AS I WRITE I am preparing for two commentaries in the next five hours Esperance (Tunisia) v Al Sadd (Qatar) followed by Kashiwa Reysol (Japan) v Monterrey (Mexico).

Just the sort of challenge I love.

Kashiwa, the new J League champions kicked off the eighth Club World Cup with a 2-0 win over Auckland City just five days after lifting their first title, a commendable effort for a squad of players that might have succumbed to tiredness in the wake of an emotional celebration.

It’s only two years ago that they were relegated, a point I mention to encourage the likes of Blackpool that they could become Premier League champions in 18 months time if they can follow the trend!

The Club World Cup is curious in that it brings together an amateur side Auckland and the planet’s principle exponents of the sport Barcelona.

That means someone like David Mulligan, with all due respect to him, a journeyman professional in recent times with Barnsley, Scunthorpe and Doncaster could share a pitch with Lionel Messi.

That’s not going to happen this year, but it could one day especially as Auckland are regularly Oceania’s finest and therefore qualify to take part more frequently than any other club apart from Barca.

The dream final this time will be Barcelona v Santos of Brazil. Messi and Co are coming here in fine fettle after disposing of old rivals Real Madrid at the weekend and Santos are already in residence, complete with a pretender to Messi’s standing as best player in the world, he of the Mohican haircut Neymar.

Four hundred football-crazy fans mobbed Neymar on his arrival at Nagoya Airport, and at the club’s press conference he cleverly dodged questions about his prospects of one day playing in Europe.

A smart move, especially as his coach Muricy Ramalho was sitting next to him.

Diplomatically Neymar, revealing commendable maturity for a 19 year-old, dismissed comparisons with Messi and even Pele, saying Messi was way ahead of him at the moment, and that Pele was the one and only King whose boots he would never be able to fill.

The English media tend to take notice of this FIFA tournament only when Manchester United or Liverpool take part, United won it in Tokyo in 2008, which is a pity because other countries take it much more seriously.

It is after all the only global competition that pits the best of every continent against one another.

By the way I’m happy to report that contrary to my off-the-cuff comment last week when Messi was voted Player of the Tournament two years ago he did accept the Toyota car that went with the honour – and gave the keys to his wife.

I don’t know if Mr and Mrs Messi read the Huddersfield Examiner but if they do – my apologies!