ROMANIA
THE GENERAL LASHES OUT. Romania coach Anghel Iordanescu has had so much success, first with Steaua Bucharest and now since 1993 with Romania, that he was given the title of general in the Romanian army a few years ago.
Unlike most generals, though, Iordanescu doesn't tow the party line.
He broke with Romanian soccer officials two years ago, threatening to resign in protest over what he believed to be massive corruption in the Romanian First Division.
He stayed on to lead Romania into the World Cup finals for the third straight time only to announce shortly thereafter that he would be leaving after France '98 to coach Greece.
Relations between the Romanian federation and him went downhill fast and Romania preparations for the World Cup have suffered.
ONLY IN TRANSYLVANIA. One of the many mishaps in Romania's preparations occurred when it picked a training site next to a cemetery.
The players asked – and were granted their request – to move to a new facility.
Said defender Anton Dobos, ''It was not pleasant to play next to crosses and tombs, especially at sunset. Everybody was depressed, and we thought this sinister sight could bring nothing but bad luck.''
HOLES IN THE BACK. Iordanescu's biggest worry is in the middle of the defense, where Daniel Prodan is out after undergoing knee surgery and Dobos had a poor spring.
Iordanescu has considerable depth at most positions but not at center back.
Romania in brief
World Cup appearances: 6. Best finish: Quarterfinals (1994). Record (W-T-L): 6-3-8. How it qualified: Europe – Lithuania 3-0, 1-0, Iceland 4-0, 4-0, Macedonia 3-0, 4-2, Liechtenstein 8-0, 8-1, Ireland 1-0, 1-1 (Group 8 champion).
ENGLAND
NO GAZZA. Consider the reaction to Steve Sampson's decision to drop John Harkes. Multiply it by 100 and you'll get an idea of the impact of Glenn Hoddle's decision to drop star Paul Gascoigne on the eve of the finals.
The colorful Gazza helped English soccer ride a new wave of popularity in the '90s, so Hoddle's decision was major news, if not a total surprise. He had repeatedly warned Gazza about his lack of fitness.
Most of the British press was quick to bury Gazza.
Declared The Sun, ''The Gascoigne who huffed, puffed and looked as if he might peg out in those two games in North Africa could have no place in the finals of the World Cup. Not even as a kit man.''
MIDFIELD WOES. Hoddle may have depth in the equipment room, but he certainly doesn't in midfield.
In Gazza's absence, England struggled mightily in its final appearance at Wembley before the finals. Saudi Arabia exposed England's defense, in large part because the midfield could not control the game.
David Beckham, the one midfielder who can match Gazza for his talent on the field and his celebrity off it, has struggled this spring.
To make matters worse, workhorse midfielder Paul Ince is ailing.
YOUNG OWEN. The Gazza story will be quickly forgotten if 18-year-old Michael Owen gets any more goals.
Owen, the youngest player ever to play for England, scored his first goal in England's 1-0 win over Morocco, and the commentators were quick to call him the greatest English talent ever.
England has the good fortune of being in a relatively weak group, so Hoddle can bring Owen along slowly. Not that that's enough to please everyone on Fleet Street.
The Daily Mail says Hoddle ''continues to prevaricate over his potential World Cup winner like a surly bridegroom at a shotgun wedding.''
England in brief
World Cup appearances: 9. Best finish: Champion (1966). Record (W-T-L): 18-12-11. How it qualified: Europe – Moldova 3-0, 4-0, Poland 2-1, 2-0, Georgia 2-0, 2-0, Italy 0-1, 0-0 (Group 2 champion).
COLOMBIA
SHADES OF '94. Colombia went into the '94 World Cup as one of the favorites, but the pressure proved too much for Francisco Maturana's team.
Colombia opened with back-to-back losses to Romania and the United States and it was out of the tournament.
The pressure included death threats to midfielder Gabriel Gomez and Maturana himself. The threats proved real when popular defender Andres Escobar was murdered after the tournament. His error? An own goal that sent the United States on its way to its unforgettable win at the Rose Bowl.
Four years later, threats hang over the team again.
Striker Victor Hugo Aristizabal and head coach Hernan Dario Gomez received anonymous death threats when training camp opened in May.
Aristizabal says he's not quitting.
''What for?'' he says, ''I love playing for the national team and when I was called up, I felt happy again.''
'EL PIBE' IN CHARGE. Few teams have stuck with the same personnel and tactics as long as Colombia has – which is why it is given so little chance of advancing this time around.
Colombia's short-ball game revolves around MLS star Carlos Valderrama. At his peak, ''El Pibe'' was the top playmaker in South America. Unfortunately, Colombia has struggled over the course of the last year. After a fast start, Colombia slumped in the second half of qualifying, exposing weaknesses in its midfield and in attack, where Colombia's other big star, Faustino Asprilla, has been in and out of the lineup with injuries.
If ''Tino'' can't go all the way, Gomez will have to rely on veterans Adolfo ''El Tren'' Valencia and former MetroStar Antony De Avila or go with untested Leider Preciado and Hamilton Ricard.
Colombia in brief
World Cup appearances: 3. Best finish: round of 16 (1990). Record (W-T-L): 2-2-6. How it qualified: South America – Paraguay 1-0, 1-2, Peru 1-1, 0-1, Uruguay 3-1, 1-1, Chile 4-1, 1-4, Ecuador 1-0, 1-0, Bolivia 2-2, 3-0, Venezuela 2-0, 1-0, Argentina 0-1, 1-1 (third place).
TUNISIA
HOME-BASED BUNCH. The North African country ranks as one of the great soccer nations in the history of African soccer – it was the first to win a World Cup match, defeating Mexico 3-1 in 1978, and it's one of the first to formulate plans for a serious pro league – but it's the weakest of the five African entrants.
Teams like Esperance, Club Africain and Etoile du Sahel now rank about the most consistent in Africa, but Tunisia's attempt to introduce pro soccer has its price. Most of Tunisia's top young players who would otherwise gain valuable experience in Europe have stayed home.
TUNISIA'S REGIS. Brazilian Jose Clayton is the newest member of the Tunisian national team, after having his naturalization papers rushed through well before he had completed the five-year residency requirement.
He knew nothing about the country when his agent presented him with an offer to play for Etoile du Sahel.
''But my agent told me, 'It's like Brazil: the beach and the sun,''' added Clayton.
Kasperczak has desperately been looking for a left winger since star Hedi Ben Rekhissa died of a heart attack in 1997.
SMALL FOREIGN LEGION. Only four players in coach Henri Kasperczak's plans are foreign-based, and it's a modest group at that.
Ali Boumnijel is a backup goalie at French First Division club Bastia, and offensive threats Zoubier Beya, Adel Sellimi and Mehdi Ben Slimane all play with Second Division clubs.
Tunisia in brief
World Cup appearances: 1. Best finish: first round. Record (W-T-L): 1-1-1. How it qualified: Africa – Rwanda 3-1, 2-0; Liberia 1-0, 2-0, Namibia 2-1, 4-0, Egypt 1-0, 0-0 (Group 2 champion).