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.

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.

My blog is lasting longer than Moyes

Well, I didn't score, but don't worry loyal fans I am still writing this week as the World Cup does excite me with only 50 days to go. In other news, David Moyes won't be able to take my advice from my previous blog so it will be up to someone else to use my insight to fix Man United. I'm pretty certain they will be using it.

This weeks game we drew 2-2 with Elgin, somehow. I've never played a game when my team has missed 2 penalties, but just when we needed a win on Saturday it happened. We have only had 3 penalties this season, which is quite a low number, but we have missed them all now so I hope we don't have any shootouts if we make the playoffs. There was some easy chances missed and add to that a terrible goal lost on Saturday, so we have put ourselves under a bit of pressure, but I think we are good enough to get the points we need in the last 2 games to get into the playoffs. We have a good squad with lots of playoff experience, so it should hold us in good stead if we get there. It's at this time of season where it is important to be playing well and not making any mistakes, especially in playoffs where it can cost you promotion. Hopefully myself and Jordan can bag a few more goals before the season is done and get the team into League 1.

David Moyes grabbed the headlines this week again, but it was sadly the end of his 10 month tenure. Opinion seems to be split on whether he should have been given more time or if it was the right decision. For me it is the right decision, for some reason it just wasn't working. No doubt in my mind that Moyes is a top manager. For years at Everton he defied there financial situation to get them challenging for Champions League spots and competing against the best teams. Even this season I feel that Martinez is benefiting hugely from the solid base that Moyes built at Everton. Martinez is rightly getting a lot of praise, but if you look at his Wigan team, it was weak at the back, but good going forward. He has added that forward threat this season at Everton, but without the back 5 that Moyes will have coached defensively they would definitely be shipping more goals.
Sometimes a manager just doesn't fit a club, and that is Moyes at Man United. He never seemed to stamp his own personality on the team. He always wanted to try and please other people instead of being the same successful man he was at Everton. Perhaps the club was too big for him or the Fergie shadow was just too much for him to handle, but from day one, right through the transfer market, and every game at Old Trafford his team hasn't done what he has expected. Some people will blame the players who haven't performed for him. But there has to be a reason top players aren't performing and that must be down to the way they are being coached which has led to some poor results and that has bred a lack of confidence. Players have to be happy to perform, and if the training is not to their liking then the manager won't get the results he wants. I know his training must have been the same at Everton, but you have to remember that he was the main man at Everton for 11 years and therefore the players were used to it, they also knew it was successful, so they bought into it. Obviously the players at United have been trained completely differently under previous coaches and so they have found the adjustment hard, resulting in poor performances and disappointing results. Sure the squad isn't great, but they are seriously under performing and unfortunately for Moyes, something had to be done sooner rather than later.


The Weatherston World Cup Preview - Group C

Group C(FIFA Rankings)
Colombia(4)
Greece(10)
Ivory Coast(21)
Japan(47)

On paper(if not the FIFA rankings) this group looks wide open, so lets look at each team and see who looks likely to get through.

Colombia- Colombia qualified for the WC by finishing second to Argentina by only 2 points in the South American Qualifiers. It shows that they could be serious contenders in Brazil with the conditions that they will be used to. The major problem they have though is Falcao. There biggest star and top scorer in qualifying(9) is a serious fitness doubt after he suffered anterior cruciate ligament damage in January. It would be a seriously quick recovery if he makes it, so I doubt he will, and if he does he won't be fit. They do have 2 other strikers however that are in good form this season. Jackson Martinez has scored 27 goals with Porto whilst Adrian Ramos has 16 in the Bundesliga with Hertha Berlin and will move to Dortmund in the summer. Fredy Guarin is a very accomplished central midfielder at Inter and it will be his job for Colombia to pass the ball and start attacks.
Key Man - James Rodriguez. In the absence of a fully fit Falcao, his Monaco teammate will be the main threat from left wing. He has blistering pace, an eye for goal and can spot a good pass. With 10 goals and 11 assists this season for Monaco he has been in good form and will be hoping to have a huge tournament at only 22 years old.

 Greece - The European Champions of 2004 always seem to defy expectations in qualification for big tournaments. This time they beat Romania in a playoff after finishing second in a poor looking group to Bosnia. Their squad doesn't boast many if any big names, so it will be down to hard work and a solid defense if they are to get through this group. There squad is made up with quite a number of home based players that will know each other well and play together at club level which will help. Sokratis(Dortmund) at central defense will be a big player alongside Papadopoulos, and Torosidis(Roma) will be a big attacking threat from the left back position that he plays for Greece. Goals might be hard to come by if they are relying on the forever frustrating Samaras, especially if Mitroglou is still injured having hardly featured since a £12m move to Fulham in January.
Key Player - Giorgos Karagounis might be 37 years old, but the 132 capped midfielder is still the main playmaker in midfield. He has been a very good player for years if you can forget about his diving. His set piece delivery will be crucial for the Greeks if they are to progress. Will be interesting at his age if he can still have an impact on a big tournament.


Ivory Coast -

If any African team is going to win a World Cup this year it would potentially be this one, but I think it is asking too much to expect that. They have some top players in their squad but defensively they don't look strong enough and, as is often the case with African teams, they don't have a good goalkeeper. In attack there is no question of their quality, Didier Drogba might be 36 but he can still be a real handful with his strength and has proven he can score big goals. Wilfried Bony has been in great form for Swansea, as has Gervinho for Roma and Kalou for Lille. A big player however will be Cheick Tiote, who will be in charge of breaking up opposition attacks and getting the ball to all the threats in attack.
Key Man - Yaya Toure is one of the best players in the world. He can sometimes be quite lazy, but he has the ability to turn a game with a piece of brilliance, as he did in the Carling Cup Final this year. His strong runs from midfield with the ball can cause all sorts of problems for opposition defenses and hopefully he can produce the form he has been in for Manchester City this year. Will it be enough to take them to the Quarters and beyond though is a different question.

Japan - Japan qualified for their 5th World Cup in a row through the easiest continent to qualify by beating Australia, Jordan, Oman and Iraq in their group. They have been handed a relatively favourable draw in the groups which can give them a chance to go beyond the groups for the 3rd time. Most of their players now ply their trade in Europe, but there are still a few home based players such as 141 times capped Yasuhito Endō. They will always be hard working but they do have some quality in their squad too. Shinji Kagawa(Man United) and Keisuke Honda(AC Milan) are both really intelligent attacking midfielders who can spot a pass and know how to keep possession. Hiroshi Kiyotake(Nurnberg) is another one that can be a real goal threat from midfield. In defense they have Maya Yoshida(Southampton) at centre back and a very good attacking left back in Yūto Nagatomo(Inter). It will most likely be their hard work and attacking players that can get them into the next round.
Key Man - Shinji Okazaki is the main man upfront for Japan. He has been in good form for Mainz 05 this season scoring 13 goals, and has 38 in 73 appearances for Japan. He has good movement, is very sharp in the box and can finish. It will be up to him to finish chances created by their top attacking midfielders.

Teams to Progress -  Colombia and Ivory Coast


World Cuts

In 1994 the World Cup in USA will be remembered for a Diana Ross missed penalty, and a boring 0-0 final between Brazil and Italy. However, one man from the home nation was sporting an absolute classic ginger hair, beard, moustache combo. Alexi Lalas was part of the USA team that defeated a well fancied Colombia team thanks to Andres Escobar own goal, which sadly cost him his life. Unfortunately they lost their final game against Romania, so Lalas was only seen in the group stages but for me as an 8 year old his hair was never forgotten.

Being a Part Timer

I have to be honest and say that I didn't expect to be playing part time football by the age of 27 again. I left Queen's Park aged 20 and football was in a decent enough state in Scotland. Clubs were paying good money, the First Division was relatively strong with teams like St Johnstone, Inverness, Hamilton, Queen of the South and Partick Thistle all quite strong. Now the first division is pretty weak, clubs aren't paying any money, players are not making a living in football anymore outside the SPL. So part time is the option that people are taking and also being forced into. I am hoping to do some part time football, make some money doing something else on the side for a short time and try and get back full time or move abroad. It wouldn't be easy moving abroad, but if I can convince KA that Norway, Sweden or Denmark would be a good idea for both of us then maybe we will up sticks for a wee while.
One thing I have noticed about not training every day is how much harder it is to get up to the speed and sharpness where I feel like I should be. I have been in the gym a lot and training twice a week, but it is only this week I have actually felt sharp for the first time. I can hopefully get up to speed with 90 minutes in the next few weeks, starting with a return to Hampden on Saturday to play QP. It is always fun going back there where I have so many good memories.

I am looking forward to enjoying playing football and scoring goals again. I loved my time at Falkirk where the team had some great success and the fans, especially on the road, were fantastic. But since then I struggled to motivate myself and felt like I was falling out of love with the game. But in reality I knew once I got back to playing I would love it again and I can't wait to get a run of games. It isn't ideal only training twice, especially since some people can't always make training due to work commitments. You never get the same connection with your teammates on the pitch as you do if you see and train with them every day. Unfortunately that's how it is and I have to try and make the most of it, get my head down and work hard as I have always done throughout my career. I know if I can get my confidence up I will score and create plenty goals for the team and that can only help me personally. I'm looking forward to the challenge.

With tickets going on sale (well, you can apply for some) for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next year I have been asked to do a run down on what is worth going to see and where you should go and do it. You can get a list of all the venues here so you know where all the events are situated. Obviously not everyone will agree with my opinion but here is the top 5 venues and events to apply for tickets to and the Scottish athletes to look out for:

1. Athletics at Hampden Park - Obviously the big attraction of any major multi-sporting event is the athletics. Hampden will be getting adapted to include having the running track round the football pitch, and with top athletes like Usain Bolt expected to be involved it should be a great day out. *Eilidh Child won silver at the last Commonwealths and finished 5th in the recent World Championships, look out for her to be going for gold in the 400m hurdles.
2. Cycling at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome - British cycling has never been more in the spotlight with 2 Tour de France winners and continued success on the track. The atmosphere will be amazing in the velodrome and you can expect plenty of medals from British competitors. Lets just hope that the Scots beat the English. *Callum Skinner is a young prospect on the track who recently won the British track cycling championships and should be in with a chance of a medal in the sprint.
3. Rugby 7's at Ibrox - The rugby 7's is always an exciting event with plenty of tries and tackles. It will be held at Ibrox which is a great venue for it, and since it is rugby, get yourself a few drinks while you watch, enjoy the sport and have a good time. *Being at home and also since all the top nations won't be here, maybe Scotland can get a medal, who knows?
4. Swimming at Tollcross International swimming centre - The swimming centre will be filled with 5000 fans and it will be a great atmosphere and potentially a great opportunity for Scotland to win some Gold medals. This should be a great event and definitely worth a visit. *Michael Jamieson won a silver medal at last years Olympics and the Glasgow born swimmer will be going for Gold in his favourite event the 200m breast stroke. 
5. Cycling on the streets of Glasgow - The road cycling event will take place round the streets of Glasgow and it will be a free event you can go out and support on the course. It is on the same course that held the British road race in the Summer. I went to watch some of that with my brother, and I can recommend standing at the top of Great George Street in the West End. It is right at the top of the biggest hill on the course so the riders won't be flying past you. That is unless you want to be in Glasgow Green for the finish. *David Millar is Scotland's best rider and genuine top level cyclist. He will be going for Gold in the Road Race and the Time Trial 
 

Michael Jamieson will be going for Gold

Since I have so much spare time at the moment, Karen Anna finally decided to try and sell her Arga Ankan stuff, so we have opened a shop together. So that is online with a few things to buy just now, with more to come in the next couple of months. Cards, mugs, wrapping paper and a few other things will be coming into the shop so go and buy something if you want and check out her website and facebook.
Click on the link below!
Angry Duck Shop