World Cup 2010 Blog: “Portugal: Will Only Play For Hotel Rooms” plus 2 more |  |
- Portugal: Will Only Play For Hotel Rooms
- South Korea World Cup 2010 Profile
- Argentina World Cup 2010 Team Profile
| Portugal: Will Only Play For Hotel Rooms Posted: 14 Apr 2010 03:30 AM PDT
You’d think pre-tournament friendlies are a mutually beneficial concept which can be enjoyed by all. Portugal don’t see it as such. Apparently closing out World Cup preparations against them is such a treat it requires substantial compensation. Mexico weren’t willing to make such concessions, which is why we may have one of the very few cases of an international friendly being canceled because one team wouldn’t give up dirty sheets and petri dishes masquerading as remote controls.
There are two sides to every story, so we’ll have to wait until the trial – which there will surely be – to learn why Portugal was so adamant about the TYB. It seems like a nice hotel, but nice hotels are a dime a dozen nowadays, and plenty have surely undergone more work than Demi Moore in preparation for World Cup 2010. Then again, maybe it’s tough to find all the amenities Portugal are looking for in an “Eco Lodge”. Can’t fault them for trying to save a buck. Now, because we’re all about problem solving, here’s a quick and easy solution: play the friendly, and unless Portugal wins by two or more goals, Mexico gets to keep the hotel. After all, if Mexico can’t keep it close, reflection in a more humble setting may serve as a necessity before embarking on the real games. And this has been reason #3,724 why we should be running this thing.
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| South Korea World Cup 2010 Profile Posted: 14 Apr 2010 01:00 AM PDT
They’ll get to make another attempt at scorching form in the scrap that may become Group B, but may start off with a horrible lack of confidence after the Korean Federation scheduled their final friendly against…dramatic music, please…Spain. Teams of sports psychologists must already be at the ready to either aid in boosting confidence or tempering arrogance. Group: B; Argentina, Greece, Nigeria FIFA World Ranking as of March 31st 2010: 49th Coach: Huh Jung-Moo Huh’s like Old Faithful: always destined to come back around again. He’s in his sixth stint with the team in some capacity, including third as head coach, and as successful as ever with the reigning Asian Coach of the Year trophy sitting at home on the mantle. (Or in his suitcase, traveling alongside.) But better yet, this time he’ll get to renew acquaintances with Diego Maradona after their meeting as players in 1986 spawned this iconic photo:
Key Players: The “name” is Park Ji-Sung, Manchester United’s manmotor of an attacking mid, because, well, you already got the answer – he plays for ManU. Up top the goals start with fine wine veteran Lee Dong-Gook. The young midfield talent comes in the form of Lee Chung-Yong (Bolton) and Ki Sung-Yong (Celtic), two of Asia’s brightest bulbs at the moment. Forward Park Chu-Young was once bigger than the Beatles, so he’s still looking to jump at least as high as the hype-o-meter. Lee Young-Pyo is still going strong at leftback while enjoying the Middle Eastern sands for his club football, so he should be nice and refreshed, while Lee Woon-Jae will cut an unmistakably familiar (and short) figure in goal in his 36th year. Player with best YouTube video: It’s technically not about South Korea, but Park Ji-Sung’s birthday episode from last year must be one of the greatest things to ever grace the intertubes. Player with best name: No Bjung-Hun. The comedic possibilities for the name “No” are endless, and will surely be obnoxiously worn in these parts by the second group game should he make the squad. Player with best nickname: Ki Sung-Yong – “David” David grew up in Australia, so there – and now here, because we say so – he goes by the name David. Growing up Down Under might also explain this: (Wikipedia tells a different story, but our other version sounds better.) This kid rocks. Qualification: Asian qualification went awfully well for South Korea, going undefeated in their 14 games (7-7-0) and finishing tops of their group at both stages. Interesting: After the Guus Hiddink pandemonium of 2002, foreign coaches were all the rage in South Korea. So when Huh Jung-Moo was named head coach in 2007, he became the first South Korean to hold the post since…Huh Jung-Moo in 2000. National Anthem: "Aegukga", or "The Patriotic Song" More on the South Korean anthem here. Kit: The away kit:
Expectations: Outside of their run at home in 2002, South Korea have fizzled in the groups every time. They should still be in the hunt for that second spot, particularly after their great qualifying run, but the fans will be prepped for the disappointment should it come. Squad: TBA Blog: Still looking for a captain of the South Korean ship, so if you’re interested just email daryl[at]theoffside[dot]com with why you would be all sorts of fantastic. - More World Cup 2010 Team Profiles.
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| Argentina World Cup 2010 Team Profile Posted: 13 Apr 2010 06:22 AM PDT
But they are here. With Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona who is, if you’ve just awoken from a deep coma, the coach. Yes, that Diego Maradona, leading something else but a dollar bill down a…ah, nevermind. This is bound to be one of the most fun teams heading into the World Cup. Why? One of two things could go kaboom: Lionel Messi or the whole damn thing.
FIFA World Ranking as of March 31st 2010: 9th. Group: B; Nigeria, South Korea, Greece. Coach: El Diego – Diego Maradona. One of the best players in the history of the game with questions surrounding his coaching as big as his waist used to be. A powerhouse with the best player in the world and some of the best attacking talent in the world, yet Argentina still struggled to make it through qualifying. His greatest coaching feat thus far has been the failing to make it through a year before bombarding the press with “suck it and keep on sucking it”. This earned him a suspension, and lofty four-letter standards to which he must hold himself at the World Cup. Key Players: When it comes to a country like Argentina, there are simply too many to name. Luckily, there’s an easy one to start: Lionel Messi. Nearly universally hailed as the greatest in the world and one who is giving Pele & El Diego a run as football’s greatest ever, the knock – the only knock – on him has been his inability to replicate Barca form for the Albiceleste. In tow he’ll have Spanish-based striker buddies Kun Aguero and Gonzalo Higuain: all prolific, all 22. And though he’s only had 7 caps, Angel Di Maria, also 22, has been making waves as football’s next big thing for a couple years now, looking very much the real deal. Rounding out the talented toddlers will be Diego Milito and Carlitos Tevez, two half-decent footballers in their own right… To back up the skillful attackers up front, they want not for midfield steel: Esteban Cambiasso and Javier Mascherano are two of the best in the world at taking care of business in the center of the park. In the back it’s veteran leadership at the, err, fore, with The Ageless Sidepart, Javier Zanetti (136 caps), Walter Samuel and Gabby Heinze the likelies in front of whichever youngster earns the mitts. Player with best YouTube video: Messi gets more videos than Beyonce, making this tough; and when searching “Lionel Messi” in YouTube, it’s like stumbling into an adult video store: they’re all largely the same packaging, all tell the same story and all serve the same purpose. The pick of the front shelving: Player with best name: Angel Di Maria. There’s quite a bit of Italian heritage in Argentina, which means this half-translates as Angel of Maria. Who the hell’s Maria? Player with best nickname: Finally, an Argentine not named Lionel Messi wins something in a landslide: Sergio “Kun” Aguero. The Kun portion is derived from a youthful haircut which apparently made Kun, a strapping young man of his own, look like this:
Even without evidence, there’s little argument that wasn’t the worst haircut of all-time. Kun also impregnated Maradona’s daughter Giannina, then reportedly cheated on and left her, so we can safely assume he has all sorts of wonderful nicknames behind closed doors which are not allowed into the public sphere. Qualification: They finished 4th out of four automatic qualification sports in CONMEBOL, which did not sit well as one of the continent’s two footballing superpowers. It took until the 18th and final day of qualification, when they sent Uruguay to their ultimately successful playoff with CONCACAF, to earn a ticket to South Africa. Not exactly in the Argentine football blueprints. Interesting: In his short, short reign as head coach (Dec ‘09), Diego Maradona has called up over 100 players to the national team. Yes, one hundred. National Anthem: "Himno Nacional Argentino" (National Anthem of Argentina) More on the Argentina anthem here. Kit: Home shirt:
World Cup History:
As much as any team in the tournament, they have no expectations heading in – just questions. Squad: TBA Blog: When Maxi Lopez isn’t scoring goals for Catania, he’s busy at the Argentina WCB along with Julian D. - More World Cup 2010 Team Profiles.
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South Korea were one of the hottest teams entering the World Cup, enjoying a scorching undefeated run of 27 up and through qualifying, only to be knocked off their pedestal by Serbia in a November friendly. Another friendly against Zambia in Jo’burg saw another friendly tacked on the board, and then they fell to China in the 2010 East Asian Championships, finishing second. 
By the skin of their teeth, historic giants Argentina are in the World Cup finals. It’s been a bumpy ride the last few years, one fraught with missed chances, a lack of confidence and some really expensive diamonds gone missing.
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