|
|
Goal.com Know Your Rivals Special: Dream And Nightmare Draws - Asia And Oceania
The World Cup draw is only days away, and fans of the 32 teams will be hoping for a favourable draw, or at least to avoid some of the favourites…
02-Dec-2009 2:18:00 PM
In Goal.com’s new dedicated World Cup feature called Know Your Rivals, experts from the 32 teams involved in the tournament give their take on various issues regarding the World Cup.
With the Final Draw fast approaching, we asked them about the ideal draw for their respective teams, and of course the sides they are hoping to avoid when the groups are decided in Cape Town on Friday.
With that in mind, we posed three questions to each of them.
1. Who would you want to avoid in the draw?
2. Who do you want to get in the draw?
3. If you get a bad draw, how will your fans drown their sorrows?
This is what our contributors from Asia and Oceania had to say...
Australia – Chris Paraskevas
1) Spain – Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to see Australia be drawn with the best teams in the world – in terms of lifting the profile of the game down here and contributing to its history, it would be massive to take on a great Spanish side. But in pure football terms, the Socceroos wouldn’t be able to cope with a team that are so technically superior across the park.
2) Italy – Notions of ‘revenge’ come into the frame here but it’s more the aforementioned building of a history and culture on the world stage that makes facing off against the Italians such an attractive prospect. Granted, Australia will probably be beaten again but the build-up to this clash and the emotion would be huge.
3. In the only way that Australians know how – beer and comfort in the knowledge that the English will probably get knocked out on penalties... again...
Japan – Takashi Sugiyama
1) Even though Japan's coach Takeshi Okada said the team's aim is to be top four at the tournament, it would be realistic to consider second place in our group a more realistic goal. Thus we want to avoid the strong teams from Pots 2 and 4. They are Netherlands, Portugal and African teams. Japan has good team work but it is hard for Japan to play against physically strong teams such as the Africans and some of the Europeans.
2). Our eye is on second place, so we don't really mind which team comes from Pot 1. I asked our readers which team they want to be same group with Japan. The most popular answers are England and Spain. We want to see Japan to play seriously against strong teams, and these two fit the bill. It would be good and exciting experience for Japan. If we got South Africa, it is not so bad. Japan drew with them this month.
3) The Japanese national team is not so popular right now, so people would meet the news without surprise or excitement. Instead, people would play Winning Eleven/PES (made in Japan!) to analyse how to win.
North Korea – An Yong Hak
1) There's nobody we really want to avoid. I want to face big teams such as England, Spain, and Brazil, who are very strong and have many famous players as well, hoping to learn many things from those experiences.
I've heard so many stories about 1966's victory over Italy to gain a spot in the quarterfinals in England's World Cup and have seen many DVD documentaries about it too. However, the story's too old now, so there will be no emotions if we face Italy.
2) South Africa. Because they are the host of the tournament, there seems to be loud noises from home supporters, so the atmosphere will be great. Plus, of course I would prefer to face weaker teams to reach the last 16, but is there really such a thing as a weak team? These are 32 sides at the best tournament in the world, so they're all strong. Therefore we'd like to face countries whom we otherwise wouldn't play.
3) There is no bad draw for us, as we are excited to be at the World Cup and can’t wait to start.
South Korea –Kim Hyun-min
1. South Korea doesn’t want the world’s best team, Brazil, or Germany, who are traditionally strong against Asian teams. Among the second seeds, Holland gave us a catastrophic 5-0 defeat at the 1998 France World Cup, so they're the last team we want to meet. Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire are also undesirable countries who have shown dominance in their former matches with Korea.
2) First of all, many Korean fans want revenge against the Swiss who ended their dreams of the last 16 at 2006 World Cup in the final group stage match. Among the top seeds, France and Argentine are our favorites - but only if Domenech and Maradona can keep their jobs. From the third pot, Paraguay are our pick because we beat them in a recent friendly .
3) Firstly, many Korean fans will be obsessed with ‘various permutations and combinations,’ so we'll be too distracted with the number crunching to pity ourselves. Then, all the media pundits will start talking about whether the second round is possible or not, so we'll settle down to listen.
New Zealand -Andre Zlotkowski
1) If we get Spain, it could prove to be unhealthy for our goal difference. We struggled against them at the Confederations Cup and they are one of the few top teams not content on sitting on a two-goal lead. Netherlands, who could end up in Pot 2, are another team in the same mould. Avoiding the Ivory Coast, who will be the dark horses at this tournament, and Marcelo Bielsa led Chile will also do New Zealand no harm.
2) I would like us to draw South Africa. Not only are they the weakest team in the top seeding pot, but also New Zealand and South Africa have a fierce rivalry in other sports, especially rugby. It would be nice to add football to that list. From the other pots I would pick Uruguay and either Slovakia or Switzerland. If Luxembourg can defeat Switzerland in the qualifiers, then why cannot New Zealand do the same at the finals?
3) There will be no sorrow. The country is still on a high following qualification and nothing will dampen the excitement. We will raise a few beers no matter who we will get.
With the Final Draw fast approaching, we asked them about the ideal draw for their respective teams, and of course the sides they are hoping to avoid when the groups are decided in Cape Town on Friday.
With that in mind, we posed three questions to each of them.
1. Who would you want to avoid in the draw?
2. Who do you want to get in the draw?
3. If you get a bad draw, how will your fans drown their sorrows?
This is what our contributors from Asia and Oceania had to say...
Australia – Chris Paraskevas
1) Spain – Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to see Australia be drawn with the best teams in the world – in terms of lifting the profile of the game down here and contributing to its history, it would be massive to take on a great Spanish side. But in pure football terms, the Socceroos wouldn’t be able to cope with a team that are so technically superior across the park.
2) Italy – Notions of ‘revenge’ come into the frame here but it’s more the aforementioned building of a history and culture on the world stage that makes facing off against the Italians such an attractive prospect. Granted, Australia will probably be beaten again but the build-up to this clash and the emotion would be huge.
3. In the only way that Australians know how – beer and comfort in the knowledge that the English will probably get knocked out on penalties... again...
Japan – Takashi Sugiyama
1) Even though Japan's coach Takeshi Okada said the team's aim is to be top four at the tournament, it would be realistic to consider second place in our group a more realistic goal. Thus we want to avoid the strong teams from Pots 2 and 4. They are Netherlands, Portugal and African teams. Japan has good team work but it is hard for Japan to play against physically strong teams such as the Africans and some of the Europeans.
2). Our eye is on second place, so we don't really mind which team comes from Pot 1. I asked our readers which team they want to be same group with Japan. The most popular answers are England and Spain. We want to see Japan to play seriously against strong teams, and these two fit the bill. It would be good and exciting experience for Japan. If we got South Africa, it is not so bad. Japan drew with them this month.
3) The Japanese national team is not so popular right now, so people would meet the news without surprise or excitement. Instead, people would play Winning Eleven/PES (made in Japan!) to analyse how to win.
North Korea – An Yong Hak
1) There's nobody we really want to avoid. I want to face big teams such as England, Spain, and Brazil, who are very strong and have many famous players as well, hoping to learn many things from those experiences.
I've heard so many stories about 1966's victory over Italy to gain a spot in the quarterfinals in England's World Cup and have seen many DVD documentaries about it too. However, the story's too old now, so there will be no emotions if we face Italy.
2) South Africa. Because they are the host of the tournament, there seems to be loud noises from home supporters, so the atmosphere will be great. Plus, of course I would prefer to face weaker teams to reach the last 16, but is there really such a thing as a weak team? These are 32 sides at the best tournament in the world, so they're all strong. Therefore we'd like to face countries whom we otherwise wouldn't play.
3) There is no bad draw for us, as we are excited to be at the World Cup and can’t wait to start.
South Korea –Kim Hyun-min
1. South Korea doesn’t want the world’s best team, Brazil, or Germany, who are traditionally strong against Asian teams. Among the second seeds, Holland gave us a catastrophic 5-0 defeat at the 1998 France World Cup, so they're the last team we want to meet. Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire are also undesirable countries who have shown dominance in their former matches with Korea.
2) First of all, many Korean fans want revenge against the Swiss who ended their dreams of the last 16 at 2006 World Cup in the final group stage match. Among the top seeds, France and Argentine are our favorites - but only if Domenech and Maradona can keep their jobs. From the third pot, Paraguay are our pick because we beat them in a recent friendly .
3) Firstly, many Korean fans will be obsessed with ‘various permutations and combinations,’ so we'll be too distracted with the number crunching to pity ourselves. Then, all the media pundits will start talking about whether the second round is possible or not, so we'll settle down to listen.
New Zealand -Andre Zlotkowski
1) If we get Spain, it could prove to be unhealthy for our goal difference. We struggled against them at the Confederations Cup and they are one of the few top teams not content on sitting on a two-goal lead. Netherlands, who could end up in Pot 2, are another team in the same mould. Avoiding the Ivory Coast, who will be the dark horses at this tournament, and Marcelo Bielsa led Chile will also do New Zealand no harm.
2) I would like us to draw South Africa. Not only are they the weakest team in the top seeding pot, but also New Zealand and South Africa have a fierce rivalry in other sports, especially rugby. It would be nice to add football to that list. From the other pots I would pick Uruguay and either Slovakia or Switzerland. If Luxembourg can defeat Switzerland in the qualifiers, then why cannot New Zealand do the same at the finals?
3) There will be no sorrow. The country is still on a high following qualification and nothing will dampen the excitement. We will raise a few beers no matter who we will get.
Inside Goal.Com
-
Vote for your Goal.com World Player of the Week
Have your say on who you think should win Goal.com's weekly honour
-
Euro 2012 a timely respite for depressed Spain
With 24 per cent unemployment, wage cuts and little hope for improvement in the short term, the continental competition will at least take people's minds off their sad situation
-
Welbeck impresses but it's a bad day for Johnson
Ashley Young has also all but secured his place in the starting line up against France while Steven Gerrard put a good shift in. Here's how the Belgium friendly affected the England player's chances of featuring in Euro 2012
-
Five players Rodgers could sign for Liverpool
The new Reds boss was unveiled to the press on Friday and must immediately begin work on revitalising a thin squad with some additions in the transfer market
-
Lambert the latest in EPL manager merry-go-round
The Scot officially left Norwich City on Saturday to become the second new boss in June, following the appointment of Brendan Rodgers at Liverpool on Friday