My world cup tips

Another World cup rolls around

Group A

Germany - Solid, fit, athletic, somewhat dull to watch in action...hang on I think that was Heidi Klum I was thinking of there.
Costa Rica - The country that is international renowned for not having a standing army. Not much of a defense either I suspect. Wanchope might get their only goal of the
Poland - If the poles do well, could really aid the atmosphere in Ireland. At this point the most populous national grouping in the Republic.
Ecuador - I've always mixed Ecuador up with El Dorado.

Group B

England - '66 and all that, prada bags for goalposts, slappers for girlfriend. could win it though
Paraguay - hmm, the terrorist wing of Uruguay.
Trinidad and Tobago - Personally, I think that not picking Brian Lara in Libero position in front of the back four would have been only inspired.
Sweden - Probably passed their best. And that wasn't great still will probably get out of the group ok.

Group C

Argentina - potential winners, now that they aren't lombarded with trying to drag the country out of a depression.
Côte d'Ivoire - apparently their jerseys have sold like hotcakes in Ireland, either because there is a significant population we were unaware of simply because our flags are mirror images of each other.
Serbia and Montenegro - another country we won't see at the competition again, not sure they'll be missed.
Netherlands - My personal team all due to uncle Dan's colour telly and the Iveragh road cousins and that '78 World Cup, and the van der Kerkof brothers sometimes a military junta isn't so bad is it?

Group D

Mexico -
Iran - They'll drink the place dry if they get out of the group!
Angola - Mary Harney's team should find it hard to cope with the conditions, I mean it's an event involving larges numbers of people and it is well organised. It's all so unfamiliar!
Portugal - Great ould country, lovely people, some very good players, as a team ...yeah... did I say nice people?


Group E

Italy - another corruption crisis leading into a European based world cup, so who's the Paolo Rossi this time?
Ghana - Could surprise especially if Italy are as in a mess over the little bother at home.
USA - They've told us that they have a good team and we've no reason to watch them in action to see if it is true or not.
Czech Republic - Hmmm....Prague after a world cup win, Nice!

Group F

Brazil - Ah, the Kerry of soccer, the looks, the ladies, the talent. Did I mention we have 33 All Ireland's? And a hurling title too!
Croatia - I've got them in the draw
Australia - soccer in Oz is a bit like it is here, the 3/4 sport in terms of interest. What is Viduka likely to do against the ould country?
Japan - If they could beat Croatia then it is


Group G

France -
Switzerland - That could have been us that could! We'd have lost to Korea and beaten Togo and then held the French to qualify.
Korea Republic - I like Korea, they have more of a footballing pedigree than Japan and I was glad to see them. Lovely people too, Irish of the orient and all that (there again it's the yanks that christen them that so I'm not so sure that reflects well on either of us.)
Togo - To go is right.


Group H

Spain - If they make the usual mess of this, they should do the decent thing and split the country and let the Catalans or Basques field a full national team.
Ukraine - A one man band perhaps but what a dude. And have you seen his missus?
Tunisia - could sneak around Spain, something of a local debry that one. Not that too many Spaniards will admit that.
Saudi Arabia - I'm not going to be all Michael Moore about this, but I beat the pilot was scared playing them over to Europe.

So, I'm going to be hoping the Dutch do well. All down to uncle Dan and the Iveragh road colour telly mob in '78. I'd like to see Ghana and Tunisa get out of their groups. I suspect Argentina will win it, though I think England might actually live up to the hype of the tabloids press. And if they are 0-3 at half time, and Gerrard is on the pitch then get ready for something really special.