World Cup 2018 Preview - Group C

Group C

France (7)
Australia (40)
Peru (11)
Denmark (12)

France - Four years ago in Brazil France were beaten 1-0 by eventual champions Germany in the quarter finals. It was a disappointing display for a team many predicted had a squad strong enough to go all the way. Two years ago in their home European Championships they were pre tournament favourites and despite impressive displays en route to the final they were beaten by Portugal, despite having twice the attempts at goal to Portugal who eventually won it in extra time. If disappointment was the initial feeling after that it quickly became clear that the France squad being built was the strongest they have had since they were champions of the world in 1998.
Group A in qualification for the World Cup was the toughest on paper, with Sweden, Netherlands and Bulgaria all strong teams along with France. But, despite an embarrassing home draw with Luxembourg, France won it comfortably from Sweden and will arrive in Russia as one of the big four favourites. They have a young squad that will be captained by 31 year old Hugo Lloris in goals, who has had a disappointing season with Tottenham. He seems to have lost a little bit of confidence this season and hasn't been sweeping up behind his defense as well as he has in the past, which was a huge part of his game. It has affected his decision making and now he will hoping to put it behind him when he lines up for France.
An issue that Deschamps might have had was Koscielny carrying a heel problem that was clearly affecting his form all season, now with his serious achilles injury ending his season, unfortunately for him he will miss the World Cup. France do have great depth in every area and with the potential partnership of El Classico rivals Raphael Varane and Samuel Umtiti looking like an excellent prospect, at 25 and 24 respectively, they could be playing together for the next 4 major tournaments at least.
In terms of attacking talent the team is absolutely loaded with match winners and pace. Anthony Martial, Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele are all exciting youngsters with huge futures and already worth hundreds of millions between them. Manager Didier Deschamps has some decisions to make regarding his starting 11. Choosing between those 3 youngsters, Griezmann, Giroud, Payet, Kingsley Coman and perhaps the surprise of the season in Ligue 1 this year, former Newcastle man Florian Thauvin. He has scored 20 league goals this year and could certainly have his name on the plane to Russia.
With N'Golo Kante in midfield it gives the license for the front 5 to attack, and that is a frightening prospect for other defenses. France are absolutely in contention to win the tournament this year, and even if they don't they are set up to be the best team in the world for the next 5 or 6 years and the experience from this year will help in their development.

Star Man - Despite only showing flashes of brilliance for Manchester United, Paul Pogba in my opinion is as good a midfielder as any in the world. He is quick and strong, but more than that he has great feet and is so comfortable dribbling past players and taking the ball in tight situations. Against teams that will sit in he could be key to unlock defenses with his passing his clever movement around the box. He is something different to all the other stars France have, and he could be set to have a big tournament without Mourinho forcing him to defend and screen the back 4.


Australia - The Socceroos decision, whether it is fair or not, to move to the Asian WC qualifiers in 2005 has proved to be successful as they qualified for their 4th successive World Cup. Despite losing out to Saudi Arabia and Japan in the initial qualifiers they managed to squeeze through against Syria in a playoff, before comfortably beating CONCACAF team Honduras in a two legged playoff 3-1 on aggregate. Experienced manager Bert van Marwijk will be hoping to repeat the record of countryman Guus Hiddink, who took Australia to the last 16 in 2006, the only time they have ever advanced through the group stages. A recent 4-1 friendly defeat by a poor Norway seems to suggest he has a really tough job on his hands. Tim Cahill at 38 years old was instrumental for them beating Syria in the Asian playoff, and 33 year old Mile Jedinak scored a hattrick as they beat Honduras. The squad is based all over the world with only 2 or 3 players playing in the A-League, the majority playing all across Europe. Matt Ryan in goals as never impressed me as a top keeper, but he has held his place in the Brighton team this season and has improved as the season has gone on. He will be a busy keeper and will have to be on top form for Australia to progress. In attacking areas Mathew Leckie, who has been a regular at Hertha BSC this season will be a crucial player from wide areas. Australia only have 2 players that have scored more than 10 international goals in their squad, Cahill and Jedinak. It is clear they lack a threat up front, and Robbie Kruse who has regularly been a starter only has 5 goals in 62 caps. Aaron Mooy of Huddersfield has had an excellent season, and his set pieces will be a crucial part of the Aussie attack.

Star Man - Tom Rogic is a class act every time I watch him for Celtic. He is tall and awkward looking at times, but his futsal background means he has great touch and ability in tight areas. Not only that, he scores important goals and is a huge threat running with the ball. His left foot is deadly from range and I like watching him. He will be very important for Australia if they are to get through to the last 16 for the second time in their history.





Peru - Perhaps the biggest surprise from South American qualifying was Peru reaching the playoffs ahead of Chile. It wasn't without controversy however, as both teams were awarded 3-0 victories over Bolivia who fielded an ineligible player against them both. Chile had drawn, but Peru had lost 2-0, and in the final standings they managed to beat Chile on goal difference with the points against Bolivia proving absolutely pivotal to their qualification. They went on to beat New Zealand in an inter confederation playoff to qualify for their first World Cup since 1982. For record goalscorer Paolo Guerrero it was his last chance to get to the World Cup, and along with the familiar name of Jefferson Farfan, he will be enjoying potentially his last major tournament and hoping to inspire what is generally a young squad. Peru are very much a team that gets goals from all over the pitch as evidenced by 9 different scorers in qualifying. They were the third top scorers behind Brazil and Uruguay, and they possess a lot of pace in their team that can cause problems, especially on the counter attack. They are not a big side and instead rely on the technical ability of their attacking players including Andre Carillo, Christian Cueva and Jefferson Farfan. Paolo Guerrero will be used as the main striker, and at 34 he is more of an 18 yard box striker now, so it will be up to the quicker and youngers players behind him to try and create chances that will take Peru through into the knockout stages.

One to Watch - Joint top scorer in qualifying with Guerrero was 23 year old attacking midfielder Edison Flores. Flores currently plays his football in Denmark for AaB so he will be well known to his group opponents, but he has shown great goal scoring instincts for his country arriving late in the box and also some deadly finishing with his left foot. He looks like a real talented player and with a good World Cup could earn himself a nice move somewhere else in Europe.




Denmark - In what looks like an close race for second place in the group Denmark might just be second favourites. They lost out to Poland in the race for automatic qualification, but hammered Ireland in the playoffs 5-1 in Dublin to book their place in Russia thanks mainly to a hattrick from Christian Eriksen. In goals for his first major tournament will be Kasper Schmeichel, hoping to emulate father Peter, who was part of the Denmark team that went to the Quarter Finals in France 98, Denmarks best ever World Cup. Captain and central defender, Simon Kjær hasn't been playing regularly for Sevilla this year, which is an issue as his partnership with Chelsea central defender Andreas Christensen is an important part of the team. Another option at that position could be Borussia Monchengladbach regular, Jannik Vestergaard, which also gives Denmark an option of playing the in fashion back 3. Denmark don't score many goals through their strikers which could be a major problem in the tournament. Cornelius and Jørgensen managing 2 each in qualifying, and Dolberg and Poulsen getting 1 each it is clear there is no definite number 9 in the squad. Nicklas Bendtner had been for many years, and despite being top scorer in the Norwegian leagues last season, and having 30 goals for his country, he hasn't been trusted by the manager recently, and is unlikely to be starting the first game in Russia. One to watch out for might be Kasper Dolberg who now at 20 years old, scored 23 goals for Ajax last season. He hasn't been as prolific this season, but he has the potential to be Denmarks main striker for years to come.

Star Man - For me the top man at Tottenham this season has been Christian Eriksen. His passing range and quality in the final third is absolutely outstanding. He always puts Harry Kane and Dele Alli in great positions and picks out their movement. For Denmark he plays a slightly different role in that he has to carry the team. He was the third top scorer in European qualifying with 11 goals, behind only Ronaldo(15) and Lewandowski(16). His set piece delivery will be a crucial part of this team, and the form he is in he will have a country expecting him to take his team through this group.


Predictions - France are firm favourites to progress from Group C, and I'm sure they will convincingly progress with at least 7 points. Between the other three teams I think Australia are the weakest. They play France in game 1, so the other game could be the most important one. The winner of Denmark and Peru will most likely go on to qualify. If Denmark can win that, they then go on to play Australia and the group could be done before the last games. I think however, that given the pressure that will be a draw, and it will come down to goal difference. Denmark having Eriksen will help, and they will sneak through.

What to Bet on - Denmark are 4/5 to beat Australia in the second game on the 21st June. Australia look poor on paper, and Denmark should beat them comfortably.


World Klutz - Time to go back to 2002, a group C match between eventual champions Brazil, and Turkey. Time winding down on a 2-1 victory for Brazil, they have a corner...

The most embarrassing moments in Rivaldo's career, and still to this day makes me laugh. How can the linesman not see what has happened here? Turkey got the chance for revenge in the semi final, but Brazil beat them 1-0 through a Ronaldo goal and went on to beat Germany in the final.

World Cup 2018 Preview - Group B

Group B

Portugal (4)
Spain (8)
Morocco (42)
Iran (36)

Portugal - Two years ago Portugal surprised everyone by claiming the European Championships despite winning only one of their games inside of 90 minutes, a semi final win over Wales. They drew every group game, beat Croatia in extra time, Poland on penalties and won the final in extra time over France. It was Eder who scored the winner, his first ever competitive goal for Portugal. It would be an even bigger surprise if Portugal managed to win the World Cup despite a very impressive qualification in which they dropped only 3 points in an away defeat to Switzerland. Four years ago they were knocked out in the group stage by USA and Germany, a very disappointing campaign, so they will be out to improve on that but it will be a surprise for me if they manage to match their best ever performance of fourth place back in 2006.
There is absolutely no doubt that Portugal's quality is mostly in attacking areas. Bernardo Silva was outstanding for Monaco last season, and this season has played his part in a Manchester City team that has strolled the Premier League. He has the ability to unlock any defense with his skill, usually from the right hand side. William Carvalho was widely tipped to become a superstar, and although he hasn't quite fulfilled his potential yet, he is a crucial part of the central midfield area. He provides a more defensive platform for more noted attacking players like Andre Gomes, Joao Moutinho and Joao Mario to join the main man in attack.
The big problem for Portugal is their ageing central defenders. Bruno Alves has hardly looked convincing since his move to Rangers, the 36 year old is likely to be involved in the squad, and decisions will have to be made regarding 35 year old Pepe, 34 year old Jose Fonte and 32 year old Rolando. It will likely be the last tournament for whoever is selected, but so many games in a short period will be tough for players of that age.

Star Man - Although aged 33 Cristiano Ronaldo is still an incredible athlete is still scoring goals at about an average of a goal a game. His next cap for Portugal will be his 150th, and so far he is on 81 goals. In my opinion he is the best ever goalscorer to grace a football pitch, and his drive to be the best he can be is as strong as anyone to have played the game. He has regularly produced the goods in big games, and there is no doubt he could drag Portugal to the final stages of the competition. He has lost a bit of his pace, and is a completely different player now to the one we were watching 5 years ago. But now that he is playing as a central striker he could be in with a great chance of the Golden Boot.


Spain - Four years ago Spain were defending their title and failed miserably, being hammered by Netherlands in the first game, and following it up by a defeat to Chile. By the time they beat Australia it was too late. It was the end on an era as legends like Xavi, David Villa, Xabi Alonso and Iker Casillas decided it would be their last World Cup. This time around they come with a younger squad after a comfortable qualifying campaign, beating Italy in their group and only dropping two points in total with a 1-1 draw in Turin. The type of football that Spain play is always easy on the eye, and they are well set up in midfield to play possession football, but also have players with the ability to create chances in tight areas. Thiago, Isco and Koke are all small in stature and are very comfortable on the ball, and along with Andres Iniesta can all play anywhere across the midfield. Spain usually play quite narrow in midfield and these players all have the ability to take the ball in tight areas, create space between the lines and are always rotating and available for passes. Marco Asensio offers something a little different with more direct running and pace. He has been excellent for Real Madrid this season, often coming off the bench and changing games.
The striking options including Morata, Diego Costa and Iago Aspas are all reliable goalscorers for their clubs, even if Morata is struggling a little the second half of the season. It will be up to the manager who he selects, but for me Diego Costa would be the perfect option with the quality of midfielders that can play in behind him.
Dani Carvajal and Jordi Alba are both world class full backs offensively, or they have Cesar Azpilicueta as a more defensive option, and they can rely on the experienced defensive partnership of Gerard Pique and Sergio Ramos. This is a squad that are serious contenders yet again to replicate the success of 2010 and they have every chance of going all the way.

Star Man - David De Gea has been the best goalkeeper in the Premier League for the last six years and is probably the best shot stopper in the world. He makes this Spain team even better and gives confidence to everyone in front of him. He has had to wait on his chance, with Iker Casillas(167caps) and Pepe Reina(36) being regular first and second choice since 2000 and 2005 respectively. Now that De Gea is number 1, he could well win his first senior international trophy after successful European campaigns with the under 21's in 2011 and 2013. At 27 he is the perfect age to be goalkeeper for at least the next 6 years and to get many more caps than his current 27.


Morocco - Managed by Herve Renard, twice winner of the African Nations(Zambia 2012, Ivory Coast 2015), the Atlas Lions come to the WC on the back of a convincing unbeaten qualifying, in a group with Ivory Coast, Gabon and Mali. The squad has somewhat of an overhaul the last 4 years which has resulted in their first world cup appearance since 1998. Only two players in the likely squad have over 50 caps, but recent friendly wins over South Korea and Serbia show that they are on the right track as they head to Russia. In a tough group with Portugal and Spain, it will be so important to beat Iran in game 1 to give themselves a platform for advancing out of the groups for only the second time in their history, the only time being in 1986. The Morocco squad is seriously lacking in star quality and will be relying heavily on the guile of their manager and team spirit to get themselves out of the group. Amine Harit at 20 years old is one of the young group of players hoping to make an impression this summer. He has had a solid season for Schalke after moving there from Nantes where he broke through in to the first team in 2016. He is a midfielder with some promise, and having broken into the national setup, could be set for a big role in Russia. Scoring goals could be the big issue for Morocco, Khalid Boutaib was top scorer in qualifying with 4, and he has 12 in the Turkish Super Lig for Yeni Malatyaspor this season. He will likely be the main striker, but it will be far more important for Morocco to be tight at the back, and will be crucial that Juventus central defender Mehdi Benatia is controlling the defense and leading by example as captain. It didn't quite work at Bayern Munich for him, but since returning to Italy, and especially this season, he has looked far more like the strong and athletic defender he was when playing with Roma.

One to Watch - At 25 years old Hakim Ziyech has become an important player for Ajax since his move after a successful spell at Twente. Playing as an attacking midfielder, he is the likely creative spark for Morocco, and also a goal threat. He has 8 goals in 14 appearances for his country, and is a real threat from free kicks. A former Dutch youth international at all levels, he decided to play for Morocco senior team in 2015, and now can look forward to his first World Cup.



Iran - Although Iran regularly appear at World Cups, this is the first time that they will be competing in successive competitions in their history. They have yet to progress through the group stages, but as the highest ranked team from Asia perhaps they have underachieved in previous tournaments. They topped their qualifying group, beating South Korea in the process and conceding only 2 goals in 10 games. Former Real Madrid manager Carlos Queiroz has been in charge since 2011 and he has built the team on a solid foundation, who rely on clean sheets and counter attack goals. They should in theory be built for tournament play as underdogs, and will be hoping, like Morocco, that a win in game 1 can give them real hope of beating Spain or Portugal to second place in the group. They only scored 10 goals in qualifying, and top scorer Sardar Azmoun, who plays his football at Rubin Kazan in Russia, got 4 of them. He is the main threat up front having scored 23 goals in his 31 appearances so far for Iran, and despite only 4 goals in Russia this season he will be a starter for his country. He is only 23 years old, so has a big future for his country, but has a long way to go to catch the target of 109 goals scored by the legendry, Ali Daei.

One to Watch - Nicknamed the Persian Pogba, 21 year old Saeid Ezatolahi was once regarded as a huge talent. After a year in the youth team at Atletico Madrid he decided to move to FC Rostov in Russia instead of playing B team football in Madrid. He is currently on loan at fellow Russian Premier League side, Amkar Perm where he is enjoying a more regular game. At 6ft3inches, he is a central midfielder of some promise for Iran, and will be hoping to have an impact at the tournament this summer.


Predictions - Obviously Spain and Portugal are firm favourites to qualify from Group B, but with them playing each other first it puts a lot of pressure on whoever loses that game to get results in the other two games. Spain are looking for a far better display after 4 years ago in Brazil, and I expect them to have a good tournament. I think they will be too good for Portugal, and go on to top the group with three wins. Portugal will be under pressure, but the lack of scoring power for Morocco and Iran should mean Ronaldo can drag Portugal through to the last 16 and join Spain.

What to Bet on - Portugal to finish second in the group at 11/10

World Klutz - This time it's back to 2010 in South Africa, to the fixture between Nigeria and South Korea. With a win taking either team through to the last 16 and South Korea leading 2-1, Yakubu was given a guilt edged chance to pull Nigeria back in to the game which they needed to win...

One of the worst misses in World Cup history no doubt. Yakubu went on to score a penalty later in the game, but it was too little too late for Nigeria who were dumped out.

World Cup 2018 Preview - Group A

With less than 50 days to go till the World Cup in Russia begins, I felt like it is time to start preparing myself for it by learning about the teams and what players will be gracing our screens this summer.
Which country will surprise us all this summer, will Germany retain the title they won so dramatically in 2014, or will Messi get the World Cup to stop his doubters using it as an excuse for not being the greatest?
The tournament begins on 15th June in Russia, with 12 stadiums hosting 63 games over 4 weeks culminating at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, a huge 88'000 seater stadium in the Moscow Olympic Park that will host the final.
Looking back to 4 years ago, my prediction of an Argentina/Brazil final were dashed by the Germans hitting 7 past Brazil in the semis. James Rodriguez exploded on to the world stage in Brazil, who will it be this time? He finished top scorer, although it was Messi who took home to Golden Ball for dragging Argentina to the final with some outstanding performances. There will be no problems with humidity in Russia, so unlike 4 years ago there will be no drinks breaks and hopefully the football is a little faster.
Starting with group A, lets take a look at the players to look out for, teams to expect to progress, and anything interesting regarding each group.

Group A 
Russia (66 in Fifa Rankings)
Uruguay (17)
Egypt (46)
Saudi Arabia (70)

Russia - As World Cup groups go, group A is about as weak as they come on paper. Russia as host nation are in their worst ever Fifa ranking spot, and have won just 3 times in their last 13 games, against South Korea, New Zealand and Hungary. In last years confederations cup they were beaten by Mexico and Portugal on home soil, and it will be difficult for them to progress here again.
Only once has a home nation failed to qualify through the group stages of a World Cup(South Africa 2010), and despite Russia being as poor as they have ever been, they have been given a draw that gives them the best chance possible to keep it that way.
The first game against Saudi Arabia will be absolutely crucial, if they can give themselves a platform with 3 points, they could potentially play for a draw against Uruguay and Egypt to try and progress. The Russian squad certainly lacks real quality, with only 2 players likely to be included that play outside of Russia. Gone are the days of players like Arshavin and Pavlyuchenko playing regularly in the Premier League, now they rely on talent playing in the Russian Premier League. For years the back line included Sergei Ignashevich and the Berezutski brothers, but now they have a big problem with many defenders in their late 20's that have hardly any caps due to the longevity and, perhaps, over reliance on ageing defenders.
This year, there is a new set of twins to look out for, and perhaps Russia can look to them to make a difference now, and in the future. At 22 years old, the Miranchuk brothers, Anton and Aleksei have been playing a crucial part at Lokomotiv Moscow as they push for their first Russian title since 2004. Aleksei is a slightly more advanced midfielder than Anton and will hopefully provide a goal threat while Anton can assist from deeper. Along with Alan Dzagoev, who is now 27 years old and should be hitting his prime, they will be aiming to take Russia past the group stages, and at least give something for Putin to smile about.

Star Man - Every country needs a goalscorer, and Russia will be expecting Fyodor Smolov to be the top man for them. He has been a consistent goalscorer for Kuban Krasnodar over the last 3 seasons, with 50 goals in 66 appearances. At 28 years old he only has 30 caps for Russia, with 12 goals. But his emergence with Krasnodar the last 3 seasons means he will be going to the World Cup in his best ever form, and he has some talented creative players behind him to create chances for him.





Uruguay -  The Sky Blues finished runners up to Brazil in the notoriously difficult South American qualification section despite winning only 2 games on the road(Paraguay and Bolivia). Their home form is excellent, but they recently beat Czech Republic and Wales in the China Cup to show that they can win while travelling as well. Although they will face tougher challenges in Russia, they are definitely strong favourites to progress from Group A with so many quality players at their disposal. They were well beaten in the Round of 16 four years ago by a James Rodriguez inspired Colombia, but they were missing Luis Suarez after he took a bite out of Chiellini's shoulder in the final group game. This time around they have the opportunity to go further, with the defense being organised by Diego Godin, probably playing his last tournament at 32 and the forward line of Cavani and Suarez with 92 goals between them both 31 years old, its now or never for the current generation. Cavani has 25 league goals for PSG this season, and Suarez has 23 for Barcelona. No doubt these two are the stars, but can they link up, and produce the performances that should make them the most feared partnership at the World Cup.

One to Watch - Away from the obvious stars at Uruguay, there are a group of young players coming through, and the tournament will be a great place for them to make their name and stamp earn a big move. Of those under age 25, it is Nahitan Nandez of Boca Juniors that is likely to shine. He moved from Uruguayan club Peñarol last season, and in his first season at Boca has been a creative influence from midfield, and is a likely starter on the right hand side. The former under 20 captain has stepped up to the senior team, and at 22 years old, it is a huge opportunity for him to become a regular for his country, and take over the mantle from retiring older stars.


Egypt -  The Pharaohs qualified comfortably for the World Cup, winning a group with Uganda, Congo and Ghana easily. The famous face in the dugout is former Inter and Valencia manager, Hector Cuper. His squad doesn't have a huge amount of talent to choose from, and will include several faces plying their trade in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and some more familiar faces playing in England. Ahmed Hegazi and Ali Gabr are both defenders at West Brom now, with the former being a regular this season for the Premier Leagues worst club. It's hardly a great base for the defense, and with Mohamed El Neny in front of them, they will be hoping that they can improve on a mediocre season in the league. At 21 years old, Ramadan Sobhi is one for the future at Stoke, but he has shown glimpses of quality, and is an important part of the Egypt midfield. Of the 6 games in the second phase of qualifying, only 3 players scored goals for them, which is a huge problem. They are relying heavily on Mo Salah to hit the net, he was the top scorer with 5 in qualifying, the next best was 2 for 32 year old Abdallah Said, currently playing in Finland for Kups. Last year they lost the final of the African Nations against Cameroon, so they are capable of winning matches in knockout tournaments, but this will be a step up, and they will be heavily reliant on one man.

Star Man - Mo Salah has lit up the Premier League this year, and the Champions League. He is on course to have the best goalscoring season ever in the Premier League, and potentially ever for a Liverpool footballer. He is without doubt the best player in Africa, and on current form is running Messi and Ronaldo close to be the best in the World. The system at Liverpool suits him perfectly, but in the Egypt team he is expected to be the main man. He has to create chances for himself and doesn't have the same players to link up with. He has the potential to win a game on his own, but if anything happens to him, injury or suspensions, Egypt look like an average team bereft of quality.


Saudi Arabia - The lowest ranked team in the tournament, The Green Falcons qualified through the Asian section by, along with Japan, getting through a group including Australia, Iraq, UAE and Thailand. It is  not difficult to see why they are the lowest ranked team, with the majority of the squad currently playing at home in the Saudi Professsional League. This will be their first appearance at the finals since Germany 2006, where they were beaten by Ukraine and Spain, earning their only point with a draw against Tunisia. Only once(Last 16, 1994) have they made it through the group stages, and with no real stars it will be difficult to emulate that. There are a few players on the books of Spanish clubs, Al-Sheri(Leganes), Al-Muwallad(Levante) and Al-Dawsari(Villareal), and despite none of them playing for the first teams, they will likely be a major part of the Saudi squad.

One to Watch - Winger, Fahad Al-Muwallad at 23 years old is the most likely name to emerge from an average squad. He already has 41 international caps, and recently joined Levante on loan from Al-Ittihad, although with the Saudi Sports Ministry paying the full value of his contract, and having no appearances, it is clearly not due to his ability. He has 10 goals for his country, including the winner in a crucial victory over Japan in the last game of qualifying to take them to Russia. At only 5ft6, he is a diminutive figure, but if Saudi have any chance of qualifying, they will need him to play better than ever before.




Predictions - Uruguay are firm favourites for this group and I think they will top it easily. They have much more quality in the full squad than the other teams. Joining them in the last 16, will be Russia. Egypt have Salah and a good team spirit, but Russia have the home crowd, and I think Salah having played so many games this season, and everything expected of him will struggle to produce the form needed. It will be tight, as all teams should beat Saudi Arabia, but Russia will just sneak through.

What to Bet on - Uruguay are 4/5 to win group A, that's printing money for me.

World Klutz - World Cuts was a popular feature of my preview 4 years ago(?), I reckon. But this time, lets have a look at an individual that has cost their team, or someone that deserves a place among World Cup history for all the wrong reasons.
For our first ever World Klutz, it's a memory from the first WC that I remember as a child. The final of 1994 World Cup in USA is one of, if not the earliest game I remember watching. But there is no doubt, that the person who left a mark on their tournament for their failure to hit the net at a crucial time, is Diana Ross. Not only the fact that she missed, but that the goals still collapsed just makes it perfect.

Life after Football

Judging by the response my previous post has gotten it is very clear that the problems I had as a player were not unusual, and that talking about them has been worth my while. The amount of well-wishers, messages of support and the general attention it received shows that this is something that needs talked about more openly by anyone who is having their own troubles.

I have been left with a sense of relief having finally managed to speak out and I really wish I felt able to years ago. One of the big bonuses to come from it has been the messages from former teammates and other professionals who say they have felt similar problems in their careers, and that has made me feel slightly better knowing I was not alone.

I also think it is important that if other players feel they need someone to talk to they know they can. The PFA in Scotland is doing a lot for mental health awareness, and they have people you can talk to anonymously if there is anything you need to talk about. It has been really good to talk to other players that have come to me, and I'd happily chat with anyone that is scared to talk or just wants to chat about similar problems.

It has genuinely touched me the amount of people texting me and wishing me the best, and now it is important for me to move on with my development personally and try to start a new career in something else. Football has been and always will be a huge part of my life and something I love watching and talking about. I have always been interested in analysing games, tactics and performances which is probably part of the problems I had in myself. Constantly analysing my own and others performances probably created doubt and caused a lack of self belief, now I think I can turn that trait into a positive and use it to stay involved in the sport.

Writing has definitely made me realise I should be doing it more often and that is something I want to pursue. Coaching is another thing I should have started a few years ago, but at 31 I still have time, and an opportunity in Norway to start doing it would be ideal. The amount of players doing coaching badges these days is incredible and it is such a competitive environment, but everyone is different and has different experiences that has shaped them so it's something I'd like to start.

Thank you to everyone that got in touch with me in the last 2-3 weeks, it has meant a lot and made it all worthwhile.

Hiding Nerves and Anxiety in Football

So, I wrote this 4 months ago, but I was scared to share it. But it seems like I'm not alone, and it will probably do me good to let other people read about my problems.


I was looking through Twitter earlier and noticed some posts about ex Falkirk and Queen of the South player(among others) Chris Mitchell, and how he hid his depression from his family and friends, before sadly taking his life about 16 months ago. There is a definite expectancy in general life that men especially should sort themselves out, get on with it and cheer up. But I want to write about my own troubles in football, and how I think it affected my career. It's really sad that it came to such a tragic end with Chris, but it has encouraged me to speak out a bit about my own troubles.
I should start by saying I'm not suicidal, never have been and although I have almost certainly been depressed, its so tough to write about it and I have genuinely been wanting to for so long, but the irony is, to write about anxiety and nerves you have to overcome them, therein lies the problem.

I can pinpoint to the game the first time I ever felt nervous before a game. It was for St Johnstone in 2008 against Hamilton at McDiarmid park in my first season professional. I hadn't started a game since the new manager took over in October, then suddenly I was thrown in against top of the league, in an important game for us in February. I had never been nervous before and was always relaxed before games, but suddenly self doubt and anxiety crept in. Although I would try and tell myself I wasn't nervous, my body was telling me different. I felt physically sick, couldn't eat, could hardly speak to people, felt breathless and my legs felt heavy. These symptoms are all due to nerves, lack of self belief and anxiety. I honestly think that anyone who says nerves are good for you, has never been nervous. I can 100% guarantee, that the body feels better, the head clearer and everything is easier when you are relaxed before a game.

When I was 21 I was super fit and everyone who knows me will know that back then pace was the main part of my game, but on this day I was tired after one run, my legs felt like they were cramping up in the first half and I had zero energy . I had a bad game, and it was the beginning of the end for me. When I arrived at St Johnstone in May 2007, I was flying high with confidence after promotion with Queen's Park, and my pre season and early season form was good, I felt great and I was playing. The difference between then and 9 months later was incredible inside me, and I don't think I ever recovered.
This was the start of 10 years of this feeling and the start of what was essentially a downward spiral in my career with a small peak at Falkirk which we will get to later.

The football dressing room and training ground is a very tough place to be if you have any anxiety or depression, because it is a ruthless business where everyone looks after themselves, and also most of the jokes are about making fun of people. There is no place to hide on a training pitch every day, and when I was young and at Queen of the South I found it difficult. I remember feeling so nervous before my first game I told the assistant manager I was too nervous to play, but it was ok, I was on the bench. I hadn't eaten, felt sick and had no energy. It is the only time in my whole life I have ever told anyone I was nervous. As it turned out I came on for an injured player after about 15 minutes. It was probably the best way as I had no time to think about it, and I played quite well.
From then on though, I was nervous about every game. I was sick several times, once on the pitch during the warm up and it affected my performances regularly.

The worst thing about it is that it becomes a never ending downward spiral. I lacked confidence and doubted myself a lot, and that in turn made me play worse, which made me doubt myself more. One time I remember calling in sick the morning of a game because I felt so bad. I felt ashamed doing it and I lay in bed all day feeling awful. I used to see people who were arrogant and full of confidence and wish I had that in me, I know I would have been a better player, but I think it just wasn't the way I was.

After 3 years at Queen of the South, my contract wasn't renewed and for 6 weeks I had no deal. I was resigned to stopping full time football, but luckily I got the chance to train with Falkirk. After the initial nerves at training and in my first game, I soon found myself feeling better and that is down to 2 things. The manager was absolutely perfect for me, he was full of praise, knew exactly what I was good at and he used me in a way that suited me perfectly. The second thing is the squad was younger, and the dressing room much friendlier. It coincided with the best spell in my career for those 8-9 months, almost injury free and playing every week.

The second year was a different story. Hamstring injuries had ruined pre season for me, and although I did get into the team by September, I wasn't playing as well. I remember coming back from another injury and I was playing my first game after a few weeks training. I felt fit and was due to play right back. However due to so many injuries and weeks missed I felt really nervous that day, and in the first half I got hammered by the winger. I had jelly legs, no energy, sore head, all the usual symptoms. I remember the manager saying my fitness was a disgrace, and it probably looked like that, I wish I could have told him the truth.
Two days later at training I did 10*400m in 70 seconds, 1 to 1 rest on my own and then hill sprints with the res of the team . My fitness was very high but my anxiety was the issue. I hardly played again for Falkirk, apart from a decent spell in February/March, and I knew my time there was coming to an end. My old problems had returned, or never gone away really, just hidden under the surface.

I have learned to deal with the feeling over the years, but they never really go away. I can force food down before games and I can relax sometimes, but the truth is I was never the same player again. I never ever felt carefree and confident like I had when I was 19, and it resulted in part time football and dropping down the divisions.

In the years since then injuries have been a problem, my pace has gone, and although I still had the appetite to train hard and try to get back to a good level, my body didn't let me. I lost confidence, I felt anxious every weekend and even some training sessions. I felt unfit every Saturday even if I was as fit as I could be. I could never produce anything like the form I wanted, and even if I was training well I never gained confidence. I've seen many players I played with go on to higher levels and even become internationals and I honestly feel that if I didn't have my issues I could have gone on to a higher level. It created huge self doubt, depression and many hours worrying and going over performances in my head. Now I am trying to come to terms with not having football at all as although I am 31, I can't love doing it when it makes me feel this way. I have dreaded games for nearly a decade, and that is the opposite of how it should be. I can relax at training and enjoy it, but never in a game and I am tired of that and don't want to do it anymore.

Looking back I wish I had asked for help, or at least spoken to a manager I trusted. But I didn't and I am sure that is normal for more than just me. This is my way of  opening up and telling people my issue, and there are so few people in football that are an open book. It is a huge taboo mental illness, and in football I think if you show it you are just tagged as mentally weak.

People always say you get out what you put in to life, and football is the same. But if your mind doesn't let your body work the way it is trained to, then you won't get your rewards. Although I had a decent career, it should have been much better and I'll probably always think that and a forever regret it.



After finishing this, I read Chris Kirkland's article on the BBC, it literally came out as I finished typing. It is exactly the same as what I feel, everything about it. Irrational feelings, and it helps that other people have the same problems. I wonder how many hide it...
Read that article here

I have also been reading the book on former Germany keeper Robert Enke, it absolutely spoke to me in so many ways, so many similar feelings. It's a tragic story of a top keeper, but well worth a read for anyone else struggling with what I did.

A big thanks also to the Queen of the South fan, who made this video of my goals at the club. It made me feel better any time I was down, and helped me feel like a better player than I probably was! Probably half the views on this video are me...
To any manager that wasted me out at right wing, here is the evidence that I am a poacher.

Guardiola v Mourinho

There is no doubt that Guardiola and Mourinho are two of the best managers in this generation, but their differences in style are something I find really interesting, and something I felt like writing about. They both have a winning mentality, big personalities and have an aura about them that is intriguing to watch. 

It is clear that Mourinho has a win at all costs mindset that shows through his mindgames before matches, his antics on the touchline and his tactics. Guardiola on the other hand is more of a purist, demanding the team plays a certain brand of football and ensuring that nothing will stop his team playing a passing game.

I have always had a bit of an agenda with Mourinho and never enjoyed watching his teams, but when you have a direct comparison with their city rivals now it is clear to see in my opinion that his ideas and tactics are inferior to his counterpart. City are playing the sort of football that every football fan dreams that their team would play. Passing from the back, one touch passing and quick transitions both offensively and defensively are making them thoroughly enjoyable to watch. As a player it must be a dream come true to play for him as you get to play football the way it is supposed to be.

When you watch both teams the big difference I can see is the freedom to express themselves being given by the manager, and also the confidence to do it knowing they won't be blamed or outed in public for mistakes. This is the single most noticeable difference for me from the two managers. 
The United players look paralysed with fear on the ball and in their attitude towards attacking football. That comes from the manager and his constant demand for defensive work from his attacking players. Players like Martial, Rashford, Mata and many more before them are employed as defensive wide players, and often find themselves in full back areas. They know if they don't do a job defensively they will be blamed publicly by their manager, much like Hazard was at Chelsea when they lost against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League in 2014. This cripples them in terms of their attacking intent and ultimately bleeds them of their confidence. 

I am not saying that attacking players shouldn't defend, because actually if you watch City their players all work extremely hard off the ball, but in different areas. The transition to defense happens up the pitch, as they try and win the ball back quickly in high areas and force opposition teams to play through them or go long. This means they will always be high up the pitch and when they win it back the transition to attack happens immediately as they are already in a dangerous area. This is the type of defending that attacking players can actually enjoy, on the front foot and going after the ball instead of worrying about players running in behind them and defending 1v1. Is is much easier for them to defend like that, and means they can use their energy high up the park instead of tracking back and doing the job of the fullback. As a former wide players who tried defending at times, I can confirm 1v1 defending is harder than pressing high up the pitch, and I will never have a career at right back as a result!

In terms of the public blame game that Mourinho plays, I know a lot of fans like that honesty and think players are wrapped in cotton wool. But as player that can never work and it turns the squad against the manager and creates a divide that will never really come together. When you compare that to how Guardiola handles similar situations, for example with Claudio Bravo last year, it is a much easier environment to flourish and keep confidence up. I'm sure he knew Bravo was having a poor season, but he always defended him publicly and same goes for when Stones made mistakes, or Sterling was low on confidence. Although privately he would I'm sure be harsh on his players at times, publicly he always defends them and as a player that is important to gain trust in your manager. It also gives you the confidence to make mistakes, which in turn results in less mistakes as you can relax. At the level these guys are playing at, when they can relax they can play football that is a joy to watch and I am glad is it reaping the rewards so far this season as hopefully it makes people realise that Mourinho is not the genius he thinks he is, and that the way Guardiola goes about his business is the model for all future managers to take note of.

Messi

I've made it no secret in the last few years that in my mind Messi is better than Ronaldo, and that for the rest of his career we just need to enjoy watching him and feel privileged that we are alive when this man is playing football. There is absolutely no doubting the goal scoring prowess of Ronaldo, but Messi is so much more than that. If you take away his goal records for Barcelona you would still be watching an artist on the pitch, capable of picking a pass out from 5 to 80 yards no problem. Capable of dribbling at defenders and going past them with ease, time after time. He isn't as quick as he used to be, but he still has the burst of pace, that first 3 yards is as quick as anyone. His awareness of where opponents and teammates are at all times is just incredible, it is like he is watching the game from the stands. He is often compared to a computer game, his close control and dribbling almost as if the ball is stuck to his foot, and when you add in that he is the best finisher in the history of the game, you have someone who I think we will never see the likes of in our lifetime.

Now that he will be 30 this year, it is time to just forget about records and comparing his goals to Ronaldo, or whether you think he could do it in the Premier League and just enjoy watching him and be happy that footage of him will exist to show your children and grand children. He is a once in a generation player that we will be lucky to see anything like again.

Ronaldo is probably the greatest goalscorer of all time, but I am convinced we will see someone like him again not too far away. An athlete with an incredible attitude and willingness to improve and try to be the best in the world. A goalscorer with a mentality that he is only happy after a game if he has scored, no matter how the team plays. Someone so driven to win and achieve greatness they will do anything to get it. Yes of course he is blessed with natural talent, but you can see and admire how hard he has worked to get where he has.

One thing that is not said enough with Messi, because he is so good at dribbling is just how calm and composed he is in front of goal. Anywhere inside 20 yards he passes it in to the corner. It should be easy, if you were passing to a teammate 20 yards away with a side foot you wouldn't even think about it, but the mental aspect of it being the goal makes it tough for your average player. Messi makes it look easy time and time again, no matter how much pressure he is under, when in the game it is, what the score is, he slots the ball in the corners, top and bottom, both sides. He also does it from free kicks more regularly than most, which makes it strange that he has missed so many penalties. I always wondered why he doesn't just run up and place it top corner, I'm sure he could if he wanted to 99 out of 100 times. It is the only part of his game that is in line with the average footballer.

I have never seen Messi live, but I have to do it before he retires. It might be a good 6 or 7 years away yet, but his decline will start soon because his genius can't last forever unfortunately. It is an absolute joy to watch him on the television, and we will never forget him as long as we live, I know I will be telling any grandchildren about him, the greatest footballer that has ever lived.

5 x Ballon D'or winner, should probably be more