Every World Cup throws up a few players who many did not know much about before but go on to get big moves after the tournament and/or go on to have good careers. Lets have your suggestions for those players at this World Cup who could emerge as a hidden talent. I'll go for:
Marko Pantelic - Serbia
Luis Suarez - Uruguay
Sotiris Ninis - Greece
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OK, so who else then...
Also Greek striker Gekas...scored 10 in 12 in qualifying.
Luis Suarez - Uruguay
Sotiris Ninis - Greece
Suazo upfront for Chile. Scored a few goals in qualification.
Also Greek striker Gekas...scored 10 in 12 in qualifying.
Not heard of any of these, will keep an eye out.
Personally i think a couple of the African teams are really going to shine this time, expect some big names and big transfers to come out of it.
African goalkeepers never fail to disappoint!!
Looking at qualification in the South American Zone, i think Paraguay & Chile will suprise a few people......so expect a few names will become familiar with us over the next 4 weeks.
2003–2004 San Luis 40 (40)
2004–2006 Audax Italiano 62 (40)
2006–2007 Colo-Colo 54 (52)
2007– Monterrey 85 (44)
2010 → Real Zaragoza (loan) 17 (6)
Eljero Elia - Holland
Quality player Gignac, expect to see him at a big club soon, probably Arsenal!
Pretty impressive, must admit I'd never heard of him. Will keep an eye out.
My outside tip is Serbia to go well
Hamsik for Slovakia I think can carry them to the 2nd round as well.
Heskey to wear defences down, Crouch come on and score against tiring centre backs, everyone to moan that Crouch should have started ;-)
Here's a stat: Suazo injured. Salas was just bemoaning the fact that they haven't got a replacement. Shame, because he's a player who's fairly unknown in England. Always amusing to see the Premiership feeding frenzy when someone (who they ought to have been able to scout while they were playing in a major European league) has a few good world cup matches. The winger Sanchez - who would also have been a good shout - will also be missing at the start of the tournament.
There's not really the same kind of dark horses because so much world football is on offer that everyone who knows a bit about football knows all these players already. That said anyone from outside the mythical Premiership will be hoisted up as some kind of unknown discovery by the British TV "experts". I recall Big Racist Ron touting 24 year old Pavel Nedved - who at the time had been top midfield scorer in Serie A (which at the time was the best league in Europe) for two years on the bounce as his "discovery" of the tournament. I best watch with the sound turned down, or I face 4 weeks of rage.
They have, most of the good players have been followed for months. What the world cup provides is a chance to test their bottle on the big stage and that's why the players who do well seem to be hoovered up in a knee jerk way. The World cup is the end of the scouting process not the start of it.
Piece in the Observer that he will be fit for the Honduras game tuesday. Only a tweak of the thigh.
They have, most of the good players have been followed for months. What the world cup provides is a chance to test their bottle on the big stage and that's why the players who do well seem to be hoovered up in a knee jerk way. The World cup is the end of the scouting process not the start of it.[/quote]
....right... if all the garbage that gets signed up after World Cups is a result of considered scouting, then that's more embarassing. I still suspect it's not though.
Suarez scored 49 goals in 48 games for Ajax this season, so he's definitely on most big clubs radar.
The whole altitude thing could play into the South American teams hands -especially Chile.
I'm sure there are some spontaneous purchases, but the vast majority of it isn't as ramshackle as you suggest
"If you go to the World Cup hoping to unearth the next Wayne Rooney you've already missed the bus," said Aston Villa chief scout Ian Storey-Moore, who prioritised May's Under-21 Toulon Tournament ahead of the World Cup in his search for the next wave of talent.
"With the possible exception of North Korea, virtually every member of every squad will be well-known by clubs before a ball has been kicked.
"Occasionally, a player you've never heard of catches your eye but buying on the basis of one tournament is incredibly dangerous. It's easy to get seduced by the spectacle of a major competition but it's the cold light of a November midweek game that will provide the true test.
"World Cups are a culmination of many months' hard work. You're following pre-targeted players and discovering how they cope at the highest level. This is the final test."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8702258.stm
I think this case is proved by Liverpool signing Diouf for about 10m after a good 2002 world cup!
Kleberson, Djemba-Djemba...
Which I think proves the point about pre-targeting. Regardless of whether they're a flop (something that is far from being exclusive to world cup players) I think it's misunderstood how much work and thought go on behind the scenes at the top level. Same with football in general really.