Who's going to the world cup?

Another sports entry I know, I promise this will be my last for a while.

With the new football season getting under way with San Marino champions SP Tre Fiori entertaining the Andorran champions UE Sant Julià in a one all draw. It officially started the 2009/2010 football season, the season in which the biggest prize in sport goes to South Africa and I personally can't wait. FIFA has given South Africa the chance to host the biggest event in the continents history and I'm sure they will host it brilliantly (as long as someone can get rid of the stupid horns that were in the Confed Cup).

With my anticipation reaching fever pitch I'm daring to think of the possibilities that may occur given that the first few teams have qualified. So here is my run down of the 32 who's going and the staggering 172 who won't be there.
Firstly, the hosts South Africa. For the sake of the tournament I hope they get out of their group and recent signs have been good for them after a terrible 2008. They will need a good draw though.

Asia was the first continent to decide its qualifiers. Australia, Japan and South Korea all qualifying comfortably and unsurprisingly. The Aussies should do well but I fear for both Japan and South Korea who both have weak sides. North Korea complete the East Asian dominance in Asia to the surprise of Iran and Saudi Arabia. Their womens team have been making good headway in major competitions but this is a big of a turnup, but 5 clean sheets in Pyeongyang has helped them. I don't think they have the ability to play away from home and will struggle to score goals. However, memories of 1966 are sure to fly back. Saudi Arabia and Bahrain will fight it out for the chance to be in a playoff with New Zealand. I suspect Saudi Arabia will win comfortably and get through all this. This is a continent I feel needs to be broken up into East and West Asia for it to develop the smaller nations.

Oceania is a farcical area to be honest and without Australia for the first time it is struggling. Australia needed to leave it and it was the right decision for them. I saw nothing from New Zealand to suggest they will qualify. Sorry Martha!!.

North and Central America has been a little more interesting this time round with Mexico seriously struggling and the US pulling of a series of deserved shock results in the Confed Cup. The US team is now a decent outfit with Howard, Dempsey and Donavon. I was impressed with Altidore but he needs to develop to become a world class player. His movement and tactical awareness is seriously letting him down. Only the top 3 go through and with the 4th place facing a difficult match against the 5th team in South America there will be some crunch games. Costa Rica and USA should qualify easily. Mexico have three massive home games against the USA, Honduras and El Salvador. Honduras and El Salvador have to play each other in the final set of matches. I fancy Mexico because Honduras and El Salvador haven't done it away from home. There is a potential upset though in the playoff.

In South America, Brazil are running away with it and not even conceding goals, whilst Argentina under Maradona reign are struggling. It would be a castrophe if they were not to qualify and I honestly believe they will. Chile and Paraguay look good for places and I think Uruguay will pip Ecuador for 5th. Ecuador are bad travellers and only have one home game left. A quick mention should be given to the Bolivian front line of Botero and Martins. Botero has been round the South American block a few times and Martins is at Werder Bremen at the moment. The 6-1 hammering of Argentina showed that given the chance they will score goals.

Africa still has a way to go in their qualifying but never has the African sides had a better chance to make a stamp on the tournament that their individual abilities merit. For me Ghana and Ivory Coast are shoe ins to qualify. This is the year they have to make a serious mark on the tournament. They have to many world class players not to. Michael Essien has the opportunity to show the world that he is the best defensive midfielder in African history. From the other groups, I tip Nigeria to pip Tunisia due to having more home games and a hard fought away draw in Tunisia. Algeria will see off Zambia and the extremely disappointing African champions Egypt. The final group is so hard to call. Gabon having started amazingly against Morocco and last tournaments surprise package Togo. I'm not sure they will be able to hold out though. Cameroon are in desperate trouble but do have the players to get out of it.

Ok, last but not least is Europe. The hardest qualifying section by a distance. Every group has at least 2 or 3 good teams. Netherlands have qualified and the other teams that look odds on are Spain and England. Serbia have a good chance to hold off France when they face them in Belgrade. Germany should see off a good Russian side. Italy should qualify even though I think it will mask a very poor Italian side. Slovakia have been a bit of a surprise package in Europe and I hope Northern Ireland push them close. Poland, Slovenia and Czech Rep have all disappointed. Group 2 could go anyway but I fancy Greece. In the last group my heart rules my head and I hope and pray Portugal qualify. They have too many good players not to but I would like to see Quieroz sacked because he has proven constitently he's not up to the job. When you have Ronaldo, Deco, Quaresmeda, Pepe, Carvallho, Bosingwa and Simao you can't justify being below Hungary and Denmark with 2 wins in 6. They have 2 away games against Denmark and Hungary where they are must must must win games.

The prospect of European play offs are scary, France, Portugal, Russia, Croatia, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Switzerland and Bosnia all competing to go to Africa shows the strength in depth Europe has.

I would like to see some restructuring done in the qualifying section of world cups. A decision has to be made wether we want a global world cup or the best sides in the world.

Whoever does qualify I just hope it's a great success and we get to see the best players playing well. Oh and England winning would be good.