Hiddink, Anyone?

Russia's failure to qualify for the World Cup is extremely shocking. Having played so well and reached the latter stages of the European Championships only last year, one would have expected them to easily overcome Slovenia.

Furthermore, we have become accustomed to seeing Guus Hiddink leading a different team to the World Cup each time, and exceeding expectations in the process. In 1998, he led his native Holland to the semi-finals. Four years later, he led hosts South Korea to the semi-finals against all odds. In 2006, he led Australia to the knockout stage, where they were defeated by eventual champions Italy after putting up a very good fight. Having already accomplished so much with Russia, one could easily have seen Hiddink leading the country to an impressive World Cup campaign.

The Russians' failure to qualify, however, has led to an interesting situation. One of the world's best managers is up for grabs.

With Real Madrid not on top form, with Liverpool in the midst of their worst run in years, and with Manchester City determined to challenge for the title, Hiddink could well be approached by some of the top clubs on the continent. Bayern Munich also haven't gotten off to the best of starts. AC Milan have looked terrible this season. Given his successful stint at the club earlier this year, Chelsea could well be his destination if Ancelotti isn't successful.

Probably the best coach who's available right now, options are unlikely to be limited. But where will he go?

New Zealand fortunate to qualify for World Cup?

After defeating Bahrain in the playoff, New Zealand are going to make a long-awaited appearance in the World Cup next year. The only reason they have qualified seems to be because Australia have switched to the Asian qualification region.

Australia's squad is way superior than that of New Zealand. If Australia were still participating in the Oceania qualification region, they would have easily finished above the All Whites and entered the playoff instead of them. With Australia now out of the way, New Zealand were presented with this amazing opportunity and have done well to take it.

However, I fear that New Zealand will be humiliated in the World Cup next June. Yes, they were better than the other teams in the region. Yes, they did beat Bahrain. But have any of the teams they have played against been of the quality they will be up against in the World Cup? I can easily see them finishing with zero points and conceding a fair few goals if they are drawn with countries such as Brazil or Spain.

Having said that, New Zealand have done fabulously to have qualified for the World Cup. They were fortunate that a major obstacle in the form of Australia was removed. But credit is due for overcoming Bahrain. The World Cup will be good exposure for their players and a fantastic opportunity for their staff and players to learn and come back stronger in 2014.

Rafa for Real?

This is not the first time Rafa Benitez's job has been on the line at Liverpool. In the past, it was due to his conflict with the club's American owners. This time, however, it is down to poor results. His primary purpose is to get results on the pitch and his position is thus the most precarious presently since joining the club in 2004.

It therefore seems likely that Benitez will soon find his way to the Real Madrid hotseat. This could be in a couple of weeks, a couple of months or even the end of the season. At the moment, this seems likely to happen sooner rather than later.

Benitez has long been Madrid's first choice. Each time the Madrid job has become available over the past few years (there have been many occasions, by the way), Benitez has rejected the temptation. With Madrid currently not on top form, there is every chance their coach could get sacked. And if and when he does, who are Real Madrid going to turn to first? Rafa Benitez.

This time, he is likely to accept their offer. Firstly, he may be out of a job by then, if he cannot improve performances at Anfield. Secondly, if Liverpool's season is ruined in the next few weeks through further defeats in the league and elimination from the Champions League, he may see it as an indication that his time is up.

We all know that it is Benitez's long-term desire to manage Real Madrid. The present circumstances suggest that the time for this may have arrived.

Are Celtic and Rangers Good Enough for the Premiership?

Talk of Celtic and Rangers joining the English Premier League has again made the news in recent weeks. The question is: Can they really give the big teams a run for their money?

They have for years been after a place in England's top flight in order to maximise their potential by improving the quality of their team by being challenged by quality opposition week after week. More importantly, they want to boost their appeal around the globe by taking advantage of the league's popularity. This ultimately would increase profits.

In the past, it was thought that Celtic and Rangers would be able to challenge for the Champions League spots. Looking at their squads presently, it doesn't look like they will even make it to the Europa League.

Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal undoubtedly are superior to Scotland's two big teams. With the quick and vast improvement of the next tier of England's teams in recent seasons, Celtic and Rangers would have trouble overcoming these teams. In my opinion, Manchester City, Tottenham, Everton and Aston Villa would all finish above Celtic and Rangers in a league campaign.

That would leave these two teams with a mid-table finish. Their squads are simply not good enough to compete with the teams mentioned above. This can be seen by their usual mediocre performances in Europe over recent years.

Will they be expecting to finish at 10th position? Will they be content with not enjoying wins regularly like they do in Scotland?

Still, it will be beneficial for them to join the Premiership, even if they do not challenge for the title. In monetary terms, they are sure to benefit because of the league's global appeal and through various other ways such as the massive income through television deals. With greater economic strength, they will be able to strengthen their squads and improve their performances, or so we hope. This could lead to a virtuous cycle.

Will they be allowed to join the Premiership? That is an entirely different question!

The Key to Man City's Success

One of the main reasons Manchester City have hit the ground running this season is Mark Hughes' transfer strategy over the summer. Instead of attempting to sign above-average players from around Europe and the world, he has instead opted to sign proven, successful Premiership players. With Kaka rejecting the club in January and Samuel Eto'o doing likewise over the summer, Hughes has realised that he is not going to be able to acquire a collection of world-beaters just yet. He first has to prove that Manchester City can compete for trophies.

In order to improve on their mediocre performances of last season, Hughes correctly decided that he should purchase players who understand the English game - players who have been successful and will not take time to adapt to the pace and power of the Premiership.

As such, in came Adebayor. As we've seen during his time at Arsenal, he's capable of being pure genius, but when his mood takes a swing, so do his performances. Since signing for City, he has been hungry to prove his doubters wrong, and has consequently gone on to score in every game he's played thus far. How long this will last is uncertain. We've already witnessed his nasty side in the match against his old club Arsenal. While it is a risky buy, if Hughes can keep Adebayor motivated, he will go on to score a hatful of goals. Tevez and Santa Cruz have also proven themselves in this league, and their acquisition has led to a strikeforce that will be feared by every defence in the league. Not just that, with Adebayor, Tevez, Santa Cruz, Robinho and Bellamy, Man City have the options available to suit a variety of tactics.

The centre of defence was a position City desperately needed to attend to. After a cheeky bid for John Terry failed - which would have been a major coup symbolically as well - Hughes went on to sign Toure and Lescott. Both these players have been a success in the league for a few years now.

Gareth Barry was also brought in in midfield from under the noses of Liverpool. A leader, an English international and a top-class player - in all ways a fantastic buy.

Whether intentional or not, Man City have actually weakened their rivals in the process. Two first team players from Arsenal, one from Manchester United, one from Everton and one from Aston Villa. These are all teams who have qualified for Europe and teams which City will have to overcome if they wish to qualify for Europe this season. In my opinion, this is a brilliant strategy - in the process of strengthening their squad, they have also weakened the squads of their rivals.

Realistically, it will be very difficult for Man City to become champions this season. While their squad has been strengthened tremendously, it is going to take time to displace the other top teams who have just as much quality in their squads. They should make it to the Europa League, and with a little luck, maybe even the Champions League. Let's see how they progress over the course of the season.

Who will win the 2010 World Cup?

With the latest rounds of World Cup qualifiers taking place last week, the battle to qualify for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa is coming to an end. Even at this early stage, it is interesting to speculate who will win the top prize in football next summer. Personally, I think one of three countries will emerge victorious:

1) Brazil

History suggests that Brazil have an excellent shot at triumphing. Every single World Cup in Europe has been won by a European nation, with the exception being Brazil in Sweden ’58. Every World Cup held outside Europe has been won by a South American nation. Argentina is the only other South American nation that would have a realistic chance, but at the moment it appears extremely unlikely, given that they may not even qualify.

Brazil have the form and quality to back them up as well. They have won their last 11 fixtures and have not been defeated for more than a year. Dunga’s men top the South American qualification table, having only lost one of their 16 matches. Their Confederations Cup victory this year is sure to boost confidence ahead of the World Cup next year. Despite possessing quality players like Kaka, Robinho and Luis Fabiano , however, Brazil’s squad just is not as good as it was in 2002 and 2006. Ronaldinho’s lack of form, for instance, has led to him being dropped from the team. During the last World Cup, he was widely regarded as the best player in the world. Nevertheless, Brazil possess a team that most would envy, and as such, have to be regarded as serious contenders for the upcoming World Cup in South Africa.

2) Spain

Following Spain’s victory in the European Championships in 2008, there appears to be no way of stopping the Spanish national team. After winning the tournament in style, Spain have swept all before them in the World Cup qualifiers. Barcelona’s treble victory last season has also led many to believe that Spanish football is on the rise.

Following tournament after tournament of underachievement, there now seems to be no reason for believing why the Spanish cannot go on to win the big prize as well. With stars such as Xavi, Iniesta, Villa, Silva and Torres amongst others, the Spanish possess an envy of talent. These players have developed a very good understanding among themselves. With their attractive, attacking brand of football, Spain is the popular choice.

3) England

Under Fabio Capello, England have finally become a force to be seriously reckoned with. I say seriously reckoned with because they have always been thereabouts at major tournaments, but they have not reached the semi-finals or finals for a long time now. While it is too early to say that England will reach this far next year, it seems very likely.

Capello’s leadership has made England an efficient outfit. They have overcome every challenge put before them in the World Cup qualifiers with great professionalism. In their recent victory over Croatia, they even managed to rack in the goals, which brought great satisfaction to the English fans following their defeat to the same country in the qualifiers for the European Championships, a result that led to their elimination. Capello has led England with an iron fist, and it is obvious that the discipline he has brought to the squad has had a tremendous effect. He has already stated that he will not let the wives and girlfriends (WAGs) of the players have a detrimental effect next year. The manner of England’s victories over the past year has meant that they have to be taken seriously. It is highly likely that they will be contenders for the championship in South Africa next year.

I have to stress that these are my views at this point in time. Based on the progress of these and other teams, my opinion of the contenders for the World Cup could very well change. At this point, however, I see one of these three nations emerging victorious.

Liverpool: Taking things into perspective

Only four games into the season and Liverpool have already been ruled out of the title race by some. Titles are not won in the opening games of the season. Titles can be lost - but not after just four games. It is true that the reds have made a less than desirable start but there is still plenty of reason to be optimistic.

For the first time in years, Liverpool were genuine title contenders up till the closing weeks of the season. And this was despite injuries to arguably two of their most important players for much of the campaign, Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard. Losing only two games the entire season, a major criticism was Liverpool's failure to turn draws into wins, particularly against weaker teams at Anfield. Torres and Gerrard are game winners. They are the kind of players who are capable of producing a moment of magic to win games.

The main criticism Liverpool have been facing over the past few weeks is that the loss of Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid has cost Liverpool a creative force in midfield. He was a key player last season and his loss has been dearly missed. This criticism is valid. In the opening matches, Liverpool have lacked inspiration. It was only after Yossi Benayoun came on as a substitute against Tottenham in the opening match, for instance, that Liverpool looked dangerous in the final third. With Alonso no longer around to spray passes from midfield, we have also seen Gerrard drop deep to retrieve the ball. This has prevented Gerrard from playing in his best position and has left Torres isolated up front. Granted, Lucas has improved as a player from a year ago. But he is not a replacement for Alonso. He and Mascherano together in midfield do not provide an attacking threat whatsoever. This has been Liverpool's main weakness this season. There has been no creative force in midfield.

Of course, Alberto Aquilani has been brought in as a replacement for Alonso. Before even kicking a ball, he has been criticised for being too injury prone. This certainly is a concern, but judgement should be withheld till he actually plays a few games for the club and gels with his teammates. For all Alonso's strengths, he had a few weaknesses, which is why Rafa Benitez tried to replace him with Gareth Barry last summer in the first place. While he dictated Liverpool's play, he tended to be static and did not contribute enough in terms of goals. Perhaps, Benitez felt his team could be strengthened with a player who was more mobile, got forward more, and made more attempts on goal. This explains why he purchased Aquilani and why he had initially chased Barry. It is a mystery, however, that Benitez did not make a greater effort to sign Barry this summer, given that he was available for a cut-down price.

While the impact of Aquilani is as yet unknown, the overall quality of Liverpool's starting line-up seems to have improved. There have been two changes to the first XI - Alonso has been replaced by Aquilani and Arbeloa has been replaced by Glen Johnson. While we haven't witnessed Aquilani's impact, Johnson has made an immediate contribution. Eyebrows were raised over the huge sum Liverpool paid Portsmouth, but with just four games gone, that hefty pricetag appears to be worth it. It is not just the two goals that he has scored - which, by the way, is extremely impressive - but the overall contribution he provides to Liverpool's attack. He has constantly been in the final thrid of the pitch, providing overlaps and has not been afraid to cross or shoot. This is one thing Liverpool have lacked for some time. While Arbeloa and Finnan before him were reliable options and always produced 7/10 performances, they did not provide an attacking threat. All the top teams have attacking fullbacks - Manchester United have Patrice Evra, Chelsea have Ashley Cole and Jose Bosingwa and Arsenal have Gael Clichy and Bakary Sagna. For Barcelona as well, Dani Alves proved to be a threat constantly on the right flank last season for Barcelona as they swept all before them. Liverpool now have an attacking fullback of their own, and this is already helping them tremendously.

While waiting for Aquilani to return to fitness, one thing seems to be certain - Benayoun needs to start every match. Liverpool clearly lack a spark at the moment. Gerrard is unable to provide all the creativity on his own. Benayoun has proven to be very useful with his technique, skill and unpredictability. One possible option is for Gerrard to play in a deeper position (Alonso's former position, now Aquilani's) while Aquilani recovers, while Benayoun plays in Gerrard's position just behind the striker. This is not Gerrard's ideal position, and his performances may be slighly below what he is capable of. However, Liverpool's performace as a whole could improve. This is something worth considering.

Losing as many games as they lost the whole of last season in the opening four games sure is disappointing. However, drawing too many games was Liverpool's problem last season. Losing one game and winning one game is better than drawing two games. This thought is comforting. As long as Liverpool are able to turn those draws into wins, losing a couple more games this year is unlikely to have too detrimental an effect. If Aquilani proves to be an inspired acquisition, if Gerrard and Torres remain fit this time around, and if Johnson continues to provide as big a threat down the right, Liverpool should be challenging for the title in May.