EURO 2008 QUALIFYING MATCHES

Who's playing who and how it's going to pan out.

With still more than a year to go before the next European Championships there is plenty to play for. Two nations from each of the seven groups go to the finals, along with hosts; Austria and Switzerland.

Some teams are already long shots to make the finals but in some groups three and even four teams are still in with a realistic shout.

After the games today and the next round of matches things will be a whole lot clearer.

Home team is listed first.

Wales v Czech Republic

Potentially tough away game in Group D, particularly with Ryan Giggs; one of the best wingers never to play in a major international tournament; in his swansong for the Welsh. . With the Republic of Ireland on the same points a victory is needed. Away win.

Iceland v Liechtenstein

Your typical relegation 6 pointer, few players stand out in this bottom of Group F clash. Hreidarsson and Gudjohnsen will make the difference with strong tackling and an eye for goal; respectively. Home win.

Kazakhstan v Armenia

National Pride at stake in Eastern Europe and not much else. Armenia has failed to win or score in there last five group games. Zhumaskaliyev is the in from striker for Kazakstan. Home win.

Russia v Andorra

A good time to play in Moscow. Russia can't help but crush Andorra. Look for more goals from Kerzakhov and a run out for the youngster Sychev. Home win

Germany v San Marino

Perennial European minnows; San Marino will be thumped tomorrow. A good opportunity for some of the fringe German players to get a game. Last time the two teams played, San Marino conceded thirteen goals. Home win

Finland v Serbia

You fancy away team, but Finland is a tough place to play. Expect a lot from Johansson after his goals against Portugal. Stankovic and Ilic are always a threat. Away win

F.Y.R. Macedonia v Israel

With Group E wide open Israel may look to Chelsea player Sahar to keep their second place. Away win

Faroe Islands v Italy

Only ten points separate the two teams in Group B. Italy is still fourth though and has injury worries, particularly Nesta. Inzaghi is in good from so look for him to play. Away win

Denmark v Sweden

This game should be well supported. You fancy Sweden; particularly if Ibrahimovic plays. The Danes are at home and they have J

ANGEL AND DICCHIO. 

WHAT EXACTLY HAVE THE NEW YORK RED BULLS AND TORONTO FC GOT IN THEIR NEW OVERSEAS PLAYERS?

 

Juan Pablo Angel

 

The 31 year old Columbian made only the third big move of his career by agreeing to play for Bruce Arena in New York. 

 

Playing for his fourth club Angel will want to emulate his scoring achievements in the English Premier League of 03/04.  He bagged 16 goals in 33 games for his best ever performance in the English top flight.  This culminated in a sixth placed finish for Villa.  Shame he couldn't carry on that rich vein of form.  In his next 89 games for Aston Villa he managed just 12 goals. 

 

He's big, still has some pace and the ability to turn a defender but had no real place in Martin O'Neil's vision for Aston Villa.  Maybe Randy Lerner had some contacts in New York? 

 

He'll probably do OK in the MLS.  3 goals in 3 games is a great return;so far; particularly when it's your first three games for a new club in a new country. 

 

Aston Villa got 62 goals in 205 appearances.  Mediocre value for a then Villa record of 9.5M pounds.  River Plate got the better of that deal as in 91 games for the Argentine side he netted 41 goals. 

 

In his prime at River Plate the Columbian could well be one of the MLS's best acquisitions this season.  Although a fairly mediocre player for Aston Villa a change of city, scenery and team mates can do wonders for a player. 

 

 

Danny Dichio

 

The big striker from London has been around the block a bit.  Both well experienced and well-traveled Dichio has always been a handful for opposing defenses.  Usually whilst his team mates were scoring. 

Never one to shirk the graft he was always a good target man, knocking balls on or down to his more predatory teammates.  His record of one goal every five games and raising this when playing in knockout competitions is a reasonable contibution to any team.  7 or 8 goals in a season can really make a difference.

 

A Preston North End team chasing the Premiership Holy Grail saw fit to let him go and allow him to sign for Toronto FC in April, less than two weeks after his manager turned down interest from two other English clubs.  Sporadic with the goals he does have a terrific work-rate. 

 

At 32 he's in the twilight of his career but is strong, physical and can do well for himself in the MLS.  2 goals in 4 games so far is not a bad return, he'll get more.  He knows how to work hard and play the game and his toughness on the field will more often help him than get him carded. 

 

 

Bruce Arena has the man he targeted.  Plenty of experience, including Internationals will translate well to the MLS.  He has knowledge and skill and shows a real desire to do well. 

 

 

Mo Johnston has an experienced new acquisition.  Good in the air and at set pieces, knows the game and how to play in some tough leagues.  The 30 game MLS season should suit him better than 46 game Championship season he just left.  His work rate will win his team mates over and he's quite capable of hitting a rich vein of form. 

 

 

The MLS is being sold short, certainly on Juan Pablo Angel. 

Definitely a step down for the Columbian forward.  He is capable but has shown very poorly in his last three seasons.  What the MLS should be aspiring to be is a league and an organization which can lure the Juan Pablo Angels of the soccer world not from Villa at 31 but from River Plate at 25. 

 

Dichio is a slightly different proposition, a tough Scot taking a chance on a tough Londoner.  Never a high profile goal scorer, he has other useful qualities which allow his team mates to shine.  Players in his mould should always be made welcome in the MLS. 

 

 

Maybe it's just where the MLS is at the moment.  Maybe it is a lack of vision from the organization. 

 

The Premier League went through a similar lull.  In the 90's it was hard for the league to attract top talent from abroad, players went to Italy or Spain or Germany.  Only the older players would come.  Now; with a cash rich Premiership; that has changed. 

 

Post Script - this love affair with aging strikers is contagious.  Marcelo Salas is rumored to be a target for Chicago Fire. 

Whilst Salas was a very gifted if temperamental striker whilst playing for River Plate, Lazio and Juventus, Universidad de Chile and the Chilean National Team.  He was a prolific goal scorer with plenty of medals; including two Scudettos. 

Now he has plenty of injuries under his belt but sees an easy ride in the MLS. 

WHY I HATE THE PLAY OFFS

Thankfully in the English Premier League the team with the most points wins.

This season Manchester Utd. won rather comfortably.

How stupid it would be if at the end of the season they had to play the third placed team; Liverpool; for the right to play the winner of the Chelsea v Arsenal match, in order to win a Play Off game. Yes it is as ludicrous as it sounds.

Or maybe Sheffield United can play Wigan in a relegation playoff. Again,

ludicrous.

It's difficult to imagine any case in which the record of a team over 38 games can possibly not be an indicator of how good they are. The long haul of the EPL separates the wheat from the chaff. Sheffield United can bemoan the Tevez and Mascherano transfers and cry foul play but had they won one more of their 38 games the point would be moot.

Certainly, towards the end of the season; safe, mid-table teams have little but pride to play for.

Prize money does rise with your place in the table. The previous two seasons Chelsea won just over 9.6M GBP ($19M approx.) whilst the bottom team took home less than 0.5M GBP ($1M approx).

Quite a sum to be played for. 25% of the TV money is paid on a performance basis.

End of season excitement was also not in short supply, relegation and European places to be avoided or up for grabs. Plenty of reasons for a manager to motivate his squad on a Saturday afternoon.

The rest of the League is not so lucky. In the Championship, League One and League Two The top two (three in League Two) teams are promoted and the bottom three (four in League One, two in League Two) teams are relegated. The third (fourth in League Two) promotion spot in each division is won through the play off system.

With 24 teams in each of the lower divisions the games played in a season is 46. An arduous season for all the teams.

Come May when the final ball is kicked two teams are happy, promotion, more money and a different itinerary next season; new stadia to visit.

For the teams in places 3 through 6 it's a different world altogether.

In League two four teams go up so the play offs involve places 4 through 7.

Home and Away ties do mean guaranteed income for the clubs and that trip to Wembley is a nice juicy bonus.

However lucrative the play offs maybe it can't be hidden that they mock the effort of the third (fourth in League Two) place team in each division. Over the course of 46 games they have been proven to be the third best team in their respective division.

Points don't make prizes.

The TV and Money men of football have taken the paying public for idiots. They create phony product and generate the hype and marketing to flummox the public into thinking play offs are worthy, important and necessary.

Play offs are none of these things, they are just a great marketing con. Instead of the body of work in a season of 46 games being the benchmark for your success or failure you have to play another three games. Your whole season based on three games. Ludicrous.

Unfortunately they have become a part of the footballing landscape in the UK. Thankfully for now at least not in the English Premier League.

The way it played out this year was a terrible turn of events, as usual. In League Two Bristol Rovers attain Promotion to League One. They had 72 points, MK Dons on 84 points and Lincoln City on 74 must be particularly sickened.

In League One and The Championship things panned out better for the two third placed team. Derby County and Blackpool both won Promotion. Justice seemed to be done. Although going through all the play offs seemed just a touch superfluous.

THE ULTIMATE FALLOUT OF THE CALCIOPOLI SCANDAL

The 2006/07 season was different in Serie A. It was without Juventus and 5 teams had a little asterix by their names.

Match fixing had gone on, these were the culprits, these to be the punishments.

Juventus were relegated.

Fiorentina, Reggina, Milan and Lazio were docked 15, 11, 8 and 3 points respectively and Siena deducted a mere point for dodgy books.

Looking back, the Serie A title Inter have is of a lesser value; they didn't have to beat Juventus to get it.

Fiorentina go automatically into the UEFA Cup instead of a Champions League place.

Looking forward, next season will be business as usual.

All that fuss. Nearly pointless really. Now all the Italians need to do is clean up the hooliganism and racism from their game.

HELLO MR LALAS, WELCOME TO THE PERRENIAL CLUB VS COUNTRY DEBATE.

Of course Mr. Beckham sign here please. The soft spoken ex-England International was happy to put pen to paper. $25million over five years. May not sound much in terms of MLB, NFL or NBA but in terms of the MLS it's huge, a rather large investment.

Times change in football very quickly. Arrogantly dismissed as surplus to England requirements David Beckham is now being (cap in hand I hope Mr. McClaren) asked to return to save a faltering qualification for EURO 2008 and the current manager's job. Mr. Beckham would also probably like to get his 100th England Cap.

Both sets of management; at LA Galaxy and The FA; hope that Beckham's performance against Deportivo is indicative of his current form and his 32 year old body can withstand the rigours it may be called upon to deal with.

So after England have a kick about with Brazil; on June 1st; and return from their trip to Tallinn; on June 6th; Beckham will have to play the final two games; La Liga deciders; for Real Madrid CF. A tough away fixture against Real Zaragoza on the 10th finishing up with relatively easy game against RCD Mallorca at The Bernabeu.

Real Madrid need to win them both to guarantee La Liga this season.

This leaves precious time for David to take a breather before having to make the grueling transatlantic flight (no Concorde now) to Los Angeles. His first matches for Lalas's Galaxy are likely to be against Chicago and Kansas City in the first week of July.

The altitude will be a problem if Beckham is picked to play in the All-Star game.

David will have all of August to acclimatize to LA, the MLS before he may have to fly back to England to meet Israel at Wembley on September 8th; he would miss the visit of the Rapids to Los Angeles. He will probably be able to be back for the visit of Houston to the Galaxy after helping England host Russia.

More time to shop on Rodeo Drive or train under the auspices of Mr. Lalas. If England need to win the games against Estonia on October 13th and the really difficult game against Russia; in Moscow; on October 17th then he'll have to miss out on the last two LA Galaxy home games of the season; against Toronto and New York.

If LA get to the MLS Cup 2007 Final at RFK in November and England need the win against Croatia on the 21st Beckham will have just a day to get over his jet lag and be prepared for yet another monumental international.

A tough itinerary for the 32 year old (which actually isn't particularly old for a midfielder).

Beckham wants to get to 100 England caps. To give him credit; he has played with a lot of heart for England. He wears the three lions proudly. In spite of his stupidity and cowardice in two World Cups he did score THAT free-kick against Greece. A nation relented and he was a hero again.

Alexi Lalas is quite up front about not wanting to let Beckham play in "inappropriate friendlies". For England and EURO2008 there are no inappropriate friendlies. Nor even uncompetitive games. Every game is a must win and now that McClaren has changed his mind over Beckham any wavering or flip flopping and he'll be vilified by the Press. Of course of Beckham plays like a donkey no one will care; back in the UK; who Beckham plays for.

Mr. Lalas will probably lose out on his major star/investment for at least 5 games. Not a bad return; I think; when you consider these points.

• Beckham is a very talented player still in his prime, injury free he's probably the best current MLS player or maybe best ever.
• Don't be surprised if he wins MVP this season.
• This year may not be too early for the LA Galaxy to win the MLS Cup 2007.
• The modern European 'super clubs' invest a lot of dollar in their stars, health and fitness is very sophisticated.
• He may well be the focus of sports media as a Galaxy player, but that will be much less intrusive than the European sports media and paparazzi have been, it'll be a nice change for David and his family.
• David Beckham has endorsed ADDIDAS boots and Brylcreem; to name but two; he is an ideal focal point of any commercial campaign.
• Both Beckham and Lalas have storied careers, both got better press than they actually deserved and both have done the flamboyant coiffures, could be an excellent match-up.

But on the other hand.

• DC in August at 4pm can be brutally hot and humid. As can Dallas in September.
• 5 points from 6 games is a pretty awful start to the season for LA, Beckham can punch in many wonderful balls from the right but if no one is good enough to get on the end of one or two...
• How will Beckham get on with Frank Yallop, who is obviously talented?  does Beckham play out wide on the right or more a central role?

A lot of if's and buts, I know. I just think that Alexi Lalas' comments to BBC Five Live were just a touch incorrect (maybe the MLS is more physically taxing than other leagues like maybe the Ryman Premier League, but not more so than La Liga, the EPL or Serie A et al.) and hasty (kind of like slamming the barn door before the horse has even gotten inside), also they kind of contradicted FIFA directives (FIFA does direct that fit players should be made available for friendly internationals).

Come July this might be all academic, anything can happen in football. It really does pay to be very well prepared. Mr. Lalas might just want to chew a little more before swallowing. Although if he is playing, I just might go and see him at RFK in August.