Terk

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Harleqin:

Get to the Danes already
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Terk:

A play-off victory over Denmark (by 6-2 on aggregate) saw them into the finals for the first time since 1998.
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Harleqin:

Still a great read Simon. I'm still not quite over the shock of you having a finished story <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

neither am i. i keep reading through the word file to make sure that i have actually finished it with the group previews, i'm planning to post a group per day and then when it gets to the action, two or three games per day so i should get through it at a fair speed :thup:

Harleqin

That's what I get for skimming I don't like your story anymore if the Danes aren't in :thdn:

OMDave

Hope the Irish made it -as good a reason as any to carry on reading...

Andy Jordan

Good read, but the USA got to the QFs in 2002. We lost all our matches in 1998 .

I like this so far :thup:

Educated Hick

I think the USA can beat Korea and Sweden(assuming the super Swede effect hasn't kicked uin). But wtf is Wynalda doing in the squad? IRL he's retired and doing commentary for ESPN....

Terk

andy, this game was played on CM01/02 so the World Cup 2002 results given so far in the story are the in-game results, not the real life ones and bryan, i was as surprised as you when i asw wynalda in the squad. he's usually retired in the game well before 2006 but didn't retire in this game until 2008 :eek:

more update later :thup:

Terk

GROUP D



England:

The confidence that England fans have in their side must be one of the most unfounded of any group around the world. Brazil fans expect to see their team win tournaments because there is a precedent of them doing so, England, however, haven’t even been to a final since 1966 yet their fans remain convinced before every tournament that their side will come out victorious. And this time around is no different whatsoever, despite their awful showing in Euro 2004 (where they failed for a second consecutive European Championships to emerge from the group stage).

There are a number of talented players in the England squad though, and one of those who have long been considered amongst the world’s elite is FC Bayern midfielder David Beckham. Beckham, once the darling of Old Trafford, has now been plying his trade outside his homeland for four years now, ever since he made a £32M move from Manchester United to Barcelona in the summer of 2002 after impressing in England’s run to 3rd place at the World Cup of that year. Beckham, however, spent only one year at the Nou Camp despite having a very good year in La Liga, scoring thirteen goals and helping Barca challenge for trophies on all fronts. For one reason or another though, he was sold on in 2003 to German giants Bayern who paid £22.5M for his services. And, playing alongside Ballack and Diesler in the Munich midfield, David has excelled, so much so that he has been named captain of his country for the World Cup.

It was a lack of goals that saw England crash out of Euro 2004 and Sven lose his job (they didn’t hit the net even once in the three games they played) and so there will be a huge spotlight on the man who has, since his stunning arrival on the international scene against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup, been England’s #1 striker. Michael Owen’s 21 goals in 59 caps may not be the best of international records, but the Liverpool striker is held in high regard nonetheless and will doubtless be one of the first names on Alan Curbishley’s team sheet.

England will have to also improve their defensive record from Euro ’04 if they are to progress in this tournament, and one of the most important men for that job will be Leeds’ centre back Jonathan Woodgate. Despite having been a regular in the Leeds line-up for many years now, Jon has managed to earn only six caps for England, and two thirds of them have come since Sven was sacked two years ago. However, Curbishley has been dropping huge hints that Woodgate’s time to shine has come in the absence of first choice defender Rio Ferdinand. Ferdinand was the likely choice to line-up with John Terry but with Rio having failed to return to fitness in time for the tournament after suffering a broken leg in January, Woody is expected to fill in.

Prediction: Perhaps it is just hopeful, but we’ve got England down to win Group D. With the qualifiers from this group meeting those of Group C, our predictions see England meeting Norway in the second round, and then Italy in the quarter finals. It is a tough journey if they want to get that far, but with talent in the squad, they are more than capable.

Terk

Nigeria:

Nigeria are generally seen as the most talented African side, but their record in recent tournaments does not seem to back that up. A trip to the 2006 African Cup of Nations quarter final was the best they have managed in a major tournament since they won their continent’s cup in 2002. In the 2004 tournament they failed to get out of the group stage, as they did at the World Cup in 2002. For a nation which has produced some incredible talents, it is not a good record.

Two of their star players, along with four others in the squad, ply their trade in the English Premiership, meaning that they can surely not be counted as a talentless squad. Liverpool’s left back Celestine Babayaro, once of Chelsea, has been a mainstay of the Premiership for five years and was the only ever-present in Liverpool’s team last year. The defender, surprisingly, hasn’t got to 50 caps for his country yet, but may do so this tournament if they qualify for the second round.

Babayaro will be joined in defence by Arsenal’s Taribo West. The Gunners signed West on a free transfer in the summer of 2001 and he has missed only 17 games in the five years since. He has earned just one more cap that Babayaro (although hasn’t opened his scoring account for his country as of yet). If these two have a good tournament, then Nigeria will be well placed to go further than the group stage.

Undoubtedly their most talented player though, is Real Madrid striker Julius Aghahowa. He sprang to prominence in the 2002 World Cup with his gymnastic celebrations but has since proven that his talent with the ball at his feet is just as majestic as the back flip he uses in celebration of his many goals. Aghahowa, who can play just as well as an attacking midfielder as he can as a striker, has netted 11 times in the 25 caps that he has won, making him the top scorer in Nigeria’s squad for the tournament. Goals are almost definitely going to have to come from his white boots.

Prediction: Though they have talent, it is their poor performance in major tournaments that seats doubt in our mind over their ability to qualify. It is by no means an impossible task, but it will be a difficult one. And, one we think will prove just too difficult.

Terk

Poland:

After many a year in the international doldrums, Poland have made sure that they are going to be taken seriously with their performances in 2002 and 2004. In Japan and South Korea, they managed to negotiate a tough group and pass through a second round match before falling to Germany in the quarter finals. They then went one better in Euro 2004, managing to find their way to the semi finals before losing 1-0 to Romania by virtue of a cruel golden goal. Many feel that if they can find that form again, they could well make a surprise bid for the title.

The star of their team, by far, is Werder Bremen striker Emmanuel Olisadebe. Having earned 34 caps and scored 16 goals, he is their main threat in front of goal and was one of the best players at Euro 2004. Indeed, his performances there helped him win a move from Greek outfit Panathanaikos to Werder Bremen in Germany. And, he will once again be relied on if they are to find themselves in a position to progress from the group stage.

Another important player will be Ajax centre back Tomasz Kos. With just under 50 caps, he has the experience to know what this level of competition is all about and the talent to stop some of the best strikers around in their tracks. Over the last year, he has been linked with a number of big European clubs, but as moves failed to materialise, he has insisted that he is more than happy at the Amsterdam club.

In goal, the Polish have one of Europe’s most respected ‘keepers, Jerzy Dudek. Now excelling at Feyenoord, Jerzy has built his reputation back up after a quite disastrous move to Anfield. He was always second choice to Chris Kirkland for Liverpool and during the qualifiers for Euro ’04, lost his place in the national side sue to his lack of games. He still has a tendency for the spectacular saves, but having improved how he deals with crosses, he is a far better ‘keeper than when he left the Dutch club.

Prediction: With Olisadebe in their side, they cannot be discounted and after impressing at both the last two major tournaments, we are as certain as we can be that they will just sneak past Nigeria for second spot in the group. A repeat of their 2002 quarter final performance is the minimum that the coach has said he will accept.

Terk

United Arab Emirates:

The UAE are by far the weakest team in Group D, and one of, if not the weakest in the tournament. Having failed to get themselves into the 2002 tournament, they are delighted just to have made the finals and, to be perfectly honest, expect to go no further than the group stage.

By far their most widely known player is Khalid Mussad Thunian of Italian side Empoli. Khalid can play either in central defence or midfield, with the defence role the one he is more likely to fill during the tournament. The youngster may have only been around long enough to earn twelve caps, but he is the brightest star that the country has ever produced, and perhaps hope that their fortunes may begin to pick up in years to come.

The most capped player in the squad is Al-Ahly’s Subhi Bassir. The goalkeeper has won 72 caps for his country and will also captain his team-mates throughout, as he has done for the past three years. Bassir’s best quality is easily his positioning sense. Rarely does he get caught yards from his goal, and with his relatively poor ability to catch the ball, that is particularly important.

The side’s best attacker is another Al-Ahly player, Abdul Wahab Abod. The left winger has won 31 caps in his time with the national side, scoring four goals in the process. He can also play up front if needed, and given the dearth of striking talent in the UAE squad, he may well be needed to play in the front line of attack at some point.

Prediction: Whilst it would be nice to see such a side buck the trend and win their way through to the second round, we really cannot see it happening. Their coach has said that he would be a very proud man if they could come away from the tournament with a single goal and a single point, anything else would see him ecstatic. However, even that much may be a struggle for the rank outsiders of the group.



<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">Group D Prediction:1. England2. Poland3. Nigeria4. UAE</pre>