Is Becks a Hex?

Okay, the entire sporting world was tired of hearing about David Beckham before he was sold to the United States’ MLS Galaxy squad in 2007. Since then, the aging star has basically faded into football oblivion everywhere outside of tabloid land.

Beckham was attempting to make huge headlines by becoming the only footballer Englishman in history to appear in four World Cups. The 35-year-old Beckster isn’t a spring chicken, but America’s football (soccer) isn’t exactly as competitive as the rest of the world’s football.

This is why Beckham went on loan to AC Milan in January of both 2009 and 2010. He wanted to prove to English Three Lions coach Fabio Capello that he could keep pace with the faster, younger and skillful stars. However, that dream was crushed when Becks tore his Achilles’ tendon in a Serie A match against Chievo Verona.

Still injured and out for the entire World Cup, even if England makes the final, Beckham is still currently in South Africa, planning on attending his country’s game via the sidelines and even “helping out” with scouting and coaching decisions.

Forget what you think about Beckham and ask yourself if this is the right move for the English team. It’s great of Beckham to make the trek, but he’s still not playing – he’s not technically on the team. How many of you would like to sit on the sidelines but won’t get the opportunity?

Has David earned the right to mix it up with the players out there and actually act as a coach?

Beckham means well. He really does. And although he’s never been the best footballer out there, he has consistently tried to be. But everywhere he goes it ends up being a side show.

England and the United States have played a historic match (1-1). These two countries rarely meet but are bitter rivals when out on the field. Beckham’s presence could have very well been conflicting. And it could have been quite helpful, as he has intimate knowledge of a few players on America’s side having played with them.

Maybe Beckham would better serve his team if the dimming star stayed indoors and played casino games online while the footballers balled, but that’s certainly not his style.

It will be interesting to see what’s made of Beckham’s looming presence, win or lose. Will he be given credit, much like a double agent, if England wins? Will he bear some of blame’s brunt if the US wins? Is Posh Spice in the locker room?

These important questions will be answered in time.

World Cup 2010 Qualification First Match Day!

Oh the World Cup, the number 1 competition in the sport world, an event that moves thousands of fans to watch the national side. It started earlier when the qualification groups were drawn out of the box and today we will see the ball roll for the first time, it will end 2 years from now in Johannesburg.

Well, the stadium is not finished yet but let's hope everything will be done by then and those Italians won't win it again...

Now onto the important things, first match day is today, and here are some of The Big Football you will see tonight!


Group 1

Albania - Sweden
Hungary - Denmark

No really big match here, Albania and Hungary might upset the northern team but no one will be surprised if they suffer heavy defeats at home either.

Malta - Portugal

Portugal should have no problem against Malta, and they will try to forget the match against Germany from the Euro Cup I'm sure!


Group 2

Moldova - Latvia
Israel - Switzerland
Luxembourg - Greece

Some close encounters in group 2 where the only unbalanced match seems to be Luxembourg - Greece where the 2004 Euro Champions will try to win and hope for a place in the World Cup as they failed to maintain a position in the top national sides in Europe and now, 4 years after the surprise win, are back in the middle of the platoon.


Group 3

Slovakia - Northern Ireland

We might see a great game in Slovakia today as these two teams don't really have something to lose and if they want to qualify they have to play all the games in the group at full risk.

Poland - Slovenia

Poland on the other hand might take some precautions as loosing today might hurt them.


Group 4

Wales - Azerbaijan

A match with teams from the extremes of the continent, we could expect a win by Wales bu the football from Azerbaijan is not something known so surprises might be in the sack for Wales.

Liechtenstein - Germany

Practically a home game for Germany with nothing else to expect but a win for the Manschaft.


Group 5

Armenia - Turkey
Spain - Bosnia-Herzegovina

Turkey and Spain coming after a great tournament in Austria and Switzerland will try to keep the momentum going and score as much as possible.

Belgium - Estonia

This is the kind of match that always make teams like Belgium lose the qualification, a match with a smaller team that doesn't look dangerous but will put you a lot of traps in your way to South Africa. If they want to have a chance against Spain and Turkey they should win this game.


Group 6

Ukraine - Belarus

A game in which the fans might start some trouble, Ukraine should win to hope for a place in the group in front of Croatia and England!

Andorra - England
Croatia - Kazakhstan

Results seem pretty clear to me, England want to wash away the humiliation of not going to Euro while the Croatians will have a great homecoming after a great tournament but will hope for more in the future!


Group 7

Romania - Lithuania
Serbia - Faroe Islands
Austria - France

Romania and Serbia will have to win as they seem to be the teams that will fight for second place in this group but as it was in recent years, France always made some bad games in the qualification groups and this will surely be exploited by Romania and Serbia if it happens again. No easy game for them in Austria!


Group 8

Georgia - Ireland

Taking place in Mainz, Germany because the situation in Georgia is not clear yet, we might see a match with lots of goals.

Montenegro - Bulgaria
Cyprus - Italy

Montenegro might take a big win tonight and Italy are clear favorites, nothing more to add.


Group 9

Macedonia - Scotland

This is the kind of game that might show how you will go for the rest of the competition, win and you could really be in the battle for qualification.

Norway - Iceland

As we know the style of play of Norway with balls thrown in the oppositions box and we also know they have some really tall players, we might see some head banging in this one!


As a conclusion I might add that the big teams are probably happy that the really big games aren't really here yet and the new players coming up to the national side have time to really get in the team. Most favorites will win, let's see wo will make a wrong step from the first day!