Denmark manager Morten Olsen has downplayed criticism about his misfiring team ahead of the their opening Group E game against Holland on June 14th. The Danes were soundly beaten 1-0 by South Africa in their final warm-up game on Saturday, having also failed to score in the previous match against Australia. Denmark are competing the World Cup for the first time in eight years having missed out on qualification for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
Former Montpellier, Barcelona and World Cup winner Laurent Blanc will be the new manager of France after the World Cup finals and will replace Raymond Domenech. Blanc was part of the 1998 World Cup winning side, although missed the final through a controversial suspension. Blanc scored a vital golden goal winner against Paraguay and has since led Bordeaux to the French Championship in 2009. Blanc is replacing Raymond Domenech, who has been extremely unpopular with the Les Blues crowd, especially considering France scrapped through the playoff stage after a controversial handball from Thiery Henry.
Former Russia manager Guus Hiddink will be heading to the World Cup after all as he will lead Ivory Coast in South Africa. This will be Hiddink’s fourth World Cup finals tournament after leading his country of birth Holland in 1998, South Korea in 2002 and Australia in 2006. Russia failed to qualify for what would have been their third World Cup finals (as Russia) after their defeat to Slovenia in the playoff round last November. Hiddink had recently been linked in a move to Liverpool, however the 1988 European Cup winner will now manage Turkey as they build for Euro 2012.
Former World Cup winner Carlos Alberto Parreira has been appointed national team coach for the host nation South Africa – as he bid to participate in a record six World Cup finals. Parreira won the tournament in 1994 with his home country Brazil. Parreira returns to a job that he left 18 months ago after being named coach to succeed compatriot Joel Santana.
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