Sad end to World Cup qualifying campaign

NOV 14 — News of the death of Robert Enke is a tragic and unnecessary reminder that football is a sideshow for most of us. Football, we can joke, is more important than life and death, but we know that that famous line uttered by the great Bill Shankly was a joke and that the opposite is, or at least should be, true.

Enke, who was in the running to be Germany’s starting goalkeeper at next year’s World Cup in South Africa killed himself by throwing himself in front of a moving train.

Out of respect for his family and a nation in shock, the German national team called off their friendly with Chile this weekend.

The international schedule this next six days is likely to commemorate the life of Enke with a minute’s silence, or maybe even a minute’s applause, as seen in the tribute to the late Sir Bobby Robson across stadiums in England a couple of months back.

The German FA will naturally present their own tribute when the national side gets back on the pitch, while the Bundesliga will do their thing when club matches resume next weekend.

Football fans in Hannover have already got some memorials going around the city with the club stadium being the main congregation point. Flowers, candles and notes are left by people who feel that they knew someone whom they never met.

This is not unlike what happened following the death of Catalan star Daniel Jarque, who captained Espanyol, prior to the start of this football season. He died of a heart attack while the Primera Liga club were on a pre-season tour.

There is a lot that is wrong with football but its culture of bringing us together in unexpected and appropriate ways to mourn and remember our heroes is something the game should, quietly, be proud of. Especially when it brings even the worst of rivals, such as in the case of Espanyol and Barcelona, together with both players and supporters uniting in paying tribute to Jargue last August.

Anyhow, the first leg of the World Cup 2010 European qualifying playoffs tomorrow will still proceeed amid all that has been said about Enke and the German national team.

Eight teams are still vying for the four remaining European places in the finals in South Africa next summer.

Echoing the tragic events of the past week, this World Cup qualifying campaign in Europe will end on a sad and bitter note, as Fifa’s belated decision to introduce seedings for the playoffs smacked of bias towards the more illustrious national sides and powerful nations in football.

Republic of Ireland coach Giovanni Trapattoni has led the criticism of a seeding system that was announced only a month ago, following the surprise failure of France and Portugal to qualify automatically from their respective groups.. His men will now face France on Sunday in what appears to be the highlight of the playoffs with the return leg on Thursday.

A fervent and hostile atmosphere is likely to await Raymond Domenech’s side at Croke Park and France must keep their wits about them.

The Irish have looked strong with Trapattoni in charge and should the French succumb to the pressure in Dublin, Ireland will punish them and make it all so difficult in the return leg. However, I see France holding on for a score draw here and winning the return match in Paris.

Elsewhere, 2004 European Champions Greece will host Ukraine in the first leg. Ukraine come to the playoffs after finishing second in a group which consisted England and Slaven Bilic’s Croatia.

Ukraine coach Olexiy Mikhailichenko has left experienced forward Andriy Voronin out of his squad for the match on Tuesday. The 30-year-old Liverpool striker has been out of favour since criticising Mikhailichenko in the media after Ukraine’s Group Six qualifier against Croatia in October 2008.

Judging from his cameo appearances for Liverpool surely he will not be missed. Even when given a chance to start at Anfield, Voronin is nothing but disappointing. Well nothing much a club like Liverpool can expect when signing a player on a free transfer.

Greece are not the same team as when they lifted the European Championship in 2004. They have neither the spirit nor the players. This tie is surely a no-brainer with Ukraine being on the plane to South Africa next summer.

Portugal will take on Bosnia-Herzegovina without their star Cristiano Ronaldo after all. The national team and club tug-of-war between Portugal and Real Madrid ended with Ronaldo ruled out of the game. The lad has not played a game for Real Madrid in a month and surely would be a gamble for this playoffs.

Portugal have impressed in recent years, reaching the final of Euro2004, the semi-finals at the 2006 World Cup and the quarter-finals at Euro2008, but they have struggled in qualification for next year’s World Cup.

Their opponents have nothing much to shout about themselves after finishing 11 points behind group winners Spain. The Bosnians should count themselves lucky to be in the playoffs.

I think perhaps there are other better teams, who finished third in some of the more tougher groups, that might have had a better chance at threatening Portugal’s cruise to the finals.

Finally, the Russians are coming! The Russians are coming! That will be the cry in South Africa come Thursday, as the EURO2008 semi-finalists manage to eliminate opponents Slovenia

The more powerful Russia will be the winner in this playoff. I feel the Slovenians will provide little resistance, if at all, to ensure their former big brother in the communist Soviet Union fulfills Roman Abramovich’s quest, what with all the money he has personally pumped into the Russian WC2010 qualifying effort.

In case you did not know, the Chelsea owner is covering part of Guus Hiddink’s huge salary to manage the national side.

I would not want to think it is possible, but that is the ultimate truth. It’d be just another case of a ‘bigger’ nation in football, getting their way.

That sums up the bitterness that Bosnia, Ireland, Ukraine and Slovenia might feel for getting the short end of the draw, so late into the qualifying rounds in Europe.