Group of death for England
December 3, 2001
THE astonished gasp of disbelief echoed around the giant Bexco Convention Centre in Busan as England's fate in the World Cup finals was sealed.
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Sven Goran Eriksson turned to Adam Crozier, the Football Association's chief executive, and laughed.
But it was surely a weak and hollow laugh in the face of the Group of Death. For that is what Group F will be known as from now on.
England drawn with World Cup favourites Argentina, a Sweden side they haven't beaten since 1968 and Nigeria, the strongest side out of Africa.
Add to that the drama of David Beckham against Argentina in the World Cup again and Eriksson squaring up against his native Sweden.
And then, just when you thought it could not get any worse, it did.
A quick glance ahead (and plenty of people will say "why bother?") if England finish runners-up in the Group — arguably their best hope — shows they are scheduled to meet World and European champions France.
But that's not all because should they, somehow, overcome Zinedine Zidane and his allconquering team-mates, England are then likely to meet Brazil.
Unbelievable! You could not make it up.
The official programme for the draw had asked all those assembled: "Will the Goddess of Fortune watch over our team or turn her head away."
Well, now we had our answer.
She didn't just turn her head away — she spat in our face first.
But Eriksson could still see the funny side. He said: "I had a joke with Republic of Ireland boss Mick McCarthy. I asked him, 'Do you want to change places?' and he said, 'No way!'
"But to be honest I don't think any team would want to change with us.
"However, I am sure the managers of Argentina, Sweden and Nigeria can say the same.
"I certainly hope that we have more luck next June than we did tonight because it could not have been worse."
And what about the prospect of going on to meet the French? Eriksson quipped: "I told you it was a lucky evening."
But there's plenty to be done before we have to worry about Les Bleus and Eriksson had no doubt about the task ahead, adding: "It is the most difficult group — we have the best team in South America, the best team in Africa and another very good European team.
"There are no games where we can hide — we have to show what we have right away. We must perform at a high level right away."
England will start their campaign against the Swedes on Sunday June 2 in Saitama in central Japan (all of England's games will now be in Japan, whatever happens). It is scheduled to kick off at 2.30pm local time — that's 6.30am back home.
Then it's a two-and-a-half-hour flight from England's base camp on Awaji Island to face Argentina in Sapporo on Friday June 7, before flying south to Osaka for the final — and it really could be final — game on June 12 against Nigeria.
If it all goes horribly wrong then England's World Cup experience could last just 10 days, but Eriksson was trying his best to be upbeat and positive.
"I am convinced that we can do well," he said. "Yes, it is a difficult group and there are no games that are easy.
"We will need to play very good football to go through but we have a very good team and I think we can do that."
But Eriksson just could not get over how the deadly draw had developed.
Argentina and Sweden had already been placed in Group F when England's name came out and their Group confirmed.
And Eriksson says he knew then that Nigeria would follow.
He revealed: "When there was just one team to go, I hoped it was not Nigeria, but there they came.
"I actually smiled and said to Adam Crozier, 'If they take Nigeria to our Group then it is the maximum'.
"When it happened we just looked at each other and laughed."
The rest of the hall gave up a mixture of guffaws, gasps and groans.
Inwardly, behind the brave face, Eriksson's heart must have sank. He had said all along that the two teams he wanted to avoid were Argentina and France. He's possibly ended up with them both.
There's no way out of meeting Argentina but Eriksson has come up with a plan to get around meeting the French.
He explained: "If we finish second we play France, so let's win the Group and avoid them."
The other way, of course, is to bomb out in the first phase.
And that would mean Eriksson could be back in time for preseason training next season with Manchester United.
That would be what you call a Korea move.