England’s friendly with the Netherlands on Wednesday may have been called off but Wales, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland are all in action – and all three face some difficult opponents.
The Premier League clubs may be angered by an international fixture list so close to the start of the season but for the fans, and of course punters, it will surely whet the appetite for the new campaign.
Wales face Australia at the Cardiff City Stadium in what should prove a huge test for Gary Speed’s side. The Socceroos are 23rd in the Fifa world rankings table, while Wales are 112th in the table but it should be a tighter affair than the rankings system suggests.
Former Sheffield United boss Speed will be able to call on Spurs wideman Gareth Bale for the first time since taking charge of the national side.
The Spurs schemer has missed the first four games of Speed’s tenure through injury but is now fully fit and is expected to be included in the starting line-up.
Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey will captain the side, while Craig Bellamy should also be included in the starting XI and Australia coach Holger Osieck admits he expects a tough test in Cardiff.
“I rate Wales pretty highly,” explained Osieck.
“Knowing some of the individual quality. If you look at Aaron Ramsey, Gareth Bale, Craig Bellamy, Robert Earnshaw, they are top-class players and the rest are not bad either.
“We are facing a very strong team.”
Wales are 2/1 to beat Australia, who have Premier League stars Mark Schwarzer and Tim Cahill in their ranks, the visitors are the 11/8 favourites and the draw is priced at 9/4.
Scotland face Denmark at Hampden Park and boss Craig Levein has been left without regulars Darren Fletcher, James McFadden and Craig Gordon.
However, Liverpool new boy Charlie Adam and Blackburn summer recruit David Goodwillie have been included in the squad and will be keen to cause Denmark problems in Glasgow.
Scotland are 9/4 to take all three points, the draw is 9/5 and Denmark are the 6/4 favourites to seal an away victory.
Adam is the most likely candidate to take the Scots’ set-pieces and the mercurial midfielder does have a knack of hitting the target in dead-ball situations, as he did on the final day of the season for Blackpool under extreme pressure at Old Trafford.
Adam is 9/1 to open the scoring at Hampden and 5/2 to score at any time.
Giovanni Trapattoni’s Republic of Ireland host Croatia at the Aviva Stadium and the Italian tactician has seen his side heavily hit by injuries.
Jon Walters, Marc Wilson, James McCarthy, Seamus Coleman and Kevin Doyle have all been ruled out through injury, but West Brom new boy Shane Long is fit and will replace Doyle in the starting line up.
Croatia are 6/4 to win the fixture, while the hosts are 7/4 and the draw is priced at 23/10.
Wales and Scotland have both been drawn in qualifying Group A ahead of the 2014 World Cup and the duo will be treating their respective matches on Wednesday as warm-up fixtures ahead of the qualifying campaign.
Speed and Levein will also be keeping an eye on events in Dublin as Croatia are the top seed in Group A, while Serbia, Belgium and Macedonia complete the group.
Wales are priced at 66/1 to emerge top of the pile in Group A, Scotland are 14/1 and Belgium are the 15/8 favourites to secure top spot and book a place in the World Cup 2014 in Brazil.
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