GROUP C REVIEW

The one everyone's been waiting for - the review of England's group, where the hopes or dreams of a nation will be built or shattered. Not too much pressure on Fabio and his boys then!


ALGERIA

Having scraped through a qualifying play-off against Egypt, and a patchy African Cup of Nations performance which included a 3-0 loss to Malawi and 4-0 semi-final defeat to Egypt, expectations will not be high in South Africa in Algeria's first World Cup appearance since 1986. There seems to be a distinct lack of quality in the squad and the naturalisation of Habib Belaid, Ryad Boudebouz and Mohamed Chakhouri in the last week smacks of desperation. However, they do have players littered around Europe's top leagues and middling leagues, mainly Frace. Madjid Bougherra of Rangers, Portsmouth's Nadir Belhadj, as well as Hassan Yebda on loan, and Adlene Guedioura of Wolves will be familiar to British football fans. Carl Medjani, formerly of the Liverpool youth teams, is another French born player who has been naturalised in the build up to the World Cup. In fact, only nine of the 30 man preliminary squad were born in Algeria - the rest being born in France - and many have never played in their native country. To that extent, they will be a unknown entity, and are similar to other central and northern African countries such as Ivory Coast, Cameroon et al, in being a throwback to their colonial past. There will be a great onus on the experienced players in the squad with so many new and inexperienced players coming through. As well as Belhadj, Bougherra and Yebda, these include: Antar Yahia (who's stunning goal clinched qualification), a defender for Bochum in the Bundesliga; captain Yasid Mansouri who helped Lorient finish seventh in Ligue 1; Karim Ziani at former German champions Wolfsburg; and experienced veteran stiker Rafik Saifi, who, at 35, has been plying his trade in Ligue 2 with Istres. Much will depend on these players to foster some kind of togetherness and team-spirit. But much will depend on their opening game against Slovenia if they are going to have nay chance of making progress.

STAR PLAYER - YAZID MANSOURI

With so many new players, there will certainly be a great onus on the captain to bring everyone together and make sure the team is more than a sum of it's part. As one of the most experienced and in-form players in the squad, he will serve a double purpose. A quality defensive midfielder, good at breaking up the play and strong in the tackle, he will be especially key in the tougher games against USA and England.

MANAGER - RABAH SAADANE

An unknown outside Algeria, he is in his fifth spell in charge of the national team. This included leading his country to their only previous World Cup appearances in 1982 and 1986. He will hope it is more 1982 than 1986, where a stunning opening win against Germany was almost enough to qualify for the second round, but for a carve-up between the Germans and their Austrian neighbours. However, there3 is no Rabah Madjer in this time, widely considered the greatest Algerian footballer of all time, and the only Algerian to win the Champions League, so Saadane will undoubtedly have his work cut out. He will need to recapture the spirit which saw off favourites Egypt in the play off.


ENGLAND

Where to start then. All of the players will be familiar, as they all play in the Premier League, surprisingly. This has not always been the case in recent years, as players have dabbled with football abroad. We've had Owen Hargreaves at Bayern Munich before trying to give the Premier League a try, David Beckham would probably have been in the squad despite plying his trade in the MLS - he would have won a place for his name alone! Then there have been Michael Owen, Steve McManaman and Paul Ince to name but a few. There is no doubt this suqad has the potential to go far in South Africa, but that is not to say there aren't weaknesses. And the goalkeeping position is the biggest weakness. The two more experienced goalies in the squad, David James and Rob Green, play for the teams who finished 20th and 17th respectively last season, and who have been beset by either injuries, poor form or spells on the sidelines. The third option is Joe Hart. There is no doubt he has had an excellent season in Birmingham City's magnificent overachievement. But he is incredibly raw in Premier League terms, let alone on the international stage. His one international cap came in June 2008 against Trinidad and Tobago, and it would be a huge responsibility to thrust him onto the biggest stage of all. So, no-one really knows who England's number one will be. Hardly an awe inspiting start! In defence, things are a little better. But only a little! There seems to be a marked lack of depth, and the first choice 11 have all experienced their different problems this season. Glen Johnson at right-back is good going forward but suspect defensively, as shown in Liverpool's dismal season. He also missed a large chunk of the season with a medial ligament tear. Rio Ferdinand, a stalwart of the defence for more than ten years, has been beset by injury problems in the last season, which arguably cost Manchester United the title. He made just 21 appearances in all competitions with a niggling back complaint, and his fitness must be a real concern for the World Cup. John Terry's problems, in the other hand, have been well documented and are entirely self-inflicted. They don't need to be repeated here - this is a football not a gossip blog after all - but his off the field shenanigans seem to have affected his form. In defeats against Everton and Manchester City especially, he did not seem like the Terry of old. This did not stop Chelsea capturing the double, but it's certainly a worry, and Capello will be hoping he recaptures his old commanding aura for June 12th. At left-back, Ashley Cole is another who's 'enjoyed' as many front-page headlines as back. One of the best full-backs in the world on his day, with pace, skill and great delivery, he has also missed much of the season with an ankle injury, only returning in the last few weeks of the season. He will need to get up to speed quickly. A solid unit when everyone is working together and on form, the back-up options make this a worrying time for Capello. There is no natural right-back replacement, and the recall of Jamie Carragher (who has had a poor season with Liverpool) smacks of desperation. Leighton Baines is woefully inexperienced at the highest level, and Matthew Upson is another who has been affected by West Ham's upheaval this season. In midfield, the situation looks quite a bit rosy, which appears awash with talent. The big question is, can Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard click? If they can, that will be obviously be a big plus for England! Gerrard has had a poor season for Liverpool, where he has been unable to cajole his troops as before, but on his day, he is unstoppable. Lampard scored his customary 20+ goals for Chelsea, so we know what to expect there. There are a few wildcard's in the squad, so it is hard to know who Capello will keep and who he will cut for the final 23. He will certainly hope Gareth Barry from his ankle injury for his versatility and as solid back up to Gerrard and Lampard, or maybe as a third central midfielder. What is most encouraging though, is that on the whole, Capello has chosen a squad based on form rather than reputation. Adam Johnson has yet to make his England debut, but there does seem to be one late arrival every tournament, and he's been superb since moving to Manchester City in January. Could it be him? James Milner and Aaron Lennon have to go for my money. Milner has had a brilliant season for Villa, and can fill a number of position, all of them adequately. I would have Lennon in the starting 11. He has really developed at Spurs this season, his delivery and supply reaching a new level. He's always had the pace and athleticism. Shaun Wright-Phillips is another alternative on the right, but he has not been as influential at Manchester City. Scott Parker is another surprise selection. But, as the 'two David's' have stated, all of West Ham's squad, except for Parker, are on the transfer list. This says something about his form and character this season. At the top, there is one obvious star - a certain Wayne Rooney! He has added a new dimension to his game in the last season, become an out-and-out goalscorer in the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United, as well as being an all round team player. This resulted in 34 goals in 44 games, by far his best gaolscoring return. Peter Crouch is now a fixture in the England squad, with a sensational internation goal return of 20 in 37 game. Not bad for a beanpole! A World Cup scorer in Germany, he courts as much controversy as praise in some quarters, but there is no doubting his ability. Not a regular at Spurs last season, but he generally scored when he played, most importantly to clinch Spurs Champions League place for next season at Man City. Think Emile Heskey, with better balance and goals! Which brings us onto Heskey. He alwasy seems to be popular with England managers. Rarely a regular at Villa this season behind John Carew and Gabriel Agbonlahor, how he continues to be picked for international squads is beyond belief. An international record of 7 in 57 games is shocking for a striker. His best legue goal return of 14 came back at Liverpool in 2000/01, and he has scored just the five league goals for Villa since moving to Birmingham in January 2009. But apparently, he's good at holding the ball up! That will probably leave just the one place for Jermain Defoe or Darren Bent. My money would be on the former, the Spurs striker adding slightly more to the team than his former clubmate, and having an international record of 11 goals in 39 caps, where Bent has still not broken his duck in five caps. So, there is undoubtedly a large pool of talent for Capello to choose from. But there are also plenty of form, fitness and personal worries as well, but when hasn't that been the case! If everything comes together, and with a bit of luck, who knows how far his adopted country can go?

STAR PLAYER - WAYNE ROONEY

Who else?! His Italian manager will be hoping he has recovered from his late-season injury worries to be fighting fit for South Africa. On his day, he is up there with Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Franck Ribery in the top echelon of players in the world. He has such an impact on Manchester United last season, that there season somewhat disintegrated when he injured his ankle against Bayern Munich in the first-leg of that quarter-final. They lost that game, as they did at the weekend at home to Chelsea to hand their rivals the title initiative which they never relinqueshed. He was rushed back for the second leg against Bayern, despite clearly not being fit, and his team crashed out. It is likely a fit and firing Rooney, with his determination, passion, and fighting spirit, will prove the difference between an early exit and a real World Cup challenge.

MANAGER - FABIO CAPELLO

There was some scepticism when England looked abroad again following the 'wally with the brolly', in 2007, but it is clear England are in safe, experienced, hands. A useful player in his own right, he represented Italy at the 1974 World Cup as a midfielder, and spent a combined 13 years at Roma, Juventus and AC Milan. But he has had an even more illustrious managerial career. In his first spell at Milan, he won four Serie A titles, three Coppa Italias and qualified for three consecutive Champions League finals, winning one. Not bad for a first managerial job! He had a reputation as a fearless taskmasking, unafraid of upsetting players with big reputations. This was to prove his downfall at Real Madrid, as, despite winning La Liga in his sole season there, he was sacked. He then returned to Milan, the sole blot on his managerial track record. In his only season in his second spell, Milan finished 10th, 30 points behind champions Juventus, by which time Capello was long gone. And on to Roma, where he led the ccapital club to only their second ever Serie A title before departing for Juventus. And guess what? He won two titles there in his two season's in charge there. Or so he thought, as the match-fixing scandal saw those stripped from Juve, and also included relegation to Serie B. So, he was on the move again, this time back to Real Madrid. And, in a shocking repeat of history, he won the title in his only season there only to be sacked. Again. Oh well, Real's loss is England's game, and his mix of discipline, experience and tactical acumen should stand England in good stead in South Africa.


SLOVENIA

Like Algeria, expectations will not be high in Slovenia. Qualifying for their first major tournament since the 2002 World Cup, it was probably a surprise to finish above Euro 2008 finalists Czech Republic and Poland in their qualifying group, but an even bigger won to defeat Euro 2008 semi-finalists in the qualifying play-off! This team certainly does not have the same personalities as the team of the early 2000s. There is no Zlatko Zahovic, of Valencia, Olympiakos and Porto fame, to upset the apple cart. The coach at the time Srecko Katanec was also a huge personality, being the most famous Slovenian footballer prior to Zahovic (although he made most of his international appearances for pre-war Yugoslavia). In Euro 2000, they put their differences aside to almost upset their former lords Yugoslavia and only just missed out on the quarter-finals. Not so in 2002, where a fall-out led to Zahovic going home early a la Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy, and Katanec quit after the World Cup. And so to 2010, and what to expect from this Slovenia team? It's a bit of a mixed bag really, with a mix of players with experience of the big European leagues and those performing in the Slovenian league. The goalkeeper is solid - Samir Handanovic is a regular for Udinese in Serie A, and is known as a fine shot stopper with a bright future ahead. His experience will be invaluable. The defence appears fairly settled. While unremarkable, all four occupants play for top flight clubs aborad. Branko Ilic (Lokomotiv Moscow) at right-back, Bojan Jokic (Sochaux) at left-back, Bostjan Cesar (Grenoble) and Miko Brecko (Cologne) at the heart of the defence. This Slovenia team looks like it has been built on team spirit, and getting the most out of the talent at it's disposal. One of the formative midfielder's will be Robert Koren, who, despite having impressive ability on the ball when breaking from midfield, has spent the past season in the Championship with West Brom. Valter Birsa is a regular for Auxerre, able to play as a striker or in the hole, and Andrej Komac is considered the country's finest defensive midfielder, while performing at Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel. Perhaps the wildcard, though, will be Rene Khrin, who will have just turned 20 by the time the World Cup kicks-off. Clearly a young boy with a big future ahead, he looks like he should still be in school, but Jose Mourinho, his manager at Inter Milan, is clearly a fan - he's already given him his debut for the Serie A champions. A box-to-box midfielder with an impressive turn of pace, watch out for him should be given a chance. At the so-called 'business end' of the pitch, the scoring onus will fall on the shoulders of Cologne striker Milvoje Novakovic. Five of his 14 international goals came in World Cup qualifying, including crucial home wins over Slovakia, Northern Ireland and Poland. This suggests he is a late-bloomer having just turned 31, and he only made his debut in 2006. But with other strikers Nejc Pecnic (Nacional), Zlatan Ljubijankic (Gent) and Zlatko Dedic (Bochum) having scored nine international goals between them, not too much presure on Novakovic. Although Dedic did score the crucial winning goal against Russia, so maybe we shouldn't be too harsh on him!

STAR PLAYER - MILVOJE NOVAKOVIC

To have any chance of making it out of the group stage of a tournament for the first time in their history, Slovenia will need Novakovic to recpature his form from last season for Cologne and qualifying, because the team looks painfully short of goals if that doesn't happen. Only coming to prmoinence by moving to Germany in 2006, having spent the rest of his career in Austria and Bulgaria, this could be his chance to really stamp his mark on the world stage. Strong, powerful and good in the air, don't bet against him seizing his chance.

MANAGER - MATJAZ KEK

He does not quite have the profile of the only other man to take Slovenia to a mojor international tournament, Katanec. But, having qualified against the odds, he will be just as revered should they exceed expectations in South Africa. He served his apprenticeship, first at top Slovenian club Maribor and then with Slovenian youth teams before getting the top job in 2007. He sees this qualification as 'carrying on the great story of Slovenian football.' Is there another fairytale chapter?


USA

And so on to England's first opponents, who should need no introduction, with the maount of players who ply their trade in England or Scotland, or have strutted their stuff on these shores. The three keepers all play in the Premier League. Tim Howard, superb for Everton last season, is the undoubted number one. Despite his Tourettes, he is a terrific shot-stopper and his decision making is improving all the time. Marcus Hahnemann, as back-up, was crucial in Wolves retinaing their top-flight status. And Brad Guzan is reserve keeper at Aston Villa, behind, yes you guessed it, a retired American, Brad Friedel. In defence, America look especially strong, This is the foundation with which they reached last year's Confederation's Cup final, after all. The probable back-four will be filled with players with experience of English football. Jonathon Spector, at right-back, is unlikely to inspire much confidence at right-back having suffered a depressing season at West Ham. In the centre of defence, Oguchi Onyewu is a quality player, a defender with pace and a good brain, although he hasn't been able to show this at AC Milan since his summer move due to a knee injury suffered while on international duty. This led to the almost unprecedented step of agreeing to play the last year of his contract for free. So footballer's can be human. Jay DeMerit, alongside him, is another one who has overcome serious injury, and his is a heartwarming story all round. He scratched his eyeball while removing a contact lens early last season, and the injury became infected. The consequences could have been more serious than they originally were. He has been a regular for Watford ever since impressing against them in a pre-season friendly for seventh-tier side Northwood. And now he's off to the World Cup. So there's hope for us all. Not the quickest, but one of the strongest. At left-back, Carlos Bocanegra, formerly of Fulham, will be as dependable and hard in the tackle as usual. In midfield, Clint Dempsey will be key. Able to play in the forward line, or, more likely wide on the right, he is as steady player capable of coming up with the odd goal or two here or there. And after Fulham's last season, he should be on top of the world. Just ask Juventus! Ricardo Clark is another late bloomer, having secured his first move to Europe earlier this year with Eintracht Frankfurt. A defensive midfielder in the Mascherano mould, he is adept at breaking up play and starting attacks. Going the other way will probably be the manager's son, Michael Bradley. But no nepotism here. Impressive for Borussia Monchengladbach following his move from Heerenveen, he was key in the USA's run to the Confederation Cup final, although a sending off in the semi-final victory over Spain resulted in his suspension for the final. A superb passer, this will be crucial to their success. Maurice Edu and DaMarcus Beasley will be familiar to Rangers fans, but both will probably have to conted themselves with places on the sidelines due to long periods of inactivity at Ibrox in the last season. The midfield will be completed by the stand out player of this, and the last, American generation - Landon Donavon. Finally making an impact in Europe last season with a loan spell at Everton following failed attempts at Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich, it is no coincidence Everton boss David Moyes wanted to hash out a permanent deal as his arrival transformed them into one of the most consistent teams in the second half of the season. He is the all-time record goalscorer, with the most assists, and only Cobi Jones, Jeff Agoos, and Marcelo Balboa have gained more caps. If USA reach the final, he'll even overtake the latter (but that may be wishful thinking)!Being able to play as a winger, attacking midfielder, or an out-and-out striker, he will have to be on form for the Americans to match their best performance of the quarter-finals in 2002. Up front, the Americans will be hit by the loss of Charlie Davies, who impressed in said Confederations Cup last summer. This earned him a move to Sochaux in France, where he scored twice on his debut. But while on international duty for a World Cup qualifier with Costa Rica in October, he was involved in a fatal car crash, which almost cost him his life. He has not quite been able to recover his fitness in time. The onus, therefore, will fall on Jozy Altidore and Brian Ching. The former, strong and quick, was hardly a revelation in Hull's failed relegation battle last season, although he does have a bright future ahead of him. Ching has been a late developer, and has never played outside the MLS, but this could work in his favour - as an unknown quantity. There is no place in even the preliminary squad for Freddy Edu, and Eddie Johnson has not delievered as his talent suggested he would - just ask Fulham and Cardiff fans! So, that's the Americans. Great desire, togetherness and team-spirit, they meet on a regular basis and are a tournament-versed team. That said, they would back their chances to join England in the last 16.

STAR PLAYER - LANDON DONAVON

In an undeniably solid team, the creative burden will fall on the shoulders of the most experienced player. It's strange to think Donavon is only 28 with all he's achieved. His confidence will be high following his loan spell at Everton, and his versatility will be an asset to Bradley senior. A veteran of the success of 2002, when he was voted young player of the tournament, with goals in defeat against Poland and in the second round win against Mexico, this experience will be crucial if America are going to taste the same kind of success.

MANAGER - BOB BRADLEY

Being the dad of one of the team's stars', Michael Bradley, might cause problems, you might think. Not so in this case, as Bradley junior is clearly not in the team for his family connections, and Bradley senior has formed a fantastic unit since moving into the top job in 2006. He had served a long apprenticeship, as he began coaching team out of college, starting with Ohio State College at the young age of just 23, but he will relish his chance to manage on the biggest stage now it has arrived. The Condfederations Cup, where his charges were 16 minutes away from defeating Brazil in the final, shows it would be a mistake to take them for granted. He will do well to match the achievements of Bob Arena by reaching the quarter-finals. The second round could present an opportunity for revenge against their 2002 conquerors, Germany.


PREDICTION

In my eyes, this group should be fairly straightforward. I think England will come out on top just ahead of their formal colony the USA, with Slovenia, followed by Algeria, bringing up the rear. But I have been wrong before!