Wearside believes

It’s fair to say that Gus Poyet has made quite an impact on Wearside; 3 home wins in a row, a League Cup quarter final in December, and he even has the side playing some attractive football, something seldom seen in recent years under O’Neill, Di Canio and Bruce. Things are finally on the up for Sunderland.

It’s incredible to think that we’re only one or two good results away from escaping the relegation zone, which has entombed us for what seems like an age. But the fact of the matter is that the season is still young. We’re a couple of good results away from having a very good start to the season.

I say this because of the upcoming League Cup quarter final against Chelsea at the Stadium of Light. Sunderland fans are pretty resigned to making very little, if any impact on the league table, with only 3 top half finishes in the last 50 years. This makes the cups especially important, and a home quarter final tie is as much as anyone could ask for. If Swansea and Wigan can go all the way, I’m sure Sunderland can as well.

This is Sunderland though. Despite there being an incredibly high chance we will freeze, like we did at home to Everton in an FA Cup quarter final a few years ago, it provides some added vigour to the season, which are usually punctuated by brief appearances in the cups. These often end at the hand of lower league opposition, with Brighton, Notts County and Middlesboro all claiming our scalp since 2011.

But enough about the League Cup. Much as the excitement of a potential Wembley final suitably wets my appetite, there are other tantalising things for Sunderland fans to enjoy this Christmas.

Our upcoming fixtures are tricky, but not impossible. Tough away games to Stoke and Aston Villa are followed by even harder home games to Chelsea and Spurs, but these games are winnable, especially to a side in form.

Anything less than at least 4 points would be a disappointment for Sunderland fans over these next 4 games. Stoke are there for the taking, as are Villa with a misfiring Benteke, whilst the Stadium of Light could once again become a fortress, leaving sides quaking in their boots with the prospect of gracing the hallowed turf.

However, it’s important not to lose sight that these are hard games, and the most important priority is just to grind out results in order to stay in touch with 17^th place, ensuring that by the New Year, with easy home games to come, we’re well set to propel ourselves up the table.

Then there is Poyet himself.

The passionate Uruguayan has certainly endeared himself to the Sunderland faithful since his arrival after Paolo Di Canio’s ill-fated tenure. Naturally, home wins against Newcastle and Manchester City help this, but he’s done more than win a few games to get the crowd onside.

What he’s doing is playing attractive football, something Sunderland fans have long been craving. It’s fair to say the last few managers have not had a total football spirit, with the latter months of O’Neill’s reign proving to be most torrid, with the away defeats at QPR and Reading being some of the worst performances I have ever seen from a Sunderland side.

The passing style has reinvigorated many people’s beliefs that the players are in fact professional footballers, as it was most frustrating when we seemed incapable of stringing 5 passes together under previous managers. Whilst we’re not going to turn into Barcelona, it’s nice to enjoy watching us for a change.

Then there’s the final great changes Poyet has made; work rate. Whilst Di Canio may have encouraged this in bucket loads, the players simply didn’t want to play for him, which although is petty and highly unprofessional, is sadly the recipe for disaster for a manager at any football club.

The newly found level of commitment, demonstrated terrifically by the performance of the 9 remaining men in the second half away to Hull has certainly brought the Sunderland fans back onside.

And there’s the key, commitment. That is the one thing Sunderland fans want to see above all else. Poyet seems to have brought this back to Sunderland and thus has ensured himself great levels of popularity amongst the supporters. Poyet now has a great squad, a good owner, and the fans onside.

Most importantly though, Sunderland have Poyet.

Iceland provide hope for the minnows

Iceland’s fairytale quest to reach the 2014 World Cup ended last night in Zagreb, as an experienced Croatian side professionally saw them off in a comfortable 2-0 home win. But they have provided hope for the minnows, which is only enhanced by the expanded Euro 2016 format where Europe’s unfancied sides could make an impact.

Despite having a population of just 320,000, and only 20,000 registered male and female players they were only one game away from Brazil, and whilst many will point to their relatively easy group which Switzerland topped, it’s important to recognise that the Icelandic’s were amongst the lowest seeds in Europe when the initial draw was made.

Ranked lower than Liechtenstein, and alongside the likes of San Marino and Andorra, Iceland were in pot 6 when the draw for the World Cup qualifying was made, which only heightens their achievement. They’re progress is further highlighted by their Euro 2012 qualifying record where they only recorded a solitary win, a 1-0 triumph at home to Cyprus in front of just 5,267 people.

But they’re recent success is more than just a fluke. They have invested heavily in indoor pitches over the last decade, in a bid to create a golden generation of players, to give them a real chance of progressing to a major tournament. The progress their Under 21 side is making shows that Iceland are here to stay.

In their qualification group for the Euro 2015 Under 21 Championships they sit second, just 3 points behind France but with a huge 6 point gap on the 3^rd place team. Similarly to the senior team, this comes just after a disastrous previous qualification campaign, where they finished bottom of their Euro 2013 U21 qualification group, losing 7 of their 8 matches which included home and away defeats to Azerbaijan.

This just goes to show that long term planning can work. There is no coincidence that the national team has enjoyed a great change in fortunes in recent years, when in the year 2000 only 5 artificial pitches existed in the country, with only 7 mini pitches. By 2010 there were 17 artificial grass pitches, 7 football halls and 130 mini pitches. Years of hard work is starting to pay off.

Other smaller nations are also following suit with mini successes of their own. Most notably Montenegro, a team which England are very familiar with, having only beaten them once out of 4 attempts in the last few years. They’re population is well under 1 million, like Iceland’s, yet they too have threatened to qualify for major tournaments in recent years.

They lost out to Czech Republic in the Euro 2012 playoffs and acquitted themselves well when charged with qualifying for the 2014 World Cup, again showing that much can be achieved with little resources. It is also amazing to consider the progress they have made when only 1 of the 23 members of the 2006 Serbia and Montenegro World Cup squad actually came from Montenegro.

The progress the supposed ‘smaller’ nations have made has become more important than ever due to the expansion of the European Championships from the 2016 tournament, where 24 teams will qualify rather than the original 16. This means that just over half of UEFA’s members will be competing at the tournament.

The smaller nations now have their chance at glory, if they don’t seize it now, they never will.

Road to Brazil 2014: The end is nigh

22 countries remaining, 11 places left, only 17 matches to go. The road to Brazil reaches a climax this week as teams ranging from Iceland to Uruguay bid to secure their spot at next year’s World Cup.

Europe

Only 4 of the remaining 8 European countries can qualify with 2-legged ties held this Friday and next Tuesday determining their fates.

Portugal vs. Sweden is undoubtedly the tie of the round, largely due to the presence of both Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Both players are in fine form this season, with a combined record of 38 goals in 32 games so far. Obviously there’s more to the match than just these two mere mortals, with both sides boasting a glut of Champions League players, although Portugal will likely run out winners due to the higher quality amongst their ranks.

Ukraine vs. France also looks to be an interesting tie, with the French aiming to qualify for the World Cup via the playoffs for the second time running after Thierry Henry’s infamous handball against Ireland in 2009. Although Ukraine were solid throughout the qualification process, they lack any true quality upfront, ensuring they will fall foul to a French side boasting impressive striking options, including the in-form Olivier Giroud.

Romania are bidding to make their 8^th appearance at the finals when they take on Greece in what promises to be a rather dull affair. The Greeks’ conservative tactics in the group stage ultimately cost them qualification, after Bosnia and Herzegovina went through with a vastly superior goal difference. The Romanians finished well behind Holland in their group and will probably finish second best to Greece as well who are the marginal favourites with the bookies.

Bayern Munich’s Mario Mandzukic could be lining up against Rotherham United defender Kari Arnason in what will be the biggest occasion in Icelandic football history, when they face Croatia for a place in the World Cup. Iceland are the huge outsiders with a population of just over 300,000 and have exceeded all expectations by getting this far, after initially being seeded in the lowest pot with San Marino and co when the draw for the qualification groups was made. Despite some quality players such as Gylfi Sigurdsson representing the Icelandic’s, Croatia should easily win over the 2 legs in what should prove to be the most one sided of the ties.

Africa

The second leg of the 5 qualifying ties will be played over the next week, with Africa’s giants finally getting to chance to cement their place in Brazil.

Papiss Cisse gave Senegal and modicum of hope with his late goal in their 3-1 defeat away at Ivory Coast last month but the tie should be all but over, barring any shenanigans from the Ivorians on Saturday evening. An early goal for the Senegalese could put the tie on a knife edge, but Didier Drogba’s men should easily have the quality to overcome any potential difficulties.

Nigeria should join Ivory Coast in Brazil if their game against Ethiopia goes to form. The Super Eagles fought back from 1-0 down in Addis Ababa to secure a 2-1 away win in the first leg. It’s hard to see any way back for Ethiopia who lack any real quality compared to the vastly experienced Nigerian side, who will be bidding to make consecutive World Cup appearances.

Perhaps the tie of the round will see Algeria taking on African Cup of Nations finalists Burkina Faso in Algiers on Tuesday, with the home side looking to overturn a 3-2 deficit from the first leg. The tie is delicately poised with Algeria’s away goals likely to be crucial, as a win for them will probably send them through.

After a drab goalless draw in Tunis last time out, Cameroon and Tunisia meet again on Sunday evening with the Cameroonians being the favourites to seize the initiative and qualify in front of a home crowd. With Samuel Eto’o up front they should have the firepower to get the job done against a relatively uninspiring Tunisian side.

Ghana are all but through to the World Cup after their 6-1 demolition at home to Egypt in their first leg one month ago. The Egyptians will need a miracle to turn it around in Cairo as the Black Stars will aim to repeat their 2010 heroics in Brazil next summer where they could make an appearance in the latter stages.

Inter-Continental Playoffs

Jordan vs. Uruguay; a fixture seldom played in international football, if ever. They meet today in the Middle East, and next Wednesday in Montevideo in what will surely be a very one sided contest. Jordan are a huge 16/1 to qualify with Uruguay being a measly 1/40 although this is justifiable as only 1 of the Jordanians plies his trade in Europe, playing for Romanian side Gaz Metan Medias. I fear a big score line awaits.

New Zealand face a similarly tough test when they face Mexico over 2 legs, the first of which being played this evening in the cavernous Aztec Arena. The pressure will be on the Mexicans who only just managed 4^th place in the Hexagonal stage of the North American Qualifying in a resoundingly disappointing campaign. A comprehensive win tonight should put the tie to bed, but anything but that will ensure a nervous trip to New Zealand a week later.

Key Matches

Portugal vs. Sweden 19:45 15/11/13

Ukraine vs. France 19:45 15/11/13

Cameroon vs. Tunisia 14:00 17/11/13

Algeria vs. Burkina Faso 18:15 19/11/13

Sweden vs. Portugal 19:45 19/11/13

France vs. Ukraine 20:00 19/11/13