Draw for the European World Cup playoffs:

Republic of Ireland v France
Portugal v Bosnia-Herzegovina
Greece v Ukraine
Russia v Slovenia

Two-legged ties to be played on Nov 14 and 18.

Is that the sound of a World Cup playoff shock I hear? France, 2006 runners-up, will have to beat Giovanni Trapattoni’s Ireland over two legs to reach South Africa next year and that is no easy feat.

The Irish were unbeaten in qualifying and drew with world champions Italy twice while with Trapattoni as coach they have the wiliest of wily foxes, whatever you think of his English.
 
We talked a lot on this blog about the controversy over seedings but it would be hard to separate Greece and Ukraine on paper let alone on the field.

Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo struggled in qualifying and just scraped the playoffs so let’s not discount proud Bosnia yet. Is Guus Hiddink destined for another World Cup with Russia? Let us know what you think in the comments.

PHOTO: France team, Oct 14. REUTERS/Charles Platiau

So now we know which European teams are in the World Cup playoffs and we have a pretty good idea of the seedings, though FIFA’s updated rankings out at the end of the week will provide confirmation ahead of Monday’s draw.

It looks like Russia, France, Greece and Portugal will be the seeded teams with Ukraine, Ireland, Bosnia and Slovenia playing them. After Argentina’s qualification in the final match against Uruguay, it looks increasingly likely that all the big teams will be there in South Africa.

But four days on from my blog on Sunday, the decision to seed the Euroepan teams in the qualifiers doesn’t look any fairer.

Doctor Mario, in a comment on that blog, said seeding was a reward for credits earned but it will take a long time for a new nation like Slovenia to earn enough credits to start a qualifying campaign on a level playing field.

That’s one of the reasons why it tends to be the same old faces making it to the finals. If you are Italy, France, Germany or Spain you know that in your qualifying group will have no other “elite team”, just a couple of second or third tier nations and some also-rans.

If you are someone like Wales, Israel or Finland you know you will have to pull off a series of upset wins even to finish second in your group. And if you do it your reward is to be seeded in the bottom half again in the playoffs.

How much help do France need? If they are not good enough to win a group comprising Serbia, Austria, Lithuania, Romania and the Faroe Islands where is the justice in giving them another helping hand in the playoffs?

They didn’t make the World Cup in 1994 and I don’t remember too many people complaining about a degraded tournament.

In fact Bulgaria, who qualified ahead of them and had a particularly woeful World Cup record, produced some of the most memorable moments of the finals as they went all the way to the semi-finals. Four years later, France won the World Cup.

The 1970 World Cup is many people’s choice as the best-ever tournament — it’s hard to see how it would have been enhanced had Argentina been there.

There is no asterix alongside the results of the 1974 and 78 finals saying * Note: England failed to qualify.

Everyone is saying that Portugal, and Cristiano Ronaldo, should be there next year because the best players should be seen on the world stage, but Portugal have played in only four of the 18 World Cups. They are hardly a fixture.

And where was the help for Ryan Giggs, George Best or George Weah, whose lowly-seeded teams never made it through.

And anyway, it’s not the point. It’s FIFA’s unexpected introduction of the seeding that has so angered so many people. If they thought that was the fairest way then they should have enshrined it in the regulations at the start of qualifying, shouldn’t they?

PHOTO: Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after being injured against Hungary during their 2010 World Cup qualifying soccer match at Luz stadium in Lisbon October 10, 2009. REUTERS/Marcos Borga

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction and for every FIFA marketing slogan there is a subsequent decision that can make fans wonder if world football’s governing body is being serious.

“Fair Play Please” is the current favourite but how, exactly, does that square with the decision to make the European zone World Cup playoffs a seeded affair?

Nowhere in the acres of pre-qualifying regulations was there a suggestion that the playoffs would be seeded but now the good people of Zurich have realised that some of the biggest names in the game could be involved in the November home and away matches, the new rule has been presented as a fait accompli.

So the eight teams in the playoffs will be seeded according to their FIFA ranking — conveniently avoiding the prospect of France playing, say, Portugal and one of the continent’s big guns being forced to miss out.

Unsurprisingly, the decision was not welcomed by the likes of Ireland – into the playoffs but likely to be seeded in the “bottom half”.

Bosnia were too busy celebrating making the playoffs on Saturday to worry about their structure but wouldn’t they be right in thinking they deserve as much a chance of facing, say, Greece or Slovenia as Russia or France?

The nine group winners got their reward in automatic qualification. Shouldn’t the best eight second-place teams (Norway look set to be the unlucky ninth-best runners-up who will miss out altogether) be left to take their chances having, in some cases, overcome tough seeding in the group the first time round to make it this far?

The arrival of bright new teams, and the chance for unfamiliar players to make names for themselves on the biggest stage of all, help keep the World Cup fresh and exciting. If the rules just make it more likely that the Big Boys always make it, the worry must be that the game and the tournament will end up being the loser.

PHOTO: Ireland’s Liam Lawrence reacts after their 2010 World Cup qualifying soccer match against Italy at Croke Park Stadium in Dublin October 10, 2009. REUTERS/Darren Staples

Some of football’s biggest names, including Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, are in danger of missing out on next year’s World Cup, as countries such as Argentina, Portugal and France struggle in qualification.

Most, if not quite all of them, may make it in the end, of course, but for a bit of pre-weekend qualifier fun, here’s my stab at a world XI wtill fretting over their places at South Africa 2010.

Think I’ve got it about right? Missed anyone out? Let me know in the comments.

Petr Cech (Czech Republic): The Chelsea keeper is arguably the best in the business, but the Czech Republic are currently fourth in group three and could be eliminated on Saturday if results go against them.

Patrice Evra (France): The left back could pick up his fourth consecutive Premier League crown with Manchester United this season, but he could miss out on the World Cup with France currently second in their group behind Serbia and hoping for a play-off place at a realistic best.

Thomas Vermaelen (Belgium): The former Ajax defender has enjoyed a superb opening to the season since completing a move to Arsenal, but he will not get the chance to showcase his talents in South Africa after Belgium were eliminated from their qualifying group.

Dmytro Chygrynskiy (Ukraine): Barcelona paid €25 million for the former Shakhtar Donetsk defender, but Ukraine will need to overhaul Croatia in Group Six for the centre back to stand a chance of playing in the World Cup.

Christian Chivu (Romania): The Inter defender was a €16 million signing for Serie A champions Inter in 2007 and has since won consecutive Italian titles. But his Romania side need to beat Serbia on Saturday for them to stand any chance of making the finals.

Javier Mascherano (Argentina): The Argentina captain is one of the most highly regarded holding midfielders in the world, but his team have suffered an accident-prone qualifying campaign that has left them fifth in their group, clinging on to a play-off place.

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal): The World Footballer of the Year became the most expensive player in history when he completed his move to Real Madrid from Manchester United. With Portugal currently third in their qualifying group, he could be the biggest absentee from this summer’s tournament.

Lionel Messi (Argentina): The miniature magician has lit up pitches across Europe for Barcelona, but he is another who could be absent from South Africa, if Argentina cannot get results from their final two group games against Peru and Uruguay.

Franck Ribery (France): He was reportedly being lined up by Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson as a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo after some devastating displays in the Bundesliga for Bayern Munich. But France are currently four points behind Serbia in their group, and are likely to need the play-offs to make it to the finals.

Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo): The Togo international has courted controversy since leaving Arsenal for Manchester City, but has proved an instant hit at his new club. His country, however, are currently third in their qualifying group behind Cameroon and Gabon with only two games left to play.

Karim Benzema (France): The France striker’s move to Real Madrid was overshadowed by the signings of Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo, but he has made an early impact at the Bernabeu. He may not have the same effect in South Africa, however, with France needing to beat Faroe Islands just to guarantee a play-off place.

Coach: Giovanni Trapattoni: Trap is one of the most successful coaches in the history of club football having won 10 league titles in four different countries. But as manager of Republic of Ireland, he needs to beat the country of his birth on Saturday to stand any chance of winning the group and booking a spot in South Africa.

Let me know in the comments if you disagree with my choice…

PHOTO: Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo (L) and Barcelona’s Lionel Messi shake hands before the start of the Champions League final soccer match at the Olympic Stadium in Rome May 27, 2009. REUTERS/Albert Gea

Real Madrid’s Portuguese defender Pepe faces a lengthy ban that could extend to the end of the season after he had an astonishing Zinedine Zidane moment against Getafe on Tuesday.

I had the evening off and watched the match in a Madrid bar and the looks of disbelief on the faces of the punters around me reminded me of the reaction to the Frenchman’s headbutt in the World Cup final in Berlin in 2006.

There was less at stake on Tuesday but Pepe’s meltdown could hurt Real badly as he is almost certain to miss next week’s “Clasico” against leaders Barcelona at the Bernabeu and may be unavailable for the remaining four league matches after that. He will also miss Sunday’s match at third-placed Sevilla.

The Brazilian-born defender, who moved to Madrid from Porto for 30 million euros in the summer of 2007, has forged an effective partnership with Fabio Cannavaro in central defence and his absence will severely weaken Real as they attempt to overhaul Barca and clinch a third consecutive title.

For those of you who haven’t seen the incident, which happened with the scores level at 2-2 and three minutes left, Pepe totally lost his cool after pushing over Francisco Casquero and conceding a penalty.

He kicked Casquero once on the ground and raked his studs over the midfielder’s back with a vicious second swipe. In the ensuing melee he struck another Getafe player, Juan Albin, in the face.

As he stormed off the pitch, he said “You are all sons of whores” to the fourth official and then committed a further offence by running back on to celebrate Gonzalo Higuain’s dramatic winner in added time.

It’s not a first sending-off in Real colours for Pepe, who apologised for his actions and said he was not a violent player. He had a nightmare home debut against Sevilla in the Spanish Super Cup in August 2007 when he conceded a penalty and was later red carded. He was also dismissed in the Champions League defeat to Roma in March.

But he has never imploded in quite the same way before and his inexplicable reaction on Tuesday did seem out of character for a usually fair-minded player.

His fate will likely be known by the end of the week and it would be no great surprise if the disciplinary body comes down hard.

FILE PHOTO: Real Madrid’s Pepe gestures during a match against Valencia at the Bernabeu, March 23, 2008. REUTERS/Juan Medina

Cristiano Ronaldo’s thunderous strike in Manchester United’s 1-0 win at Porto has been hailed as a wonder goal, but just how good was it?

Few could find such power on a shot from 40 metres, few would even try to shoot from there. The context of the game, where United needed to win to reach the Champions League semi-finals, also adds weight to the argument that it was one of European football’s great goals.

Ronaldo, a former Sporting Lisbon winger, was also playing in the cauldron of the Dragao in Porto.

Counting against the Portuguese is the fact that 49 times out of 50, such a shot would fly high over the bar or be easily stopped by the keeper.

The debate about what makes a great goal has always raged. A majority probably prefer a beautifully well-worked team goal to a long-distance individual strike that could have ended up anywhere.

What do you reckon?

PHOTO: Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo scores during their Champions League quarter-final, second leg soccer match in Porto, April 15 2009. REUTERS/Jose Manuel Ribeiro

When Jose Mourinho first arrived at Inter Milan, I was expecting fireworks.

His sharp wit and tongue while at Chelsea won him fans and enemies in equal measure but no one could say the ’Special One’ was dull. 

However, in his first couple of months at the Italian champions, the Portuguese seemed somewhat withdrawn. Was this a new, more measured Mourinho? Would he just do the day job and then hide away in his new surroundings?

Not a chance. Mourinho was just sussing out Italian soccer and the media. Once he felt comfortable, his ego and cheeky character blew a hole in Serie A.

Last week he said Inter deserved to beat Catania 5-1 despite only winning 2-1 with two own goals. Catania’s chief executive Pietro Lo Monaco replied by saying Mourinho had insulted the whole of the Sicilian city and that he risked ‘having his teeth smashed in”.

Lo Monaco, who has been charged by the soccer federation for inciting violence, quickly apologised and said the comment was “a Sicilian turn of phrase”. Mourinho laughed off the whole episode, saying the only Monaco he had heard of was the Monaco Grand Prix.

From that point on the whole of Italy knew what it was in for. Not even Mourinho’s comical Portuguese accent when speaking Italian can diminish the admiration he is quickly gleaning.

Mourinho’s charisma has also begun to rub off on his players. Inter were efficient in winning the scudetto under Roberto Mancini last season but rarely exciting.

Back-to-back wins over Panathinaikos in the Champions League and Torino on Sunday showed a new side to Inter, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic acquiring the swagger of a manager he has already labelled ‘great’.  

PHOTO: Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho watches his team play their against Ajax at the Amsterdam Tournament, Aug 9, 2008 REUTERS/Robin van Lonkhuijsen/United Photos (NETHERLANDS)

Luiz Felipe Scolari held his first news conference as Chelsea manager on Tuesday.

Regular vlogonthepitch pundit Pedro Redig attended the event and spoke to journalists from Brazil (Fernando Duarte, O Globo) and Portugal (Alexandre Albuquerque, RTP) where Scolari made a name for himself as an international manager.

Pedro also got some British reaction from Sky Sports News reporter Nick Collins.

Will Big Phil continue to wow the press pack or might he be exposed by a lack European club experience?

Let us know your views.

However Chelsea’s fortunes unfold on the field during the coming season, the presence of new manager Luiz Felipe Scolari at Stamford Bridge should guarantee no shortage of entertainment off it.

Scolari gave an impressive performance on Tuesday in his first news conference since taking the helm of the London club, speaking in excellent English and providing Chelsea’s fans with exactly the news they wanted to hear about Frank Lampard staying.

They also got a first taste of their new coach’s charisma. If Avram Grant cut a grey figure compared to his colourful, soundbite-friendly predecessor Jose Mourinho — aka ‘The Special One’ — nobody will be complaining about Scolari lacking personality.

Speaking with a twinkle in his eye, the Brazilian World Cup-winning coach said he was special only to his loved ones and a “so-so” coach.

For those who witnessed the wide range of facial expressions at his news conferences as Portugal manager, none of this would have come as a surprise. He may resemble the actor Gene Hackman but he is a showman in his own right, a great bear-like figure who needs little invitation to display his emotions.

When his players’ tempers were rising during the group-stage defeat by Switzerland at Euro 2008, he stood on the touchline like an angry schoolmaster, his index finger held to his mouth in a gesture telling them to stop their back chat to the referee.

Yet the big hug he gave injured Switzerland striker Alexander Frei on the same
evening showed his avuncular side too.

My favourite Scolari memory came from Portugal’s meeting with England at the
2006 World Cup.

He looked every inch the kindly uncle when, down at pitchside in Gelsenkirchen, he joked around with a group of English schoolchildren — posing for pictures, giving the thumbs-down to the Gerrard on the back of one boy’s England shirt, and even pulling the tail of tournament mascot Goleo the lion. This less than an hour before a World Cup game.

Chelsea players and fans alike should have little difficulty in warming to Scolari. It is easy to imagine opposition supporters getting their share of fun from having Big Phil around too.

PHOTO: Scolari gestures during a news conference at Cobham in southern England as he is unveiled as the new Chelsea manager. July 8. REUTERS/Toby Melville

UEFA’s decision to banish mild-mannered coach Joachim Loew from the touchline for Thursday’s quarter-final against Portugal is being put down to anti-German feeling by a lot of people here, a suspicion fanned by the angry response from German FA bosses.

It’s not the first time Germany have been hit with what neutral observers (I’d like to consider myself one of those) might view as a rather harsh penalty just before a critical match.

It recalled the suspension of Torsten Frings on the eve of the World Cup semi-final against Italy two years ago, for his relatively minor role in a post-match scuffle with
Argentina players. Germans also remember that they had to do without Michael Ballack for the World Cup final in 2002, although that was a more straightforward decision.

Is it a general dislike of Germans? Are there influential people that don’t want to see the country that has won three European Championships (1972, 1980 and 1996) and three World Cups (1954, 1974, 1990) succeed again?

Bierhoff was quick to dismiss such an idea at an eve-of-match press conference in Basel but he was annoyed in the extreme.

“These are isolated cases,” he said. “I don’t think there is a special story going on here. But in this case perhaps a fine would have been sufficient.”

Loew said after the incident that he had just been coming to the aid of Josef Hickersberger, who was also sent off, in urging the fourth official to allow the Austrian freedom to roam in the technical area at pitchside. Loew has no history of criticising referees and he quickly shook hands with Hickersberger as they walked together towards the stands. Loew’s arguments thus seem entirely plausible.

To stunned Germans, it feels like an innocent bystander got whacked around for trying to help. It seems like Loew first got arrested and has now been convicted for being a Good Samaritan.

Erik Kirschbaum, Berlin

PHOTO: Joachim Loew carries a goal during a training session in Tenero, June 17, 2008. REUTERS/Alex Grimm