Early Thoughts on Confederations Cup

We have now seen the first games from each team in the tournament. Overall, I have been entertained, but there have been some highlights and low points to discuss:

-    The talent level of this tournament is very diluted compared to the last edition of the competition. There are a couple of reasons for this, some of them being the inclusion of South Africa as host instead of powerhouse Germany, the decision of Australia to move to the Asia Football Confederation has allowed lowly New Zealand a chance to qualify through Oceana, and the fact that Iraq, a team with no chance of playing in the World Cup next summer qualified over perennial Asian power Japan.

-    South Africa is the worst home nation I can remember in the World Cup. Bafana Bafana did not qualify for Germany 2006, and have failed to qualify for the 2010 African Cup of Nations, a process that coincides with World Cup qualification, meaning that if South Africa were not the hosts they would be far from reaching the tournament. Even Japan in 2002 had a history of winning the 1992 and 2000 AFC Asian Cups, while South Korea had qualified for five straight World Cups when they shared the event with Japan in 2002. South Africa’s ineptitude was shown perfectly when Bernard Parker some how kept teammate Kagisho Dikgacoi’s header out of the net. The only thing that can save South Africa is the weak group they are in. I’m sure they will be handed a somewhat favorable draw again in 2010, but getting out of the group next summer would be the equivalent of winning the competition unless there are drastic changes made.

-    Although Spain have not been tested thus far, they have done nothing but prove that they are favorites to not only lift the Confederations Cup trophy on June 26, but to win the World Cup next summer.

-    US fans should not blame Giuseppe Rossi for choosing to play for Italy. While it would be great to see him in the red, white, and blue, he was born here to Italian immigrants where he group with Italian customs and culture. He then left at the tender age of 13 to join Parma’s Youth Squad. The real blame in that game should go to the referee for sending off Ricardo Clark for a challenge that deserved a caution, but no more.

-    The ESPN picture in HD looks great, but the announcers need to go. The US announcers (names I will not mention) did not know that Iker Casillas was the captain of Spain, thought there is a race to Fernando Torres’s signature, did not know who David Silva was, thought Luca Toni was in great form for Bayern Munich, and they thought that Gianluca Zambrotta was head butted by Zidane in 2006, but is was actually Materazzi! I have never seen such horrible commentary. One would think they do not follow the game of football of all.