Klinsmann eyes progress after favourable draw

Germany boss Jurgen Klinsmann believes his side have no excuses for not qualifying for the knockout stages of the World Cup after being handed a favourable draw in Leipzig.

The hosts will kick-off next summer’s tournament on June 9 against Costa Rica - the first-ever meeting between the sides – before playing Poland and Ecuador in their other Group A games.

Klinsmann reckons the draw and home advantage will be enough to see his side progress.

He said: “Our group could have been much worse had we got Holland or the Ukraine. But now we are respectful of the teams we have drawn.

“Poland played a strong qualifying campaign against England and we know a few faces from the Bundesliga and the Premiership and it will be a very tough task for us.

“We think with this group and playing in Germany we need to come out of it - that will be our goal.”

Poland coach Pawel Janas is confident of getting his side out of the group, and although pleased to be drawn alongside the hosts, he admitted it would have been better if they could have played in the opening match.

“We’re very confident,” he said. “It was a pity we didn’t get Germany in the opening fixture as that would have been nice. We have enough time to find out about Costa Rica. We will try to get out of the group and play as well as possible.”

Janas also hopes to take advantage of Germany boss Klinsmann’s coaching inexperience at this level.

“We don’t yet know whether Klinsmann is a good coach because it is his first big tournament,” Janas said.

“We can say more after the World Cup.”

Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira believes his side is the most talented in Group F, but is nevertheless cautious about the challenge they face.

The defending champions will play Croatia, debutants Australia, and Japan, managed by former Brazil star Zico.

“It is a very balanced group and it will not be easy,” Parreira said. “The other teams are not technically as good as Brazil but they are physically very demanding. We need to take it game by game but we must beware of every game. I will not say it is going to be easy.”

Australia boss Guus Hiddink is not daunted by the prospect of facing Brazil on their World Cup debut.

“I think this group is do-able,” he told PA Sport. “The three teams behind Brazil are different in style but all have the same chance.

“That is not the spirit of Australia. We will play with our very own spirit.

“Brazil are the number one in the group but my team is not just here to play a game against them and let it go.

“The game against Croatia will be decisive. The Croatians will have a lot of support here in Germany but it will not impress my team.

“For Australia it is a challenge. We are not concerned about anything.

“My players did a fantastic job against Uruguay away and at home and that gives me a lot of confidence. The players don’t just want to participate, they want to be very competitive.”

Argentina assistant boss Hugo Tocalli refused to accept his side were in the “group of death” and reckons Group C opponents Ivory Coast, Serbia & Montenegro and Holland had much more to fear than they do.

“Surely, they did not want to play against us,” he said. “I have total confidence in Argentina.

“In the World Cup, we will play like Argentinians. We need to think of our team, not of our rivals.”

Holland coach Marco van Basten was in similarly bullish mood.

“I don’t like the expression ‘group of death’,” he told PA Sport.

“We don’t fear anyone but it surely is an difficult group with interesting teams. At the end of the day those are all teams who like to play football and there will be nice moments.”

Ivory Coast coach Henri Michel was philosophical over his side being handed a difficult draw on their debut in the competition.

“The objective will obviously be to accomplish a great achievement,” he said.

“That’s what we have to think about when we kick start the competition. I am not down nor worried, it’s just that sometimes luck is with you and sometimes it’s not.”

Italy coach Marcello Lippi put a brave face on his side’s difficult Group E draw, where they must play Ghana, USA and Czech Republic.

“It is a good group, I’m not disappointed because we are playing in the World Cup,” he said. “The teams we will face are strong and difficult. I know Italy is not inferior to any of these teams but neither are we superior to them.”

Czech Republic midfielder Vladimir Smicer felt being drawn in Group E was a double-whammy for his side.

“It is not any easy group, we have to take it as it is,” he said.

“The worst thing is that the runners-up from the group my easily go towards Brazil, this makes things even more difficult. It will be important to qualify for the next stage, but it will be better from first spot.”

USA coach Bruce Arena has “no problems with the group” despite being paired with Italy and Czech Republic.

“I think it is a tough draw but all the groups are tough,” he told PA Sport.

“I don’t know how you define an easy draw – they are all difficult. I have no problems with this group.”

France coach Raymond Domenech evoked the memory of his side’s shock 2002 exit when

assessing their prospects in Group G, which pits the 1998 champions against neighbours and qualification rivals Switzerland, who they did not manage to beat during qualifying.

“It’s always tough with draws because as long as you have not played the teams in questions, you don’t really know what their real level is,” he said of the group that also includes South Korea and first-timers Togo.

“We know Switzerland will be tough because we faced them in the qualifiers and we did not even manage to beat them.

“South Korea are also tough and as far as Togo is concerned they will play at the African Nations Cup so I will travel there to watch them play.

Mexico head coach Ricardo Lavolpe was delighted to have avoided Serbia & Montenegro in Group D, which sees his side taking on Iran, Angola and Portugal.

“We’ve avoided Serbia & Montenegro, which could be the surprise of the tournament, and that’s important,” he explained.

“We cannot say our group is the group of death, but we cannot say also that we already qualified. We were placed in a very competitive zone, in which no-one secured their place in next stage before playing on the pitch,” Lavolpe continued.

Portugal forward Luis Boa Morte has every confidence his side will qualify from the group.

“It’s a very positive draw for Portugal,” he told O Jogo. “We’re a good team with every chance of reaching our objectives. The match with Angola is special because they are a brother nation and Mexico will be difficult. They’re a good team, just like Iran.”

Spain coach Luis Aragones admits he is moderately pleased with the draw which has paired his side against the Ukraine, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia in Group H.

“We have a good group and on paper we are favourites,” Aragones told Marca.

“However, we have to show that.”