The Not Very Alternative, World Cup Review

So it has been 6 weeks since I last blogged as I let the World Cup take place, and have a rest from imparting my knowledge and predictions. So lets have a look back on how the tournament panned out, and also a wee look at how bad my predictions were.

It has been 4 days since the tournament finished and I am sure every football fan is missing it already. What a fantastic tournament we were treated too in the spiritual home of football in Brazil. A record equalling amount of goals, comebacks, incidents, controversy and some fantastic individual performances, but at the end of a magic month, it was the best team, Germany, that came out on top and deservedly so. The final perhaps wasn't the best game of the tournament, but it was intriguing and there was chances for either team in normal time to win it before a great chest and finish from substitute Mario Götze won it for Germany. 

I really enjoyed looking forward to the World cup by way of blogging and predicting, so lets have a look at how well I did. My pick to win the tournament was Argentina, so to lose out with 3 minutes to go in extra time in the final I feel like I was unlucky. The problem Argentina had was a lack of goals in the tournament, only 8 goals in total, and that finally hurt them in the final, when Lionel Messi couldn't pull them out of a hole. His 4 goals in the group stages had made it look like he was going to go on and lead his nation to glory, but he never looked in top form and up to full fitness, and he couldn't score any more for the rest of the tournament. this meant my prediction for Golden Boot was wrong, as James Rodriguez was 2 ahead of Messi after a fantastic tournament with Colombia. Messi did however pick up the Golden Ball for best player, however that is up for serious debate, as he did not look like the best player to me.

France was another team that I had predicted to do well, along with Karim Benzema, however after a fantastic start they lost out to a stubborn Germany defense in the Quarter Finals, and Benzema, despite having more shots than anyone at the tournament, only managed 3 goals, all scored in the first 2 games. Paul Pogba was the shining light for the French however as he took the Young Player award after some great performances in central midfield. He looks like he is going to be a big star for years to come and Man United fans must be absolutely gutted they lost out on him.

The biggest failure I had in predicting came in group B, where I predicted an early departure for The Netherlands at the hands of Spain and Chile. My prediction that Chile would be strong proved correct, but it was Spain that looked a shadow of themselves, and The Netherlands that looked very strong and were unlucky to miss out on the final.

I did say that every tournament has a surprise package, this year it was Costa Rica who negotiated their group by beating Italy and Uruguay and also sent England home. There performance in the Quarter Final was excellent, and they were unlucky to lose out in a penalty shootout to The Netherlands.


The Weatherston World Cup Awards 

Best Player - James Rodriguez - 6 goals and a string of good performances means that James Rodriguez was the best player at the tournament for me. He is so comfortable on the ball and scored some memorable goals, notably his volley against Uruguay in the last 16. He should have won the Golden Ball, but the Golden Boot is a nice substitute.

Best Young Player - Paul Pogba - He deserved to win the official award, he is strong, good on the ball and can tackle too. He will definitely be a top midfielder for the next 10 years. A mention for Memphis Depay(Holland) who looks like he will be a good winger with his pace and directness. He has an eye for a goal too, scoring 2 in the tournament.

Best Goal - Tim Cahill v The Netherlands - James Rodriguez is a close second, but Cahill's volley on his weaker foot from a ball coming over his shoulder and in the air for a long time is the best goal and the hardest skill to perform. He could try that 100 times and never do it again, it is a one off goal and absolutely quality.

The El Hadji Diouf Award -This award goes to the player who had a good tournament and will earn themselves a good move, only to never recreate that form in their life. Winner - Enner Valencia, just earned a £12m move to West Ham after scoring 3 goals in the World cup for Ecuador. The former Pachuca striker looked a real handful with his pace and strength, but so did Diouf in 2002, so it remains to be seen whether he can recreate it on a consistent basis.

World Cups Biggest Idiot - It would be easy to give this one to Luis Suarez, but he clearly has problems, plus he scored 2 against England which saves him, so the award goes to Pepe. We all know he likes to think of himself as a hard man on the pitch, but his terrible headbutt on Thomas Muller earned him a red card. His team went on to lose 4-0, and they never recovered from that goal difference losing out to USA in the groups by 3 goals after being equal on 4 points.

Funniest Moment - England going out in the groups? Well, it was pretty funny, but this linesman was the highlight for me.

 

Best Training Moment - Thomas Muller had a great World Cup, but this shot in training was 100% deliberate, absolutely no doubt about it...

Team of the Tournament - My team will be a 4-3-2-1 formation as seems to be the fashion these days, probably with a false 9.

 

Special Edition World Cuts - Best Haircut of 2014 - Kyle Beckerman had an impressive World cup in midfield for the USA, but the most noticeable thing is definitely his dreads.










Next edition will be back to the normal style of blogging for me, this was a bit different just to summarise my tips, so back to my own football in the next edition, and also maybe go into some other sports, since the season hasn't properly started. See you then

Who will Win the World Cup?

This week I have gone off to Norway for 2 weeks to visit Karen Anna's family and it is really warm, so that is a bonus. I brought my computer though so I could blog at some point and the point is now. It was a good week for me last week with my move to Alloa being completed. Although I enjoyed my time at Stirling with promotion in the end, the chance to go in play in The Championship next season was impossible to turn down. Getting to play in front of bigger crowds and at better stadiums will be good to get back to after a year away from it. Added to that there is no doubt that playing Rangers, Hibs and Hearts will attract bigger crowds and add some extra interest to the league. Personally it is great for me as I haven't played at Tynecastle or Easter Road before, so I am looking forward to that. Hopefully I am allowed to walk down to Tynecastle on game day as it is about a two minute walk. It should be a very competitive league, and it is great for fans as well without any long journeys up north, the longest being down to my old club Queen of the South.
Although my injury in the last game of the season isn't ideal I am hoping it is sorted and I am ready to train on the first day of pre season. I have been out on my bike and will hope to start running next week. I haven't had a full pre season for the last 2 years, so I really want to do everything and although it is hard work, it is strangely enjoyable getting fit and getting closer to your teammates who are suffering with you. 

The Weatherston World Cup Preview

So I have gone through all the groups, now it is time to preview what I think are the likely winners, losers, surprise packages and best players.

 Who will win?
According to the bookies there are only 4 teams with a good chance of winning the tournament, with Brazil as the favourites. The other 3 not surprisingly are Argentina, Germany and Spain, in that order.There is no doubt that these 4 teams are the best on paper, but there is some real value in every other team if you want to have a bet(I'm not allowed).
I personally think that Argentina and Brazil will be in the final, which would be rather interesting, but if I was betting outside the top 4 my pick is France. They have a great squad all the way from back to front, they seem to have left behind their problems from 2010, and they have goals in the team. They have a nice group to qualify from with Switzerland, Ecuador and Honduras, so they should win that and could face Bosnia, Iran or Nigeria in round 2. There first real challenge would potentially be Germany in the Quarter Final, but you never know when you get to that stage, and I fancy them to be really strong. At 25/1 it has to be worth some money in my opinion.

Colombia is the other team that could spring a surprise having qualified very well just behind Argentina they have showed that they have the quality. Although Falcao is missing out they still have some good goalscorers in Ramos and Martinez, so that shouldn't be a problem. It would be a major surprise if they were the best of the South Americans, but in their own continent and not with the same levels of pressure as the 2 favourites, you never know.

Biggest disappointment?
There are a number of big nations that could struggle to get out their groups, but my surprise of the tournament will be The Netherlands going out in the group stages. I think Spain will be too good for them in the first game which will put pressure on them to beat Chile in the final game, and I don't think they will be good enough to do it. They are 13/10 not to reach the second round, and I like that as a bet.

Surprise Package?

For a team to be a proper surprise package they have to make it to the quarter finals at least, and every tournament seems to have one. It was Ghana in 2010, Ukraine in 2006 and South Korea at home in 2002. So who could it be this year? There are a few lesser teams that will fancy there chances of getting through the groups, like Bosnia, Ivory Coast and Switzerland, but it is the second round where they are likely to find themselves against one of the favourites. It will be very difficult for either of those 3 to come through a second round tie, but don't be too surprised if a strong Bosnia defense manages to sneak through in round 2.

Golden Boot?
Between 1978 and 1998, 6 goals was enough to earn the title of Golden Boot. Since then Ronaldo scored 8 in 2002, but it was 5 for Klose and Muller in 2006 and 2010 respectively that earned them that title. So with Germany winning it the last two World Cups, who are the favourites this time around? Not surprisingly it is Lionel Messi who is favourite, but surely the best bet has to be for Cristiano Ronaldo who can be found as high as 20/1. For the best player in the world this year that is surely worth a pound. Since I fancy France to do well, and because they should score a few goals in the groups, I like the odds of 33/1 for Karim Benzema. He has found his form this year and should get plenty of chances created for him.
If you are looking for a couple of outside each way bets, it is hard to look beyond Alexis Sanchez (66/1). If Chile can get through their tough group then he will be the main man scoring goals for them. He plays through the middle unlike his wider position at Barcelona, so he will get plenty of chances.
Also Mesut Özil (100/1) could be worth another pound. He was top scorer with 8 in Germany's qualifying campaign and he seems to play a more advanced role for them. If he finds his top form and Germany go far, he could be in the goals.

Best Player?
The stage is set in Brazil for Neymar to lead his team to glory in the home World Cup, but at just 22 this might be a lot of weight to carry on his shoulders. There is no doubt the way he plays is great to watch and the Brazil fans love him for this, so in a hard working team that is strong defensively, can the flair of Neymar shine through. Lionel Messi however will be the main man, he hasn't played too many games this season and he is desperate to show himself on the biggest stage. He should be fresh and raring to go, and in his own continent I think he will take control of games and win the World Cup for his country.


Best Young Player?
The Best Young Player award was brought in in 2006 and has been won by 2 Germans. Lukas Podolski won it in 2006 and Thomas Müller followed him by winning it last time out in South Africa. The award is given to the best player in the tournament who is at most 21 years old.
There are a few candidates who should be regular starter for their country, and in my opinion the man with the best chance of winning it is Romelu Lukaku. He will be the main goal threat for Belgium and should play every game. Belgium should comfortably get through the groups and if he can score goals it will give him a great chance to win the Young Player of the Tournament.

World Cuts

What would World Cuts be without one of, if not the most famous World Cup hair cut of all time. A classic hair cut that was only done specifically for the World Cup in 2002. It was successful as well as this man became the top scorer with 8 goals as he took his country on to the title. My all time favourite player and the best striker I have ever seen, Ronaldo. when he produced the triangle at the front of his hair it might not have been met with a lot of love, but kids copied it all over the world, and it became iconic so it had to make an appearance in World Cuts.

The Summer Silly Season

It is that time of year again when contracts are up, players are looking for new clubs and hoping that the phone rings. It is never an easy time, with pre season only a few weeks away and clubs dropping wage bills it means that a lot of players will be left with nothing on the table. Last year after leaving Falkirk I was left with no full time options, so ended up spending all summer waiting before signing for Stirling around the start of August. It turned out to be a good option for me with the chance to play regularly up front, meeting a really good bunch of boys and winning promotion with them. At times it was frustrating, but at the end of the season it was all worthwhile. Now it is up to me to make sure I am not sitting about in July waiting for a contract from someone, and hopefully my form in the last 3 months will help me with that. It certainly doesn't help picking up an injury in the last game of the season, but hopefully potential managers can see passed that and know I'll be fit come pre season.

The Summer Transfer Window 

It is always an exciting part of the football calendar, the Summer window always attracts the biggest signings to the Premier League and the papers are full of rumours. Today I am looking at the 5 rumours that excite me the most for players who might be coming to England for us to watch every week.

5th - Alvaro Morata (Real Madrid - Arsenal). The young striker has shown he could be a real star of the future at Real Madrid, but there are persistent rumours of him moving to Arsenal as he is unlikely to play regularly at the Bernabeu. He was top scorer at the U19 Euros in 2011 and the 2013 U21 Euros with Spain and he would be a great option up front for Arsenal.

4th - Yevhen Konoplyanka (Dnipro- Man Utd/Liverpool/Spurs) The Ukrainian winger seems desperate to move to the Premier League and it would be good to see him. He is a quick creative player with excellent dribbling ability. He would be excellent on the left in the system that those 3 clubs play, and at 24 years old he can only improve.

3rd - Emre Can (Leverkusen - Liverpool) The young German midfielder has been in great form this year in the Bundesliga and he would fit into Liverpool's midfield and be an important player. He is only 20 years old, but he has great composure on the ball, can pass with both feet and is strong in the tackle too. He would be an excellent signing.

2nd - Diego Costa (Atletico Madrid - Chelsea) It is probably just a matter of time before Costa signs for Chelsea, he is the ideal man to lead their attack under Mourinho. He is quick, strong, hard working and a good finisher and will lead the line in the Drogba mould that Mourinho likes. He won't be cheap, but it will be worth it.

1st - Pedro (Barcelona - Arsenal/Liverpool) Pedro is 26 now and should be in the prime of his career, and with his involvement at Barcelona not as much as he would like, he could potentially move the the Premier League. His record at Barcelona is excellent, 52 goals in 169 league appearances, and he has been an important part of a team that has won 4 league titles, 2 Champions League, 2 Spanish Cups and also a World Cup and Euro Championships with Spain. His pace and skill would be great to watch in the Premier League, I hope he comes to Arsenal, he would be a star.

The Weatherston World Cup Preview - Group H

Group H (FIFA Rankings)
Belgium (12)
Russia (18)
South Korea (55)
Algeria (25)

The final group sees the Belgium team that everyone is talking about as a potential surprise package drawn in a group that looks like they should progress comfortably. Russia who promised so much in Euro 2012 will be hoping to improve from that performance and challenge for qualification with Algeria and South Korea both hoping to upset the odds.

Belgium -  They have been talked about so much as surprise packages that it wouldn't be a surprise now if Belgium manage to win the World Cup. It is no surprise that they are being touted when you look at their squad, this is definitely a golden generation for Belgian football, but it will most likely be a similar result to Englands supposed golden generation. They don't seem to lack anything in their squad, but big tournament experience is certainly one thing having not qualified for any of the last 4 major tournaments. They have quality throughout, starting in goals, with Thibaut Courtois looking like the future number 1 goalkeeper in the world. Their back 4 is very strong, with Alderweireld, Kompany, Vertonghen and Vermaelen all having plenty of experience at the top level in European football. Axel Witsel and Marouane Fellaini provide the strength in midfield which is important for the number of creative players they have. Kevin de Bruyne has been in great form at Wolfsburg this year since his £18m move from Chelsea, while Moussa Dembele and Nacer Chadli both have the skill and quality to unlock a defense. Pace comes in wide areas with Kevin Mirallas and Dries Mertens both extremely direct and good options in the squad. With the injury to Christian Benteke ruling him out of action it means the main man upfront will be Romelu Lukaku who everyone knows from the Premier League as a strong player, is relatively quick and a real handful for defenders. Manager Marc Wilmots will be hoping for big things from this squad, and it should emerge from this group comfortably and be in with a shout.
Key Man - Eden Hazard might not be Mourinho's favourite player, but he is one of the best in the world in my opinion. His close control is frightening, he has an ability to get past defenders so easily, has unbelievable acceleration and can score goals. He is very difficult to keep out of a game as he always wants the ball, he could be a real star this Summer.

Russia - Russia qualified well by beating Portugal in their group, and manager Fabio Capello will be hoping to go further than the Last 16 that he managed with England in 2010. The squad is based entirely of home based players, except Denis Cheryshev of Sevilla, who is quite likely not make the final 23. The spine of the team has a lot of experience with goalkeeper Akinfeev, defenders Ignashevich and Berezutski, midfielder and captain Roman Shirokov, and striker Kerzhakov having over 350 caps between them. They played some great football in Euro 2012, but they lost games they shouldn't have due to lack of goals. They will need Kerzhakov to be on form and Aleksandr Kokorin will have to chip in alongside him. The advantage of a home based team is they all know each other well, will have a good understanding and also they are mid season, so will be as fit as any team. The conditions would have affected them more if they were playing in the North, but only the game in Cuiaba will potentially be a problem for them, which is their first game against South Korea, so the players should cope fine. They have enough quality from players in midfield like Fayzulin, Zhirkov, Shatov and Denisov to cause problems, so they will be battling it out for qualification from this group with Belgium and South Korea in my opinion.
Key Man - Alan Dzagoev is 23 now and should be making his name on the big stage. He showed at the Euros that he has great ability on the ball, can spot a pass and also has an eye for goal. His 3 goals at the tournament was enough to be joint top scorer, and he will be hoping this time his goals can take his team past the group stages.

South Korea -  The Koreans made it to the last 16 in 2010 before being beaten by Uruguay, but they struggled in qualifying this time, just edging out Uzbekistan into second place behind Iran, who they lost to twice. Their squad consists of 9 players based in Europe, and the rest playing in Asia, and their is noticeable difference in quality between their best players and weaker players. Unless you know your Korean players, not many names are recognisable, but one that has been impressive in the Premiership this season is Kim Bo-Kyung of Cardiff. The 24 year old is very comfortable on the ball in attacking midfield and can create chances with his quick feet. Up front, Sunderland reject, but new Dortmund signing, Ji Dong-Won has obviously impressed Jurgen Klopp enough to sign him this summer. His lack of bravery in going for a header led Paulo Di Canio to letting him go but he must have quality. Arsenal striker (yes he is still there) Park Chu-Young has been a top player for Korea, amassing 24 goals in 63 appearances, so he will be hoping a season spent in the reserves hasn't hindered his sharpness. In central midfield Ki Sung-Yueng of Swansea looks like a quality player at times, but perhaps lacks a little bit of work ethic. There is no doubt he has a great touch, great composure on the ball and can see a pass, so with the hard working Korean team around him, he could blossom and provide them with a really good base to start attacks.
Key Man - Son Heung-Min of Bayer Leverkusen is only 21, but he already has 24 caps, and is a star player in the Bundesliga. Anyone who watches German football will know how good this forward is. He is both footed, quick and has an eye for goal, scoring 12 goals for Leverkusen this season as a second striker behind Kiesling. I think he is a quality young player, and I am sure he will have a good tournament. He has been linked with a move to the Premiership this summer, with Liverpool a potential destination, a definite star of the future, if not already.

Algeria - Algeria beat Burkina Faso on away goals to qualify for this World Cup and will go in as big outsiders. They managed a drew with England last time out (their only point) but they will do well to get any points this time. In their previous 3 attempts they are yet to get out a group, although controversially in 1982 they lost out to Austria and West Germany as they played out a convenient 1-0 win for the Germans as the BBC reported here. They don't boast many recognisable names either, but free agent, and former Rangers man, Madjid Bougherra is the captain and main defender. Most of their players are playing around Europe, with strikers Islam Slimani (Sporting Lisbon) and El Arbi Hillel Soudani (Dinamo Zagreb) both boasting a goal every other game for their country. Nabil Bentaleb who broke through at Spurs this season is a recent call up, and made his debut last time out in a friendly win over Slovenia. He is tidy on the ball, but doesn't seem to go forward very often and lacks a killer pass. At 19 however he can only get better.
Key Man - Sofiane Feghouli is the one player that is a genuine star of Algeria. He is a regular for Valencia in La Liga, and he is one of their top players too. He is quick, great on the ball and is a very good creative player who will set up a lot of chances for his strikers. It will be tough for him to show how good he is in this team, but if he can get plenty of the ball he can cause trouble for opposition defences.

Teams to Progress - Belgium and Russia

As this is the final group of the preview, I will be doing one more before the tournament starts next week consisting of predictions for winners, top scorers and best young players.

Rudi Voller points out the unwelcome addition to his perm

World Cuts

The second last World Cuts isn't an easy one to decide, but I have gone back to 1990 for this one, and it is not a good one either. Rudi Voller had a terrible perm/mullet combination, but in 1990 it became even worse. When Frank Rijkaard spat in his hair he reacted and they were both sent off, then as Rijkaard ran off, he did it again. Probably the most disgusting thing you will see on a football pitch, but Rudi Voller became the first and last man to have better hair due to spit dangling out of it.

The Addiction of Panini Stickers

The season finally ended last weekend, and it was on a bitter sweet note that it did. It was mainly a huge high as we scored 2 goals in the last 15 minutes at East Fife to beat them 2-0 on the day and 3-2 on aggregate. It was a fantastic day for the team and well deserved after a great run in the last 10 games. It was my second ever promotion, both times in the playoff and, unusually, both times at Bayview. Unfortunately for me the day was tarnished very slightly by having to go off injured. It felt like somebody toe poked me in the calf, but nobody was there. After seeing the physio yesterday it looks like a slight tear in the right calf and should only keep me out of action for 4 weeks. Hopefully it doesn't affect me getting a new contract, wherever that may be.
On Sunday night we spent time together as a team, celebrated with the fans and each other. It is a great bunch of boys who all enjoyed playing together, particularly towards the end of the season when we were winning all the time. No doubt it will be difficult to keep a winning team together with some players looking to move on to better things, but it will be interesting to see how Stirling do in League 1, which looks wide open for the playoffs again next year.
The feeling of winning promotion was a very satisfying one after a long season and it is always nice to make the full season worthwhile. Sometimes throughout the year the supporters were on our back and the management teams, but we turned it round and by the time the playoffs started they were right behind us, and the number of fans that turned up to cheer us on to promotion was fantastic.


Got, Got, Got, NEED!

Every boyhood football fan remembers their days in the playground holding hundreds of football stickers, swapping 1 shiny for 3 players, somehow ending up with 5 Darren Dods and wondering if the rising star will make it big, which most of them didn't. I am almost certain I never finished an album, in fact I don't even know if any of my mates did. I would imagine the most popular kid, who could swap a player for a shiny and 3 players in return, might have done best of everyone.
For someone who doesn't like football it must be difficult to understand what is so good about collecting stickers, but that feeling of finding a shiny in a pack is a memorable one as a kid. Years later you would recognise a players name purely by seeing him in your Panini album, and even to this day I still have some old stickers lying around at my parents.
As I cleared up the loft ready to move out 2 years ago I found a small pile that brought back so many memories. The aforementioned Darren Dods was there, obviously, so was former manager of mine Owen Coyle and Falkirk coach Stevie Crawford. Nowadays sadly stickers cost so much that it seems completely out of reach to start a book, never mind finish it, but luckily for me I found a solution.
For the upcoming World Cup, Panini have linked up with FIFA and created an online version of the sticker book, and it is absolutely free! Ok, so it isn't quite the same feeling, but it is still useful to look through squads and see the faces of the players that will be on your screens this Summer.
I understand that some may think that is a bit sad, but it takes you back to the days in the playground, and who doesn't want that. Looking through the virtual pages is not as thrilling, but as an adult, and as a free alternative to collecting hundreds of stickers and spending hundreds of pounds, I am quite happy to do it, and if I finish it, I know I'll be looking through it with a sense of accomplishment. A small morale victory over Panini who defeated me for years as a young boy.
If, like me, you are extremely sad, check it out here: Panini World Cup 2014


The Weatherston World Cup Preview - Group G

Group G (FIFA Rankings)
Germany (2)
Portugal (3)
Ghana (38)
USA (14)
 
Group G looks like another fantastic group and a real tough one to predict. To win this group would be a real benefit with a likely second round game against a weaker opposition the bonus. With games in Manaus, Natal, Recife and Fortaleza, it will be really energy sapping with the temperatures in the North, so it will be important to rotate the squad in the groups to save energy for the knockout stages.

Germany - A lot of people are predicting a big tournament for the Germans and it is understandable why when you see their performances of the last 4 years. They qualified comfortably winning 9 and drawing 1 game in a group containing Austria, Sweden and Ireland so will be one of the big favourites despite this tough group. They have the best goalie in the world(Manuel Neuer) and a strong defense with Phillip Lahm, Mats Hummels, Jerome Boateng and Marcel Schmelzer all likely to feature after strong seasons in the Bundesliga. It is midfield though that they have a huge number of players to choose from, which is ideal for slight rotation in the groups. Toni Kroos, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Mario Götze, Mesut Özil, Julian Draxler, Lars Bender and Sami Khedira are all very good options in central midfield positions and then Marco Reus, Lukas Podolski and André Schürrle are all more attacking options and can provide width. It leaves manager Joachim Löw with plenty choices to make. If they have a weakness it might be a central striker with Miroslav Klose turning 36 before the tournament starts and the one time capped Kevin Volland (Hoffenheim) also included, but they are both good goalscorers, with Klose proven at major tournaments with 14 goals in World Cup history, hoping to break Ronaldo's record (15).
Key Man - Thomas Müller might not be the most glamorous name in the squad, but he has a knack of scoring very important goals, his movement is very good and he works extremely hard. He was the winner of Golden Boot at the 2010 World Cup with 5 goals, so he will be hoping for another big tournament.

Portugal - Portugal qualified this year by beating Sweden in the playoffs after they had lost out to Russia in the groups. Apart from two semi final appearances (1966 and 2006) they never seem to get far in the World Cup despite the quality they have possessed in their squad. This year is no different, but will they again fall short? Defensively they have the most horrible defender in football, Pepe, at the heart of their defense. He is annoying to watch but when he defends properly he is very effective. João Pereira (Valencia) is a very good attacking right back and Fábio Coentrão the same at left back. In midfield there is competition between Miguel Veloso (Dynamo Kiev), João Moutinho (Monaco) and Sporting Lisbon rising star, William Carvalho. Nani will likely be one of the wide players, and if he can find some form that has been missing from his last couple of seasons at Manchester United then he can be a threat.
Obviously they will be relying on Christiano Ronaldo to score goals but they also have the experience of Hugo Almeida (Beşiktaş) and Helder Postiga (Lazio) to try and aid the main man.
Key Man - Christiano Ronaldo is the obvious choice for Portugal's star player after the season he has had. 50 goals in 46 games this season so far from the Ballon D'or winner is frightening form that he will be hoping to take into the World Cup. Injury problems have crept in towards the end of the season so it will be interesting to see how fresh he is. If he plays well, Portugal have a chance.

Ghana - Despite a fantastic World Cup last time out, Ghana were left gutted with a quarter final defeat at the hands (quite literally) of Uruguay. This time they beat Egypt to qualify but go into the tournament on the back of a defeat to Libya in the African Nations Final. Defensively they don't have any recognisable names but in midfield they have some players capable of being game changers. Michael Essien isn't as fit as he used to be but is still a strong central midfielder alongside Sulley Muntari, his AC Milan teammate. Left sided player Kwadwo Asamoah is a regular for Italian champions Juventus, but sometimes plays more central for Ghana. Andre Ayew (Marseille) and his brother Jordan (Sochaux) add some pace in attack while former Sunderland man Asamoah Gyan is the goal threat. With the weakness at the back and in goals it will be hard to see Ghana getting passed Portugal and Germany, but in the warm conditions of Brazil the African team might just fancy their chances.
Key Man - Kevin-Prince Boateng is playing at Schalke these days and he can be a real match winner. His skill is his main asset, and although sometimes he can be a bit greedy, there is no doubting his quality and his ability to score fantastic goals. Ghana need him in form and firing on all cylinders.

USA - USA always seem to have a higher ranking than they deserve, and again it looks like the case. Ranked 14th, but severely lacking a squad that is able to compete at this level, it will be a big surprise if they get through the groups. Tim Howard and Brad Guzan will battle it out for the goalkeeping position which is historically their strongest position, and possibly still is. In defense there are a number of home based players, including Omar Gonzalez (L.A.Galaxy), Michael Parkhurst (Columbus Crew) and Clarence Goodson (San Jose) who will all be facing a huge step up in quality in Brazil. Geoff Cameron (Stoke) is a strong defender and former Germany under 21 international left back, Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim) will be out to impress against his country of birth. In midfield, former Rangers men, Maurice Edu and Alejandro Bedoya are both important members of the squad, although it is Michael Bradley (Toronto) who is required to be the driving force from central midfield. Upfront, former Fulham man Clint Dempsey is a clever footballer who makes good late runs into the box and has an eye for goal, something that Jozy Altidore (Sunderland) has been severely lacking this season. His 2 goals this season a dismal return in 38 games.
Key Man - Landon Donovan is 32 now but the L.A. Galaxy man has real quality on the ball. He has a fantastic delivery from set pieces and from open play, and his record for USA (57 goals, 156 caps) shows how much of a legend he is in the country. He will be relied on to make and score chances, but it is a big ask for him to drag USA through this tough group.

Teams to progress - Germany and Portugal

World Cuts 

In this weeks edition of World Cuts, we again look back to USA 94, but this time to the man that set the tournament alight, but ultimately ended it in failure. Roberto Baggio, otherwise know as 'The Divine Ponytail', always sported hair short on the sides and top but long down the bag. However, for the the '94 World Cup he decided the best thing to do was to braid the ponytail, and the result is one of the most recognisable haircuts in World Cup history. Unfortunately for Baggio it was his missed penalty in the shootout that lost Italy the final against Brazil, presumably nothing to do with the ponytail.

Why not win the Europa League?

As I write this we are still in with a shout of promotion, but after last nights defeat it will be difficult. It was a big blow to lose Chris Smith before kick off, he has always been consistent and is comfortable on the ball from defense, hopefully he can play on Sunday as we try and come from a goal down. We know we didn't play our best last night, I think we forgot to pass it like we have been and this played into East Fife's hands. We went from back to front far too often and that doesn't suit us, so hopefully on Sunday we pass it better and get our match winners on the ball. It was nice to see 1500 fans at the game which shows the level of support there can be in Stirling, hopefully we can get a win in what will be the last game of the season before a very short holiday.
In other playoff news it will be fantastic if Falkirk can beat Hamilton on Sunday and go on to play Hibs for a place in the Premiership. They are still an extremely young squad, but they are having another good season and still have a chance to get promoted. If they get through I will definitely be down at Easter Road next Sunday to cheer them on since I'm based in Edinburgh now. If Blair Alston can score another volley that would be ideal and set them on their way, good luck to them anyway.


The Europa League - Why is it not Important?

When you look at a club like Sevilla winning the Europa League last night against Benfica, it is hard to understand why English teams seem to devalue it so much. Obviously the ridiculous amounts of money in the Premier League mean that they can't afford to fall down the league due to European commitments, but to win a trophy like the Europa League would be something that a manager can put on his cv, and every player will remember for the rest of their lives. Sevilla have won the tournament 3 times in the last 9 years, and i guarantee every single player involved in any of the triumphs will never forget winning it and rank it among the best achievements in their career.

Sevilla win on penalties and they are delighted

Benfica is a fine example this season of how competing in the Europa League doesn't affect your domestic season. They have secured the Portuguese Premeira Liga, comfortably beating Sporting Lisbon and Porto to the title. They also lifted the League Cup beating Rio Ave in the final last weekend, and they will again face off against Rio Ave in the Portuguese Cup on Sunday to complete a domestic treble. English clubs should be looking at this example and taking note that they should be able to play Europa League games as well as domestic games.
It seems to be only in England that they hold this view, consistently playing under strength teams, talking the tournament down and even going as far in some cases as saying they don't want to qualify. Personally as a professional player I would have loved to play in it, and to win it would be amazing. Winning the Ramsdens cup was an unbelievable feeling, so to win something as big as a major European trophy I can only imagine how good it feels. Some of the players at clubs like Spurs, Newcastle and Everton, who often qualify for the tournament, might never get the chance to play Champions League, so this is the best trophy they can ever win, I'd be annoyed to go out and lose to a team they should be able to beat with a full strength lineup. Instead the starting XI is full of youngsters and players not good enough to play in the team regularly.
If you look at the semi final lineup from this year there was 4 big clubs in there all taking the competition seriously, Benfica, Sevilla, Valencia and Juventus all wanting to win. With the money in the Premier League the clubs finishing 5th and 6th should have players good enough to make it further in the EL, and I for one would like to see them going for it. Andre Villas Boas played his strongest team in all games last season and he was ridiculed for it, it's a shame the media are like that. Maybe if the media talked it up instead of constantly thinking the Premier League is the only thing that matters, moods will change and people will start wanting to win it. Until then we are resigned to seeing average young players battling it out against top players from all across Europe, and coming off second best, not that anyone cares.



The Weatherston World Cup Preview - Group F

Group F(FIFA Rankings)
Argentina(7)
Bosnia and Herzegovina(25)
Nigeria(44)
Iran(37)

Argentina will be firm favourites going into what looks like a very comfortable group for them. It will be very interesting to see who comes out this group in 2nd place, where the winner of Group E will be waiting and surely fancy their chances.

Argentina - Two times World Cup winners Argentina will go into this years tournament as one of the favourites to make it 3. Surprisingly they haven't made it past the Quarter Finals since 1990(Runners Up), but they will fancy their chances this year in the South American conditions. They have been handed a fantastic draw in Brazil, not just because they have drawn a very winnable group, but also where their fixtures take place. Their 3 group games are all in the South in Rio, Belo Horizonte and Porto Alegre which keeps them away from the humidity in the North. If they go on to win their group they then face a game in Sau Paulo followed by a QF match in Brasilia. It is something that can't be underestimated, Argentina have a fantastic chance this year, and some great players to go with it. Carlos Tevez has not made the squad despite his Juventus form, but the strikers still include Sergio Aguero(Man City),Gonzalo Higuain(Napoli) and Ezequiel Lavezzi(PSG), at 3 of the top clubs in Europe. In defense they have Pablo Zabaleta at right back, possibly the best in the world, but their weakness might be at central defense. Ezequiel Garay(Benfica) and Federico Fernandez(Getafe-loan) had been the preferred partnership in qualifying, but neither are world class, so we will see how they cope in the latter stages. In midfield they have Ever Banega(Newell's), Mascherano(Barcelona) and Fernando Gago(Boca Juniors) who can all play the holding role whilst Angel Di Maria has been in fantastic form for Real Madrid this year and should have a big World Cup.
Key Man - Lionel Messi might not be in the form he was 4 years ago, but he hasn't played nearly as many games this season and should be relatively fresh going into the tournament. He is the best player in the world on his day and if he plays well this summer Argentina have a great chance of winning it.

Bosnia and Herzegovina - This will be the first ever World Cup for Bosnia and they have a real chance of getting into the second round. They qualified by edging out Greece on goal difference after both teams won 8 out of 10 games. This shows they will be no pushovers in Brazil, and looking through their squad they have some big players. Asmir Begovic(Stoke) is a top goalie, one of the best in the Premiership and he will be important behind a defense that contains no recognisable names. Captain Emir Spahic(Leverkusen) is 33 now but he will start in central defense with a group of players that only lost 6 goals in qualifying. Sejad Salihović(Hoffenheim) and Miralem Pjanić(Roma) will provide creativity from midfield, with Pjanić in particular a major player. The 24 year old is a star in Serie A for Roma so he will be hoping to show off his talents on the biggest stage. One thing Bosnia have is a lot of presence upfront, with the partnership between Vedad Ibišević and Edin Dzeko proving particularly fruitful, with 53 goals between them for their country.
Key Man - Edin Džeko has been in fantastic goalscoring form this season for the English champions so he will be high in confidence going into the tournament. He can be frustrating at times, but their is no denying he knows where the goal is and he always seems to be in the right place at the right time. If he gets the service he could score the goals to take his country to the 2nd round.

Nigeria - Nigeria used to always be the best African team going into World Cups, but nowadays it would be a surprise if they get through the group. They qualified by beating footballing giants, Ethiopia, in the playoff but being drawn in this group where 2nd place is up for grabs, they will fancy their chances.
Efe Ambrose(Celtic) will start in central defense with Joseph Yobo(Norwich). Both have a mistake in them are both strong defenders and will be important to the team. John Obi Mikel will sit in front of the defense as he does boringly for Chelsea and act as a screen for the defense. One thing they do have is a very young midfield with none of them being over 27, nine of them being under 25. Ogenyi Onazi(Lazio) and Ahmed Musa(CSKA) are 21 year olds that have become regulars for their clubs and country so will be looking to make a big impression on the tournament. In attack they have lots of pace but are lacking a true goalscorer. Peter Odemwingie(Stoke) can be a match winner, but he can be frustrating at times and lacks real quality in front of goal.
Key Man -Emmanuel Emenike, the Fenerbahce forward, has electric pace and is very strong. He can be a real handful but he doesn't have the best close control due to his speed. His 10 goals in 21 games for Nigeria is a decent record that he will be hoping to improve on in the tournament. If the game is open he will be a big threat.

Iran - Iran have never made it through the group stages of the WC, and for me they are the weakest team in the tournament. They did well in qualifying by beating South Korea, but their squad lacks any real quality. Former Real Madrid manager, Carlos Queiroz, is their current Head Coach and has a huge job on to get out the group. The squad is made mostly out of Iranian based players with some plying their trade in Europe. Javad Nekounam, formerly of Osasuna, is 33 years old now, but he is still the main man in midfield, and he will be hoping to play at least 3 games and take his total caps to 139. Upfront they only have 17 goals between the strikers, with the fantastically named Reza Ghoochannejhad of Charlton getting 9 in his first 11 caps looking like the biggest threat. Daniel Davari has been playing regularly in the Bundesliga in goals(albeit for bottom club Braunschweig) so he will most likely start as number 1 and will likely have a very busy tournament.
Key Man - Ashkan Dejagah might have been relegated playing for Fulham, but he has got quality. He is quite inconsistent but he will have to step up for his country to try and get them through the groups.

Teams to Progress - Argentina and Bosnia

World Cuts

For some reason the World Cup in 2002 saw the Mohawk making an appearance on a number of players heads. David Beckham introduced his Mohawk to the world in a GQ photo shoot before the tournament, but it was the less expensive efforts from Clint Mathis, Christian Ziege and Umit Davala that make the cut(sorry).
It has to be said they look ridiculous, but who cares, they made lots of money, played in a World Cup and most importantly, made World Cuts.

The Tactical Genius that Mourinho Is Not

It is quite noticeable that my blog has evolved and become primarily football in the last few weeks, which I guess is understandable what with me being a footballer and all that. Sorry to the people that don't like football, but I think the majority of readers do, so for the mean time I'll stick with it.(unless my cousin wins in the golf)

With the football season finishing for some at the weekend it was extended for us as we managed to make the playoffs after a 4-1 win at home to Clyde. We went into last nights game on the back of 5 wins and a draw, and I felt our confidence really showed. The first half performance was as good as we have played this season, so we take a 2 goal lead into the 2nd leg on Saturday. I managed to get another 2 goals which makes it 7 in 7 games, and hopefully I can keep scoring to help the team. We know it won't be easy on Saturday, but if we go down and play with the same intensity as last night we will be hard to beat. We have some good playoff experience in our squad, especially from the lower division. I managed to get up through the playoffs in 2007 with Queen's Park in a team that included Mark Ferry and David Crawford, also at Stirling. It would be nice to add another promotion to the CV, even though it is League 2, it is still a good achievement and very nice to be part of a winning team.

Jose Mourinho: The not so Special One

The man divides opinion like no other manager, with his touchline antics, strange interviews and defensive(sorry, counter attack) tactics. There is absolutely no doubting the fact that his CV is excellent in terms of trophies, but I personally don't really like him as a character, or with the way he sets up his teams.
Mourinho is an extremely bad loser, which is normal for somebody in football, but even worse than that is that he is a bad winner. His lack of humility in winning is something that really annoys me, constantly running on to the pitch celebrating, sliding on his knees, poking fun at other managers and taking full credit when they win. He seems to have the respect of his dressing room, which is something that all his teams have been built on and no doubt it is an extremely important part of his success, but whenever something goes wrong he is always first to shift the blame on to someone else. This season it has been Torres, Eto'o, Ba, Hazard, Mata, and anyone else that he has decided will take the blame for his latest loss. Also Sam Allardyce has been on the receiving end for his 19th century tactics. In the past it has been referees, who he seems to forget give his teams decisions too.
At Real Madrid he was seen poking then Barcelona boss, sadly now dead, Tito Villanova in the eye after a tackle on the pitch led to a touchline argument, showing his lack of class. He might dress well and look like a class act from a distance but, when you see his actions, it is all a front.
On top of all this, and to get back to him having a go at Allardyce for his tactics(admittedly they are boring), his tactics in big games are exactly the same. Defend deep in numbers and hope to steal a goal at the other end by playing long balls to a big striker. He has employed these tactics for years, and I am sick of watching them ruin big games. I know people will say they get results, but it is boring and not the football that people want to watch. It speaks volumes when Brendan Rodgers came out after the game 2 weeks ago, a man who worked under Mourinho, and was scathing in his attack of the defensive tactics set up. Against Atletico Madrid away from home was the exact same, they played 3 holding midfielders in front of a narrow 4 in defense, with Willian and Ramires playing as wing backs. The problem is that the media praised their performance so he will keep doing it, but in reality it is easy to defend with so many bodies in the area. Thankfully they lost the 2nd leg(Hazards fault, not Mourinhos, obviously) and therefore we will actually get a decent final to watch.
To see a genius on the ball like Hazard being made to track all the way back to his goal line, just because Mourinho wants his full backs tucked in so much, is hard to watch. No wonder Cahill and Terry get so much praise, they are so well protected by quality full backs whose only job is to defend the box and leave wide players to their 'wingers'. It will be interesting to see how Cahill gets on when he has to defend for England at the World Cup.

formation v Liverpool

For the people who say his style is counter attacking, have a look at Real Madrid against Bayern Munich in both legs. That is proper counter attacking football that can be so deadly against an open team. The transition between defense to attack has to be so quick, and Madrid did it perfectly quickly getting the ball into their attackers feet and breaking in numbers, sometimes 5 or 6 at once. Punting the ball to Demba Ba and hoping he holds it up and brings one of 2 others into play is not tactical genius.
I for one am sick of the British media falling over their feet to praise him, and hopefully they are just starting to turn. He has failed this season bringing no trophies to a Chelsea team that is very strong on paper and probably has the 2nd highest wage bill. I'd be surprised if Abramovich is happy to watch this style of play, and also win nothing, so if it happens again next year he will probably get sacked. But as Mourinho does, he will get a job in another country with a club who has a huge amount of money to spend, massive wage bill, and are the favourites for their countries league title. PSG anyone?




The Weatherston World Cup Preview - Group E

Group E(FIFA Rankings)
France(16)
Switzerland(8)
Ecuador(28)
Honduras(32)


Group E looks like a nice group for France and Switzerland judging by the rankings, but with the heat in Brazil, will it be the Central and South Americans who enjoy the conditions more and can take the game to the two favourites?

France - The last 5 World Cups have been a mixed bag for France with their 1998 triumph followed by failure to make it through the groups in 2002 and 2010, and a penalty defeat to Italy in the 2006 final. After the South Africa World Cup controversy with the player boycotting training due to Anelka being dismissed from the squad they have rebuilt under new manager Didier Deschamps and appear to have a team that are much stronger and more likely to compete in Brazil. They have good competition in defense with Sakho(Liverpool), Varane(Real Madrid), Koscielny(Arsenal), Mangala(Porto) and Rami(AC Milan) all vying for central defense spots. With Clichy and Evra, Sagna and Debuchy very capable full backs and Premiership regulars it looks like a strong defense will line up for France with top goalie Hugo Lloris in behind. In midfield, Paul Pogba(Juventus) has improved greatly the last 2 years and will be an important part of the midfield with Matuidi and Cabaye(both PSG). They also have fantastic wide players with places up for grabs for players like Nasri(Man City), Ribery(Bayern Munich) and Menez(PSG). This is a France team with a real chance of going far in the tournament.
Key Man - Karim Benzema is a top striker and has found his goalscoring form at Real Madrid the last 2 years. He will be crucial to the French team up front in providing the finishing touch for their creative players mentioned above. Olivier Giroud and Loic Remy are good back ups as well in case Benzema can't last 90 minutes in the heat and humidity.

Switzerland - Switzerland qualified for the WC by comfortably winning an easy looking group that Iceland were runners up in. They have qualified for the previous 2 competitions, making it to the second round in 2006. They have a better looking squad now than they did back then, but I still think they will struggle to get out the groups. Josip Drmic(Nurnberg) and Admir Mehmedi(Freiburg) are good young strikers and regulars in the Bundesliga, both scoring goals for their clubs. Xherdan Shaqiri at 22 has been getting plenty games at Bayern Munich this season and will be an important creative player from wide left and right. Diego Benaglio(Wolfsburg) is a good goalkeeper but I think the problem will be in front of him. Arsenal rejects, Senderos and Djourou, now at Valencia and Hamburg respectively, will potentially line up at central defense and that will be a weak point. Valon Behrami and Blerim Dzemaili have both been involved with Napoli this season and add some quality to the midfield alongside the key man...
Key Man - Gokhan Inler is a strong central midfielder also from Napoli that can have a big impact on games with his ball winning and strong runs from deep. He will be a crucial player in breaking up play for Switzerland and getting it to the creative players.

Ecuador - The Ecuador team qualified by edging out Uruguay on goal difference in qualifying and will be hopeful the conditions help them in Brazil. Their squad is very much made up of home based players and players in Mexico, with only 4 or 5 players playing in Europe. Felipe Caicedo, formerly of Man City, now at Al-Jazira, will be the main striker. He is very strong and can bring others into play, but he will need to score more goals and add to his 15 for Ecuador. Christian Noboa(Dynamo Moscow) is about as well known as they come in this squad, I can't pretend I know many of them. Noboa is a quick, creative player who can play anywhere across the midfield and will be important part of the team for creating chances.
Key Man - Antonio Valencia is the captain and the top player in Ecuador. He has lightening pace as we all see for Man Utd, but he will have to be at the top of his game to lead this team into the latter stages.

Honduras - Head coach Luis Suarez(not that one) has managed to qualify Honduras for their second successive World Cup and their squad contains quite a lot of familiar, if not top quality, players. Izaguirre(Celtic) and Peralta(Rangers) are the Scottish based contingent in the squad. There are 4 players playing in England, with Hull defender Maynor Figueroa(102 caps) and midfielder Wilson Palacios(Stoke) both regular starters. Roger Espinoza and Juan Carlos Garcia both of Wigan are the other 2 in what doesn't really look like a strong squad. I'd be surprised if they get a win in their 3 games even though they did out qualify Mexico.
Key Man - Carlo Costly, not just for his quality name, but the striker who plays for Real Espana in Honduras has 30 goals in 68 caps for his country, which is a very good record. He will be the main goal threat in a team that doesn't have many.

Teams to Progress : France and Switzerland



World Cuts

World cuts wouldn't be world cuts without Carlos Valderrama making an appearance. Everyone remembers him in the 1994 World Cup for his hair more than anything. He was a very good midfielder for years in Colombia, winning 111 caps. I have no idea how he managed to get his hair like this, maybe the humidity in USA, but he looks fantastic, and he would definitely put you off facing him.

Racism still exists in Football, not surprisingly

Wednesday has become blogging day for me, although it would be nice if more people read it, so please get retweeting, sharing and commenting!

Last weekend saw us beating Peterhead 4-0 away from home, which was a fantastic performance. They had already won the league, so it wasn't the same fighting performance they usually give, but it was a good win nonetheless. Fair play to them this year, they have had a great season and been so consistent at home in particular(this was their first defeat). They have the best player in the league in Rory McAllister(pictured) who just won the PFA player of the year award after his 30 league goals.

He has been the difference between Peterhead and the rest of the teams, and they have won the league comfortably because of that. Peterhead is a great example to other part time clubs in the way they are set up. They have a fantastic playing surface, good big changing rooms, great food after the game and a nice hospitality lounge. If all clubs had set ups like that it would make travelling to away games much more enjoyable.
We have given ourselves a great chance of playoffs now and need to get at least a point at home to Clyde on Saturday. It's 5 goals in 5 games for me now which has coincided with the team picking up 13 points in those games. Berwick keep on winning behind us, so it is up to us to make sure we don't slip up and miss out on the playoffs. We are in good form at the moment just at the right time in the season, so we are confident going into the last week.

Unfortunately racism has reared its ugly head again in football this week, but the response from the public and other footballers has perhaps shown that views are beginning to change in Spain. When Dani Alves got a banana thrown at him on Sunday night his action to pick it up and eat it became an instant hit on social media. However the big story for me this week has been over in the NBA, where LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling was banned for life, fined $2.5m and will be forced to sell his franchise after he was recorded making racist remarks. This stance from the NBA commissioner is noticeably stronger than anything FIFA or UEFA has ever done, and must surely be used as an example to Sepp Blatter or Michele Platini. Maybe a life ban is a little bit strong, but it certainly leaves everyone else in no doubt, racism is completely not tolerated in the NBA.
The difference in football could not be more noticeable when you look at punishments handed out for racist behaviour. One that stands out is when former Spanish manager Luis Aragones was found guilty of racist remarks relating to Thierry Henry. He was fined 87,000 US$(1 week wage) and warned about future misconduct. This article from the telegraph shows the extent of fines handed out for racist behaviour, and none of them will even put a dent in the finances of the countries or clubs. It shows you how racism is viewed by UEFA, when the biggest fines are for Nicklas Bendtner wearing Paddy Power boxer shorts, and Chelsea not controlling their players properly in the Champions League Semi final versus Barcelona.
Hopefully this latest incident with Alves will help to improve what is still a problem in football and maybe the example from the NBA will make FIFA and UEFA think twice about the sanctions they are handing out.


The Weatherston World Cup Preview - Group D

Group D(FIFA Rankings)
Italy(9)
England(11)
Uruguay(5) 
Costa Rica(34) 

This group looks like a real tough one for England to qualify from with 3 teams vying for the top 2 places. Costa Rica are not the worst team in the tournament, but it would be a surprise if they managed to get any points from the group.

Italy - The 4 time winners are always contenders at the World Cup, and this year should be no different. However, one big problem they have is venues of games and kick off times. They have the opening game in the amazon jungle at Manaus, then two 13:00 kick offs in Recife and Natal, both boasting tropical temperatures and unbearable heat at that time of day. If Italy make it through the group they could be physically drained by the latter stages. One advantage is they do have a strong squad, with all their players playing in Serie A, the exceptions being 3 at PSG(Sirigu, Verratti, Motta), Giaccherini at Sunderland and maybe Criscito at Zenit. They are always well organised and strong in defense, with Chiellini, Barzagli and Bonucci all playing together at Juventus as well as Italy. Balotelli is the main man upfront, although he might be frustrating he can produce in the big games, and did so at the Euro 2012's. He can score in big games, and with Guiseppe Rossi getting back to fitness they could both be important players upfront. Danielle De Rossi has always been a strong midfielder for them and will be again, and with the skill of Marchisio and Montolivo the Italians will be a big threat.
Key Man - Andrea Pirlo might be 34 now but he is still an unbelievable footballer. He hardly ever gives the ball away, is cool under pressure and a great set piece taker. His passing range will be a great asset, and in this heat when he might not be closed down as quickly he can be so dangerous. 

 England - England will go into this World Cup apparently with little chance and with expectations seemingly at an all time low. However, their squad is not any worse than other tournaments, and I'm sure if they get a result in their first game against Italy the media will go crazy. No doubt they have good players, but it will be interesting to see how they perform on the big stage. Steven Gerrard has been excellent for Liverpool all season(forget about his slip on Sunday), but will he have the energy to play all games for England after a tough season? Sturridge has scored plenty goals, but his form has dipped recently with Raheem Sterling looking like England's best player at the moment. Adam Lallana has been a star for Southampton, same goes for his teammate Ricky Lambert. Walcotts pace and energy will be a big miss, so they need to get that from elsewhere, maybe from Chamberlain. Cahill and Jagielka will be important players at the back, but maybe they lack a bit of pace at the highest level. Joe Hart will need to be on form and not make mistakes that have crept into his game at club level. 
Key Man - Wayne Rooney has failed to perform at a major tournament so far in his career but surely this year, if he goes in fit, that won't happen again. There is no doubting Rooney has quality, but he needs to show he is world class on this stage. His goals record for England(38 in 89) and United is excellent, so they need him to be at his best.

Here is the squad that if I was Roy Hodgson, I would pick.
GK - Hart, Forster, Foster
Def - Johnson, Jagielka, Cahill, Baines, Shaw, Flanagan, Jones, Smalling,
Mid - Gerrard, Wilshere, Henderson, Sterling, Chamberlain, Milner, Lallana, Barkley,  
Att - Rooney, Sturridge, Welbeck, Lambert 

There is a good mix of youth and experience in there, plenty energy and hopefully for their sake, some goals. It will also help with future tournaments that players like Shaw, Barkley and Sterling get World Cup experience.

Uruguay - The Uruguay team looks fantastic going forward and have some good defenders, so they should be a threat this Summer. Being South American they have the advantage of the conditions(No team from Europe has won a WC in South America). They qualified virtue of a comfortable playoff win against Jordan, after they had finished 5th in the South American qualifying table. Player of World Cup 2010, Diego Forlan, is 34 now but can still be a goal threat and will be required this year in the heat. Edinson Cavani(PSG) is a top player and adds pace and strength to the attacking line. Walter Gargano(Parma) will be an important holding midfielder in front of the defense, with Diego Lugano(West Brom) still playing at 33 and the excellent Diego Godin(Athletico Madrid). They have good strong fullbacks as well in Caceres(Juventus) and Pereira(Benfica) both good defensively.
Key Man - Luis Suarez might not be the most liked footballer in the world, but he has certainly turned his game up a notch this season. His quick turns, good finishing and great link up play means he is one of the best players in the world. He is so sharp and nutmegs defenders more than anyone I have ever seen play football, so if he plays well, Uruguay will be a huge threat.

Costa Rica - The Costa Ricans qualified by finishing second behind USA in the North American qualifiers. This is their 5th World Cup, but with this group they won't be expecting much. The squad doesn't boast many recognisable names, but one is Bryan Oviedo, who unfortunately broke his leg in January this year, and could well miss out on his place in the squad. Cristian Gamboa the right full back is someone I have seen live playing for Rosenborg, and he is a very attacking full back and someone who I was very impressed with, hopefully he can have a good tournament. Striker Joel Campbell became a household name after his goal against Man United for Olympiakos, and the on loan Arsenal Striker looks quick and could cause opposition troubles, but at 21 it is a big ask for him to take his team in the knockout stages.
Key Man - Bryan Ruiz is the main man for this team, and although he only showed glimpses of his talents at Fulham there is no doubt that he is someone with great ability. He isn't a regular goalscorer, but he does score spectacular goals, and he can produce a bit of magic to create chances for his teammates.

Teams to Progress - Italy and Uruguay 


World Cuts

 This weeks edition of World Cuts takes us back to the 1998 World Cup in France and to one of Championship Managers finest players, Taribo West. He was well known for sporting some form of dreadlocks, or other noticeable hair styles, but in the World cup of 98, he produced a spectacular green effort that is difficult to describe and is best shown in picture.