Juergen Klinsmann, coach of hosts Germany [Images], was happy with the draw for next year's finals on Friday and most other national trainers of the main teams also seemed fairly upbeat about their chances.

Germany play Costa Rica in the opening match of the finals in Munich on June 9 and also play Poland and Ecuador in Group A.

- 2006 World Cup groups

"It could have been worse. We're happy. We think this group is absolutely do-able," said Klinsmann.

"Every opponent will be difficult. We know that. There are none that one can underestimate. Every game will be a huge challenge but it could have been worse.

"Ecuador will be tough. They beat Brazil [Images] in qualification...and naturally Poland will also be hard -- they played very well to qualify in England's [Images] group.

Carlos Alberto Parreira, coach of champions Brazil, opted for no complacency after drawing Croatia, Australia and Japan [Images] in Group F.

"People may say this is an easy group but if you don't prepare properly you can be surprised," he said. "We want to beat all three teams but easy games don't exist."

Argentina assistant coach Hugo Tocalli could have been excused for complaining loudest after his team were drawn in the toughest group for the second consecutive finals, this time against Netherlands, Ivory Coast and Serbia & Montenegro.

"I don't want to hear talk of a group of death," he said. "They are three very good teams but we know how to play as well.

"I'm not complaining and I'd ask the whole of Argentina to think in the same way. We don't want people to think we are scared of this group."

TOUGH GROUP

Dutch coach Marco van Basten was also not too downbeat. "I think we have a tough group but it's very interesting. There are a lot of technically good players and teams that like to attack and that's a positive.

Italy's [Images] trainer Marcello Lippi decided to play it cautiously on his team's prospects in group E. "Every team we will be playing against is a good team and if you imagine that any squad is not then you will make a great mistake," he said.

"We are behind the Czech Republic in the FIFA rankings and the United States are also highly placed while Ghana is considered as the Brazil of Africa. They are a fine team too but, of course, I have faith in my men and believe that we can get through to the next round."

France's [Images] coach Raymond Domenech was unhappy to face Switzerland [Images] again after meeting them in Euro 2004 and the World Cup qualifiers.

"Playing the Swiss again makes me feel as though we are still in the qualifying round and I would have preferred to play another team. They know us too well and we know them too well," he said.

England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson was happy enough though his team has to play his native Sweden for the second finals in a row, as well as Paraguay and Trinidad & Tobago.

"I think that it is not an easy group but it could have been worse," Eriksson said. "They are difficult games, of course, but I am happy.

"I said in interviews yesterday that if we can avoid Australia and Netherlands we would be happy. We knew that from the European group of non-seeded teams difficult opponents would come."

(Additional reporting by Kevin Fylan, Noah Barkin, Erik Kirschbaum and Philip Blenkinsop)

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