Stop laying the blame, Richmond

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THE question is: Who's to blame at Richmond? The coach or the players?

It's always the question because the Tigers, in and outside of the club, are masters at laying blame.

The fans blame the coach. The club blames the players. Last week the players blamed the coach for not being hard enough on them.

THE TACKLE: FORK IN THE ROAD TIME

THERE WILL BE CHANGES: HARDWICK

Meanwhile, most of the rest of the football world looks at Richmond and shake their heads.

The club wants respect, but have done little to command it.

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Off the field, the club has rebuilt Punt Rd, wiped out a $5 million debt and has record membership and sponsorship. Mighty congratulations.

But the core business of any football club is winning and the Tigers have been found wanting yet again.

The players should be ashamed of their effort on Saturday night.

Big game. Big occasion. Big nothing from the yellow and black.

The blame is with everyone and everything - the coach, the players and the current culture.

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It's typical of Richmond fans to blame the coach. They have inundated radio talk back with calls for Hardwick to be sacked. It's is ridiculous. Richmond's directors used to react when the smell of blood was in the air. But not anymore.

Still, Hardwick has tough decisions to make.

He has coached for four years and 10 games. He won six games in first season in 2010, and followed with eight, 10, 15 but only three wins this season.

Who is to blame for Richmond's woes?

He is a baby in terms of coaching. He is infinitely better than when he started and he will be infinitely better in another four years' time.

But if fans believed Hardwick was going to improve, and improve this team and then win the premiership - in a span of five years - they are deluded.

What's happened is Hardwick and his players have hit a hurdle and it's up to them to climb over it.

Nathan Foley leads a despondent Richmond off the field after losing to Essendon. Source: Getty Images

Clearly, there is a culture issue in terms of setting standards and playing to them and not accepting anything less.

Seriously, what does Richmond stand for? Don't say ''ruthless Tigers'' because you're living in the '70s.

The Tigers aren't ruthless. They're pedestrian.

Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley was asked last week on AFL360 what's his No. 1 unconditional as coach. He said: "Win your own ball."

If the Tigers were ruthless, they would not play Shaun Grigg and Bachar Houli. Both are skilled, but both are not unconditional.

Reece Conca is young but seems to pick and choose his efforts. Troy Chaplin has fallen away.

Ben Griffiths plays on his terms. He is known as a brilliant kick, he should be known as a pack splitter as well.

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Why can't Cotchin be as demanding on-field as Jarryd McVeigh? Why can't Deledio impose his will? And Rance more often?

They made the call on Ty Vickery, but maybe more are needed.

How, in 120 minutes of football in an era demanding defensive pressure, can 13 Tigers players have two or less tackles like they did against the Bombers.

Richmond's performance on Saturday night, and for much of the season, reflects the culture of the club.

One week - against GWS - they'll come out snarling because their backs are against the wall. The next week - against Essendon - they drink their own bath water and think it's simply going to happen again.

The great teams, such as Sydney, Fremantle, Hawthorn, Geelong aside from Friday night, now Port Adelaide, and a growing Collingwood, play every week as if their backs are against the wall.

Robbo says Ben Griffiths plays on his own terms. Picture: Colleen Petch Source: News Corp Australia

That's their culture. That's their standard. It's not the be all and end all in life for those players, but it's damn close.

The Tigers are a reactionary team. They play North Melbourne on Sunday night and bet your last dollar the Tigers will run through brick walls. They should do it every week.

For that, Hardwick has to accept responsibility for the collective competitive spirit.

That comes under every coach's leadership umbrella, which includes team personnel and the environment he creates within the club.

The players are at fault, too. Surely there's an expectation they come with a certain level of self-motivation because, after all, they are professional sportsmen.

Hardwick's test, similar to every coach, is to set standards on acceptable effort and commitment, and that's effort and commitment to not only defend but to attack.

The players this season have let him down.

Perhaps, he has allowed them to let him down.

Perhaps Hardwick needs a new rule: Win your own ball. And if you can't, or won't, you don't play.

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England’s love-hate affair with the Cup

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AT Queens Park Rangers' modest Loftus Road ground former England goalkeeper Robert Green has no sooner taken his place between the sticks when the chants rise from the small band of visiting Ipswich Town supporters.

''USA! USA! USA!'' they scream, faces red and arms outstretched toward the target of their vitriolic chants.

It is almost four years since Green took his place in England's lavishly stocked Hall of World Cup Shame. The custodian's sin was to allow the ball to dribble from his arms and into the back of the net gifting the United States an equaliser in a group game. Safe to say, as long as Green pulls on a pair of goalkeeping gloves, he will never be allowed to forget.

It is not merely the consequence of Green's blunder – the lost points meant England was eventually consigned to a knock-out match against rampant Germany – that rankles.

In a country where sports fans now teeter emotionally between the nouveau triumphalism of the Olympics and the Ashes, and more traditional scepticism and self-loathing, the goalkeeper's howler was just all too predictable.

England goalkeeper Robert Green's moment of madness against USA. Source: AP

It is this sense of foreboding doom, interspersed with fleeting moments of cruel hope, which makes England's World Cup expeditions so compelling. Even more so given the fierce spotlight of a carnivorous media and, in recent years, the amusing sideshow created by the camera-seeking WAGS whose raids on local retail outlets are generally more devastating than their partner's raids on goal.

It is not a tale of endless futility. England's quest for the World Cup was, of course, achieved. The 4-2 triumph at the old Wembley Stadium against Germany in 1966 allowed a generation of thugs to scream ''Two World Wars and one World Cup'' from the terraces and immortalised the words of commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme's line as Geoff Hurst scored the winner: ''They think it's all over. It is now, it's four!''

That the final went into agonising extra-time and England's third goal was disputed – there was none of the goal-line technology we will see in Brazil back then – was apt. Even in victory England and its renowned sense of ''fair play'' was tortured and tantalised by the nagging, guilt-inducing thought of an ill-gotten goal.

Geoff Hurst scores for England in the 1966 World Cup final. Source: AP

Now? Forty eight years later, the knowledge that World Cup victory can be achieved only serves to frustrate and infuriate those who have never seen it done, or who can barely remember. England is like Sir Edmund Hilary finding he has left his keys and wallet on top of Mt Everest, but never able to clamber back to the summit.

It is a psychology that took hold slowly, almost nefariously. England did not enter the first three World Cups having abandoned FIFA because of the perceived dominance of ''foreign'' elements, and lingering animosity from World War 1. Back then the FA Cup was still more prestigious than the World Cup, not only in English eyes.

When England finally made its World Cup debut in 1950 there was a hint of the pain to come when they lost 1-0 to the USA. Such an unlikely result, the story goes, most assumed the ''1'' was missing from England's score on the cabled report and that England had won 10-1.

In the following editions defeats by the South American powerhouses Brazil and Uruguay would force England to confront an awkward truth – it had invented football, but the rest of the world was perfecting it. So victory in 1966 was vastly reassuring. England was – quite literally in this case – still the game's home.

Diego Maradona's famous 'hand of God' goal against England at the 1986 World Cup. Source: News Limited

Since then? A semi-final in 1990 and four quarter-finals. Not abject failure given the tournament has grown in size, stature and – most obviously – depth. But often it has been the nature of England's elimination, exaggerated by the outsized expectations of fans and the poisonous reviews of a forensic media, which makes England the World Cup's most compelling soap opera.

Although, as soap operas go, you might say this one jumped the shark in 1986 when England had its 'Who Shot JR?', 'Scott and Kylie's Wedding' and 'Molly dies on A Country Practice' moment all rolled into one.

Maradona, hero of England's Falklands War enemy Argentina, leaps to push the ball into the net in the quarter-final. Then, after the match, shamelessly transforms his blatant cheating into an article of religious faith: ''A little with the head of Maradona, a little with the hand of God,'' he would say.

WAGS is a dirty word for England. Source: News Limited

The moment has a different context in Argentina where the goal was considered reprisal for everything from Argentina's own poor treatment by the referees in the 1966 World Cup in England to the sinking of the General Belgrano by the British navy.

Whatever the sporting and geo-political ramifications, it says something about England's cursed World Cup fate that the outrage about Maradona's first ''goal'' had barely subsided when he beat five defenders and scored what was later voted FIFA's goal of the century. Thus England was beaten by both the hand of God and the boot of a master.

After that it could hardly get worse. But, in the very next World Cup, it did. A penalty-shootout defeat in the 1990 semi-finals to Germany that deprived England of its best chance to reach a second final.

Paul Gascoigne's famous tears at the 1990 World Cup. Source: AP

Paul Gascoigne was in tears before the final whistle knowing he would miss the final should England prevail. Although it might have been an early sign of Gascoigne's questionable intellect that he could even entertain the possibility of England beating Germany in a penalty shoot-out.

After Chris Waddle and Stuart Pearce had missed their penalties, Gascoigne was consoled on the pitch by manager Bobby Robson. ''Don't worry, you've been one of the best players of the tournament. You've been magnificent. You've got your life ahead of you. This is your first.''

And then? Naturally, England failed to qualify for the finals 1994, Gascoigne became a shambolic drunk and the World Cup continued to treat England as its personal whoopee cushion.

Will it be different this time round for Roy Hodgson's England? Source: AFP

More penalty shoot-out heartache against Argentina in 1998. A tantalising 1-0 lead in the 2002 quarter-final against Brazil becomes a noble 1-2 defeat. Penalties against Portugul in 2006 – again! Green's howler and humiliation against Germany in 2010.

Never quite awful, England. But oh-so agonising.

This time? The usual mixture of anticipation and dread deadened slightly by unusually low expectation.

England's best club teams are now stocked with rich imported talent unavailable to manager Roy Hodgson. Maddeningly, when a ''local'' superstar emerges he turns out to be Welsh. How England would love to be full of Bale instead of baleful.

Wayne Rooney will be in Brazil as some sort of beacon. So too will wife Colleen – reportedly under 24 hour guard as protection against potential Wag-napping. Perhaps Raheem Sterling will prosper in the World Cup furnace as another Liverpool tyro Michael Owen once did.

But seldom has the prospect of another England World Cup triumph seemed so unlikely. Which would make another tantalising run to the latter stages amusing and the chants waiting back home for the inevitable scapegoat even more vitriolic.

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Final World Cup 23-man squads

Steven Gerrard lead England's final 23. Source: - / AFP

DREAMS are sealed and hopes shattered as 32 World Cup coaches announce their final 23-man squads for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Here's your one-stop-shop for all your World Cup squad news - and we'll update this piece from preliminary squads to final 23-man lists when they're announced.

MORE WORLD CUP NEWS

SOCCEROOS SQUAD SELECTOR

GROUP A

BRAZIL

Goalkeepers: Julio Cesar (QPR), Jefferson (Botafogo), Victor (Atletico Mineiro)

Defenders: David Luiz (Chelsea), Dante (Bayern Munich), Thiago Silva (Paris Saint-Germain), Henrique (Napoli), Maicon (Roma), Dani Alves (Barcelona), Marcelo (Real Madrid), Maxwell (Paris Saint-Germain)

Midfielders: Luiz Gustavo (Wolfsburg), Paulinho (Tottenham), Fernandinho (Manchester City), Ramires (Chelsea), Oscar (Chelsea), Willian (Chelsea), Hernanes (Inter Milan)

Forwards: Hulk (Zenit St. Petersburg), Bernard (Shakhtar Donetsk), Neymar (Barcelona), Jo (Atletico Mineiro), Fred (Fluminense)

HEADLINE: all eyes will be on Neymar with veterans Ronaldinho, Kaka and Robino left out of Luis Felipe Scolari's squad, which also had no room for Liverpool's Philippe Coutinho.

REACTION: NO RONALDINHO, KAKA IN BRAZIL 23

Brazil's superstars Neymar, left, Daniel Alves, center, and Fred joke around at training. Source: AP

CAMEROON - PRELIMINARY

Goalkeepers: Charles Itandje (Konyaspor), Ndy Assembe (Guingamp), Sammy Ndjock (Fetihespor), Loic Feudjou (Coton Sport)

Defenders: Allan Nyom (Granada), Dany Nounkeu (Besiktas), Cedric Djeugoue (Coton Sport), Aurelien Chedjou (Galatasaray), Nicolas Nkoulou (Marseille), Armel Kana-Biyik (Rennes), Henri Bedimo (Lyon), Benoit Assou-Ekotto (Tottenham), Gaetang Bong (Olympiakos)

Midfielders: Eyong Enoh (Antalyaspor), Jean II Makoun (Rennes), Joel Matip (Schalke 04), Stephane Mbia (Sevilla), Landry Nguemo (Bordeaux), Alexandre Song (Barcelona), Cedric Loe (Osasuna), Edgar Sally (Lens)

Strikers: Samuel Eto'o (Chelsea), Eric Choupo Moting (Mainz), Benjamin Moukandjo (Nancy), Vincent Aboubakar (Lorient), Achille Webo (Fenerbahce), Mohamadou Idrissou (Kaiserslautern), Fabrice Olinga (Zulte-Waregem)

HEADLINE: Chelsea veteran Samuel Eto'o and Barcelona's Alex Song headline a predominantly European based squad.

Age won't stop Cameroon forward Samuel Eto'o going to the World Cup. Source: AFP

CROATIA

Goalkeepers: Stipe Pletikosa (Rostov/RUS), Danijel Subasic (Monaco/FRA), Oliver Zelenika (Lokomotiva Zagreb)

Defenders: Darijo Srna (Shakhtar Donetsk/UKR), Domagoj Vida (Dynamo Kiev/UKR), Sime Vrsaljko (Genoa/ITA), Danijel Pranjic (Panathinaikos/GRE), Vedran Corluka (Lokomotiv Moscow/RUS), Dejan Lovren (Southampton/ENG), Gordon Schindelfeld (Panathinaikos/GRE) Midfielders: Luka Modric (Real Madrid/ESP), Ivan Rakitic (Sevilla/ESP), Mateo Kovacic (Inter Milan/ITA), Marcelo Brozovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Ognjen Vukojevic (Dynamo Kiev/UKR), Ivan Mocinic (Rijeka), Sammir (Getafe/ESP)

Forwards: Mario Mandzukic (Bayern Munich/GER), Nikica Jelavic (Hull City/ENG), Ivica Olic (VfL Wolfsburg/GER), Eduardo Da Silva (Shakhtar Donetsk/UKR), Ivan Perisic (VfL Wolfsburg/GER), Ante Rebic (Fiorentina/ITA)

HEADLINE: Plenty of stars for the Croats, mainly Bayern's Mario Mandzukic, Luka Modric, Nikica Jelavic and Ivan Rakitic

Real Madrid's Champions League winner Luka Modric is Croatia's go-to guy. Source: AP

MEXICO

Goalkeepers: Jesus Corona (Cruz Azul), Guillermo Ochoa (Ajaccio), Alfredo Talavera (Toluca)

Defenders: Paul Aguilar (Club America), Andres Guardado (Bayer Leverkusen), Miguel Layun (Club America), Rafael Marquez (Leon), Hector Moreno (Espanyol), Diego Reyes (Porto), Francisco Javier Rodriguez (Club America), Carlos Salcido (Tigres)

Midfielders: Isaac Brizuela (Toluca), Marco Fabian (Cruz Azul), Hector Herrera (Porto), Juan Carlos Medina (Club America), Luis Montes (Leon), Carlos Pena (Leon), Jose Juan Vazquez (Leon)

Forwards: Giovani Dos Santos (Villarreal), Javier Hernandez (Manchester United), Raul Jimenez (Club America), Oribe Peralta (Santos), Alan Pulido (Tigres)

HEADLINE: Marquee veteran Rafa Marquez leads Mexico's contingent, who needed a play-off against New Zealand to qualify. Defender Carlos Salcido is a surprise in, getting his first call-up under boss Miguel Herrera, while Giovani Dos Santos and Javier Hernandez will be the stars up front.

GROUP B

AUSTRALIA

Goalkeepers: Mat Ryan (Club Brugge), Mitchell Langerak (Borussia Dortmund), Eugene Galekovic (Adelaide United), Mark Birighitti (Newcastle Jets)

Defenders: Ivan Franjic (Brisbane Roar), Jason Davidson (Heracles Almelo), Matthew Spiranovic (Western Sydney Wanderers), Bailey Wright (Preston North End), Luke Wilkshire (Dynamo Moscow), Alex Wilkinson (Jeonbuk Motors), Ryan McGowan (Shandong Luneng)

Midfielders: Mile Jedinak (Crystal Palace), Mark Milligan (Melbourne Victory), James Holland (Austria Vienna), Massimo Luongo (Swindon Town), Oliver Bozanic (Luzern), Matt McKay (Brisbane Roar), Mark Bresciano (Al-Gharafa)

Attackers: Tim Cahill (New York Red Bulls), Josh Kennedy (Nagoya Grampus), Tom Rogic (Melbourne Victory), Dario Vidosic (Sion), Tommy Oar (FC Utrecht), James Troisi (Melbourne Victory), Ben Halloran (Fortuna Dusseldorf), Adam Taggart (Newcastle Jets), Mathew Leckie (FSV Frankfurt)

HEADLINE: Josh Brilliante, Adam Sarota and Curtis Good missed the first cut, now we wait to see who Ange Postecoglou chooses in his final 23 on Wednesday.

Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou will drop one final player on Wednesday. Source: AFP

CHILE

Goalkeepers: Claudio Bravo (Real Sociedad/ESP), Johnny Herrera (Universidad de Chile), Cristopher Toselli (Universidad Catolica)

Defenders: Gary Medel (Cardiff City/ENG), Jose Rojas (Universidad de Chile), Eugenio Mena (Santos/BRA), Gonzalo Jara (Nottingham Forest/ENG)

Midfielders: Arturo Vidal (Juventus/ITA), Mauricio Isla (Juventus/ITA), Marcelo Diaz (Basel/SUI), Francisco Silva (Osasuna/ESP), Felipe Gutierrez (FC Twente/NED), Jose Pedro Fuenzalida (Colo Colo), Carlos Carmona (Atalanta/ITA), Jean Beausejour (Wigan/ENG), Charles Aranguiz (Internacional/BRA), Miiko Albornoz (Malmo/SWE).

Forwards: Alexis Sanchez (Barcelona/ESP), Eduardo Vargas (Valencia/ESP), Jorge Valdivia (Palmeiras/BRA), Mauricio Pinilla (Cagliari/ITA), Esteban Paredes (Colo Colo), Fabian Orellana (Celta Vigo/ESP)

HEADLINE: Injured Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal has made the cut for the final 23 despite injury. Midfielders David Pizarro of Italy's Fiorentina and Humberto Suazo, who plays in Monterrey, Mexico. Barcelona's Alexis Sanchez leads the line.

Chilean footballer Arturo Vidal is recovering form surgery but is in Chile's 23-man squad. Source: AFP

NETHERLANDS

Goalkeepers: Jasper Cillessen (Ajax), Tim Krul (Newcaste United), Michel Vorm (Swansea City)
Defenders: Daley Blind (Ajax), Daryl Janmaat (Feyenoord), Terence Kongolo (Feyenoord), Bruno Martins Indi (Feyenoord), Joel Veltman (Ajax), Paul Verhaegh (FC Augsburg), Ron Vlaar (Aston Villa), Stefan de Vrij (Feyenoord)

Midfielders: Jordy Clasie (Feyenoord), Leroy Fer (Norwich City), Jonathan De Guzman (Swansea City), Nigel de Jong (AC Milan), Wesley Sneijder (Galatasaray), Georginio Wijnaldum (PSV Eindhoven)

Forwards: Memphis Depay (PSV Eindhoven), Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Schalke 04), Dirk Kuyt (Fenerbahce), Jeremain Lens (Dynamo Kiev), Robin van Persie (Manchester United, Arjen Robben (Bayern Mnich)

HEADLINE: The loss of key midfielder Kevin Strootman has forced Louis Van Gaal into a reshuffle and he is contemplating playing five defenders. The squad is a mix of Eredivse rookies and 2010 veterans.

Dutch forward Robin van Persie chats with coach Louis van Gaal. Source: AFP

SPAIN

Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Pepe Reina (Napoli), David de Gea (Manchester United)

Defenders: Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea), Gerard Pique (Barcelona), Jordi Alba (Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Javi Martinez (Bayern Munich), Raul Albiol (Napoli), Juanfran Torres (Atletico Madrid).

Midfielders: Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Xavi Hernandez (Barcelona), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona), Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid), Koke Resurreccion (Atletico Madrid), David Silva (Manchester City), Juan Mata (Manchester United), Santi Cazorla (Arsenal).

Forwards: Pedro Rodriguez (Barcelona), Diego Costa (Atletico Madrid), David Villa (Atletico Madrid), Fernando Torres (Chelsea).

HEADLINE: Jesus Navas and Alvaro Negredo miss out; Fernando Torres and Diego Costa are in.

Spain forward Fernando Torres was a surprise inclusion in Vicente Del Bosque's squad. Source: AFP

GROUP C

COLOMBIA (preliminary squad)

Goalkeepers: David Ospina, Faryd Mondragon, Camilo Vargas

Defenders: Eder Alvarez Balanta, Santiago Arias, Pablo Armero, Mario Yepes, Camilo Zuñiga, Cristian Zapata, Luis Amaranto Perea Carlos Valdes, Aquivaldo Mosquera.

Midfielders: James Rodriguez, Juan Fernando Quintero, Fredy Guarin, Alexander Mejia, Aldo Leão Ramirez, Carlos Sanchez, Elkin Soto, Juan Guillermo Cuadrado, Abel Aguilar, Macnelly Torres

Strikers: Radamel Falcao, Carlos Bacca, Adrian Ramos, Luis Muriel, Jackson Martinez, Teofilo Gutierrez, Victor Ibarbo

HEADLINE: Star striker Radamel Falcao could make the World Cup finals yet despite a serious injury while playing for Monaco back in January. The 28-year-old has repeatedly said he still hopes to be in Brazil and manager Jose Pekerman is confident he will be leading the line.

Colombia striker Radamel Falcao is racing the clock to be fit in time for the World Cup. Source: AFP

GREECE

Goalkeepers: Orestis Karnezis (Granada), Panagiotis Glykos (PAOK), Stefanos Kapino (Panathinaikos).

D efenders: Vassilis Torosidis (Roma), Loukas Vyntra (Levante), Sokratis Papastathopoulos (Borussia Dortmund), Costas Manolas (Olympiakos), Vangelis Moras (Hellas Verona), Jose Holebas (Olympiakos), Giorgos Tzavellas (PAOK), Yiannis Maniatis (Olympiakos).

Midfielders: Alexandros Tziolis (Kayserispor), Kostas Katsouranis (PAOK), Giorgos Karagounis (Fulham), Andreas Samaris (Olympiakos), Panagiotis Tachtsidis (Torino), Panagiotis Kone (Bologna), Yiannis Fetfatzidis (Genoa), Lazaros Christodoulopoulos (Bologna).

Forwards: Georgios Samaras (Celtic), Kostas Mitroglou (Fulham), Theofanis Gekas (Konyaspor), Dimitris Salpingidis (PAOK).

HEADLINE: 132-cap veteran Giorgos Karagounis leads the side, despite a sub-par season at Fulham, while club teammate Kostas Mitroglou will also be there.

IVORY COAST

TOURE IN SQUAD DESPITE BEING DIAGNOSED WITH MALARIA

Goalkeepers: Boubacar Barry (Lokeren), Sylvain Gbohouo (Sewe Sport), Mande Sayouba (Stabaek).

Defenders: Serge Aurier (Toulouse), Jean-Daniel Akpa-Akpro (Toulouse), Didier Zokora (Trabzonspor), Kolo Toure (Liverpool), Souleman Bamba (Trabzonspor), Arthur Boka (Stuttgart), Constant Djakpa (Eintracht Frankfurt), Ousmane Viera (Caykur Rizespor).

Midfielders: Cheick Tiote (Newcastle), Serey Die (Basel), Ismael Diomande (Saint-Etienne), Didier Ya Konan (Hannover), Yaya Toure (Manchester City), Max Gradel (Saint-Etienne).

Forwards: Didier Drogba (Galatasaray), Wilfried Bony (Swansea), Gervinho (Roma), Salomon Kalou (Lille), Giovanni Sio (Basel), Mathis Bolly (Fortuna Dusseldorf).

HEADLINE: Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure headline a squad that sees the latter's brother Kolo Toure included, despite being diagnosed with malaria.

Didier Drogba in action for Ivory Coast. Source: AFP

JAPAN

Goalkeepers: Eiji Kawashima (Standard Liege), Shusaku Nishikawa (Urawa Red Diamonds), Shuichi Gonda (FC Tokyo)

Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo (Inter Milan), Maya Yoshida (Southampton), Yasuyuki Konno (Gamba Osaka), Masahiko Inoha (Jubilo Iwata), Masato Morishige (FC Tokyo), Atsuto Uchida (Schalke 04), Hiroki Sakai (Hannover 96), Gotoku Sakai (Stuttgart)

Midfielders:

Makoto Hasebe (Nuremberg), Hotaru Yamaguchi (Cerezo Osaka), Yasuhito Endo (Gamba Osaka), Toshihiro Aoyama (Sanfrecce Hiroshima), Hiroshi Kiyotake (Nuremberg), Keisuke Honda (AC Milan)

Forwards: Shinji Kagawa (Manchester United), Shinji Okazaki (Mainz 05), Yuya Osako (1860 Munich), Yoichiro Kakitani (Cerezo Osaka), Yoshito Okubo (Kawasaki Frontale), Manabu Saito (Yokohama Marinos)

HEADLINE: Australia's Asian rivals Japan boast European stars Shingi Kagawa from Manchester United, Mainz forward Shinji Okazaki and AC Milan marksman Keisuke Honda. Surprisingly, veteran striker Yoshito Okubo also got the nod.

Japan star Shinji Kagawa will look to put a poor club season behind him at the World Cup. Source: AFP

GROUP D

COSTA RICA

Goalkeepers: Keylor Navas (Levante), Patrick Pemberton (Alajuelense), Daniel Cambronero (Herediano)

Defenders: Giancarlo González (Columbus Crew), Jhonny Acosta (Alajuelense), Michael Umaña, (Saprissa), Roy Miller (New York Red Bull), Óscar Duarte (Club Brugge), Junior Díaz (Mainz 05), Cristian Gamboa (Rosenborg), Heiner Mora (Saprissa), Waylon Francis (Columbus Crew)

Midfielders: Yeltsin Tejeda (Saprissa), José Miguel Cubero (Herediano), Óscar Esteban Granados (Herediano), Celso Borges (AIK), Michael Barrantes (Aalesund), Christian Bolaños (FC Copenhague), Diego Calvo (Valerenga)

Forwards: Bryan Ruiz (PSV), Joel Campbell (Olympiacos), Randall "Chiqui" Brenes (Cartaginés), Marco Ureña (Kuban Krasnodar)

HEADLINE: Joel Campbell, on loan at Olympiakos from Arsenal, and Bryan Ruiz, at PSV Eindhoven on loan from Fulham, are the two notable inclusions for Costa Rica. Carlos Hernandez misses out.

ENGLAND

Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Manchester City), Ben Foster (West Bromwich Albion), Fraser Forster (Celtic).

Defenders: Leighton Baines (Everton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Luke Shaw (Southampton), Chris Smalling (Manchester United).

Midfielders: Ross Barkley (Everton), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Adam Lallana (Southampton), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), James Milner (Manchester City), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Raheem Sterling (Liverpool), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal).

Forwards: Rickie Lambert (Southampton), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool), Daniel Welbeck (Manchester United).

HEADLINE: Veterans Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard are in, but Ashley Cole isn't, with Everton sensation Ross Barkley headlining an England squad with a sprinkling of the EPL's brightest young talent.

Roy Hodgson's England squad is full of young talent. Source: AFP

ITALY

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Salvatore Sirigu (Paris Saint-GermainG/FRA), Mattia Perin (Genoa)

Defenders: Ignazio Abate (AC Milan), Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Matteo Darmian (Torino), Mattia De Sciglio (AC Milan), Gabriel Paletta (Parma)

Midfielders: Alberto Aquilani (Fiorentina), Antonio Candreva (Lazio), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Thiago Motta (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA), Marco Parolo (Parma), Andrea Pirlo (Juventus), Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA)

Forwards: Mario Balotelli (AC Milan), Antonio Cassano (Parma), Alessio Cerci (Torino), Ciro Immobile (Torino), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli)

HEADLINE: Key defender Giorgio Chiellini is in despite a Juventus club ethics ban for elbowing Roma midfielder Miralem Pjanic while striker Antonio Cassano was somewhat of a shock choice to go to Brazil.

Italy forward Mario Balotelliwill bring the fun to the World Cup. Source: AP

URUGUAY

Goalkeepers: Fernando Muslera (Galatasaray), Martin Silva (Vasco da Gama), Rodrigo Munoz (Libertad)

Defenders: Maximiliano Pereira (Benfica), Diego Lugano (West Bromwich Albion), Diego Godin, Jose Maria Gimenez (both Atletico Madrid), Sebastian Coates (Liverpool), Martin Caceres (Juventus), Jorge Fucile (Porto)

Midfielders: lvaro Gonzalez (Lazio), Alvaro Pereira (Sao Paulo), Walter Gargano (Parma), Egidio Arevalo Rios (Morelia), Diego Perez (Bologna), Cristian Rodriguez (Atletico Madrid), Gaston Ramirez (Southampton), Nicolas Lodeiro (Botafogo)

Forwards: Luis Suarez (Liverpool), Edinson Cavani (Paris St Germain), Abel Hernandez (Palermo), Diego Forlan (Cerezo Osaka), Christian Stuani (Espanyol).

HEADLINE: All eyes will be on Uruguay's strikeforce, boasting Liverpool's Luis Suarez and Paris Saint-Germain's Edinson Cavani.

Uruguay striker player Edinson Cavani is expected to lead the line with Luis Suarez. Source: AP

GROUP E

ECUADOR (provisional squad)

Goalkeepers: Maximo Banguera, Adrian Bone, Alexander Dominguez

D efenders: Gabriel Achilier, Walter Ayovi, Oscar Bagui, Frickson Erazo, Jorge Guagua, John Narvaez, Juan Carlos Paredes, Cristian Ramirez

Midfielders: Michael Arroyo, Segundo Castillo, Carlos Gruezo, Renato Ibarra, Fidel Martinez, Edison Mendez, Oswaldo Minda, Christian Noboa, Pedro Quinonez, Luis Saritama, Antonio Valencia.

Forwards: Jaime Ayovi, Felipe Caicedo, Angel Mena, Jefferson Montero, Cristian Penilla, Joao Rojas, Enner Valencia, Armando Wila.

HEADLINE: It's all about the Valencia boys- Enner and Manchester United winger Antonio.

FRANCE

Goalkeepers: Hugo Lloris (Tottenham), Steve Mandanda (Marseille), Mickael Landreau (Bastia)

Defenders: Mathieu Debuchy (Newcastle), Bacary Sagna (Arsenal), Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal), Mamadou Sakho (Liverpool), Raphael Varane (Real Madrid), Eliaquim Mangala (Porto), Patrice Evra (Manchester United), Lucas Digne (PSG)

Midfielders: Yohan Cabaye (PSG), Clement Grenier (Lyon), Blaise Matuidi (PSG), Rio Mavuba (Lille), Paul Pogba (Juventus), Moussa Sissoko (Newcastle), Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Forwards: Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Olivier Giroud (Arsenal), Antoine Griezmann (Real Sociedad), Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich), Loic Remy (QPR)

HEADLINE: Mancehster City star Samir Nasri was left out of the France squad, but they still have plenty of attacking firepower through the likes of Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery and Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema.

Packed full of talent, France will be dangerous in Brazil. Source: AFP

HONDURAS

Goalkeepers: Noel Valladares, Donis Escober (both Olimpia), Luis Lopez (Real Espana).

Defenders: Brayan Beckeles (Olimpia), Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic), Juan Carlos Garcia (Wigan), Maynor Figueroa (Hull), Victor Bernardez (San Jose Earthquakes), Osman Chavez (Qingdao Janoon), Juan Pablo Montes (Motagua).

Midfielders: Arnold Peralta (Rangers), Luis Garrido (Olimpia), Roger Espinoza (Wigan), Jorge Claros (Motagua), Wilson Palacios (Stoke), Oscar Garcia (Houston Dynamo), Andy Najar (Anderlecht), Mario Martinez (Real Espana), Marvin Chavez (Colorado Rapids).

Forwards: Jerry Bengtson (New England Revolution), Jerry Palacios (Alajuelense), Carlo Costly (Real Espana), Rony Martinez (Real Sociedad).

HEADLINE: There are six British based players in the squad, headlined by Hull defender Maynor Figueroa and Stoke midfielder Wilson Palacios.

SWITZERLAND

Goalkeepers: Diego Benaglio (Wolfsburg), Roman Buerki (Grasshopper), Yann Sommer (Basel)

Defenders: Johan Djourou (Hamburg), Michael Lang (Grasshopper), Stephan Lichtsteiner (Juventus), Ricardo Rodriguez (Wolfsburg), Fabian Schaer (Basel), Philippe Senderos (Valencia), Steve von Bergen (Young Boys), Reto Ziegler (Sassuolo)

Midfielders: Tranquillo Barnetta (Eintracht Frankfurt), Valon Behrami (Napoli), Blerim Dzemaili (Napoli), Gelson Fernandes (Freiburg), Goekhan Inler (Napoli), Xherdan Shaqiri (Bayern Munich), Valentin Stocker (Basel)

Forwards: Josip Drmic (Nurnberg), Mario Gavranovic (Zurich), Admir Mehmedi (Freiburg), Haris Seferovic (Real Sociedad), Granit Xhaka (Borussia Moenchengladbach)

HEADLINE: Xherdan Shaqiri and Goekhan Inler headline a very strong midfield named in Ottmar Hitzfeld's Swiss squad, while there was also a place for veteran defender Philippe Senderos.

A good World Cup could see Switzerland's Xherdan Shaqiri make a big club transfer. Source: AP

GROUP F

ARGENTINA (preliminary squad)

Goalkeepers: Mariano Andujar (Catania/ITA), Sergio Romero (Monaco/FRA), Agustin Orion (Boca Juniors)

Defenders: Hugo Campagnaro (Inter Milan/ITA), Federico Fernandez (Napoli/ITA), Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City/ENG), Ezequiel Garay (Benfica/POR), Marcos Rojo (Sporting Lisbon/POR), Jose Basanta (Monterrey/MEX), Nicolas Otamendi (Atletico Mineiro/BRA), Martin Demichelis (Manchester City/ENG)

Midfielders: Javier Mascherano (FC Barcelona/ESP), Jose Sosa (Atletico Madrid/ESP), Augusto Fernandez (Celta Vigo/ESP), Ricky Alvarez (Inter Milan/ITA), Lucas Biglia (Lazio/ITA), Ever Banega (Newell's Old Boys), Fernando Gago (Boca Juniors), Maxi Rodriguez (Newell's Old Boys), Enzo Perez (Benfica/POR)

Forward: Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona/ESP), Angel Di Maria (Real Madrid/ESP), Rodrigo Palacio (Inter Milan/ITA), Gonzalo Higuaín (Napoli/ITA), Sergio Agüero (Manchester City/ENG), Ezequiel Lavezzi (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA)

HEADLINE: Juventus superstar Carlos Tevez didn't make the cut, while winger Erik Lamela's recent injuries counted against him. However, with Lionel Messi weaving his magic and Sergio Aguero firing, Argentina isn't exactly short of attacking options.

Sergio Aguero and Lionel Messi make up Argentina's deadly strikforce. Source: AFP

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Goalkeepers: Asmir Begovic (Stoke City), Asmir Avdukic (Borac Banja Luka), Jasmin Fejzic (VFR Aalen).

Defenders: Emir Spahic (Bayer Leverkusen), Toni Sunjic (Zorya Lugansk), Sead Kolasinac (Schalke), Ognjen Vranjes (Elazigspor), Ervin Zukanovic (Gent), Ermin Bicakcic (Eintracht Braunschweig), Muhamed Besic (Ferencvaros).

Midfielders: Miralem Pjanic (Roma), Izet Hajrovic (Galatasaray), Mensur Mujdza (Freiburg), Haris Medunjanin (Gaziantepspor), Senad Lulic (Lazio), Anel Hadzic (Sturm), Tino Susic (Hajduk), Sejad Salihovic (Hoffenheim), Zvjezdan Misimovic (Guizhour Renhe), Senijad Ibricic (Erciyesspor), Avdija Vrsaljevic (Hajduk).

Forwards: Vedad Ibisevic (VfB Stuttgart), Edin Dzeko (Manchester City), Edin Visca (Istanbul BB).

HEADLINE: an underrated line-up with two of the EPL's best - Asmir Begovic and Edin Dzeko - bookending the line-up at either end.

Edin Dzeko is Bosnia's big-name player. Source: AFP

IRAN

Goalkeepers: Daniel Davari, Alireza Haghighi, Rahman Ahmadi

Defenders: Hossein Mahini, Steven Beitashour, Pejman Montazeri, Jalal Hosseini, Amir-Hossein Sadeghi, Ahmad Alenemeh, Hashem Beikzadeh, Mehrdad Pouladi

Midfielders: Javad Nekounam, Andranik Teymourian, Reza Haghighi, Ghasem Hadadifar, Bakhtiar Rahmani, Ehsan Hajsafi

Forwards: Ashkan Dejagah, Masoud Shojaei, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Reza Ghoochannejhad, Karim Ansarifard, Khosro Heydari.

HEADLINE: former Manchester United assistant Carlos Queiroz helms the Middle East outfit, which includes Fulham midfielder Ashkan Dejagah.

NIGERIA (preliminary squad)

Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Lille FC, France); Austin Ejide (Hapoel Be'er Sheva, Israel), Daniel Akpeyi (Warri Wolves), Chigozie Agbim (Gombe United)

Defenders: Elderson Echiejile (AS Monaco, France); Efe Ambrose (Celtic, Scotland); Godfrey Oboabona (Rizespor, Turkey); Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves); Kenneth Omeruo (Middlesbrough, England); Juwon Oshaniwa (Ashdod FC, Israel); Joseph Yobo (Norwich City, England); Kunle Odunlami (Sunshine Stars).

Midfielders: John Mikel Obi (Chelsea, England); Ramon Azeez (Almeria FC, Spain); Ogenyi Onazi (SS Lazio, Italy); Joel Obi (Parma, Italy); Nnamdi Oduamadi (Varese, Italy); Ejike Uzoenyi (Enugu Rangers), Nosa Igiebor (Real Betis, Spain), Sunday Mba (CA Bastia, France), Reuben Gabriel (Waasland-Beveren, Belgium), Michael Babatunde (Volyn Lutsk, Ukraine).

Forwards: Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Shola Ameobi (Newcastle United, England); Emmanuel Emenike (Fenerbahce, Turkey); Obinna Nsofor (Chievo Verona, Italy); Peter Odemwingie (Stoke City, England), Michael Uchebo (Cercle Brugge, Belgium); Victor Moses (Liverpool, England), Uche Nwofor (Heerenveen, Holland).

HEADLINE: EPL strikers Peter Odemwingie, Victor Moses and Shola Ameobi have got the nod for Stephen Keshi's squad but Ikechukwu Uche, who scored 12 La Liga goals for Villareal this term, has not.

Nigeria striker Peter Odemwingie will lead the line for his country. Source: AFP

GROUP G

GERMANY (preliminary squad)

Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Roman Weidenfeller (Borussia Dortmund), Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover)

Defenders: Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Erik Durm (Borussia Dortmund), Kevin Grosskreutz (Borussia Dortmund), Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Arsenal), Shkodran Mustafi (Sampdoria), Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund).

Midfielders: Julian Draxler (Schalke), Matthias Ginter (Freiburg), Mario Goetze (Bayern Munich), Andre Hahn (Augsburg), Sami Khedira (Real Madrid), Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich), Thomas Mueller (Bayern Munich), Mesut Ozil (Arsenal), Lukas Podolski (Arsenal), Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund), Andre Schurrle (Chelsea), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards: Miroslav Klose (Lazio), Kevin Volland (Hoffenheim)

HEADLINE: Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira has been included despite being out all year with a knee injury. He features in a star-studded squad, although Joachim Loew will be relying heavily on goals from midfield. Veteran Miroslav Klose has 14 World Cup finals goals and he has been handed the chance to surpass Ronaldo as the greatest World Cup finals scorer of all time after selection in his fourth tournament.

REACTION: VETERAN GOMEZ LEFT OUT OF GERMANY SQUAD

Germany coach Joachim Loew has plenty of talent at his disposal. Source: AFP

GHANA

Goalkeepers: Fatau Dauda (Orlando Pirates), Adam Kwarasey (Stromsgodset), Stephen Adams (Aduana Stars)

Defenders: Samuel Inkoom (Platanias), Daniel Opare (Standard Liege), Harrison Afful (Esperance), John Boye (Rennes), Jonathan Mensah (Evian), Rashid Sumalia (Mamelodi Sundowns)

Midfielders: Michael Essien (AC Milan), Sulley Muntari (AC Milan), Mohammed Rabiu (Kuban Krasnodar), Kwadwo Asamoah (Juventus), Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu (Udinese), Afriyie Acquah (Parma), Christian Atsu (Vitesse Arnhem), Albert Adomah (Middlesbrough), Andre Ayew (Marseille), Mubarak Wakaso (Rubin Kazan)

Forwards: Asamoah Gyan (Al Ain), Kevin-Prince Boateng (Schalke), Abdul Majeed Waris (Valenciennes), Jordan Ayew (Sochaux).

HEADLINE: Veterans Michael Essien - who missed 2010 with injury, Asamoah Gyan and Sulley Muntari all get another World Cup finals, but big names John Mensah and Isaac Vorsah have been left out.

PORTUGAL

Goalkeepers: Rui Patricio (Sporting), Beto (Sevilla/ESP), Eduardo (Braga)

Defenders: Andre Almeida (Benfica), Bruno Alves (Fenerbahce/TUR), Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid/ESP), Joao Pereira (Valencia/ESP), Neto (Zenith St-Petersburg/RUS), Pepe (Real Madrid/ESP), Ricardo Costa (Valencia/ESP)

Midfielders: Joao Moutinho (Monaco/FRA), Miguel Veloso (Dynamo Kiev/UKR), Raul Meireles (Fenerbahce/TUR), Ruben Amorim (Benfica), William Carvalho (Sporting)

Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid/ESP), Eder (Braga), Helder Postiga (Lazio/ITA), Hugo Almeida (Besiktas/TUR), Nani (Manchester United/ENG), Rafa (Braga), Varela (FC Porto), Vieirinha (Wolfsburg/GER)

HEADLINE: Portugal will rely heavily on Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo, although he'll be supported by the likes of Joao Moutinho and William Cravalho. Ricardo Quaresma was overlooked.

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo is Portugal's great hope at the World Cup. Source: AP

USA

Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)

Defenders: DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Timmy Chandler (Nürnberg), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders FC)

Midfielders: Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Julian Green (Bayern Munich), Jermaine Jones (Besiktas), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)

Forwards: Jozy Altidore (Sunderland), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Aron Johannsson (AZ Alkmaar), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)

HEADLINE: Record goalscorer Landon Donovan is axed, but Everton No.1 Tim Howard, Aston Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzan, Sunderland striker Jozy Alitdore and Stoke defender Geoff Cameron headline USA's EPL contingent, while Jurgen Klinsmann will rely heavily on MLS-based legends Clint Dempsey.

Clint Dempseyof the United States is congratulated by teammate Timmy Chandler. Source: AFP

GROUP H

ALGERIA - (preliminary squad)

Goalkeepers: Azzedine Doukha (USM El Harrach), Rais Mbolhi (CSKA Sofia), Cedric Si Mohamed (CS Constantine), Mohamed Lamine Zemmamouche (USM Alger)

Defenders: Essaid Belkalem (Watford), Madjid Bougherra (Al Lekhwiya), Liassine Cadamuro (Mallorca), Faouzi Ghoulam (Naples), Rafik Halliche (Academica Coimbra), Nacereddine Khoualed (USM Alger), Aissa Mandi (Stade Reims), Carl Medjani (Valenciennes), Djamel Mesbah (Livorno), Mehdi Mostefa (Ajaccio)

Midfielders: Nabil Bentaleb (Tottenham Hotspur), Ryad Boudebouz (Bastia), Yacine Brahimi (Granada), Abdelmoumene Djabou (Club Africain), Sofiane Feghouli (Valencia), Adlene Guedioura (Crystal Palace), Foued Kadir (Stade Rennes), Amir Karaoui (Entente Setif), Mehdi Lacen (Getafe), Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City), Saphir Taider (Inter Milan), Hassan Yebda (Udinese)

Forwards: Rafik Djebbour (Nottingham Forest), Nabil Ghilas (Porto), Islam Slimani (Sporting), El Arabi Soudani (Dinamo Zagreb).

HEADLINE: Tottenham's Nabil Bentaleb is included in a squad that boasts just three locally based players, amongst midfielders and strikers coming from the EPL, La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1 and Russia.

BELGIUM

Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois (Atletico Madrid, on loan from Chelsea), Simon Mignolet (Liverpool), Koen Casteels (Hoffenheim), Silvio Proto (Anderlecht).

Defenders: Toby Alderweireld (Atletico Madrid), Laurent Ciman (Standard Liege), Nicolas Lombaerts (Zenit St Petersburg), Vincent Kompany (Manchester City), Daniel Van Buyten (Bayern Munich), Anthony Vanden Borre (Anderlecht), Thomas Vermaelen (Arsenal), Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham).

Midfielders: Nacer Chadli, Mousa Dembele (both Tottenham), Steven Defour (Porto), Kevin De Bruyne (Wolfsburg), Marouane Fellaini, Adnan Januzaj (both Manchester United), Eden Hazard (Chelsea), Kevin Mirallas (Everton), Divock Origi (Lille), Axel Witsel (Zenit St Petersburg)

Attackers: Romelu Lukaku (Everton, on loan from Chelsea), Dries Mertens (Napoli)

Belgium rookie Adnan Januzaj training with his new teammates. Source: AP

HEADLINE: Manchester United prodigy Adnan Januzaj is IN, as is maligned club teammate Marouane Fellaini. Plenty of firepower for the Red Devils, with Eden Hazard, Kevin Mirallas and Romelu Lukaku also named.

RUSSIA

Goalkeepers: Igor Akinfeev (CSKA Moscow), Yuri Lodygin (Zenit St. Petersburg), Sergei Ryzhikov (Rubin Kazan).

Defenders: Vasily Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow), Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow), Georgy Shchennikov (CSKA Moscow), Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow), Alexei Kozlov (Dynamo Moscow), Andrei Yeshchenko (Anzhi Makhachkala), Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow), Andrei Semyonov (Terek Grozny).

Midfielders: Igor Denisov (Dynamo Moscow), Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow), Roman Shirokov (Zenit St. Petersburg), Denis Glushakov (Spartak Moscow), Viktor Faizulin (Zenit St. Petersburg), Oleg Shatov (Zenit St. Petersburg), Yuri Zhirkov (Dynamo Moscow), Alexander Samedov (Lokomotiv Moscow)

Forwards: Alexei Ionov (Dynamo Moscow), Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow), Maxim Kanunnikov (Amkar Perm), Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St. Petersburg).

HEADLINE: Fabio Capello has chosen only domestic-based players in his 23-man squad, so there's no room for Pavel Pogrebnyak,Andrey Arshavin, Roman Pavlyuchenko or Dinyar Bilyaletdinov.

SOUTH KOREA

Goalkeepers: Jung Sung-ryong (Suwon Bluewings), Kim Seung-gyu (Ulsan Hyundai), Lee Bum-young (Busan I'Park)

Defenders: Hong Jeong-ho (Augsburg), Hwang Seo-ho (Sanfrecce Hiroshima), Kim Chang-soo (Kashiwa Reysol), Kim Young-gwon (Guangzhou Evergrande), Kwak Tae-hwi (Al Hilal), Lee Yong (Ulsan Hyundai), Yun Suk-young (QPR), Park Joo-ho (Mainz).

Midfielders: Ha Dae-sung (Beijing Guoan), Han Kook-young (Kashiwa Reysol), Ji Dong-won (Augsburg), Ki Sung-yueng (Swansea), Kim Bo-kyung (Cardiff City), Lee Chung-yong (Bolton), Park Jong-woo (Guangzhou R&F), Son Heung-min (Bayer Leverkusen)

Forwards: Kim Shin-wook (Ulsan Hyundai), Koo Ja-cheol (Mainz), Lee Keun-ho (Sangju Sangmu), Park Chu-young (Arsenal)

HEADLINE: Hong Myung-bo has selected a mix of European and Asian based players, with Bayer Leverkusen star Son Heung-min headlining the group. Five players, including Sunderland's Ki Sung-yueng, are from England's top two tiers.

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If race re-opens, Australia may be player

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FOOTBALL Federation Australia may re-submit its bid to host the 2022 World Cup, after fresh corruption allegations against Qatar's controversial campaign to host the tournament.

WHY WOULD AUSTRALIA WANT 2022 WORLD CUP?

FFA chief executive David Gallop said he did not rule out the possibility of Australia re-entering the race if Qatar was stripped of the World Cup, following allegations of widespread corruption and bribery.

"It's a serious development, they're serious allegations and we're looking to see what the response to that will be," he said.

Would you support Australia taking over hosting rights for 2022 World Cup?

Britain's Sunday Times newspaper said it had obtained millions of emails, documents and bank transfers relating to alleged payments made by Qatari former top football official Mohamed bin Hammam.

The newspaper alleged that Bin Hammam, a former Asian Football Confederation president, used slush funds to pay cash to top football officials to win a "groundswell" of support for the tiny emirate's World Cup bid.

Qatar's 2022 football World Cup organisers vehemently deny any wrongdoing.

And they weren't the only ones determined to clear their names.

The Confederation of African Football called the corruption allegations made against its chief Issa Hayatou in the Sunday Times article "fanciful" and "ridiculous."

AFC president Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa was more cocnerned with the gravity of the media reports, saying he was convinced that the Qatar "will do their utmost to clear the doubts."

Gallop said that in the event of the 2022 hosting rights being reopened, Australia could submit their bid once again.

David Gallop with Ange Postecoglou at Sydney Airport. Source: AFP

"It's too early to say whether that reopens the door of anything that happened a few years ago in terms of Australia's position but it's a bit of a 'watch this space' at this stage," he said.

Gallop said the FFA had been involved in FIFA's ongoing investigation into corruption and the 2010 vote that awarded the World Cup to Qatar, a small Gulf peninsula with little football history.

He said the FFA had provided documents and interviews to US lawyer Michael Garcia, the chief investigator for the sport's world governing body.

If the latest allegations are proven, FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce has announced his support for the 2022 voting process being reopened.

"We've been heavily involved in this now for many months in terms of the investigation that Mr Garcia is carrying out," Gallop said.

"I'm sure when we're in Brazil for FIFA congress then we'll find out more information, but don't be under any illusion that we haven't been involved in all of this for some time now.

"We've been involved in interviews, production of documents and also following carefully what's been happening away from Australia. We've got people who've been involved for some time now."

In the original December 2010 contest to host the tournament, Qatar received 11 votes, South Korea four, the United States and Japan three each and Australia one in the first elimination round.

Qatar went on to beat the United States 14 votes to eight in the fourth round.

South Korea said it would wait for "confirmed facts" before deciding its position.

"These are no confirmed facts as yet and it would be premature to comment. Our position has not been decided," an official from the Korea Football Association (KFA) said.

Another KFA official said: "We will await the outcome of any FIFA probe and then follow its decision."

The Australian government spent $45 million helping fund FFA's failed bid, and former sports minister Kate Ellis said taxpayers deserved to know whether there had been a level playing field.

"We thought we'd never know that, but maybe as a result of this investigation we will," she told the ABC.

"We had an incredibly impressive bid and I was surprised to see that only one voting member agreed with that, but we just don't know what the motivations behind that were.

"We will eagerly be watching to see the outcomes and results of this (investigation) because we'd all have the right to feel very aggrieved if any of these allegations are proven to be correct."

Australian independent senator Nick Xenophon called for the bidding process to be relaunched.

"The bid needs to be reopened for FIFA to have any credibility in the long term and for the world's game to have credibility as well," he said

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Charge social media cowards: Riewoldt

ST KILDA captain Nick Riewoldt has called on authorities to prosecute internet trolls who utter racial abuse via social media after footy's latest racial outburst.

Hawthorn star Cyril Rioli is the latest indigenous star to be devastated by racial abuse, outing an Instagram follower who posted vile outbursts.

Rioli said he was angered to be racially abused "in a week of celebration", a year after Adam Goodes was racially abused on the opening night of indigenous Round.

FANS SUPPORT RIOLI OVER RACIST RANT

Riewoldt said it was time for the country to think long and hard about punishment for those who took social media abuse too far.

"If there is one thing I could change around the world I would ban social media. It is the root of a lot of problems,'' he said.

"It creates cowards with no lives who go about trying to cause havoc and stress and feelings of hate towards people they have never met but formulate an opinion on.

Cyril Rioli models the indigenous guernsey Hawthorn wore against the GWS Giants in the AFL's Indigenous Round. Source: Supplied

"To hear that's happened (to Cyril) it doesn't surprise me because those people are out there.

"I think the country has to get serious about legislation and laws surrounding social media and bullying and cyber bullying because we have seen people take their own lives and it's a social issue and something needs to be done about it."

Rioli's photo of him and friends in the Tiwi Islands was attacked by an internet follower, with the Hawthorn star replying: "In a week of celebration I get this sh**. Feel sorry for you son."

A Perth man was this year charged after racially abusing West Coast star Nic Naitanui, and banned from contacting him or posting further social media comments.

The man was charged with using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence after a series of

Riewoldt told Triple M his cousin Jack Riewoldt had stopped using all social media given the abuse he was subjected to.

North Melbourne champion Wayne Schwass, who battled depression during his career, lauded Rioli for posting the offensive material.

"I applaud Cyril for having the guts to turn that around and bring it to the attention of everyone. For a young kid coming through they have it at their fingertips and they take and take on these things."

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GWS kids pass Giant exam

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THIS was judgment day for the AFL's test tube babies.

For all their talent, and hype about the high picks, the football world wanted to know what Greater Western Sydney stood for yesterday.

How much these supposedly cocky kids from Parramatta cared.

HAWKS HOLD OFF DARING GIANTS

On a wet night at the MCG, admittedly against a half-strength and off-kilter Hawthorn, we got the kind of genuine effort the league demanded from GWS at the start of their third season.

It was there to see as Curtly Hampton made a desperate lunging tackle in the last quarter to deny

Devon Smith and Dylan Shiel celebrate a goal. Photo by Quinn Rooney Source: Getty Images

Billy Hartung a seemingly certain goal. From Shane Mumford as he kept jumping up for first rights at each stoppage. And from the pint-sized Devon Smith as he summoned the power to nail a 53m bomb in the third term, his fourth.

They've been the laughing stock of the competition for the past couple of weeks, belted by Richmond and embarrassed by West Coast in Perth.

But as Adam Treloar ripped the ball out of the middle and found the arms of Jon Patton who reached up like a skyscraper only 20m out from the goal in the final minutes, Hawks fans had hearts in their mouths.

Lachie Whitfield played his best AFL match. Pic: Wayne Ludbey Source: News Corp Australia

But what should have been a certain goal was a dastardly miss from the No. 1 pick. The Giants blew the chance to be only down by one point and instead handed over possession, and the win, to the young Hawks.

Patton will kick himself, but at least the Giants played to the level of an AFL side, again, restoring the competition's faith somewhat.

We'll go back to talking about what a beauty Treloar is. How the captain Callan Ward is one of the toughest and courageous players in the competition after amassing 21 contested possessions and 13 clearances. GWS had 23 more tackles than its opposition yesterday and Ward was the igniter in the trenches, setting a standard that hasn't been there in recent matches. He had 13 tackles alone.

Tom Scully works his way through traffic. Pic: Wayne Ludbey Source: News Corp Australia

And why Lachie Whitfield should again be feared. The No. 1 pick has always had the polish and cool decision making and yesterday he was the rudder for the Giants, continually running to the right spots in the back half to direct the young team out of its troubled fortnight.

Even Tom Scully, maybe the most picked-on player in the league, had one of his better games for the club. Hawthorn fans had to buy an AFL record for one of the first times in years yesterday to ensure they could identify half of their team. The club has relied on the same reliable lot of superstars for the past five years and can spot a Luke Hodge spoil and a Sam Mitchell shimmy a mile away.

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But this was a look into the future for the brown and gold army. The club has only had three top-20 draft picks in the past seven years, so the recruiting team has had to be a little creative finding the next batch of top-shelf talent. Yesterday, it was clear there are some rough edges on those youngsters, but sill, led by Isaac Smith they found a way. So did the Giants to restore some much-needed respectability. Now, they need to keep it.

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Hawks hold off daring Giants

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WHEN Alastair Clarkson handed Brendan Bolton the keys to his shiny Rolls Royce, the interim senior coach was forgiven a cheeky second glance.

This Hawthorn side wasn't just missing a few spark plugs, it was up on blocks.

It contained just 13 members of the premiership side with the Norm Smith Medallist, Crimmins Medallist and former captain all sidelined.

Last night the reigning premiers played accordingly, just minutes away from the most embarrassing loss in history.

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Never before has the premier lost to the side ranked 18th the previous year, and yet with 140 seconds left last night it was a distinct possibility.

As GWS forward Jon Patton lined up for his third goal just 20 metres out directly in front, he was about to bring the Giants within a point.

Bolton was about to be forced into explanations to Clarkson about the raft of Hawthorn passengers and the second-tier players who failed to shine.

Brendon Bolton addresses his troops. Pic:Wayne Ludbey Source: News Corp Australia

About how when GWS responded from a week of criticism with the expected zest, the Hawks had nothing to come back with.

Then Patton's kick skewed right and after that easy miss and two last-term GWS posters, Hawthorn finally snapped a two-game losing streak.

Can they still be considered premiership contenders after a lifeless display where only fourth-gamer Angus Litherland showed he was desperate to lift this team?

The AFL ladder shows they are, because despite all the adversities thrust at them, Hawthorn is still 7-3 and sitting second.

Jarryd Roughead & Tim Mohr reach for the ball. Pic:Wayne Ludbey Source: News Corp Australia

They did it despite a midfield thrashing but with four-goal heroes Jack Gunston and Isaac Smith doing just enough to haul them across the line.

Litherland was only in the side when Ben Stratton withdrew with injury, but committed to the cause with tackle after goal-saving tackle.

As much as twitter was last night full of people wondering what size holes Alastair Clarkson was punching in his hospital room, there is a serious side.

Given the extraordinary levels of stress involved in a game like this, it is another reminder that he must not rush back.

Jeremy Cameron and Ryan Shoenmakers tangle. Picture: Tim Carrafa Source: News Corp Australia

The club's chief executive Stuart Fox will give an update on his progress today, but no one at the club is suggesting he will hurry back soon.

After a week of withering criticism over everything — player retention, coaching styles, development, team harmony — there was always going to be a reaction from the Giants.

But even this eclipsed what was expected given stars like Jeremy Cameron and Shane Mumford battled in wintry conditions.

Across the board there was a determination to out-hustle the Hawks (104 tackles the evidence) then outrun them on the spread.

Isaac Smith has eyes only for the ball. Pic:Wayne Ludbey. Source: News Corp Australia

All year there have been individual highlights, but this was about team cohesion too.

Callan Ward's 13 tackles tell you enough about his endeavour, while Tom Scully and Adam Treloar just kept running the lines.

Devon Smith might be a cheeky little ratbag full of bluff and bluster, but gee he can play.

He mixed 26 possessions with four goals, yet another quality performance in a super year.

Lachie Whitfield is just all class, Heath Shaw thrived on his old home ground, and Will Hoskin-Elliott mixed a pair of hangers with two opportunist goals.

Luke Hodge puts the breaks on Callan Ward. Pic:Wayne Ludbey. Source: News Corp Australia

Despite the optimism Jeremy Cameron's dirty season continued apace.

He started slowly, then smashed into Jarryd Roughead in a collision that surely has him in match review strife, and damaged his arm in the process.

Yet despite the rousing GWS performance, the Hawks did what they always do: lift when it counted.

Bolton might have put a few scrapes on Clarkson's prized possession, but it is still ticking over when called upon.

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JON RALPH'S BEST

GWS: Callan Ward, Smith, Whitfield, Treloar, Shaw, Scully, Hoskin-Elliott

HAWTHORN: Smith, Gunstan, Litherland, Birchall, Cheney

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Live: Kangaroos push Eagles to limits

Matt Windley and Glenn McFarlane deliver the hottest tips for handling the second week of the bye, captaincy options and what to do with injured GWS ruckman Jon Giles

NORTH Melbourne is on the verge of securing its second win at Patersons Stadium this season leading West Coast by 39 points.

Levi Greenwood has been the chief destroyer in the midfield with 26 disposals while Nick Dal Santo has 25.

Ben Cunnington was the surprise packet during the third term with 11 disposals - four contested.

Meanwhile, Hawthorn was lucky to escape with a seven-point win over a defiant Greater Western Sydney at the MCG.

The Giants had every chance to cause one of the upsets of the season with big Jon Patton spraying a shot on goal to reduce the margin to one point.

Not to be outdone, Hawthorn raced the ball forward from the kick in with Taylor Duryea kicking the behind to put the game beyond doubt,

FOR FULL LIVE HQ COVERAGE CLICK ON SCORE CENTRE ABOVE OR HERE IF YOU ARE ON A MOBILE DEVICE

IN OTHER MATCHES, Fremantle held off a determined Western Bulldogs side to win by 38 points in typical fashion.

The Dogs failed to make the most of their opportunities in the first quarter, while Fremantle showed its class at the other end of the ground.

The Bulldogs fell behind by as much as 31 points in the third term but hit back to trail by just three kicks at the final break.

In the early game Adelaide defeated Gold Coast by 32 points thanks to five goals and 10 marks from Taylor Walker.

West Coast v North Melbourne (Patersons Stadium) — 7.40pm

FOLLOW THE MATCHES AND JOIN IN THE DISCUSSION BELOW:

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Clarko’s simple message from hospital bed

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'JUST keep the ball rolling.' That was the simple message from ailing Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson to his replacement Brendon Bolton.

Clarkson delivered the blunt instruction when the caretaker senior coach visited him in hospital early in the week.

"I've touched in with Clarko and he's progressing really well. His focus and energy has all been on his recovery. So we haven't had a lot of footy discussion,'' Bolton said before training at Waverley Park yesterday.

CLARKO STILL CALLING SHOTS

BOLTON'S BIGGEST AUDITION

"I went up (to hospital) early in the week and spoke to him last night. What he's really excited about is showing that our club is really strong and united and really steely.

"All our coaches and players have got behind each other and we just want to show a really united front.

Bolton's voice is not an unknown to Hawthorn players. Source: News Corp Australia

"The thing we've got is great leadership density and we've got some real experience here. Chris Fagan (football operations manager) I always call him the Wise Owl, he's always helping. Brett Ratten has been in a senior (AFL coach) position, Luke Beveridge. And our leadership, Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell, who's not playing, Shaun Burgoyne, there's just so many quality people at our club and we think it's going to be a collective.

"Now, if that's for one week, so be it. But, if it's for four or five or more, so be it as well. I know Clarko said 'just keep the ball rolling."

"Clarko's whole focus is around making sure he's relaxing and not stressed. Health is the priority, not football.''

The Hawks have tweaked the assistant coaches roles to accommodate Bolton moving from the forward line coach into the senior job for today's game against GWS Giants at the MCG.

"Naturally, you all pick up a little bit, but it's not significant. Adem Yze was a development coach and working closely with me with the forwards, so he has jumped into that role,'' Bolton said.

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On whether this caretaker role aids his aspirations to be an AFL senior coach one day, Bolton said: "I don't see this as an audition. This is making sure our club's united and showing a strong front. I'm just going to make sure that happens.

"Naturally, you're a little bit nervous and excited. But I'm like that going into all games.

"There have been a lot of things floating around our club this week that could be perceived as changes, but we've just narrowed the focus and the energy has to be at the contest.

"We've lost the last couple of games, so you're going to see a pretty good team at Hawthorn footy club.''

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Lions cause upset over undisciplined Blues

Dayne Zorko and Josh Green celebrate Brisbane's upset win over Carlton. Picture: Mark Calleja Source: Mark Calleja / News Corp Australia

BRISBANE gave its fans the brightest moment of tough season with a stunning seven-point victory over Carlton at the Gabba on Saturday night.

The 14.14 (98) to 13.13 (91) win was Brisbane's first on Australian soil for the season and gave hope to the 24,625 fans at the ground the second half of the season may be a lot better than the first.

But the win was soured somewhat by the return of Brisbane's ruck curse with a knee injury to Trent West.

Lions ruckman Trent West suffered a serious knee injury. Picture: Mark Calleja Source: News Corp Australia

And Brisbane fans may have felt some pain seeing the stellar performance of former Lion Sam Docherty who produced his best game for the Blues — collecting 30 possessions.

Save for a poor second quarter, Brisbane were the better side for much of the night.

Tom Rockliff worked hard to break an Andrew Carrazzo tag, Jack Redden was a monster at the stoppages and their forwards looked dangerous.

Daniel Merrett sparked the Lions with two early goals. Picture: Mark Calleja Source: News Corp Australia

Further salt was rubbed into Carlton's wounds by an Achilles injury to forward David Ellard.

He was replaced in the second quarter by starting sub Jeff Garlett who immediately booted two goals from two kicks to put the Blues in front for the first time.

And Chris Yarran was reported in the dying moments for throwing a punch at Pearce Hanley.

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With No. 1 ruckman Matthew Leuenberger out for another six weeks at least, Brisbane are hoping scans tomorrow clear West of any serious damage.

Ruck forward Stefan Martin has played two games in the NEAFL on the comeback from a back injury and wold be the Lions' only ruck option unless they were to elevate rookie Archie Smith.

Carlton stayed in the game because of their control at the stoppages and that came on the back of complete dominance by Blues ruckman Matthew Warnock who won an incredible 57 hit-outs.

David Ellard suffered an Achilles injury in the second quarter. Picture: Mark Calleja Source: News Corp Australia

Warnock was well ahead in the hit-outs when West was on the ground but at least he was providing a contest and limiting the giant Blues' ability to spoon feed his midfielders.

When West was subbed-off for first gamer Zac O'Brien the Lions led by three points and the clearance contest was basically even.

Brisbane produced their best quarter of the year in the opening term. They were winning the contested footy and had little trouble holding onto it against some lacklustre Carlton pressure.

Lions midfielder Tom Rockliff was inspirational with 36 disposals. Picture: Mark Calleja Source: News Corp Australia

The result was they were able to give their forwards more opportunities than they have received for the majority of the season.

Jonathan Brown provided an imposing target and even thrilled the Gabba crowd by winding back the clock to take a towering mark on the wing while livewire small forward Josh Green was a handful for the Blues defence.

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At the other end the Blues were unable to enter their forward fifty with any real method and their only goal of the quarter came from a free kick to David Ellard.

They were completely outplayed by the Lions who went into the first beak with a 28 point lead.

But there were a few worrying signs for coach Justin Leppitsch. Blues captain Marc Murphy ran around the Gabba without an opponent and although he wasn't overly damaging with his seven opening quarter touches, leaving a player of his class unattended has consequences.

Zorko booted two important goals. Picture: Mark Calleja Source: News Corp Australia

It proved to be the case as Murphy accumulated a game high 39 touches. The quarter time break brought a reversal of fortunes for both sides. Carlton began to dominate the game, collecting a whopping 103 disposals for the second quarter, and outscoring the Lions by six goals to two.

Brisbane struggled to get their hands on the ball and when they did, the surety that characterised their ball movement in the opening term had disappeared.

But Brisbane fought back and won the final quarter, the one that mattered.

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