Stay-at-home Scots may hanker to be English next summer

Published on Monday 28 December 2009 22:07

FEW can have any regrets about being Scottish as Hogmanay approaches. However, as they contemplate the year ahead, some Scots may experience a curious yearning to be Ghanese, Slovenian or even – whisper it – English.

The last three months of this year saw the World Cup finals take shape as the last of the 32 participants were confirmed. Scotland, of course, will yet again be absent, although they are not alone in feeling such a vivid sense of regret. Even Russia, under Gus Hiddink, failed to qualify. They fell at the play-off stage against a country inhabited by about 138 million fewer people. As a result, Slovenia will take their place at the party, alongside the likes of North Korea, New Zealand and Honduras.

France will travel to South Africa following the biggest controversy of the football year. Their participation was aided by the hand of Thierry Henry, with the French striker setting-up William Gallas' equaliser against the Republic of Ireland with a crafty piece of juggling on the bye-line. The score remained 1-1 at the end, which resulted in a 2-1 aggregate win for the French.

There are no assurances that the Irish might have emerged triumphant from the looming penalty shoot-out, but the outcome still provoked vast dissatisfaction. Even in France there was deep embarrassment at the manner of qualification. However, the uproar was not enough to convince Fifa to consent to the Republic's call for a re-match, or even their more fanciful request to become the 33rd country at the World Cup. The Irish will instead content themselves with supporting South Africa, Mexico and Paraguay, the countries drawn to face France in Group A.

England, who qualified at a canter by winning nine of their ten fixtures, will line up against the United States, Algeria and Slovenia. Their smooth progress under Fabio Capello has continued, in stark contrast to their old World Cup foes Argentina, whose place at the finals remained very much in doubt until October, when a win over Uruguay in their final game meant Diego Maradona's often faltering side secured the fourth and final automatic spot from South America.

Maradona picked up a two-month ban in the process from Fifa, a result of his foul-mouthed rant at journalists in the aftermath of the 1-0 victory in Montevideo. It meant he had to stay away from the World Cup draw when it was made in Cape Town earlier this month. Given his volatile temperament, and Argentina's unconvincing form, it would not be a complete surprise if someone else actually leads the country into the World Cup.

Maradona might have had few equals as a player, but it's to be imagined he will accept he can't hold a candle to Pep Guardiola in the management stakes. The pre-eminent manager currently operating in either international or club football is only at the start of his managerial career, and yet managed the feat of winning six trophies during the current calendar year for Barcelona.

The latest of these was picked up earlier this month with victory in the Fifa Club World Cup. This was added to a Camp Nou trophy cabinet that has already been further complemented by the La Liga crown, the Copa del Rey, the Champions League, the European Super Cup and the Spanish Super Cup.

Another Champions League title, if it is collected in Madrid of all places in May, would secure his rapid elevation to a place among the all-time greats.