One of the more interesting sports writers in South Africa is Carlos Amato, who works for the Johannesburg Times.
And Amato is agitated about the way the host nation's team is preparing for the World Cup. Or hardly preparing.
In this story/column, he contrasts South Africa's preparations with those of Mexico, the nation the Bafana Bafana plays in the 2010 World Cup opener on June 11.
Most of his complaints seem well-founded.
To wit:
--South Africa has only one practice (friendly) match scheduled between now and June 11, vs. Namibia on March 3. No matches during the team's training camp in Brazil have been finalized. Neither have any been set up during the team's camp in Germany, in April.
--South Africa's schedule may be a function of the soccer federation having no money.
--The Bafana made things worse by cancelling a March 3 match against Chile, a South American side that will play in the World Cup, and had to pay Chile damages for quitting. The reason? South Africa's third-rate league season has been extended because of rainouts, and the Bafana players would not be available.
--Honduras plays Ghana in South Africa on March 3 -- yes, the same day that South Africa plays Namibia. As the author notes, either Honduras or Ghana would give South African a much more valuable test.
Meanwhile, Amato notes, Mexico has 10 matches lined up against significant opponents, including Argentina, England and Holland in May, and Italy on June 3. All four are headed to the World Cup, and all four are seeded first in their groups.
South Africa already was at risk of being the first host country to fail to survive group play. And unless the federation lines up some real opponents, and soon, about all it will have going for it on opening day, June 11, will be the home crowd.
Which may not matter if/when the veteran and tested Mexican side jumps to a 2-0 lead.
Read more!
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Saturday, February 13, 2010
First XI of World Cup Coaches
Interesting concept.
Who are the best 11 coaches in the World Cup?
I would not suggest I know all 31 of them (because Nigeria still has a vacancy) well enough to form a top 11. I like a half-dozen ... and I dislike two -- Diego Maradona of Argentina and Raymond Domenech of Argentina.
But that hasn't stopped Robin Hackett over at espn.com from picking his 11. A British guy, I do believe. And, whaddaya know, he has Fabio Capello at the top of the list.
Other coaches on his first XI are ...
Otto Rehhegel, of Greece -- who has done the most with the least, in my opinion.
Raddy Antic, Serbia.
Marcelo "El Loco" Bielsa, Chile.
Vicente Del Bosque, Spain. Hard to argue with what Espana has done, in the past 2-3 years.
Marcello Lippi, Italy. How is that Italy produces so many fine soccer coaches and so few competent generals, over the past 100 years?
Ottmar Hitzfeld, Switzerland.
Joachim Loew, Germany.
Dunga, Brazil. OK, just about anybody could take over Brazil and run some random collection of 11 guys out there and probably make at least the quarterfinals ... but Dunga appears to be a real coach. The hard man that the sometimes wandering minds of the Brazilian players need.
Milovan Rajevac, Ghana. This guy is pretty good. Just ask him.
Morton Olsen, Denmark.
One guy not on this list that probably should be? Matjez Kek, Slovenia. When you get a country of 2 million souls into the World Cup, finishing ahead of finals regulars Poland and the Czech Republic in qualifying and then eliminating Russia in a home-and-home playoffs ... that's an accomplishment. He would make my 11, perhaps instead of Rajevac of Ghana. Read more!
Who are the best 11 coaches in the World Cup?
I would not suggest I know all 31 of them (because Nigeria still has a vacancy) well enough to form a top 11. I like a half-dozen ... and I dislike two -- Diego Maradona of Argentina and Raymond Domenech of Argentina.
But that hasn't stopped Robin Hackett over at espn.com from picking his 11. A British guy, I do believe. And, whaddaya know, he has Fabio Capello at the top of the list.
Other coaches on his first XI are ...
Otto Rehhegel, of Greece -- who has done the most with the least, in my opinion.
Raddy Antic, Serbia.
Marcelo "El Loco" Bielsa, Chile.
Vicente Del Bosque, Spain. Hard to argue with what Espana has done, in the past 2-3 years.
Marcello Lippi, Italy. How is that Italy produces so many fine soccer coaches and so few competent generals, over the past 100 years?
Ottmar Hitzfeld, Switzerland.
Joachim Loew, Germany.
Dunga, Brazil. OK, just about anybody could take over Brazil and run some random collection of 11 guys out there and probably make at least the quarterfinals ... but Dunga appears to be a real coach. The hard man that the sometimes wandering minds of the Brazilian players need.
Milovan Rajevac, Ghana. This guy is pretty good. Just ask him.
Morton Olsen, Denmark.
One guy not on this list that probably should be? Matjez Kek, Slovenia. When you get a country of 2 million souls into the World Cup, finishing ahead of finals regulars Poland and the Czech Republic in qualifying and then eliminating Russia in a home-and-home playoffs ... that's an accomplishment. He would make my 11, perhaps instead of Rajevac of Ghana. Read more!
Friday, February 12, 2010
Injury Update: England's Ashley Cole Out
The first-team left back for the English national team, Ashley Cole, suffered a broken ankle during Chelsea's game Wednesday vs. Everton ... and Cole will be out at least three months.
That takes Cole to May 10, only a month ahead of the June 11 starting date for South Africa 2010. England has depth at the position, but if Cole's replacements were as good as he is, they would start, wouldn't they?
Two interesting sidelights to this injury:
1. Cole's national-team backup is Wayne Bridge. Yes, the same Wayne Bridge whose girlfriend was snared by his Three Lions teammate, former captain John Terry. Apparently, Bridge isn't very fond of Terry right now, and if Bridge moves into the starting lineup with Terry ...
You don't have to love the guys you play with, but it's generally better if you don't hate them.
2. Cole's injury came after a semi-reckless tackle by Everton's Landon Donovan. That would be the same Landon Donovan who is one of the leading attacking players for the U.S. national team. And England plays the U.S. in its first World Cup match, on June 12 in Rustenburg.
I know Donovan, and I can't imagine he had the slightest intent to injury Ashley Cole. But English players may not see it that way, and it could be open season on the U.S. midfielder for the duration of his loan from Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy to Everton.
Landon may want to keep his head on a swivel until he leaves England, is what we're thinking. Read more!
That takes Cole to May 10, only a month ahead of the June 11 starting date for South Africa 2010. England has depth at the position, but if Cole's replacements were as good as he is, they would start, wouldn't they?
Two interesting sidelights to this injury:
1. Cole's national-team backup is Wayne Bridge. Yes, the same Wayne Bridge whose girlfriend was snared by his Three Lions teammate, former captain John Terry. Apparently, Bridge isn't very fond of Terry right now, and if Bridge moves into the starting lineup with Terry ...
You don't have to love the guys you play with, but it's generally better if you don't hate them.
2. Cole's injury came after a semi-reckless tackle by Everton's Landon Donovan. That would be the same Landon Donovan who is one of the leading attacking players for the U.S. national team. And England plays the U.S. in its first World Cup match, on June 12 in Rustenburg.
I know Donovan, and I can't imagine he had the slightest intent to injury Ashley Cole. But English players may not see it that way, and it could be open season on the U.S. midfielder for the duration of his loan from Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy to Everton.
Landon may want to keep his head on a swivel until he leaves England, is what we're thinking. Read more!
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Sepp Blatter Is a Dope
Sepp Blatter, president/emporer of Fifa, really shouldn't speak in public much at all. Or not without a prepared statement.
He sticks his foot in his mouth far too often. He must have no concept of embarrassment, and his flunkies must be too afraid of him to suggest he tone it down a bit. OK, a lot.
Two Sepp stories today. Both of the same sort, though. Ill-considered statements. Actually, probably not thought out at all. That is how Sepp rolls.
In the first, he invokes sweeping stereotypes of "Latin" vs. "Anglo-Saxon" nations ... and how many years do you have to be president of the most important multinational body this side of the United Nations to understand you really shouldn't be slinging around ethnic generalizations?
In the second, he suggests criticism of the 2010 World Cup is essentially about old colonial powers looking down their noses at Africa.
And yeah, Sepp, great way to build up good feelings between European fans and South Africans by playing the "colonialism" card. The Nobel Peace Prize can't be far off.
The Latin vs. Anglo-Saxon thing is about John Terry. While in Vancouver, where the International Olympic Committee is meeting ahead of the Vancouver Games, Sepp said Terry's apparently infidelities would "be applauded" in certain Latin countries, and that the condemnation of him was about "a special approach in the Anglo-Saxon countries."
Oh, those prudish Brits. All in a lather about their national team captain dallying with the former girlfriend of a Chelsea and Three Lions teammate. If this had been the French team or the Italian team, the lads and the nation would have laughed it off. Sure.
And the colonialism thing (which is also mentioned in the Times of London story, linked first, above) ... Europe knows about colonialism. So does Africa. Do have the president of Fifa bring it up adds nothing to the discussion but, in fact, inflames it. Grand.
We could mention that Germany had a very brief and very limited history as a colonial power, in Africa. But why let facts get in the way of Sepp when he's on a roll.
And that he adds a ridiculous statement about Europe taking raw materials out of its African colonies ... and now coming down and "taking" its best soccer players, as well. As if all those guys in Europe would rather stay home and play for peanuts rather than go to the Premiership or the Bundesliga and make millions of dollars.
A few other Sepp musings, as posted by the Times of London:
March 2008 -- On women’s football: "There are gay footballers but they don't declare it because they think it will not be accepted in these macho organizations. Look at women's football: homosexuality is more popular."
April 2004 -- On women’s football: "Let the women play in more feminine clothes like they do in volleyball. They could, for example, have tighter shorts."
July 2006 -– On China inventing football: "We have to say thanks to the British associations -- especially England -- to have organized the game of association football. But you cannot deny the history that in China there is a recollection and evidence they played the game a thousand years ago."
This guy is a gaffe waiting to happen. I'm thinking world soccer would be better off with someone else in charge. Read more!
He sticks his foot in his mouth far too often. He must have no concept of embarrassment, and his flunkies must be too afraid of him to suggest he tone it down a bit. OK, a lot.
Two Sepp stories today. Both of the same sort, though. Ill-considered statements. Actually, probably not thought out at all. That is how Sepp rolls.
In the first, he invokes sweeping stereotypes of "Latin" vs. "Anglo-Saxon" nations ... and how many years do you have to be president of the most important multinational body this side of the United Nations to understand you really shouldn't be slinging around ethnic generalizations?
In the second, he suggests criticism of the 2010 World Cup is essentially about old colonial powers looking down their noses at Africa.
And yeah, Sepp, great way to build up good feelings between European fans and South Africans by playing the "colonialism" card. The Nobel Peace Prize can't be far off.
The Latin vs. Anglo-Saxon thing is about John Terry. While in Vancouver, where the International Olympic Committee is meeting ahead of the Vancouver Games, Sepp said Terry's apparently infidelities would "be applauded" in certain Latin countries, and that the condemnation of him was about "a special approach in the Anglo-Saxon countries."
Oh, those prudish Brits. All in a lather about their national team captain dallying with the former girlfriend of a Chelsea and Three Lions teammate. If this had been the French team or the Italian team, the lads and the nation would have laughed it off. Sure.
And the colonialism thing (which is also mentioned in the Times of London story, linked first, above) ... Europe knows about colonialism. So does Africa. Do have the president of Fifa bring it up adds nothing to the discussion but, in fact, inflames it. Grand.
We could mention that Germany had a very brief and very limited history as a colonial power, in Africa. But why let facts get in the way of Sepp when he's on a roll.
And that he adds a ridiculous statement about Europe taking raw materials out of its African colonies ... and now coming down and "taking" its best soccer players, as well. As if all those guys in Europe would rather stay home and play for peanuts rather than go to the Premiership or the Bundesliga and make millions of dollars.
A few other Sepp musings, as posted by the Times of London:
March 2008 -- On women’s football: "There are gay footballers but they don't declare it because they think it will not be accepted in these macho organizations. Look at women's football: homosexuality is more popular."
April 2004 -- On women’s football: "Let the women play in more feminine clothes like they do in volleyball. They could, for example, have tighter shorts."
July 2006 -– On China inventing football: "We have to say thanks to the British associations -- especially England -- to have organized the game of association football. But you cannot deny the history that in China there is a recollection and evidence they played the game a thousand years ago."
This guy is a gaffe waiting to happen. I'm thinking world soccer would be better off with someone else in charge. Read more!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Critic Said 'What a Lot of People Feel'
A few days ago, we noted that the boss of Bayern Munich, Uli Hoeness, believes it was a mistake to give the 2010 World Cup to South Africa.
Well, now the head of the Bundesliga -- Germany's top club league -- has suggested Hoeness said "what a lot of people feel."
Perhaps in Germany, anyway.
Actually, Christian Seifert seems more exercised about the cost of going to SA2010, while Hoeness seemed to focus on safety concerns, saying the security issues "were not 100 percent solved."
From what we can tell, however, costs are more likely to scare off fans than South Africa's crime rate or terrorism potential. And that is what Seifert talks about.
A columnist in the Johannesburg Times suggested that South Africans involved in the tourism industry were hoping to soak visiting fans, and bemoaned that fact.
We wrote about that, too.
So, yes, a little drumbeat of criticism for SA2010.
We can't really be sure it's valid until the event is over and done with, July 11. Read more!
Well, now the head of the Bundesliga -- Germany's top club league -- has suggested Hoeness said "what a lot of people feel."
Perhaps in Germany, anyway.
Actually, Christian Seifert seems more exercised about the cost of going to SA2010, while Hoeness seemed to focus on safety concerns, saying the security issues "were not 100 percent solved."
From what we can tell, however, costs are more likely to scare off fans than South Africa's crime rate or terrorism potential. And that is what Seifert talks about.
A columnist in the Johannesburg Times suggested that South Africans involved in the tourism industry were hoping to soak visiting fans, and bemoaned that fact.
We wrote about that, too.
So, yes, a little drumbeat of criticism for SA2010.
We can't really be sure it's valid until the event is over and done with, July 11. Read more!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Nigeria: Now It's an Official Job Search
Remember the opening for a coach in Nigeria?
It has become an official global job search ... because the name Guus Hiddink has been mentioned as a serious candidate.
It isn't a real search until Guus is mentioned. The man who replaced Bora Milutinovic as the No. 1 hired-gun of a coach.
The issue with Guus is that he still is under contract with Russia. He earlier said he would serve that out.
But that was before the Nigeria job came open.
Guus has a remarkable World Cup coaching record. In 1998, the Dutchman got his countrymen -- famous for the fractiousness -- into the semifinals in France, where they lost in a shootout to Brazil (a match I covered, if anyone cares). He took Australia to the second round in 2006.
But his most famous accomplishment was getting South Korea to the semifinals of the 2002 World Cup. He's been gold ever since.
Not even the failure to get Russia into the World Cup seems to have hurt his marketability. Most observers seem to blame Russia's players, not Guus. It also helped that he took Russia to the semifinals of the Euro 2008 competition.
So, this is a real coach. But he will demand real money. Is Nigeria ready to spend it? Does Nigeria care enough?
Guess we will find out. Read more!
It has become an official global job search ... because the name Guus Hiddink has been mentioned as a serious candidate.
It isn't a real search until Guus is mentioned. The man who replaced Bora Milutinovic as the No. 1 hired-gun of a coach.
The issue with Guus is that he still is under contract with Russia. He earlier said he would serve that out.
But that was before the Nigeria job came open.
Guus has a remarkable World Cup coaching record. In 1998, the Dutchman got his countrymen -- famous for the fractiousness -- into the semifinals in France, where they lost in a shootout to Brazil (a match I covered, if anyone cares). He took Australia to the second round in 2006.
But his most famous accomplishment was getting South Korea to the semifinals of the 2002 World Cup. He's been gold ever since.
Not even the failure to get Russia into the World Cup seems to have hurt his marketability. Most observers seem to blame Russia's players, not Guus. It also helped that he took Russia to the semifinals of the Euro 2008 competition.
So, this is a real coach. But he will demand real money. Is Nigeria ready to spend it? Does Nigeria care enough?
Guess we will find out. Read more!
Monday, February 8, 2010
Meanwhile, in China ...
One of the biggest underachievers in world soccer has a new man in charge.
Which is good news for China, because things could hardly get worse.
Soccer is the most popular sport in the world's most populous country, but China is ranked No. 97 in the world and is sitting out the World Cup. As per usual.
So, after owning up to a rotten situation ... China has a new guy running its federation, Wei Di. And he's not even from soccer, which probably is good, too. Wouldn't want anyone who has been tainted by the stink of failure/cheating that has surrounded the sport there.
China has been laughably inept. Playing in the world's weakest region, it couldn't even get into the final 10 of Asian qualifying last year.
It gets worse. The professional league there is massively corrupt. The last head of the football association is being held after investigations of bribery and match-fixing. Yes. It's that bad.
How China, so disciplined and straight-laced in so many endeavors of the sports type, can allow their football federation to decay into incompetence and vice ... is almost inexplicable.
The new guy, whose background is in water sports, is approaching this in the right way. He said China's first goal is to become a "strong team in Asia." Which right now, would be a big step forward for a nation of 1.3 billion soccer fans. Read more!
Which is good news for China, because things could hardly get worse.
Soccer is the most popular sport in the world's most populous country, but China is ranked No. 97 in the world and is sitting out the World Cup. As per usual.
So, after owning up to a rotten situation ... China has a new guy running its federation, Wei Di. And he's not even from soccer, which probably is good, too. Wouldn't want anyone who has been tainted by the stink of failure/cheating that has surrounded the sport there.
China has been laughably inept. Playing in the world's weakest region, it couldn't even get into the final 10 of Asian qualifying last year.
It gets worse. The professional league there is massively corrupt. The last head of the football association is being held after investigations of bribery and match-fixing. Yes. It's that bad.
How China, so disciplined and straight-laced in so many endeavors of the sports type, can allow their football federation to decay into incompetence and vice ... is almost inexplicable.
The new guy, whose background is in water sports, is approaching this in the right way. He said China's first goal is to become a "strong team in Asia." Which right now, would be a big step forward for a nation of 1.3 billion soccer fans. Read more!
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