Alhaji Righteous De Ambitious

Thursday, August 5, 2010

World Cup 2010 Blog: Jermaine Jones Could Be a Yank by Next Week

Link to World Cup Soccer - South Africa 2010

Jermaine Jones Could Be a Yank by Next Week

Posted: 04 Aug 2010 02:18 PM PDT

jones Jermaine Jones has never been afraid of a bit of controversy. In 2004, he took a fairly softball question, “Are there any gay footballers in the Bundesliga?” (Easy answer: I don’t know) and turned it into a major story when he answered “Hopefully not”. Classy. He’s also somewhat infamous for his relationship, or lack thereof, with the fans of his former club, Eintracht Frankfurt, where he announced he was leaving with a post on the club’s bulletin board. But he’s about to make an official switch a bit more profound than leaving a club. Next week, the German-born Jones, who has played as a senior for Germany (though not in FIFA-approved matches), will probably play his first match as an American, after his call up for the friendly with Brazil.

The process has been in the works for a while, and will not be news to many US fans, some of whom were hoping to see Jones in red, white and blue for the World Cup. He has gone through the proper channels, petitioning UEFA, CONCACAF and FIFA to make the change, despite bending the rule that a senior national team appearance means a final decision on nationality. But it still surprises me to see it happening. His father is American, and in the nationality sense, I have no problems with it – personality quirks and prejudices aside, he’s more then welcome in the States. He even spent some of his childhood in the US, so it’s not cut and dry. But I tend to be a national team purist, and this seems like one step farther over the line than other international switches.

So I put it to you – the WorldCupBlog and Offside readers. Do you think a player with senior caps for his country (albeit in non-Blatter-approved matches) should be able to change allegiance? Do you think this sets a dangerous precedent? Or am I a dinosaur for even bringing it up, in the age of Cacau, Amauri, etc? Discuss.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

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World Cup 2010 Blog: Diego Forlan Now Available For Kickoffs

Diego Forlan Now Available For Kickoffs

Posted: 03 Aug 2010 08:10 AM PDT

One of the perks of winning the Golden Ball is having an invite list so long it requires an assistant whose sole task is to RSVP. State dinners, talk shows, groupie debriefing – he’s up for it all.

Diego Forlan’s list also includes kicking off football matches before slowly sauntering off the field, entirely unable to jog, confusing the referee, while waving to the fans.

Going rate? No clue, but expect Man City to hit eight figures real soon.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

World Cup 2010 Blog: “Paul The Octopus Does Elvis” plus 1 more

Paul The Octopus Does Elvis

Posted: 03 Aug 2010 04:10 AM PDT

Last we checked in with Paul he’d just snapped himself up a Mr. 15%. That agent, Chris Davis, appears to be working overtime, with his most insane project to date on the docket.

“There are books being written, a range of octopus toys are coming out this Christmas and there is even a new iPhone app.

“One of the most exciting things is that he has a record deal in place for an album, called Paul The Octopus Sings Elvis.”

You’re not alone in wondering just how an octopus will release an album, but there’s every chance it will involve a vuvuzela and accompanying piano by Yanni. (And they still can’t cure cancer.)

Early speculation as to possible singles/remixes:

(You Ain’t Nothin’ But A) Mollusk

All Sucked Up

(Let Me Be Your) Cephalopod

Aquarium Tank Rock

Love Me Tentacles

Are You Lonesome Tonight?

As Diego’s World Turns: Door Ajar.

Posted: 03 Aug 2010 01:10 AM PDT

Mvd1298162

The soap opera that is Argentina’s head coaching position will not cease its turbulent plot twists and he said/he said. The latest development is one which no one is likely to have seen coming after all the comments hurled from The Bearded One.

The door has been left open for his return.

“If Diego comes and talks, I don’t know what can happen. It’s all a question of talking,” Bilardo told the news channel Todo Noticias. “I would not close any door. We are awaiting the outcome. Anything can happen.

“My job is to suggest people who can work and then the executive committee are those who decide. But we still have not talked with anyone or come up with anyone’s names. The possibility of another meeting [between Maradona and the AFA] exists.”

His exit and potentially return is nothing but befitting his tenure as coach: full of drama with the spotlight focused purely on the sidelines as the actual team falls into the shadows.

With Diego ready for the chat show circuit all of a week ago, maybe they should just say “let’s do both” and combine the mediums with a full-fledged weekly docudrama surrounding the whole process and ultimate result. They can even interview each and every player he’s called up in his tenure to give their thoughts on the matter, which should run us into World Cup 2014 nicely.