February 28, 2010
Moscow 28-02-2010
Former Dutch national coach Guus Hiddink, who led the South Korea to the semifinals of the 2002 World Cup is considering becoming coach of Africa’s strongest team – the Ivory Coast – just in time for this years World Cup.
Hiddink has recently agreed to take over as Turkey’s national coach in August after having led Russia’s for the last 2 years.
The Ivory Coast with Chelsea striker Didier Drogba is probably the African continents biggest chance to win the cup, however the Ivory Coast was knocked out of the African Nations Cup last month and as a result has parted ways with its former coach the Bosnian Vahid Halilhodzic,
This news comes only days after Hiddink announced that he had agreed to take over as Turkey’s coach in August and only two weeks after he agreed to step down as Russia’s coach at the end of June.
Hiddink has an especially good relationship with Drogba –presently in form and one of the greatest strikers in the world – because of Hiddink’s time as Chelsea’s interim coach last year.
Berlin 28-02-2010
German coach Joachim Loew includes the two new players – Thomas Mueller & Toni Kroos - for upcoming friendly against Argentina
German national coach Joachim Loew has announced his team before the international friendly against Argentina this Wednesday March 3rd in Munich.
Loew has called up 26 players for Wednesday’s friendly game which could include a national debut for 2 new young players -Bayer Leverkusen’s goal machine Toni Kroos and Bayern Munich equally prolific Thomas Mueller.
They have both impressed with a string of good performances and rightfully deserve a chance due to their hard work and superb form in the Bundesliga over the past months.
Hamburger HSV midfielder Marcell Jansen is doubtful due to a recent injury, and Werder Bremen’s keeper Tim Wiese has also been forced to withdraw due to injury – however his recent lack-lustre form means his absence is probably a plus for the German side.
28 – 02 -2010
The English national football team has always been the subject of intense critical scrutiny from the UK press, especially in World Cup and European Championship years.
This has lead to the English team being unduly burdened with the deadly combination of very high expectations coupled with an enormous pressure to succeed and achieve.
This resultant pressure which transformed itself into a heavy burden – from the highly critical UK press and from supporters – is often given as the root cause in underwhelming performances in recent competions.
Fabio Capello has seemed to reverse this losing chain of events and seems to have removed the shackles of fear of underachievment which has in turn been transmitted itself into positive results on to the pitch.
Capello has done this by providing both more freedom for individual players to go and express themselves positionally and tactically – and at the same time demanding more team discipline and team organization from the whole group.
If Wayne Rooney can stay fit until the summer – after a long and gruelling English season – under the masterful guidance of Capello this English team may indeed go along way.
28 february 2010
The Nigerian Football Federation has named the former Swedish national coach Lars Lagerback to be the new coach of the ‘Super Eagles’ national football team.
Lagerbaeks contract will be for an initial 5 months and he will be expected as a minimum to get Nigeria to a semi-final spot at the World Cup in South Africa this summer.
Lagerbaeck impressed Nigerian football officials with his understanding of their country’s football challenges – Sweden defeated the ‘Super Eagles’ 2-1 at the World Cup in 2002 Korea & Japan.
He is to be assisted at his new post by the Nigerians Austin Eguavoen, Daniel Amokachi and Alloy Agu.
Lagerback resigned –before being pushed -from coaching the Swedish national team last year after almost 12 yrs at that post but also after failing to get Sweden to this latest world cup in South Africa 2010.
February 16, 2010
Denmark not to win the whole thing…..but they have the best manager in Morten Olsen!!!!
He started with them in 2000 – after 103 matches, 55 wins and 29 losses.
He used to play professional soccer from 1972 – 1989 for various clubs in Belgium, Denmark and Germany. As a player he won the Belgian championship 3 times and the UEFA Cup once. He was the Danish ‘Player of the Year’ in both 1983 and 1986.
He has played 102 times for the Danish National team and was captain during 48 of those games.
He started his managerial career as coach of Brondby,Denmark won the Danish championship in 1990 and 1991.
After coaching stints at FC Koln and Ajax Amsterdam, accepting the offer to become coach of Denmark.
He was able to bring the national team was to qualify for the World Cup finals in 2002 were unbeaten through the qualifying rounds.
He also took Denmark to the European Championship finals in 2004 but since then he had failed to bring Denmark to any major tournament until the present 2010 World Cup.
Olsen likes to play with a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 formation, using two defensive midfielders, two wingers and one midfielder playing just behind the lone striker.
They rely on counter-attack play and wait for the opposition mistakes to lose the ball without taking too many risks up front.
Olsen is a very likable and good coach and it will be interesting to see that how and how far he guides his Danes in South Africa – hopefully past the first round.
February 15, 2010
