England's World Cup task
England's World Cup taskBy Mandeep Sanghera
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/999999.gif
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44261000/gif/_44261659_england_travel_416.gif The trips England face in qualifying for the 2010 World Cup
The next England manager will be able to clock up the air milesafter the World Cup draw for South Africa 2010 provided several lengthytreks abroad.Croatia and Andorra are mere short hops compared to trips to fellow Group Six rivals Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.
The winners of each of the nine European groups willqualify for the finals automatically and the best eight runners-up playoff for four more qualifying berths.
But, apart from the logistical difficulties, what problems will the countries pose?
CROATIA
World ranking 10
Oh no, not again. The biggest gasps at the draw went out when this rematch was drawn.
Croatia beat England twice in the recent Euro 2008qualifying group to help end their hopes of reaching next summer'sfinals and they have plenty of dangermen.
The England players, fans and media will be able to tellthe new manager plenty about the likes of Luka Modric, Niko Kranjcarand Eduardo Silva.
An up-and-coming team, Croatia are expected to be England's main rivals to qualify from the group.
UKRAINE
World ranking 29
Striker Andriy Shevchenko is their main threat but, judging by his form at Chelsea, he looks like a player on the wane.
But his reputation earns him the right to be seen as athreat, while fellow forward Andriy Voronin is showing the potential tobe a thorn in England's side as he tries to make his mark at Liverpool.
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif 606: DEBATE
England are lucky - Croatia will have faded by 2008 and the other countries are not footballing pedigree
SJDG43
Holding midfielder Anatoliy Tymoschuk starts Ukraine'sattacks and has reportedly been eyed by both Arsenal and ManchesterUnited.
Ukraine will host Euro 2012 and will be making attemptsto improve and bring on their national side so England will have to bewary.
They finished fourth behind Italy, France and Scotlandas they failed to qualify for Euro 2008 but lost only one game at theirKiev home - to Italy - in the process.
BELARUS
World ranking 60
They ended their failed Euro 2008 qualifying campaignwith a home win over a Holland side that had already secured their slotin Austria and Switzerland for the finals.
Arsenal playmaker Alexander Hleb poses their biggestthreat and Belarus have the potential to be troublesome if England takethem too lightly.
They finished fourth in their Euro 2008 qualifying groupand German Bernd Stange is at the helm and in charge of making theminto a force.
He will be hoping they can match some of their promising play with more bite.
Maksim Romaschenko is an experienced and key player and another man of whom England will have to be careful.
"There are more military in the stands when you play in Belarus," said Dutch journalist Rob Fleur.
"A lot of players don't want to go there because it isalways cold and the pitch is frozen. They play with two strikers andthe rest defending."
KAZAKHSTAN
World ranking 110
The Borat jokes are already doing the rounds but Serbiawere not laughing after their defeat in Kazakhstan during their Euro2008 campaign.
Serbia went on to miss out on qualification and Kazakhstan also held Belgium at home and narrowly lost to Portugal.
Those results showed Kazakhstan could be difficultopponents who are improving and can raise themselves for high-profileopposition.
But despite the length of the trip and potentially toughnature of the conditions, England will be castigated if they do notbeat Kazakhstan.
ANDORRA
World ranking 174
Any opposition whose country is known as a principality should be viewed as a gimme and Andorra are no different.
England made hard work of beating them 3-0 in the awayleg in Spain but, while they are a tough team to break down, they arean exception to the phrase 'there are no easy games in internationalfootball'.
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