Although a handful of matches were played last month, the European World Cup qualifying campaign gets fully underway today, with many leading countries pinning their hopes of success on new coaches.
Since the end of Euro 2004 eight weeks ago, Italy, the Netherlands, France and Spain are among those who have employed new men to guide them through the 13-month qualifying process and guarantee them one of the 14 European places in the 32-team finals in Germany in 2006.
The hosts, of course, do not have to play any qualifiers, but following a 3-1 friendly win over Austria last month, they continue their preparations under their own new boss Juergen Klinsmann with a high-profile friendly against world champions Brazil next Wednesday in the inaugural match at the new Berlin Olympic stadium where the World Cup final will be held on July 9th, 2006.
That day, however, will seem a long way off to players, coaches and fans today when most teams play their first qualifying games - before returning to action next Wednesday under the double-header format now used for qualifiers.
New European champions Greece open their campaign with a short visit to neighbouring Albania on Saturday before a home tie with neighbouring Turkey on Wednesday.
But Greece's preparations for their first competitive matches since beating Portugal to win the Euro 2004 title have been over-shadowed by an argument concerning bonuses, with the Greek government offering far less now than they originally did to the players.
Coach Otto Rehhagel has continually warned his men against complacency before the start of the campaign - and they will underestimate Albania at their peril in their opening Group Two game.
Ireland's chief rivals, France, the former European champions and now adjusting to life without the retired Zinedine Zidane, Bixente Lizarazu, Marcel Desailly and Lilian Thuram, open their Group Four campaign with a visit from Israel, who they beat home and away in their Euro 2004 qualifying campaign.
New coach Robert Domenech saw his team draw 1-1 with Bosnia in a friendly last month and will be hoping for an improvement on that performance today. They then travel to the Faroe Islands for their second qualifier on Wednesday.
Italy will also be looking to improve on a shock 2-0 friendly loss to Iceland in Marcello Lippi's first match in charge last month when they face Norway in Palermo in their Group Five opener before travelling to Moldova next week.
Lippi could field two vastly different sides for the two matches as many players are not yet ready to play two games in four days because Italy's Serie A does not start until September 11th.
"I have the team that will play against Norway more or less in my mind. However, against Moldova there could be many changes," Lippi told Italian media this week.
Spain, who like Germany and Italy also failed to make it to the last eight in Portugal, warmed up for their campaign last night in a friendly against Scotland and will open their Group Seven account with a visit to Bosnia next Wednesday.
New coach Luis Aragones saw his side beat Venezuela 3-2 in his first match in charge last month and will be relying on the same players again to get the World Cup campaign off to a winning start.
England began the new season with a convincing 3-0 win over Ukraine last month and Sven Goran Eriksson is optimistic about their two Group Six qualifiers away to Austria and Poland.
But he could be without midfielder Steven Gerrard, who injured a groin during training on Thursday.
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