Pompey may not have any players in this World Cup, but I somehow suspect the club will have an interest in it none the less.
Given the number of foreign players we've had in the past few years, it's a bit surprising – and maybe a little disappointing – that our club will not be represented by any of the 32 countries taking part.
But maybe we can bask in any reflected glory that our old boys Peter Crouch and Ognjen Koroman might bring.
And, of course, there's the little question of who Harry might bring back from
I'd like to think that with our apparent new resources and the club's refreshingly positive approach to the future we might be in the market for some of the bigger names from the bigger countries.
But World Cups and European Championships inevitably tend to lead to mad scrambles for the best talent, with the top clubs picking off the cream and the rest scrambling for the pick of the supporting cast – hiking up prices in the process.
So let's not hold our breath –and instead hope that Harry has one of his good close-seasons, identifying some real quality – and dare I ask, exciting young talent - to serve up at Fratton Park next season.
Which brings me on to another point – who's to say at this stage who really are the world's biggest names, or indeed the biggest football nations?
There's sometimes a difference between those perceived to be the best in the world and those who perform best at the World Cup.
Of course often they will be the same – but many's the time that big names have flopped or at least failed to live up to expectations at the top tournament.
And don't forget the emergence of previously unsung African and Asian players at recent championships.
As for the best countries, I notice most of the pundits don't seem to be looking much beyond
But even though we now see so much top-class European club football on TV, we are in danger of forgetting that players on other continents are also developing.
Look back at the two big tournaments of the past four years.
Not many foresaw the achievements of
For what it's worth, I fancy the
That's not a concrete prediction for the final four (if I was going to be that brave, I might as well stake some money on it and lose in the privacy of my own home rather than in front of Portsmouth-Mad readers).
But they're the teams that appeal to me as the tournament begins.
I'd also add
Going back to my earlier point about world-class players and players who do well at World Cups, it would be interesting to see how a team made up of the players of the tournament compares with the general perception of the best World XI at the moment.
Plenty of scope for argument about both, but for what it's worth, here's my pre-World Cup XI.
Let's see how it looks in four or five weeks' time.
Cech
Cafu – Nesta – Cannavaro – Sorin
Riquelme – Makelele – Ballack – Nedved
Ronaldinho – Henry
Subs: Van der Saar – Gallas – Gerrard – Messi - Rooney