Edmund Posted 28 May 2009 Posted 28 May 2009 14th - 28th June All games live on BBC 3 Group A South Africa Iraq New Zealand Spain Group B USA Italy Brazil Egypt http://www.fifa.com/confederationscup/ Egypt Champions of Africa An African side has yet to win a FIFA Confederations Cup crown, but Egypt are quietly confident of changing this statistic. Yet despite claiming a record six CAF Africa Cup of Nations titles, including back-to-back triumphs in 2006 and 2008, the Pharaohs will arrive in South Africa among the competition's underdogs. Over the last four years, the Egyptians have been Africa's most consistent team and underlined their dominance of the continent with a flawless Ghana 2008 campaign. For many observers, this can be attributed to the nation's successful grassroots system and their continued investment in youth football. The North Africans do have players with experience of claiming a FIFA medal, with a second-placed finish to show from their 2001 FIFA U-20 World Cup campaign in Argentina under Shawky Gharieb. Two years later, the Pharaohs also won the CAF African Youth Championship in Burkina Faso, this time with Hassan Shehata as coach. Today, Shehata is the much-revered coach of the senior side, and Gharieb his assistant, while players from their respective youth team form the backbone of the Egypt we will see in South Africa. The result is a dressing room in which the harmony between coaches and players has forged a terrific team spirit. Nevertheless, Egypt's failure to qualify for Germany 2006 should act as a reminder that they have a nasty habit of failing to replicate their continental form when it comes to global competitions. Shehata, however, is determined to consign such problems to the past, and the prospect of rubbing shoulders with the world's elite is sure to have his players buzzing with excitement. The coach has also succeeded in assembling a balanced squad with an effective blend of youth and experience. They have already succeeded in reaching the final phase of qualifying for South Africa 2010, and aided by the continued dominance of Cairo giants Al Ahly in African club football and the emergence of new stars such as Amr Zaki and Mohamed Zidan, the Pharaohs appear stronger than ever. Coach: Hassan Shehata Stars: Amr Zaki, Mohamed Aboutrika, Mohamed Zidan Iraq Champions of Asia Iraq are waiting with bated breath for their biggest hour on the international stage. Having only appeared in one FIFA World Cup™, at Mexico 1986, Iraq will be considered outsiders on their FIFA Confederations Cup debut. However, with memories of their fairy tale 2007 AFC Asian Cup triumph still fresh, the Iraqis will be hoping to build on this continental success with a creditable performance on the global stage. Under their inspirational former coach Jorvan Vieira, the unfancied Iraqis took Asia by storm, sweeping past the likes of Australia, Korea Republic en route to the final, where Younis Mahmoud scored the only goal against Saudi Arabia to secure the nation's first-ever continental title. Yet it was seven years before that memorable triumph, when Iraq's youngsters took gold at the 2000 AFC Youth Championship, that the basis was provided for such achievements. This talented young team that competed at the 2001 FIFA U20 World Cup at Argentina also went on to form the backbone of the Olympic side that surprised the watching world by storming into the last four at Athens 2004. Unsurprisingly, the core of Iraq's current continent-conquering senior is made up of players who starred in that youth triumph. Their front line is arguably the strongest part of the team, with captain Mahmoud and Emad Mohammed offering a threat to even the toughest opponents. A creative and hard-working midfield is based around on the talents of Nashat Akram, while Bassim Abbas is the rock on which a solid defence has been built. In Bora Milutinovic, to whom the country turned in April, Iraq also boast a coach with massive international experience. Having guided five different teams at FIFA World Cup finals, Milutinovic's CV suggests he has the necessary pedigree to take the team to a level where they can compete against the world's best. But Iraq can be frustratingly inconsistent. The team failed to progress to Asia's final round of qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, leaving the FIFA Confederations Cup as their sole opportunity to show the rest of the world what they have to offer. Yet if Iraq's majestic run to gold at the proved anything, it is that they are more than capable of causing an upset or two. That fate could befall the world's elite in South Africa if they underestimate the Iraqi challenge. Coach: Bora Milutinovic Stars: Younis Mahmoud, Emad Mohammed Italy 2006 FIFA World Cup™ champions The Italians will have to come ready for full-throttle football as all the teams will want to take down the reigning FIFA World Cup™ champions. The Azzurri are once again steered by Marcello Lippi, the man that led them to a 2006 finals crown in Germany. After a weak performance at the UEFA EURO 2008 under Roberto Donadoni, Lippi has been called back to reinstate the side's dominance on the world stage. Since their defeat to Spain in the quarter-finals of last year's EURO, Italy have made steady progress with a seven game undefeated streak, albeit against low-ranking opposition. Their difficulty against top-tier competition is still all-too-apparent, as a recent 2-0 friendly loss to Brazil attests. Lippi's influence is not to be scoffed at, and under his two management stints the Azzurri are undefeated in 31 games, earning their coach the record of longest undefeated streak with a national team (he shares the record with Javier Clemente of Spain and Alfio Basile of Argentina). With their incredibly tight defensive style, opponents are in for a tough time against the Italians who hold the lowest average of goals conceded in FIFA World Cup preliminary matches, an astounding .58 goals a game. With a few key players reaching the latter stages of their careers, the football maestro will have to set his strategy firmly in the future. Although old warriors of international football, this will be Italy's first FIFA Confederations Cup. Along with Brazil, the Italians hold the most FIFA World Cup titles of any nation. Coach: Marcello Lippi Stars: Luca Toni, Fabio Cannavaro, Gennaro Gattuso U.S.A Champions of North, Central America and Caribbean By winning the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup in a dramatic final against Mexico, the USA became the first team to qualify for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup (discounting the automatically qualified hosts and reigning FIFA World Cup™ champions Italy). With three appearances so far, the USA has had a respectable showing in FIFA Confederations Cups past, finishing third on two occasions. The team's fans will expect a solid performance at their nation's fourth appearance. Initially an interim coach, Bob Bradley has managed to sculpt a young, successful team from the nation's exhaustive pool of talent. Although some sceptics point to Bradley's lack of international credentials, his time spent at a domestic youth level, under former US coach Bruce Arena, and coaching in Major League Soccer has empowered him with a profound knowledge of American football at both youth and senior levels. Bradley has employed this wisdom to full effect so far in his role as head coach. The USA have the depth of talent and ability to be very formidable opponents in South Africa, highlighted best by their fabulous start to North, Central American and Caribbean zone qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. After taking 18 points from six games in a run to the top of their semi-final group, the Americans got their final round campaign off to a stunning start with a 2-0 home win over eternal rivals Mexico in early 2009. The USA are widely tipped to take one of the three automatic spots on offer in CONCACAF for the South African finals in 2010. In one of football's father-son acts, Bradley's son, Michael has a prominent role in the US team. The talented midfielder plays his club football in Germany (previously to good effect in the Netherlands) and is currently the record holder for most goals scored in a season by an American playing in a European top flight competition. Alongside veteran playmaker Landon Donovan, captain Carlos Bocanegra and a host of young talents like Jozy Altidore and Sacha Kljestan, the Americans are looking a good bet to make a mark at this year's Confederations Cup finals. Coach: Bob Bradley Stars: Landon Donovan, Carlos Bocanegra, DaMarcus Beasley New Zealand Champions of Oceania New Zealand will make their third FIFA Confederations Cup appearance in 2009 and the All Whites will again be searching for their first ever points at the global competition. The 2009 instalment may very well be the time for this small football nation to make some rather large waves. The tournament will be their first competitive venture onto African soil. Of the seven other teams participating, New Zealand have met five in previous encounters. Only Italy and European champions Spain have never faced the four time Oceania Nations Cup Winners. And the FIFA Confederations Cup may not be the last we see of Ricki Herbert's men; the side has a solid chance of qualifying for South Africa 2010. Herbert holds positions as both the New Zealand boss and the Wellington Phoenix Coach. The majority of his squad members play their football in Australia's Hyundai A-League, with more than half the current squad featuring for Herbert's Wellington side. Critics may argue that New Zealand's failure to make headway in major competitions is largely due to the lack of players in high-quality domestic leagues. The counter-argument is that, with a predominantly Wellington-based squad, the boss has access to the majority of his national team all year round. The New Zealanders have achieved steady improvement under Herbert reaching a six-year high of 82 on the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking. The Kiwis impressed in their FIFA World Cup qualifiers last year winning five matches in a row, while striker Shane Smeltz set a national team record of scoring in six consecutive matches. New Zealand supporters have good reason to believe that the All Whites will put on their best display yet at the FIFA Confederations Cup, given the form of both the team and the individuals led by captain and Blackburn Rovers defender Ryan Nelson. Smeltz is in red hot form having claimed this season's A-League player of the year award, and his partnership with Celtic's Chris Killen has helped Herbert assemble a well-rounded side. Coach: Ricki Herbert Stars: Ryan Nelsen, Chris Killen, Shane Smeltz Brazil Champions of South America Brazil are, on paper, the team to beat. But they have struggled to live up to their favourite's tag in previous major tournaments, including Germany 2006. Following a rocky start to their South Africa 2010 qualifying campaign, they are now firmly on track to uphold their unique record of having participated at every FIFA World Cup™. Brazil coaches must cope with incessant demands, though, and Dunga will hope to use the FIFA Confederations Cup to convince the doubters that his side can play exciting football and emerge triumphant. They managed this during a 2-0 victory over Italy in February, when the reigning world champions found Robinho in irrepressible form. The forward is just one of several highly-talented attacking players at Dunga's disposal, former FIFA World Player of the Year Kaka being another. However, the Seleção have also emerged as a strong defensive unit, and goalkeeper Julio Cesar kept clean sheets in their last five South Africa 2010 qualifiers of 2008. With this solidity and Brazil's perennial capacity to score goals, their fans will expect nothing less than the FIFA Confederations Cup trophy they won convincingly in 1997 and 2005. Coach: Dunga Stars: Julio Cesar, Kaka, Robinho South Africa Host Nation Although a lot has been said about South Africa's form lately, Bafana Bafana have seemingly turned a sharp corner and following back-to-back victories over Ghana and Cameroon, they will approach the FIFA Confederations Cup 2009 with zeal. The side's rehabilitation has been a painful process, but South Africa are picking up the broken pieces and hoping to right the wrongs in their set-up. Having endured some painful moments in their football history recently, including failing to qualify for the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™ and CAF African Cup of Nations Angola 2010, there is a strong cause to convince the rest of the world that despite mounting criticism and flagging confidence in this team's capability, they still have something to offer. Calls have been made for a renaissance, and if that has to happen, it will start at the FIFA Confederations Cup. South African football went through some of its most profitable years during the mid-1990s, including winning the African Cup of Nations in 1996, but the honeymoon period was soon over. In the previous three editions of the continental finals, they failed to proceed beyond the group stage. However, they will find solace in the fact they received praise for putting up a brave performance at Ghana 2008; a tournament in which very little was expected of them. Bafana Bafana now boast a crop of emerging players, who are driven by a desire to make the country proud when it hosts the next FIFA World Cup. Under Joel Santana, they have yet to rediscover themselves, although the Brazilian coach has bravely stated that his detractors must judge their displays at the 2009 event. Time to experiment is a luxury Santana does not have, with less than 18 months before South Africa 2010. It is results, and results alone that will help his team approach the FIFA World Cup with confidence at a time when they will be entrusted with qualifying for at least the knockout phase. Write South Africa off at your own peril, as there is plenty of pride to play for at home. Coach: Joel Santana Stars: Benni McCarthy, Teko Modise Spain Champions of Europe The UEFA EURO 2008 champions have yet to win a FIFA competition at senior level, though they have played in 12 out of the 18 editions so far. Their recent victory on the old continent was their first major tournament title in 44 years, after EURO 1964. History aside, with their current form, the highly technical Spaniards will fancy themselves among the favourites in South Africa in 2009. In charge since July 2008, Vicente Del Bosque succeeded a legend in Luis Aragonés - the phenomenal coach that led La Furia Roja to their EURO 2008 title and the man largely responsible for their lengthy undefeated streak. Not one to fear superstar shadows, Del Bosque comes with impeccable credentials, having coached Real Madrid from 1999-2003 in one of their most successful periods ever. Under Del Bosque, the team has continued winning and they remain undefeated since losing 0-1 at home to Romania in a friendly back in November of 2006. With a calm, unshakable demeanour, Del Bosque is well-equipped to deal with the squad of Spanish superstars who play for some of the biggest clubs in the world. It is a young group but all the players are used to competing in the top leagues, and in a youth national team with a long list of honours. Also, La Roja is taking advantage of a new phenomenon. Although most of the Spanish players play in the demanding Spanish league, some have decided to go to foreign leagues where they are maturing and becoming more competitive. Spain's recent success is based on an excellent generation of ball-playing midfielders like Xavi, Andrés Iniesta, Marcos Senna and Cesc Fábregas, along with the scoring talents of David Villa and Fernando Torres, and the confidence and safe hands of captain Iker Casillas. Spanish fans are looking forward to South Africa 2009 as they are anxious for new titles to put alongside their recent EURO. Expectations are high as the Confederations Cup will be the chance for La Furia to confirm their place among the world's top teams, and it will also be the test for this new golden generation and its coach to prove themselves no one-trick pony. Coach: Vicente del Bosque Stars: Iker Casillas, David Villa, Xavi Hernández, Fernando Torres.
StanSP Posted 28 May 2009 Posted 28 May 2009 Sweet. Look forward to seeing Brazil vs Italy. And Spain.
Edmund Posted 28 May 2009 Author Posted 28 May 2009 Is this likely to be on terrestrial tv or freeview? bbc 3 mate all games on live
Uncle Albert Posted 28 May 2009 Posted 28 May 2009 Was hoping that this would of been on whilst I was on holiday, love watching football whilst away. Hope Spain can win it.
AyewJoking Posted 28 May 2009 Posted 28 May 2009 EDIT: Ignore my idiocy. BBC 3. Not sure but the U21 championships are on sky arent they?
StanSP Posted 28 May 2009 Posted 28 May 2009 BBC 3. Not sure but the U21 championships are on sky arent they? Yeah.
Edmund Posted 28 May 2009 Author Posted 28 May 2009 EDIT: Ignore my idiocy. Hope Spain can win it. Yep Rather Spain than Italy. BBC 3. Not sure but the U21 championships are on sky arent they? Yeah u21 tournament is on sky. I wonder if Spain, Italy, Brazil and co will be taking this seriously in terms of team selection etc.
Miquel The Work Geordie Posted 28 May 2009 Posted 28 May 2009 I love Egypt. Aboutreika & Zidan are both very good players. Iraq have some decent quality as well.
Tevez Posted 28 May 2009 Posted 28 May 2009 I love Egypt. Aboutreika & Zidan are both very good players.Iraq have some decent quality as well. Agreed.
Ford Super Sunday Posted 29 May 2009 Posted 29 May 2009 Just a quick correction. All EVENING games are live on BBC3 There will be a few group games that kick off at 15:00 BST, they will be behind the BBC Red Button on digital TV
Ultra Posted 29 May 2009 Posted 29 May 2009 I wonder if Spain, Italy, Brazil and co will be taking this seriously in terms of team selection etc. Depends on how co-operative the players' clubs are. Barca, Real and others will want them to have a decent break before pre-season training. Expect a few withdrawals on the grounds of "injuries".
Samilktray Posted 29 May 2009 Posted 29 May 2009 Looking forward to some football over the summer. But is there any reason they have this tournament?
Ultra Posted 29 May 2009 Posted 29 May 2009 Looking forward to some football over the summer.But is there any reason they have this tournament? Basically it's a pretext for the host nation (in this case SA) to show that they can organise and run tournaments successfully in advance of the World Cup. The sponsorship deals come in handy, too..
Edmund Posted 29 May 2009 Author Posted 29 May 2009 Just a quick correction.All EVENING games are live on BBC3 There will be a few group games that kick off at 15:00 BST, they will be behind the BBC Red Button on digital TV Oh right nice one pal. I would put it in the original post but I can't seem to edit it for some reason.
StanSP Posted 29 May 2009 Posted 29 May 2009 Spain or Italy for me. Should be a decent watch. Yep me too.
Darkzzz_ Posted 29 May 2009 Posted 29 May 2009 Yep me too. Lippi has a lot of work on his hands though doesn't he, so much dead wood in the Italian squad but also some brilliant youngsters to pick from. I don't think he will repeat what he done in 2006, but I am convinced he will get a good squad together before 2010 WC.
StanSP Posted 29 May 2009 Posted 29 May 2009 Lippi has a lot of work on his hands though doesn't he, so much dead wood in the Italian squad but also some brilliant youngsters to pick from. I don't think he will repeat what he done in 2006, but I am convinced he will get a good squad together before 2010 WC. Yeah this will just be used as a test probably for his youngsters. This time next year they'll be a year older and hopefully would have played regular football for their clubs next season. As long as they get through the to at least semis I don't think there will be many problems. Have all or any of the squads been released yet?
Darkzzz_ Posted 29 May 2009 Posted 29 May 2009 Yeah this will just be used as a test probably for his youngsters. This time next year they'll be a year older and hopefully would have played regular football for their clubs next season. As long as they get through the to at least semis I don't think there will be many problems. Have all or any of the squads been released yet? I am sure they will be happy about that. I was chatting to my girlfriend about this and she said she would be happy with a 1/4 final place. She isn't expecting much, bless her. This is the squad Lippi has picked for the friendly with N.Ireland. Could be a similar squad for the Confederations Cup. http://www.onlysoccer.net/?action=read&idsel=36396 Edit: Says on there he has a separate, partial list.
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