Archive for March 31, 2010
World Cup 2006 Preview – Croatia
Outright Odds: 66/1
Group F Winners: 6/1
Croatia enter their third successive finals and will look for a repeat of the heroics of 1998 rather than the embarrassment of 2002. They topped a difficult qualifying group which included Bulgaria and Hungary and remained unbeaten over 10 matches which included home and away victories over fellow qualifiers Sweden.
Under manager Zlatko Kranjcar Croatia are a different team to how neutrals will remember them from their 1998 exploits which saw them reach the semi-final. Gone are flair players such as Zvonimir Boban, Robert Prosinecki and former Golden Boot Davor Suker. They have been replaced by more functional players such as the Kovac brothers, Marko Babic and Dado Prso.
Like fellow qualifiers Serbia & Montenegro, Croatia’s success stemmed from a strong defence where they kept six clean sheets in 10 games and conceded just five goals in the process.
Another strength is a number of the current Croatia squad are based in the Bundesliga, with Josip Simunic and Niko Kovac at Hertha Berlin, Babic based at Bayer Leverkusen and Ivan Klasnic contracted to Werder Bremen.
Croatia have unearthed a talent in midfielder Dario Srna who has developed a knack for scoring crucial goals. The Shakhtar Donetsk player scored both goals in the two 1-0 wins over Sweden in the defining matches of the group.
Key striker Dado Prso scored five goals in qualifying, his country’s joint top scorer with Srna. He burst into prominence when he netted four goals for Monaco in the 8-3 Champions League thrashing of Deportivo La Coruna. He made his international debut eight months prior to the match but has since become an automatic choice in attack.
Croatia have gone about their business quietly and confidently and despite their unbeaten qualification efforts, will remain unfancied by many to make any impact in the finals. That will suit them fine as former coach Mirko Jozic blamed the pressure on the class of 1998 for the dismal failure of the 2002 squad which saw them lose 1-0 to Ecuador in their final match.
Finally, they face favourites Brazil in their opening match so will not have to worry about facing the reigning champions in a crunch group decider. If they can take anything from that game they will be in pole position to reaching the second round.
Recommended Bet
Despite the apparent toughness of the group, Croatia are more than capable of qualifying from it given their recent showings in qualifying for the finals. With one of the meanest defences in Europe and a host of players plying their trade in Germany they are a sound bet to follow Brazil into the last 16.
Croatia to qualify from Group F @ 5/6
Why is The English Premier League the Most Followed in the World?
I have followed European football closely for nearly two decades, but I get an extra buzz each time I see the English Premiership or discuss its football. I have noticed the same passion among soccer fans who show more excitement when the discussion or viewing shifts to the Premiership.
What are the reasons for this keen interest in the football played in England?
My research has revealed the following facts:
The PaceThe pace of the English game is fast, fluid and furious, and it therefore makes viewing it more attractive than say, the Serie A which is more tactical and thus less entertaining to watch. The variety in play of the different Premier League teams also makes for attractive viewing as Arsenal’s breathtaking passing style contrasts with Bolton’s gutsy style as well as Manchester United’s pacy and sleek counter attacking approach.
The FansThe average English fan is extra- passionate about the game and would show it in his singing on and off the stands. He has a song for his team, the players, and some for each opposing team and player. He wears his club’s colors proudly (I am not saying that other leagues don’t. But in England it is different!), and his entire family is clad in it.
In England the stands are fuller than anywhere else in Europe, even with the exorbitant ticket prices.
Television CoverageTelevision coverage is detailed, with cameras covering the action from as many as 20 angles in some cases. The players are shown up-close, and their reactions, emotions as well as that of the fans are well captured for the viewer. I have seen rabbits run across the pitch at half time, and cameras follow it with interest.
Figures show that in the U.S many fans religiously get up each weekend at 4:30am PT to watch the early kick-off.
MarketingThe Premiership is well marketed, and it is common place to hear commentators describe it as “the best football league in the world” When a product is that described it sticks in the mind and is soon believed.
With the variety of stars in the Premiership from all over the world it also naturally draws followership from fans who want to follow the progress of their countrymen or favourites.
SuccessIn the past 5 years, England has presented more clubs in the final stages of the European Champions League than any other European country, with Manchester United and Chelsea playing the final in Moscow in 2008. This followed Liverpool’s victory in 2005 against AC Milan.
It is difficult to detach one from the English Premier League after these facts.
Alfred Biosahwww.soccerxtra.net
WORLD CUP TICKETS, TRANSPORT AND ACCOMMODATION IN SOUTH AFRICA
The 64 match festival takes place between the 11th of June and 11th of July 2010, across 10 different venues in South Africa. To successfully cope with an event of this magnitude, the hosting country requires a sophisticated infrastructure of accommodation, transportation, communication, stadiums, technology, security, and countless other facilities and support systems.
Well before the announcement of South Africa as the 2010 World Cup venue, the country’s preparations began. South Africa has spent billions on its airport upgrades, road and transportation network, Gautrain project, and building of world-class stadiums, to name but a few of the larger projects.
With an expected 500,000 World Cup visitors, not to mention 19,000 members of the international press, transportation is a vital issue. Besides the new high-speed Gautrain service between OR Tambo International Airport and Sandton, taxi, bus and rail drop-off and pick-up points will enable 23,380 passengers per hour to move between stadiums and the city. 250 Luxury coaches, dedicated to the World Cup will offer long-distance links to the venues.
A complex ticketing system, with 5 distinct phases, aims to ensure that tickets are available to football fans worldwide. Ticket sales commenced on the 20th February 2009 and terminate on the 11th July 2010. Tickets can be applied for online at the official Fifa website or SA residents can apply for tickets in person at First National Bank (FNB) branches countrywide.
The 5 ticketing phases are outlined below:
Soccer City, the largest stadium situated in Johannesburg, with a capacity of 88,000 people, is the venue for the Opening Match as well as the Final. The pricing of these tickets depends on the category chosen, with Category 1 tickets for the Opening Match costing in the region of R3,150, and R6,300 for the Final.
Maps of the country and the stadiums are available on the official website, and are an essential part of the planning process. Road distances between many of the venues are vast, as can be seen from the following table:
Distance from Johannesburg to …
Cape Town
1473 km (915 miles)
Port Elizabeth
1066 km (662 miles)
Durban
587 km (364 miles)
Bloemfontein
443 km (275 miles)
Nelspruit
353 km (219 miles)
Polokwane
337 km (209 miles)
Rustenburg
112 km (70 miles)
Pretoria
57 km (35 miles)
Accommodation during the World Cup period is obviously at a premium, and many visitors, especially those who obtained their tickets on the internet in random selection draws, may be confused about the logistics of the country and the location of the stadiums. They need to ensure that their accommodation is close enough to their match venue, that transport is available, and that they’ve allowed for the inevitable flight and traffic delays that are part and parcel of an international event of this magnitude.
What is more, several private Safari Lodges on the www.safarilodgegetaways.com website (conveniently located for matches at Pretoria, Rustenburg and Polokwane) still have accommodation available, as well as Safari Lodges in the Greater Kruger Park (located close to Nelspruit). Some of these lodges have not increased their prices over the World Cup period, and it is possible to have a supremely affordable “Big Five” safari experience AND get to your football match!
Is Manchester United The Greatest Soccer Club?
The Manchester United Football Club is an English Club that was formed in 1878 and was formally known as Newton Heath LYR(Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway). They have been nicknamed the “Red Devils” and “United”. Their home ground is the Old Trafford stadium located in Greater Manchester. The capacity of this stadium is 76,312 and is of only two stadiums in England, which have been given the UEFA 5-star rating. The current chairmen of the club are Joel and Avram Glazer and Sir Alex Ferguson has been the manager of the club for the past 20 years and the current captain is Gary Neville.
Manchester United have had to fight their way to the top to be the best soccer team in England. They have had their share of hurdles in the past like the bombing on Old Trafford during the Second World War and the Munich air disaster which claimed the lives of eight players of United when the British European Airways Flight 609 crashed on take-off at Munich, Germany. Manchester United were recently defeated in the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League on the 2nd of May 2007 by AC Milan where Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite A.K.A Kaka scored the opening goal of the match only to defeat United by 3-0 at San Siro. But one should not forget that Manchester United is the first and only team to win the Treble. They did this in the year of 1998-99, when the Red Devils won the Premier league on the final day by defeating Tottenham Hotspurs 2-1, which was enough to put them ahead of Arsenal who defeated Aston Villa 1-0. United won 2-0 against Newcastle United in the finals of the FA Cup. United also went on to win the UEFA Champions League by defeating Bayern Munich in the final 2-1 during injury time. This was considered to be one of the greatest comebacks ever witnessed in the history of football. The Red Devils have won the English Premier league 16 times, the FA Cup 11 times (a record), the League Cup and the UEFA Champions League Cup twice and the Intercontinental Cup and the European Super Cup once.
Sir Alex Ferguson tried to sign Ronaldinho in the year of 2003, but the deal fell through. This was because the Manchester United and PSG could not agree upon the fee and lost the bid to FC Barcelona who signed Ronaldinho for £50million. Manchester United’s current first team line up consists of goalkeeper Edwin van der sar; defenders Gary Neville (captain), Patrice Evra, Gabriel Heinz, Rio Ferdinand; midfielders Michael Carrick, Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs (vice captain) and forwards like Wayne Rooney and Luis Saha. Their current starting line up has skilled substitutes on the bench comprising of players from all over the world. They are the Premier League Champions of 2007 with only one match to go in this season and Chelsea six points behind them at second place. Manchester United is to face Chelsea in the finals of the FA Cup on the 19th May 2007 at the new Wembley Stadium.
Considering The Red Devils achievements in the past and the way they have grown as a soccer club and the way they have handled the difficult situations, they can be considered as the greatest soccer club of all time.
