Middle East's finest look to follow Iran and Algeria blueprints on road to 2018 World Cup

For all but the very best, the 2014 World Cup is over and for those who want to join the top table next time around in Russia, the preparations are already starting, or they should be.

Football never stops and it is something that North Africa and the Middle East would do well to remember.

That is why Algeria did their utmost to persuade coach Vahid Halilhodzic to stay and Iran did, with seemingly more success, the same with Carlos Queiroz.

Stability is a crucial building block. A coach who can deliver results and improvement is precious indeed and regardless, nobody wants to start all over again - again.

For Iran and the other West Asians that have ambitions of qualification for 2018 that range from hopeful to realistic - Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iraq, Bahrain, Jordan and Qatar - the fact that the Asian Cup takes place in January in Australia is good news.

With qualification for 2018 starting later in the year, it is a perfect launching pad. The fact that it is taking place down under is another plus, taking these countries out of their comfort zones.

Bahrain’s young English coach Anthony Hudson has been trying to change attitudes in the tiny island nation. For many in West Asia, winning the region’s biennial tournament, the Gulf Cup, is enough. Trying to instill global dreams is not always easy.

It is not just about mindset but experience. Queiroz will continue to look for European-based players who are eligible to represent Iran while encouraging those based in the local league to head overseas. It is a tactic that can reap rapid dividends.

In Brazil, Iran’s two best forwards, Ashkan Dejagah and Reza Ghoochannejhad have never played in the domestic league. Javad Nekounam has but his six seasons in La Liga shone through in Brazil.

Qatar doesn’t have the Iranian Diaspora to tap in to and in the past has preferred a different route, naturalizing a number of foreign players such as Uruguayan-born Sebastian Soria. The original rush to hand out passports to foreigners has diminished somewhat but the desire to ensure that 2022 is not the country’s first appearance on the global stage has not.

There are still issues with the national team coach. Inexperienced Algerian Djamel Belmadi has been in charge since the spring but many feel a bigger and older name is needed. There were recent attempts to hire renowned Dutch coach Rene Meulensteen as the former Fulham boss has extensive experience in Qatar.

Perhaps one of the stars in the local league will make the step up before long. Michael Laudrup is the new coach of Lekhwiya and the recently departed Swansea City boss is reportedly aiming to bring in big names such as Xavi Hernandez and John Terry. Lifting the level of the local league is sure to bring long-term benefit although it may not come in time for 2018.

UAE are further advanced with a better league and better and bigger pool of talent. Genuine contenders for the 2015 Asian Cup and the 2018 World Cup, much is expected of a talented bunch of young players that have risen up through the ranks together, impressing at various youth tournaments, including the 2012 Olympics. Many in the region go for foreign coaches but in the UAE, Mahdi Ali makes sense. He has coached pretty much every youth team to represent the country and knows the players better than anyone.

He is also looking for some tough tests with qualification for 2018 starting next year. It is a little unfortunate that UAE’s group at the Asian Cup is an all Western affair as the World Cup demonstrated that Asian teams need competitive action against different kinds of opposition.

At least a Swiss training camp in May and June was hugely positive. The team’s 20-game unbeaten run may have come to an end with a 4-3 loss to Armenia in Geneva but the experience means much more. A few days later Habib Fardan scored the winner against Georgia. If there could be even two or three UAE stars playing in Europe week-in, week out, so much the better.

Saudi Arabia also tried a European training camp but lost 4-0 to Moldova and 2-0 to Georgia. Prior to that, results were better but performances were less impressive. There is young talent coming through and it needs to be given a chance. The Asian Cup is crucial for the Saudis.

Politics and interference from governments, club owners and other parties is common in the region and could dash dreams of a Russian summer. Sectarian issues also do not help.

For Bahrain, arresting members of the national team for participating in protests was not the best way to qualify for the 2014 World Cup and the present, and past, troubles in Iraq make it hugely difficult for a hugely talented team to reach its potential.

Egyptian football have had issues of a different sort with the tumultuous political events of the last few years having an obvious effect on the team’s attempts to reach Brazil.

Fans in the country must have watched Algeria with mixed feelings. Their bitter rivals got to the second round, winning plaudits all around the world but it did show that it can be done.

Egypt doesn’t boast a pool of French-born players to tap into but the team’s recent form has been reasonably good. It needs to be as qualification for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations starts in September.

Lots of issues and lots to think about but not as much time as some may think. It's why so many are already looking to the 2018 World Cup with so much optimism.

* John Duerden is a Middle East and Asia football correspondent for @YahooSportsME as well as the Guardian, ESPN & World Soccer. He also writes for New York Times, AP, Daily Telegraph and various other Asia media outlets. Follow him on Twitter at @JohnnyDuerden