The Full Draw - here.

• England has the chance to gain revenge on Croatia and take Borat back home
• Scotland must feel they're in with a good chance of qualifying for their first tournament since France in 1998
• Switzerland must feel they have a chance in their group

927 days to go........

You're assuming it will be ready in time.

My last visit to South Africa shocked me with regards to the world cup. When it was announced there was a lot of buzz. Now, nothing. The stadiums are ready, there is no infrastructure. Public transport is non-existent in South Africa. How the hell are people going to get around?

I can see them all hiring cars and getting involved in the road-rage between Johannesburg and everywhere else.

With little time left, South Africa should have embarked on a marketing journey. It should all be a masive PR gig now telling the people what they are going to get, what to expect. But there's none of that going on.

If South Africa make a dog's breakfast of it, does it go back to Germany?

Sorry, my Monday morning bummer.

It's a bit bloody convoluted for the other groups...

Gooner, mate - I held off suggesting we'll win it. 100'000 drunk English fans looking shocked to be driving around in their Hertz rentals might be quite funny though

That is still an option.

But even though the World Cup was rather good for the German economy last year, the German government appear to be offering support to South Africa in the hope that everything will be ready, however Herculean that task may appear to be.

Is it safe to travel to SA for the world cup in 2010? I assume that there will be a massive police presence to protect tourists?

Eh, the police are not exactly in abundance. Also, I don't see the same kind of international collaboration when you consider this is the kind of police force you are dealing with.

Like anywhere, common sense applies. The thing is common sense means something else in Africa. I suspect there will be a few incidents.

If it goes ahead in SA, which it might well do since Africa and in particular South Africa thinks that the world owes it a favor and that this should lay heavily on the conscience of the world, I wonder what the turnout will be like. There has been nothing done for PR or marketing. The world as yet, has nothing to go by except the bad news.

South Africa had better pull finger if they want any success from this.

Apparently Barwick & the FA have come up with a new method of selecting managers : Barwick-o-tron

I quite like the Captain Mainwaring / Harry Potter option myself...

I think you forgot Wales?

We properly beat Norway last night - so all is looking good .

[quote=gooner;136579]You're assuming it will be ready in time.

My last visit to South Africa shocked me with regards to the world cup. When it was announced there was a lot of buzz. Now, nothing. The stadiums are ready, there is no infrastructure. Public transport is non-existent in South Africa. How the hell are people going to get around?

I'm afraid I agree with Gooner. Our roads are getting worse by the day & no maintenance getting done either. Potholes now cover half the street in places. I drove through a pothole one evening that was so bad, it took my entire (new) tyre off the rim.

And if 2010 is taken away from SA most whites will fear for their lives (more than they do already on a normal day).

Of course there is also the power issue...apparently SA doesn't have enough electricity to power the stadiums and cater for the influx of tourists using all the electricity in their hotels...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...ca/6951056.stm

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will Eskom be able to deliver the goods ?




quite an interesting (if slanted) blog on SA here

[quote=gooner;136710]Eh, the police are not exactly in abundance. Also, I don't see the same kind of international collaboration when you consider this is the kind of police force you are dealing with.

Exactly why there is a major exodus from SA amongst whites BEFORE 2010!

What about our latest stat: If you are involved in an accident in SA you have a 1 in 8 chance of the ambulance ACTUALLY ARRIVING after you phoned for help!

We dont have enough electricity now, as it is, on normal days....

Exeter City reject could be the only Englishman at 2010...

I remember well the chants for Johnny Wilkinson (not him, the other one ) so I'm pretty chuffed that he's done OK for himself, and like all good Bauys has retained a healthy dislike for folk from Plymouth.

Brilliant

What a quality piece! Restored my faith in footy journalists a bit!!