Racism in football
Racism still blights the beautiful game
As UEFA decide on CSKA ban, calls for harsher measures on racism to be taken are echoed.
Manchester City’s Yaya Toure, centre, pointing towards fans speaks to the referee Ovidiu Hategan, unseen, CSKA’s Kirill Nababkin, left, and Musa, back to camera, during the Champions League group D soccer match between CSKA Moscow and Manchester City, at Arena Khimki stadium outside Moscow, Russia, on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2013. (AP Photo/Denis Tyrin)
CSKA Moscow were charged by UEFA with “racist behavior of their fans” after Manchester City’s Yaya Touré was the victim of nonsensical monkey chanting in a Champions League group stage game against the Russians on October 23.
In such a high-profile competition as the Champions League, where City picked up a 2–1 win at the Khimki Arena in Moscow, the match was marred by a section of home supporters directing racial abuse towards Touré, who reported the incident to referee Ovidiu Haţegan.
The unsavory incident provoked several elite people to speak out on the matter, including Prince William. The Duke of Cambridge spoke at a gala dinner marking the 150th anniversary of the Football Association (FA), saying: “Sadly, there is more work to be done to stop racism in football.”
“It is heartening to see how seriously the FA takes stamping the blight of racism and discrimination out of football,” added Prince William.
Also speaking at the FA’s gala dinner was FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who promised to take harsher sanctions against racism in football. According to Blatter, the FIFA congress decided it is “nonsense” to issue clubs with fines because clubs can “always find money” and the same goes for matches being played behind closed doors, because “it is against the spirit of the game.”
Blatter reiterated the need for more hard-hitting punishments on clubs if they are found guilty of racism and to “do something better,” by saying they will decide on much tougher penalties.
“We need to eliminate teams from a competition or deduct points. Only by such decisions is it possible to go against racism and discrimination. If we don’t do that it will go on and go on. We have to stop it, we need the courage to do it,” said Blatter.
Executive director of Football Against Racism in Europe, Piara Power, was also at the FA’s 150th anniversary event and advised that a potential boycott by black players of the 2018 World Cup in Russia could lead to football’s most prestigious competition being postponed.
“I can understand Yaya Touré’s sense that something needs to be done urgently,” said Power.
There has been an unsettling number of racism cases throughout Europe in the past year alone, with perhaps the most significant incident occurring in Italy—a country notorious for racial abuse in football. Kevin-Prince Boateng, then of AC Milan, became the first football player to cause a match to be abandoned and lead his team off the pitch due to racial abuse from fans.
Boateng made a huge statement by picking up the ball when he had possession and kicking it angrily towards home supporters of Pro Patria who were directing racial abuse towards him. Milan’s friendly against the Italian minnows in Busto Arsizio was subsequently abandoned when Boateng’s fellow teammates followed him off the pitch.
It was recently claimed by FC Shalke 04’s chief financial officer Peter Peters that Boateng was driven away from Italy because of the racism involved in the game. Boateng spent three years with Milan before deciding to join German side Shalke 04 in August.
In the Barclays Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur fans have be warned that they face arrest if they persist in chanting “Yid Army.” Tottenham Hotspur, otherwise known as the Spurs, has a strong Jewish following and, over the years, its fans have been the target of anti-Semitic abuse from opposition supporters. It was in an act of defiance that Spurs fans started to use the “Yid” chant about their team, and the first arrest of a Spurs follower chanting “Yid Army” in support of his own team was made in October.
As things stand in the footballing world, there is still a long way to go to eradicate racism completely from the game. However, after recent developments following the Touré saga, the future is likely to hold more severe punishments for clubs and fans in the crackdown on racism.
Jordan prepare for Uruguay
Jordan warm up for Uruguay with tough African test
In preparation for their forthcoming World Cup qualifier against the South Americans, Jordan will take on Nigeria and Zambia.
Jordan’s Musab Allahham (20) vies for the ball against Oman’s Raed Saleh (6) during their 2015 Asian Cup group A qualifying football match at the King Abdullah International Stadium in the Jordanian capital Amman, on October 15, 2013. (AFP PHOTO /KHALIL MAZRAAWI)
In a bid to reach the World Cup finals for the first time, Jordan will take on the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations champions on Monday night. They will further test their credentials against Zambia, the 2012 African champions, in Doha on November 4.
The two friendly games against strong African opposition will provide a tough test for the Jordanians, who will have to overcome Uruguayan resistance in order to book their place in Brazil next summer.
Qualification for the African teams has yet to be decided, but Nigeria are still in contention after winning their group and Zambia narrowly missed out on qualifying to group winners Ghana.
Having fended off Uzbekistan in the Asian zone play-off, Jordan have the chance to write their names in the history books when they square up to the likes of Liverpool star Luis Suárez, Paris Saint-Germain’s Edinson Cavani and the highly experienced Diego Forlán, who currently plays for International of Brazil.
Although finishing fifth in Latin American qualifying, Uruguay will prove to be a formidable opponent for the Jordanians and a positive outcome for the Middle Eastern country is difficult to envisage.
Al-Nashama will welcome Uruguay–the 2010 World Cup semi-finalists–to Amman for the first leg of the play-off on November 13 and will hope they are still in contention come the second leg in Montevideo on November 20.
Ferguson article
Football legend Ferguson back in the limelight after book launch
Following Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement from football, the former Manchester United boss is back in the spotlight after his latest autobiography has caused controversy in the footballing world.
Sir Alex Ferguson at the press conference for the launch of his new autobiography.
London, Asharq Al-Awsat—Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson released his latest autobiography at a press conference in front of 500 sports journalists at the Industry of Directors in London on October 22, 2013. As Ferguson’s successor, David Moyes, was preparing to send his inherited squad into battle with Real Sociedad in a Champions League qualifier, attention was deflected to the highly decorated retiree, a welcome relief for Moyes given United’s current form. Simply entitled My Autobiography, Ferguson used his new book as a chance to settle some scores and expose the secrets of his past, and in the process ruffled some feathers in the footballing world.
During his 26-year reign as manager of Manchester United, Ferguson won 13 league titles, five FA Cups and two Champions League trophies—among many other honors—making him the most successful manager of all time. The key to his success, as he revealed at the press conference, was to make sure that he was the key figure at the football club, saying: “The manager is the most important person at Manchester United.”
His strong grip and dominance at the club is what led to the breakdown of his close relationship with former United captain Roy Keane and several feuds with other stars, including David Beckham and, most recently, Wayne Rooney. Ferguson talked about how he had to let Keane go after the Irishman blasted his teammates in an interview on MUTV, and how David Beckham “changed” after he met Posh Spice, known now as Victoria Beckham. Ferguson also remarks on Rooney’s several requests to leave United and the England star’s fitness, saying how his stocky figure needs “working hard.”
The repercussions of Ferguson’s revelations in his book also attracted attention from the likes of former Manchester United goalkeeper Mark Bosnich, who reacted to scathing comments against him by telling Ferguson to “say it to my face.” Ferguson wrote that Bosnich was a “terrible professional” and ate excessively, leading to the ex-United goalkeeper requesting a face-to-face meeting with his former boss.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, there were also some digs dealt out to Ferguson’s old enemies, Arsene Wenger, Rafael Benitez and Liverpool Football Club. The famous “Pizzagate” saga with Wenger gets a mention, of course, and Ferguson also takes the opportunity to say how he “felt sorry” for Arsenal manager Wenger when his team was the wrong side of an 8–2 hammering at Old Trafford in 2011. There was, however, some warmth shown towards Jose Mourinho in the book, although Ferguson mentions how terrible the wine was at Stamford Bridge—even mentioning it to Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, who sent Ferguson a case of Tignanello.
Former Liverpool manager Benitez can’t have expected a kind mention in My Autobiography, which is just as well, since Ferguson speaks in celebratory fashion of how he won the series of mind games with his bitter rival. The autobiography has even forced comments out of current Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers. The Northern Irishman reacted to Ferguson’s comments by speaking highly of his captain, Steven Gerrard—who was a victim of Fergie-fueled acrimony—and accused Ferguson of trying to bring Liverpool down because he felt aggrieved chasing them for many years.
Rodgers also questioned why a manager would leak confidential conversations with his players from the dressing room. After leaving such a famous legacy at Manchester United, Ferguson has risked tarnishing his sterling reputation by revealing his innermost thoughts on numerous subjects.
As it stands in the Premier League, United—the current champions—sit eight points adrift of league leaders Arsenal, with David Moyes having a colossal job on his hands. When Moyes finds a quiet moment in among his busy schedule of trying to maintain Fergie’s legacy, he might find himself scanning through the book in desperate search of tips on how to keep the ship afloat at Old Trafford.
International Business Times SportsNet - LFC article
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Five Flops For The Anfield Exit
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| Charlie Adam was uninspiring for Liverpool in the 2011/12 season. |
The arrival of Brendan Rodgers at Liverpool marks another
new era for the club, so who needs to be shown the door at Anfield to make way
for new talent? Here is a list of five players who should hang up their red
shirts:
Charlie Adam
The former Blackpool star arrived at Liverpool last year
after impressing in his first season in the Premier League with the Seasiders.
Liverpool were quick to snap up the midfielder for a fee of £7million, one of
their cheaper acquisitions from the summer of 2011, however, the Scotsman
failed to live up to even that price tag.
Ever since Xabi Alonso parted company with the Reds in 2009,
there has been a lack of creativity coming from midfield and many thought Adam
would be the man to fill Alonso’s boots. The Scot managed just two goals and
six assists in 31 appearances in the 2011/12 season and failed to make an
impact in midfield as Kenny Dalglish had hoped. Adam has a tendency to give
away unnecessary fouls in dangerous positions and appeared to look off the pace
of the Premier League. He didn't
stand out in a red shirt and Brendan Rodgers will do well to replace him with a
more talented creative midfielder. Perhaps he is better suited to Championship
football.
Verdict: Sell
Jay Spearing
Jay Spearing, a product of the Liverpool academy, certainly
plays for the shirt and has all the right motives when playing for his club,
however, he just doesn't cut the mustard. The miniature bulldog like player is
exactly what the club needs in terms of coming up from the ranks and being a home-grown
product, but unfortunately he is not a player that will help the club challenge
for the Premier League and a Champions League position. His passion and energy
is his best asset, perhaps best suiting him to a position on the bench, at
best. At 23, Spearing could still develop as a player, so a season playing
first team football at a smaller Premier League team could do wonders for the
midfielder. It will provide Liverpool a chance to monitor any progression made
and give them another year to decide on his future at the club.
Verdict: Loan.
Jamie Carragher
As much as it would pain any Liverpool supporter to admit
it, our steely and ever reliable centre back is getting on and the cracks are showing
in this old rock. If the club are going to pose any real threat of becoming a
top four side again, they need to find a long term replacement for one of the
best defenders they have ever produced.
Carragher has created a legacy for himself and will always
be remembered as a hero by the Kop for his services to the club. The
experienced centre back may only have a season left in him at best and it is
hard to say whether Brendan Rodgers will consider him for a place in his
starting 11. Carragher may have to get used to life on the bench, as the
touchline is where he should be when his playing career comes to an end. He can
become a great asset to the coaching staff and his claxon like voice would be
sorely missed otherwise.
Verdict: Retire and become a coach.
Stewart Downing
Stewart Downing was another of Kenny Dalglish’s signings
that failed to make an impact in the 2011/12 season. The winger, who signed
from Aston Villa for a hefty fee of around £20million, managed just two goals
and two assists in 46 games for the club. Perhaps if the strikers converted his
crosses and passes, he might have had much better statistics from the season
just gone. At times, the England winger looked threatening, but most of the
time you couldn't help but think this is a player that at 27, isn’t going to
get any better. Is this someone that is going to help the club push forward and
get back into the Champions League? Brendan Rodgers will have to answer that
one for us, but there are plenty of wingers out there that could offer more
than Downing did last season.
Verdict: Sell
Jon Flanagan
Jon Flanagan is not a player that Liverpool should consider
getting rid of completely, but one that would greatly benefit from a season out
on loan. With England defenders Glen Johnson and Martin Kelly both in front of
him in the pecking order, young Jon Flanagan will be a bench warmer at best
next season. Two seasons ago the Liverpool youth product showed his potential,
but when called upon last season he showed he isn’t quite ready to mix it with
the big boys in crucial games. A chance to develop as a player and gain as much
playing time as possible next season would be a blessing for both Flanagan and
Liverpool, because this is a player for the future.
Verdict: Loan
Liverpool Looking To The Future With Rodgers
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| Managing Director Ian Ayre, Manager Brendan Rodgers and Chairman Tom Werner |
After a dismal league campaign in the 2011/12 season, which
saw controversy, cup finals and the dethroning of a king, Liverpool are looking
to the future after appointing Brendan Rodgers as the right man to take them
forward.
Kenny Dalglish’s second spell as Liverpool manager lasted just one and a half seasons and in that time the Scotsman took his beloved team to two Wembley finals, winning the club’s first trophy since 2006. Despite giving the Anfield faithful a taste of the glory days, success in the Carling Cup proved to be too little for the club’s American owners, Fenway Sports Group (FSG). A defeat to Chelsea in the FA Cup final dashed Liverpool’s hopes of completing a domestic cup double and a string of poor results and an 8th place finish in the league proved to be the deciding factor in FSG’s decision to bring in a new manager.
The virtues of Liverpool’s ideal candidate for the vacant
managerial job were made clear immediately. The owners wanted to bring in a
talented, young manager and Swansea’s Brendan Rodgers was seen as the ideal
candidate. The 39 year old, who has worked under Jose Mourinho at Chelsea, took
Swansea from the Championship to an 11th place finish in the Premier
League last season. Rodgers signed a three year deal with Liverpool and was
promised time to build his own team, implementing his personal fashion of
tactics. The Northern Irishman’s impressive strategies and modern style of
play, were enough to land him one of the most prestigious jobs in football.
Rodgers travelled to Holland and Spain, two of the world’s most attractive
footballing nations, to study their tactics and train as a coach. He is now
known for favouring the ‘Tiki-Taka’ pass and move style of play that the Spanish
national team is famous for and was able to input those tactics on his Swansea
side last season. The Welsh team impressed in their debut season in the Premier
League and as a result, Rodgers was snapped up in a shrewd appointment by the
Anfield owners.
Liverpool fans have been longing for attractive football to be played at Anfield and after a clear out of the dead wood and a rebuild of the current squad, Rodgers is the man to bring such a change. Players such as Charlie Adam, Stewart Downing and Andy Carroll, who flopped in their first season on Merseyside, could be in for a nervy summer transfer window, as Rodgers will be looking to bring in creative midfielders and speedy wingers to help creative his style of play.
Critics would say the choice to make Rodgers manager of Liverpool is a risk, but sometimes risks need to be taken in order to progress. The employment of ‘B-Rod’, or ‘King Brenny’ as some Kopites are wittily referring to Rodgers by, is certainly part of FSG’s long term vision for the club and time is undoubtedly needed as a key ingredient for this recipe of the future.
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