purchase structured settlement: May 2010

Monday, 31 May 2010

new flower

Dos Santos cut from Mexico squad (PA) Monday 31 May 2010

Young Barcelona midfielder Jonathan Dos Santos was today cut from Mexico's final 23-man squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™.

The 20-year-old, who made his national team debut last September, was overlooked by coach Javier Aguirre despite playing the full 90 minutes of Mexico's 5-1 friendly win over Gambia yesterday.

Defensive duo Juan Carlos Valenzuela (America) and Adrian Aldrete (Morelia) were the other two players to miss out.

"The Mexican Football Federation is grateful to Jonathan Dos Santos Ramirez for their dedication, discipline, professionalism and commitment shown during the preparations with the national team," read a statement on the governing body's official website.

While Dos Santos missed out there was better news for his brother, Giovani, who was included after spending last season on loan at Galatasaray under his former Barça boss Frank Rijkaard.

Manchester United-bound striker Javier Hernandez was included following his double in the friendly against Gambia in Germany. That match was Mexico's last before the FIFA World Cup finals where they will play hosts South Africa, France and Uruguay in Group A.

Mexico's 23-man FIFA World Cup squad: Oscar Perez (Chiapas), Guillermo Ochoa (America), Luis Ernesto Michel (Guadalajara); Rafael Marquez (Barcelona), Ricardo Osorio (Stuttgart), Francisco Rodriguez, Carlos Salcido (both PSV Eindhoven), Hector Moreno (AZ Alkmaar), Paul Aguilar (Pachuca), Efrain Juarez (Pumas UNAM), Jonny Magallon (Guadalajara), Jorge Torres Nilo (Atlas); Andres Guardado (Deportivo La Coruna), Gerardo Torrado (Cruz Azul), Israel Castro (Pumas UNAM), Giovani dos Santos (Galatasaray, on loan from Tottenham); Pablo Barrera (Pumas UNAM), Adolfo Bautista, Alberto Medina (both Guadalajara), Cuauhtemoc Blanco (Veracruz), Carlos Vela (Arsenal), Javier Hernandez (Manchester United), Guillermo Franco (West Ham).

*Please note that squad lists only become official after they have been submitted to and announced by FIFA.

France fail to fire against Tunisia (FIFA.com) Sunday 30 May 2010

France's preparations for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ suffered a reality check on Sunday when the 2006 finalists had to come from behind to snatch a 1-1 draw against non-qualifiers Tunisia.

France turned up in Rades on the back of Wednesday's confidence-boosting 2-1 win over Costa Rica in Lens. Like in that match France's top scorer Thierry Henry found himself on the bench with manager Raymond Domenech preferring to start Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka.

Hugo Lloris was back in goal after having ceded his place to Steve Mandanda who failed to advertise his claims against Costa Rica. The rest of the side was the same as Domenech stuck with his new 4-3-3 formation.

The match was a personal milestone for Domenech, who drew level with former manager Michel Hidalgo's record of 75 matches in charge of the national side. The 58-year-old Domenech, who succeeded Jacques Santini after UEFA EURO 2004, is stepping down to be replaced by Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc after the FIFA World Cup.

Les Bleus fall behind
France failed to assert as they had done last Wednesday and were behind by as early as the sixth minute when lax defending resulted in Isaam Jemaa tapping in past Lloris. Tunisia had the French backline on the rack two minutes later when Ben Khalfallah charged goalbound unchallenged down the centre in a one-on-one with Lloris but the danger petered out after he elected to pass to his left with the move petering out.

France, notably with a searing shot from Franck Ribery which skimmed just wide of the near post, had their chances but went into the break trailing. Domenech tinkered with his second half cast list, introducing Henry on the left and debutant Marc Planus for Ribery and Eric Abidal.

France got their much sought after leveller in the 62nd minute when William Gallas headed in Yoann Gourcuff's floating 30m free-kick from close range, a welcome fillip for central defender Gallas who is back in FIFA World Cup contention after a calf injury. The Arsenal back and Gourcuff were two of the few bright points of France's performance.

France have one remaining warm-up, against China in Reunion on Friday, before their FIFA World Cup campaign opens on 11 June against Uruguay.

Sunday, 30 May 2010

Saudis make Spain sweat (PA)

Substitute Fernando Llorente rescued Spain with an injury-time winner in a 3-2 friendly victory over Saudi Arabia in Innsbruck, Austria.

Osama Hawsawi gave Saudi Arabia a shock lead and although David Villa and Xabi Alonso scored to turn things around, Mohammed Al-Sahlawi's 74th-minute goal appeared to have denied the European champions. However, Athletic Bilbao striker Llorente netted a minute into time added on to save the blushes of Vicente Del Bosque and his team - tipped by many to challenge strongly for glory in South Africa.

Villa had the first chance of the game in the eighth minute - but his 20-yard shot was well off target. Saudi Arabia responded almost immediately, with Naif Hazazi's effort from the right side of the penalty area going wide of Iker Casillas' goal. Spain defender Sergio Ramos came close in the 13th minute, when he headed Xavi's corner just wide from 12 yards.

However, the Saudis went straight up the other end and were given an opportunity to take the lead when defender Gerard Pique fouled Mishal Al Saeed. Abdoh Autef took the free-kick, but his curling left-foot effort from around 18 yards out hit the Spain wall. In the 17th minute though, Saudi Arabia did make Spain pay as they took a surprise lead.

Spain conceded a corner and Autef's delivery was perfect for Hawsawi to head low past Casillas from 12 yards. Del Bosque's side responded to the setback positively, with Villa bringing an excellent save out of goalkeeper Waleed Abdullah. However, Villa was not to be denied as he brought Spain level just past the half hour mark.

Andres Iniesta's cross from the left was perfect for Villa - and the Barcelona striker clinically headed past Abdullah. Pique could have got on the scoresheet himself two minutes later, but his connection with Xavi's cross was poor and Abdullah saved easily. Xavi was the provider soon after, as Ramos hit the post from 12 yards. Then in the 38th minute Villa was off target from 18 yards.

The Saudis held on until half-time - but the pattern of play did not change when the contest resumed, with Spain looking the most likely to take the lead. The breakthrough came in the 59th minute, when Alonso's well-struck low effort from 25 yards was precise enough to beat Abdullah. A glut of substitutions followed, with Jesus Navas, Pedro Rodriguez, Carlos Marchena and Joan Capdevila coming on at the expense of Iniesta, Ramos, David Silva and Carles Puyol.

Saudi Arabia replaced goalscorer Hawsawi and Naif Hazazi with Yahia Al-Shehri and Al-Sahlawi as they sought an equaliser. And Al Nassr striker Al-Sahlawi did not take long to make an impact, picking the ball up from his fellow substitute and beating Casillas with a crisp low shot from 18 yards in the 74th minute.

The lively 23-year-old tried his luck again five minutes later after Alonso had fouled Al-Shehri, but his dead-ball effort went over the bar. Llorente, a 70th-minute replacement for Villa, shot wide from 18 yards in the 83rd minute as Spain pressed for the winner. They looked set to be frustrated by some determined Saudi defending, until Llorente headed in Alonso's corner. Saturday 29 May 2010

fifa.com

Wednesday, 26 May 2010

Bursa taruhan top skorer Piala Dunia 2010:

Bursa taruhan top skorer Piala Dunia 2010:

Fernando Torres 9/1
David Villa 9/1
Christiano Ronaldo 12/1
Wayne Rooney 12/1
Luis Fabiano 16/1
Nilmar 20/1
Lionel Messi 20/1
Sergio Aguero 20/1
Miroslav Klose 25/1
Gonzalo Higuain 25/1
Thierry Henry 25/1
Jermain Defoe 25/1
Karim Benzema 25/1
Robin van Persie 28/1
Didier Drogba 33/1
Kaka 33/1
Alberto Gilardino 33/1
Lukas Podolski 33/1
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar 33/1
Frank Lampard 33/1
Adriano 40/1
Diego Milito 40/1
Mario Gomez 40/1
Robinho 40/1
Michael Ballack 40/1
Samuel Eto'o 40/1
Nicholas Anelka 40/1
Steven Gerrard 40/1
Alexandre Pato 50/1

South Africa climb seven places

(FIFA.com) Wednesday 26 May 2010

Only about 20 friendly matches were played worldwide in the last few weeks. Accordingly, there were only minor changes to the latest edition of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, the last to be published before the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™.

The head-to-head battle for top spot between leaders Brazil and European champions Spain continues, and both have a clear lead over the chasing pack of Portugal, Netherlands and Italy. Trailing even farther behind, after Germany, Argentina, England and France, are two teams not participating South Africa 2010 – Croatia and Russia – who are likely to lose even more ground after the tournament.

Meanwhile, hosts South Africa have received a boost, winning not only two friendly matches, but also gaining seven places in the ranking (83rd, up 7), which is more than any other team. The only other teams to climb five or more places were Oman (91st, up 6) and Estonia (99th, up 5). In the top 100, Burkina Faso (48th, up 4) and Montenegro (64th, up 1) are currently in their highest-ever position since the World Ranking was introduced.

Of the top 20 teams, only Croatia, Russia and Egypt will be absent in South Africa. On the basis of this edition of the World Ranking, Group G, which includes Brazil, Portugal and Côte d’Ivoire, is still the strongest, but only if the best three teams are taken into account (average position 10th, points 1,239). However, if all four teams in each group are evaluated, Germany’s Group D (18th on average) comes out on top in terms of rank, while Spain’s Group H is strongest on points (1,013 on average), well ahead of the supposed “group of death” (34th, 1,000 points).

The next FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking will be published on 14 July 2010.

Monday, 24 May 2010

Mothers Day Flowers Delivery - A Time-honored Tradition By Tony Camio

Mothers Day Flowers Delivery San Diego is all about flowers. Ever since we can afford to buy a bunch of mums for Mom, we've always sent the same set of daffodils, tulips, freesias and the like every year without fail. And mothers, through the years, have learned to expect quite a few bundles of aromatic arrangements on her special day (aside from her birthday, of course).
Flowers are the one of the easiest ways to express a multitude of emotions depending on the occasion. But for Mother's Day, we show how we feel thankful for the (many) years that our Mom has been there for us. We express our gratitude for her kindness, understanding, unconditional love and acceptance that only a mother could give to her children. And with flowers, we show how appreciative we are for the times that Mom believed in us when even we ourselves could not.
Flowers shops in the San Diego area get ready for this occasion a few months before Mother's Day. It is a common fact that mothers day flowers delivery San Diego treat Mother's Day as they would Valentine's Day - a busy day for business. Their flowers come from all over the U.S., and other countries such as Ecuador. Because of the huge amount of orders that the store owners receive every month of May, they make sure that their personnel are ready for any kind of situation that may arise from the rush. Aside from their vast line up of creative floral arrangements, competitive flower shops have expanded their line to include stuffed animals, greeting cards, chocolates and candies to complement their product line.
This coming May, be sure to place your orders early. Flower shop owners advise customers to place orders at least a week before Mother's Day to make sure your Mom receives her token on time. Mothers day flowers delivery San Diego policies vary between shops, but one policy is common: order early to get more options and better rates. It is not uncommon for flower shops to run out of certain bouquet arrangement a day before D-day, so if you want to make sure that you'll give your Mom the best that you can afford, visit the nearest flower shop in your community or place your online order early.
Giving and receiving flowers during Mother's day is indeed a time-honored tradition perpetuated by Mothers Day Flowers Delivery San Diego. Although hard times are upon us, there is no excuse not to show one of the most important people in your life how much you love, honor, cherish and appreciate her; nothing says this better than a spray of lilacs.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tony_Camio

New Laptop Battery By Khanh Huynh

New Laptop Battery

By Khanh Huynh

If you are wondering how long your new laptop battery will last, here are a few things that will give you more insight on the topic.
It is difficult to determine the run time of new laptop battery. The life time of the battery depends on how much power the components of the laptop demand. The parts that drain extra battery, and reduce the run time of new laptop battery, are the hard drive, the monitor and a few other accessories. The other factors that affect the life time, or the run time, of your new laptop battery include the design of the laptop, and the number of hardware that is plugged into your laptop, through its USB ports.
Usually a new laptop battery runs at least as long as your old battery did, when you bought it for the first time. And at times, this battery may run even longer. Small electronic devices, laptops and note books use lighter batteries, and they are defined by the volts, amperes or mill amperes. Did you know that 1 ampere is equal to 1000 milli-amperes? Well, that is just some added information. In order to be able to figure out the life time or the run time of your new laptop battery, you will have to multiply the volts and the amps.
People determine it in such a way that higher the volts, the more your watt hours, but this can vary as it still depends on the amps. To find out the watt hour usage of your new laptop battery, all you have to do is look for it in the user manual of your laptop. There you will be able to find all the specifications of your laptop. A lot of people do not like to read their manuals thinking that they do know everything there is, to know about their laptop. But there are important things that you may not know, which you may end up doing, and in turn, it will shorten the life of your new laptop battery or the life of your laptop itself. It's better to be safe than sorry.
The more programs or peripherals you add in your laptop, the slower the run time becomes. The other harmless things that reduce your battery life are the games, the Wi-Fi and the video streaming. The watt hour that comes on your laptop does not include all these things.

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Korea Republic see off Japan in South Africa warm-up (AFP) Monday 24 May 2010 Korea Republic see off Japan in South Africa warm-up

skipper Park Ji-Sung scored an early goal as Korea Republic beat local rivals Japan 2-0 on Monday in a FIFA World Cup™ warm-up match in Saitama.
Park needed only six minutes to open the scoring when the Manchester United midfielder surged down the middle before firing home from the edge of the area.
Substitute forward Park Chu-Young added a penalty in second-half stoppage time to seal the win, with both teams hoping to avoid a repeat of four years ago, when they each crashed out in the group stages of the FIFA World Cup.
"My players never lost their nerve in this sell-out stadium and concentrated very well until the end. I think that is the key to the victory," said Korean coach Huh Jung-Moo. "My players played their own play until the end. I'm happy about it. But we must improve further our counter-attacks, we need to do it more sharply."
Huh singled out Park Chu-Young for special praise after the Monaco hitman won the penalty -- felled by home goalkeeper Seigo Narazaki -- that he duly dispatched in the dying minutes. "I was just disappointed that I didn't send Park Chu-Young onto the pitch earlier," Huh added.
The pressure will now be firmly on Japan coach Takeshi Okada after this latest poor showing from his charges, who also lost to Korea Republic at home earlier in the year in the East Asian Championships.

My players never lost their nerve in this sell-out stadium and concentrated very well until the end. I think that is the key to the victory

Huh Jung-Moo, Korea Republic manager

"My players did their best but I feel sorry for the fans that we lost to South Korea twice this year," said a dejected Okada, whose side goes up against Cameroon, the Netherlands and Denmark in Group E in South Africa.
"We needed the result but we couldn't get it and I feel responsible for that," said Okada. "We lost an early goal but I thought we would have some chances. However, we lost a penalty to give an unnecessary goal in the end."
In a game of few chances, Japan's best opportunity in the first-half came in the 20th minute when Vissel Kobe forward Yoshito Okubo shot wide, while CSKA Moscow midfielder Keisuke Honda's shot was saved by keeper Jung Sung-Ryong.
Huh changed his forward line at the interval to Park Chu-Young and Kim Nam-Il, but the visitors rarely looked like adding to their lead as the game threatened to peter out.
As they chased an equaliser, Okada sent on Catania striker Takayuki Morimoto to replace the struggling Shunsuke Nakamura. And Morimoto had a chance to score, but his sizzling shot in the 77th minute was saved.
Korea Republic take on Greece, Argentina and Nigeria in Group B at next month's FIFA World Cup finals.

The History of World Cup Football

By John Francis
The FIFA World Cup (often called the Football World Cup or simply the World Cup) is the most important competition in international football (soccer), and the world's most representative team sport event. Organised by Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the sport's governing body, the World Cup is contested by the men's national football teams of FIFA member nations. The championship has been awarded every four years since the first tournament in 1930 (except in 1942 and 1946 due to World War II), however it is more of an ongoing event as the qualifying rounds of the competition take place over the three years preceding the final rounds.The final tournament phase (often called the "Finals") involves 32 national teams competing over a four-week period in a previously nominated host nation, with these games making it the most widely-viewed sporting event in the world.[1] In the 17 tournaments held, only seven nations have ever won the World Cup Finals. Brazil are the current holders, as well as the most successful World Cup team, having won the tournament five times, while Germany and Italy follow with three titles each. The next football World Cup Finals will be held in Germany.
The first international football match was played in 1872 between England and Scotland, although at this stage the sport was rarely played outside Great Britain. As football began to increase in popularity, it was held as a demonstration sport (with no medals awarded) at the 1900, 1904 and 1906 Summer Olympics before football became an official competition at the 1908 Summer Olympics. Organised by England's Football Association, the event was for amateur players only and was regarded suspiciously as a show rather than a competition. The England national amateur football team won the event in both 1908 and 1912.
With the Olympic event continuing to be contested only between amateur teams, Sir Thomas Lipton organised the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy tournament in Turin in 1909. The competition is often described as The First World Cup,and featured the most prestigious professional club sides from Italy, Germany and Switzerland. The first tournament was won by West Auckland, an amateur side from north-east England that was invited after the Football Association refused to be associated with the competition. West Auckland returned in 1911 to successfully defend their title, and were given the trophy to keep forever, as per the rules of the competition.
In 1914, FIFA agreed to recognise the Olympic tournament as a "world football championship for amateurs", and took responsibility for organising the event. This led the way for the world's first intercontinental football competition, at the 1924 Summer Olympics. Uruguay won the tournament,before winning the gold medal again in 1928, with another South American team, Argentina, taking silver. In 1928 FIFA made the decision to stage their own international tournament. With Uruguay now two-time official football world champions and due to celebrate their centenary of independence in 1930, FIFA named Uruguay as the host country.
The 1932 Summer Olympics, held in Los Angeles, did not plan to include football as part of the programme due to the low popularity of football in the United States. FIFA and the IOC also disagreed over the status of amateur players, and so football was dropped from the Games.FIFA president Jules Rimet thus set about organising the inaugural World Cup tournament to be held in Uruguay in 1930. The national associations of selected nations were invited to send a team, but the choice of Uruguay as a venue for the competition meant a long and costly trip across the Atlantic Ocean for European sides. Indeed, no European country pledged to send a team until two months before the start of the competition.Rimet eventually persuaded teams from Belgium, France, Romania, and Yugoslavia to make the trip. In total 13 nations took part -- seven from South America, four from Europe and two from North America.
A spin-off tournament, the FIFA Women's World Cup, was first held in 1991. It is similar to the men's tournament in format, but so far has not generated the same level of interest.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Francis

Saturday, 22 May 2010

Mourinho hints at Inter exit (AFP) Saturday 22 May 2010

Jose Mourinho guided Inter Milan to UEFA Champions League glory on Saturday, before confirming he was poised to leave the Italian giants with Real Madrid ready to welcome the history-making coach.

Inter beat Bayern Munich 2-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu but Mourinho, having won an historic treble, claimed he has other challenges ahead. Having become only the third coach to have won Europe's premier competition with two different clubs (he won it with Porto in 2004) he said he now wants to go one better. "I want to be the only coach to win the Champions League with three different clubs," he said. "It's more likely that I will leave rather than stay."

I feel great sadness, in my professional life I try to be as cold as possible. I've entered into Inter's history, I don't want to speak much because if I do I'll cry and I don't want to do that.

Mourinho on possibly leaving Inter

Mourinho, who joined Inter two years ago, and has also won two Serie A titles and an Italian Cup, is being courted by Real Madrid. "Only Real are interested in me but I haven't spoken with anyone and I haven't signed anything. I promised I'd speak after the final," said the Portuguese coach, who has delivered Inter's first European title since 1965.
"When I win I don't stop and here [in Italy] I have won everything. I've won the Champions League with two clubs and I can do it with three," he said. "There are many things [in Italy] that I haven't liked and for three to four months I've been thinking of going."
He added: "I feel great sadness, in my professional life I try to be as cold as possible. I've entered into Inter's history, I don't want to speak much because if I do I'll cry and I don't want to do that. I want a different challenge in my career, now is the time to decide. What's important for Inter is that [president Massimo] Moratti and [captain Javier] Zanetti stay."
Mourinho's players, celebrating an historic treble of Serie A, Italian Cup and Champions League titles, are resigned to the coach leaving. "Unfortunately it's true," said Zanetti. "The coach is leaving. This victory is his."
Heading into the history books
Mourinho follows Ernst Happel and Ottmar Hitzfeld as a member of the select band of coaches to have won the Champions League with two different clubs.
Happel lifted his first European Cup with Feyenoord, 2-1 winners against Celtic in 1970, and claimed a second 13 years later when Hamburg overcame Juventus 1-0. Hitzfeld steered Borussia Dortmund to the 1997 title when they caused an upset in beating Juventus 3-1 before masterminding Bayern's 2001 defeat of Valencia, 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
Both Happel, with Bruges against Liverpool in 1978, and Hitzfeld, thanks to Bayern's dramatic 1999 reverse against Manchester United in Barcelona, experienced setbacks in European Cup finals before their second triumphs.
Bayern coach Louis Van Gaal, whose Ajax team were downed by Juventus in 1996, is the seventh coach to lose two European Cup finals. Marcello Lippi, defeated with Juventus in 1997, 1998 and 2003, is the only coach to finish on the losing side in three finals.(fifa.com)

Friday, 21 May 2010

quotes group b

Bilardo: We can't complain

Carlos Bilardo, Argentina general managerMy first thoughts are that this is a good group, because our main goal was not to travel too much. For that it's just perfect. But it's not an easy group – on the contrary I think it's very difficult In 1990, everybody thought that Cameroon was easy and we ended up losing the first match. Korea [Republic] are strong, but we know them very well. Nigeria are difficult too, and Greece have shown in recent years that they can compete against big teams. If it wasn't Greece, it could have been Portugal or France, so we can't complain. But we are confident, of course. [Diego] Maradona and I have been to two World Cup finals, which is not bad! I hope this will continue next year. In 1986 we had Maradona as the key to our victory and now we have [Lionel] Messi. He's our decisive player. I haven't spoken to Diego yet, but I am sure that he's confident.

Shaibu Amodu, Nigeria coach
This is a very important tournament for Nigeria and we are all aware of the expectations on our shoulders. We are in a difficult group – with Argentina, Greece and Korea. This is a similar group to the one we had at the 1994 World Cup and I don't want to talk about history but people will remember how we performed at that tournament even though people thought we wouldn't do well. This World Cup is an opportunity for African teams to showcase their ability to the rest of the world. The most important thing for Nigeria will be to do well in this tournament – our ultimate goal is to proceed to the knockout stages. In a World Cup, you need a good start and then you can build from there. We have the players who are capable of representing this continent with pride but we need to gel as a team and believe in this dream. We have played against some of our opponents before and we have an idea of what we are up against.

Huh Jung-Moo, Korea Republic coachIn a World Cup, there are no easy matches, so I have no reason to complain about our group. We are up against very strong teams. Every game we will play is difficult but we also had tough assignments in the Asian qualifying round. Obviously a team like Argentina will start as favourites. They have very good players who are well-known but that is not a problem for us, we are used to starting from the back. We played against them at the 1986 World Cup and we lost but with the experience gained and lessons learned, we hope we can do better. In 2002, no one gave this team a chance but we went to the semi-finals. Some people will say we're not one of the favourites and that is fine – my biggest concern is injuries, we have been very unlucky with injuries lately and I want to travel to South Africa with a full squad. What we learned in 2002 is that good preparations are always very important, we have to be fully prepared and ready for all the games we will play.

Otto Rehhagel, Greece coach
Argentina will be the clear favourites in our group, they are number one. They are a very good and dangerous side, I think all the teams in the group will struggle against them. I think it is only fair to say that the three other teams will be aiming for second. So it is up to all of us to fight for the second spot and I think we all have an equal chance of getting to the second round. We have to start well and work hard to stay in South Africa for the knockout stages – that will be our main aim. Once you are in the knockout stages, then anything is possible. I don't want to make any predictions, I’m not good at that. From here, we need to study our opponents and plan ahead.(fifa.com)

quotes ..... Parreira: We'll perform with pride

Parreira: We'll perform with pride

Carlos Alberto Parreira, South Africa coachFor the first time in a long while, we were witness to a World Cup draw that is pretty even overall, without a particularly easy group or a group of death. In what I would describe as an open draw, we definitely have the most open group. Up against two former world champions – France and Uruguay – I realise that the task ahead looks difficult, but we're ready to tackle it head-on with pride and courage. A tough challenge awaits us, but we're capable of meeting it if we put in the hard work in the run-up. I'm obviously aware of the importance of the first match, but I don’t intend to simply focus on that game. I would rather look at the group as a whole, because if we were to beat Mexico but then lose to the two other teams, it would all be for nothing. That said, there is no doubt that winning the opening match is always crucial for morale.

Javier Aguirre, Mexico coachIt was a very emotional yet enjoyable moment when I saw that we would be taking part in the opening match. We’re very much aware that the eyes of the world will be upon us that day – expectations will of course be high, and we are confident of being able to rise to the occasion. South Africa will be under considerable pressure as host nation, but they will also benefit from immense local support and familiarity with their surroundings. I’m not going to label this group either difficult or manageable – I’m going to call it unique, without one clear favourite. We are due to face three opponents that all possess their own distinct style. We’re going to have to study them closely, to get to know them and to select appropriate opposition in our upcoming friendly matches to accustom ourselves to similar styles of play. Even if our pool does indeed contain two previous World Cup winners, I happen to believe that from the moment my players walk out on to the pitch, history is no longer a factor.

Oscar Tabarez, Uruguay coachThe group is an open one. It includes the host nation, which is always a tough proposition anyway, but it is made harder by the fact they are a solid unit and have been strengthened by the return of Parreira. He knows better that anyone how to go about preparing a team for this tournament. As for France and Mexico, they represent experienced opponents who are regulars at World Cups. I would therefore be inclined to say that it is a difficult draw, but also that we’re not just here to make up the numbers. As of now, we can start concentrating on putting preparations in place for the competition. I’ve got six months to condition my team so that they are ready and able to qualify for the Round of 16. I can’t say for sure if we will qualify, but what I know is that it is within our capabilities. I’m fortunate to coach a team that is a blend of young players, motivated by the very thought of playing in South Africa, and experienced campaigners, who won’t feel overwhelmed by the event in any way.

Raymond Domenech, France coachThe first thing that’s clear when you look at the make-up of the eight groups – and ours in particular – is that it’s not going to be easy for anyone. We are truly delighted and honoured to be playing against an African team at the first World Cup to be held in the continent, but even more so against the host nation. We’re all aware that they will have the unwavering support of the whole country behind them, and that will be something we will have to deal with. We can also look forward to facing two teams from Latin America, and we know that they will be challenging opponents. One advantage for us is that they play a style that we are familiar with – very skilful, and capable of lulling teams into a false sense of security. We must be careful not to fall into that trap. We’ve played against both these teams in the not-too-distant past, so we know what to expect. We can now start calmly preparing for the summer, with one positive outcome already assured – we won’t be playing any of our group matches at altitude, which was something I really wanted to avoid.(fifa.com)