Football League at World Cup 2010: Update 2

It's that time every four years again - the World Cup is well underway, this year taking place in South Africa.

Here at Soccer AM/MW, as part of our dedicated coverage of all things lower leagues, we're keeping tabs on all the players from Football League clubs who are in Africa competing.

The second round of group fixtures featuring teams with Football League players have now been completed.

Here's how they got on in our latest update.


Beginning in Group A, where hosts South Africa have one Football League representative as they attempt to avoid becoming the first ever hosts to crash out at the first hurdle. Mexico, Uruguay, and France are their group opponents.


Aaron Mokoena

South Africa endured a miserable night in Pretoria as the host nation slumped to a punishing defeat to Uruguay.

Mokoena could do nothing about Diego Forlan's stunning opener, but him and his defensive colleagues were in disarray as they gave away a crucial penalty.

The third Uruguayan goal was also poor defending, leaving Alvaro Pereira free to nod in the final nail in Bafana Bafana's coffin.

Their hopes of qualifying for the last-16 now appear over, with South Africa on course to become the worst ever performing hosts at a World Cup.

Final score: South Africa 0 Uruguay 3


Once again, neither of the two Nigerian players from Group B featured in their 2-1 loss against Greece.

In Group C, both the USA and Algeria have a Football League player in their ranks. Here is how they got on in their respective matches against Slovenia and England.


Jay DeMerit

The Americans staged a second half comeback against Slovenia to keep their qualification hopes alive in Group C.

The USA started off slowly against their European opponents however, and found themselves one down with Valter Birsa having too much time and room to curl home.

They were 2-0 down before the break, as the USA's offside trap was beaten. However, DeMerit's side tightened up in the second half - limiting the Slovenian threat - and goals from Landon Donovan and Michael Bradley earned them a point late on.


Final score: Slovenia 2 USA 2


Nadir Belhadj

In a great result for the African side, Belhadj had a mixed night in Cape Town against England.

Playing a wing back again, he looked dangerous going forwards as Algeria settled the better of the two teams. He also kept England's Aaron Lennon very quiet.

However, some careless passing in his own half almost presented England with opportunities as a lack of concentration and composure was evident.

Ultimately, a clean sheet against one of the tournament's strongest teams will be a cause for celebration for Belhadj and Algeria.

Final score: England 0 Algeria 0


Onto Group D, where Ghana's Football League player featured in their game against Australia. Neither of the Socceroos's two players were involved though. Germany and Serbia are the other two teams in this group.

Kevin Prince-Boateng

Prince-Boateng had another strong performance as Ghana were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw against 10-man Australia.

After Asamoah Gyan's penalty had cancelled out Brett Holman's early strike, the African side strove to take advantage of their opponent's numerical disadvantage.

Boateng himself had a low shot brilliantly turned around the post by Mark Schwarzer and his driving runs from midfield pressed the Aussies back.

His through ball also released Gyan to fire wide in one of Ghana's best chances in the second period. He was substituted with two minutes of normal time remaining.

Final score: Ghana 1 Australia 1


The final group involving Football League representatives is Group F. Here, New Zealand feature three players as they battle to escape from a group including World Champions Italy, South America's Paraguay, and first-timers Slovakia.


Tommy Smith

Smith can, overall, be very happy with his personal display as New Zealand pulled off one of the shocks of the World Cup in holding Italy.

The World Champions struggled to find a way through an organised Kiwis backline, with Smith a formidable aerial presence in defending balls into the box.

However, he was deemed culpable for giving away the penalty which Italy converted for the 1-1 draw. His tug on Daniele De Rossi's shirt convincing the referee to award the penalty and book Smith.



Chris Killen

With the All Whites consistently under pressure against the Italians, striker Killen found himself having a quiet afternoon.

He often had to help out in a rearguard action as New Zealand battled to protect a point in the second half.

That nullified any of his attacking threat going forwards, but his efforts in dealing with crosses into the box and defending set plays was still crucial.

He was substituted in injury time as the Kiwis looked to wind down the clock.


Rory Fallon

Despite an historic result for the Kiwis, it was a frustrating day for Fallon against Italy.

His physical approach ruffled the feathers of a few of the Azzuri backline. However, after picking up an early booking, he had to watch himself.

With Italy's players often going to ground easily, he was replaced by manager Rickie Herbert in the second half to prevent him from being harshly sent off for another yellow card.

Final score: Italy 1 New Zealand 1


We'll have a final look at how the players from the Football League got on in the group stages - and whether any of them make it into the knockout stage, next time.

Shrewsbury's Re-Turner

With Graham Turner's re-appointment as Shrewsbury Town boss, Nobes looks at whether he can bring about the same success in his second spell.

Graham Turner previously managed Shrewsbury from 1978 to 1984

He's been around long enough to have heard the phrase. "Never go back in football," they say. Now back as boss at Shrewsbury though, Graham Turner obviously doesn't agree.

After a quarter of a century away, the 62-year-old has returned to where he began his managerial career in the '70s. Spells at Wolves and Aston Villa followed before a 14-year tenure at Hereford United - a club where he was both manager and owner.

Now things have come full circle. It's an appointment that conjures up a distinct feeling of old meets new in this corner of rural Shropshire. New ground, but the same club and the same ambition. This forward thinking club are hoping to go back in time.

Turner took Salop into the second tier of English football in 1979 as the old Third Division Champions. Despite his departure to Villa in 1984, Town remained punching above their weight with the big boys for a decade.

However, they were eventually relegated in 1989 - and haven't been back since. Indeed, three years later, they had been demoted down to the basement division.

Since then, only three years have been spent higher than League Two level, and the club even endured one year in the Conference following relegation from the Football League in 2003.

For fans brought up in the '80s on league victories over the likes of Chelsea, Blackburn, and Middlesbrough - as well as reaching the last eight of the FA Cup in 1982 - the recent years have been dark days indeed.

Painful ones too. Twice in the past four seasons, Shrewsbury have ended up losing in the play-off final. First, under Gary Peters, they were defeated by Bristol Rovers in 2007.

Then, two years later, Paul Simpson's Town team suffered last minute heartbreak against Gillingham at Wembley. A disappointing campaign last term, coupled with public outbursts against players and supporters, saw Simpson dismissed.

Now they have put their faith in the man who, despite his long connection with local rivals Hereford, is still considered a legend by Salop supporters.

After the turmoil of the latter stages of Simpson's reign, it is an appointment guaranteed to please even the most disillusioned supporters. More importantly, it is a move Shrewsbury hope will help recapture former glories.

This is a club who believe that promotion to the third tier can be the springboard to launching them back towards the heady heights of the '80s.

Shrewsbury's New Meadow is worthy of a higher stage than League Two

Can Turner repeat the same trick second time around though?

Certainly off the pitch, Town are arguably better prepared than they were 30 years ago. Their 10,000 New Meadow ground gives them the kind of facility which can generate revenue outside of match days.

Turner has also already pointed to the example of clubs like Scunthorpe - who secured a second consecutive season in the Championship next term after winning their relegation battle.

The question is - if Scunthorpe can do it, why can't they? It's difficult to argue that if the Lincolnshire club can compete with the likes of Leeds, Nottingham Forest, and Sheffield United next season, then Shrewsbury can't do, too, sometime in the future.

There should be no fears either that Turner, at 62, is past his best, or his methods outdated. A strict believer in playing the game the right way, Turner's principles have proved successful in the lower leagues.

After consistently finishing in the top echelons of the Conference, he eventually took Hereford back into the Football League in 2006. Just two years later, they were back in League One.

Although their spell in the third tier lasted just one season, it was a promotion against all the odds for a club who punched above their weight. It was also achieved with the use of young loan players from clubs higher up the pyramid.

Turner was well aware the Bulls couldn't compete financially with other clubs in the division, so used the loan market to his advantage. It was a ploy that paid off - much to the annoyance of other managers, particularly then Shrewsbury boss Gary Peters.

It also showed a man who has not lost his an eye for young talent. During his first spell at Shrewsbury, Turner brought in the likes of midfielder Bernard McNally - who played for Northern Ireland at the 1986 World Cup and later transferred to West Brom.

He also spotted the talent of goalkeeper Steve Ogrizovic, who was later sold to Coventry City and went on to become a key member of the Sky Blues team in the top flight of English football.

He will not be forced to work within the tight financial constrictions he was used to at Hereford in his new job though. Shrewsbury have a more than competitive budget for the basement division.

Now they hope they've the manager to use it wisely and end their exile in League Two. After all, they also say history repeats itself.

False Dawns

With the fixtures for the 2010/11 season released yesterday, Nobes looks at why fans shouldn't react to quickly to an opening day result.

Never read too much into the opening day - just ask Reading fans

The release of the new season's fixture list is always a cause for excitement for football supporters.

Your team may have been promoted and you're looking forward to visiting new and different grounds, or you've been relegated, and are dreading trips to 'tinpot' teams.

Who have you got on Boxing Day? When's your local derby? Which God awful away trip have you got to endure on a Tuesday night? Where can you have a nice weekend away in the spring to watch your club?

It's the anticipation of a new campaign - and marks the countdown to nine months of hopes and dreams following your team.

Inevitably, much of the countdown and focus turns to the first game - the 90 minutes which kick off your season and, for some fans, seems to hold incredible importance.

A win on the opening day and suddenly you're feeling a lot more positive about your hopes. A defeat, and relegation is surely going to be the end result come May.

However, just how important and influential is the first game of the season? Can we really read into how teams kick off their campaign or is it, more often than not, no indication whatsoever as to how your team's season will go?

Put simply, do the history books show that you really shouldn't jump to any conclusions too quickly after the first final whistle of the year?

Let's consider last season's evidence. Of the ten clubs promoted in the Football League last term, only four won their opening matches - Leeds, Notts County, Bournemouth, and Dagenham.

Notts were 5-0 winners over Bradford - putting them top of the very first League Two table. They had a rocky campaign, but top spot is where they finished after 46 matches too.

On the flip side, Norwich were bottom of League One after a 7-1 thrashing on the opening day to Colchester. They ended up running away with the title. Just above them were Swindon, humiliated 5-0 at Gillingham.

However, come May, Swindon rounded off their 2009/10 season at Wembley in the play off final. Robins fans couldn't have dreamed of that after leaving Priestfield last August.

The Gills, on the other hand, had been demoted back down to the basement division. There can't have been many bigger false dawns than theirs.

One of the five - Gillingham opened up with a 5-0 win but ended up going down

Of the nine teams who suffered relegation, four did lose their first match - Peterborough, Wycombe, Darlington, and Grimsby. Interestingly, only one - the aforementioned Gillingham - won their opening game.

Perhaps Sheffield Wednesday fans should have realised their campaign was going to be a disappointing one, though, as they threw away a 2-0 lead to draw with local rivals Barnsley at Hillsborough.

However, 12 months previously, the Owls had thumped Burnley 4-1 on the opening day of the season. Indeed, the Clarets lost their next game 3-0 to Ipswich and didn't win until the fifth attempt.

Of course, they went on to win the play off final and a place in the Premier League at the end of a season that started so poorly.

Also in the 2008/9 season, Championship winners Wolves only managed a draw at a Plymouth team who would battle against the drop. League Two winners Brentford went down to a disappointing 1-0 loss at Bury.

Indeed, none of the sides promoted from League Two that season won their first match. Similarly, both Peterborough and Scunthorpe lost their opening games in League One but went on to win promotion.

Chester City fans probably knew they were in for a long campaign - which did eventually end in relegation - when they lost 6-0 in their first match though.

Another year previously, and in League One, Swansea went down to a 2-1 loss at Oldham. Roberto Martinez's side only lost seven more times all season. Neither Nottingham Forest or Doncaster - promoted with the Swans - won their first match.

Forest were held by Bournemouth - who ended the season going down to League Two. Port Vale and Luton, relegated with the Cherries, also picked up points in their first game.

In the same campaign, West Brom began their Championship winning campaign with a 2-1 defeat at Burnley. Hull fans also wouldn't have believed that they would have ended the season promoted after losing 3-2 at home to Plymouth in their first match.

Plymouth also feature in, quite possibly, one of the biggest first day misnomers in Football League history. In 2005/6, their opening day 2-1 victory at a Reading side who looked very ordinary seemed to suggest the Royals were, once more, not promotion material.

In the next 45 matches, Reading lost only once more as they raced to the title with a record number of points. In the long term, the Argyle defeat was simply consigned to being a distant memory in a glorious campaign.

Amid the mixture of promise and broken dreams of the opening day, it will be the long term view which counts most.