left, and FIFA president Sepp Blatter address the audience during the
preliminary draw for the 2010 World Cup football tournament
in Durban, South Africa, on November 25.
Photo: REUTERS
England have the chance for revenge against Croatia as they have been drawn in the same qualifying group for the 2010 World Football Cup. Less than a week after Croatias 3:2 away win at Wembley ensured England would not reach the 2008 European Championship finals, the sides were picked in the same group in the World Cup draw, which took place in Durban. Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Andorra are the other teams in Group 6.
Following the sacking of Steve McClaren as England manager, after the team failed to qualify for Euro 2008, Jose Mourinho has reportedly expressed an interest in the job.
The 44-year-old, who left Chelsea in September, said he would be prepared to talk to the Football Association. Mourinho would be a popular choice to replace McClaren because of his hugely impressive record with Chelsea and Porto. However, Uefa president Michel Platini said the Football Association should appoint an Englishman as the new national coach. If I was looking for the manager of England, I would try to find a good English guy who everybody trusted to make a good team. England is such a strong country that they have to take an Englishman, Platini said.
Jose Mourinho, Phil Scolari, Guus Hiddink, Fabio Capello, Louis van Gaal, Jurgen Klinsmann and Northern Irelands Martin ONeill have all been linked with the England vacancy.
Scotland now face a similar problem as Alex McLeish has resigned as the national coach to take over as Birmingham boss. Scottish Football Association chief executive Gordon Smith was left surprised as a new contract was in the process of being discussed. 48-year-old McLeish was appointed in January 2007 with a deal running until 2010 and came close to taking Scotland to Euro 2008.
In the World Cup 2010 qualifiers the Scots drew Holland in Group 9 , the only group with just five teams. Norway, Iceland and Macedonia are the other teams in the group.
Wales, who also failed to qualify for Euro 2008, have another difficult task with Germany and Russia set to test John Toshacks youngsters to the full in Group 4. Finland, Azerbaijan and Liechtenstein are the remaining teams in the group. Northern Ireland have been drawn with the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and San Marino in Group 3.
The winners of each of the nine groups will qualify for the finals in South Africa. There will then be a playoff between the eight best second-place teams for the four remaining European spots in the finals.
