If you qualify for a World Cup and expect to get an easy group, you are in the wrong sport. It doesn't work like that.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
Some have said it is the easiest group at the World Cup, but we realize it won't be like that. Germany are a tremendous side, but to be honest I don't know much about Cameroon and Saudi Arabia.
If you want to win the World Cup, you need to play against the best national teams in the world.
Soccer is simple, but it is difficult to play simple.
So many groups fail because they spend all their time in the clubs. Work pours in and they can't handle it because of late-night drinking.
By analogy, if we were to develop a soccer team, then we would not invite basketball and volleyball players to the try outs. We would invite soccer players to apply.
When I watched the Premier League on the telly, I didn't expect it to be that hard. The opponents are all physically strong, real athletes. It wasn't like that in Germany. You must be prepared for it. But I prepared myself for it.
You can play a particular sport as long as you take good care of your body and you're confident enough and still have that hunger to where you want to be a part of an organization, a group of individuals where you feel you can contribute to the success of that team.
It's hard to get people to overcome the thought that they have to take care of themselves first. It's hard to get players to give in to the group and become selfless as opposed to selfish.
No world championship has been easy for me.
The World Cup is a very complicated tournament - six games, seven if you make it to the final - and maybe if you lose one game you're out, even if you're the best.
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