This Saturday sees the 2014 FIFA World Cup group draw held in the Brazilian city of Bahia, and collective breaths are being held as we wait to see who the Socceroos will come up against.
Some people will tell you that it doesn’t matter who Australia draw because we will always want to face the best. While this may be a true and noble viewpoint, part of me wishes Australia to have some luck on a number of fronts when the World Cup draw is completed.
Not only does it matter who we face, but it also matters which position we are drawn in.
I was initially excited at the prospect of a World Cup based in South America, because the time zone is more friendly for Australian TV times. The prime time matches for the Copa Libertadores and World Cup Qualifier matches would kick off between 8-10am Western Australian time.
These times for a World Cup would be perfect for the whole of Australia to enjoy a breakfast World Cup match and then trot off to work.
How naive I was. To my dismay, I found through research that the kick-off times are actually set for the standard Europe-friendly TV times.
This means the standard 2am-4am kick off times for a lot of the matches. For the knockout stages, it is definitely going to be the status quo.
There are a few group slots, however, that would be a dream slot for an Australian viewer.
So for all you Socceroos fans, here is the dream draw for Australia, including group position and opponents.
The magical group position is Group F and position 2.
The kick-off times for the team in that position will be:
* 16 June, 6am (WA) / 8am (EST)
* 22 June, 6am (WA) / 8am (EST)
* 26 June, Midnight (WA) / 2am (EST)
Now for the group opponents, and while it hasn’t been decided how the pots will be arranged, there is some educated guestimation which seems to have the pots work out as follows.
Pot 1: Brazil, Germany, Spain, Columbia, Uruguay, Belgium, Switzerland, Argentina.
Pot 2: Australia, Korea, Japan, Iran, Mexico, USA, Costa Rica, Honduras.
Pot 3: Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Nigeria, Ghana, Algeria, Chile, Ecuador, France.
Pot 4: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Croatia, Russia, Holland, Italy, Portugal, England.
Everyone agrees that drawing Switzerland will be ideal, though these people should remember that Switzerland beat Spain in 2010 and their top club, Basel, has just beaten Chelsea home and away.
That said, Switzerland looks the least formidable out of the top seeds.
From Pot 3, I am hoping to draw Algeria and from Pot 4, I would like to see Bosnia and Herzegovina drawn.
That would leave a group consisting of:
Switzerland
Australia
Algeria
Bosnia and Herzegovina
The group Australia wants to avoid would look like:
Brazil
Australia
France
Holland
If we are drawn with Brazil, then that means horrific TV times for Australia.
All you Australian fans that want to see our boys play more than there times in Brazil, start crossing your fingers for Switzerland, Algeria and Bosnia to appear out of those tiny footballs.
For the fans that like sleep, start hoping our group position is F2.
nwaike charles emeka
Guest
The football get to a particular level wish is not right.
Sam
Guest
"We should not fear Columbia because they do play some qualification at altitude". The correct spelling is Colombia, and they played most of the qualification games at sea level (Barranquilla). On top of that, 90% of their team play in european clubs.
Michael Bovell
Roar Rookie
...and apparently FIFA conducted a draw rehearsal today. Australia drew, yep, 3 former champions in Brazil, France and Italy. Wouldn't actually be that bad, because expectations would be zero so just scoring a goal would be seen as an achievement! The full result of the rehearsal, or so I have heard... Group A: Brazil, France, Australia, Italy. Group B: Uruguay, Nigeria, USA, Croatia. Group C: Argentina, Ghana, Costa Rica, Russia. Group D: Switzerland, Chile, Japan, Greece. Group E: Spain, Ivory Coast, South Korea, England. Group F: Colombia, Cameroon, Honduras, Holland. Group G: Germany, Ecuador, Iran, Portugal. Group H: Belgium, Algeria, Mexico, Bosnia.
ian
Guest
Michael are you suggesting it comes down to the managers as the teams are equal on the pitch?
Michael Bovell
Roar Rookie
I'll back Ange over Woy any day.
Michael Bovell
Roar Rookie
My definition of 'quite reasonable' is "not negligible" :P I guess I meant "quite reasonable" in the sense that it could realistically occur. "A possibility" might've been more appropriate! I wonder if there's ever been a higher probability of getting 3 winners in the same group? Since Spain only became a winner last tournament and France has only been a winner for the last 3, I'm guessing probably not... although the smaller tournaments of years past would have an effect. One day in 50 years maybe Australia can play in the first group containing ONLY former champions?!
ian
Guest
Not taking the piss at all I just think England would put the socceroos away without too much fuss.
AZ_RBB
Guest
and best of all, the final is at 5am!
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
Good informative stuff Wunder. I saw today that most games will kick off at 5-6-8am AES time, which isn't too bad I guess. I think for those of us who can be flexible with work, there will be quite a few 'admin mornings' working from home in June! Just sayin! (and there is one 11am kick off I think, the one in Manaus) I actually love starting my day with football (or all sports I love) and got used to it since moving to oz so this schedule suits me all right.
Football_Wunderkind
Roar Pro
Not sure if you are taking the piss or wanting an "Ashes showdown"
ian
Guest
Speaking as an Englishman I share your hopes of drawing England
Cappuccino
Roar Guru
I'm hoping for a group of Switzerland, England, Algeria and Australia- all, in my opinion, winnable matches on a good day. The match against England would be awesome and the media (even Murdoch papers) would be right into it. And personally, 5/6am is the ideal time slot for me.
Lags
Guest
Which is the equivalent of 1:256 for the former, and 1:2048 for the latter. Which (again) is the rough equivalent of South Korea winning the world cup (former), or Honduras winning the world cup (latter). Depends entirely on your definition of 'quite reasonable' :P
Lags
Guest
There's a 0.39% chance a group with three previous world cup winners. There is a 0.049% chance of a group with Australia + 3 previous world cup winners.
Michael Bovell
Roar Rookie
There's actually a quite reasonable chance that we'll end up in a group against 3 former World Champions... Brazil, Argentina or Uruguay plus 2 of France, England and Italy. At least if we draw against Spain or Germany we will be guaranteed to get Chile, Ecuador or an African side. Colombia in South America or a very talented Belgian side will probably justify their seed status, so I'd hope to draw against Switzerland or Uruguay. Throw in Bosnia on debut or beatable Greece/Croatia/Russia and we can be very happy with the draw. Unless we end up with nightmare KO times!
Greg
Guest
I think most people were assuming France or Russia were going to be the "leftover" European team slotted into the 5 Africa/2 Sth American/Europe group when they have been talking about their Group Of Hope/Group of Death scenarios. FIFA has decided it will actually be a random draw of the 9 unseeded European teams so it could be Italy or the Netherlands, or Bosnia
Football_Wunderkind
Roar Pro
Couple of groups that I would also like to see Australia in and would have no fear over the opponents. Uruguay. Australia. Ghana. England. This would be huge grudge match group. Columbia. Australia. Russia. Croatia. We should not fear Columbia because they do play some qualification at altitude. Russia are just meh and Croatia holds no fear for us. Germany Australia Ecuador Greece Germany would be great to play and I think the revenge factor would be huge. We beat them at their home albeit in a friendly. I wouldn't mind playing Holland either despite their massive amount of talent. Our past 3 results against them are 1-1 Draw, 2-1 win (at their home) and 0-0 draw in Sydney. Our recent Dutch education bodes well to understand their style. I don't want to see Spain, Brazil or Belgium in our group but wouldn't mind watching Messi play against us. Position D4 would also be a sweet position to be in for TV times (for WA) First kick off will be at 9am/11am (EST) and then two midnight (2am) games
Lags
Guest
Good research on the match times. That's been largely looked over. Similarly, if you're going to Brazil, the location of the matches is just as important an outcome from Fridays draw. Two corrections. One factual, one opinion. Since posting the article fifa have stated France are not in the SthAm+African pot, rather any one of the 9 non-seeded euro sides will be selected at random to join that pot. Also I'd be weary of Bosnia. Much keener to meet Croatia. Like England, the Croats are low confidence, high expectation. Bosnia are the exact opposite. Dangerous combination. Think '06 roos v '10 roos.
Rusty Woodger
Roar Pro
Cheers for the information regarding broadcast times. Part of me just assumed it would be like the two most-recent World Cups, with 12am-5am kickoffs! As for Australia's best draw, as I've said elsewhere, we shouldn't underestimate Bosnia, particularly their attacking prowess. In fact I would much rather face Greece than them.
The artist formally known as Dave
Guest
Cheers mate. Yeah I am definitely considering time off. Will be just back from a two week holiday as the WC kicks off so tossing up whether or not to extend the holiday by another two or three weeks. Perhaps the Socceroos timeslots will sway me one way or another...