February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Mark Jones
DUBLIN — They’re already calling it the “Group of Life,” and with good reason. While England were left to contemplate an uncertain fate, Ireland were dealt a favorable hand when the draw for next year’s soccer World Cup finals in Japan and South Korea was made last weekend.
A group comprising Germany, Cameroon and Saudi Arabia was as good a result as manager Mick McCarthy could have hoped for. With the top two countries sure of a passage into the last 16 of the tournament, there is every hope that the Irish will emulate the previous World Cup odysseys of Italia ’90 and USA ’94 and qualifying for the knockout stages.
If Germany are not currently the force of old, they are still the strongest side of the four, and given that McCarthy’s players booked their places in the finals by way of a qualifying group that contained the might of Portugal and Holland, it’s reasonable to expect that the Irish will have enough resources to get the better of both Cameroon and Saudi Arabia and join the Germans in the next phase.
In contrast to Ireland’s good fortune, England were pitched into the so-called “Group of Death” along with Argentina, Sweden and Nigeria. With four quality sides and such high stakes, it’s just as conceivable that England could finish first as last.
“I’m delighted with the draw,” McCarthy said. “I’ve been speaking to the England manager [Sven Goran Eriksson] and I think I was slightly happier than he was. He mentioned something about a swap, but I declined.” And was he confident of making it through to the last 16.
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“Don’t be putting that sort of pressure on me six months before we kick a ball. If Holland were in the tournament, they’d be one of the favorites and we knocked them out, so we’re not a bad side, but don’t put pressure on us too early.”
McCarthy has until May 21 to announce his squad of 23, but he is likely
to do so in early May. Apart from the 13 players who played against Iran in
Tehran on Nov. 15, the other 10 squad members are likely to be Alan Kelly,
Dean Kiely, Stephen Carr, Andy O’Brien, Kenny Cunningham, Richard Dunne, Roy
Keane, Lee Carsley, Damien Duff and Niall Quinn. However, some new stars may
impress over the next few months. Players like Stephen McPhail of Leeds
United or Steven Reid of Crystal Palace could come into the reckoning.Jack
Charlton called up Gary Kelly, Jason McAteer and Phil Babb, none of whom had
played in the qualifying games, for USA ’94.
Ireland will be based in Japan for the group stage with the first game against Cameroon, the reigning African and Olympic champions, scheduled for Saturday, June 1, in Niigata. Next on the list is Germany in Ibaraki the following Wednesday and then the final game against Saudi Arabia is fixed for Yokahama, close to Tokyo, on Tuesday, June 11.
If the Irish come through to the knockout stages, their match in the last 16 is likely to be against either Spain or Slovenia.
McCarthy admitted that he didn’t know a great deal about either Cameroon or Saudi Arabia, but that Germany, beaten 5-1 by England in the qualifying tournament, would be easy to research.
“My aim,” the manager said, “is the last 16, and I believe we have the players to get through the first phase, and then anything is possible.”
The Irish have already scheduled warm-up games against Denmark, Russia and Nigeria at Lansdowne Road next year, and there is a the possibility of a further fixture against Argentina.