Denmark

I really did enjoy that game. End to end stuff at times, loads of passion, loads of desire, loads of talent and some honest players sweating blood. What more could you ask?

Very little if you want the truth. That is what football should be every game, but we know it doesn't always play like that, but today has been a good day for football like that and I can have no complains. If we can get the same tomorrow, we will all be very happy.

I'm eight matches in and I think I'm starting to recognise when a match is going to have some goals. I was fairly sure we'd have some for the Germany match last night and sure enough we got them. I also think we will get some in this match and it is likely to be the only match today where we see more than one or two.

The reason why I think we will see some goals is we have the Netherlands playing and their squad is just made of quality and when you line them up against other sides, they are just better. When you look at the football they like to play also, they have all the ingredients of a great side.

Denmark look set to be without star striker Nicklas Bendtner for their opening game against the Netherlands on Monday as he is still suffering from a groin injury.

"We'd love to have him back of course but I think I would be dreaming to have him back but I don't think he will play On Monday." said Denmark coach Morten Olsen.

In the good old days, they used to play with snow on the ground. In the good old days, when a player was tacked he'd stand up, brush himself off and continue playing. In the good old days football was a contact sport and you were allowed to tackle and make contact and if you did get hurt, there existed a magic sponge that could take away all known pains.

Sadly, not any more. Players are not allowed to touch other players, in case the player they are making contact with falls over, or dives and the referee awards a free kick.

Full of hope and optimism, Denmark coach Morten Olsen has named his final 23 man squad for the World Cup in South Africa and looking at the numbers, the emphasis seems to be focused on not conceding rather than scoring. That or the entire nation only has three strikers.

I shouldn't joke, Denmark surprised us all in 1992 when then won the European Championships in Sweden, but that really was a strange tournament. Only seven countries took part and to make up the numbers, UEFA, or a person equally as smart inside some equally as smart football federation, made up a team called the CIS National Football Team, which actually represented the Commonwealth of Independent States.

In what is turning out to be a big day for naming your preliminary squad for the 2010 World Cup we are not let down by Denmark, who have today joined quite a few other countries in naming preliminary squads.

From this list, Denmark coach Morten Olsen has to name a 23 man squad which is why Stoke City keeper Thomas Sorensen is included despite having an injury.