The 2009 Confederations Cup just finished up on Sunday with Brazil taking out the big prize in a dramatic 3-2 win over the United States, with skipper Lucio grabbing a late winner.
All in all, the tournament was a big success on-the-field, with plenty of decent football played and plenty of quality drama-filled matches witnessed, breathing new life into the continental competition.
Off-the-field, there were a few issues with crime, security, public transport and low crowds. But mostly everything went rather smoothly by all reports, which is good news for South Africa ahead of the big one in 2010.
But focusing on the football side of things, I thought I’d collaborate a short list of five conclusions from the 2009 Confederations Cup.
1. Brazil Are Favourites For The 2010 World Cup
After all the talk of Spain’s beautiful football at Euro 2008 and their unbelievable unbeaten run since, it was the Brazilians who really stole the show, despite being slightly ignored by many onlookers prior to the Confederations Cup.
The Brazilians really are the heavyweights of international football as they consistently challenge for top honours and with the World Cup less than a year away, it would be hard to discredit them as favourites after their latest success.
With 2007 FIFA World Player of the Year Kaka returning to regular football after a couple of injury-interrupted years, the signs are good for Brazil. Captain Lucio had a fine Confederations Cup and FC Sevilla’s Luis Fabiano showed his class at the top level taking out the Golden Shoe with 5 goals.
And while the Brazilian class of 2009 may not seem as strong as Selecao sides of the past, they somehow seem to keep getting the job done in style.
2. Landon Donovan Is World Class
A lot is made of Landon Donovan in the USA, but until now, not many outside North America really understood what all the fuss was about. But the 27-year-old American’s performances at the Confederations Cup showed his true class as a top player as he almost took the USA to an unprecedented title victory.
After the US emphatically lost their first two matches, coach Bob Bradley changed his formation to a 4-4-2 with Donovan roaming free in behind the front two and it was no coincidence that after that move, the Americans began to make inroads.
Indeed, it was Donovan’s ability to play end to end football, helping out in defence before setting up attacks which enabled the Americans to stun Egypt, Spain and almost Brazil.
Donovan has tried his luck in Europe twice without success, at German Bundesliga clubs Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich, and has had varied success at World Cups in the past so the Confederations Cup was arguably his finest hour to date on the world stage.
Now he needs to take that form into next year’s big one for the Americans to have any chance of recreating their heroics in South Africa.
3. The World Champions Need To Move On
Without doubt, Italy were the flop of the Confederations Cup. It seems ever since the Azzurri’s success in Germany in 2006 they’ve been trying to recapture that glory with an ill-fated stint in charge by Roberto Donadoni before their World Cup winning coach Marcello Lippi was re-installed as boss in mid-2008.
Lippi, with all respect, returning to the helm is indicative of where Italy are at.
National team veterans like Gennaro Gattuso, Luca Toni, Mauro Camoranesi, Gianluca Zambrotta, Vincenzo Iaquinta and Alberto Gilardino (all part of the 2006 squad) didn’t impress at the Confederations Cup and may need to move aside and make way for the new talent.
Indeed, Italy need to learn to move on and put their faith in the new breed. Giuseppe Rossi impressed in South Africa while others including Riccardo Montolivo, Antonio Cassano, Antonio Di Natale, Claudio Marchisio, Sebastian Giovinco and Mario Balotelli should get more opportunities.
4. South Africa Need Benni McCarthy
For all of the achievements made by Bafana Bafana at the Confederations Cup, it seems clear they could have gone further with a finisher. Indeed, 31-year-old former UEFA Champions League winner Benni McCarthy fits the bill perfectly, except for the side issue of a dispute between him and the South African FA.
South Africa showed good signs ahead of 2010, with Itumeleng Khune, Tsepo Masilela and Teko Modise, amongst others, all impressing.
But their big problem was scoring goals, considering prior to Katlego Mphela’s dramatic late brace against Spain, the Bafana Bafana had managed just 2 in 430 minutes.
With better finishing they would have beaten Iraq in the opening game, thrashed New Zealand by more and perhaps knocked off the Brazilians when they had them in trouble.
But the answer could be right there for South Africa, with accomplished Blackburn Rovers striker McCarthy waiting in the wings. African football has been hurt by politics in the past, but with the continent’s first showcase World Cup event on their soil next year, surely the SAFA and McCarthy can put their differences aside and reconciliate for the good of the nation.
5. New Zealand’s Quest For World Cup Qualification Is Going To Be Very Tough
The All-Whites came into the Confederations Cup hoping to gain some quality preparation ahead of their World Cup intercontinental playoff later in the year against either Bahrain or Saudi Arabia. But after barely half an hour of the Confederations Cup, New Zealand would’ve realised they’ve got a long way to go as they were torn apart by European champions Spain in a 5-0 rout.
Putting the Spanish result aside, New Zealand did break their Confederations Cup duck and claim their first point ever in the tournament. But it was against a very ordinary Iraq side. Realistically, New Zealand didn’t look up to the required level to compete in South Africa next year.
They’ll need a lot of change, and perhaps a lot of luck, if they’re going to get the better of either Bahrain or Saudi Arabia. The return from injury of experienced skipper Ryan Nelsen will help them, but they’ve got a long way to go.
Greg Russell
Roar Guru
Hammer, I agree completely about the "the cringe inducing efforts of the ARU". Things like that should happen naturally (as with Welsh singing) or not at all. "it’s a tradition with rugby" Is it? One of the things one learns from living in New Zealand is that, much like the New Zealand accent, the haka is relatively recent. I am not that old but even I can remember Bledisloe Cup tests when there was no haka. Whatever, I am not one who is implacably opposed to change. I realize that new "traditions" can start up. So the chequered history of the haka has nothing at all to do with my objection to it. Rather, it's purely an issue of fairness for me. I don't know whether the All Whites ever asked FIFA if they could do a haka, but if they didn't it's because they would have realised there was no point. Anyone who has ever watched a football international knows that FIFA has a set of protocols to which it rigidly sticks: anthems, team photos, kick-off. And everything has to be the same for both teams. As for "I have a lot of trouble picturing a bunch of skinny white boys doing the Haka", Pippinu is obviously (blissfully?) unaware of how widely used (and abused?) the haka has become in NZ sport. At any Olympics or CW Games there are "skinny white boys" by the dozen doing the haka. One of my personal favourites was Michael Campbell doing a solo haka before the Presidents Cup a few years ago. One of the American golfers was asked about it afterwards, and said something like "That was a very amusing little dance that Michael did for us, but what was the point?" I should probably stop before I get myself gaoled (Hammered?) for political incorrectness.
Pippinu
Roar Guru
True Blue......
Hammer
Guest
Pip - I don't think a request was even made ... it's never been part of the All Whites set up ... it's a tradition with rugby - and lets be honest a far better watch than the cringe inducing efforts of the ARU a few years ago - with aussies "True Blue Balladeer" decked out in a driza-bone strumming a guitar trying in vain to get the crowd to sing along
Pippinu
Roar Guru
I actually didn't know the All Whites had been banned from performing the Haka at FIFA competitions. To be perfectly honest, I have a lot of trouble picturing a bunch of skinny white boys doing the Haka. But that aside, when the request was received in Geneva, or Zurich, or wherever FIFA is domiciled, I can imagine them all scratching their heads and asking: Haka?? what the huck is that?? In the rugby world, the All Blacks are such an institution (plus they're such big mothers) - who the hell is going to say no to them??!!
Greg Russell
Roar Guru
Hammer, My attitude on hakas is the same as that on national anthems: you either have 2 of them or 0 of them, not 1 of them. So when both teams want to do a haka - as when NZ or any of the island nations play each other, or when most NZ schools play each other - that's great, go right ahead. As this statement makes clear, I have no problem with hakas per se, in fact I quite like them (I even mentioned them once in a scholarly article on chemistry - go figure!). Rather, my problem is purely one of equity: I see it as unfair that one team gets to do a haka (and gain an advantage from it), the other does not. Needless to say I have been a bemused spectator as debate has raged in NZ over recent weeks about the insipid singing of the national anthem by the All Blacks ... it's quite clear that all the players really want to do is perform the haka, not sing GDNZ. I did wonder whether any rugbyheads would pick up this comment of mine with a football article ... you are sharp!
Hammer
Guest
"This is a bugbear of mine" - really who would have guessed ... were they ever planning to do one - it's never been part of NZ football teams in the past ... I'm interested to know if it's just haka that you object to or do you have the same stance with regard the rugby teams from the islands perfroming their pre-game rituals
Greg Russell
Roar Guru
Can I add a 6th conclusion? 6. FIFA has it right in not allowing New Zealand to perform a haka. This is a bugbear of mine, and I will not desist. Yes, FIFA can be too authoritarian, but this is one instance where we can be grateful that at least one sporting body has the balls to insist on what's fair.
AC
Guest
As a South African having attended most of the Johannesburg & Pretoria matches, please allow me my two cents worth. 1st - Brazil are not favourites for 2010. Yes, they're good, but there are many good teams that didn't participate in the Champions tournament, like Germany, Holland, England etc. 2nd - Landon Donovan is world class in the US, outside he's ordinary, its shown with his spells in Germany, if he was World Class, they would've asked him to stay or offered him a contract, but neither happened, bearing in mind he's just 27. 3rd - the World Champions will remain Champions, maybe their team selection was wrong but Gattuso, Zambrotta are still world class players. As for the youngsters, only Rossi was excused, as the others (Balotelli & Giovinco) were participating in the Under 21 Championships. 4th - South Africa DOES NOT need Benni McCarthy. His attitude sucks and he brings the team down, we have one year to find some good strikers, bearing in mind, this is the only problem SA seems to have, scoring goals. 5th - New Zealand impressed despite what many people say, playing against Spain they were overwhelmed, but they learned quickly and moved on. Great show for all South Africans, and heads up to Bafana Bafana, you really made us proud!!!
Ben J
Guest
Vuvuzela's rock and will not be banned, it is what make South African football unique and contribute to the athmosphere. What bloody cheek will go as a visitor to a country and complain if they experience something out of the ordinary?
Macs.football
Roar Rookie
I have to agree with the all rounder.
the all rounder
Roar Pro
Ben. i agree with almost everything, except I don't believe that Brazil are favourites for the World Cup next year. Just because Spain lost one match, doesn't mean they have lost their ability or their self-belief. Regardless, I think that Germany are a better all-round team than Brazil at the moment anyway.
Hemjay
Guest
All I can say is that if New Zealand had the same amount of opposition as Australia maybe they would be improving. As it stands New Zealand is in a Quagmire and left holding the reigns in an inept Oceania Conference.
Midfielder
Guest
Ben A nice top five you made... for me seeing some good football .. and yet another example of how the football snobs can get it so wrong about the non traditional football countries. Actually found myself cheering for the yanks...
Pippinu
Roar Guru
...no, it' s Dukes' red card at the 10th min.
Captain Random
Roar Rookie
The US run to the final was nice, but it will ultimately mean nothing if they bomb out in the group stages next year. Remember, even Australia have played in a Confed Cup final. The first thing that comes to mind when someone mentions the words "Socceroos" and "1997" is not Harry Kewell's golden goal winner against Uruguay in the Confed Cup semi.
Raghu
Guest
"If the USA can get to the final by winning only 2 games then this comp really means nothing" Well, Australia went to second round in the WC just by winning one game. So why not?????? The Confederation Cup is great way for us to know if the host country is ready or not? Also it gives us quality football on Free to Air TV.
Derryn
Guest
"I think losing to the USA in the semi-final was the best thing to happen to Spain." Agree with you here. Spain have been playing some beautiful football but the loss will give them a wake up call before the finals next year. I'm confident they will bounce back and would be very surprised if they don't at least make the semi finals in 2010. I think it is similar for the Aussies when Japan broke our clean sheet during the match in Melbourne. Showed that despite the great record, our defence still has a lot to work on. Being taught a lesson in some of the upcoming friendlies might be what we need to kick us into gear.
BigAl
Guest
Problem with vuvuzelas ?? To quote the great Humphrey Bogart - ' Thats Africa baby !'
sheek
Guest
I think losing to the USA in the semi-final was the best thing to happen to Spain. Just in case the team, players, management & fans were getting ahead of themselves, the loss demonstrated the age-old adage that's it's not in the bag..... until it's (well & truly) in the bag! I got the impression the team was getting a little too cocky, & hubris was setting in. The loss will correct this, & bring everyone back to reality. Yes, the loss was good for Spain. It should be seen as good therapy. Other than that, we know Brazil will be in the frame (again) in 2010.
GeneralAshnak
Roar Pro
The main conclusion I gained from the Confederations Cup is: If the USA can get to the final by winning only 2 games then this comp really means nothing.