The Road to South Africa

The mood when Greece qualified for only their second World Cup was best summed up by their veteran coach, Otto Rehhagel, that they should be pleased just to have made it here. Greece, typically, had followed up their triumph in Euro 2004 by failing to qualify for Germany two years later. Their group was not exactly tough but they lost home and away to Switzerland and were forced to play off with a strong and much-fancied Ukraine. The first leg in Athens finished goalless. However, using the same tactics that had triumphed in 2004, they travelled to Donetsk, deep in the Ukraine, wearing masks to guard against swine flu at the airport, snatched a lead through Dimitris Salpagidis, and clung on to it.

The Star Players

Georgios Samaras (Celtic) Part of the new breed of Greek players who should have taken over from the heroes of 2004. Has done better at Celtic than at Manchester City but needs to improve his international average of one goal every six games.

Kostas Katsouranis (Panathinaikos) His role as a defensive midfielder was one of the keys to Greece in Euro 2004 and after returning to Greek football from Benfica will be expected to break up opposition attacks in South Africa.

Sotiris Kyrgiakos (Liverpool) When he came to Anfield in the summer of 2009 he was thought of a makeweight but the strapping 6ft 4ins centre-half has established himself as a rugged, ruthless and effective defender in the Premier League.

The Coach

Otto RehhagelWhen he steered Greece to glory in the European Championship in Portugal, he became known as ‘King Otto' and, although that crown has slipped somewhat in the six years that followed, the rule of this eccentric, autocratic German is still unchallenged. At the age of 71, he was expected to retire after the World Cup but has indicated that he is willing to go on. Euro 2004 was a vindication of Rehhagel's philosophy of "controlled attack" in which a powerful defence and midfield smothers the opposition while strikers take what opportunities they can. It had worked in the Bundesliga with Werder Bremen, where he won two titles in 1988 and 1993, although it failed in qualification for the last World Cup and made no impact in Euro 2008. Just as they had done in the 1994 World Cup, Greece failed to win a single match although they did manage one goal.

Honours

World Cup: Group stages 1994
European Championship: Winners 2004

Analysis

Greece will not be going out of their way to entertain in South Africa. When Angelos Basinas, one of the discarded veterans of Euro 2004, said that Greece "may not be spectacular but their team has substance" it was another way of saying they would be looking to grind out results. Perhaps it is as well that their first game is against South Korea, whose own attack is lightweight because, as Euro 2008 proved, once Greece go behind they don't appear to possess a plan B. Crucially, in Portugal six years ago, Greece won because they did not concede a goal in the knockout stages. This time, just reaching the knockout stages would count as a triumph.

Verdict

Squad (2.5/5)
Competent but no more

Coach (4/5)
One of the grand old men of world football

Attack (2/5)
Never looks capable of scoring more than once

Defence (3/5)
Highly disciplined and very effective