back one of my older series. Both very good reasons of course, rather celebrate the fact that I just remembered the password to get into the website. I literally spent an hour trying to figure out what the safe word was. Am I a little ashamed? Yes it's been too long since I've jotted down my thoughts onto the blog but in my defense I have had a lot of ideas floating around in my head. Which is a good thing but sometimes going back to old thoughts can help you come up with something spectacular and that's what I am aiming for here. One of my first series on the blog was entitled “Sleeping Dragons." I was just trying the whole cheesy reptile theme hence the name. Titles aside, I knew I wanted a series that would highlight players who had considerable talent but for whatever reason wouldn't exhibit it, an underachiever almost. You know, the type of player that you look at and say he is way better than this. For months, years even I have wanted to return to this segment but distractions, laziness and to my shame my own wandering mind would not allow me to do so. Now that I am in the mood I have to take a crack at it...I bring to you the latest installment of "Sleeping Dragons." Name: Éver Maximiliano David Banega D/O/B: 05/29/1988 Place of Birth: Rosario, Argentina Position: Central Midfielder Height: 5'9ft National Team: Argentina National Team Debut: Argentina vs Guatemala (Feb.6 2008) Club Team(s): Boca Juniors 2007-2008, Valencia C.F 2008-present*, Atletico Madrid 2008-09 (loan), Newell's Old Boys 2014* As I like to do is lay some facts down before I get to the opinions so let me get that out of the way. Éver Banega was born in the Santa Fe province's largest city, Rosario on June 29th 1988. His football odyssey began at little known Nuevo Horizonte before joining the ranks at Alianza Sport. Both destinations purely stepping stones for what was to come. The earliest mention of Banega I could dig up, came in 2006 when he was recruited by famed club Boca Juniors. There he impressed in the youth set up waltzing through the junior squads and by age 18 he found himself in the senior team. After a successful campaign in the 2006-07 season with the Argentine side Banega earned a €20 million move to Spanish side Valencia in 2008. Looking to blood their new acquisition Valencia decided to farm out the Argentinian to fellow La Liga outfit Atlético Madrid that same year. While in the Spanish capital Banega hit the pitch 24 times for red and white half of Madrid with real gusto. Banega’s time at Atletico was great, thus validating Valencia’s purchase. The following season the midfielder returned to Valencia where he was until very recently been a linchpin. Banega has appeared to date over 100 times for club, he has scored a few goals, was the side’s captain and was instrumental in getting the club into the UEFA Champions League. Feats that many players wished they had achieved but misfortune has also plagued the playmaker. February 2012 saw Banega sidelined due to a freak injury where his own car damage his ankle, tibia, fibula and knee. This episode took a toll on Banega and his recovery was lengthy. Fast forward to January of 2014 we see him playing back in Argentina for Newell’s Old Boys,Valencia decided to loan out player until the end of the season and all reports such that he is performing well. From an early age Argentina knew what a talent Banega was. He was apart of the U-20 and U-23s Argentine sides in the past. The transition from youth team to the full national side was relatively easy for him. The midfield man made his international debut on February 6th 2008 in a friendly against CONCACAF light weights Guatemala. When available and fit Banega has been apart of the national team set up and as I write according to reports, he has been named to provisional 30-man Argentine squad for the World Cup in Brazil in 2014, so he has one foot in the door. It remains to be seen if he will make the final cut but being named to the 30 is a real feat considering the amount of talent available to coach Alejandro Sabella and the player’s troubles. In my mind there is no doubt that over Banega is a super talent and there will be some significant success in his career as he continues to chug along but I can’t just wonder if loan moves to like the one he is on at Argentina serves him any good. I use to be an European football snob before my eyes were open to Major League Soccer and to the Latin American football leagues and if you had to pick a league outside Europe to follow the Argentine Primera Division will not disappoint. It’s wonderful. River Plate, Boca Juniors, Velez Sarsfield and Banega’s Newell’s Old Boys are dreams but they don’t play in Europe’s elite competitions. I don’t have to stand long on the topic because it’s a fact. Europe has the best leagues in the world with the best players and Éver Banega at this very moment is not playing there. I don’t know why he was loaned out, it could be personal. It could be for footballing reasons as I said I don’t know I could dig deeper but what would be the point...he is there now and that is that. I personally think the move is a step back and I hope the loan move isn’t permanent. As I scribble down these thoughts down he is nearing the wrong side to his 20’s and physically not to be cliche but it will only go down hill from here. Banega has been unlucky with injuries and the few he as had would set anybody back. As a player he is solid, a good defender, a great passer and finishes well in front of goal. I just hope that he will have a long career in Europe and not decide like another Argentine player maker, Juan Roman Riquelme to stay home at play. I think this is the kindest “Sleeping Dragons,” article I have ever wrote. A lot less harsh than the ones about Miguel Veloso and Ricardo Quaresma. Maybe because I am getting older or I am becoming a more balance writer. Let’s hope for the latter. Éver Banega is a fine player who just needs a bit of luck and a prolonged period of good health. That last statement alone just proves that I am getting older I’m starting to sound like my uncle.
Welcome back if your following the rabbit hole and if your new here a strong salute from me to you. Let me just get down to business. This article is the follow up to the piece I did on some good or promising nations that did not make it to the big bonfire that is Brazil in 2014. So far I have labelled the likes of Senegal, New Zealand and Paraguay as "nearly men." Each one of them could have been at World Cup this year but fell short for one reason of another. Those are just three examples I blacklisted out of whole bunch of nations just check it out. I think it's a good read but that's me just being bias but right now my duty is to round of this list. I have purposely left off European nations in the prior installment. Why? Well let's face it UEFA, the European qualifying zone is extremely difficult and the calibre of teams dotting the landscape of the continent is unrivaled. In short, Europe when it comes to this sport is a very special place. If one were to put a solid European team like Republic of Ireland and drop her into to CONCACAF, the North American and Caribbean qualifying zone there would be little doubt in my mind that the Irish would qualify easily. Unfortunately for the Irish this isn't Minecraft. We just can't change her geography so she will have to continue to slug it out in UEFA. Anyway I have ran out of things to say so let's hit up that list. Czech Republic- An ever present at both of the Euros and World Cup, the Czech Republic will not be checking into to Rio in the summer of 2014. Bad joke a side the Czechs when it is all said and done will be cursing themselves over the luck of draw or simply not having another gear to switch into. Placed in UEFA's Group B with an all conquering Italy and a strong Denmark one could make the argument that they were in for a tough task but when the rest of the table contains Bulgaria, Malta and Armenia you would have to think the Czechs had a chance to sneak in for a playoff birth. When the dust settled Italy finished clear winners everyone predicted that so it was left for the Danes and the Czechs to slug it out for second spot a fight that the Danes narrowly won. Denmark- If you read the above paragraph you would know the Danes finished above the Czechs in Group B of UEFA qualifying to position themselves for a playoff birth. I also mentioned that they finished behind Italy for automatic qualification. If your just skimming through and weren't paying attention that's ok because I forgot to mention in the above stanza that Denmark although in a playoff position didn't actually make the playoffs. In European World Cup qualifying the best eight second place finishers in group play go into a two leg playoff, the winner of each tie goes to the World Cup. Of the nine groups Denmark's was the one to miss out. Denmark only tallied 16 points the lowest points accrued by a second placed team. That being said I think the Danes are too good to be watching from at home this World Cup. The verdict on them this time around is a combination of bad luck and chances not capitalized on. Sweden- Yet another team who frequent world tournaments that won't be Brazil, Sweden like her Nordic neighbor Denmark finished second best in group play. Unlike the Danes the Swedes did get their playoff games but they faced Portugal. After a narrow 1-0 defeat in Lisbon in the first leg the Swedes were over powered by Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal and slumped to a 3-2 defeat in Stockholm. Casted into Group C, Sweden did well to even get out of the group. Germany bossed the table that was a given but pushes from a surging Austria and stubborn Republic Irelandreally made it hard for Sweden. Kazakhstan may not be a marquee name but no ones ever likes going to central Europe and hang the Faroe Islands in the group, who despite being amateurs really play aggressive offer an unique challenge. My issue is that Sweden pretty much has the best forward in the game at that moment. Zlatan Ibrahimovich simply is a monster. He is unstoppable and he powered them to second in the group but why couldn't take it a step further and peg Germany back so they could qualify automatically? Especially in his current form. One can say that the Germans are too complete of an unit to do so and I would agree but the Portuguese are not. Cristiano Ronaldo aside Portugal can be had and I feel the Swedes and Ibrahimovich missed out. Norway- Continuing what seems to be a state of funk for the Scandinavian region, Norway too has not made it to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Finishing fourth in to me an easy Group E is unacceptable. Norway has been on the slide for a while now. In a group that had Iceland, Switzerland, Cyprus, Albania and Slovenia, Norway floundered. Many pundits looking at the group would have to favor Norway's chances of automatic qualification or at least a playoff birth. The Norwegians did not even come close. The Swiss wrapped the group easily with the Icelanders in tow. Norway has a second tier European league. The Norwegian Tippeligaen is not a Sunday league. The likes of Molde, Brann, Viking, Valerenga and Rosenborg are very respectable European teams and produce some quality players and if we are talking quality Norway's squad certainly has that. Brede Hangeland, Per Skjellbred, Morten Gamst Pedersen and Havard Nordtveit are only a few I even bothered to mention because the country is stacked. Better play is needed in the future if the men from Oslo are to contest upcoming FIFA tournaments. Iceland- I 'm going to make this short because I already did an article on Iceland a little while ago. I'm a huge fan of Iceland's football and I think their accomplishment of making it to a playoff spot this time around in World Cup qualification was amazing. In Group E Iceland finished behind Group winners Switzerland but held of the likes of Norway, Slovenia, Cyprus and Albania. Not the strongest opposition but tough enough. The Icelanders in playoff action fell to a savvy Croatia over the two legs 2-0 on aggregate. As I said in a previous illustration Iceland have some wonderful pieces right now but can they keep producing players like Glyfi Sigurdsson and Alfred Finnbogason? I don't know we will find out in time. Serbia- I definitely could have seen the Serbs in Brazil but for whatever reason they aren't there. The tale of the tape reads like this. Placed in Group A with Belgium, Wales, Scotland, Croatia and Macedonia. Played ten, won four, drew two and loss four, scoring 18 and conceding 11. A record that ultimately landed them outside automatic promotion and playoff contention, Belgium and Croatia filling those holes. What went wrong? Well for one that is a difficult group. Group A might not have a Spain or Netherlands but their was danger at every turn for the Serbs. A resurrected Belgium, Gareth Bale and Wales, a tough tackling Scotland and Balkan derbies against both Croatia and Macedonia is what Serbia had to deal with. Another problem is the defense which is extremely surprising. On any day Serbia can roll out Aleksandr Kolarov, Branislav Ivanovic, Matija Nastasic, Nemanja Vidic, Neven Subotic and Slobodan Rajkovic so I don't know how these guys basically conceded a goal a game through qualifying. To show up my point even more the Belgians scored just as much goals as the Serbs, 18 but only allowed four goals and that is where the difference lies. Montenegro- I did fire off a post about Montenegro some time ago now in fact it was the first installment of my fabled "This Nation." series and I had nothing but shiny things to say about them. I raved about how exciting they were. I got excited about Stefan Jovetic and marveled at the ease in which Mirko Vucinic can put the ball into the back of the net. I hate when I talk up a team and they subsequently let me down and that's what has happened here with Montenegro. Placed in Group H with an unsure England, Robert Lewandowski's Poland, Ukraine and flunkers San Marino and Moldova, in my mind I thought Montenegro would do well. I was wrong…the Montenegrins started well but the English took control of the group and a late rally from the Ukraine saw Montenegro's World Cup dream ended. Finishing third in the group behind Ukraine was not what I had envisioned for the Balkan state. Republic of Ireland- The Republic as long as I can remember has been in the World Cup or a part of the Euros but within the last decade the Irish haven't been making it to the big dance. Who could forget that Thierry Henry goal in the UEFA playoffs when he basically slammed dunk the ball into the back of the net sending France to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa at the Irish expense. It was wrong and Ireland got jibbed. Four years on and drama removed the Irish still haven't qualified for another World Cup. This time around the Irish were pitted against Germany, Austria, Sweden, Faroe Islands and Kazakhstan in Group C. Ireland finished fourth 14 points behind Brazil bound Germany and trailed Sweden by six points for a play off birth. Austria who hasn't made much noise in terms of major FIFA tournaments finished in front of the Irish who simply looked plain and boring in qualifying. Time, for me has passed the likes of Robbie Keane and then Irish coach Giovanni Trapattoni by. I know Ireland's strength isn't in the forward position right now that's fine. Many nations struggle to find the twine in this moment in time but the Italian didn't even try to get the best of Ireland''s more creative players. That being said he could have at least utilized Ireland's hard nose defenders better and made the side harder to beat. Eire needs to hit the reset button pronto. Turkey- I don't know if the match fixing scandals and probes from the government have played a role in Turkey's poor showing in World Cup qualify but it would make a good excuse for recent performances. Group D was way too easy for the Turks to mess up but somehow they did. The Turks had to face the Netherlands, Estonia, Romania, Hungary and Andorra not exactly the mightiest of the mighty barring Holland. Turkey finished fourth in the group behind the Dutch, Romania and Hungary which is kind of embarrassing considering how well the country normally does at FIFA tourneys. My advice is to clean up the Turkish domestic leagues maybe then the national team will get back to business. Austria- I don't know how things will shape up for Austria in the future but as I said in a prior post I think if they can produce the same volume of talented players as neighbors Switzerland they will do very well. Since they aren't at this time, we have a scenario with the Austrians where they are getting good but there is a ways to go. David Alaba is a dream player for them but they will need a few more like him if they are to keep pace in Europe. Austria was given a rough deal when they were dropped in Group C with Germany, Republic of Ireland, Sweden, Faroe Islands and Kazakhstan. The men from Vienna finished third behind the Germans and the Swedes pushing the latter closely. As I said before if the Austrians could breed some more top players they will have what it takes as for right now FIFA tournaments maybe out of reach. Ukraine- I am always hard on nations who have hosted a major FIFA tournament recently and immediately after come up trumps because it renders FIFA's silly argument that countries holding these events become more developed in the game null and void. Ukraine co-hosted Euro 2012 along with Poland and though it maybe a two year span from Euro 2012 to Brazil 2014 I still think the Ukraine should still be buoyed by having such a prestigious tournament within it's borders. On top of that I think Ukraine's recent crop of players have a lot going for it. Youngsters like Andriy Yarmolenko and Yaroslav Rakytski made them look more sleek while old man Anatoliy Tymoshchuk marshaled them around from the epicenter of midfield. Ukraine looked right and landing second in Group H behind England made them look even more legit. Two legs against France looked ominous for them but in the first encounter in Kiev saw the Ukrainians slide pass the French with a 2-0 win. The scenario was clear hold France in Paris go to Brazil in June…of course that didn't happen. The eastern Europeans let France right by them falling to a 3-0 defeat. All they needed was a little composure and they could have gotten their visas ready. Poland- Poland were seated like the Ukraine in Group H with the English, Moldova, Montenegro and the Sammarinese. The Poles hosted Euro 2012 along with Ukraine so I am pretty damning when it comes to them too. We all know how I feel about host nations of major tournaments not doing well after the show leaves their doorsteps. Poland and Ukraine are running a lot of similarities right now. They were in Group H, said that. Had a major tournament in their backyard, said that and both failed to make to Brazil, was about to say that. Unlike Ukraine, Poland has a true superstar, Robert Lewandowski is easily one of the best forwards on the planet right now but despite this compliment the Pole has failed to guide his nation to another World Cup. If Ebi Smolarek another Polish striker who never climbed the heights Lewandowski has reached and will reach guided Poland to World Cup why can't he? Poland in group play finished fourth behind Montenegro, a team now starting to gets it's act together. That is a shame. Wales- It would have been a long stretch if Wales qualified for a major FIFA tournament a few years but the emergence of one Gareth Bale has chanced that. In fact that is a bit disrespectful to his Welsh teammates because Mr. Bale has some adequate back up. The likes of Aaron Ramsey, Ashley Williams, Jack Collison, Joe Allen, Joe Ledley, Ben Davies and James Collison are there to support Bale. So when I saw Wales finishing second to last in Group A just above Macedonia I was a little bit annoyed. It was a tough group that had the aforementioned Macedonia along with Belgium, Croatia, Serbia and Scotland but for that Welsh group to finish so lowly is unacceptable. Gareth Bale is a player that individually can brings teams to heel and if Wales are to ever get to a FIFA event he will have to go into god mode every time he plays. Slovenia- A lot of people don't know about Slovenia as a football side but they are quietly going about their business. Let me drop some facts for you. As I write this Slovenia is currently ranks 29th according to FIFA. That means Slovenia is better than right now; Costa Rica, Nigeria, Japan, South Korea, Cameroon and Australia who are all going to the World Cup. They are also superior to Serbia, Wales, Scotland, Turkey, Hungary, Iceland, Montenegro, Republic of Ireland and Senegal this according to FIFA. If I didn't know any better I would call this laughable but Slovenia is surprisingly good. They have a ton of players based in Italy's Serie A as well as some guys sprinkled in Austria, Germany and Spain. They have been to two World Cups now and they have popped up in the Euros as well. They are good, but this time around the Slovenians could not pull it off. Placed in a very easy Group E with Switzerland, Iceland, Cyprus, Albania and Norway I thought the Slovenians would at least come second to grasp a play off birth. Finishing third behind a gritty Iceland saw the Slovenians bow out. Scotland- The "Tartan Army," have found it tough in recent years and I am going to be really blunt here and it may come off a little tasteless but it's the truth. I feel like the Scottish Football Association doesn't know what it is doing. With the Scottish Premier League attendances dropping from Rangers getting flung into the lower leagues and let's not forget teams like Hearts basically in the back pocket of the taxman it is safe to say Scottish football is a circus right now. No wonder Scotland can't field a competitive team when they step out onto the pitch. Scotland's best players are Steven Fletcher, Robert Snodgrass and James Morrison. All three of them at the moment play for mid to lower tier English Premier League clubs and for a country to peg it's hopes on them is very worrying. In World Cup qualification the Scots were placed in Group A alongside Wales, Macedonia, Belgium, Croatia and Serbia a challenging bunch, all in all but I feel Scotland could have given more. Finishing fourth behind World Cup bound Belgium and Croatia and a third place Serbia, Scotland hardly offered a challenge with their 11 points from ten games. Scottish football is sick and it is a real shame. At one point in history Scotland was better than England by a distance. As one of the oldest football playing nations in the world I think they should be further than where they are. Romania- A country with a stinking rich football history, Romania left me a little sad when I saw that they didn't qualify for Brazil. I grew up watching Romania in the Euros and World Cups and marveling at the great Gheorghe Hagi. I admired them for stoic their defending, their fluidity upfront throughout the years and oddly their uniforms. The bright yellow and red with the blue touch even now as a man I can still see images of their games years ago in my head. So my reasoning for why I added them to the list is part performance and part nostalgia. Romania for me is a country that deserves World Cup play action constantly but this time I have to say they do not warrant a place. Romania were casted in Group D with Hungary, Turkey, Netherlands, Estonia and Andorra. It was a given that the Dutch would win the group and they did so, that meant second place and a possible playoff birth was for the taking. Romania did well to outlast Hungary and Turkey for that playoff birth and after group play they met Greece. In the first leg of the playoff the Greeks took down the Romanians winning 3-1 in Athens, a scoreline in the end that was damning for the "Tricolor." The Romanians could not overturn the deficit in their capital in the second leg and both sides grind it out to the tune of 1-1 thus ending Romania's World Cup dream. Hopefully they will be back the inner kid in me would really like that. One of my more lengthier post but worth it I think.
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