And now we've arrived at the infamous Group of Death. The loaded group includes a tournament favorite (Brazil), a team with one of the top couple players in the world (Portugal), a talented African team (Ivory Coast) and a team no one knows anything about, perhaps even themselves (North Korea). This group features two FIFA World Players of the Year, the winningest team in World Cup history, a 2006 semifinalist and two English Premier League scoring champs. I guess to be the best, you might as well have to beat the best.
Brazil
This is not the same Brazilian team you're used to, and it's driving Brazilian fans nuts. No Ronaldinho. No Ronaldo. Still some flair, but nothing like what we're used to. Instead, this is a balanced team that relies as much on a tough defense as it does a beautiful, explosive offense. And the fans hate it. In some sense, Brazilians would rather lose and look good than win and look like a normal soccer team. But, if it wins it all, then maybe they'll change their minds. And make no mistake, Brazil can win it all. The Brazilians won the Confederations Cup and breazed through qualifying, but the Olympic team struggled. In 2009, though, Brazil played eight games against teams ranked 16th or higher in the current FIFA rankings, and went 8-0. So, don't worry too much about Brazil. Somehow, my guess is it will be OK.
Coach: Dunga. The captain of Brazil's 1994 title team took over after his country tanked in the quarterfinals of the 2006 tournament. A tough defensive midfielder as a player, he's implemented a tough, defensive mindset to go along with the usual creative offense, and it's clearly worked. And while fans aren't sure what to make of it, if Brazil wins the title, who cares?
Players to Watch
Kaka: In 2006, Kaka was called upon to play a more defensive role, leaving people wondering about the hype surrounding him. In 2007, he was the FIFA World Player of the Year. So, yeah, he's good. While he's not as flashy as some of the great Brazilians in the past, he's every bit the guy the offense goes through. The real issue is if he gets hurt, because there isn't anyone nearly at the Real Madrid star's level to take on his role.
Maicon: One of the best defenders in the world, Maicon is not afraid to come forward and attack, and is one of the team's top free kick takers. He's one of three members of the back line who play at Inter Milan.
Dani Alves: He may not start, but he'll play. A talented wing defender who makes a lot of runs forward, he's a threat every time he's on the field.
Gilberto Silva: He's like Dunga Jr. Silva is a tough defensive midfielder who is physical and slows down opposing offenses. Not especially fun to watch, but a winner who plays club ball in Greece.
Luis Fabiano: The top striker on the team, he led the team in scoring in qualifiers with nine, and scored five times in the Confederations Cup. In 36 matches with Brazil, he's scored 25 times. He also scores regularly for Sevilla in Spain, and it won't come as a surprise if he wins the Golden Boot.
Julio Cesar: An athletic, aggressive keeper, he absolutely dominated in qualifying. After leading Inter Milan to the Champions League title, he's now considered one of the world's best.
Robinho: There was a time when Robinho was considered the next big thing in Brazilian soccer. Now, he's a guy who just barely made the roster after failing at Manchester City and heading back to the Brazilian league just to get playing time. He may not factor at all in South Africa.
Nilmar: Seven years ago he made his debut at age 19, and then disappeared into a haze of injuries. Then he came back in September and scored three goals in qualifying against Chile with most of his fellow attacking players sidelined. Now he could be a key sub after really coming on in Spain for Villarreal.
Ivory Coast
Seems like this has been an emerging team forever, but in reality, Ivory Coast made its World Cup debut in 2006, where it didn't make it out of group play. The Elephants continued to progress though, cruising through qualifying and entering the African Cup as favorites. But they fell apart in the quarterfinals, raising more questions. Is this team as good as we all think it is? Ivory Coast is loaded with top-level European players and a high-profile coach, but also enormous pressure from the home continent. It doesn't help that things seem to be conspiring against it. First, for the second-straight World Cup, it was placed in the Group of Death. Then, superstar striker Didier Drogba - one of the world's top few players - broke his arm in a friendly against Japan and even if he's able to play, he won't be the same player. So clearly there's a lot going for Ivory Coast, and plenty working against it. In a few days, we'll see which side wins out.
Coach: Sven-Goran Eriksson. Eriksson is best known for having led England to the last two World Cups. He then took over Mexico and was run out of the country after nearly causing El Tri to fail to qualify. He then got this gig in March and will be asked to put a product out there that lives up to the potential everyone knows it has. He's got the experience to do it.
Players to Watch
Didier Drogba: He may well be the greatest African player ever. He's certainly the face of this World Cup, even after breaking his arm. He has 44 goals in 67 games for Ivory Coast, including six in qualifying, and is nearly impossible to defend without several players surrounding him. Fast, big, strong, he's been ridiculously good at Chelsea and along with Lionel Messi is probably the most popular player in the tournament. Here's hoping that he's healthy enough to give us a glimpse of what he can do.
Kolo Toure: He's the best of a fairly weak defense for the Ivory Coast. He's been especially cold lately, both for his country and for Manchester City. With the talent in this group, he'll have to be at his best for Ivory Coast to have a chance.
Salomon Kalou: Teams very well with Drogba up front, no surprise given that they're teammates at Chelsea. A very fast attacker who comes in from the flanks, he'll try to open things up for Drogba.
Gervinho: A creative attacker who'll play opposite Kalou, he scored 13 goals for his French club this season and completes the dangerous Ivory Coast front line. His name makes him sound Brazilian, but he's all about the Coast.
Yaya Toure: One of the top midfielders in the world, he's big and strong and able to attack or drop back into defense. The Barcelona star controls the middle of the field and feeds his talented forwards.
Souleymane Bamba: Great name but pretty inexperienced, he'll team with the very-experienced Kolo Toure at center defense and try to hold off attack after attack.
Boubacar Barry: Maybe the biggest key - besides Drogba's health - to Ivory Coast's success. And he's not all that good, having struggled to even find playing time for his club in Belgium. Maybe his team will score so many goals, it won't matter.
Arthur Boka: Was the started at left back but hardly played for Stuttgart in the Bundesliga and may have been replaced in the lineup for his country.
Siaka Tiene: Probably the guy who will replace Boka on the back line, he plays in France.
North Korea
It's said that North Korea President Kim Jong-il is involved in the running of the team, and even provides advice at halftime. Kinda goofy. Besides that, not a lot is known about this team, as it rarely plays outside of Asia, doesn't have much media coverage, doesn't have many players who play outside North Korea and is considered a longshot. North Korea only qualified for one other World Cup, and that was in 1966, when it shocked Italy and advanced out of group play. This team barely qualified and has almost no offense, just defending like nuts and I guess hoping for an own goal to settle the difference. But in a group loaded with offense, maybe a extreme defensive team has a shot.
Coach: Kim Jong-hun. He's adored by the public just for getting the team to South Africa. Besides that, no one knows much about him. He almost never gives interviews and gives all the credit to Kim Jong-il (smart move). Apparently, he really believes in defense. It's believed that he does in fact exist, also.
Players to Watch
Jong Tae-se: I guess this guy is the team's best player. He's actually a South Korean citizen who was born in Japan, and he's known as the Asian Wayne Rooney. He scored twice in a recent draw with Greece, and he'll need to do that again for North Korea to have a shot.
Hong Young-jo: He's the captain and the only guy who doesn't play in Asia, he sees some time for a low-level Russian team. He's very devoted to North Korea and is said to not know what his salary is. He did score four times in qualifying, so there's that.
Ahn Young-hak: Another guy born in Japan, he's pretty experienced (relatively speaking), having played in Japan and South Korea. A good passer and probably a decent guy.
Kim Myong-won: OK, so get this, it's great. He's usually a forward or midfielder, but North Korea wanted to add another attacking player to the roster. So they listed him as a keeper. Ooops. Teams are required to list three keepers on the roster, and he's the third, which means he's not eligible to do anything except play keeper, which he doesn't play. Kind of a stupid rule, and kind of a stupid mistake.
Portugal
One of the most accomplished teams of the decade, having qualified for every World Cup and Euro Championship in the last 10 years. But that almost came to a crashing halt when Portugal nearly failed to qualify, winning just once in its first five games before pulling off six wins in its lats seven to get in. Of course, superstar Cristiano Ronaldo missed a lot of qualifying, but a team this talented should have been able to overcome that a bit easier. Ronaldo is back and fairly healthy and leads a team with outstanding attacking players and a strong backline. If it can survive this group, it could make some real noise in the knockout stage.
Coach: Carlos Queiroz. A very experienced coach but also very unpopular with players and fans because he's so defensive minded, and it didn't help that his team struggled so much in qualifying. In fact, it's a bit of a surprise he's still got a job. Was once the top assistant at Manchester United and two deades ago led Portugal to back-to-back World Youth Cups. If he can pull this team together, they could go a long way. If not, he's sure to be out of a job.
Players to Watch
Cristiano Ronaldo: The 2008 World Player of the Year is considered among the top couple players in the world though his rep took a hit a bit when he struggled so much in qualifications. It helps that he's regarded as the best looking guy in the tournament. It's unclear where the attacking Real Madrid star will play but wherever he is, he's sure to make a big impact with his ability to score from anywhere.
Pepe: Traditionally a center defender, he was moved up to midfield and has played great, providing defensive presence and a bridge to the front line. But the Real Madrid player blew out his knee in December so he may not be healthy when the tournament kicks off.
Deco: The 32-year-old will retire from international play after the tournament but, while slow, he still runs the show in the middle for Portugal. Born in Brazil, he starred at Barcelona before moving on to Chelsea and he'll try to make one last run.
Nani: I call my grandmother Nanny, so I'll try not to get too confused. An attacking midfielder who scored three times in qualifying, he had a breakout season for Manchester United and could be a breakout star in South Africa.
Simao: Probably will come off the bench at one of the midfield wings after playing well for Atletico Madrid.
Liedson: Another Brazilian-born player, he's the top striker for this team as he's strong in the air and is moving non-stop and will try to be a big threat in South Africa. His name translates to "Son of Lied."
Raul Meireles: A defensive midfielder who teams well with Pepe to slow things down and provide a counter attack for Portugal's fast wings.
Ricardo Carvalho: A veteran defender who, at 32, is hoping to win his first major trophy for his country. He has had success at Chelsea.
Paolo Ferreira: Another veteran defender from Chelsea, he's trying to do pretty much the same thing Carvalho is doing.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Monday, June 7, 2010
World Cup Group F Preview
All of a sudden, Group F became a lot more interesting to me. That's because I was picked by the Seattle Sounders as one of 32 bloggers during the World Cup, and I get to represent Slovakia! I love Slovakia! I guess. So now, this clearly becomes the most interesting group in the tournament.
I mean, you've got defending champion Italy, obviously always a marquee team. Paraguay, which had tragedy before the tournament but high hopes now. New Zealand, which just might be the worst team in the entire field, but comes from such an awesome land that who cares? And now, Slovakia, which is in Europe and has a father-son coach-player combo which is just plain precocious. So sit back and enjoy, I give you, Group F!
Italy
Some might call this team experienced. Some might call it old. Either way, it's a talented group that surely will be in the middle of the title run. A core of Italy is already in its 30s, which, as much as I hate to admit it, is an issue. Italy was lackluster at Euro 2008 and then failed miserably at the Confederations Cup. But it breezed through qualifying, so maybe it's figured things out. Italy shouldn't have many problems in this group so we won't learn much about it until the knockout stage. Good news though, in that midfielder Andrea Pirlo looks like he'll overcome his injury and play, a big deal given he's the team's most creative midfielder. This is a good team, but how good remains to be seen.
Coach: Marcello Lippi. Lippi, who looks a lot like pre-death Paul Newman, is one of the top coaches in the world. I mean, he won the World Cup with a group that was reeling from a scandal in Serie A in 2006, so he's got that. He's also very tactically sound and his players really like him. That's because he refuses to get rid of them, mostly, which has led to concern that his team is way too old to repeat as champion. He also left most of the country's best strikers at home, believing that goals are for suckers. So we'll see how it works out.
Players to Watch
Giorgio Chiellini: Now the best defender on one of the best defensive teams in the world, Chiellini is athletic and tough, not afraid to be maybe a little too physical. The Juventus back could have some pressure on him as those around him are aging rapidly.
Fabio Cannavaro: Speaking of aging rapidly. The 37-year-old captain of Italy is still good, but, he's 37. Another Juventus defender, he's not the same player he was four years ago.
Daniele de Rossi: If Americans had good memories, they'd hate de Rossi, who's cheap foul on Brian McBride in 2006 earned the Italian a four-game suspension. Clearly, Italy missed him as it went on to win the title without him. But make no mistake, de Rossi is a stud offensive midfielder who has the ability to create and score.
Antonio Di Natale: Never considered much of an option for the national team until he went nuts with Udinese this season, scoring a Serie A-high 29 goals. Italy will need every bit of his scoring talent to balance its solid defense.
Gigi Buffon: Possibly the world's top keeper, and certainly in the top two. He's been in the box for Italy for over a decade and shows no sign of slowing down. He was solid all season for Juventus, and gives Italy a chance every game.
Gianluca Zambrotta: Another veteran defender who used to be great, but is not great anymore. In fact, he had a bad year for AC Milan and there was talk that he wouldn't even make the team. But here he is! Thanks Coach Lippi! Zambrotta made the all-tournament team in 2006, but won't this time.
Alberto Gilardino: A good all-around forward who can score a number of ways and has thrived since leaving AC Milan for Fiorentina. Gilardino will have to score regular for Italy too, being that he'll be the No. 1 striker.
New Zealand
New Zealand is such an awesome country. I recently read a book in which New Zealand figured prominently, and the people just sound wonderful. I bet every player on the team is a great guy. Unfortunately, this is probably the worst team in the tournament, which is tough. But what do you expect from a country that devotes most of its resources to rugby?
Most of the players are semipro, and I mean that literally, not to belittle them. Only one guy plays for a top-league team. Two guys aren't even on a team. The best result this team has ever gotten on the international level was a 0-0 tie with Iraq. But listen up America, nine of the guys on the team played for U.S. colleges, including two at Stanford. So if you're looking for a second team to cheer for, pass up Brazil for once and go for these likeable fellas.
Coach: Rick Herbert. Along with Bob Bradley, has the least exotic name of any coach in the tournament. He's the first New Zealander to actually coach the national team, adding to his good rep that started when he was the defensive leader on his country's only other World Cup team in 1982. He did get the U-23 team into the Olympics, and just getting this group of raggamuffins to South Africa should earn him some kind of honor.
Players to Watch
David Mulligan: Why do I like this guy? Because he made the team without actually being on a club team. He did, in his defense, play very low-level soccer in England at one point. He's probably not going to play much, but I like that he's on the team. It would kind of be like me being on the team.
Ryan Nelsen: The only guy on the team anyone might have any chance of recognizing. He's a big, strong but athletic defender who played for D.C. United before moving on to a regular spot with Blackburn Rovers in the EPL. He's the team captain but also also a family man, and he might miss some games to be at the birth of his first son. But I guess you can't blame him.
Simon Elliott: Another guy who isn't on a team right now, he's also 36 and a regular at midfield. Pretty cool. Used to play in MLS and the English Premier League, but probably won't be back any time soon.
Shane Smeltz: He scored eight goals in qualifying and holds the New Zealand domestic league record for goals, so he can score. But can he score against Italy? Maybe not.
Aaron Clapham: He's never played a match for New Zealand. Ever. But he might be a top reserve because he is a creative midfielder on a team that has little creativity.
Winston Reid: The 21-year-old originally played in the Dutch youth system but switched to New Zealand in March. Maybe he'll make a difference. Whatever.
Paraguay
Paraguay can now be considered a mainstay for the World Cup, having qualified four times in a row and advancing out of group play two of the last three, though not in 2006. It also may have been the most impressive team in South American qualifying, finishing second but tying Chile for the most wins with 10. But this is also a team dealing with adversity, as leading scorer Salvador Cabanas was shot in the head - maybe by a hit man. ...seriously! - in a Mexico City bar in January. He lived, and will even come back at some point, but he's out for South Africa. Apparently he just didn't want it enough to overcome a bullet in his head. Still, this team has talent up front, but a conservative approach has limited they chances. Still, regarded as a favorite to reach the next round.
Coach: Gerardo Martino. The fourth foreign coach in the last four World Cups for Paraguay, Martino was an outstanding midfielder in Argentina before becoming a successful club coach in Paraguay. He was named South America's top coach in 2007, the year he took over Paraguay, he was mentored by the very offensively-minded Marcelo Bielsa but is much more conservative with this team.
Players to Watch
Oscar Cardozo: The 6-foot-4 forward scored goals like crazy for Benfica in Portugal, 25 in 28 games and may be on his way to a bigger club. He's the guy most likely to take Cabanas' spot as the top offensive threat for Paraguay, if the system allows him to.
Nelson Haedo Valdez: A versatile forward who scored five goals in qualifying, he's been a regular for Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga and is another talented attacker hoping his coach opens things up a bit.
Lucas Barrios: A teammate of Haedo Valdez in Germany, where he scored 18 goals, he only recently became eligible for the national team after growing up in Argentina. The forward scored a goal in each of his first two appearances, so he's clearly a welcomed addition.
Roque Santa Cruz: The most experienced forward on the team, he's second all-time for his country with 16 goals. A physical, strong attacker who plays at Manchester City, though he scored just three goals there this season. He's also been dealing with constant injuries for pretty much his entire career.
Justo Villar: An athletic keeper, he played just seven minutes of the opening game in the 2006 tournament before being injured and missing the rest of the World Cup. The team captain plays at Valladolid in Spain and is one of those wacky Latin keepers who likes to take free kicks.
Slovakia
My favorite team since I was. ...well, since yesterday. Claiming the second half of its former country (the cool, sexy half, I think) Czechoslovakia, Slovakia has slowly moved towards this point, which is its first appearance in the World Cup. With a mix of veterans and young, talented players and a coach who plays pretty much everyone (though I'm still waiting), Slovakia topped its qualifying group which included evil twin Czech Republic. This team plays a pretty basic game but drew a fortunate group and stands a potential chance of advancing out of group play.
Coach: Vladimir Weiss. Seems to be universally liked by his players, fans and the media, and why not? The 45-year-old is one of a long-line of Vladimir Weiss', which includes his father (a former player and manager), and his son, who is now on the team. His use of pretty much every Slovakian in the country at some point has also brought a sense of ownership to the team. A solid scoring midfielder when he was a player, he enjoys the type of popularity you and I can only dream of.
Players to Watch
Martin Skrtel: I looked it up and no, there is no vowel missing in Skrtel. The tall center defender is a regular for Liverpool, though he hasn't played well there. He played very well in qualifying and is the top back for Slovakia.
Jan Mucha: He's not the best keeper in the world, but dammit he's the best they got! He did get a transfer to Everton, where he'll compete with Tim Howard, so maybe he should play like he earned it!
Stanislav Sestak: The top scorer in qualifying with six goals, he's the focal point of Slovakia's attack. It's kind of a surprise given that he'd done little in his career to show he would be anything less than mediocre.
Marek Hamsik: A creative attacking midfielder and just 22, he scored 12 goals for Serie A Napoli this season. He's the team captain and leader, and the driving force of the Slovakian offense.
Robert Vittek: At one point was one of the most coveted forwards in Europe but he's struggled lately while playing in Turkey. He did not score once for Slovakia in qualifying but will have to be a threat in South Africa.
Vladimir Weiss Jr.: The coach's son, which often isn't a good sign. But he seems like a good enough kid, so we'll give him the benefit of the doubt. A fast and skilled midfielder and just 21, he'll be a regular on the wings. He's on lone to Bolton from Manchester City and could be one of the breakout stars of the tournament.
I mean, you've got defending champion Italy, obviously always a marquee team. Paraguay, which had tragedy before the tournament but high hopes now. New Zealand, which just might be the worst team in the entire field, but comes from such an awesome land that who cares? And now, Slovakia, which is in Europe and has a father-son coach-player combo which is just plain precocious. So sit back and enjoy, I give you, Group F!
Italy
Some might call this team experienced. Some might call it old. Either way, it's a talented group that surely will be in the middle of the title run. A core of Italy is already in its 30s, which, as much as I hate to admit it, is an issue. Italy was lackluster at Euro 2008 and then failed miserably at the Confederations Cup. But it breezed through qualifying, so maybe it's figured things out. Italy shouldn't have many problems in this group so we won't learn much about it until the knockout stage. Good news though, in that midfielder Andrea Pirlo looks like he'll overcome his injury and play, a big deal given he's the team's most creative midfielder. This is a good team, but how good remains to be seen.
Coach: Marcello Lippi. Lippi, who looks a lot like pre-death Paul Newman, is one of the top coaches in the world. I mean, he won the World Cup with a group that was reeling from a scandal in Serie A in 2006, so he's got that. He's also very tactically sound and his players really like him. That's because he refuses to get rid of them, mostly, which has led to concern that his team is way too old to repeat as champion. He also left most of the country's best strikers at home, believing that goals are for suckers. So we'll see how it works out.
Players to Watch
Giorgio Chiellini: Now the best defender on one of the best defensive teams in the world, Chiellini is athletic and tough, not afraid to be maybe a little too physical. The Juventus back could have some pressure on him as those around him are aging rapidly.
Fabio Cannavaro: Speaking of aging rapidly. The 37-year-old captain of Italy is still good, but, he's 37. Another Juventus defender, he's not the same player he was four years ago.
Daniele de Rossi: If Americans had good memories, they'd hate de Rossi, who's cheap foul on Brian McBride in 2006 earned the Italian a four-game suspension. Clearly, Italy missed him as it went on to win the title without him. But make no mistake, de Rossi is a stud offensive midfielder who has the ability to create and score.
Antonio Di Natale: Never considered much of an option for the national team until he went nuts with Udinese this season, scoring a Serie A-high 29 goals. Italy will need every bit of his scoring talent to balance its solid defense.
Gigi Buffon: Possibly the world's top keeper, and certainly in the top two. He's been in the box for Italy for over a decade and shows no sign of slowing down. He was solid all season for Juventus, and gives Italy a chance every game.
Gianluca Zambrotta: Another veteran defender who used to be great, but is not great anymore. In fact, he had a bad year for AC Milan and there was talk that he wouldn't even make the team. But here he is! Thanks Coach Lippi! Zambrotta made the all-tournament team in 2006, but won't this time.
Alberto Gilardino: A good all-around forward who can score a number of ways and has thrived since leaving AC Milan for Fiorentina. Gilardino will have to score regular for Italy too, being that he'll be the No. 1 striker.
New Zealand
New Zealand is such an awesome country. I recently read a book in which New Zealand figured prominently, and the people just sound wonderful. I bet every player on the team is a great guy. Unfortunately, this is probably the worst team in the tournament, which is tough. But what do you expect from a country that devotes most of its resources to rugby?
Most of the players are semipro, and I mean that literally, not to belittle them. Only one guy plays for a top-league team. Two guys aren't even on a team. The best result this team has ever gotten on the international level was a 0-0 tie with Iraq. But listen up America, nine of the guys on the team played for U.S. colleges, including two at Stanford. So if you're looking for a second team to cheer for, pass up Brazil for once and go for these likeable fellas.
Coach: Rick Herbert. Along with Bob Bradley, has the least exotic name of any coach in the tournament. He's the first New Zealander to actually coach the national team, adding to his good rep that started when he was the defensive leader on his country's only other World Cup team in 1982. He did get the U-23 team into the Olympics, and just getting this group of raggamuffins to South Africa should earn him some kind of honor.
Players to Watch
David Mulligan: Why do I like this guy? Because he made the team without actually being on a club team. He did, in his defense, play very low-level soccer in England at one point. He's probably not going to play much, but I like that he's on the team. It would kind of be like me being on the team.
Ryan Nelsen: The only guy on the team anyone might have any chance of recognizing. He's a big, strong but athletic defender who played for D.C. United before moving on to a regular spot with Blackburn Rovers in the EPL. He's the team captain but also also a family man, and he might miss some games to be at the birth of his first son. But I guess you can't blame him.
Simon Elliott: Another guy who isn't on a team right now, he's also 36 and a regular at midfield. Pretty cool. Used to play in MLS and the English Premier League, but probably won't be back any time soon.
Shane Smeltz: He scored eight goals in qualifying and holds the New Zealand domestic league record for goals, so he can score. But can he score against Italy? Maybe not.
Aaron Clapham: He's never played a match for New Zealand. Ever. But he might be a top reserve because he is a creative midfielder on a team that has little creativity.
Winston Reid: The 21-year-old originally played in the Dutch youth system but switched to New Zealand in March. Maybe he'll make a difference. Whatever.
Paraguay
Paraguay can now be considered a mainstay for the World Cup, having qualified four times in a row and advancing out of group play two of the last three, though not in 2006. It also may have been the most impressive team in South American qualifying, finishing second but tying Chile for the most wins with 10. But this is also a team dealing with adversity, as leading scorer Salvador Cabanas was shot in the head - maybe by a hit man. ...seriously! - in a Mexico City bar in January. He lived, and will even come back at some point, but he's out for South Africa. Apparently he just didn't want it enough to overcome a bullet in his head. Still, this team has talent up front, but a conservative approach has limited they chances. Still, regarded as a favorite to reach the next round.
Coach: Gerardo Martino. The fourth foreign coach in the last four World Cups for Paraguay, Martino was an outstanding midfielder in Argentina before becoming a successful club coach in Paraguay. He was named South America's top coach in 2007, the year he took over Paraguay, he was mentored by the very offensively-minded Marcelo Bielsa but is much more conservative with this team.
Players to Watch
Oscar Cardozo: The 6-foot-4 forward scored goals like crazy for Benfica in Portugal, 25 in 28 games and may be on his way to a bigger club. He's the guy most likely to take Cabanas' spot as the top offensive threat for Paraguay, if the system allows him to.
Nelson Haedo Valdez: A versatile forward who scored five goals in qualifying, he's been a regular for Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga and is another talented attacker hoping his coach opens things up a bit.
Lucas Barrios: A teammate of Haedo Valdez in Germany, where he scored 18 goals, he only recently became eligible for the national team after growing up in Argentina. The forward scored a goal in each of his first two appearances, so he's clearly a welcomed addition.
Roque Santa Cruz: The most experienced forward on the team, he's second all-time for his country with 16 goals. A physical, strong attacker who plays at Manchester City, though he scored just three goals there this season. He's also been dealing with constant injuries for pretty much his entire career.
Justo Villar: An athletic keeper, he played just seven minutes of the opening game in the 2006 tournament before being injured and missing the rest of the World Cup. The team captain plays at Valladolid in Spain and is one of those wacky Latin keepers who likes to take free kicks.
Slovakia
My favorite team since I was. ...well, since yesterday. Claiming the second half of its former country (the cool, sexy half, I think) Czechoslovakia, Slovakia has slowly moved towards this point, which is its first appearance in the World Cup. With a mix of veterans and young, talented players and a coach who plays pretty much everyone (though I'm still waiting), Slovakia topped its qualifying group which included evil twin Czech Republic. This team plays a pretty basic game but drew a fortunate group and stands a potential chance of advancing out of group play.
Coach: Vladimir Weiss. Seems to be universally liked by his players, fans and the media, and why not? The 45-year-old is one of a long-line of Vladimir Weiss', which includes his father (a former player and manager), and his son, who is now on the team. His use of pretty much every Slovakian in the country at some point has also brought a sense of ownership to the team. A solid scoring midfielder when he was a player, he enjoys the type of popularity you and I can only dream of.
Players to Watch
Martin Skrtel: I looked it up and no, there is no vowel missing in Skrtel. The tall center defender is a regular for Liverpool, though he hasn't played well there. He played very well in qualifying and is the top back for Slovakia.
Jan Mucha: He's not the best keeper in the world, but dammit he's the best they got! He did get a transfer to Everton, where he'll compete with Tim Howard, so maybe he should play like he earned it!
Stanislav Sestak: The top scorer in qualifying with six goals, he's the focal point of Slovakia's attack. It's kind of a surprise given that he'd done little in his career to show he would be anything less than mediocre.
Marek Hamsik: A creative attacking midfielder and just 22, he scored 12 goals for Serie A Napoli this season. He's the team captain and leader, and the driving force of the Slovakian offense.
Robert Vittek: At one point was one of the most coveted forwards in Europe but he's struggled lately while playing in Turkey. He did not score once for Slovakia in qualifying but will have to be a threat in South Africa.
Vladimir Weiss Jr.: The coach's son, which often isn't a good sign. But he seems like a good enough kid, so we'll give him the benefit of the doubt. A fast and skilled midfielder and just 21, he'll be a regular on the wings. He's on lone to Bolton from Manchester City and could be one of the breakout stars of the tournament.
World Cup Group E Preview
Busy day yesterday kept me away from the blog for much of the day. So as to keep on schedule, I'll get to two previews today (I think). We'll start with Group E, a very balanced group in which it wouldn't be a surprise if any of the teams move through. As always, the Netherlands is viewed as a potential champion as it's a balanced and explosive team loaded with talent. Cameroon is a very talented team and some view it as Africa's best hope. Japan is a longtime Asian power with many tested players who won't be overwhelmed. And Denmark has never failed to get out of group play - though it's only made the World Cup three times, but that's still a pretty good record. There shouldn't be any walkover games in this group.
Cameroon
An African team has reached the knockout stage in six-straight World Cups and Cameroon is considered one of the favorites to keep that streak going. The Indomitable Lions won the African Cup four times, including in 2000 and 2002, and won the Olympic gold medal in 1990, and while it's been awhile since they've won any major tournament, this is still a talented group. But there's also a lot more to the Cameroon name than to the results. It's only won one of its last nine World Cup matches and didn't even qualify for the 2006 Cup. The Lions barely qualified out of a group that wasn't that good, and did not play well in the African Cup of Nations. All of this sounds pretty dire for Cameroon, but there is good balance of veteran, experienced players and emerging young stars. And one other thing: Cameroon was the first foreign team to play in South Africa postapartheid, and it will be very popular among the local fans, which could be a big advantage.
Coach: Paul Le Guen. Like almost all French people (I joke, I joke!), he's surly and just looks like kind of a jerk, but boy has he turned things around for Cameroon. He took over from the gloriously named Otto Pfister when Cameroon was at the bottom of the qualifying table and his team won four in a row, outscoring foes 9-1 to qualify. Kind of a surprise, as he failed as the coach at Paris Saint-Germain. He boldly switched captains and inserted a strong attacking tactic and voila! South Africa-bound.
Players to Watch
Samuel Eto'o: It's fun to say his name because it's kind of like they forgot about the last letter, and just slapped it on at the end. It's also fun to watch him play, as he's one of the best strikers in the world. The Inter Milan star was named captain by Le Guen and that's kind of when the team took off. Eto'o, who moved to Milan after five years at Barcelona, scored nine goals in 11 qualifiers and the three-time African Player of the Year is a favorite to win the Golden Boot award.
Mohamadou Idrissou: The 6-foot-3 forward will likely line up next to Eto'o up front after scoring nine goals in the Bundesliga this season.
Rigobert Song: Great name, great, but old, player. The former captain has played in three previous World Cups and had stops in England, France and Turkey. No one has played more games for Cameroon than Ol' Rigobert but the question is if he can still keep up with fast, young strikers.
Geremi: Yes, just Geremi. Another aging player who has switched from midfield to defense, he's played club ball in Paraguay, Spain, England and Turkey. He was at Newcastle United this season but left because he just wasn't playing. That's not a good sign. But he is experienced and a strong leader.
Joel Matip: Only 18, but he's won confidence with strong play in the Bundesliga and could end up a starter at midfield. Born in Germany, he brings great size and presence despite his youth.
Jean Makoun: A defensive midfielder who can also score, he's starred for French power Lyon the last two years. A very energetic player who provides a bridge between Cameroon's veteran defenders and Eto'o.
Denmark
Denmark is batting 1.000, having qualified for the World Cup three times (1986, '98 and '02) and always advancing past group play. And this group is considered perhaps the best the country has produced since the early '90s. Of course, this group also didn't qualify for Euro 2008, so who knows? Denmark did win a difficult qualifying group that included Portugal and Sweden thanks to a veteran group, including coach Morten Olsen, the longest-tenured coach at the Cup who led Denmark to an upset of France in the 2002 tournament. One big issue is the possible absence of veteran keeper Thomas Sorensen, who dislocated his elbow at the end of the EPL season and could miss the tournament. But Denmark is also considered one of the happiest countries in the world, so that's got to be good for team morale, right? It makes me happy just writing it.
Coach: Morten Olsen. Really well liked among his players, in part because he was such a good player for Denmark, he's led the team for over a decade. Olsen has started to mix in some younger players to go along with his veteran guys he led to the 2002 tourney.
Players to Watch
Nicklas Bendtner: The 22-year-old striker scored three times for Arsenal against Porto in the Champions League, and scored against Portugal twice in qualifying. Big, strong and agile, could be one of the breakout stars of the tournament.
Christian Eriksen: Just 18, he's already made a name for himself at Ajax and is a dangerous attacking midfielder. Made his first appearance for Denmark in February and seems to have fit in well.
Jon Dahl Tomasson: The 33-year-old captain is the key to the Danish offense, providing size and a great target. But his age and injury woes could be a real problem.
Simon Kjaer: The youngster is now one of the most sought-after defenders in Europe after playing so well in qualifying and emerging for Palermo in Serie A.
Christian Poulsen: The physical, tough defensive midfielder is a huge help to the Danish defense and is also capable of scoring a goal now and then. One of the few Danish players who plays at a high-level European team (Juventus), he may be the key to any Denmark success.
Daniel Agger: A central defender who has been compared to coach Morten Olsen when Olsen was a player, he's the rock of the Danish defense. Stars at Liverpool and is a rare defender who comes forward and is a real threat.
Anders Moller Christensen: Struggled badly in qualifying, leaving a gaping hole on the left wing and he may not leave the bench in South Africa.
Patrick Mtiliga: Inexperienced but may be called on to fill the hole at left wing.
Japan
Japan is one of the powers of Asia, having qualified for the World Cup for the fourth-straight time, but the only time it's ever won was when it was the co-host in 2002. While this team has plenty of experienced players, it's also a boring group that has extreme trouble scoring goals. In fact, it's kind of driving the Japanese fans nuts. And you don't want to drive Japanese fans nuts, they're too organized. But at least they're also polite. They made headlines for cleaning up confetti in the stands after a game. Think that would ever happen here? Probably not. So do you really want to offend a group of fans passionate and organized enough to clean up tiny pieces of paper from a stadium? I sure don't. So get with it Japan.
Coach: Takeshi Okada. Who do you think is getting blamed for Japan's inability to score goals? This guy! He's also made the wild prediction that his team will make the semis. He led Japan to its first World Cup in 1998 and got to take over again when the previous coach had a stroke in late 2007. Now that's what you call a stroke of luck. I know, I'm terrible.
Players to Watch
Makoto Hasebe: A forward who is better known for his defense, which isn't really a good thing. But he plays for German champion Wolfsburg, and will be one of the guys really looked to to provide some scoring.
Keisuke Honda: A 24-year-old midfielder who plays for CSKA Russia, he's only played three games for Japan but is being counted on for his versatility and athleticism to provide some creativity and offense for Japan.
Marcus Tulio Tanaka: Someone has watched too much Rome. Marcus Tulio? This has to be the most unusual name in the tournament. He's also not going to be very well liked after his high knee broke Ivory Coast star Didier Drogba's arm last week. But he's a rock for the defense as the Brazilian-born center back was named the 2006 Japan Player of the Year.
Yuji Nakazawa: The team captain and center defender, he's the leader of a group that is the strength of Japan.
Shunsuke Nakamura: After languishing on the bench for his club team in Spain, Nakamura returned home just to get on the field and get ready. He's long been considered the best player on the team, and is a dangerous player on set pieces, but the midfielders play lately has left little to be excited about.
Takayuki Morimoto: The 22-year-old may not start at forward for Japan, but maybe he should. Has played for Catania in Serie A for three years and he's creative and could be just what the Japanese offense needs.
Keiji Tamada: A likely starter at forward, he's got to do a better job than he has been or he'll be seeing a lot of the bench.
Yoshito Okubo: Another starting forward who hasn't produced and has to be better for Japan to have success.
Yasuhito Endo: The defending Japan Player of the Year is a talented midfielder strong on attack and defense. He scored three goals in qualifying after never leaving the bench in the 2006 World Cup. The most creative, dangerous player on the team.
Shinji Okazaki: Not the most productive forward but the flashiest and potentially the most exciting, he could be the guy they turn to to get the offense going.
Netherlands
Long one of the most entertaining teams in the world and always considered a threat to win it all, the Dutch never quite put it together. In the previous six World Cups the team has qualified for, it's always made it out of group play, finishing runners-up in 1974 and '78 and reaching the semifinals in 1998. Holland played extremely well in Euro 2008, displaying explosive offense, and continued in World Cup qualifying, going 8-0. But qualifying hasn't been the big issue for the Dutch. It's playing well with actual real consequences on the line. This is a team that is loaded with attacking players, particularly on the wings, but with a weak backline that could undermine anything the fabulous offense can produce. Luckily for the Netherlands, this isn't a group loaded with great attackers outside of Cameroon, so it should be fine in qualifying, but then it's the same old story for the Dutch.
Coach: Bert van Marwijk. Took over the team after Euro 2008 and perhaps his biggest impact has been keeping a team full of big egos in check. He generally has run the same formation and lineup out there every time, going with the "If it ain't broke" approach which has allowed Netherlands to be one of the most consistent teams in Europe.
Players to Watch
Robin van Persie: Incredibly talented and incredibly hot-headed, he's constantly griping about teammates, most recently Dirk Kuyt, whom he felt must be missing a letter or two in his last name (OK, that last part may not be true). A versatile forward adept at handling the ball, he's been injured for much of the season for Arsenal but is a top scorer when healthy.
Joris Mathijsen: A center defender, he has really struggled with both position and marking, which are both fairly important traits for a defender. Could be on camera a lot as other teams go after his side of the field.
Giovanni van Bronkhorst: The captain of the team and maybe the only Dutchman named Giovanni, he's announced his retirement following the World Cup. Unfortunately, that means he's playing in the World Cup, which may not be good news for the Dutch as he's just not that good anymore.
Eljero Elia: He may not start, but this youngster is an emerging star on the wings, with great speed and dribbling ability and maybe the best crosser on the team. Just what the Dutch need, another great offensive player.
Arjen Robben: One of the faster players in the tournament except when he's hurt, which is all the time. A dangerous offensive player if only because of his speed, he stars at Bayern Munich, which ain't too shabby.
Wesley Sneijder: The most complete offensive player on the team, he was let go by Real Madrid only to sign with Inter Milan, where he's thrived. Tremendous on dead balls, he's able to create or finish. With Inter, he's won the Champions League, Serie A and Coppa Italia titles, so why not finish things off with a World Cup trophy?
Dirk Kuyt: Another outstanding attacker who usually rushes in from the wings, he's playing with a chip on his shoulder because Robin van Persie hates him so much.
Maarten Stecklenburg: Tough job filling in for a legend, and that's what Stecklenberg is doing. He's taking the place in net left by the retired Edward van der Saar, who always seemed about ready to kill any defender who dared let someone take a shot on him. It's not a good sign that fans have asked van der Saar to come back. Come on, give Maarten a chance.
Cameroon
An African team has reached the knockout stage in six-straight World Cups and Cameroon is considered one of the favorites to keep that streak going. The Indomitable Lions won the African Cup four times, including in 2000 and 2002, and won the Olympic gold medal in 1990, and while it's been awhile since they've won any major tournament, this is still a talented group. But there's also a lot more to the Cameroon name than to the results. It's only won one of its last nine World Cup matches and didn't even qualify for the 2006 Cup. The Lions barely qualified out of a group that wasn't that good, and did not play well in the African Cup of Nations. All of this sounds pretty dire for Cameroon, but there is good balance of veteran, experienced players and emerging young stars. And one other thing: Cameroon was the first foreign team to play in South Africa postapartheid, and it will be very popular among the local fans, which could be a big advantage.
Coach: Paul Le Guen. Like almost all French people (I joke, I joke!), he's surly and just looks like kind of a jerk, but boy has he turned things around for Cameroon. He took over from the gloriously named Otto Pfister when Cameroon was at the bottom of the qualifying table and his team won four in a row, outscoring foes 9-1 to qualify. Kind of a surprise, as he failed as the coach at Paris Saint-Germain. He boldly switched captains and inserted a strong attacking tactic and voila! South Africa-bound.
Players to Watch
Samuel Eto'o: It's fun to say his name because it's kind of like they forgot about the last letter, and just slapped it on at the end. It's also fun to watch him play, as he's one of the best strikers in the world. The Inter Milan star was named captain by Le Guen and that's kind of when the team took off. Eto'o, who moved to Milan after five years at Barcelona, scored nine goals in 11 qualifiers and the three-time African Player of the Year is a favorite to win the Golden Boot award.
Mohamadou Idrissou: The 6-foot-3 forward will likely line up next to Eto'o up front after scoring nine goals in the Bundesliga this season.
Rigobert Song: Great name, great, but old, player. The former captain has played in three previous World Cups and had stops in England, France and Turkey. No one has played more games for Cameroon than Ol' Rigobert but the question is if he can still keep up with fast, young strikers.
Geremi: Yes, just Geremi. Another aging player who has switched from midfield to defense, he's played club ball in Paraguay, Spain, England and Turkey. He was at Newcastle United this season but left because he just wasn't playing. That's not a good sign. But he is experienced and a strong leader.
Joel Matip: Only 18, but he's won confidence with strong play in the Bundesliga and could end up a starter at midfield. Born in Germany, he brings great size and presence despite his youth.
Jean Makoun: A defensive midfielder who can also score, he's starred for French power Lyon the last two years. A very energetic player who provides a bridge between Cameroon's veteran defenders and Eto'o.
Denmark
Denmark is batting 1.000, having qualified for the World Cup three times (1986, '98 and '02) and always advancing past group play. And this group is considered perhaps the best the country has produced since the early '90s. Of course, this group also didn't qualify for Euro 2008, so who knows? Denmark did win a difficult qualifying group that included Portugal and Sweden thanks to a veteran group, including coach Morten Olsen, the longest-tenured coach at the Cup who led Denmark to an upset of France in the 2002 tournament. One big issue is the possible absence of veteran keeper Thomas Sorensen, who dislocated his elbow at the end of the EPL season and could miss the tournament. But Denmark is also considered one of the happiest countries in the world, so that's got to be good for team morale, right? It makes me happy just writing it.
Coach: Morten Olsen. Really well liked among his players, in part because he was such a good player for Denmark, he's led the team for over a decade. Olsen has started to mix in some younger players to go along with his veteran guys he led to the 2002 tourney.
Players to Watch
Nicklas Bendtner: The 22-year-old striker scored three times for Arsenal against Porto in the Champions League, and scored against Portugal twice in qualifying. Big, strong and agile, could be one of the breakout stars of the tournament.
Christian Eriksen: Just 18, he's already made a name for himself at Ajax and is a dangerous attacking midfielder. Made his first appearance for Denmark in February and seems to have fit in well.
Jon Dahl Tomasson: The 33-year-old captain is the key to the Danish offense, providing size and a great target. But his age and injury woes could be a real problem.
Simon Kjaer: The youngster is now one of the most sought-after defenders in Europe after playing so well in qualifying and emerging for Palermo in Serie A.
Christian Poulsen: The physical, tough defensive midfielder is a huge help to the Danish defense and is also capable of scoring a goal now and then. One of the few Danish players who plays at a high-level European team (Juventus), he may be the key to any Denmark success.
Daniel Agger: A central defender who has been compared to coach Morten Olsen when Olsen was a player, he's the rock of the Danish defense. Stars at Liverpool and is a rare defender who comes forward and is a real threat.
Anders Moller Christensen: Struggled badly in qualifying, leaving a gaping hole on the left wing and he may not leave the bench in South Africa.
Patrick Mtiliga: Inexperienced but may be called on to fill the hole at left wing.
Japan
Japan is one of the powers of Asia, having qualified for the World Cup for the fourth-straight time, but the only time it's ever won was when it was the co-host in 2002. While this team has plenty of experienced players, it's also a boring group that has extreme trouble scoring goals. In fact, it's kind of driving the Japanese fans nuts. And you don't want to drive Japanese fans nuts, they're too organized. But at least they're also polite. They made headlines for cleaning up confetti in the stands after a game. Think that would ever happen here? Probably not. So do you really want to offend a group of fans passionate and organized enough to clean up tiny pieces of paper from a stadium? I sure don't. So get with it Japan.
Coach: Takeshi Okada. Who do you think is getting blamed for Japan's inability to score goals? This guy! He's also made the wild prediction that his team will make the semis. He led Japan to its first World Cup in 1998 and got to take over again when the previous coach had a stroke in late 2007. Now that's what you call a stroke of luck. I know, I'm terrible.
Players to Watch
Makoto Hasebe: A forward who is better known for his defense, which isn't really a good thing. But he plays for German champion Wolfsburg, and will be one of the guys really looked to to provide some scoring.
Keisuke Honda: A 24-year-old midfielder who plays for CSKA Russia, he's only played three games for Japan but is being counted on for his versatility and athleticism to provide some creativity and offense for Japan.
Marcus Tulio Tanaka: Someone has watched too much Rome. Marcus Tulio? This has to be the most unusual name in the tournament. He's also not going to be very well liked after his high knee broke Ivory Coast star Didier Drogba's arm last week. But he's a rock for the defense as the Brazilian-born center back was named the 2006 Japan Player of the Year.
Yuji Nakazawa: The team captain and center defender, he's the leader of a group that is the strength of Japan.
Shunsuke Nakamura: After languishing on the bench for his club team in Spain, Nakamura returned home just to get on the field and get ready. He's long been considered the best player on the team, and is a dangerous player on set pieces, but the midfielders play lately has left little to be excited about.
Takayuki Morimoto: The 22-year-old may not start at forward for Japan, but maybe he should. Has played for Catania in Serie A for three years and he's creative and could be just what the Japanese offense needs.
Keiji Tamada: A likely starter at forward, he's got to do a better job than he has been or he'll be seeing a lot of the bench.
Yoshito Okubo: Another starting forward who hasn't produced and has to be better for Japan to have success.
Yasuhito Endo: The defending Japan Player of the Year is a talented midfielder strong on attack and defense. He scored three goals in qualifying after never leaving the bench in the 2006 World Cup. The most creative, dangerous player on the team.
Shinji Okazaki: Not the most productive forward but the flashiest and potentially the most exciting, he could be the guy they turn to to get the offense going.
Netherlands
Long one of the most entertaining teams in the world and always considered a threat to win it all, the Dutch never quite put it together. In the previous six World Cups the team has qualified for, it's always made it out of group play, finishing runners-up in 1974 and '78 and reaching the semifinals in 1998. Holland played extremely well in Euro 2008, displaying explosive offense, and continued in World Cup qualifying, going 8-0. But qualifying hasn't been the big issue for the Dutch. It's playing well with actual real consequences on the line. This is a team that is loaded with attacking players, particularly on the wings, but with a weak backline that could undermine anything the fabulous offense can produce. Luckily for the Netherlands, this isn't a group loaded with great attackers outside of Cameroon, so it should be fine in qualifying, but then it's the same old story for the Dutch.
Coach: Bert van Marwijk. Took over the team after Euro 2008 and perhaps his biggest impact has been keeping a team full of big egos in check. He generally has run the same formation and lineup out there every time, going with the "If it ain't broke" approach which has allowed Netherlands to be one of the most consistent teams in Europe.
Players to Watch
Robin van Persie: Incredibly talented and incredibly hot-headed, he's constantly griping about teammates, most recently Dirk Kuyt, whom he felt must be missing a letter or two in his last name (OK, that last part may not be true). A versatile forward adept at handling the ball, he's been injured for much of the season for Arsenal but is a top scorer when healthy.
Joris Mathijsen: A center defender, he has really struggled with both position and marking, which are both fairly important traits for a defender. Could be on camera a lot as other teams go after his side of the field.
Giovanni van Bronkhorst: The captain of the team and maybe the only Dutchman named Giovanni, he's announced his retirement following the World Cup. Unfortunately, that means he's playing in the World Cup, which may not be good news for the Dutch as he's just not that good anymore.
Eljero Elia: He may not start, but this youngster is an emerging star on the wings, with great speed and dribbling ability and maybe the best crosser on the team. Just what the Dutch need, another great offensive player.
Arjen Robben: One of the faster players in the tournament except when he's hurt, which is all the time. A dangerous offensive player if only because of his speed, he stars at Bayern Munich, which ain't too shabby.
Wesley Sneijder: The most complete offensive player on the team, he was let go by Real Madrid only to sign with Inter Milan, where he's thrived. Tremendous on dead balls, he's able to create or finish. With Inter, he's won the Champions League, Serie A and Coppa Italia titles, so why not finish things off with a World Cup trophy?
Dirk Kuyt: Another outstanding attacker who usually rushes in from the wings, he's playing with a chip on his shoulder because Robin van Persie hates him so much.
Maarten Stecklenburg: Tough job filling in for a legend, and that's what Stecklenberg is doing. He's taking the place in net left by the retired Edward van der Saar, who always seemed about ready to kill any defender who dared let someone take a shot on him. It's not a good sign that fans have asked van der Saar to come back. Come on, give Maarten a chance.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Satchel's First Mariners Game
I don't remember my first Mariners game, though I'm sure it took place in the early 80s at the Kingdome, and if my memory serves me right, it was probably against the Kansas City Royals. It just seemed like every time I watched the Mariners play in the Kingdome, it was against the Royals. George Brett, hate him sooooo much.
Say what you will about the Kingdome - yes, it wasn't a good baseball stadium - I had a ton of memories from there and still think of it fondly. It was a big part of my childhood. We didn't have a ton of money when I was growing up, and as an adult I can look back with great appreciation to my parents for finding the means to allow me to go to games.
So as I've grown older, one of the things I most looked forward to was taking a child of my own to a Mariners game. Three years ago we had Satchel and that thought grew more vivid and realistic. I probably should have taken him when he was an infant, but didn't. He went to a few Everett AquaSox games, and a high school game here or there, but that's about it.
His third birthday is now a few weeks away, and the clock began to tick loudly. Why? Because kids get in to Mariners games for free until they turn 3. So I knew I had to get it done soon.
Saturday, June 5 was the day. An afternoon game against the Angels. I had a gift card to cover my ticket. Jessica worked that day. The opportunity was perfect. What follows is a blow-by-blow account of a day I'd looked forward to for a long time.
Friday, June 4: Spend the day pumping Satchel up for the next-day's adventure. He seems pretty excited about it, which raises my excitement level, but I know my son, so it's tempered a bit. I've learned in the past that sometimes what I want isn't what he wants, so I try to accept that. ...I said, I try to.
On to Saturday.....
7:07 a.m.: Satchel wakes up. Oh no. This is way, way too early for him to be up and be OK later in the afternoon. He usually doesn't wake up until 8:30 at the earliest, usually 9 or later, so this is no good. I quickly race to get his bottle (yes, he still has a bottle, shut up! And for your information, he calls it Bobby). I jam it into his mouth, lie down with him and pretend to sleep. It works! He falls back to sleep. Thank goodness, because I was staring at a looooong day.
9:06 a.m.: He wakes up for good. This works fine, he should be good to go until 2 or 3, which is manageable. He seems to be in a good mood.
9:10 a.m.: I tell him we're going to take the train to the baseball field! He loves trains! It'll be great! He tells me no, he wants to take the bus, not the train. It has begun. I lie and tell him the buses aren't working today, we have to take a train. He falls for it!
10 a.m.: I see that it's Turn Back the Clock Day and they're giving away free hats! I tell Satchel we're going to get a new hat at the game! Yeaaahhhh! He tells me no, he doesn't want a new hat! Sigh.
10:18 a.m.: I tell him it's time to start getting ready to go to the baseball game! The train leaves at 11:41. He says he doesn't want to go. Oh brother.
10:29 a.m.: He says he's excited to go and does the first of many baseball dances, which is pretty much him bouncing around waving his arms. He's clearly bipolar.
10:54 a.m.: We're about dressed to go, and he does another baseball dance!
10:56 a.m.: He says, no, he doesn't want to go!
10:58 a.m.: Another baseball dance and ready to go! Into the car and away we go to Edmonds terminal to catch the train. Along the way, we rock out to The Beatles, Satchel's favorite.
11:25 a.m.: Arrive at Edmonds station a
nd it's free parking! Yeah! We get out and go buy our train ticket (Satchel is free). This is very exciting for him. He sees the tracks! When will the train be here? Baseball dance!
11:27 a.m.: Bored, when will the train get here? Is it coming? Is that it? Where is it?
11:41 a.m.: The train arrives right on time! Satchel is very excited, until it wooshes past us, which freaks him out. But then it stops! We get on.
11:42 a.m.: We get great seats on the water side of the train. Satchel stares out the window the entire ride, checking out the boats, the dogs on the beach, he gets very excited when we go through a tunnel (which is really just under a bridge, but whatever). He is loving the trip.
11:50 a.m.: He sees crows flying and breaks into a rendition of The Beatles Blackbird, which he sings for about five minutes.
12:08 p.m.: We arrive at King Street Station near the stadium. We get off the train and begin the walk to the stadium. I pick him up, because with this many people, it would take forever for him to walk.
12:14 p.m.: He sees Qwest Field, home of the Sounders and Seahawks, and asks if we can go in to watch the Sounders. I tell him they don't play until later tonight. Then he sees a huge photo of new Seahawks coach Pete Carroll on the side of the stadium. He asks who it is. I say it's the Seahawks coach and his name is Pete. He says, "Pete? That's a craaaazzzzy name!"
12:17 p.m.: We walk toward Safeco Field. He sees the food vending booths, including one selling Kettle Korn. "Popcorn!" he says. I tell him it's Kettle Korn, kinda like popcorn. He says he doesn't like Kettle Korn (which he's never had) and only likes popcorn.
12:20 p.m.: We see a guy dressed up like a hot dog, which Satchel thinks is pretty funny, but not as funny as the dog also dressed like a hot dog. We also see an old Asian guy with a cowboy hat very enthusiastically selling peanuts, which is kind of weird. Satchel says, "A cowboy!" I pass three people trying to give away their homemade hip hop CD, which I decline, though I feel bad doing it. I'm sure it's outstanding stuff, but my hands are full. We pass scalpers in Mariners hats and Satchel asks if they play for the Mariners. No quite.
12:22 p.m.: I hear "Is that Allende?" from behind me. I turn and it's Ben Holman, another former Nathan Hale baseball player. We talk for a minute and he's raising funds for his organization, I Love Baseball. It's a great organization that works with youth in the Dominican Republic by offering them educational opportunities in case baseball doesn't work out. Check them out at http://www.ilovebaseball.org/. Anyway, he's giving away tickets to the game. Score! He gives me a free one. The day keeps getting better and better.
12:31 p.m.: We e
nter the stadium. Satch has been here twice before, once for a Nathan Hale game and once for Mariners Fan Fest. But this is his first Mariners game and I'm really excited. We spot the marketing interns giving away the free hats and get them. He's excited because now we each have the same hat! He puts it on and it's too big, but we look awesome.
12:41 p.m.: We reach out seats, high in the third level on the first base side. Great view of the city and the field. Satchel wants to know where Ichiro is. I don't see him, but I do see The Moose, which is mildly exciting for him. I explain that they are warming up, but I don't think he gets it.
12:45 p.m.: He asks if the game is over. I say no.
12:50 p.m.: There is a moment of silence before the National Anthem for John Wooden, the UCLA basketball coach who died the day before at 99. Great coach, great teacher, but it seemed a little weird to have a moment of silence for him. But no big deal. National Anthem starts and Satchel wants to know what the name of the song is. I say The Star Spangled Banner. "That's a craaaazzzyyy name!"
12:56 p.m.: He again asks if the game is over. I say no, man, they just finished warming up, the game hasn't started yet. He doesn't seem to like that answer. I continue to assure him that we'll get ice cream and walk around soon, and look for kids things. He wants to go now. I say we'll good soon. How soon, we'll see.
12:59 p.m.: He says he's not having fun. That hurts. I break out the Veggie Bootie, which he scarfs down.
1:03 p.m.: He spits up a little bit. I freak out. The last thing I need is him throwing up all over the place. I brought him a change of clothes, but not me, so I position him carefully. But it passes and he's fine. Disaster averted.
1:05 p.m.: The game starts. He doesn't really notice. He watches most of what ha
ppens on the big screen scoreboard.
1:06 p.m.: Asks to go find kids stuff again. I say soon...again.
1:13 p.m.: He's getting restless so I offer him a bottle. He is very excited by this. He lies on me and drinks, I watch the game. This will work.
For the next several innings, he kind of dozes on me. I don't think he's asleep, but his eyes are closed, he's relaxed and only once in awhile opens his eyes when he hears a loud noise that he thinks might be the "boat races" I've told him about. It never is, though.
2:02 p.m.: He starts moving around, checking out the seat next to him, getting more active, or restless. I know my time is short, but the M's are struggling, so I'm OK with that.
2:58 p.m.: We make it to the sixth inning and I finally decide to get us moving. This game is going nowhere, I've got to pee and I'm hungry, so now is as good a time as any. I ask him
if he wants to go walk around. And we're off.
3:11 p.m.: We walk down to the first level, where I am on a search for garlic fries and a veggie dog. I find both, but find carrying a backpack, a veggie dog, garlic fries, trying to eat and keep an eye on a wandering toddler is not as easy as it sounds. But, he says he doesn't want ice cream, so there's that.
3:20 p.m.: We pass by The Moose "house" where he's inside taking pictures with kids. I ask Satchel if he wants to take a picture with the Moose, knowing full well the answer. We move on.
3:28 p.m.: I have no idea how the game is going, but I hear moans and booes, so it can't be good. I see the kids play area, but there's a long line. We linger outside, where there's a fountain of a baseball player, who Satchel decides is Ichiro. I wolf down my food and scope out the play area, and realize that you need a ticket or something to get in, and by the looks of it, all the tickets have been given out. Satchel hasn't noticed the play area, so I strategically keep him from seeing it by encouraging him to go into one of the team stores.
3:30 p.m.: I'm trying to finish off my fries as fast as I can when I look down and see that Satchel has taken one of the foam fingers out of the store. I eat faster and usher him back in.
3:35 p.m.: Since I didn't have to use my gift card to buy a ticket, I figure I can use it to get him something. He despe
rately wants a foam finger, a pink one, though he changes his mind to a dark blue one (not that there would have been anything wrong with pink). Then he wants a bobblehead, which is too expensive. I convince him to get a stuffed baseball guy, so we get that, and he seems happy.
3:41 p.m.: We continue to wander the stadium and, knowing that he likes museums, we got to the Mariners' museum and hall of fame inside the stadium. He likes it! He's very excited by the display that shows how a baseball is made. He poses in front of a couple of player exhibits, touches a real bat, overall has a great time. Great photos too.
3:50 p.m.: My camera batteries die. Dang.
3:52 p.m.: I ask if he's ready to go. He says yes. I think it's about the eighth inning or so, so now is probably a good time. We head out of the stadium with the throngs of other people escaping.
4:07 p.m.: He again asks if we can go to the Sounders game, especially when he sees a huge inflatable soccer ball going up outside Qwest Field. I tell him next time.
4:15 p.m.: We reach our train, which isn't ready to board yet. He's restless so I give him some of his sandwich. Then the doors open. We spend the next several minutes moving from seat to seat until we find one that works for him, on the third level with a view of the water.
4:27 p.m.: A couple asks if they can have the other two seats in our booth. Sure. But Satchel doesn't like it, gets very shy and asks if we can move. I say forget about it and give him more sandwich.
5:31 p.m.: We arrive at Edmonds Station. A good trip back, more boats and dogs to see. He was great. We get in the car and drive home.
It was an awesome day for me. So much fun. I knew he wouldn't be into the game, and that was fine. But he was in a great mood, he seemed to generally have fun and said he wants to go again, "this time with Mommy." I hope that he'll remember the adventure we had when he gets older. If not, that's OK, I will. Now, gotta get Sounders tickets.
Say what you will about the Kingdome - yes, it wasn't a good baseball stadium - I had a ton of memories from there and still think of it fondly. It was a big part of my childhood. We didn't have a ton of money when I was growing up, and as an adult I can look back with great appreciation to my parents for finding the means to allow me to go to games.
So as I've grown older, one of the things I most looked forward to was taking a child of my own to a Mariners game. Three years ago we had Satchel and that thought grew more vivid and realistic. I probably should have taken him when he was an infant, but didn't. He went to a few Everett AquaSox games, and a high school game here or there, but that's about it.
His third birthday is now a few weeks away, and the clock began to tick loudly. Why? Because kids get in to Mariners games for free until they turn 3. So I knew I had to get it done soon.
Saturday, June 5 was the day. An afternoon game against the Angels. I had a gift card to cover my ticket. Jessica worked that day. The opportunity was perfect. What follows is a blow-by-blow account of a day I'd looked forward to for a long time.
Friday, June 4: Spend the day pumping Satchel up for the next-day's adventure. He seems pretty excited about it, which raises my excitement level, but I know my son, so it's tempered a bit. I've learned in the past that sometimes what I want isn't what he wants, so I try to accept that. ...I said, I try to.
On to Saturday.....
7:07 a.m.: Satchel wakes up. Oh no. This is way, way too early for him to be up and be OK later in the afternoon. He usually doesn't wake up until 8:30 at the earliest, usually 9 or later, so this is no good. I quickly race to get his bottle (yes, he still has a bottle, shut up! And for your information, he calls it Bobby). I jam it into his mouth, lie down with him and pretend to sleep. It works! He falls back to sleep. Thank goodness, because I was staring at a looooong day.
9:06 a.m.: He wakes up for good. This works fine, he should be good to go until 2 or 3, which is manageable. He seems to be in a good mood.
9:10 a.m.: I tell him we're going to take the train to the baseball field! He loves trains! It'll be great! He tells me no, he wants to take the bus, not the train. It has begun. I lie and tell him the buses aren't working today, we have to take a train. He falls for it!
10 a.m.: I see that it's Turn Back the Clock Day and they're giving away free hats! I tell Satchel we're going to get a new hat at the game! Yeaaahhhh! He tells me no, he doesn't want a new hat! Sigh.
10:18 a.m.: I tell him it's time to start getting ready to go to the baseball game! The train leaves at 11:41. He says he doesn't want to go. Oh brother.
10:29 a.m.: He says he's excited to go and does the first of many baseball dances, which is pretty much him bouncing around waving his arms. He's clearly bipolar.
10:54 a.m.: We're about dressed to go, and he does another baseball dance!
10:56 a.m.: He says, no, he doesn't want to go!
10:58 a.m.: Another baseball dance and ready to go! Into the car and away we go to Edmonds terminal to catch the train. Along the way, we rock out to The Beatles, Satchel's favorite.
11:25 a.m.: Arrive at Edmonds station a
nd it's free parking! Yeah! We get out and go buy our train ticket (Satchel is free). This is very exciting for him. He sees the tracks! When will the train be here? Baseball dance!11:27 a.m.: Bored, when will the train get here? Is it coming? Is that it? Where is it?
11:41 a.m.: The train arrives right on time! Satchel is very excited, until it wooshes past us, which freaks him out. But then it stops! We get on.
11:42 a.m.: We get great seats on the water side of the train. Satchel stares out the window the entire ride, checking out the boats, the dogs on the beach, he gets very excited when we go through a tunnel (which is really just under a bridge, but whatever). He is loving the trip.
11:50 a.m.: He sees crows flying and breaks into a rendition of The Beatles Blackbird, which he sings for about five minutes.
12:08 p.m.: We arrive at King Street Station near the stadium. We get off the train and begin the walk to the stadium. I pick him up, because with this many people, it would take forever for him to walk.
12:14 p.m.: He sees Qwest Field, home of the Sounders and Seahawks, and asks if we can go in to watch the Sounders. I tell him they don't play until later tonight. Then he sees a huge photo of new Seahawks coach Pete Carroll on the side of the stadium. He asks who it is. I say it's the Seahawks coach and his name is Pete. He says, "Pete? That's a craaaazzzzy name!"
12:17 p.m.: We walk toward Safeco Field. He sees the food vending booths, including one selling Kettle Korn. "Popcorn!" he says. I tell him it's Kettle Korn, kinda like popcorn. He says he doesn't like Kettle Korn (which he's never had) and only likes popcorn.
12:20 p.m.: We see a guy dressed up like a hot dog, which Satchel thinks is pretty funny, but not as funny as the dog also dressed like a hot dog. We also see an old Asian guy with a cowboy hat very enthusiastically selling peanuts, which is kind of weird. Satchel says, "A cowboy!" I pass three people trying to give away their homemade hip hop CD, which I decline, though I feel bad doing it. I'm sure it's outstanding stuff, but my hands are full. We pass scalpers in Mariners hats and Satchel asks if they play for the Mariners. No quite.
12:22 p.m.: I hear "Is that Allende?" from behind me. I turn and it's Ben Holman, another former Nathan Hale baseball player. We talk for a minute and he's raising funds for his organization, I Love Baseball. It's a great organization that works with youth in the Dominican Republic by offering them educational opportunities in case baseball doesn't work out. Check them out at http://www.ilovebaseball.org/. Anyway, he's giving away tickets to the game. Score! He gives me a free one. The day keeps getting better and better.
12:31 p.m.: We e
nter the stadium. Satch has been here twice before, once for a Nathan Hale game and once for Mariners Fan Fest. But this is his first Mariners game and I'm really excited. We spot the marketing interns giving away the free hats and get them. He's excited because now we each have the same hat! He puts it on and it's too big, but we look awesome.12:41 p.m.: We reach out seats, high in the third level on the first base side. Great view of the city and the field. Satchel wants to know where Ichiro is. I don't see him, but I do see The Moose, which is mildly exciting for him. I explain that they are warming up, but I don't think he gets it.
12:45 p.m.: He asks if the game is over. I say no.
12:50 p.m.: There is a moment of silence before the National Anthem for John Wooden, the UCLA basketball coach who died the day before at 99. Great coach, great teacher, but it seemed a little weird to have a moment of silence for him. But no big deal. National Anthem starts and Satchel wants to know what the name of the song is. I say The Star Spangled Banner. "That's a craaaazzzyyy name!"
12:56 p.m.: He again asks if the game is over. I say no, man, they just finished warming up, the game hasn't started yet. He doesn't seem to like that answer. I continue to assure him that we'll get ice cream and walk around soon, and look for kids things. He wants to go now. I say we'll good soon. How soon, we'll see.
12:59 p.m.: He says he's not having fun. That hurts. I break out the Veggie Bootie, which he scarfs down.
1:03 p.m.: He spits up a little bit. I freak out. The last thing I need is him throwing up all over the place. I brought him a change of clothes, but not me, so I position him carefully. But it passes and he's fine. Disaster averted.
1:05 p.m.: The game starts. He doesn't really notice. He watches most of what ha
ppens on the big screen scoreboard.1:06 p.m.: Asks to go find kids stuff again. I say soon...again.
1:13 p.m.: He's getting restless so I offer him a bottle. He is very excited by this. He lies on me and drinks, I watch the game. This will work.
For the next several innings, he kind of dozes on me. I don't think he's asleep, but his eyes are closed, he's relaxed and only once in awhile opens his eyes when he hears a loud noise that he thinks might be the "boat races" I've told him about. It never is, though.
2:02 p.m.: He starts moving around, checking out the seat next to him, getting more active, or restless. I know my time is short, but the M's are struggling, so I'm OK with that.
2:58 p.m.: We make it to the sixth inning and I finally decide to get us moving. This game is going nowhere, I've got to pee and I'm hungry, so now is as good a time as any. I ask him
if he wants to go walk around. And we're off.3:11 p.m.: We walk down to the first level, where I am on a search for garlic fries and a veggie dog. I find both, but find carrying a backpack, a veggie dog, garlic fries, trying to eat and keep an eye on a wandering toddler is not as easy as it sounds. But, he says he doesn't want ice cream, so there's that.
3:20 p.m.: We pass by The Moose "house" where he's inside taking pictures with kids. I ask Satchel if he wants to take a picture with the Moose, knowing full well the answer. We move on.
3:28 p.m.: I have no idea how the game is going, but I hear moans and booes, so it can't be good. I see the kids play area, but there's a long line. We linger outside, where there's a fountain of a baseball player, who Satchel decides is Ichiro. I wolf down my food and scope out the play area, and realize that you need a ticket or something to get in, and by the looks of it, all the tickets have been given out. Satchel hasn't noticed the play area, so I strategically keep him from seeing it by encouraging him to go into one of the team stores.
3:30 p.m.: I'm trying to finish off my fries as fast as I can when I look down and see that Satchel has taken one of the foam fingers out of the store. I eat faster and usher him back in.
3:35 p.m.: Since I didn't have to use my gift card to buy a ticket, I figure I can use it to get him something. He despe
rately wants a foam finger, a pink one, though he changes his mind to a dark blue one (not that there would have been anything wrong with pink). Then he wants a bobblehead, which is too expensive. I convince him to get a stuffed baseball guy, so we get that, and he seems happy.3:41 p.m.: We continue to wander the stadium and, knowing that he likes museums, we got to the Mariners' museum and hall of fame inside the stadium. He likes it! He's very excited by the display that shows how a baseball is made. He poses in front of a couple of player exhibits, touches a real bat, overall has a great time. Great photos too.
3:50 p.m.: My camera batteries die. Dang.
3:52 p.m.: I ask if he's ready to go. He says yes. I think it's about the eighth inning or so, so now is probably a good time. We head out of the stadium with the throngs of other people escaping.4:07 p.m.: He again asks if we can go to the Sounders game, especially when he sees a huge inflatable soccer ball going up outside Qwest Field. I tell him next time.
4:15 p.m.: We reach our train, which isn't ready to board yet. He's restless so I give him some of his sandwich. Then the doors open. We spend the next several minutes moving from seat to seat until we find one that works for him, on the third level with a view of the water.
4:27 p.m.: A couple asks if they can have the other two seats in our booth. Sure. But Satchel doesn't like it, gets very shy and asks if we can move. I say forget about it and give him more sandwich.
5:31 p.m.: We arrive at Edmonds Station. A good trip back, more boats and dogs to see. He was great. We get in the car and drive home.
It was an awesome day for me. So much fun. I knew he wouldn't be into the game, and that was fine. But he was in a great mood, he seemed to generally have fun and said he wants to go again, "this time with Mommy." I hope that he'll remember the adventure we had when he gets older. If not, that's OK, I will. Now, gotta get Sounders tickets.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
World Cup Group D Preview
It's been a long, busy day so hopefully this stands up to my shockingly good work on the first three groups. Group D has one clear favorite in Germany and then three solid teams competing for the next spot. Germany is the clear class of the group while Australia showed in the last World Cup it's capable of playing with anyone. Ghana will have a bit of a home-field advantage and is a popular choice to make a deep run in the tournament. Serbia is competing in its first World Cup since first breaking away from Yugoslavia and then dropping Montenegro, which always seemed to be the half that was holding Serbia & Montenegro back from true world dominance. This may turn out to be the most entertaining group in the tournament.
Australia
Australians are pretty likeable to begin with, and this team is named the Socceroos, which is even more likeable. What would be even more awesome is if they'd somehow incorporate a kangaroo into the team, but for now we'll take what we can get. In 2006, Australia advanced out of group play and then lost on a controversial penalty kick to Italy in the second round. Almost the exact same group of players is back, which could be good, or not so good. Australia lost to the United States on Saturday, allowing three goals, which isn't a good sign for a team that relies on defense. Australia allowed just one goal in eight qualifying matches as it was the first team to qualify for South Africa. With Germany and Ghana dealing with injuries to their stars, things may be open for Australia to get through once again.
Coach: Pim Verbeek. Pim and the Socceroos sounds like a cartoon. He took over in December of '07 after previously coaching South Korea. Pim likes his defense and loads up on the back line, hoping to counter attack. This is a team that has played together for awhile, so there shouldn't be too much managing to do. He's already announced he's leaving the team after the World Cup to take over Morocco's youth program. I'd probably never leave Australia if I was there, but that's just me. Pim is his own man.
Players to Watch
Harry Kewell: Harry Kewell kind of sounds like a film noir detective or criminal. He was a dangerous scorer early in his career but has slowed down. He left Liverpool to join Galatasaray to try to keep his career going, but injuries are catching up and he's not the same attacking player he once was.
Brett Emerton: A versatile player who can play both in the back and at mid, he's likely to be more of an attacking player in South Africa. Has played at a high level for Blackburn in the EPL and is one of Australia's most accomplished players.
Tim Cahill: Probably Australia's most dangerous scorer, though he generally does it more with his head than his feet. An attacking center midfielder who has reached double figures in goals for Everton for the last two years, if Australia scores a key goal, it's likely Cahill who did it.
Lucas Neill: The team's captain since 2006, he followed Kewell to Galatasaray after playing in the EPL for years. A tough center defender who anchors the defense, he also committed the penalty against Italy in '06, so he'll try to erase that memory.
Craig Moore: I had a doctor named Craig Moore once. I didn't get the sense he was a soccer player, though. This Craig Moore is a highly experienced player who joins Neill at center defense and generally organizes the back line.
Mark Schwarzer: Has been the top Australian keeper for like 50 years, despite his being only 38. He's been one of the top keepers in the EPL for Fulham for awhile as well. He's 6-foot-5 and capable of making some big saves, and had seven shutouts in eight qualifying matches.
Brett Holman: One of several players competing to be the starting striker, he is not related in any way to former Mariner pitchers Brian or Brad Holman, though it seems like he could be.
Luke Wilkshire: Plays for Dynamo Moscow and will take over a starting defensive wing role, allowing Emerton to push forward.
Nikita Rukavytsya: How is this guy Australian? I mean, Nikita Rukavytsya? But he is, and might be one of the forwards, but probably not.
Jason Culina: A solid defensive midfielder, he'll be counted on to slow down some of the talented attacking players in the group.
Vince Grella: The Blackburn Rovers defensive midfielder will pair with Culina to provide defensive assistance, freeing up Kewell and Emerton to try to score. If they ever make a movie about his life, I bet John Travolta plays him, because Vince Grella sounds like the name of a guy John Travolta would play.
Germany
Here's the best story I've heard about Germany - or any other team. In a qualifying match against Wales last year, striker Lukas Podolski slapped team captain Michael Ballack after Ballack tolled Podolski to, "Move yourself!" Podolski was fined $7,000, apologized to Ballack and called himself an idiot. Oh those Germans.
That was just another in a line of troubles for Germany. In November, expected World Cup keeper Robert Enke committed suicide after being depressed over the death of his kid. Then they lost Ballack, the captain and best-known player, for the tournament with an injury. It's amazing that this team is still considered the favorite, but it is, a testament to the overall talent that Germany has. That's not a surprise, as Germany has qualified for every World Cup since 1954 and hasn't failed to get out of group play, winning the whole thing three times. Can they make it a fourth?
Coach: Joachim Low. An assistant coach four years ago, he's very organized and has helped the team through a tough period. There's always pressure on Germany, so Low has his work cut out but has talent to get far.
Players to Watch
Thomas Muller: Just 20-years-old, he's already considered one of the top young strikers in the world. At Bayern Munich, he sent German teammate Miroslav Klose to the bench and helped Bayern to the Champions League final, and led Bayern to the German league and cup championships. He's scored 19 goals this season and while he may not start, he'll surely see time.
Manuel Neuer: Not long ago, he was considered the third-string keeper. Now, with Enke's death and Rene Adler's injury, Neuer is the man. He was the keeper on the Under-21 team that won the 2009 European championship. Germany is always strong at keeper so the pressure is on Neuer to come through.
Miroslav Klose: In the 2006 Cup, Klose won the Golden Boot with five goals. Since then, things haven't gone as well as he lost his starting job with Bayern Munich. Still, he led Germany in scoring in qualifying and is always a dangerous threat.
Lukas Podolski: An idiot who is never afraid to slap a teammate, Podolski is also a dangerous scorer who scored three times in the 2006 World Cup when he was just 21. Podolski used his solid World Cup to move from Cologne to Bayern Munich, where he hardly played at all, so he slunk back to Cologne and only scored twice this season. But like Klose, he's very talented and could get hot in the tournament.
Bastian Schweinsteiger: The most German of Germans given his name, Schweinsteiger is being counted on to step into Ballack's spot as an attacking midfielder. Another Bayern Munich player, Schweinsteiger is as capable of scoring as he is creating, he's been one of the best players in the Bundesliga this season.
Mesut Ozil: One of the top younger players in the world, the creative midfielder from Werder Bremen could be the breakout star for Germany. Just 21, he could be the next in line of great German midfielders.
Ghana
Some people believe this team will be the one to bring the first World Cup title to Africa. Ghana made its World Cup debut in 2006 and advanced out of a group that included Italy, the U.S. and the Czech Republic. The country built on that success by winning the Under-20 World Cup last year, beating Brazil in the final, and reached the final of the African Nations Cup. This is clearly an emerging soccer power, but it will have to get by after the loss of team captain and Chelsea star Michael Essien to injury.
Coach: Milovan Rajevac. A Serbian who has coached here since 2008, he's brought a defensive balance to a traditionally offensive team. Now his challenge is to mix a group of youngsters who won the U-20 World Cup with a veteran group that played so well at the '06 World Cup.
Players to Watch
Kevin-Prince Boateng: Only recently switched his allegience from Germany to Ghana, he's never played for the Black Stars. But already he's seen as Essien's replacement, and made his mark by knocking German star Michael Ballack out of the tournament with a hard tackle in the FA Cup final.
Kwadwo Asamoah: Probably the best of Ghana's young players, he'll likely line up at midfield or could move up to serve as a third forward.
Lee Addy: A very popular player because he plays his club ball in Africa, he only started playing for his country last year but already is a starting back who came up big in the African Nations Cup. His name makes him sound like a mechanic.
Asamoah Gyan: A 24-year-old scoring machine who has 17 goals in 32 games for Ghana. Plays professionally in France, where he scored 13 goals for Rennes this year, he'll be Ghana's top scoring threat.
Eric Addo: Was supposed to be a key member of the defense but has hardly played at all at the club level in Holland and may have lost his starting job.
Serbia
Serbia somehow qualified for the 2006 World Cup despite having to carry Montenegro's butt but now that it's dropped it's ugly sister and has set out on its own, it could really be a country to be reckoned with. Serbia won a tough qualifying group that included France, Austria and Romania, so clearly this is a team that can play with most teams. This is a well-coached team with plenty of top European players and it wouldn't be a surprise if this team advances beyond group play. Also, keep an eye on defender Neven Subotic of Borussia Dortmund, a 21-year-old considered one of the top young defenders in the world. Oh, also, he grew up in Salt Lake City and was on the U.S. U-17 and U-20 teams but got cut from the 2007 U-20 World Cup team, so switched to Serbia, where his parents are from. Smooth move Coach Thomas Rongen, way to go.
Coach: Radonomir Antic. Antic is the main reason Serbia has been as good as it has been so quickly. An excellent tactician, he's the only man to have coached Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, which he led to the La Liga title in 1995-96. When he was hired, there was plenty of skepticism, but he's quieted that in a way only Radonomir Antic can.
Players to Watch
Dejan Stankovic: The captain and an outstanding all-around midfielder who can play inside or out and stars at Inter Milan. Had an excellent run with Inter to the Champions League title and, now in his 12th year with the national team, he's looking to wrap his career up on a high note.
Milan Jovanovic: Was not really a top option until two years ago, but now the winger is one of Serbia's top attacking players. Jovanovic led Serbia in scoring during qualification and his great play over the last season has led to his transfer to Liverpool next season.
Nemanja Vidic: Considered one of, if not the, best defender in the world, the center back stars at Manchester United. Vidic missed the 2006 World Cup with injury but has been ridiculously good throughout qualifying. Maybe the most important player on the team.
Milos Krasic: A fast winger who is the only Serbian to play in every qualifier, he had a great Champions League performance for CSKA Moscow. Could really have a breakout tournament in South Africa.
Branislav Ivanovic: Not an attractive player at all - and I don't mean his looks, I mean how he plays - but gets the job done in the back. The Chelsea defender is physical and tough and one of the keys to the Serbian defense.
Nikola Zigic: No one in the tournament will present a more imposing presence than the 6-foot-8 Zigic, who plays at Valencia. Unfortunately, he has not been a very good scoring option for his club or country, and he'll have to up that performance to have much value in South Africa.
Marko Pantelic: He'll step in at forward if Zigic can't do the job, but Pantelic is more of a passer than finisher, so that doesn't help much.
Nenad Milijas: A center midfielder who may be asked to provide a lot of defensive assistance, he'll have to work hard to keep up with Serbia's fast wings.
Australia
Australians are pretty likeable to begin with, and this team is named the Socceroos, which is even more likeable. What would be even more awesome is if they'd somehow incorporate a kangaroo into the team, but for now we'll take what we can get. In 2006, Australia advanced out of group play and then lost on a controversial penalty kick to Italy in the second round. Almost the exact same group of players is back, which could be good, or not so good. Australia lost to the United States on Saturday, allowing three goals, which isn't a good sign for a team that relies on defense. Australia allowed just one goal in eight qualifying matches as it was the first team to qualify for South Africa. With Germany and Ghana dealing with injuries to their stars, things may be open for Australia to get through once again.
Coach: Pim Verbeek. Pim and the Socceroos sounds like a cartoon. He took over in December of '07 after previously coaching South Korea. Pim likes his defense and loads up on the back line, hoping to counter attack. This is a team that has played together for awhile, so there shouldn't be too much managing to do. He's already announced he's leaving the team after the World Cup to take over Morocco's youth program. I'd probably never leave Australia if I was there, but that's just me. Pim is his own man.
Players to Watch
Harry Kewell: Harry Kewell kind of sounds like a film noir detective or criminal. He was a dangerous scorer early in his career but has slowed down. He left Liverpool to join Galatasaray to try to keep his career going, but injuries are catching up and he's not the same attacking player he once was.
Brett Emerton: A versatile player who can play both in the back and at mid, he's likely to be more of an attacking player in South Africa. Has played at a high level for Blackburn in the EPL and is one of Australia's most accomplished players.
Tim Cahill: Probably Australia's most dangerous scorer, though he generally does it more with his head than his feet. An attacking center midfielder who has reached double figures in goals for Everton for the last two years, if Australia scores a key goal, it's likely Cahill who did it.
Lucas Neill: The team's captain since 2006, he followed Kewell to Galatasaray after playing in the EPL for years. A tough center defender who anchors the defense, he also committed the penalty against Italy in '06, so he'll try to erase that memory.
Craig Moore: I had a doctor named Craig Moore once. I didn't get the sense he was a soccer player, though. This Craig Moore is a highly experienced player who joins Neill at center defense and generally organizes the back line.
Mark Schwarzer: Has been the top Australian keeper for like 50 years, despite his being only 38. He's been one of the top keepers in the EPL for Fulham for awhile as well. He's 6-foot-5 and capable of making some big saves, and had seven shutouts in eight qualifying matches.
Brett Holman: One of several players competing to be the starting striker, he is not related in any way to former Mariner pitchers Brian or Brad Holman, though it seems like he could be.
Luke Wilkshire: Plays for Dynamo Moscow and will take over a starting defensive wing role, allowing Emerton to push forward.
Nikita Rukavytsya: How is this guy Australian? I mean, Nikita Rukavytsya? But he is, and might be one of the forwards, but probably not.
Jason Culina: A solid defensive midfielder, he'll be counted on to slow down some of the talented attacking players in the group.
Vince Grella: The Blackburn Rovers defensive midfielder will pair with Culina to provide defensive assistance, freeing up Kewell and Emerton to try to score. If they ever make a movie about his life, I bet John Travolta plays him, because Vince Grella sounds like the name of a guy John Travolta would play.
Germany
Here's the best story I've heard about Germany - or any other team. In a qualifying match against Wales last year, striker Lukas Podolski slapped team captain Michael Ballack after Ballack tolled Podolski to, "Move yourself!" Podolski was fined $7,000, apologized to Ballack and called himself an idiot. Oh those Germans.
That was just another in a line of troubles for Germany. In November, expected World Cup keeper Robert Enke committed suicide after being depressed over the death of his kid. Then they lost Ballack, the captain and best-known player, for the tournament with an injury. It's amazing that this team is still considered the favorite, but it is, a testament to the overall talent that Germany has. That's not a surprise, as Germany has qualified for every World Cup since 1954 and hasn't failed to get out of group play, winning the whole thing three times. Can they make it a fourth?
Coach: Joachim Low. An assistant coach four years ago, he's very organized and has helped the team through a tough period. There's always pressure on Germany, so Low has his work cut out but has talent to get far.
Players to Watch
Thomas Muller: Just 20-years-old, he's already considered one of the top young strikers in the world. At Bayern Munich, he sent German teammate Miroslav Klose to the bench and helped Bayern to the Champions League final, and led Bayern to the German league and cup championships. He's scored 19 goals this season and while he may not start, he'll surely see time.
Manuel Neuer: Not long ago, he was considered the third-string keeper. Now, with Enke's death and Rene Adler's injury, Neuer is the man. He was the keeper on the Under-21 team that won the 2009 European championship. Germany is always strong at keeper so the pressure is on Neuer to come through.
Miroslav Klose: In the 2006 Cup, Klose won the Golden Boot with five goals. Since then, things haven't gone as well as he lost his starting job with Bayern Munich. Still, he led Germany in scoring in qualifying and is always a dangerous threat.
Lukas Podolski: An idiot who is never afraid to slap a teammate, Podolski is also a dangerous scorer who scored three times in the 2006 World Cup when he was just 21. Podolski used his solid World Cup to move from Cologne to Bayern Munich, where he hardly played at all, so he slunk back to Cologne and only scored twice this season. But like Klose, he's very talented and could get hot in the tournament.
Bastian Schweinsteiger: The most German of Germans given his name, Schweinsteiger is being counted on to step into Ballack's spot as an attacking midfielder. Another Bayern Munich player, Schweinsteiger is as capable of scoring as he is creating, he's been one of the best players in the Bundesliga this season.
Mesut Ozil: One of the top younger players in the world, the creative midfielder from Werder Bremen could be the breakout star for Germany. Just 21, he could be the next in line of great German midfielders.
Ghana
Some people believe this team will be the one to bring the first World Cup title to Africa. Ghana made its World Cup debut in 2006 and advanced out of a group that included Italy, the U.S. and the Czech Republic. The country built on that success by winning the Under-20 World Cup last year, beating Brazil in the final, and reached the final of the African Nations Cup. This is clearly an emerging soccer power, but it will have to get by after the loss of team captain and Chelsea star Michael Essien to injury.
Coach: Milovan Rajevac. A Serbian who has coached here since 2008, he's brought a defensive balance to a traditionally offensive team. Now his challenge is to mix a group of youngsters who won the U-20 World Cup with a veteran group that played so well at the '06 World Cup.
Players to Watch
Kevin-Prince Boateng: Only recently switched his allegience from Germany to Ghana, he's never played for the Black Stars. But already he's seen as Essien's replacement, and made his mark by knocking German star Michael Ballack out of the tournament with a hard tackle in the FA Cup final.
Kwadwo Asamoah: Probably the best of Ghana's young players, he'll likely line up at midfield or could move up to serve as a third forward.
Lee Addy: A very popular player because he plays his club ball in Africa, he only started playing for his country last year but already is a starting back who came up big in the African Nations Cup. His name makes him sound like a mechanic.
Asamoah Gyan: A 24-year-old scoring machine who has 17 goals in 32 games for Ghana. Plays professionally in France, where he scored 13 goals for Rennes this year, he'll be Ghana's top scoring threat.
Eric Addo: Was supposed to be a key member of the defense but has hardly played at all at the club level in Holland and may have lost his starting job.
Serbia
Serbia somehow qualified for the 2006 World Cup despite having to carry Montenegro's butt but now that it's dropped it's ugly sister and has set out on its own, it could really be a country to be reckoned with. Serbia won a tough qualifying group that included France, Austria and Romania, so clearly this is a team that can play with most teams. This is a well-coached team with plenty of top European players and it wouldn't be a surprise if this team advances beyond group play. Also, keep an eye on defender Neven Subotic of Borussia Dortmund, a 21-year-old considered one of the top young defenders in the world. Oh, also, he grew up in Salt Lake City and was on the U.S. U-17 and U-20 teams but got cut from the 2007 U-20 World Cup team, so switched to Serbia, where his parents are from. Smooth move Coach Thomas Rongen, way to go.
Coach: Radonomir Antic. Antic is the main reason Serbia has been as good as it has been so quickly. An excellent tactician, he's the only man to have coached Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, which he led to the La Liga title in 1995-96. When he was hired, there was plenty of skepticism, but he's quieted that in a way only Radonomir Antic can.
Players to Watch
Dejan Stankovic: The captain and an outstanding all-around midfielder who can play inside or out and stars at Inter Milan. Had an excellent run with Inter to the Champions League title and, now in his 12th year with the national team, he's looking to wrap his career up on a high note.
Milan Jovanovic: Was not really a top option until two years ago, but now the winger is one of Serbia's top attacking players. Jovanovic led Serbia in scoring during qualification and his great play over the last season has led to his transfer to Liverpool next season.
Nemanja Vidic: Considered one of, if not the, best defender in the world, the center back stars at Manchester United. Vidic missed the 2006 World Cup with injury but has been ridiculously good throughout qualifying. Maybe the most important player on the team.
Milos Krasic: A fast winger who is the only Serbian to play in every qualifier, he had a great Champions League performance for CSKA Moscow. Could really have a breakout tournament in South Africa.
Branislav Ivanovic: Not an attractive player at all - and I don't mean his looks, I mean how he plays - but gets the job done in the back. The Chelsea defender is physical and tough and one of the keys to the Serbian defense.
Nikola Zigic: No one in the tournament will present a more imposing presence than the 6-foot-8 Zigic, who plays at Valencia. Unfortunately, he has not been a very good scoring option for his club or country, and he'll have to up that performance to have much value in South Africa.
Marko Pantelic: He'll step in at forward if Zigic can't do the job, but Pantelic is more of a passer than finisher, so that doesn't help much.
Nenad Milijas: A center midfielder who may be asked to provide a lot of defensive assistance, he'll have to work hard to keep up with Serbia's fast wings.
Friday, June 4, 2010
World Cup Group C Preview
On to the Group C preview, perhaps the one most of you have interest in. No game has been talked about more than the United States vs. England, the rematch of the Americans' shocking 1950 upset. ...though I'm not sure a game played 60 years later can be considered a rematch. Still, it should be a very intriguing game between the clear top two teams in the group. The big issue will be how much injuries bother the U.S., whose failure to advance out of the group in 2006 was a huge disappointment. Another early exit would be a big step back for American soccer.
Algeria
Algeria is a team that is being overlooked by many fans, but this is a dangerous team that reached the semifinals of the African Nations Cup, beating Ivory Coast. But it's also a potential disaster, as it showed getting hammered by Malawi and Egypt. This is not a flashy team, focusing on its defense and solid midfield play and scoring a lot of goals on crosses finished with their heads. This is also a team with plenty of hotheads and not a lot of depth, so any injuries or cards could spell doom for the Desert Foxes. Also, there are a lot of new players on the roster who have hardly played for Algeria - many of them recently switched from France to Algeria - and that could cause some locker room issues for a team that already has had many locker room issues.
Coach: Rabah Saadane. The only African coach in the tournament also led Algeria to the 1986 World Cup, the last time the Desert Foxes reached the field. Hasn't done much to distinguish himself but hey, he's been around for a long time and has his team in the World Cup, so he's gotta have something going for him.
Players to Watch
Madjid Bougherra: Played in the EPL before moving on to Rangers in Scotland, he's the toughest of a tough group of defenders. Injuries have been an issue, though, and he's needed so Madjid better take better care of himself.
Nadir Belhadj: He'll miss the first game after getting in a fight, but he's probably the team's best attacking player despite playing defense. He plays for terrible Portsmouth in the EPL but is rumored to be moving to Barcelona, which is the opposite of terrible.
Rafik Halliche: Another defender who tends to move forward and be a threat, he plays his club ball in Portugal.
Antar Yahia: Came up playing internationally in France, he switched to Algeria and is now a hero after scoring the key goal in his team's ultimate qualifying match. Plays in Germany and is often overlooked among Alrgeria's solid group of defenders.
Abdelkader Ghezzal: Often used as the team's only forward, but incapable of being a team's only forward as he's only scored twice in 13 games. He has scored six times for Siena in Italy's Serie A but he'll need some help.
Rafik Djebbour: Was in the doghouse for much of the season for AEK Athens, causing him to see very little time for his country. But then he went nuts for Athens and all of a sudden was back on the radar for Algeria. He may not start but he could be a threat off the bench for a team that lacks scorers.
England
As usual, few teams will face the level of pressure that England will. But few teams have as much talent, either. And that holds true despite the loss this week of captain Rio Ferdinand, the all-world center back who is lost for the tournament with a knee injury. That's another hit to the English defense, which also lost Wayne Bridge, but not to injury. Bridge quit the team when it was revealed that teammate John Terry - the married John Terry - had an affair with Bridge's girlfriend. That cost Terry his national team captaincy, and Bridge said, and I quote (but not really), "Screw this. See if you can win the World Cup without Wayne Bridge."
Of course, England is used to drama. The Brits have advanced to the knockout stage in six major tournaments since 1990, and got eliminated by penalty kicks in five of them. Ouch! Of course, it beats not making the knockout stage at all, right England? The Brits shockingly failed to qualify for Euro 2008, but at least they've rallied to go undefeated through qualifying. But, this is still a very good team that will challenge for the title, unless they implode, which might also be entertaining.
Coach: Fabio Capello. Only the second foreign manager ever for England, he's one of the most accomplished club coaches ever, having guided Real Madrid, A.C. Milan, Juventus and Roma. An extremely good tactician, his main job could be managing all the egos, something that is one of his strong suits.
Players to Watch
Wayne Rooney: One of the world's top players, the 24-year-old already has 57 caps and 25 goals for his country. But none came in the last World Cup, which he missed with injury, likely ending any hope England had of winning the Cup. A rugged, physical striker who dominates at Manchester United, he's continued to struggle with injuries and has to be healthy. If he is, he'll be one of the top players in South Africa.
Frank Lampard: One of the world's best attacking midfielders, he scores often for England and led Chelsea to the EPL title.
Steven Gerrard: Also one of the world's best attacking midfielders, which leads to a problem. Neither Lampard nor Gerrard are much for defense, so playing them together sometimes leaves a hole defensively, not good given the state of the English defense. But both are probably too good to leave off, especially now that Gerrard has assumed the British captaincy from Ferdinand. Gerard didn't have a good season for Liverpool, but don't sleep on him!
David James: His nickname is Calamity James, which isn't a really complimentary nickname. Unfortunately, the 39-year-old has earned it. While he's really good at stopping shots, he also can be really bad at being a really good keeper. With England's defense short-handed, you really don't want a keeper whose nickname is Calamity.
Emile Heskey: Not the most talented or dangerous striker, but a big, physical guy who compliments Rooney well and thus will get the starting spot alongside the star forward.
John Terry: Well, take out the scandal that cost him his captaincy and cost England a starting defender, and Terry is still one of the top center defenders in the world. He'll have to be at his best with the absence of Ferdinand.
Gareth Barry: Could be called on to play a lot more than expected due to all the defenders being out, he'll have to step up and overcome some injury issues.
Peter Crouch: If Heskey falters, it could be Crouch who steps in alongside Rooney. Either way, he'll be on the field plenty. The 6-foot-7 Crouch has scored 20 goals in 37 games for England.
Slovenia
The smallest nation in the World Cup with about 2 million people, and the second youngest, after breaking away from Yugoslavia in 1991. But this is no rookie team, having qualified for the World Cup in 2002 and then getting through a tough group this time around, including beating out the Czech Republic, Poland and beating Euro 2008 semifinalist Russia in a playoff. These guys can play and will defend like crazy, hoping to break through with a goal here or there.
Coach: Matjaz Kek. A guy who truly worked his way up through the ranks, coaching domestically before taking on teams in the youth program, then taking over the real deal in 2007. He struggled early on but now has the team rolling. His defensive strategy conceded only four goals in qualifying, and his players love him.
Players to Watch
Robert Koren: By far the best known Slovenian player, Koren played in the EPL with West Brom Albion. A center midfielder and the captain of the team, he criticized the head of the Slovenian football association until the guy finally resigned. Now that's power. He also clashed with his West Brom manager, but that didn't turn out as well, as West Brom dropped him last month. He'll do his darndest to show that no one treats Robert Koren that way.
Samir Handanovic: The keeper had five shutouts in the last six qualifiers and the 6-foot-4 Udinese star is now being linked to Manchester United and A.C. Milan. A very agile keeper, he'll be tested in this group.
Milivoje Novakovic: The 6-foot-4 forward scored 16 goals for Cologne in the Bundesliga in 2008-09 and led Slovenia in scoring during qualifying. He's a physical target who scores about once every three games for his country. Slovenia will need him to up that a bit, though.
Zlatko Dedic: I've always liked guys named Zlatko. I covered a guy named Zlatko once. Everyone called him Zo but I refused. I liked Zlatko too much. He's been a hot scorer lately, including the decisive one in the qualifying win over Russia.
United States
So what will equal success for the United States in this World Cup? Just qualifying doesn't cut it anymore. Getting out of group play? Maybe, given that it didn't do that in the last Cup. But shouldn't this team be past that by now? The Americans are in a group that they should do well in. They've shown they can beat top teams, such as last summer's stunner over Spain. But they're also up and down, and have struggled with injuries. The defense could be a big issue, though the offense has shown some life and should be entertaining to watch. This will be the most well-tested group the U.S. has ever fielded - and probably the most confident - and realistically, anything less than a solid group round followed by a strong showing in the knock-out stage will be disappointing. That doesn't mean they'll make it past the Sweet 16, but they should at least compete.
Unfortunately, the lineup that worked so well against Spain isn't available, as Charlie Davies was left off the roster after his October car accident. Jozy Altidore sprained his ankle, but should be OK. There are small injuries here and there that could hold the U.S. back but this is a motivated team that will have a ton of fan support (but also a ton of. ....non support).
Coach: Bob Bradley. It's odd, he's not all that well liked by the public (hey, including me), but he's very well liked and respected by his players and by players his teams play against. His record is solid, with a Gold Cup title, a spot in the finals of the Confederations Cup and the top spot in qualifying. He's made some solid decisions and isn't afraid to change things up. Maybe he's just not liked because he never says anything to anyone, kind of the Tyrone Willingham disease, though Bradley at least seems kind of likeable.
Players to Watch
Landon Donovan: The best known American player has finally started to really show what he can do. Donovan did not play well in the 2006 World Cup but has taken a big step forward and the country's all-time leading scorer is clearly the team's best all-around player. His strong play at Everton gave him a load of confidence and he'll try to continue that play in South Africa.
Clint Dempsey: Maybe the most entertaining American player, Dempsey is flashy and an outstanding scorer. He's had his best U.S. success playing on the wing but may have to move up to forward with Davies out. He's really emerged as a top player for Fulham and may be the United State's top scorer in the Cup.
Michael Bradley: I played high school baseball with a guy named Michael Bradley. He was a big, physical, strong and, yeah, scary guy who we nicknamed The Bear because legend has it that he spent his summers wrestling bears in the woods. This Michael Bradley reminds me of that Michael Bradley. He's physical, a tough defender and a hot head. He's played well in the Bundesliga for Borussia Monchengladbach and is developing as a creative passer from midfield.
Benny Feilhaber: Probably won't start but is a creative midfielder who has been a solid substitute and may provide the U.S. with a spark when he does see the field.
Tim Howard: The U.S. always seems to have a good keeper and this time is no exception. Howard has excelled in the EPL, including this season at Everton. This is his chance to show that he's one of the top keepers in the world.
Jozy Altidore: The most intriguing player in the U.S. team, though his sprained ankle could slow him down a bit. Altidore is big, strong, fast and always a threat and is finally seeing some playing time in Europe (with Hull City) after languishing in Spain. But for Altidore to be successful, the U.S. has to find another solid forward to play next to him.
Jonathan Spector: Could be the weak link on defense for the U.S. He struggled badly this season for West Ham United, and my guess is most of the English players are aware of that. He's got to step up to help a questionable American defense.
Oguchi Onyewu: The imposing center back tore up his knee almost as soon as he joined world power A.C. Milan and has only played in two games since October. When healthy his a big, physical presence in the middle of the defense and showed how good he is in the Confederations Cup. But if he can't be at the top of his game, the U.S. is in trouble.
Carlos Bocanegra. His last name means Black Mouth. So essentially he's Carl Black Mouth. That's kind of cool. Another defender who has been hurt, but ideally he'd team inside with Onyewu.
Jonathan Bornstein: If the best U.S. team is out there, Bornstein isn't. Unfortunately, injuries may force the incosistent defender to play. If so, he better play well, or we'll all be really disappointed in Mr. Bornstein.
Jay DeMerit: This guy has a good story, you should look it up. He's also a decent defender, who teams well inside with Onyewu. He's played in England for a long time so he should know the Brits well. That might even count for something.
Edson Buddle: I never liked this guy, mostly because I just don't like his name. Edson Buddle? But he's been really good in MLS and is one of the hottest players on the team, so if he can score, he can be named whatever he wants.
Herculez Gomez: His name really is Herculez. I mean, seriously, what parent thought of that? I'm not saying it's a bad name, it's just kind of presumptuous. Anyway, he's another guy who could see time at forward, so he's worth paying attention to.
Robbie Findley: Another potential forward to team with Altidore, but probably not. Just thought I'd mention him.
Jose Torres: Could be one of the real stars for the U.S. in the future. A creative midfielder who could see some time depending on lineups, he might open some eyes.
Algeria
Algeria is a team that is being overlooked by many fans, but this is a dangerous team that reached the semifinals of the African Nations Cup, beating Ivory Coast. But it's also a potential disaster, as it showed getting hammered by Malawi and Egypt. This is not a flashy team, focusing on its defense and solid midfield play and scoring a lot of goals on crosses finished with their heads. This is also a team with plenty of hotheads and not a lot of depth, so any injuries or cards could spell doom for the Desert Foxes. Also, there are a lot of new players on the roster who have hardly played for Algeria - many of them recently switched from France to Algeria - and that could cause some locker room issues for a team that already has had many locker room issues.
Coach: Rabah Saadane. The only African coach in the tournament also led Algeria to the 1986 World Cup, the last time the Desert Foxes reached the field. Hasn't done much to distinguish himself but hey, he's been around for a long time and has his team in the World Cup, so he's gotta have something going for him.
Players to Watch
Madjid Bougherra: Played in the EPL before moving on to Rangers in Scotland, he's the toughest of a tough group of defenders. Injuries have been an issue, though, and he's needed so Madjid better take better care of himself.
Nadir Belhadj: He'll miss the first game after getting in a fight, but he's probably the team's best attacking player despite playing defense. He plays for terrible Portsmouth in the EPL but is rumored to be moving to Barcelona, which is the opposite of terrible.
Rafik Halliche: Another defender who tends to move forward and be a threat, he plays his club ball in Portugal.
Antar Yahia: Came up playing internationally in France, he switched to Algeria and is now a hero after scoring the key goal in his team's ultimate qualifying match. Plays in Germany and is often overlooked among Alrgeria's solid group of defenders.
Abdelkader Ghezzal: Often used as the team's only forward, but incapable of being a team's only forward as he's only scored twice in 13 games. He has scored six times for Siena in Italy's Serie A but he'll need some help.
Rafik Djebbour: Was in the doghouse for much of the season for AEK Athens, causing him to see very little time for his country. But then he went nuts for Athens and all of a sudden was back on the radar for Algeria. He may not start but he could be a threat off the bench for a team that lacks scorers.
England
As usual, few teams will face the level of pressure that England will. But few teams have as much talent, either. And that holds true despite the loss this week of captain Rio Ferdinand, the all-world center back who is lost for the tournament with a knee injury. That's another hit to the English defense, which also lost Wayne Bridge, but not to injury. Bridge quit the team when it was revealed that teammate John Terry - the married John Terry - had an affair with Bridge's girlfriend. That cost Terry his national team captaincy, and Bridge said, and I quote (but not really), "Screw this. See if you can win the World Cup without Wayne Bridge."
Of course, England is used to drama. The Brits have advanced to the knockout stage in six major tournaments since 1990, and got eliminated by penalty kicks in five of them. Ouch! Of course, it beats not making the knockout stage at all, right England? The Brits shockingly failed to qualify for Euro 2008, but at least they've rallied to go undefeated through qualifying. But, this is still a very good team that will challenge for the title, unless they implode, which might also be entertaining.
Coach: Fabio Capello. Only the second foreign manager ever for England, he's one of the most accomplished club coaches ever, having guided Real Madrid, A.C. Milan, Juventus and Roma. An extremely good tactician, his main job could be managing all the egos, something that is one of his strong suits.
Players to Watch
Wayne Rooney: One of the world's top players, the 24-year-old already has 57 caps and 25 goals for his country. But none came in the last World Cup, which he missed with injury, likely ending any hope England had of winning the Cup. A rugged, physical striker who dominates at Manchester United, he's continued to struggle with injuries and has to be healthy. If he is, he'll be one of the top players in South Africa.
Frank Lampard: One of the world's best attacking midfielders, he scores often for England and led Chelsea to the EPL title.
Steven Gerrard: Also one of the world's best attacking midfielders, which leads to a problem. Neither Lampard nor Gerrard are much for defense, so playing them together sometimes leaves a hole defensively, not good given the state of the English defense. But both are probably too good to leave off, especially now that Gerrard has assumed the British captaincy from Ferdinand. Gerard didn't have a good season for Liverpool, but don't sleep on him!
David James: His nickname is Calamity James, which isn't a really complimentary nickname. Unfortunately, the 39-year-old has earned it. While he's really good at stopping shots, he also can be really bad at being a really good keeper. With England's defense short-handed, you really don't want a keeper whose nickname is Calamity.
Emile Heskey: Not the most talented or dangerous striker, but a big, physical guy who compliments Rooney well and thus will get the starting spot alongside the star forward.
John Terry: Well, take out the scandal that cost him his captaincy and cost England a starting defender, and Terry is still one of the top center defenders in the world. He'll have to be at his best with the absence of Ferdinand.
Gareth Barry: Could be called on to play a lot more than expected due to all the defenders being out, he'll have to step up and overcome some injury issues.
Peter Crouch: If Heskey falters, it could be Crouch who steps in alongside Rooney. Either way, he'll be on the field plenty. The 6-foot-7 Crouch has scored 20 goals in 37 games for England.
Slovenia
The smallest nation in the World Cup with about 2 million people, and the second youngest, after breaking away from Yugoslavia in 1991. But this is no rookie team, having qualified for the World Cup in 2002 and then getting through a tough group this time around, including beating out the Czech Republic, Poland and beating Euro 2008 semifinalist Russia in a playoff. These guys can play and will defend like crazy, hoping to break through with a goal here or there.
Coach: Matjaz Kek. A guy who truly worked his way up through the ranks, coaching domestically before taking on teams in the youth program, then taking over the real deal in 2007. He struggled early on but now has the team rolling. His defensive strategy conceded only four goals in qualifying, and his players love him.
Players to Watch
Robert Koren: By far the best known Slovenian player, Koren played in the EPL with West Brom Albion. A center midfielder and the captain of the team, he criticized the head of the Slovenian football association until the guy finally resigned. Now that's power. He also clashed with his West Brom manager, but that didn't turn out as well, as West Brom dropped him last month. He'll do his darndest to show that no one treats Robert Koren that way.
Samir Handanovic: The keeper had five shutouts in the last six qualifiers and the 6-foot-4 Udinese star is now being linked to Manchester United and A.C. Milan. A very agile keeper, he'll be tested in this group.
Milivoje Novakovic: The 6-foot-4 forward scored 16 goals for Cologne in the Bundesliga in 2008-09 and led Slovenia in scoring during qualifying. He's a physical target who scores about once every three games for his country. Slovenia will need him to up that a bit, though.
Zlatko Dedic: I've always liked guys named Zlatko. I covered a guy named Zlatko once. Everyone called him Zo but I refused. I liked Zlatko too much. He's been a hot scorer lately, including the decisive one in the qualifying win over Russia.
United States
So what will equal success for the United States in this World Cup? Just qualifying doesn't cut it anymore. Getting out of group play? Maybe, given that it didn't do that in the last Cup. But shouldn't this team be past that by now? The Americans are in a group that they should do well in. They've shown they can beat top teams, such as last summer's stunner over Spain. But they're also up and down, and have struggled with injuries. The defense could be a big issue, though the offense has shown some life and should be entertaining to watch. This will be the most well-tested group the U.S. has ever fielded - and probably the most confident - and realistically, anything less than a solid group round followed by a strong showing in the knock-out stage will be disappointing. That doesn't mean they'll make it past the Sweet 16, but they should at least compete.
Unfortunately, the lineup that worked so well against Spain isn't available, as Charlie Davies was left off the roster after his October car accident. Jozy Altidore sprained his ankle, but should be OK. There are small injuries here and there that could hold the U.S. back but this is a motivated team that will have a ton of fan support (but also a ton of. ....non support).
Coach: Bob Bradley. It's odd, he's not all that well liked by the public (hey, including me), but he's very well liked and respected by his players and by players his teams play against. His record is solid, with a Gold Cup title, a spot in the finals of the Confederations Cup and the top spot in qualifying. He's made some solid decisions and isn't afraid to change things up. Maybe he's just not liked because he never says anything to anyone, kind of the Tyrone Willingham disease, though Bradley at least seems kind of likeable.
Players to Watch
Landon Donovan: The best known American player has finally started to really show what he can do. Donovan did not play well in the 2006 World Cup but has taken a big step forward and the country's all-time leading scorer is clearly the team's best all-around player. His strong play at Everton gave him a load of confidence and he'll try to continue that play in South Africa.
Clint Dempsey: Maybe the most entertaining American player, Dempsey is flashy and an outstanding scorer. He's had his best U.S. success playing on the wing but may have to move up to forward with Davies out. He's really emerged as a top player for Fulham and may be the United State's top scorer in the Cup.
Michael Bradley: I played high school baseball with a guy named Michael Bradley. He was a big, physical, strong and, yeah, scary guy who we nicknamed The Bear because legend has it that he spent his summers wrestling bears in the woods. This Michael Bradley reminds me of that Michael Bradley. He's physical, a tough defender and a hot head. He's played well in the Bundesliga for Borussia Monchengladbach and is developing as a creative passer from midfield.
Benny Feilhaber: Probably won't start but is a creative midfielder who has been a solid substitute and may provide the U.S. with a spark when he does see the field.
Tim Howard: The U.S. always seems to have a good keeper and this time is no exception. Howard has excelled in the EPL, including this season at Everton. This is his chance to show that he's one of the top keepers in the world.
Jozy Altidore: The most intriguing player in the U.S. team, though his sprained ankle could slow him down a bit. Altidore is big, strong, fast and always a threat and is finally seeing some playing time in Europe (with Hull City) after languishing in Spain. But for Altidore to be successful, the U.S. has to find another solid forward to play next to him.
Jonathan Spector: Could be the weak link on defense for the U.S. He struggled badly this season for West Ham United, and my guess is most of the English players are aware of that. He's got to step up to help a questionable American defense.
Oguchi Onyewu: The imposing center back tore up his knee almost as soon as he joined world power A.C. Milan and has only played in two games since October. When healthy his a big, physical presence in the middle of the defense and showed how good he is in the Confederations Cup. But if he can't be at the top of his game, the U.S. is in trouble.
Carlos Bocanegra. His last name means Black Mouth. So essentially he's Carl Black Mouth. That's kind of cool. Another defender who has been hurt, but ideally he'd team inside with Onyewu.
Jonathan Bornstein: If the best U.S. team is out there, Bornstein isn't. Unfortunately, injuries may force the incosistent defender to play. If so, he better play well, or we'll all be really disappointed in Mr. Bornstein.
Jay DeMerit: This guy has a good story, you should look it up. He's also a decent defender, who teams well inside with Onyewu. He's played in England for a long time so he should know the Brits well. That might even count for something.
Edson Buddle: I never liked this guy, mostly because I just don't like his name. Edson Buddle? But he's been really good in MLS and is one of the hottest players on the team, so if he can score, he can be named whatever he wants.
Herculez Gomez: His name really is Herculez. I mean, seriously, what parent thought of that? I'm not saying it's a bad name, it's just kind of presumptuous. Anyway, he's another guy who could see time at forward, so he's worth paying attention to.
Robbie Findley: Another potential forward to team with Altidore, but probably not. Just thought I'd mention him.
Jose Torres: Could be one of the real stars for the U.S. in the future. A creative midfielder who could see some time depending on lineups, he might open some eyes.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Group B Preview
Here's the second of my World Cup previews, today dealing with Group B, a top-heavy group that is fairly predictable.
Argentina
This team is as talented offensively as any in South Africa and can easily win it all if coach Diego Maradona can just stay out of the way. Once the world's best player, Maradona has continued the nuttiness he displayed as a player, constantly changing lineups and formations and causing the team to be ridiculously inconsistent. How Argentina lost to Bolivia 6-1 and only barely qualified for the World Cup can only be explained by Maradona's decision-making. But check out his tirade after Argentina qualified (www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgOXc7CZxWk); classy stuff.
Still, there's no questioning this team's talent, which includes the world's best player, Lionel Messi, and if nothing else, this will be a very entertaining team.
Coach: Diego Maradona. If Maradona has done nothing else, he's taken all of the focus away from his players (well, except Messi, who is constantly being asked about his relationship with his coach), allowing them to simply focus on playing. Really, the only way this team fails is if he screws it up, and that's a real possibility. But he's also ordered special ventilated toilet seats for his South Africa hotel room, and has pledged to streak through Buenos Aires if Argentina wins the Cup. I don't know if that means we should root for them or against them.
Players to Watch
Lionel Messi: No player will be watched more than Messi, considered the best player in the world though just 22-years-old. Why is the Barcelona forward considered the best? Go to YouTube, insert his name and sit back and watch. That's why. But while Messi has been ridiculous for Barcelona (see his four-goal game against Arsenal earlier this year), he hasn't been as good for his country and has an enormous amount of pressure. If he handles it well, he could lead Argentina to the title.
Angel di Maria: A very creative midfielder, he'll fill one wing and be highly entertaining.
Diego Milito: The striker has come on strong lately, scoring twice for Inter Milan in the Champions League final, but made just four appearances for his country in qualifying. He'll be in a battle to start alongside Messi up front.
Jonas Gutierrez: More of a defensive midfielder, the Newcastle star will fill one of the wings and allow the other mids to focus on offense.
Juan Sebastian Veron: He's got almost the same birthday as me, so I think he's outstanding. He'll be the primary distributor to Messi and whoever else is at forward, but questions remain as to how much he'll be able to offer at his advanced age.
Maxi Rodriguez: I'm not sure he'll do much, but I like his name so I'm going to watch him.
Javier Pastore: A young, untested midfielder who could step in for Veron if the veteran struggles or passes out.
Mario Bolatti: Maradona seems to like using this guy despite the fact that he rarely plays for Fiorentina and there are so many better options. So we'll watch to see if he brings the team down.
Sergio Aguero: If nothing else, we'll watch the Atletico Madrid forward because he's engaged to Maradona's daughter and is the father of his grandson. That's gotta count for something.
Gonzalo Higuain: Even younger than Messi, he only played twice in qualifiers but the Real Madrid striker could end up being the man to line up next to Messi.
Carlos Tevez: Probably best known for looking kind of like a bowling ball, he's also a dangerous forward who should be a dangerous player off the bench.
Javier Mascherano: The Liverpool center midfielder seems to be Maradona's favorite player and is the real leader of the team.
Greece
Greece continues to live off its shocking victory in Euro 2004, with many of those players still around, just six years older. The Greeks were miserable at Euro 2008 and struggled to qualify through a weak group. Greece has only qualified for one other World Cup - U.S.A. 1994 - and got hammered in all three games.
Still, few teams have a group of players with as interesting and fun-to-say names, and it must be really cool to be from Greece, so their attitudes should be pretty good. Unfortunately, Greece's style of play isn't as fun as their names. This is a pretty boring team, focusing mostly on defense and hoping to get lucky on a goal so that they can all then line up in front of the goal and block every shot that comes at them. Now that's just not fun soccer, man!
Coach: Otto Rehhagel. Kind of a stereotypical cranky German guy, but still a national hero after leading Greece to the Euro title. Also won a couple of Bundesliga titles, so clearly his tactics work, even if they are dull. How can a guy named Otto not put a team out there that's a little more fun to watch?
Players to Watch
Giorgos Karagounis: A member of the Euro champions, the midfielder is still very talented and creative but not much of a scorer anymore, and doesn't play much defense because, frankly, at 33, there's only so much he can do. Still really good on set pieces, though.
Georgios Samaras: Has played for a lot of high-level clubs (he's on Celtic now, which plays at Qwest Field against the Sounders in July) but hasn't scored much for Greece. For the Greeks to win, he'll have to add some finishing touches to his flashy runs.
Alexandros Tzorvas: Greece has tried to find a replacement for Antonios Nikopolidis at keeper for a long time, and Tzorvas is up next. He's pretty good at blocking shots, but not very good at putting himself in position to block shots. That's gotta be frustrating for a defensive team.
Vasilis Torosidis: A young, physical center defender, could be headed to a top club in the near future.
Sotirios Kyrgiakos: Plays for Liverpool and has a first name that sounds like a cereal, which is pretty cool. What's not cool is that he's really slow and is constantly committing dumb fouls. Will one of them cost Greece in the tournament? Stay tuned!
Dimitris Salpigidis: For my money, the guy with the best name on the team. I like saying Salpigidis, though it sounds a little like an ailment I don't want to get. A physical forward who scored the biggest goal for Greece in qualifying.
Sotiris Ninis: A very young, emeging star for Greece, though he may not see much action in South Africa.
Nigeria
Some think the Super Eagles are the African team that could make the deepest run, and maybe so, but they also barely qualified, so who knows? Unlike past Nigerian teams that made one attacking run after another, this is more of a defensive unit, though coach Lars Lagerback only recently took over so it's hard to tell what to expect. Nigeria was the first African team to ever win a major national tournament when it won gold at the 1996 Olympics. Can it repeat the magic a bit closer to home?
Coach: Lars Lagerback. The Swede took over after the Africa Cup of Nations and has had little time to develop this group. Lagerback was the Swedish national coach for a decade, including the last two World Cups, but failed to get Sweden in this time. Kind of goofy that a coach can fail to get a team in and then just go to another team and still go, while his former players are like, "What the heck?"
Players to Watch
Nwankwo Kanu: The team captain is a fan favorite and is 6-foot-6, but he's also 33 and always hurt, so he may be limited. Kanu is a two-time African Player of the Year and one of the most popular players on the continent, so maybe he's got one last gasp in him.
Obafemi Martins: Whenever he gets the ball, I will passionately yell out, "Obafemi!" And he should get the ball a lot, as he scores a lot of international goals due to his great speed.
Vincent Enyeama: Probably the best keeper Nigeria has had in a long, long time, he's excellent at stopping shots, always a good thing for a keeper. Really solidifies the defense.
Kalu Uche: The shortest name on the team, the midfielder scored nine times for his Spanish team this season and he could be one of the top scoring threats for the Eagles.
Danny Shittu: Certainly the weirdest name on the team, and saying his last name kind of makes me giggle. Has hardly played at all over the last two years for Bolton but Lagerback cut a bunch of other defenders so he may have to play a lot.
Yakubu Aiyengbeni: He's big, he's strong and he plays for Everton, but he's also always hurt, so it's unclear how much of a factor he'll be.
John Obi Mikel: Four years ago, everyone in the EPL wanted him, so much so that he was in the center of a transfer dispute between Chelsea and Manchester United that involved death threats and his hiding out at a friend's house. Pretty crazy. Four years later, he's a regular center mid for Chelsea and will be counted on to be the creative leader for Nigeria.
South Korea
Like Greece, South Korea continues to ride its recent past, in this case, its shocking run to the 2002 World Cup semifinals. South Korea didn't make it out of group play in 2006, and despite making the last six World Cups, has never made it past the first round except in '02, when it was the co-host. This is a new generation, though, with only three starters back from that team and a new (old) coach in Huh Jung-Moo, who is in his third stint. Has looked very inconsistent leading up to the cup, beating Ivory Coast and Japan but losing to some non-World Cup teams. Always a threat, but it'll take quite a run to get out of this group.
Coach: Huh Jung-Moo. Though he's been the coach three different times, he's never been given the chance to coach the team in the World Cup. What's up with that? The media dislikes him very much and he feuds with his players (oh, I guess that's what's up), but you gotta like that he's finally getting a chance. One of South Korea's greatest players, he's still not very well liked by the fans despite leading the team to an unbeaten qualifying record. Come on South Korea, give him a break. I mean, part of his last name is Moo! Moo!
Players to Watch
Park Ji-Sung: The team captain and the best player in the history of the country, he's a regular for Manchester United. He runs like crazy, trying to get defenders to drop dead from exhaustion and thus opening up scoring chances, which he's good at taking advantage of (though I don't think any defender has yet to actually expire). Also, there's a great picture of him taking a kick to the nuts in Sports Illustrated's World Cup preview.
Park Chu-Young: A regular for Monaco, he's considered the sex symbol of this team (kind of like I am for my team). He missed the 2006 Cup with injury and then missed the end of his club season with another injury. If he's healthy, he's fast and dangerous, and apparently very good looking.
Lee Chung-Yong: Just 21, he plays regularly for Bolton and is an outstanding wing, providing great crosses for the two Parks. A real emerging star.
Lee Dong-Guk: Dong-Guk? Right on! Got cut from the team in '02, then missed '06 with injury and is now hurt again, likely to miss the first game. The veteran will try to come back in time to make a difference in the final two games.
Argentina
This team is as talented offensively as any in South Africa and can easily win it all if coach Diego Maradona can just stay out of the way. Once the world's best player, Maradona has continued the nuttiness he displayed as a player, constantly changing lineups and formations and causing the team to be ridiculously inconsistent. How Argentina lost to Bolivia 6-1 and only barely qualified for the World Cup can only be explained by Maradona's decision-making. But check out his tirade after Argentina qualified (www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgOXc7CZxWk); classy stuff.
Still, there's no questioning this team's talent, which includes the world's best player, Lionel Messi, and if nothing else, this will be a very entertaining team.
Coach: Diego Maradona. If Maradona has done nothing else, he's taken all of the focus away from his players (well, except Messi, who is constantly being asked about his relationship with his coach), allowing them to simply focus on playing. Really, the only way this team fails is if he screws it up, and that's a real possibility. But he's also ordered special ventilated toilet seats for his South Africa hotel room, and has pledged to streak through Buenos Aires if Argentina wins the Cup. I don't know if that means we should root for them or against them.
Players to Watch
Lionel Messi: No player will be watched more than Messi, considered the best player in the world though just 22-years-old. Why is the Barcelona forward considered the best? Go to YouTube, insert his name and sit back and watch. That's why. But while Messi has been ridiculous for Barcelona (see his four-goal game against Arsenal earlier this year), he hasn't been as good for his country and has an enormous amount of pressure. If he handles it well, he could lead Argentina to the title.
Angel di Maria: A very creative midfielder, he'll fill one wing and be highly entertaining.
Diego Milito: The striker has come on strong lately, scoring twice for Inter Milan in the Champions League final, but made just four appearances for his country in qualifying. He'll be in a battle to start alongside Messi up front.
Jonas Gutierrez: More of a defensive midfielder, the Newcastle star will fill one of the wings and allow the other mids to focus on offense.
Juan Sebastian Veron: He's got almost the same birthday as me, so I think he's outstanding. He'll be the primary distributor to Messi and whoever else is at forward, but questions remain as to how much he'll be able to offer at his advanced age.
Maxi Rodriguez: I'm not sure he'll do much, but I like his name so I'm going to watch him.
Javier Pastore: A young, untested midfielder who could step in for Veron if the veteran struggles or passes out.
Mario Bolatti: Maradona seems to like using this guy despite the fact that he rarely plays for Fiorentina and there are so many better options. So we'll watch to see if he brings the team down.
Sergio Aguero: If nothing else, we'll watch the Atletico Madrid forward because he's engaged to Maradona's daughter and is the father of his grandson. That's gotta count for something.
Gonzalo Higuain: Even younger than Messi, he only played twice in qualifiers but the Real Madrid striker could end up being the man to line up next to Messi.
Carlos Tevez: Probably best known for looking kind of like a bowling ball, he's also a dangerous forward who should be a dangerous player off the bench.
Javier Mascherano: The Liverpool center midfielder seems to be Maradona's favorite player and is the real leader of the team.
Greece
Greece continues to live off its shocking victory in Euro 2004, with many of those players still around, just six years older. The Greeks were miserable at Euro 2008 and struggled to qualify through a weak group. Greece has only qualified for one other World Cup - U.S.A. 1994 - and got hammered in all three games.
Still, few teams have a group of players with as interesting and fun-to-say names, and it must be really cool to be from Greece, so their attitudes should be pretty good. Unfortunately, Greece's style of play isn't as fun as their names. This is a pretty boring team, focusing mostly on defense and hoping to get lucky on a goal so that they can all then line up in front of the goal and block every shot that comes at them. Now that's just not fun soccer, man!
Coach: Otto Rehhagel. Kind of a stereotypical cranky German guy, but still a national hero after leading Greece to the Euro title. Also won a couple of Bundesliga titles, so clearly his tactics work, even if they are dull. How can a guy named Otto not put a team out there that's a little more fun to watch?
Players to Watch
Giorgos Karagounis: A member of the Euro champions, the midfielder is still very talented and creative but not much of a scorer anymore, and doesn't play much defense because, frankly, at 33, there's only so much he can do. Still really good on set pieces, though.
Georgios Samaras: Has played for a lot of high-level clubs (he's on Celtic now, which plays at Qwest Field against the Sounders in July) but hasn't scored much for Greece. For the Greeks to win, he'll have to add some finishing touches to his flashy runs.
Alexandros Tzorvas: Greece has tried to find a replacement for Antonios Nikopolidis at keeper for a long time, and Tzorvas is up next. He's pretty good at blocking shots, but not very good at putting himself in position to block shots. That's gotta be frustrating for a defensive team.
Vasilis Torosidis: A young, physical center defender, could be headed to a top club in the near future.
Sotirios Kyrgiakos: Plays for Liverpool and has a first name that sounds like a cereal, which is pretty cool. What's not cool is that he's really slow and is constantly committing dumb fouls. Will one of them cost Greece in the tournament? Stay tuned!
Dimitris Salpigidis: For my money, the guy with the best name on the team. I like saying Salpigidis, though it sounds a little like an ailment I don't want to get. A physical forward who scored the biggest goal for Greece in qualifying.
Sotiris Ninis: A very young, emeging star for Greece, though he may not see much action in South Africa.
Nigeria
Some think the Super Eagles are the African team that could make the deepest run, and maybe so, but they also barely qualified, so who knows? Unlike past Nigerian teams that made one attacking run after another, this is more of a defensive unit, though coach Lars Lagerback only recently took over so it's hard to tell what to expect. Nigeria was the first African team to ever win a major national tournament when it won gold at the 1996 Olympics. Can it repeat the magic a bit closer to home?
Coach: Lars Lagerback. The Swede took over after the Africa Cup of Nations and has had little time to develop this group. Lagerback was the Swedish national coach for a decade, including the last two World Cups, but failed to get Sweden in this time. Kind of goofy that a coach can fail to get a team in and then just go to another team and still go, while his former players are like, "What the heck?"
Players to Watch
Nwankwo Kanu: The team captain is a fan favorite and is 6-foot-6, but he's also 33 and always hurt, so he may be limited. Kanu is a two-time African Player of the Year and one of the most popular players on the continent, so maybe he's got one last gasp in him.
Obafemi Martins: Whenever he gets the ball, I will passionately yell out, "Obafemi!" And he should get the ball a lot, as he scores a lot of international goals due to his great speed.
Vincent Enyeama: Probably the best keeper Nigeria has had in a long, long time, he's excellent at stopping shots, always a good thing for a keeper. Really solidifies the defense.
Kalu Uche: The shortest name on the team, the midfielder scored nine times for his Spanish team this season and he could be one of the top scoring threats for the Eagles.
Danny Shittu: Certainly the weirdest name on the team, and saying his last name kind of makes me giggle. Has hardly played at all over the last two years for Bolton but Lagerback cut a bunch of other defenders so he may have to play a lot.
Yakubu Aiyengbeni: He's big, he's strong and he plays for Everton, but he's also always hurt, so it's unclear how much of a factor he'll be.
John Obi Mikel: Four years ago, everyone in the EPL wanted him, so much so that he was in the center of a transfer dispute between Chelsea and Manchester United that involved death threats and his hiding out at a friend's house. Pretty crazy. Four years later, he's a regular center mid for Chelsea and will be counted on to be the creative leader for Nigeria.
South Korea
Like Greece, South Korea continues to ride its recent past, in this case, its shocking run to the 2002 World Cup semifinals. South Korea didn't make it out of group play in 2006, and despite making the last six World Cups, has never made it past the first round except in '02, when it was the co-host. This is a new generation, though, with only three starters back from that team and a new (old) coach in Huh Jung-Moo, who is in his third stint. Has looked very inconsistent leading up to the cup, beating Ivory Coast and Japan but losing to some non-World Cup teams. Always a threat, but it'll take quite a run to get out of this group.
Coach: Huh Jung-Moo. Though he's been the coach three different times, he's never been given the chance to coach the team in the World Cup. What's up with that? The media dislikes him very much and he feuds with his players (oh, I guess that's what's up), but you gotta like that he's finally getting a chance. One of South Korea's greatest players, he's still not very well liked by the fans despite leading the team to an unbeaten qualifying record. Come on South Korea, give him a break. I mean, part of his last name is Moo! Moo!
Players to Watch
Park Ji-Sung: The team captain and the best player in the history of the country, he's a regular for Manchester United. He runs like crazy, trying to get defenders to drop dead from exhaustion and thus opening up scoring chances, which he's good at taking advantage of (though I don't think any defender has yet to actually expire). Also, there's a great picture of him taking a kick to the nuts in Sports Illustrated's World Cup preview.
Park Chu-Young: A regular for Monaco, he's considered the sex symbol of this team (kind of like I am for my team). He missed the 2006 Cup with injury and then missed the end of his club season with another injury. If he's healthy, he's fast and dangerous, and apparently very good looking.
Lee Chung-Yong: Just 21, he plays regularly for Bolton and is an outstanding wing, providing great crosses for the two Parks. A real emerging star.
Lee Dong-Guk: Dong-Guk? Right on! Got cut from the team in '02, then missed '06 with injury and is now hurt again, likely to miss the first game. The veteran will try to come back in time to make a difference in the final two games.
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