“Is Australia in it?” — McBec during a conversation between Billybob and The Editor about the World Cup.
It’s that time again when the world actually stops turning, those magical four weeks, even four years, when being from a country that’s in it is all that matters. Of course, it’s been 30 odd years since Australia felt this anticipation, but in just a few days it all begins.
Australia is in a tough group with Japan, Croatia and of course the great Brazil. The first game is critical to Australia’s success. Without a win against Japan it’ll be really tough to go through to the knock out stage. A victory will lift a lot of the pressure and allow the Socceroos to play their own game against Brazil, rather than have to try and get something out of the game. Now, as long as that game is close, the Socceroos will have confidence going into the third game against Croatia.
Interestingly, Croatia will probably line up with a similar look to Australia –- three at the back, with a packed midfield. However they will undoubtedly play a counter-attacking style which could work well against the Aussies. Kranjcar, the coach’s son, seems to be the key man and most of Croatia’s play will start with him.
I don’t want to analyse all the groups to death, you can buy any of the dozen magazines or read any of the articles in the next few days if you want that sort of info. Below I’ve discussed a few points just as a taster to the next few weeks.
Are Brazil as good as everyone is saying?
With the ball at their feet they will certainly create a lot of goal-scoring opportunities, but in their midfield they don’t seem to have a ball winner, a person who sits in front of the back four and “breaks up” the other team’s attacks. Four years ago they had the dull Gilberto (who now does a similar role for Arsenal). Before that, when they won it in ’94, they had the German like Dunga. However they seem to have replaced this position with yet another creative player. They have also maintained their aging attacking full backs, Carlos and Cafu. This all equates to not much structure through the team. Superstars: yes; tactics and heart: no. A final point is that they will probably have to play and beat three European teams to win it. A tough call in Germany.
Who are the underdogs this time?
As more and more countries realise that it’s more important to get a good coach rather than a coach of the same nationality, the gap is closing between the old historic countries and the rest of the world. Every time you see the likes of Cameroon, Senegal, South Korea and even the US go through to the later stages, it boosts the world game. Pele tips an African country to win the World Cup soon, but just as long as they can complete on a match to match basis only the fans will benefit.
The team everyone thinks could be this years surprise package is the Ivory Coast. The big disadvantages for them is that everyone thinks they will be and that they are in the so-called “Group of Death” with Holland, Argentina and Serbia & Montenegro.
A few teams to watch that could get to the later stages and cause some upsets are USA, Sweden and Angola.
So who’ll win it then?
As much as Brazil is the team to beat, it’ll only take one team to do it. From then on it could be absolutely anyone’s. From a list of 12 real candidates, Holland seem to have done the biggest clean up of reasons why they couldn’t win it. They have dropped a lot of the superstars that use to play for themselves in favour of hardworking youngsters, They seem to have a good structure, strong defenders, all round midfielders and talented strikers. The team shows a nice balance between young blood and experience. With Van Basten at the helm, they have one of the most popular players from the 1990s. This great player had his own soccer career shortened by injury, so expect him to motivate the team for this once in a lifetime opportunity. Could Van Nistelrooy finish with the golden boot?
