Freddy Adu Article

Our Version:

Not long ago, Freddy Adu was touted as the long-awaited saviour of American soccer. Heading into his third loan spell in as many seasons, with mid-table Greek outfit Aris Thessaloniki, the promise of the attacker’s meteoric rise to prominence as a precocious prodigy seems along way off.

Born in Tema, Ghana, Freddy arrived in the US with his mother through an immigration lottery. The attacker struck early: at the tender age of just 14 - after representing the USA with distinction at both the FIFA U-20 and U-17 World Cups in 2003 - Adu became one of the youngest American professional athletes in history, turning down offers from some of Europe’s top sides to sign a Major League Soccer contract in 2004.

“I try to not think about what everyone is saying about me,” he told FIFA.com in late 2003, already engulfed by a soccer-inspired mainstream media whirlwind not seen in the USA since the country hosted the FIFA World Cup™ in 1994.

What followed for fresh-faced Adu – tagged “the biggest signing in the history of MLS” by commissioner Ivan Gazidis – was a succession of disappointments at club level. He scored 11 goals in 90 appearances at DC United, eventually moved on to Real Salt Lake in 2006, where Freddy played only 11 times, finding the back of the net twice. After the Utah stint, Adu’s much- hyped move to Europe finally took shape.

His first European port of call was Portugal, where Adu signed with heavyweights Benfica just two months after his 18th birthday, for a reported $2m. Failing to shine under the bright lights of Lisbon, the attacker averaged only 20 or so minutes per game. Adu started not once, scoring just twice in 11 outings.

In 2008, Freddy was loaned out to Monaco in the French top flight, again failing to earn a starting place. After a brief return to Benfica, Adu was once again shipped off, this time to cross-town Belenenses. Freddy managed briefly to break into the first team with the Portuguese top-tier basement dwellers, before injuries and inconsistency again took their toll.

Adu’s story seemed to be that of a wildly talented youngster touted too early, and losing his way in the pitiless world of international football. His newest assignment, on loan in Greece, will give Adu – still only 20 – one more opportunity to gain regular first-team action in Europe. “A lot of thought and research went into this move (to Aris),” reported Adu – who turned down an offer to join up with English Premier League outfit Hull City – via his much-followed Twitter page.

At Aris, Adu will be joining up with Eddie Johnson, another once-promising US striker who is now 25 years old. After moving to Fulham in England from Major League Soccer, Johnson failed to make an impact at either Craven Cottage or Cardiff City. Eddie is also looking for a revival in Greece. Johnson and Adu were team-mates at the FIFA U-20 World Cup UAE 2003, where the Americans went all the way to the quarter-finals. Johnson finished that tournament as top scorer.


Should He Stay or Should He Go?
“It depends on the player and the situation. Going abroad can be a great move for an American player, but it really depends on the circumstances,” USA coach Bob Bradley told FIFA.com during last June’s FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa, where Adu spent the entire tournament – as the US roared to the final – watching from the bench. “The last thing you want is for a player to leave somewhere where he’s playing regularly and go somewhere where he plays less.”

Landon Donovan, who is currently on loan in England with Everton, echoed his coach’s sentiments, saying: “It can be the right thing or the wrong thing [going abroad] depending on the individual situation - it’s something to think through.”

Adu and Johnson aim to put in strong performances at their new club in order to get themselves back in the reckoning for a place in Bradley’s USA squad for South Africa 2010. Adu made his debut for the USA national team in 2006 at the age of just 16, a move seen by some as an attempt to keep him from playing for Ghana. Since then he has figured only sporadically and made just 15 appearances for the Stars and Stripes.

Johnson, too, has gone off the radar, missing the FIFA Confederations Cup and figuring only occasionally in USA’s qualifiers for the 19th FIFA World Cup. Both Adu and Johnson are well aware that another young US attacking star, Charlie Davies, is unlikely to recover from injuries sustained in a recent car accident in time to take part in the global showpiece. A turn of fortunes, a spot of regular playing time, and a few goals on Greek shores might well be enough for a plane ticket to South Africa.


FIFA's Version:

Wandering Adu eyes Greek revival
(FIFA.com) Tuesday 12 January 2010

Only a few years on from being touted as the long-awaited saviour of American soccer, Freddy Adu is heading for his third loan spell in three seasons, this time with mid-table Greek outfit Aris Thessaloniki. The move is seemingly a long way from the creative attacker’s meteoric rise to prominence as a precocious prodigy destined to someday make it in a big way.

Born in Tema, Ghana, young Fredua Koranteng Adu was noticed early in the USA after arriving with his mother through an immigration lottery. At the tender age of just 14 - after representing the USA with distinction at both the FIFA U-20 and U-17 World Cups in 2003 - Adu became one of the youngest American professional athletes in history, turning down offers from some of Europe’s top sides to sign a Major League Soccer contract in 2004.

“I try to not think about what everyone is saying about me,” he told FIFA.com in late 2003, already engulfed by a soccer-inspired mainstream media whirlwind not seen in the USA since the country hosted the FIFA World Cup™ in 1994, or Pele's arrival at the New York Cosmos in 1975.
It can be the right thing or the wrong thing (going abroad) depending on the individual situation; it’s something to think through.
USA star Landon Donovan

What followed for fresh-faced Adu, who was tagged “the biggest signing in the history of MLS” by commissioner Ivan Gazidis, was a succession of disappointments at club level, at least relative to the media circus that buzzed around him. He scored 11 goals in 90 appearances at DC United and eventually moved on to Real Salt Lake in 2006, playing 11 times and scoring twice before a much hyped move to Europe finally took shape.

His first port of call was Portuguese heavyweights Benfica, signing on just two months after his 18th birthday for a reported $2m. He failed to shine under the bright lights of Lisbon, averaging only 20 or so minutes per game. Adu never once made a starting appearance, scoring just twice in 11 outings.

In 2008, he was loaned out to Monaco in the French top flight, and he again failed to earn a starting place and saw his playing time shrink even more. After a return to Benfica, Adu was shipped off yet again, this time to cross-town Belenenses. While with the Portuguese top-tier basement dwellers, he managed briefly to break into the first team before injuries and inconsistency again took their toll.

It seemed to be the case of a wildly talented youngster touted too early, possibly losing his way in the pitiless world of international football. His newest assignment, on loan in Greece, will give Adu – still only 20 – one more opportunity to gain regular first-team action in Europe. “A lot of thought and research went into this move (to Aris),” reported Adu, who turned down an offer to join up with English Premier League outfit Hull City, on his much-followed Twitter page.

At Aris, Adu will be joining up with Eddie Johnson, another once-promising US striker who is now 25 years old. After moving to Fulham in England from Major League Soccer, he failed to make an impact at either Craven Cottage or during a loan spell at Cardiff City, and he is also looking for a revival in Greece. The pair were team-mates at the FIFA U-20 World Cup UAE 2003, where the Americans went all the way to the quarter-finals and Johnson finished the tournament as top scorer.

Stay-or-go debate
“It depends on the player and the situation. Going abroad can be a great move for an American player, but it really depends on the circumstances,” USA coach Bob Bradley told FIFA.com during last June’s FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa, where Adu spent the entire tournament – as the US roared to the final – watching from the bench. “The last thing you want is for a player to leave somewhere where he’s playing regularly and go somewhere where he plays less.”

Landon Donovan, who is currently on loan in England with Everton, echoed his coach’s sentiments, saying: “It can be the right thing or the wrong thing (going abroad) depending on the individual situation - it’s something to think through.”

Adu and Johnson will be aiming to put in good performances at their new club in order to get themselves back in the reckoning for a place in Bradley’s USA squad for South Africa 2010. Adu made his debut for the national team in 2006 at the age of just 16, a move seen by some as an attempt to keep him from playing for Ghana. Since then he has figured only sporadically and made just 15 appearances for the Stars and Stripes.

Johnson, too, has gone off the radar, missing the FIFA Confederations Cup and figuring only occasionally in USA’s qualifiers for the 19th FIFA World Cup. Both Adu and Johnson will be well aware that another young US attacking star, Charlie Davies, is unlikely to recover from injuries sustained in a recent car accident in time to take part in the global showpiece. A turn of fortunes, a spot of regular playing time and a few goals on Greek shores might well be enough for a plane ticket to South Africa.

Or, check out the original.

Ivorian Team Profile

Our Version:

If any African side is to make a serious bid to win the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ finals in South Africa, Côte d'Ivoire is that team. With world-class talent peppered throughout the starting 11, it's no wonder.

Les Elephants have a point to prove, having been eliminated in the first round at Germany 2006. The difficulty of the side’s group didn’t help the situation in Germany: despite a come-from-behind victory against Serbia & Montenegro, Côte d'Ivoire lost to giants Argentina and the Netherlands.

With experience and a little more luck in the draw on their side, Didier Drogba and Co are certain to be a handful in attack as they look to cement their emerging pedigree on the international level at South Africa 2010.

The Road to South Africa
Befitting of their status as one of the continent's powerhouses, Côte d'Ivoire strode through qualifying without losing a match. Los Elephants crushed the competition in their final qualifying group, running amok all over Burkina Faso, Malawi and Guinea. Their only moment of genuine uncertainty came with the Ivorians on the brink of qualifying; as usual, Didier Drogba responded when his team needed him. The Chelsea man's decisive 70th-minute goal at Burkina Faso gave the side the insurance needed to hold off the Stallions 3-2 in Ouagadougou. Fittingly, it was his dramatic equaliser after coming off the bench against Malawi that gave the West Africans a 1-1 draw, and the point they needed to reach South Africa. At the end of the day, the Chelsea man, with six goals in top matches, was top scorer for Les Elephants.

The Star Players
Les Elephants feature top-drawer talent throughout their side, with the Chelsea pair of Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou leading the charge. Sevilla's Didier Zokora and Barcelona's Yaya Toure provide bite in midfield, alongside Marseille's diminutive Bakary Kone. Meanwhile, the England-based pair of Emmanuel Eboue and Kolo Toure combine with Stuttgart's Arthur Boka to form one of the best defenses in Africa. The Elephants certainly take the cake for best names at South Africa 2010.

The Coach
A well-traveled club coach, Vahid Halilhodzic (again with the names) took the reins of his first national side when he assumed control of Côte d'Ivoire after the 2008 CAF African Cup of Nations. Born in Bosnia, Halilhodzic was a forward for the highly rated Yugoslavian team that surprised the world by crashing out at the group stage of the 1982 FIFA World Cup on goal difference. A large portion of his coaching career has been spent in France, including stints with Lille, Rennes and Paris St. Germain. Halilhodzic has admitted that he would like to return to club football in the English Premier League. The Bosnian’s Elephants side has gone undefeated since a friendly 1-0 loss in Japan the month he took charge.

Record
Côte d'Ivoire was the only nation at Germany 2006 whose squad was composed of players entirely based at clubs outside the home country. The Elephants are also the only team to have never failed to score in a FIFA World Cup match. On the other hand, Côte d'Ivoire conceded early goals in all three of its 2006 matches, with all six of their goals against coming before the 40th minute.

The Elephants Speak:
"At the last World Cup we played really well, but we were unlucky because we were in a very tough group with Argentina and Holland and went out in the first round. But I think with this kind of experience, it will be possible at South Africa 2010 to do much better. Perhaps we can make the quarter-finals and then semi-finals; this is something we can achieve," Côte d'Ivoire striker Didier Drogba.


FIFA's Version:
If an African team is to make a major impact on the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ finals in South Africa, Côte d'Ivoire are seen by many as the most likely candidates. And with world class talent throughout the starting 11, it's no wonder. Les Elephants also a point to prove after being eliminated in the first round at Germany 2006, albeit in an extremely difficult group, where they lost 2-1 to giants Argentina and the Netherlands before coming from two goals down to beat Serbia and Montenegro 3-2.

With more experience, and a little more luck in the draw, Didier Drogba and Co are certain to be a handful in attack as they look to cement their emerging pedigree on the international level at South Africa 2010.

The road to South Africa
Befitting their status as one of the continent's powerhouses, Côte d'Ivoire strode through qualifying without losing a match, running away with their final qualifying group ahead of Burkina Faso, Malawi and Guinea. There (rough) only moment of genuine uncertainty came when they were on the brink of qualifying, although - as usual - Didier Drogba responded when his team needed him. The Chelsea man's decisive 70th-minute goal at Burkina Faso gave the side just enough insurance to hold off the Stallions 3-2 in Ouagadougou, and fittingly, it was his dramatic equaliser after coming off the bench against Malawi that gave the West Africans a 1-1 draw and the point they needed to reach South Africa. All told, the Chelsea man was top scorer for Les Elephants, with six goals in five matches.

The star players
Les Elephants feature top-drawer talent throughout their side, with the Chelsea pair of Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou a formidable duo up front. Sevilla's Didier Zokora and Barcelona's Yaya Toure provide bite in midfield alongside Marseille's diminutive Bakary Kone, while the England-based pair of Emmanuel Eboue and Kolo Toure combine with Stuttgart's Arthur Boka to form one of the best defences in Africa.

The coach
A well-travelled club coach, Vahid Halilhodzic took the reins of his first national side when he assumed control of Côte d'Ivoire after the 2008 CAF African Cup of Nations. Born in Bosnia, Halilhodzic was a forward in the highly-rated Yugoslavian team that surprisingly crashed out at the group stage of the 1982 FIFA World Cup on goal difference. A large portion of his coaching career has been spent in France, including stints with Lille, Rennes and Paris St. Germain, and Halilhodzic has admitted that he would like to return to club football in the English Premier League. The Bosnians Elephants side have gone undefeated since a 1-0 friendly loss in Japan the same month he took charge.

Record

* Côte d'Ivoire were the only nation at Germany 2006 whose squad was made up of players entirely based at clubs outside their home country.
* They are the only team to never failed to score in a FIFA World Cup match.
* Côte d'Ivoire conceded early goals in all three of their 2006 matches, with all six of their goals against coming before the 40th minute.

What they said
"At the last World Cup we played really well, but we were unlucky because we were in a very tough group with Argentina and Holland and went out in the first round. But I think with this kind of experience, it will be possible at South Africa 2010 to do much better. Perhaps we can make the quarter-finals and then semi-finals; this is something we can achieve," Côte d'Ivoire striker Didier Drogba.

Or find it here.

Germany Team Article

Our Version:

Low Talks Podolski and Kroos
Wednesday 6 January 2010

Making an exception to his rule of only choosing players in top form with regular match time, Germany coach Joachim Low has selected Lukas Podolski for his 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ squad.

With five months left to make final selections, the 49 year old recently declared he would not repeat the mistake of calling up players based solely on past accomplishments. The coach went on to say that he expects to find 23 hungry, motivated players during the second half of the 2009/10 season. Despite this policy, special dispensation seems to have been given to Podolski, who, since rejoining Cologne last summer, has failed to live up to his own glittering reputation.

Former Bayern Munich forward Podolski scored 37 times in 69 games for the German national team, though has managed to find the back of the net only once since joining his hometown club in July. Nevertheless, Low has asserted that Podolski would retain his place in the Germany set-up, even should he fail to up the ante in 2010.

“There are no doubts at all about his status as a national team player," he told Cologne's Express newspaper. "His goal scoring record with us is noteworthy.” The coach went on to assert: "He is cheeky and is not afraid. In the national team, he nearly always plays well. Even against top nations, he never shows any nerves and he performs excellently."

Bayer Leverkusen playmaker Toni Kroos, on the other hand, has been told he has a long way to go to convince Low of his suitability for South Africa, despite very strong performances so far this season. The 20-year-old, who is on loan at the Bundesliga leaders until the end of the season, has been instrumental in Leverkusen's undefeated first half.

"He has developed a lot, but we will have to see whether that is enough for South Africa," said the Germany coach. "I will wait to see what the second half of the season brings. We have taken note of his good performances in the first half of the season and with the Under-21s."


FIFA's Version:

Low talks Podolski and Kroos
Wednesday 6 January 2010

Germany coach Joachim Low is set to make an exception to his policy of only choosing players who are in form and playing regularly for their club, by naming Lukas Podolski in his 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ squad.

With five months to go before the 49-year-old must make his selections, he recently declared that he would not be repeating the mistake of calling up players merely on past reputation, and added that he expects to find 23 hungry and motivated players during the second half of the 2009/10 season. However, Podolski, who has so far failed to live up to his own glittering reputation since rejoining Cologne last summer, appears to have been given special dispensation even if he does not start finding the back of the net with regularity.

The former Bayern Munich forward has scored 37 times in 69 games for Germany, but he has managed to find the back of the net only once since joining his hometown club in July. Nevertheless, Low has declined the notion of Podolski losing his place in the Germany set-up should he fail to up the ante in 2010.
There are no doubts at all about his status as a national team player," he told Cologne's Express newspaper. "His goalscoring record with us is noteworthy.

"He is cheeky and is not afraid. In the national team, he nearly always plays well. Even against top nations, he never shows any nerves and he performs excellently."

Kroos inclusion in balance
On the other hand, Bayer Leverkusen playmaker Toni Kroos has been told he still has a lot of work to do to convince Low of his suitability for a place on the plane to South Africa. The 20-year-old, who is on loan at the Bundesliga leaders from Bayern Munich until the end of the season, has been one of the key components in Leverkusen's unbeaten first half of the season, but Low may take a little more convincing.

"He has developed a lot, but we will have to see whether that is enough for South Africa," said the Germany coach. "I will wait to see what the second half of the season brings. We have taken note of his good performances in the first half of the season and with the Under-21s."

Or check it out here.

Japan Profile

Our Version:

Winners of three of the last five AFC Asian Cups, Japan boasts one of the strongest squads in Asian football. Club and country both have high hopes for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ - the squad’s fourth appearance at the global showpiece.

First on the agenda: improvement. The Samurai Blue failed all expectations at Germany 2006; a 3-1 reverse against Australia, a 0-0 draw with Croatia, and a resounding 4-1 defeat by Brazil sent the team packing straight away. To add to the pressure, Japan faces its first finals without iconic midfielder Hidetoshi Nakata. Former Roma schemer Nakata featured in each of the national side's games at France 1998, Korea/Japan 2002 and Germany 2006, after which he hung up his boots, at the ripe old age of 29.

The Road to South Africa
Having comfortably reached the final stage of Asian Zone qualifying for South Africa 2010, Japan lost just one of its eight Group 1 meetings, drawing three and winning four in the process. Two tough matches against Australia, a disappointing 2-1 reverse away and a frustrating 0-0 draw at home, were the low points of this final phase, though coach Takeshi Okada's charges still finished well clear of Bahrain, Qatar and Uzbekistan in the five-team section.


The Star Players
Japan's biggest star is former Celtic playmaker Shunsuke Nakamura, who in the summer 2009 made the switch from Glasgow to La Liga with Espanyol. Another European-based performer is young midfielder Keisuke Honda, at Eredivisie outfit VVV Venlo. Like Nakamura, Honda is a gifted left-footer. Leading from the back is 31-year-old defensive rock, squad captain Yuji Nakazawa. With over 90 senior caps to his name, Nakazawa is Japan's third-most capped player of all time.

The Coach
National supremo Takeshi Okada is widely considered to be one of the finest Japanese strategists in football. He was at the helm during the Samurai Blue's first FIFA World Cup appearance at France 1998, having successfully negotiated a tricky play-off meeting with Iran in qualification. Okada later enjoyed club-level spells with Consadole Sapporo and Yokohama F Marinos.

The 53-year-old former international defender took Sapporo from the second division into the top flight. Similarly, at Yokohama, Okada led Marinos to successive J. League titles in ‘03 & ‘04. Stepping away from his role in Yokohama in 2006, the supremo took up the reins of the national team for a second time a year later, following the stroke suffered by previous incumbent Ivica Osim.

Previous FIFA World Cups
South Africa 2010 will be Japan's fourth consecutive and overall FIFA World Cup finals. Its best finish came as hosts at Korea/Japan 2002, when the side topped Group H ahead of Belgium, Russia and Tunisia, advancing to the knockout stages for the first and only time. The Samurai Blue put in a brave fight, going down 1-0 against eventual third-place finishers Turkey. The match’s only goal came after 12 minutes, from Umit Davala.

Records
At France 1998, Okada’s first finals as Japan coach, the Samurai Blue lost each of their three group games, scoring once and conceding four times in the process. Meanwhile, Masashi Nakayama scored Japan's first ever FIFA World Cup finals goal, netting in the 74th minute of a 2-1 reverse against Jamaica.
From the Mouth of the Samurai:
"We are not going to change our tactics because when I set this team's basic tactical approach, it was already done with a view to winning against the world's biggest teams. Our main target in South Africa is to reach the semi-finals." - Japan coach Takeshi Okada


FIFA's Original Version:

Boasting one of the strongest squads in Asian football, Japan, winners of three of the last five editions of the AFC Asian Cup, have high hopes for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ - their fourth appearance at the global showpiece.

First on the agenda is an improvement on the disappointing showing at Germany 2006, when the Samurai Blue exited at the first hurdle after a 3-1 reverse against Australia, a 0-0 draw with Croatia and a resounding 4-1 defeat by Brazil. Japan will also be facing their first finals without iconic midfielder Hidetoshi Nakata. The former Roma schemer featured in each of the national side's games at France 1998, Korea/Japan 2002 and Germany 2006 before hanging up his boots after the latter event aged just 29.

The road to South Africa
Having comfortably reached the fourth and final stage of Asian Zone qualifying for South Africa 2010, Japan won four, drew three and lost just one of their eight matches in Group 1. A 2-1 reverse in Australia and a frustrating 0-0 at home against the same opponents were the lowlights of this final phase, though coach Takeshi Okada's charges still finished well clear of Bahrain, Qatar and Uzbekistan in the five-team section.

The star players
Japan's biggest star is former Celtic playmaker Shunsuke Nakamura, who in the summer 2009 made the switch from Glasgow to La Liga with Espanyol. Another European-based performer is young midfielder Keisuke Honda, at Eredivisie outfit VVV Venlo and like Nakamura a gifted left-footer. Leading from the back is 31-year-old defensive rock and captain Yuji Nakazawa, who with over 90 senior caps to his name is Japan's third-most capped player of all time.

The coach
National supremo Okada is widely considered to be one of the finest Japanese strategists around. He was at the helm during the Samurai Blue's first FIFA World Cup appearance at France 1998, having successfully negotiated a tricky play-off meeting with Iran, and later enjoyed spells at club level with Consadole Sapporo and Yokohama F Marinos.

The 53-year-old former international defender's time in Sapporo included taking the team from the second division into the top flight, while the tactician led Marinos to successive J.League titles in 2003 and 2004. Having stepped away from his role in Yokohama in 2006, he picked up the reins of the national team for a second time a year later - following the stroke suffered by previous incumbent Ivica Osim.

Previous FIFA World Cups
South Africa 2010 will be Japan's fourth FIFA World Cup finals, and their fourth in a row. Their best finish came as hosts at Korea/Japan 2002, when they topped Group H ahead of Belgium, Russia and Tunisia to advance to the knockout stages for the first and so far only time. Once in the Round of 16 they put in a brave fight only to go down 1-0 against eventual third-place finishers Turkey, the goal coming after 12 minutes from Umit Davala.

Records

* At his first finals as Japan coach, back at France 1998, Okada's charges lost each of their three group games, scoring once and conceding four times in the process.
* Masashi Nakayama scored Japan's first ever FIFA World Cup finals goal, netting in the 74th minute of the 2-1 reverse against Jamaicaon French soil.

What they said
"We are not going to change our tactics because when I set this team's basic tactical approach, it was already done with a view to winning against the world's biggest teams. Our main target in South Africa is to reach the semi-finals." Japan coach Takeshi Okada

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Vidic Arcitle

Our Version:

In some 150 days, South Africa and Mexico will take to the field for the 19th FIFA World Cup’s opening match. Though the greatest show in sport doesn’t kick off until 11 June, a wave of anticipation is sweeping planet football. "I’ve never played at the World Cup, but it has to be the greatest achievement of a career in the game," Nemanja Vidic exclusively told FIFA.com.


The Serbia centre-back, who plays his club football for English giants Manchester United, will realize the greatest of achievements at the 2010 finals in South Africa. Though he was in the Serbia and Montenegro squad at Germany 2006, he but failed to make it off the bench.

"I was banned for the first match after a sending off in the last game before the tournament," the 28-year-old recalled. Vidic’s injury during the pre-finals training camp caused him to miss the side’s two remaining group fixtures, rubbing salt into the wound.

"That’s why I’m so pleased we’ve managed to qualify again. I hope nothing stops me playing this time and that I can contribute to the team doing better than in 2006," Vidic continued.

In Germany four years ago, the amalgamated Serbia & Montenegro team – both were sovereign states by the time of the tournament but qualified and competed as a single entity – sank without trace in a fiercely tough group, losing 1-0 to the Netherlands, 6-0 to Argentina and 3-2 to Côte d’Ivoire.

Positive Feelings
The Serbs are determined to make their mark this time around, though Vidic is fully aware of the severity of the task. The other sides in Serbia’s group are Ghana, Australia, and UEFA EURO 2008 runners-up Germany.

"There are no easy opponents at a World Cup. Every team has good players, and they all deserve to be there. It won’t be easy, but we have a good feeling and believe we’ll give a decent account of ourselves,” Vidic stated.

The centre-back feels the team will benefit enormously from the expertise and nous offered by coach Radomir Antic. "He’s coached some great teams and has loads of experience," Vidic said of the 61-year-old supremo, whose CV includes spells in charge at Spanish giants Barcelona, Real Madrid and city rivals Atletico.

"He’s brought in a few new ideas and places a lot of stress on discipline and organisation. He’s definitely played a large part in our development as a team." Indeed, in qualifying for South Africa, Serbia comfortably won their group and consigned 2006 runners-up France to a play-off spot.

"We have a handful of players who were at the 2006 World Cup. I think we’ll be better prepared than we were four years ago," said Vidic.

"But everything depends on the first match. That’ll be our most important game at the World Cup. A win would give us an excellent chance of reaching the next round, and it would boost our confidence for what comes after that.”

Vidic intends to focus on club matters with United for the second half of the season. Despite the keen anticipation, he’s elected to narrow his view temporarily, relegating South Africa to the back of his mind. "I’m taking each game as it comes at the moment, and just trying to stay focused on that."

As the interview concluded, the rugged defender confessed to a subconscious fear of missing out again with injury. But, "the more you think about the World Cup and trying not to get injured, the greater the risk you’ll get hurt, in my opinion." Indeed.


FIFA's Version:
Vidic: We believe in ourselves
Wednesday 13 January 2010

In some 150 days, South Africa and Mexico will take to the field for the opening match at the 19th FIFA World Cup™. Five months before the greatest show in sport kicks off on 11 June, a wave of anticipation is already sweeping planet football. "I’ve never played at the World Cup, but it has to be the greatest achievement of a career in the game," Nemanja Vidic exclusively told FIFA.com.

For the Serbia centre-back, who plays his club football for English giants Manchester United, the 2010 finals in South Africa promise to bring his first-ever appearance at a major tournament: he was in the Serbia and Montenegro squad at Germany 2006 but failed to get off the bench.

"I was banned for the first match after a sending off in the last game before the tournament," the 28-year-old recalled. Rubbing salt into the wound, he picked up an injury at a pre-finals training camp and missed his side’s two remaining group fixtures.
We have a handful of players who were at the 2006 World Cup. I think we’ll be better prepared than we were four years ago.
Serbia's Nemanja Vidic

"That’s why I’m so pleased we’ve managed to qualify again. I hope nothing stops me playing this time and that I can contribute to the team doing better than in 2006," Vidic continued.

In Germany four years ago, the amalgamated Serbia and Montenegro team – both were sovereign states by the time of the tournament but qualified and competed as a single entity – sank without trace in a fiercely tough group, losing 1-0 to the Netherlands, 6-0 to Argentina and 3-2 to Côte d’Ivoire.

Positive feelings
The Serbs are determined to perform with more credit this time round, although Vidic is fully aware of the severity of the task in a section also including UEFA EURO 2008 runners-up Germany, Ghana, and Australia.

"There are no easy opponents at a World Cup. Every team has good players, and they all deserve to be there. It won’t be easy, but we have a good feeling and believe we’ll give a decent account of ourselves,” Vidic stated.

And the player feels the team can only benefit from the expertise and nous offered by coach Radomir Antic. "He’s coached some great teams and has loads of experience," said Vidic on the 61-year-old supremo, whose CV includes spells in charge at Spanish giants Barcelona, Real Madrid and city rivals Atletico.

"He’s brought in a few new ideas and places a lot of stress on discipline and organisation. He’s definitely played a large part in our development as a team." Indeed, in qualifying for South Africa, Serbia comfortably won their group and consigned 2006 runners-up France to a play-off spot.

"We have a handful of players who were at the 2006 World Cup. I think we’ll be better prepared than we were four years ago," said Vidic.

"But everything depends on the first match, that’ll be our most important game at the World Cup. A win would give us an excellent chance of reaching the next round, and it would boost our confidence for what comes after that.”

However, Vidic intends to focus on club matters with United for the second half of the season. For all the keen sense of anticipation, he is not spending too much time contemplating South Africa just yet. "I’m taking each game as it comes at the moment, and just trying to stay focused on that."

And as the interview concluded, the rugged defender confessed to a subconscious fear of missing out again with injury, but is simply trying to blot out the unwelcome thoughts. "The more you think about the World Cup and trying not to get injured, the greater the risk you’ll get hurt, in my opinion."

Here's the original.

England Hope to Avoid US Repeat - Article

Our Version:

England go into their 13th FIFA World Cup™ not just as Group C's main attraction but as overwhelming favourites to finish top. But things may not go their way... The USA have upset England before, and are hopeful of making progress – the Americans have a depth of quality and experience that puts them in a different league from the college kids who traveled to Italia 90 under the Stars 'n' Stripes auspices two decades ago. Slovenia, making their second FIFA World Cup appearance, and Algeria, their third, complete the section – the two sides are determined to do much more than make up the numbers.

The Favourites
England: The Three Lions have never won the FIFA World Cup on foreign soil, but travel to South Africa believing the adventure will go beyond the quarter-finals this time. Confidence is high after an impressive qualifying campaign from Fabio Capello's side, which finished as 34-goal top scorers in the European Zone, winning nine of ten matches. Wayne Rooney hit nine goals and is known to have a galvanising effect – indeed, while his World Cup bow four years ago ended with a red card against Portugal, the same happened to Diego Maradona and look how he responded. Add the Capello factor – the Italian has brought a renewed discipline and focus – and England will expect to win this group and prosper.

USA: The United States contest their sixth successive finals and will fancy their chances of advancing from the group stage for the first time since their quarter-final run in 2002. Bob Bradley's team can also take heart from their efforts at the FIFA Confederations Cup on South African soil in 2009 – they stunned Spain in the semi-finals and led Brazil 2-0 in the final before succumbing 3-2. They will hope centre-back Oguchi Onyewu will have recovered from his knee injury in time to join a squad that will again look to Landon Donovan for attacking inspiration in his third FIFA World Cup.

The Outsiders
Algeria: The North Africans are back on the world stage after a 24-year absence, following their play-off victory over Egypt. Rabah Saadane's side – which eliminated Senegal in the second African qualifying round – boast top-level European experience in their ranks, including midfielder Karim Ziani – at German champions Wolfsburg – and pacy left-back Nadir Belhadj – at English club Portsmouth. Antar Yahia, the match-winner against Egypt, will face Bochum colleague Zlatko Dedic in an opening match against Slovenia, in Polokwane, that both countries will consider their best chance of three points.

Slovenia: Matjaz Kek's team was a surprise play-off winner over Russia, with Dedic's second-leg strike earning them victory on away goals after a 2-1 reverse in Moscow. Its first major tournaments as an independent nation were UEFA EURO 2000 and Korea/Japan 2002. The current squad, however, lacks that know-how, though captain Robert Koren needs no introduction to England, as he plays his football at West Bromwich Albion. The side's main attacking threat is Milivoje Novakovic, based in Germany with FC Cologne, who hit five goals in qualification, where the team finished second behind Slovakia in its qualifying group.


The Players to Watch
Wayne Rooney (ENG), Frank Lampard (ENG), Landon Donovan (USA), Tim Howard (USA), Karim Ziani (ALG), Robert Koren (SVN).

The Crunch Match
England-USA: England will aim to stamp its authority on the group in what looks on paper their trickiest test, the v. USA pool opener in Rustenburg on 12 June. The countries' historical and cultural ties will make it eagerly anticipated on both sides of the Atlantic.

A Look Back
England-USA, 29 June 1950: In its first tournament England suffered its biggest upset on the world stage when Joe Gaetjens' first-half goal earned a ragtag American team a 1-0 victory in Belo Horizonte. One newspaper in Britain went so far as to assume the 0-1 score had been a typo, printing that England had won 10-1.

Did You Know?
Algeria have never met England, though faced British squad Northern Ireland, holding the side 1-1 at Mexico 1986.

The Stat
10 – England have negotiated the group stage successfully in its last ten FIFA World Cup appearances.

The Question
At first glance, England and USA look strong favourites to advance but could Algeria or Slovenia spring a surprise? Both did so in their qualifying play-offs, but repeating it in South Africa may prove difficult.


FIFA's Version:

England hope to avoid US repeat

England go into their 13th FIFA World Cup™ as not just Group C's main attraction but as overwhelming favourites to finish top. Yet they may not have things their own way. The USA have upset England before and they will be hopeful of making progress – the Americans have a depth of quality and experience that puts them in a different league from the college kids who travelled to Italia 90 with the Stars 'n' Stripes two decades ago. Slovenia, making their second FIFA World Cup appearance, and Algeria, their third, complete the section – but will be determined to do much more than make up the numbers.

The favourites
England: The Three Lions have never won the FIFA World Cup on foreign soil but travel to South Africa believing the adventure will go beyond the quarter-finals this time. Confidence is high after an impressive qualifying campaign from Fabio Capello's side who finished as 34-goal top scorers in the European Zone, winning nine of ten matches. Wayne Rooney hit nine goals and can have a galvanising effect – indeed, while his World Cup bow four years ago ended with a red card against Portugal the same thing happened to Diego Maradona and look how he responded. Add the Capello factor – the Italian has brought discipline and focus – and England will expect to win this group and prosper.

USA: The United States contest their sixth successive finals and will fancy their chances of advancing from the group stage for the first time since their quarter-final run in 2002. Bob Bradley's team can also take heart from their efforts at the FIFA Confederations Cup on South African soil in 2009 – they stunned Spain in the semi-finals and led Brazil 2-0 in the final before succumbing 3-2. They will hope centre-back Oguchi Onyewu will have recovered from his knee injury in time to join a squad that will again look to Landon Donovan for attacking inspiration in his third FIFA World Cup.

The outsiders
Algeria: The North Africans are back on the world stage after a 24-year absence following their play-off victory over Egypt. Rabah Saadane's side – who had eliminated Senegal in the second African qualifying round – boast top-level European experience in their ranks, including midfielder Karim Ziani at German champions Wolfsburg and pacy left-back Nadir Belhadj at English club Portsmouth. Antar Yahia, the match-winner against Egypt, will face Bochum colleague Zlatko Dedic in an opening match against Slovenia in Polokwane that both countries will consider their best chance of three points.

Slovenia: Matjaz Kek's team were surprise play-off winners over Russia, Dedic's second-leg strike earning them victory on away goals after a 2-1 reverse in Moscow. Their first major tournaments as an independent nation came at UEFA EURO 2000 and Korea/Japan 2002 but their current squad lacks that know-how, though captain Robert Koren needs no introduction to England as he plays his football at West Bromwich Albion. Their main attacking threat is Milivoje Novakovic, based in Germany with FC Cologne, who hit five goals as they finished second behind Slovakia in their qualifying group.

The players to watch
Wayne Rooney (ENG), Frank Lampard (ENG), Landon Donovan (USA), Tim Howard (USA), Karim Ziani (ALG), Robert Koren (SVN).

The crunch match
England-USA: England will aim to stamp their authority on the group in what, on paper, looks their trickiest test in the pool opener in Rustenburg on 12 June. The countries' historical and cultural ties will make it eagerly anticipated on both sides of the Atlantic.

A look back
England-USA, 29 June 1950: In their first tournament England suffered their biggest upset on the world stage when Joe Gaetjens' first-half goal earned a ragtag American team a 1-0 victory in Belo Horizonte. One newspaper in Britain assumed the 0-1 score had to be wrong and printed that England had won 10-1.

Did you know?
Algeria have never met England but held Northern Ireland 1-1 when facing another British team at Mexico 1986.

The stat
10 – England have negotiated the group stage successfully on their last ten FIFA World Cup appearances.

The question
At first glance, England and USA look strong favourites to advance but could Algeria or Slovenia spring a surprise? Both did so in their qualifying play-offs but repeating it in South Africa may prove difficult. Click 'Add your comment' to make your opinion known.

Or, if you prefer, the original .

Spain - Profile

Our Version:

On any scale [ note: whoever wrote the original piece mentions a scale of 1-10, but never rates Spain on that scale], Spain's performance in qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ can only be given top marks. On top of brilliant wins in each of their ten games, La Roja were the European Zone's second top scorers with 28 goals, while conceding a miserly five at the other end. Maturity, resilience and the ability to overcome adversity were all in evidence during their campaign. Few national teams in world football are blessed with squads of such complex depth and sheer talent. The Iberians haven’t rested on their laurels after their UEFA EURO 2008 victory; they consistently bring new faces, without renouncing their commitment to attractive, short-passing football.

The Road to South Africa
The title of European champions inevitably meant that Spain's opponents redoubled efforts to claim La Roja’s notable scalp. Their narrow 1-0 win against Bosnia-Herzegovina - courtesy of a solitary strike from David Villa - was typical of the kind of gritty resistance they’ve displayed in victory since Austria/Switzerland. Though Armenia and Estonia were dispatched relatively comfortably, an away clash in Belgium and a double-header against EURO 2008 semi-finalists Turkey forced the Spaniards to dig deep for their nine valuable points.

Following a 2-1 win in Brussels, in which they fought back to clinch victory via an 88th-minute Villa strike, came a 1-0 success over Turkey in Madrid, the solitary goal coming compliments of centre back Gerard Pique. La Roja’s return to Istanbul marked another 2-1 comeback triumph, courtesy of goals from Xabi Alonso and then-Liverpool-teammate Albert Riera. Belgium were subsequently dispatched by Spain 5-0 in La Coruna, and a ticket to South Africa 2010 was assured with two rounds to spare after a comfortable 3-0 home win over Estonia. Far from taking their foot off the pedal, La Selección capped a flawless campaign with victory in Armenia and a 5-2 away thrashing of closest challengers Bosnia-Herzegovina.


The Star Players
La Selección’s success has been based on quality and balance throughout the side. In captain Iker Casillas, Spain has one of the world's finest keepers, a man who can be relied upon to come to the rescue with his superhuman reflexes when most needed. Midfield string-puller Xavi Hernandez's inch-perfect passing and vision is vital to the Spaniards' fluid style, while at the sharp end of the attack there can be few, if any, better finishers than David Villa and Fernando 'El Niño' Torres.


The Coach
Vicente del Bosque took over where Luis Aragones left off after the EURO 2008 triumph, keeping the same footballing philosophy and core players who had dazzled the continent that summer. The experienced supremo has also hit the heights at club level with Real Madrid, winning two UEFA Champions Leagues (2000, 2002), two La Ligas (2001, 2003), a Spanish Super Cup (2001) a UEFA European Super Cup (2002) and the Toyota Intercontinental Cup (2002).

Del Bosque continued Aragones' faith in the one-touch style that has traditionally characterised Spain's play, relying heavily upon midfielders of the highest quality. As a result, the Spaniards have won all but one game since the ex-Los Blancos boss took charge, the exception being a semi-final reverse against USA at the FIFA Confederations Cup 2009.

Previous FIFA World Cups
Spain has taken part in the finals of 12 FIFA World Cups. The squad hasn’t missed a single edition since failing to reach Germany 1974. La Roja's best performance at the global showpiece was a fourth-placed finish at Brazil 1950. The top-ranked team hopes to change that in South Africa. At senior international level, La Roja has two major titles to its name: the 1964 and 2008 European Championships.

Records
Spain recorded a world-best ten wins from ten South Africa 2010 qualifiers. La Selección were the European Zone's second-highest scorers, firing 28 goals to end the campaign just six strikes shy of Fabio Capello's England.

La Roja Speaks:
"We've got good players and a well-oiled team, but there are some very strong sides out there. Our aim is to challenge for the next World Cup but we know how difficult it is. We're not the favourites but we are among the hopefuls." - Vicente del Bosque, Spain’s coach.


FIFA's Version:

Profile

On a scale of one to ten, Spain's performance in qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ can only be given top marks. On top of wins in each of their ten games, La Roja were the European Zone's second top scorers with 28 goals while conceding a miserly five at the other end. Maturity, resilience and the ability to overcome adversity were all in evidence during their campaign, and few national teams in world football are blessed with squads of such depth and sheer talent. The Iberians have not rested on the laurels of their UEFA EURO 2008 victory, consistently bringing in new faces without renouncing their commitment to attractive short-passing football.

The road to South Africa
The title of European champions inevitably meant that Spain's opponents redoubled their efforts to claim what would be a notable scalp. Their narrow 1-0 win against Bosnia-Herzegovina - courtesy of a solitary strike from David Villa - was typical of the kind of gritty resistance they have had to overcome since Austria/Switzerland. And though Armenia and Estonia were dispatched relatively comfortably, an away clash in Belgium and a double-header against EURO 2008 semi-finalists Turkey forced the Spaniards to dig deep for nine valuable points.

Following a 2-1 win in Brussels, when they fought back to clinch victory via an 88th-minute Villa strike, came a 1-0 success over Turkey in Madrid, the goal coming from Gerard Pique. The return in Istanbul marked another 2-1 comeback triumph courtesy of goals from Xabi Alonso and then Liverpool team-mate Albert Riera. Belgium were subsequently dispatched 5-0 in La Coruna and a ticket to South Africa 2010 was assured with two rounds to spare after a comfortable 3-0 home win over Estonia. Far from taking their foot off the pedal, La Selección capped a flawless campaign with victory in Armenia and a 5-2 away thrashing of closest challengers Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The star players
The team's success has been based on quality and balance throughout the side. In captain Iker Casillas Spain have one of the world's finest keepers, a man who can be relied upon to bring his superhuman reflexes to the rescue when most needed. Midfield string-puller Xavi Hernandez's inch-perfect passing and vision is vital to the Spaniards' fluid style, while at the sharp end of the attack there can be few if any better finishers than David Villa and Fernando 'El Niño' Torres.

The coach
Vicente del Bosque took over where Luis Aragones left off after the EURO 2008 triumph, keeping the same footballing philosophy and core of players which dazzled the continent that summer. The experienced supremo has also hit the heights at club level with Real Madrid, winning two UEFA Champions Leagues (2000, 2002), two La Ligas (2001, 2003), a Spanish Super Cup (2001) a UEFA European Super Cup (2002) and the Toyota Intercontinental Cup (2002).

Del Bosque continued Aragones' faith in the one-touch style that has traditionally characterised Spain's play and which relies upon midfielders of the highest quality. As a recult, the Spaniards have won every game but one since the former Los Blancos boss took charge, the exception being a semi-final reverse against USA at the FIFA Confederations Cup 2009.

Previous FIFA World Cups
- Spain have taken part in the finals of 12 FIFA World Cups and have not missed a single edition since failing to reach Germany 1974.
- La Roja's best performance at the global showpiece was a fourth-placed finish at Brazil 1950.
- At senior international level, Spain have two major titles to their name: the 1964 and 2008 European Championships.

Records
- Spain recorded ten wins from ten South Africa 2010 qualifiers.
- La Selección were the European Zone's second-highest scorers, firing 28 goals to end the campaign just six strikes short of the Fabio Capello's England.

The words
"We've got good players and a well-oiled team, but there are some very strong sides out there. Our aim is to challenge for the next World Cup but we know how difficult it is. We're not the favourites but we are among the hopefuls." Vicente del Bosque, Spain coach.

Or check it out here.