Football Focus forum

Ray Stubbs and Mark Lawrenson answered your questions on the World Cup draw.

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If England are to win the 2002 World Cup, they will have to do it the hard way.

Sven-Goran Eriksson's team have been drawn with Argentina, Sweden and Nigeria, and will play their group matches in Saitama, Japan.

The Republic of Ireland have drawn Germany, Saudi Arabia and Cameroon, giving Mick McCarthy's boys a fighting chance of qualifying for the second round.

Ray and Mark also discussed Robbie Fowler's transfer from Liverpool to Leeds, a move which could be key in the outcome of the Championship.

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Matt, Wales

I'm disappointed with the draw - it seems that we have entered the group of death. If England are going to do it, then they will certainly be doing it the hard way!

ML: Argentina are a lot of peoples favourites for the competition, and we all know about the history between them and England. Nigeria were the first African nation to qualify for the tournament and Sweden is obviously Sven-Goran Eriksson's country of birth, so it's going to be tough. But we must remember that two qualify from the group, and all of the teams are capable of beating each other, so I wouldn't be too disappointed.

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Tim La Touche, UK

Well, it couldn't have been much tougher, could it? It is not exactly a "fair" draw either, with some groups looking distinctly weaker. England could actually play a lot better than teams in other groups and still go out. Let's hope Sven can get our boys to rise to the challenge!

RS: There are many complexities with the draw aren't there, with economic and geographic factors being considered.

ML: I think the draw was extremely fair, and there was always going to be tough group and an easy one. Brazil have been drawn with Turkey, China and Costa Rica, which looks like an extremely easy group on paper. That's just the way the draw is, and if you want to win the competition, you'll have to beat the best teams along the way.

RS: Are you in favour of the way the draw was engineered to ensure that there were only two European teams in each group? I read a fascinating article the other day that proposed simply putting the 32 teams in a bag and doing a straight draw.

ML: I suppose with more teams entered this time around that may have been a possibility, but we live in a world of political correctness, and I think the arguments over which host name came first highlighted what the organisers were up against. So overall I think it's been extremely fair.

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Jeff, Stoke

Why is everyone so disappointed with the draw? Argentina are renowned 'slow starters,' and we are more than capable of beating Sweden and Nigeria. A tough group to begin with will stand England in good stead for the latter stages.

ML: Of course England are more than capable of beating all three teams in the group. But there is the heat and humidity that you have to cope with, and Argentina and Nigeria will be better suited to that than the two European sides. And the other thing with England is that although they are a vastly improving country in footballing terms, they are still prone to the odd hiccup, such as the Greece game.

So it will depend which England play when they get there. If Scholes and Beckham are at their best, Michael Owen is sharp and the defence is organised, then you would back England against most of the teams.

I wouldn't have thought that a European team could win the World Cup in 2002 because I don't think you can overstate the importance of the conditions. In humidity like that, you can play for 15 or 20 minutes and feel like you've been playing for an hour, because you can't get your breath back. I don't care how early you get out there, it takes you a very long time to get used to the humidity. That will be a problem for all European teams - France and Italy included.

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Paul, New Zealand

I can't wait for England's match with Argentina, and I'm sure David Beckham feels the same. England will wipe the floor with Argentina, and Sweden and Nigeria will be a breeze.

ML: We don't know exactly what their squad will be at the moment, but Argentina have five or six strikers that would walk into most other international teams. And it's not just their forward players, but in midfield. They're also a country that is very comfortable at the World Cup. They love the big stage, and it doesn't frighten them. Also, who's to say that they won't unearth one or two more players before the competition starts?

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Andy Nash, Romford

Happy days for Ireland! I think Mick and the boys have a good chance of progressing and could cause some upsets.

ML: I don't think there's any doubt that Ireland have got a good draw. Cameroon are not the nation they once were, but Germany are still a very difficult team to play against. Which leaves Saudi Arabia, a team that they probably know absolutely nothing about, but they will fancy their chances in the group. They've only got to finish second to qualify, so I would think they've got a chance.

My relationship with the country goes back many years, and I have to say that any time they've been favourites in any competition they always fall. To be perfectly honest with you, I would rather have had a tougher group because then I would have fancied them a bit more. On paper, a good draw for Ireland, but Cameroon and Saudi Arabia will be more accustomed to the hot conditions than the Irish,

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Kofi Badu, USA

Houllier did not give Robbie Fowler the games he needed to rediscover his past form after his serious injury. This move is an excellent opportunity for Fowler and I sincerely believe that he will make his mark at Leeds.

ML: It was a transfer that was always going to happen, and who instigated it doesn't really matter. I think what really annoyed Liverpool fans was the fact that he went to Leeds, who are serious title contenders. I also think that the fans are worried that Fowler will come back to haunt them, and that he could score the goals that give Leeds the title at the expense of Liverpool.

RS: Will Liverpool now move into the transfer market themselves and buy someone else?

ML: Knowing how the machine works behind the scenes I would think that a deal is already done. We don't really know who that player is yet, but whoever comes in will be absolutely top draw. They need someone not only to replace Fowler, but also to appease the supporters.