Sven-Goran Eriksson appointed Mexico coach

June 4, 2008

The Federation of Mexican Football (FMF) have confirmed that Sven Goran Eriksson will lead the national team to the 2010 FIFA World Cup Finals in South Africa, replacing caretaker boss Jose Ramirez.

The former England coach arrived in Mexico on Sunday night just a few hours before his current club Manchester City announced he was leaving the Eastlands side by mutual consent, having spent only one season coaching in the English Premier League.

Eriksson, who led England to the 2002 and 2006 World Cup Quarter Finals, will be expected to lead Mexico to the 2010 World Cup Finals and to improve on Mexico’s second round achievement in 2006.

The Swede was ostensibly the third choice for the job with the federation having approached former national boss Javier ‘ El Vasco’ Aguirre, who preferred to stay at Atletico Madrid and then subsequently Portugal handler Luiz Felipe Scolari, whose wage demands were judged to be excessive.

Eriksson made a great start to life at City, but his departure became inevitable after a disappointing second half of the campaign which saw City’s push for a UEFA Cup spot falter.

Eriksson’s year in charge of City saw a remarkable turnaround in the fortunes of a club that had spent the previous campaign on the fringe of the relegation battle. Astute buys like the Brazilian playmaker Elano and Bulgarian winger Martin Petrov enabled City to spend over the first half of the season challenging for a place in the top four while playing an attractive brand of football.

The Swede becomes the ninth foreign coach to manage the Mexican national team. He boasts a great managerial record, having won titles in Sweden, Portugal and Italy as well as the UEFA Cup and Cup Winners Cup in a managerial career which has included Gothenburg, Benfica, Roma, Fiorentina, Sampdoria and Lazio.

Hugo Sanchez, a former Mexican footballing great, was let go in March for failing to guide Mexico to the Olympics in Beijing. Since then Mexico’s well-respected youth coach, Jesus Ramirez, had been in charge of El Tri.

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Ivory Coast on track for 2010 South Africa

June 3, 2008

The Ivory Coast got of a stuttering start to there World Cup 2010 qualifiers, with a unconvincing 1-0 win over Mozambique on Sunday

Sekou Cisse, who plays for Dutch Eredivisie club Roda JC, scored in the 75th minute.

Cisse had come on as a substitute in the 63rd minute and took just just nine minutes before producing the game-winner.

Mozambique were not without there own chances as Dario Monteiro wasted a penalty in the 29th minute. Worst still for Mozambique, they had to finish the game with 10 men after Dario Khan was sent off in the 90th minute

Ivory Coast were without many of its top players, including Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, but the perfomance wasn’t the lighting opening expected by the 10,000 Elephents fans who crammed into the 55,000 seater Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny.

Despite a poor performance, Vahid Halilhodžić can take heart in the fact that Sekou Cisse, who has just returned form the U-23 Toulon tournament, scored in his first Cap for the Elephants.

Segun Olujide

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Croatia dark horses for Euro 2008?

June 3, 2008

With Euro 2008 just around the corner, many pundits have been making studious decisions as to who would be expected to go the distance and win the competition. These predictions have been primarily based upon the quality of the individual players in the team. Not much thought, i feel, into how well the team performs as a unit. Many people might rule out Croatia because of the massive loss of Eduardo, however; i feel this will only inspire them to cooperate and give maximum effort for their cause. The other aspect of Croatia i find appealing, is how coach Slaven Bilic has made this group of individual stars into somewhat of a loving family of footballers, very trusting of each other, and not allowing egotism to take hold on and off the pitch.

Croatia do indeed have a brilliant squad, with players extremely comfortable on the ball, players such as Niko Krancjar, Luka Modric, and youngster Ivan Rakitic thoroughly enhance this. Watching them playe together however makes it seem like every player in the squad is at the same level. When a team can manage this, it often is the primary ingredient for success. Teams with a reputed mass of individual quality can look like a bunch of amateurs if they don’t combine well with each other. Many believe Netherlands to be in pole position because of their seemingly incredible line up, if they cannot however be able to utilise each member of the team’s special qualities, they can practically give up now.

When Eduardo so horrifically broke his leg against Birmingham, the situation seemed rather ominous for both his clubs. Arsenal spiralled down into 3rd place from what looked like top of the table dominance. Eduardo’s absence not only brings about a negative effect on the pitch, but it is often psychologically draining to see your fellow team-mate with a leg half hanging off. This effect could play a part in Croatia’s game, but with a brilliant move from Slaven Bilic, he has reversed the situation into somewhat of a boost for the squad. This team now has something else to fight for, and they will do so, and it will make them into very stern opposition for any club.

There seems quite a strong chance that Croatia will be able to get out of their particular group. They may even have the ability to win the group, bearing in mind the fact that Germany have not looked at all convincing in their recent preparatory friendlies against Belarus and Serbia. Austria and Poland do not appear to have the same depth of quality as Croatia. It is now up to themselves to get down to business and exit their group, entering the gruelling knockout stage on the best possible note.

Croatia for me looks like the team that might spring a surprise, along the same lines as Greece managed in the last Euros, it would however not appear as much of a surprise for someone who values the sense of teamwork and unity within a squad. When there is a team that plays this well together, and has something to fight for; they should be considered the favourites. With chances of getting out of their group very high, it should be expected for this team to reach for the stars.

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