Another set of friendlies announced

South Korea have been very busy looking for sparring partners. The 2002 World Cup hosts have set up a bunch of friendlies for next month. On 9 January they play Zambia in Johannesburg, South Africa, whilst also taking on some club sides from the country. They'll be without European based player until 18 January when they meet Finland in Malaga, Spain, while meeting Latvia on the 21st. Fellow Asians Japan have set up three matches with opposition from the same continent - Yemen, China and Hong Kong.

While for Korea it looks like it doesn't matter who's the opposition, as long as they can play, then New Zealand, like England, are looking opposition similar to their opponents in the World Cup finals. The All Whites will play Mexico on 3 March in Los Angeles as a preparation for their group F opponents Paraguay. Mexico itself also have a match with Netherlands on 26 May. The Netherlands will face another North American opposition on 3 March in USA. The US also have a match with Honduras in January.

Current European Champions Spain have so far announced three fixtures. The team, currently nr.1 on FIFA ranking, will play France in March, but won't take on any team until the final weeks before the World Cup tournament, with two home and on away fixture set up. The opposition has not been announced yet.

France have already have announced their opposition for the final weeks and they are Costa Rica and Tunisia, on 25 and 30 May respectively. France's group A opponents Uruguay so far have announced a match with Switzerland on 3 March.

From group B, Argentina will meet Germany in March. The Germans also have some weird fixtures in May with hosting Malta and visiting Hungary. Same goes for their group D companions Australia. Kuwait in January and Indonesia in March aren't exactly teams you'd expect to play before a World Cup finals tournament. In the same group, Serbia have a friendly with Algeria on 3 March.

Group H overview

Honduras
Chile
Spain
Switzerland

Fixtures:

16/06/2010, Nelspruit, Honduras vs Chile
16/06/2010, Durban, Spain vs Switzerland

21/06/2010, Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth, Chile vs Switzerland
21/06/2010, Johannesburg - JEP, Spain vs Honduras

25/06/2010, Tshwane/Pretoria, Chile vs Spain
25/06/2010, Mangaung/Bloemfontein, Switzerland vs Honduras

Reigning European Champions should feel right at home in this group with two other Spanish speaking nations (no pun intended). Also, as mentioned before, they're lucky they'll meet Chile in the last round, when they already might have secured their qualification. Switzerland are also good, but I'm backing Chile to go through as the 2nd team. Don't know much about Honduras.

So probably Spain will meet probably Ivory Coast or Portugal in the second stage. Chile to take on Brazil. What a match that will be!

Long time no see

New Zealand are back in the football big stage. After their last, and so far only, World Cup place in 1982, the nation with a population of just over 4 million people, benefited this time around greatly from the Australians move to the Asian confederation.

The country mostly known for rugby and cricket, have started to rise to prominence recently in football. A number of players are being noted by European clubs, inspiring the young players in the nation and raising the profile of the game in general.

Captain Ryan Nelsen is the most well known. The centre-back was a real revelation in the English Premier League for Blackburn Rovers a few season's back. Recently injuries have hampered his career, but his still a good player and a valuable member of the Rovers and New Zealand's back line.

Celtic stiker Chris Killen and Plymouth Argyle's forward Rory Fallon, who scored the winning goal in the play-off round versus Bahrain, look to be a very good strike due on paper for a team that doesn't have many good players for one position.

Most players still come from local sides, but there are some inspirational figures, who could lift the whole team.

Manager Ricki Herbert, who was part of the side in 1982, has good experience with the local sides, as a matter of fact he's still also the manager of Wellington Phoenix, and could turn out to be a key point as well. Team spirit can take teams far and no doubt there's a will to prove they aren't in South Africa just to make up the numbers.

Another side who'll be making an appearance at the World Cup finals for the first time in a while are Honduras.

Similar to New-Zealand, the Centre-American nation were last part of the festivities in 1982. A lot of time has past since then and the country are slowly starting to put down a marker in their confederation, being no doubt the most improved footballing side of the region.

A lot of this has to go down to better players moving to Europe. And not into mediocre clubs and as squad players, but essential parts of a team in top league.

David Suazo is the star of the side no doubt. The Inter Milan striker is one of the sharpest in the Italian league and while his form has dipped in recent seasons after his big move, he's still a classy player capable of moments of brilliance.

Two Premier League players run the midfield. Wilson Palacios of Spurs and Henry Thomas, who's actually the cousin of Suazo, of Wigan.

Defensive rock Victor Bernardez has praised the work of manager Colombian Reinaldo Rueda. Talking about the qualifying Bernandez, who plays his club football at Anderlecht in Belgium, said: “It was the reward for two-and-a-half years of work with a coaching staff that succeeded in changing attitudes. That change came thanks to the coach. Before him, no national coach paid attention to the players in the way that he does.”

Bernandez also went on record saying that the current side is the best ever in Honduras. And certainly all the players will be out to prove this and their worth.