Translated material
Das ist phantastisch!
The FIFA World Cup starts tomorrow in Germany
There's not long to wait. Just one day. And 32 teams will begin the campaign for the main football trophy - the golden figurine of the goddess of victory Nika. 64 matches in 31 days is something that the whole world will watch and discuss. In the meantime, the head coach of the Moscow football club, Leonid SLUTSKY, and the midfielder of the capital's Dynamo, captain of the Russian national team, Alexei SMERTIN, shared their expectations, sympathies and forecasts with Vremya Novostei correspondent Andrei VDOVIN.Leonid SLUTSKY, head coach of FC Moscow:
- For me, the main intrigue of this championship is whether teams with world-average footballers will be able to fight with dignity and win against the stars. Win against them through game discipline and implementation of coaching instructions. Or is it all about performance skills? Usually there is one such team at each championship, but will this turn into a system?
Alexey SMERTIN, captain of the Russian national team:
- Actually, I don’t like making forecasts. I can only guess, and each game is a special performance with its own backstory, intrigue and plot. At this World Cup I will be rooting for those I know from our time together at Chelsea. This is Makelele, Drogba, Lampard... I will follow the Australian team and, of course, worry about Ukraine.
Group "A"
Germany, Poland, Costa Rica, Ecuador
June 9. Munich. Germany - Costa Rica.
June 9. Gelsenkirchen. Poland - Ecuador.
June 14. Dortmund. Germany - Poland.
June 15. Hamburg. Ecuador - Costa Rica.
June 20. Berlin. Ecuador - Germany.
June 20. Hanover. Costa Rica - Poland.
Leonid SLUTSKY:
- The favorite in this group, undoubtedly, is the German team. At all world championships, the hosts advance to the playoffs. And then a lot will depend on Klinsmann. He will generally be one of the central figures of this championship. And it will not be easy for him to bear this burden of responsibility. In such a situation, the main thing for a young coach is not to break down and continue to pursue his line. I know from my own experience: when something goes wrong for a young coach, advice pours in from all sides and everyone seems to know what exactly needs to be done. If Klinsmann does not succumb to this pressure and does exactly as he sees fit, then the German national team has good chances.
There will be a fight for second place. My sympathies are with the Polish national team, for which Moscow defender Mariusz Jop plays. But it won't be easy for the head coach of the Polish team, Pavel Janas. He actually assembled an experimental cast. The winner of the last Champions League, goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek, is not going to the World Cup. Everyone was already counting how much national team scorer Frankowski would score in Germany, but he didn’t take it. But this is Janas's choice, although now the Polish national team is somewhat unpredictable.
Alexey SMERTIN:
- The German team clearly stands out in this group. The remaining three teams will fight for second place. And I won’t risk giving preference to any of them.
Group "B"
England, Sweden, Trinidad and Tobago, Paraguay
June 10. Frankfurt. England - Paraguay.
June 10. Dortmund. Trinidad and Tobago - Sweden.
June 15. Nuremberg. England - Trinidad and Tobago.
June 15 . Berlin. Sweden - Paraguay.
June 20. Kaiserslautern. Paraguay - Trinidad and Tobago.
June 20. Cologne. Sweden - England.
Leonid SLUTSKY:
- There is also a clear favorite here - the England team. Eriksson will certainly be looking to finish his time with England on a high note. The English have a very decent squad, and even without Wayne Rooney they should qualify from the group. And there, according to forecasts, Rooney should already recover from injury and strengthen the team for the playoffs.
At first glance, the Swedes should also leave this group. I don’t think that the confrontation with the Swedish national team will be fundamental for Eriksson. After all, he had not worked in his homeland for a very long time.
Alexey SMERTIN:
- As I said, I will root for the Chelsea players. It's been a difficult season for them, and it will be interesting to see how they finish it. For the same Lampard, in what form he will approach the championship, how he will look at it. But England will definitely qualify from the group. For Ericsson, performing well at the championship is a matter of principle. He had a hard time in England, and in parting he will try to prove something to the fans. They will, of course, expect victories from their team. But I don’t know if it’s important to them that it’s Eriksson who will lead the team to them. Fans in England wanted their own coach for their team, they got one - after the World Cup, the team will be led by Steve McClaren. And for Eriksson it will be important to beat Sweden, which, I think, will be second in this group.
Group "C"
Argentina, Holland, Serbia and Montenegro, Ivory Coast
June 10. Hamburg. Argentina - Cote d'Ivoire.
June 11. Leipzig. Serbia and Montenegro - Holland.
June 16. Gelsenkirchen. Argentina - Serbia and Montenegro.
June 16. Stuttgart. Holland - Cote d'Ivoire.
June 21. Frankfurt. Holland - Argentina.
June 21. Munich. Cote d'Ivoire -- Serbia and Montenegro.
Leonid SLUTSKY:
- My sympathies are with the Argentines and the Dutch. This is a choice of both the heart and the mind. I love Marco van Basten's work and the style he preaches, and the Argentines have excellent performers. But the group is very complex and unpredictable. Ivory Coast? I don't believe in the success of African teams. It's a matter of mentality. They can win one match brilliantly, but to have an even tournament is a question. The African Cup doesn't count. There they play with teams of the same type.
Alexey SMERTIN:
“Still, I think that Côte d’Ivoire should shoot.” After all, at every World Cup, some African team comes up with a surprise. Of the African teams currently represented in the tournament, Côte d'Ivoire has the best chance of achieving this. But in this group it will be very difficult for them. Argentina and Holland need no introduction. The national team of Serbia and Montenegro passed the selection very confidently. Mateja Kezman played first place in the team, scored important winning goals, and was a real leader of the team. Much will probably depend on him even now. But this is the most difficult group, and I cannot choose just two teams from these four.
Group "D"
Mexico, Portugal, Angola, Iran
June 11. Nuremberg. Mexico - Iran.
June 11. Cologne. Angola - Portugal.
June 16. Hanover. Mexico - Angola.
June 17. Frankfurt. Portugal - Iran.
June 21. Leipzig. Iran - Angola.
June 21. Gelsenkirchen. Portugal - Mexico.
Leonid SLUTSKY:
- Portugal is the clear favorite here. The European vice-champions should leave the group without question. It's more difficult with others. Maybe Mexico. But what is alarming is that Mexico has no particular rivals in its region. This team always passes the qualifying stage without any problems, but in the final stages of the last world championships it does not shine. Maybe the advantage of the Mexican national team is that there are practically no foreign players. Off the top of my head I can only remember Barcelona defender Rafael Marquez. This is the similarity between the Mexican championship and the Russian one. There is also money there to keep their best players in their clubs and even invite very decent football players from abroad, for example from Argentina.
Alexey SMERTIN:
-- Mexico and Portugal should qualify from the group. What a formidable force the Portuguese team is, I had the opportunity to see for myself. The second will be the Mexicans, whom Iran will try to actively interfere with.
Group "E"
Italy, Czech Republic, USA, Ghana
June 12. Gelsenkirchen. USA - Czech Republic.
June 12. Hanover. Italy - Ghana.
June 17. Cologne. Czech Republic - Ghana.
June 17 . Kaiserslautern. Italy - USA.
June 22. Hamburg. Czech Republic - Italy.
June 22. Nuremberg. Ghana - USA.
Leonid SLUTSKY:
- The Italian national team, despite the difficult composition of the group, should make it to the playoffs. But the second team I would call the US team. Americans can make any sport national and achieve success in it. Soccer is on the way to this. At the last World Championships, the US team, despite the lack of rich traditions, performed quite successfully. Everything is complicated with the Czech national team. On the one hand, the team consists of experienced football players, on the other hand, they are older. Poborski, Schmitzer, Nedved, Koller. Everyone is well over 30. But it will be interesting to see if, after a not very successful season, they will be able to shine at the World Championships.
Alexey SMERTIN:
- I will also bet on Italy. But I think another representative from this group in the playoffs will be the Czechs. They have a strong team. Almost all players play abroad. Among them are not only veterans, but also quite young football players. The same Milan Baros or Petr Cech.
Group "F"
Australia, Brazil, Japan, Croatia
June 12 . Kaiserslautern. Australia - Japan.
June 13. Berlin. Brazil - Croatia.
June 18. Nuremberg. Japan - Croatia.
June 18. Munich. Brazil - Australia.
June 22. Dortmund. Japan - Brazil.
June 22. Stuttgart. Croatia - Australia.
Leonid SLUTSKY:
- Of course, all of Russia will closely monitor the performance of the Australian team. Each match of Guus Hiddink's team will be examined under a microscope, schemes and tactical tasks for the players will be discussed. But don’t forget: Australia has its own players, Russia has its own. Most likely, the Australians will have no less chance of qualifying from the group than Japan or Croatia.
Of course, Brazil is not only the favorite of this group, but of the entire championship. In principle, any team that Ronaldinho plays for would be considered a contender for victory. The main intrigue of the group: Japan national team coach Zico against Brazil. Zico, despite his amazing talent, never managed to become a world champion as a player. Undoubtedly, he will want to prove himself as a coach and remind the whole of Brazil about himself.
Alexey SMERTIN:
- Brazilians are beyond competition. Unless some force majeure occurs, the Brazilian national team should win this championship. And in this group I will root for Australia. I would like Guus Hiddink's team to at least qualify from the group. Still, Hiddink is not a stranger to us now. His work with other national teams and clubs speaks for itself. Why, if it worked with others, should it not work with Australians?
Group "G"
France, Switzerland, Korea, Togo
June 13 . Frankfurt. Korea - Togo.
June 13. Stuttgart. France - Switzerland.
June 18. Leipzig. France - Korea.
June 19. Dortmund. Togo - Switzerland.
June 23. Cologne. Togo - France.
June 23. Hanover. Switzerland - Korea.
Leonid SLUTSKY:
- Not all of Russia will be following the Korean national team, coached by Dick Advocaat, but in St. Petersburg, everyone will probably be curious. But in this group I will put first of all on France. The French can hardly afford a second consecutive failure at the world championship. The fact that this is Zidane’s farewell tournament will also leave its mark. Although, in my opinion, he will not become one of the main stars of this championship.
My sympathies are the same with the coach of the Swiss national team, Kobi Kuhn.
Alexey SMERTIN:
- France and Switzerland constantly meet in qualifying tournaments, so they know each other very well. The French are the favorites, but I will not root for the entire French team, but for Claude Makelele. Korea and Switzerland have equal chances for the second spot in this group. Surely everything will be decided in their face-to-face meeting.
Group "H"
Spain, Ukraine, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia
June 14. Leipzig. Spain - Ukraine.
June 14. Munich. Tunisia - Saudi Arabia.
June 19. Hamburg. Saudi Arabia - Ukraine.
June 19. Stuttgart. Spain - Tunisia.
June 23. Kaiserslautern. Saudi Arabia - Spain.
June 23. Berlin. Ukraine - Tunisia.
Leonid SLUTSKY:
- Spain will make it to the playoffs here. But in the game of the Ukrainian national team, much will depend on the form in which its main star Andriy Shevchenko is. The injury, the story of the move to Chelsea, all this will certainly affect him somehow. On the other hand, all the players of the Ukrainian team and Shevchenko himself understand that this is the first, and it is possible that the last chance in their careers to play at the World Championship. Much will depend on the first game in the Spain-Ukraine group.
Alexey SMERTIN:
— Of course, a lot will depend on Shevchenko. But someone must bring him shells, which he will then send into the opponents’ goal. This group is not the worst company for Ukraine. I think they have the power to make it to the playoffs. In any case, I will root for them, just as almost all Ukrainian football players rooted for us when the Russian national team played at the World and European Championships. And Spain, with whom we recently met, should also qualify from the group. When they played with us, they were just starting to prepare for the championship. They probably increased during this time.