2009 July | Soccer Improved

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World Cup 2006 Preview – Ghana

Outright Odds: 250/1 Group E Winners: 12/1

After winning four African Cup of Nations titles and producing players of the calibre of Abedi Pele and Tony Yeboah, the Black Stars have qualified for the World Cup finals for the first time in 10 attempts, stretching back to 1962.

Despite being a force in African football between the 1960s and 1980s, qualification for the World Cup was never a serious exercise and more recently the country suffered from poor management both on and off the pitch to scupper their attempts to reach the 1994, 1998 and 2002 finals.

However, this problem was eradicated under new manager Ratomir Dujkovic. The Serbian took over in December 2004 after Portuguese coach Mariano Barreto quit four months earlier. Dujkovic enjoyed success with Rwanda, leading a team dubbed as no hopers to their first African Cup of Nations finals in 2004.

His influence was clear as Ghana won four of their five remaining qualifying fixtures, including a 2-0 away victory over South Africa and eventually topping their group by five points at the expense of the Bafana Bafana.

Where Ghana excel is in midfield. Chelsea's Michael Essien is a key player for his country and has also shone at club level, despite criticism of his £24.4 million price tag imposed by former club Lyon. They are captained by left-footed Stephen Appiah who now plys his trade at Turkish outfit Fenerbahce following eight seasons in Italy with Udinese, Parma, Brescia and Juventus. Sulley Muntari also brings with him Serie A experience as he is currently on the books at Udinese.

Ghana have been boosted in defence by the return of Roma centre half Samuel Kuffor. The former Bayern Munich defender was out of favour following a dispute with the coach but since apologising he is back in contention. Even without him Ghana boasted a mean defence, conceding just four goals in 10 qualifying matches, the least of any African nation.

Despite a strong setup, Ghana go into their World Cup group as the unfancied outsiders which could work to their advantage. They are pitted against one of the tournament favourites in Italy on their opening match so there is no real pressure for them. The team have gelled well under Dujkovic and are capable of causing an opening match upset.

Beyond that they could struggle as they lack players with a true cutting edge in attack. The responsibility will be on Vitesse's Matthew Amoah and Modena's 20-year old striker Gyan Asamoah.

Recommended Bet: Ghana are capable of catching out slow-starters Italy in their first match and qualifying from the group would be a major success. Further tough games against the Czech Republic and USA could see the Black Stars narrowly miss out. Ghana to beat Italy @ 5/1

2018 Fifa World Cup

There has been a lot of talk recently about the bidding for the 2018 Football World Cup. England, China and Australia have all put their hands up as the three most likely prospective hosts. As an Australian it would be fantastic for the world cup to come down under. I had a look at some of the factors which could determine who gets the honor of hosting in 11 years time.

There are several factors as to why we can win the right to host and also why we won?t. Some of the negatives which would adversely affect Australia's chances include the different time zone. We are the other side of the world from the most football developed countries in the world. Europe, North and South America as well as Africa would struggle with television timetables. Asia however is in a similar time zone and is also one of the target growth areas for FIFA. Australia doesn't have the stadiums and infrastructure in place to host a world cup. FIFA rules state that one city can have two stadiums and that all other host cities must have a stadium with a capacity of 40,000. This means that either Sydney or Melbourne would have two stadiums with Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart, Canberra, Newcastle and the Gold Coast having one stadium each. As many of the stadiums in these cities are Aussie rules oval shaped then new stadiums would have to be built in many of these cities.

However some of the positive factors which could see us host the World Cup. We have an excellent track record when holding major events. Sydney 2000 and Melbourne 2006 have shown the world that we can host world class events and host them well. We are a sport loving nation and crowds will be at capacity because everyone will want to go. If Australia goes out early, then people will get behind another country. Another factor which could help is the fact that we are an English speaking country and communication is easier for overseas spectators.

England is the current favorite to host because of a number of reasons. They have established infrastructure and stadiums. They are hosting the 2012 Olympic Games and have the opportunity to show off their hosting abilities. England, although being the home of football is not well liked by the rest of Europe. They have the reputation of never contributing to the world of football by being unsuccessful in major competitions. Crowds in England might also be less likely to attend games after England has been knocked out.

China has a real chance at hosting the 2018 event. They are hosting the Olympic Games and will get a chance to show off their event management. As I said earlier FIFA is trying to target Asia as a key growth area and have China host in 2018 would be a major boost to the sport in that region. Problems with the Chinese bid may include the pollution problems that they have over there as well as their poor human rights record.

It is a tough one to call but as much as I want Australia to host the 2018 World Cup I think England will get the gig. By 2018 it will have been 12 years since the world cup as been to Europe. Plus if it is held in Australia it will be three successive World Cups in the southern hemisphere. But saying that it there is still a long way to go.

World Cup Soccer 2002 (10 Best Goals)

Watch Live Soccer Games Online – Watching Soccer Live Online is Easy

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“Euro/World Cup Soccer”, Anthem

The Popularity of Soccer Shirt

her sports today, soccer has a solid reputation as a fun and worthwhile sport hence it has an endless pool of fans from all around the world. The Spanish, European, and the English teams are enjoying the top positions as among the most sought after and best soccer teams in today's generation. Watching soccer will always put you at the edge of your seat as its adrenaline rush and excitement are beyond compare. Because soccer is considered as one of the most poplar sports today, even the amateur and regular soccer enthusiasts are playing this sport for their recreation and hobby.

The popularity of soccer as a competitive sport prompts business-minded people to create different sports merchandise like the soccer shirts. Upon the introduction of this merchandise in the market, it drives a large number of people from buying this product. Wearing these shirts during soccer games would show your support and loyalty to your favorite soccer team.

These soccer shirts can endow the wearer a sportier look. But just like other clothing you buy, make sure that your soccer shirt will fit your size to provide a free movement. Also, it is important that the shirt is made from comfortable materials to keep you suffering discomfort while watching the game. Also, comfortable soccer shirt can provide you too much pleasure as you don't have to mind the scorching heat of the sun while watching your favorite sport. But since soccer has huge followers, and they may differ in age, they too have varying tastes when it comes to soccer shirts. While some prefer the loose fitting shirts for free movement, there are also other soccer enthusiasts who prefer tight fitting soccer shirts for a more fashionable look.

In most cases, soccer shirts are short sleeved however there are also some who like to wear long sleeved soccer shirt designs. Some have buttons and can provide great comfort once worn especially when using the shirt on a hot sunny day. The materials used on soccer shirts would usually range from cotton, polyester, rayon and many others. Also, numbers, names, designs, player's name and the team logo are included in the shirt.

When looking for a soccer shirt that you can wear at every soccer game, you can surely find in almost every store in town. Because soccer shirts are highly popular these days, you have to careful in choosing the right shirt for you. There are soccer shirts that are only replicas. Buying soccer shirt replicas are very practical because they are very reasonable. However, if you are a hardcore soccer fan and you have all the resources of purchasing the original ones, this could be considered as a big investment.

The most important factor you have to remember when buying a shirt is its design and price. Join the latest soccer fever today and grab the best soccer shirt you can find which incorporates the best design and price. Wear it during your team's game and cheer them towards the championship!