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Australia's Harry Kewell, center, is cheered by teammates after he scored their side's second goal during the Croatia v Australia match at the World Cup Gottlieb-Daimler stadium in Stuttgart, Germany, Thursday, June 22, 2006. AP Photo/Winfried Rothermel
There are now less than 50 days to go until hosts South Africa meet Mexico in Johannesburg to kick-off the most eagerly anticipated sporting event of them all.
We have entered that phase when excitement becomes unbearable as the tournament nears and you can sense its imminent arrival. Magazines previewing the World Cup are hitting newsstands; the club season is fast approaching its dramatic climax; and the deadline for players to impress their national coaches before squad selection looms large.
The 2010 World Cup in South Africa is not only the largest and most important sporting event of the year, it’s also the most loved.
No sporting event can match the drama and intensity of a World Cup, and this latest rendition has all the ingredients to be one of the classics: from the Spanish squad that oozes talent, England who have been whipped into shape by Fabio Capello, Argentina with the genius of Lionel Messi and the lunacy of Diego Maradona, to the mouthwatering clash between Kaká (Brazil), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) and Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast) in Group G.
It will also be a critical tournament for the game at home and abroad.
For FIFA, South Africa represents a new frontier for the world game: the first World Cup on the African continent.
Worryingly, however, 355,000 tickets remain unsold, and in its bid to fill stadiums, organisers have had to resort to offering locals discounted tickets in a final attempt to offload seats – even to blockbuster matches.
145,000 tickets may have been sold in the first few days of this final selling phase, at banks around South Africa, but it’s hardly a positive image for the game in the lead up to the tournament.
Doom and gloom media reports in Europe on the safety of travelling to South Africa may have kept some fans away – not to mention the exorbitant costs associated with accommodation – and South Africa remains a country dealing with the scars of its past.
The recent murder of former South African paramilitary leader Eugene Terreblanche, a key figure in the white supremacy movement in the country, sadly highlighted this point.
The move to open ticket sales over-the-counter as opposed to through the Internet has given the locals who can afford tickets to matches the chance to get to the tournament, joining the throng of South Africans who will be blowing their Vuvuzelas.
On the field, FIFA will be hoping for be a controversy-free tournament (is that possible?) following the “Hand of Frog” incident.
With pressure mounting for some form of technology to be used, or extra officials, to stamp out such forms of cheating, close attention will be paid to the performances of the referees in South Africa.
For Australians, all eyes are on Group D.
Football needs a shot in the arm that can only be provided by the Socceroos, and so much rides on that meeting with group favourites Germany in Durban – not only to lessen the pressure of facing the challenging Ghanaians and Serbians, but also as Pim Verbeek’s greatest test.
Verbeek’s conservative approach may have worked during the laborious Asian qualification path, but can it do the job in tournament football?
1-0 down against the Germans heading into the second-half, does Verbeek have the guile to muster something with his limited attacking stock?
What we do know is that we won’t see the tactical game of risk of predecessor Guus Hiddink (remember Mark Schwarzer being left out against Croatia and Tim Cahill starting on the bench against Japan).
South Africa 2010 will determine Verbeek’s legacy to Australian football, and should the Socceroos go out in straight sets, the blame could very easily fall on the departing Verbeek.
So much, in the meantime, rides on Schwarzer, Cahill and Harry Kewell: Kewell and Cahill as the attacking linchpins and Schwarzer for his heroics.
Kewell’s health remains an ongoing concern as he returns from yet another injury setback – groin strain – and this strikes fear in the hearts of Socceroos fans for we know we don’t have the depth and flexibility of 2006, while Cahill’s goal-scoring form for Everton at least consoles us that his golden touch can possibly compensate for the absence of Mark Viduka and John Aloisi and the questionable ability of Josh Kennedy and Scott McDonald (remember him?) to lead up front.
As the European season concludes in the coming weeks, Aussies need to be keeping a close eye on Galatasaray, Everton and Fulham, willing the trio to continued health and wellbeing.
An injury to any one them that precludes their participation in South Africa and the Socceroos’ chances could well evaporate.
Then there are the Kiws.
They will head to South Africa breathing a huge sigh of relief with the Wellington Phoenix having been awarded a stay of execution from the A-League following the announcement that the club’s license has been extended for a further five years – the Phoenix being one of the main reasons why New Zealand football has been able to rise to this height for the first time in 28 years.
As far as underdogs go, the All Whites must rank as number one in South Africa, and they are, in effect, representing the A-League on the world stage – much more so than Australia.
We should wish them well.
Early predictions?
Spain and Brazil undoubtedly boast the most complete squads in South Africa, and should Brazil finish second in their challenging group (very possible) and Spain top theirs, a Round of 16 match between the two highly fancied teams will follow and could well decide the eventual victor.
For mine, Spain has too much quality and depth all over the park for whatever challenges they are faced with, namely a Wayne Rooney inspired England and Messi’s Argentina.
As for Australia, let’s just hope for a moment akin to Cahill’s brilliance in Kaiserslautern or Kewell’s saving grace in Stuttgart.
Even if the Socceroos can’t progress from the group, there can at least be this moment of satisfaction.
Matching Germany’s heroics will be extremely difficult but perhaps essential for an expectant Australia who so easily underestimates the challenge the Socceroos face.
The game needs them to star at some point in South Africa, and nerves are building – another sign it’s close!