Today marks the beginning of a countdown to the start of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, South Africa! In anticipation of the event we’re previewing each group and every team in it. We kick off with Group A.

FRANCE

Formation: 4-2-3-1

TAB Sportsbet: $17

The Coach: Raymond Domenech

Whilst the boss has come under criticism of late, there’s no doubt he knows how to manage a squad of pure talent. He’s one of the most unpopular coaches in the world right now, but if he can somehow convert the talent he has into results, his reputation will skyrocket.

The Captain: Theirry Henry

Like Domenech, Henry is possible one of the most hated players in the world going into the Cup, well at least in the Republic. France qualified for the tournament via his hand and he has had a terrible season at Barca. But in what may be his final chance, Henry will look to expel his demons with a good showing.

Henry... Can he overcome the controversy?

The X-Factor: Yoann Gourcuff

The talented Bordeaux man posses some of the most amazing skills in the French squad and no wonder he’s been touted as the next Zidane.  The problem for the midfielder has been transferring club form to the international front. If he can do it, not only will France go far, but he could revitalise a nation.

The Flaw: Confidence

Rarely have we seen a side that made the final in the previous Cup crumble so amazingly. People playing in uncomfortable positions and with a nation almost against them, if results don’t go their way from the get-go, confidence will suffer immensely.

The Verdict: Round of 16

French football has arguably never been in a worse state than it is at the moment. Press report that they’re lacking a drive to win and passion in the shirt. However, when you have the likes of Gallas, Ribery, Gourcuff, Anelka and Henry all in the same team you can’t blame a lack of skill.

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SOUTH AFRICA

Formation: 4-4-2

TAB Sportsbet: $101

The Coach: Carlos Alberto Parreira

The Brazilian is back for his second consecutive Cup, however his record at the tournament is dismal. He’s been to the tournament five times with four nations, however has only moved into the knockout stages two times, both coming with Brazil.

The Captain: Aaron Mokoena

Mokoena has been an inspirational captain of late for Bafana Bafana, however he will need to provide with more than inspiration at the finals. Recently though, he has had many critics claiming he is no longer good enough to start at the heart of the defence.

Can Pienaar inspire Bafana Bafana?

The X-Factor: Steven Pienaar

The diminutive Everton midfielder has had a good season with the Blues but will need to be the creative spark that’s lacking any type of innovative play. He will need to step up if the Africans look to even win a game.

The Flaw: Offence

South Africa’s ability to find the net will be a telling factor. Parreira had to even recall Benni McCarthy to his squad earlier in the campaign to add potency to his strike force. However he has been dropped for the final 23 so if the likes of Mphela can’t produce or get injured, trouble is on the way.

The Verdict: Group Stage

Whilst all the states seem to go against the Africans, with a home crowd providing a twelfth man in the stands, anything’s possible. They will also be out to ensure they don’t claim an unwanted feat – no host nation has ever failed in making it beyond the group stages. We think that might change this year.

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MEXICO

Formation: 4-5-1

TAB Sportsbet: $67

The Coach: Javier Aguirre

This former Atletico Madrid coach is a popular man, with many believing he saved what could have been a disastrous qualifying campaign. However, when the Mexicans get to the finals it’s hard to assume what side will turn up, and if history is any guide, he will be gone after it.

Football is the most popular sport in the world, rightly called the world game, and though the externalities of the game are constantly changing at a rapid pace, the game itself has remained traditional, and is still growing at a large rate around the world. So this poses the question; why fix that which is not broken?

I sit back watching many sports, where umpires and referees have lost all confidence in their own ability to make a decision. Video replays are used for Rugby League and Cricket, yet even with technology in sport, we still get just as many, if not more wrong decision. There is still always an uncertainty with the use of technology, and often creates more problems than it solves. We still often can’t tell when the ball caries to a fielder or if the player was out or in as he put the ball down for a try.

The time wasting also involved with using technology would see the normal stoppage time extend from two to four minutes to double or even triple that. Referees will start jumping to technology, much like in Rugby League when a try is scored, or umpires in cricket when there is a run out, for their every decision. Keep the power with the referees, for technology within other sports, at least for the moment is too indecisive and cumbersome to be of much use.

A backline official has been on the cards for a long time. This position is a totally unnecessary one, a man payed to do the job of the other officials and be called upon maybe once a match. The ‘hand of frog’ incident was so blatantly obvious I would not be the only one questioning whether the referee and linesman overlooked it on purpose to get one of their top teams into the World Cup. The money that would be spent on these officials I would much rather see spent on training the officials we already have to improve decisions all over the pitch, rather than just within the goal mouths.

A replay of the match was never on the cards despite the FAI’s appeal to FIFA. It was a cruel, unfair and dirty way for Ireland to be knocked out, but that’s football, no one likes it but every player has experienced it and should move on. People are pointing back to the Uzbekistan-Bahrain Qualifying match of 2005 that was replayed as a precedent. But the error made in that game was completely different, with not a missed call, but rather a blatantly wrong decision by the laws of the game from the referee. If a game can be upturned by a missed call, you would have precedent to replay almost every match ever played.

As such, I do not think its right for the integrity of the sport, nor for the young kids all over the world to see this incident to go unpunished. I believe FIFA has to take a step into the game and start punishing those players who are found to be cheating. I am not only talking about sly moves like Henry’s but also the increasing amount of players diving to try and get free kicks and other low moves. As a coach for young kids new to football I am amazed at how many you see copying these styles within park football. I think it’s disgusting not only for football but sport in general that these underhand tactics are allowed, and if FIFA wants to get this out of its wonderful game it needs to take a stand, because if they do I believe it will quickly leave the game. It is time for FIFA to take a stand, to bring back integrity and skill to the forefront of global football.