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Friday, September 10, 2010

World Cup 2010 Blog: “Asamoah Gyan Would’ve Pulled A Luis Suarez Too” plus 1 more

Link to World Cup Soccer - South Africa 2010

Asamoah Gyan Would’ve Pulled A Luis Suarez Too

Posted: 09 Sep 2010 11:24 PM PDT

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That handball by Luis Suarez, rather unmistakable, and subsequent penalty miss by Asamoah Gyan rocked the world far beyond the shores of Ghana. They were something of the darling team, being the only remaining African team in an African World Cup. Since then Suarez has fluctuated between villain and hero so much, typically depending on location, he doesn’t know which way is up anymore (also aided by his constant diving).

Gyan, though missing the big penalty, has gone onto bigger things in his future with a big move this week while offering up some even bigger forgiveness. He’s a big man.

His Sunderland intro touched on the highly controversial moment from this summer:

“I’ve forgiven him it’s part of the game,” Gyan told the Daily Telegraph. “As I always say, if it was me, I would have done the same thing. In the last minute, if you’re going out, he made himself a hero in his country. It was cheating to handle the ball, but I would do the same. Maybe I will do it for Sunderland in one important game. He’s done a great job for his country.

“Suárez is a hero because he got his team to the semi-finals. He’s like a hero for that cheating. The referee should have done something about it, but that’s life. Penalties? For me, I have done a good job for my country. I think 90 per cent of the penalties have been scored by me despite that miss. That’s life.”

And with that we have possibly the most reasonable, objective and inarguable assessment of the Suarez handball, all from the man it ended up hurting the most.

That’s rarely life.

Trapped Chilean Miners Watched Ukraine vs Chile Football Match

Posted: 09 Sep 2010 01:00 PM PDT

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Unless you’ve been living under a rock, then you should know about the Chilean miners who are quite literally living under rock. The 33 men have been trapped nearly half a mile below the earth in a 500 square feet emergency shelter ever since the mine in Copiapo, Chile collapsed last month. It’s going to be months before workers can drill holes deep enough and wide enough to rescue the men. Months.

In the meantime, everyone’s thinking up ways to keep the trapped miner’s spirits up and their brains sane. Essentials like food and drink are being lowered down, but there’s also communication with loved ones and all kinds of group dynamic work being done. And, of course, there’s football. Because this past Tuesday the 33 Chilean men trapped in a 500 square feet room were able to watch Chile’s friendly away to Ukraine.

A small projecter and a fibre optic cable were lowered down into the shelter, allowing the men were able to project the game onto the wall. Unfortunately Chile lost the friendly match 2-1, but the miners did get to see their national team wearing t-shirts that read “Fuerza Mineros” before the game, which presumably left no doubt in any of the 33 men’s mind that those above ground were thinking of them.

One of the trapped miners is an ex-professional footballer named Franklin Lobos, and apparently he did a bit of post-match analysis via phone with rescue workers. Here’s a video news story about the miners watching the game from NDTV:

Great stuff, and a nice little reminder of just how important football can be. Even international friendlies.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

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World Cup 2010 Blog: “Cassano’s Superman Streaker Returns With A Kiss” plus 1 more

Cassano’s Superman Streaker Returns With A Kiss

Posted: 08 Sep 2010 09:00 AM PDT

You may remember Mario Ferri from the World Cup, back when he was giving Marcello Lippi the old “I told you so” over his refusal to call up Antonio Cassano. Well, new coach Cesare Prandelli has called up the mad genius and with predictable results – he’s quite good at football, you know.

So Mario, ultimately very pleased with these new developments, streaked onto the Franchi pitch last night, having hid in a bathroom since he’s banned in Italian stadia, during Italy-Faroe Islands to show his appreciation with a kiss for Antonio and a thumbs up for an amused Prandelli.

In the end, it’s all about the love.

Goofing Goalkeepers and Slide Tackling Strikers

Posted: 08 Sep 2010 07:09 AM PDT

reina and tevez Two of my favourite things in football combined not once but twice in yesterday’s international games, as a goalkeeper’s goof was met with a striker’s slide tackle in two separate games.

The most embarrassing of the two errors came from Spain’s Pepe Reina, deputizing for the World Cup winning Iker Casillas in the friendly against Argentina. Reina slipped while swinging at the ball for a routine kick up field, and the ever-alert, ever-willing-to-run Carlos Tevez beat Reina to the loose ball and scored with a very manly slide tackle. Argentina won the game 4-1, and Iker Casillas won’t lose any sleep over getting his place back. Spain and Liverpool fans be warned, the video of Reina’s goof is below:

Arguably the more important error came from Portugal goalkeeper Eduardo in a Euro 2012 qualifying game vs Norway. Eduardo took too long to clear the ball, allowing gigantic Norwegian striker John Carew to charge in with a slide tackle, which deflected the ball to Erik Huseklepp to score:

Norway won 1-0, and Portugal’s Euro 2012 qualifying campaign is looking all kinds of bad.

Image: AP

- Writer wanted on Norway World Cup Blog

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

World Cup 2010 Blog: “European Club Association Threatens FIFA” plus 1 more

European Club Association Threatens FIFA

Posted: 07 Sep 2010 08:45 AM PDT

khr European Club Association chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge had some harsh words for FIFA ahead of today’s Euro qualifying games.

“It is no longer acceptable that we have to give up our players, taking the risk that, in case of injury, we still have to play their salaries,” Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, president of the European Clubs’ Association (ECA), told reporters. “We believe it is the right moment for (world ruling body) FIFA and (Europe’s) UEFA to take care of our players.”

The European Club Association is basically a pressure group representing Europe’s biggest teams. And no big European team currently has a bigger beef with international football than Bayern Munich, where – ever so slightly co-incidentally – Rummenigge is also chairman.

For those with short memories, Bayern’s Dutch winger Arjen Robben played for the Netherlands in the 2010 World Cup while carrying a thigh injury, which had become a two-inch hole in his muscle by the time he got back to Bayern. Robben will be out for the rest of 2010 and Bayern are understandably miffed.

FIFA currently shares $40 million of its World Cup profits with clubs of the players called up for duty, but Rummenigge pointed out that the payment Bayern received for Robben covered more or less one week’s pay.

In the club vs country debate, I usually side with country. If only because the clubs usually hold all the cards. And by cards I mean players. But I think some sort of compromise can be reached here. I don’t necessarily agree with Rumenigge that FIFA should be paying out every time a player gets injured on international duty. Can you imagine insuring every international footballer in the world? Covering the big boys like Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo alone would put a hole in FIFA’s fundage. And it’s unfair to expect that no player can get injured on international duty. You can’t player a competitive international covered in bubble wrap (although… write that down and pitch it to Sky Sports for Summer 2013).

Maybe some sort of compromise can be reached for situations like Robben’s where the national team has pushed a player to his limits and caused damage in doing so. (I’m not saying the Netherlands were 100% wrong to do so by the way, the World Cup is worth the risk and Robben came thisclose to winning it for them.) So FIFA should give in, and insure players for exceptional circumstances. But don’t give too much, because the European clubs will be back for more before you know it.

Andres Iniesta Has Seen World Cup Winning Goal “A Thousand Times”

Posted: 07 Sep 2010 07:27 AM PDT

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Have you ever wondered why Barcelona and Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta is so pale? Well apparently he spends a lot of time indoors watching video of his own games, and as a result has seen his World Cup final winning goal 1,000 times.

“I watch all my matches many times,” the 26-year-old Barcelona playmaker told the Spanish daily El Pais.
“It helps me to improve. Also, they repeat it a lot. So whether I like it or not, I have seen the goal a thousand times,” said Iniesta.

My guess is that Iniesta is exaggerating, so let’s not take that four figure number too literally. But I’m genuinely fascinated to learn that Iniesta rewatches his games in order to improve. Just last week I was complaining that Iniesta makes football look too easy. Now I realize that it only looks easy because he puts so much effort in.

So, if you’re reading Andres, here’s that goal one more time: