WPS Features Five Nominees for FIFA World Player of the Year Award by Rob Penner

by Rob Penner, Communications Director of WPS

Editor's Note

Marta Vieira da Silva of the Los Angeles Sol has won this award for the last three years, and was the runner-up in 2005.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (October 30, 2009) – FIFA announced its short list for the 2009 FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year Award from its headquarters in Zurich on Friday with five of the 10 players in contention for the award having played in WPS during the Inaugural Season. Nominees who played in WPS, all of them selected as WPS All-Stars, include (country/2009 team):

Sonia Bompastor FRA/Washington Freedom – Led the league in assists (6) while tallying four goals and was selected as WPS Player of the Month for May. Her slashing, exciting play at defensive midfield helped the Freedom bounce back from a slow start to finish third in the 2009 WPS Regular Season.

Cristiane BRA/Chicago Red Stars – The only player in WPS to notch a hat trick this season, her incredible long-range strike against FC Gold Pride in early July was one of the goals of the year this season in WPS. Finished with seven goals, fourth-best in WPS.

Marta BRA/Los Angeles Sol – Winner of the 2009 Michelle Akers Player of the Year Award as the league MVP, Marta notched 10 goals and 3 assists to lead the Los Angeles Sol to the regular season title and a spot in the WPS Championship final.

Kelly Smith ENG/Boston Breakers – Tallied six goals in just 15 games in WPS this year to lead the Boston Breakers early charge to start the season as one of the best teams in WPS and winning WPS Player of the Month honors for April. Finished among the top 5 in WPS in goals and was a consistent threat in the offensive third with her dangerous left foot.

Abby Wambach USA/Washington Freedom – After a slow start, Wambach finished tied for second in the league in scoring with eight goals and led her team to a strong finish down the stretch and a third-place finish in the regular season as WPS’s July Player of the Month. Notched her 100th career international goal with the U.S. National Team in July against Canada.

The five finalists for 2009 FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year will be selected by head coaches and captains of the various national teams and will be announced in early December with the FIFA World Player Gala scheduled for December 21 in Zurich, Switzerland.

About Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS)

Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) is the premier women’s soccer league in the world and the global standard by which women’s professional sports are measured. The Inaugural Season kicked off in March 2009 with seven WPS teams based in the Bay Area, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New Jersey/New York, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C. The league’s eighth and nine franchises, Philadelphia and Atlanta, will begin play in the 2010 WPS Season, which begins March 2010. For more information, visit www.womensprosoccer.com.

Castrol Index Names Thierry Henry Best Player of 2009

Image courtesy of Castrol.

FC Barcelona's French International, Thierry Henry, has been named the best player of 2009 by the Castrol Index. This was their inaugural rating of the best players in the world, and they will be an official sponsor next summer at the FIFA World Cup.

Here are a few excerpts from their article about Henry and the rest of the top 20:

"Thierry Henry’s efforts in front of goal are what have made him the stand-out player of the last year. The French international scored five goals and provided three assists during Barca’s successful Champions League campaign and has contributed a further 18 goals and eight assists in La Liga during the 12-month period all of which have helped him become the world’s best performing player.

The key to Henry’s success has been the accuracy of his shooting with the forward finding the target with an impressive 70% of his shots compared to an average of 42% across the five main European leagues.

Castrol Global Ambassador Cristiano Ronaldo admitted he is now gunning for Henry and determined to claim top spot for himself soon.

'The Castrol Rankings is the ranking that every player wants to top,' said the Portuguese winger. 'If you can be number one on the Castrol Rankings there can be no arguments, as it is based on fact, not opinion. That’s why I’m aiming for the number one spot – to prove I’m the best!' "

Using their metrics, Castrol rated the top 20 players in world football. The only goalkeeper in that group was Christian Abbiatti of AC Milan. Surprisingly, Ricardo Kaka' of Real Madrid was not in the top 20.

Here were the top 5:

Thierry Henry, FC Barcelona
Lionel Messi, FC Barcelona
Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid
Gerard Pique, FC Barcelona
Fernando Torres, Liverpool FC

If you would like to see a YouTube explanation (they don't allow you to embed it), please click here.

"Here's to Trapattoni!" by The Corrigan Brothers

Watch out, France, Trap is ready. :-)

I received an interesting email today from Gerard Corrigan from Limerick, Republic of Ireland.


Image courtesy of the
Corrigan Brothers.

The Corrigan Brothers have written a special song in honor of Giovanni Trapattoni, manager of the Republic. The Irish will face France in a two-legged playoff on 14 and 18 November for the World Cup.

Here is the email from Gerard that I would like to share:

We need your help to get past France and go to South Africa 2010.

The band who played at President Obama's inauguration and have appeared all over the world's TV with their iconic song "There's no one as Irish as Barack Obama" have composed a song for one final world cup push against the French.

"Here's to Trapattoni"

It was released today and will be playing all over radio from today.

Here is the video:

"Toor a loo ra loo ra la

toor a loor a loor a loni

let's take it to the French

Here's to Trapattoni "

www.corriganbrothers.com

Regards,

Ger Corrigan

Week/Giornata 8 of the Italian Serie A

Image courtesy of the Italian Lega Calcio.

To learn more about Italian soccer history, please click the image to visit my Italian Calcio and History of the Azzurri page.

Clarence Seedorf, the Renaissance Man of World Football, is an exemplary symbol of Italian calcio.

The Serie A began in 1929. FC Internazionale Milano (Inter Milan) is the only team to play every year in the top flight, and they have won the Scudetto (Championship) for the last four years. For this season, AS Bari, Livorno, and Parma were promoted from Serie B.

Quotes of the Week in Italian Calcio


Image courtesy of stock.xchng.

"It was very important for us to qualify on Saturday." Marcello Lippi of the Azzurri

"For the fans to whistle in Parma was a disgrace." Marcello Lippi of the Azzurri

"Compared to Lippi, Trapattoni was calmer, smiled more, looked for the good things, but I remember very well his great outbursts. Mangers such as Capello, Ancelotti, and Trap bring very unique experiences to coaching." Gigi Buffon of Juventus FC

"At my age and with my experience in soccer, nothing surprises me anymore." Gigi Buffon of Juventus FC

"They broke my balls over a bee sting." Fabio Cannavaro of Juventus FC

"We have 14 to 15 international players. We can't recover during the international break." Ciro Ferrara of Juventus FC

"Spalletti and I spoke recently about his career and many other things. He has a great future with another big club and perhaps one day on the Azzurri bench." Danielle De Rossi of AS Roma

"Nesta was right. We need more humility." Leonardo of AC Milan

"I think Beckham will be on loan with us in January." Adriano Galliani of AC Milan

"We as Milan are going to make a claim for an indemnity from the American Soccer Federation. We can't pay a player (Oguchi Onyewu) for six months if he can't play." Adriano Galliani of AC Milan.

"I am 95% sure of going to Milan in January." David Beckham of the Los Angeles Galaxy

"I quit playing professional soccer at the age of 21 or 22. To combine that with college was too much. I was smart and realized that I couldn't be one of the best. Doing something without being the best is not for me." Jose' Mourinho of Internazionale Milano

Quotes are courtesy of La Gazzetta dello Sport but translated from the Italian by me.

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Week 8 Fixtures

2009/2010 Serie A Fixtures (Printable PDF Version from La Gazzetta dello Sport)

LiveSoccerTV (Serie A Broadcast Schedule)

Saturday

Juventus 1 x ACF Fiorentina 1

In a very tense game, Vargas scored for La Viola from a subtle pass by Jovetic. Amauri equalized to end his goal drought for Juventus. This was Fiorentina manager Cesare Prandelli's 200th game on the Viola bench.

Key Stats

Ball possession: 57% to 43% for Juventus.
Shots on goal: 18 to 17 for Fiorentina.
Offside: 5 to 1 for Juventus.
Corners: 9 to 3 for Fiorentina.
Crosses: 28 to 28.
Pass Completion: 80% from 459 for Juventus. 68% from 344 for Fiorentina.
Diego completed 80% of his 46 passes for Juventus. Montolivo completed 77% of his 61 passes for Fiorentina.
Contrasts (1 on 1 situations) won: 59 to 41 for Juventus.

Courtesy of La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Genoa 0 x Internazionale Milano 5

Inter destroyed Genoa with goals by Cambiasso, Balotelli, Stankovic, Vieira, and Maicon. Javier Zanetti had an outstanding pass completion rate of 95%. It was the third match in a row that Zanetti was over 90%.

Take a look at Stankovic's goal from midfield. The Genoa keeper, Marco Amelia, took a free kick that went straight to Dejan who volleyed it back over an embarrassed Amelia. I have never seen anything like that, but everything went Inter's way at the Marassi tonight.

Sunday

Catania 2 x Cagliari 1
Chievo Verona 1 x AS Bari 2
Lazio 1 x Sampdoria 1
Livorno 1 x Palermo 2
Napoli 2 x Bologna 1
Parma 1 x Siena 0
Udinese 1 x Atalanta of Bergamo 3

AC Milan 2 x AS Roma 1

Video Highlights

A great source for Serie A videos.
You can also view videos on the
Goal4Replay application above this
post.

Online Coverage of the Serie A

• For an ESPN Matchtracker of Italian football, please click here.

• For an interesting STATS Match Center, please click here. (Then select Serie A at the top left.)
  

• For a game tracker called Live Match from La Gazzetta dello Sport, please click here. You may have to click on the number of the week to see a full fixture list.

• For English language coverage and game commentaries, please take a look at Football Italia,and Italian Serie A Soccer by Anna Italia.
  

• For a detailed map of Italy and Serie A clubs, please click here.

Cable Coverage of Italian Soccer in North America

• Fox Soccer Channel, GolTV (Coppa Italia and Azzurri), RAI International
  
• Telefutura Contacto Deportivo has an excellent highlight show at 11 p.m. Eastern time every night. Weekend telecasts have Serie A highlights.
• Titulares Telemundo with Andres Cantor also has an excellent highlight show at 11 p.m. Eastern time on Saturdays and Sundays.
  

For those new to Italian calcio, please read my article, Soccer Terminology in the Mother Tongue (Italian to English).

Enjoy the passion of Italian calcio.

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World Football Commentaries Home Page

2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup Final: Ghana 0 x Brasil 0 (AET 4-3): Historic Win for the Black Satellites

Image courtesy of FIFA.

Congratulations to the Black Satellites of Ghana. They are the first African team to win this competition. Hungary defeated Costa Rica on penalties to earn the bronze medal.



The 17th edition of the FIFA Under 20 World Cup kicked off on 24 September in Egypt, and concluded with the final on 16 October. The competition took place in five locations: Alexandria, Cairo, Ismailia, Port Said, and Suez.

There were 24 teams divided into 6 groups. The defending champion, Argentina, did not qualify.

Showcase for Upcoming Stars

This tournament showcases some of the best youth talent in the world. During the last two editions, which were won by Argentina, Lionel Messi (Barcelona) and Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid) won the Golden Shoe (most goals scored), respectively.

TV Coverage

ESPN360.com will show several matches. Please check LiveSoccerTV for your local listings.

Galavision (Spanish language) will show selected games in North America.

Live Daily Streaming of World Football Matches

Let's take a look at the groups.

Group A

Egypt
Italy
Paraguay
Trinidad and Tobago

Group B

Nigeria
Spain
Tahiti
Venezuela

Group C

Cameroon
Germany
Korea Republic
USA

Group D

England
Ghana
Uruguay
Uzbekistan

Group E

Australia
Brasil
Costa Rica
Czech Republic

Group F

Honduras
Hungary
South Africa
United Arab Emirates

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World Football Commentaries Home Page

"We Are Going to Make a Claim with the American Soccer Federation." Adriano Galliani on Oguchi Onyewu

Last night at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., Oguchi "Gooch" Onyewu tore the patella tendon on his left knee during the 2 x 2 draw with Costa Rica. He should be sidelined between 3 and 4 months. It was the second event of bad news for the US Team in as many days.

But the response of AC Milan Vice President, Adriano Galliani, was quite intriguing:

"Sono molto arrabbiato perché le Nazionali ancora una volta ci prendono i giocatori e noi dobbiamo rimetterci con gli infortuni - spiega Adriano Galliani -. Questo è un problema da risolvere. Noi come Milan pretendiamo un indennizzo dalla Federazione americana. Non possiamo stipendiare per sei mesi un calciatore che non può giocare".

"I am very angry because once again, national teams take players and we have to deal with the injuries. This is a problem that needs to be resolved. We as Milan are going to make a claim for an indemnity from the American Soccer Federation. We can't pay a player for six months if he can't play."

Italian source: La Gazzetta dello Sport, 15 October 2009.

Paid for Not Playing?

Onyewu has only appeared in one official game for AC Milan this season out of ten possible appearances. It was against FC Zurich in the UEFA Champions League, and was for about 30 minutes after an injury to Alessandro Nesta. So one could make the argument that Milan have been paying him for not playing.

Mister Galliani has been with Milan for over 20 years. This is the first time that I can recall a statement such as this. There have been rumors that Silvio Berlusconi wants to sell the team. After their large financial windfall due to the sale of Ricardo Kaka' last year, Milan did not spend much on the transfer market. And now they want money from the American FA?

Perhaps this strange statement is a precursor of more changes to come at AC Milan.

But should a club be able to ask for damages? What if Onyewu fell down at the airport? Who would Galliani want to sue then? :-)

Who Treats the Injured Player and Where?

This situation also raises other issues. For example, who treats the injured player? Doctors hired by US Soccer or those associated with AC Milan (known for their fabled Milan Lab)? If I recall properly, when Christian Abbiati, Rino Gattuso, and Paolo Maldini suffered knee injuries, they were treated in Antwerp, Belgium by a famous orthopedic surgeon, Professor Marc Martens.

Best wishes to Gooch for a speedy recovery, and we hope to see him on the pitch for Milan and the US National Team early next year.

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2010 World Cup Qualifier: Italia 3 x Cyprus 2: Gilardino Scores a Tripletta

Image of Marcello Lippi courtesy of Paul Blank and http://www.postproduktie.nl/.

With their tickets booked to South Africa, the last qualifier tomorrow tonight at 2000 in Parma is a mere formality for the Azzurri. In the first leg, Cyprus gave Italy all they could handle, and the Azzurri were fortunate to escape with a 1 x 2 victory.

Comments Ahead of the Game

"Totti è una grandissima persona e un grandissimo giocatore - ha spiegato il c.t. in conferenza stampa, sulla scia dei commenti fatti ieri da Sacchi e dal presidente federale Abete -; pensate che non sappia che di qui a giugno ci saranno dei tormentoni? I tormentoni mi divertono, avanti con tutti quelli che volete".

"Francesco Totti is a great person and a great player" he said in reference to the wake from the comments yesterday by Arrigo Sacchi (former Azzurri manager) and Giancarlo Abete (President of the Italian FA) who said Totti should not return.

"Do you think that there won't be tormentors between now and June? I like such things. Go ahead with whatever you like."

"Finora nella mia Nazionale nessun giocatore lo ha mai fatto". In ogni caso, Lippi ha precisato di "non voler fare nessun nome" per possibili inserimenti ma di considerare la lista per il Mondiale non chiusa. "Non escludo nulla - ha spiegato - dovrò fare valutazioni tecniche su questo gruppo di giocatori che ho ora a disposizione. E vedere tra i giocatori che non ci sono, anche nomi che non sono mai stati fatti, se davvero hanno le caratteristiche tecniche necessarie alla mia Nazionale".

"Up to now, nobody has ever refused to play when I called on them for this team."

In any case, Lippi clarified that "I don't want to name names" for the possibility of inclusion but the roster for the World Cup is not closed.

"I don't exclude anyone" he explained, "I will have to make technical evaluations about this group of players that I have now at my disposal. And to see other players who are not here. Also names that have never been called-up, if they truly have the necessary technical characteristics for my National team."

"Non c'è la tensione del pre-gara, di quando c'è un risultato determinante da conquistare, ma quella di domani sarà comunque una partita importante, visto che è una gara a livello internazionale... Ci sarà una cosa che mi piace da morire, un fatto anomalo, cioè che giocheranno 11 giocatori diversi rispetto a sabato scorso. Avevo promesso al gruppo che se ci fossimo qualificati con una gara di anticipo, avrei fatto giocare tutti e ho mantenuto la promessa".

"There isn't a pre-game tension since there isn't the necessity of a result to obtain, but the match of tomorrow night however will be an important one seeing that it is an international.

There will be something that pleases me to death, an ironic fact, such that 11 different players who didn't play with respect to last Saturday will start. I promised the group that if we qualified with a game in hand, I would play everyone and I have kept the promise."

Marcello Lippi, manager of the Azzurri.

Italian source: La Gazzetta dello Sport, 13 October 2009.

Follow the Game Online

• If you would like to discuss the game with other Azzurri fans, please visit Anna Italia at her site: http://italiansoccerseriea.com. She provides a live matchcast in English.

• ESPN MatchTracker (In English)
  

• 

• Radio RAI (Italian commentary link)

• Gazzetta dello Sport MatchView (in Italian)

Azzurri Starting XI: 4-3-2-1

Marchetti

Santon, Gamberini, Cannavaro (capt.), Bocchetti

Pepe, D'Agostino, Gattuso

G. Rossi, Quagliarella

Gilardino

Manager: Mr. Lippi

Cyprus Starting XI: 4-4-2

Avgousti

Charalambous, Christou, Michail, Charalampidis

Ilia, Makridis, Okkas, Aloneftis

Avraam, Dobrasinovic

Manager: Mr. Anastasiades

Referee: Mr. Yefet

Attendance: 15,000

Weather and Field Conditions: Moderate and dry.

Game Report

First Half

Mr. Lippi promised that the second string would start, and it might have given the Cypriots some needed incentive. They took control of the game very early, and were rewarded in the 12th minute on a goal by Okkas. The Azzurri looked very slow and indecisive. At the end of the first half, they were whistled of the Tardini pitch by parts of 15,000 in a very poor attendance for an international fixture.

Second Half

Early in the second half, Michail volleyed past Marchetti to put Cyprus into fantasy land. They had never beaten the Azzurri, and their only draw was in 1983. But Mr. Lippi introduced a few of the old guard; namely, Mauro Camoranesi and Danielle De Rossi.

Several fine saves by Avgpousti kept Cyprus in the game, but the Azzurri started to exert more control over the match. In the 78th minute, Alberto Gilardino headed in a cross by Camoranesi. Three minutes later, Gila equalized from a pass by Quagliarella. Goal number three came in injury time by who else? Former Parma star Gilardino pushed the ball over the goal line after Quagliarelli had passed it. There seemed to be a deflection by a Cypriot defender, and it might have been an own goal.

A valiant effort by Cyprus, but the Azzurri showed why they are the World Champions. Good teams find a way to win even on nights when they shouldn't.

Goals

Italia: Gilardino, 78', 81', 92.

Cyprus: Okkas 12', Michail 47'

Notes

• This was the 73rd time that Fabio Cannavaro has captained Italy. According to press accounts, there were no bees in the vicinity of Signor Cannavaro tonight in Parma. ;-) Jokes aside, he has been an exemplary Azzurri captain.
  
• Three former Parma players started tonight: Cannavaro, Rossi, and Gilardino.
• Italy went unbeaten in 10 qualification games. They won 7 times and drew the other three.
• Alberto Gilardino has scored 4 goals in the last 2 games.
• During WC qualification, Italy scored 18 goals and conceded 7.
  
• During his two tenures, Mister Lippi has only lost 3 competitive games (Slovenia in 2004, Brasil and Egypt in 2009.)
• The next Azzurri fixture will be a friendly on 14 November in Pescara against The Netherlands. You may recall that the Orange of Holland destroyed the Azzurri last summer at Euro 2008.
  

Comments by Mister Lippi After the Game

"Abbiamo guadagnato sabato la qualificazione matematica a Dublino e potete immaginare la grande felicità, abbiamo anche festeggiato un po'. Ho cambiato questa sera la squadra per undici undicesimi, una particolarità che non esiste al mondo. Siamo campioni del mondo, veniamo qui a giocare una gara che non conta nulla e appena abbiamo un pò di difficoltà, visto che in campo c'era un'Italia non ha giocato insieme una volta, la gente invece di incitare i ragazzi comincia a gridare il nome di altri calciatori. È una cosa vergognosa: la gente deve amare la Nazionale perchè è capace di fare queste cose".

"We earned the mathematical qualification on Saturday in Dublin, and you can imagine the great joy, and we still celebrated a little since then. I changed the entire team tonight. 11 out of 11 which is something that doesn't happen anywhere else in the world.

We are world champions, we came here to play a match that doesn't count for anything and we had a little difficulty. Seeing that on the pitch was an Italy that had never played together before. The fans, instead of supporting the players, began to shout the names of other players (on the bench.)

It was a disgraceful thing: the people must love the National team because it is capable of doing these things."

Italian source: La Gazzetta dello Sport, 14 October 2009.



Key Stats courtesy of SoccerNet

	Italy	Cyprus
Shots (on Goal)	16(11)	10(5)
Fouls	10	17
Corner Kicks	5	3
Offsides	3	4
Time of Possession	57%	43%
Yellow Cards	1	2
Red Cards	0	0
Saves	3	10

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Charlie Davies Seriously Injured in a Car Accident

US International Charlie Davies, who plays his club football for FC Sochaux in France, was seriously injured early yesterday morning in a car accident outside of Washington, D.C. One of the occupants of the vehicle, Ashley Roberta, was killed, and another unidentified passenger was also injured.

Charlie faces a long road back. He had fractures to his right femur and tiba, a lacerated bladder, along with facial and elbow fractures.

"In a statement issued by the U.S. Soccer Federation, team physician Dan Kalbac estimated Davies's recovery will take six to 12 months and that he will require extensive rehabilitation, essentially ending his hopes of playing in next summer's World Cup in South Africa.

"Due to Charlie's fitness level, his prognosis for recovery and his ability to resume high-level competition is substantially improved," Kalbac said.

Source: Washington Post, 14 October 2009.

Tonight at RFK Stadium, the USA faces Costa Rica in a World Cup qualifier. In the 9th minute (starting at 08'), the crowd has been instructed to honor #9, Charlie Davies.

US Manager Bob Bradley

"We are relying on each other in a moment that, for sure, hit us all hard," he said at the beginning of a regularly scheduled news conference. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Charlie and Charlie's family, as well as the other [persons] in the car and the families of the others involved."

Source: Washington Post, 14 October 2009.

All fans of US and World Football wish Charlie a speedy recovery, and look forward to his next goal celebration. Condolences to the family of Ms. Roberta.

According to Steven Goff of Soccer Insider, fans can send their regards to Charlie via email. He is at the Washington Hospital Center.

"USA teammate Stuart Holden posted on his Twitter page:

'Ok guys u can send ALL your well wishes 2 Charlie, email charliedavies9@yahoo.com, they r printing all notes and bringing them 2 him! THX.' "

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Writing Contest for World Football Commentaries

Ernest Hemingway began his writing career as a reporter
for the Kansas City Star.

"Newspaper work can help a young writer as long as
he gets out of it in time."

I would like to invite you to participate in the first writing contest at World Football Commentaries. Last month, readers from 127 countries visited my blog.

You may submit articles, commentaries, essays, or game reports about any aspect of international soccer.

Although only one winning entry will be chosen, the contest enables aspiring writers with an opportunity of a published clip for their portfolio.

Criteria

Submissions will be evaluated for clarity, content, objectivity, unique themes, and writing talent.

Submissions should be received by 31 October 2009, and the winner will be announced on or before 05 November 2009.

All submissions will be published if they meet the contest rules.

Contest Rules

• Unpublished work

• Less than 750 words

• Only one submission per contestant

• No profanity, offensive language, or personal attacks

• English language and/or translated from your native tongue
  

Grand Prize

• US $50
  

Contact

info@sanstefano.com

Subject Line: World Football Commentaries Writing Contest

No attachments, please. Just send your submission within the body of an email.

Thank you, and all the best wishes.

Steve Amoia

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2010 World Cup Qualifier: Republic of Ireland 2 x Italia 2: Azzurri Qualify for South Africa

Azzurri captain Fabio Cannavaro is suspended for
tonight's match and has been in the news for a failed
doping test. In August, he was stung by a wasp, and
the Juventus medical staff gave him cortisol to avoid
an allergic reaction. He may return for the Cyprus match
next Wednesday.

Image courtesy of Paul Blank and http://www.postproduktie.nl/.

Comments Ahead of the Game by the Managers

"Non ho paura dei playoff che ci toccherebbero se, come è quasi sicuro, l’Italia vincerà il girone... "Alla fine un pari con gli azzurri campioni del mondo sarebbe un buon risultato. Anche se la mia esperienza dice che occorre sempre giocare per vincere. Ma vogliamo conquistare un risultato che ci consenta di tenere a distanza la Bulgaria".

"I don't fear the playoffs if that is where we end up. It is almost certain that Italy will win the group. In the end, a draw against the champions of the world would be a good result. Even if my experience says always play to win. But we want to take a result that will keep our hold over Bulgaria."

Giovanni Trapattoni, manager of the Republic of Ireland.

"C’è un po’ di emozione perchè sarà una gara chiave, ma non di frenesia. Andiamo lì per vincere, non per il punticino, che pure significherebbe Mondiale raggiunto. La settimana di lavoro è andata molto bene, l’unico intoppo è stato l’acciacco che ha bloccato Marchisio. All’andata a Bari abbiamo sofferto tanto per l’inferiorità numerica (per l’espulsione discutibile di Pazzini ndr). Un messaggio per Trapattoni? Ciao".

"Sono felice per il Nobel a Obama. Mi sa emozionare".

"There is a little emotion because it will be a key match, but nothing frenetic. We are going there to win, not for a solitary point, even if it would signify qualification for the World Cup. The week of training has gone very well. The only bad thing was the injury to Claudio Marchisio (out due to a knee injury that requires an immediate surgical operation).

During the first leg in Bari, we suffered a great deal due to the numerical inferiority (Pazzini was red carded early in the game). A message for Trap? Ciao.

I am happy for the Nobel Prize to President Obama. It moved me."

Marcello Lippi, manager of the Azzurri.

Italian source: La Gazzetta dello Sport, 9 October 2009.

Follow the Game Online

• If you would like to discuss the game with other Azzurri fans, please visit Anna Italia at her site: http://italiansoccerseriea.com. She provides a live matchcast in English.

• ESPN MatchTracker (In English)
  

• 

• Radio RAI (Italian commentary link)

• Gazzetta dello Sport MatchView (in Italian)

Azzurri Starting XI: 4-2-1-3

Buffon (captain)

Zambrotta, Legrottaglie, Chiellini, Grosso

De Rossi, Palombo

Pirlo

Camoranesi, Iaquinta, Di Natale

Ireland Starting XI: 4-4-2

Given

St. Ledger, Dunne, Shea, Kilbane

Lawrence, Whelan, Andrews, McGeady

Keane (captain), Doyle

First Half

Ireland came out very aggressively in front of a raucous home crowd at Croke Park, and were immediately rewarded. In the 8th minute from a free kick by Liam Lawrence, Glenn Whelan fired a rocket from 30 yards past Buffon. The goal unsettled the Azzurri, and the great Master Trap, sensed this as he pushed his players forward for the jugular. But in the 26th minute, Andrea Pirlo crossed a perfect ball that Mauro Camoranesi headed past Shay Given. The equalizer took the wind from the Irish sails, and allowed the Azzurri to control the game from that point forward.

Second Half

Just after kick-off, Vincenzo Iaquinta scored what appeared to be a valid goal; however, it was disallowed due to an offside position of Giorgio Chiellini. The game looked headed for a draw until a furious five minutes from the death. From a cross by Steven Hunt, a diving Sean St. Ledger headed the ball a foot off the ground past Buffon to give the Republic a seeming victory. But in the 89th minute, from a classic counter-attack, Pepe fed the ball to Iaquinta on the wing who then quickly found an unmarked Alberto Gilardino in front of the goal for the merited equalizer.

With this result, Italy wins the group and qualifies directly for South Africa. Since Cyprus defeated Bulgaria (4 x 1), Ireland will enter the play-off in November.

Goals

Ireland: Whelan 8' and St. Ledger 87'

Italy: Camoranesi 26' and Gilardino 89'

Mister Lippi After the Game on RAI

"We played with great intensity, personality, and quality. We had a good recovery after their second goal, and we deserved the draw. The spirit of this group is great. Regardless if a players starts, comes off the bench, plays a few minutes at the beginning or end, they all have the same desire.

The only two times that Italy has qualified with a game in hand (1982 and 2004), we won the World Cup. It is a good omen.

This was the fruit of 6 wins and 3 draws."

Key stats courtesy of SoccerNet

Eire Italy

9(6)	Shots (on Goal)		10(6)
20	Fouls		13
5	Corner Kicks		4
1	Offsides		4
47%	Time of Possession		53%
2	Yellow Cards		1
0	Red Cards		0
5	Saves		4

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If You Hire A Foreign Coach by Dan Leo

Image of Fabio Capello courtesy of Paul Blank and
http://www.postproduktie.nl/.

by Dan Leo for World Football Commentaries

You do it on the presumption that you have exhausted the list of possible domestic candidates and found their credentials lacking. So you interview the best available candidate regardless of his national origin.

But why should that be any different than any other hire?

Surely, a human resource specialist will recommend any boss to hire the most qualified person for the job, given its budget constraints. Linguistic and cultural differences that a foreign born coach might bring into the equation simply become another variable to be considered, and even those can be a positive influence.

Foreign Managers the Norm in EPL

Within the last several decades, the non-domestic coaches have virtually become a norm at the club level in the English Premier League. Not so incidentally, the EPL has become the most successful league in the world with its Big Four contingent enjoying not a single English manager (Scot Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, Italian Carlo Ancelotti at Chelsea, Spaniard Rafael Benitez at Liverpool and Frenchman Arsene Wenger at Arsenal).

Following the failure of Kevin Keegan to guide its national team prior to the 2002 World Cup, the English national side likewise had selected a foreign born coach in seven out of the last nine years.

Its most successful hire has been Fabio Capello. Bounced out of his gig with Real Madrid for his pragmatic style, despite winning the championship in the Spanish capital, Capello proved his pedigree with Three Lions.

Don Fabio's coaching acumen was never, obviously, in question. With eight championship trophies with the likes of Juventus, AC Milan, Roma and Real Madrid, Capello's tactical prowess proved its mettle over the course of two decades. What was in doubt was his ability to manage the mercurial roster of the English multimillionaires, a task for which his predecessors Steve McLaren and Sven Goran Eriksson were ill-suited.

Don Fabio Silenced His Critics

Once again, success did not elude the Italian boss. He ably dealt not only with the personalities on his squad, but with their wives and girlfriends (AKA WAG's), who created quite a ruckus in the 2006 World Cup held in Germany.

Pure statistics only tells a part of the picture but it's incredibly impressive still. In the qualifications for the 2006 Euros under Steve McLaren, England finished third with 23 points after 12 matches for 1.9 points won per match and 6 points behind the group winner, Croatia.

In the 2010 campaign, England has qualified for the 2010 World Cup with two games still left and with a perfect record of eight straight wins. It's already 7 points ahead of the second place team, the previously superior, Croatia.

Basic math tells that Capello delivered more than a point a match difference vis-a-vis the previous holder of the job.

That is a monumental achievement.


Fabio Capello at World Cup 1974: He is Number 8 in Blue



About the Author

Dan Leo is a freelance writer from Miami, Florida. He has written for Soccerlens and World Football Commentaries.

Dan Leo Archive

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Giovanni Trapattoni: "For 90 minutes, we will play to win."

Giovanni Trapattoni last April in Bari for the first leg.

Not many famous managers in world football would have their Milan office in the back of a friend's muffler garage.

Not many people can say they man-marked Pele' out of a game.

Not many other managers have won domestic titles in 4 different European Leagues.

Not many managers sprinkle holy water on the touchline to ward off "negativity."

No other Italian manager born on 17 March has ever coached Ireland.

But not many managers in world football are like Giovanni Trapattoni of the Republic of Ireland.

"il Trap," as he is affectionately known, has been in professional football for 50 of his 70 years. And he is still going strong as he leads the Republic against his former team in a crunch match Saturday at Croke Park (2000 local and 1900 GMT) in Dublin. He is the first Italian manager to face his former team. Last April, he drew, 1 x 1, in their World Cup qualifier in Bari.

His Management Record: Championships in Four Different Countries

• AC Milan: Where he also starred as a player winning the European Cup on two occasions.
  
• Juventus: Won the European Cup in 1985 at Heysel against Liverpool. Also won 2 UEFA Cups, a Cup Winners Cup, along with six Serie A titles.
• Internazionale Milano: Won the UEFA Cup and one Serie A title.
• Bayern Muncheon: Won the Bundesliga Championship in 1997 in his second stint at the club.
• Cagliari of Sardinia: Fired before they were relegated to Serie B in 1996.
• Fiorentina
• The Italian National Team: From 2000 to 2004. His winning percentage was 57% from 44 games. During his playing career, he was capped 14 times for the Azzurri.
  
• Benfica: Won the Portuguese SuperLiga Championship in 2005.
• Stuttgart: Fired in 2006 after a 20 game reign.
  
• Red Bull Salzburg: Won the Austrian Bundesliga Championship in 2007.

4 Points Behind Italy with 2 to Play

Italy has a 4 point advantage. Even if the Republic defeats Italy on Saturday, the Azzurri can qualify top of the table with a home draw against Cyprus.

Ireland's final qualifier will be against Montenegro. Presently, they are 5 points ahead of Bulgaria for the second spot that will allow them to enter a play-off in November. Speaking about FIFA's decision to seed teams, Mister Trapattoni didn't mince his words:

"Quattro o cinque anni fa i grandi club europei volevano creare la Superlega, ma poi lasciarono perdere", ha dichiarato il mister. "Capirono che poteva rappresentare la morte del calcio. Ora la situazione è simile. Ci devono essere gli stessi diritti per tutte le nazionali. Pensavamo che il sorteggio fosse senza teste di serie. Ma il business è business. I grandi team comandano in questo caso".

"Four or five years ago, the big European clubs wanted to create a Super League, but then they let it go. They understood that it would mean the death of soccer. Now the situation is similar. There ought to be the same rights for all nations. We thought that the draw would be without seeds. But business is business. The big sides dictate in this case."

Italian source: La Gazzetta dello Sport, 7 October 2009.

For a look at my article about their first meeting in April:

Italy 1 x Republic of Ireland 1

My Chance Meeting with Mr. Trapattoni

Many years ago, I saw Mister Trapattoni up close and personal here in Washington, D.C. Juventus was playing a friendly, and the team met with then Vice President Bush. I happened to be close to the White House, and saw the entire Juventus team.

Trap was the first one off the bus... ;-)

My Chance Meeting With Juventus FC

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Mister Lippi Releases His Roster for WCQ against Ireland and Cyprus: "It is very important to qualify on Saturday."

Image of Marcello Lippi courtesy of Paul Blank and
http://www.postproduktie.nl/.

The final two games in this qualification round for the Azzurri will be at Croke Park against the Republic and former Azzurri manager, Giovanni Trapattoni, on 10 October. Four days later, Italy will face Cyprus in Parma.

With a +4 advantage over the Republic, Italy can secure direct qualification to South Africa with a win or draw in Dublin, along with a victory in Parma. The Irish will need to defeat the Azzurri next Saturday, and then hope for a miracle by Cyprus in Parma to top the group. Second place enters a play-in round during November. I suspect that Italy and the Republic will qualify for South Africa.

Comments by Marcello Lippi

"È molto importante qualificarci sabato. Non solo dal punto di vista mio. È importantissimo per tutti", dice Lippi. "Manca un punto. Se non riusciamo a conquistarlo sabato, ne dobbiamo fare 3 mercoledì prossimo. E poi ci siamo...Sabato sarebbe un errore giocare per fare un solo punto. Sappiamo di avere a disposizione 2 risultati su 3, ma la squadra deve giocare come sa", aggiunge il ct. La formazione è ancora da definire, viste anche le condizioni fisiche di alcuni giocatori. Dubbi, in particolare, per la situazione di Claudio Marchisio. Il centrocampista della Juventus è alle prese con un ginocchio dolorante. "Marchisio ha un leggero fastidio, dobbiamo verificare le condizioni di alcuni giocatori nei prossimi 2-3 giorni", dice Lippi.

"'Mi avete stufato".

"It is very important for us to qualify on Saturday. Not only from my point of view. It is extremely important for everyone. We need one point. If we don't get it on Saturday, we have to win next Wednesday. And then we are there (qualified for South Africa.)

It would be an error to only play for a draw on Saturday. We know that we have at our disposal 2 results out of 3, but the team has to play as it knows how. (Asked about Claudio Marchisio of Juventus.) He has a light injury, we have to verify the condition of a few players in the next 2 or 3 days."

When asked again about Antonio Cassano, he gave a very concise reply:

"I'm fed up with all of you."

Italian Source: La Gazzetta dello Sport, 6 October 2009.

Azzurri Roster


Image courtesy of Wikipedia.

Goalkeepers

Gigi Buffon (Juventus), Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli), Federico Marchetti (Cagliari).

Defenders

Fabio Cannavaro (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Salvatore Bocchetti (Genoa), Alessandro Gamberini (Fiorentina), Fabio Grosso (Juventus), Nicola Legrottaglie (Juventus), Davide Santon (Inter), Gianluca Zambrotta (Milan).

Midfielders

Mauro German Camoranesi (Juventus), Gaetano D'Agostino (Udinese), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Rino Gattuso (Milan), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) ruled out due to injury, Angelo Palombo (Sampdoria), Simone Pepe (Udinese), Andrea Pirlo (Milan)

Strikers

Antonio Di Natale (Udinese), Alberto Gilardino (Fiorentina), Vincenzo Iaquinta (Juventus), Fabio Quagliarella (Napoli), Giuseppe Rossi (Villarreal).

Roster courtesy of La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Notes

• Fabio Cannavaro will miss the first match due to suspension. He is presently injured, and might make a return against Cyprus. Given his influence on this team, Mr. Lippi wanted him to be a part of the group.

• Domenico Criscito of Genoa was not selected due to injury.

• Once again, Antonio Cassano was excluded.

• There are 8 Juventus players on this roster. The next highest number is 3 from AC Milan and Udinese, respectively.

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2010 WC Qualifier: Argentina 1 x Brasil 3: A Blow to Enthusiasm from Strength by Oscar R. Amoia

Ricardo Kaka' of Brasil and Lionel Messi of Argentina.

With a look ahead to the key World Cup qualifiers in South America this weekend and next week, Oscar analyzed what went wrong for Argentina against their eternal rivals, Brasil.

por Oscar R. Amoia

Un golpe al entusiasmoy al esfuerzo...podría titularse la crónica de este partido.

Por un lado un equipo, el argentino, con mucho esfuerzo, ganas, entusiasmo, fuerza, motivación; por otro lado el otro equipo, el brasileño, con las ideas claras, con una táctica, con una estrategia.

Talentos tenían los dos equipos, pero los talentos argentinos se encontraban con una defensa muy bien plantada, con una marca escalonada, con hombres que sabían lo que tenían que hacer, y así lo hicieron. En cambio el típico talento brasileño se encontró con espacios, con una defensa desequilibrada, que dejaba espacios, que dejaba campo y que dió oportunidades, esas oportunidades que a los talentos no se les puede permitir...

Diego sigue sin encontrar el rumbo como técnico, Dunga lo tiene bien claro.

Diego apuesta al talento, a la motivación, al apoyo del público...Dunga apuesta a la táctica, sabe que los grandes equipos se construyen de atrás hacia adelante...y Brasil, con una defensa bien armada, con una táctica bien cumplida, más el talento que siempre tuvo y permanece inalterable, es muy dificil de vencer...

Los otros resultados ayudaron a la Argentina, quizás entre al mundial, pero tendrá que modificar muchas cosas para mostrar algo más que fuerza, empeño, entusiasmo, garra y talento...

EL FUTBOL DE HOY YA NO ES SOLO ESO, SE NECESITA ALGO MAS, ESE ALGO MAS QUE MOSTRO AYER BRASIL...

by Oscar R. Amoia
Translated from the Spanish by Steve Amoia

A blow to enthusiasm from strength. That could be the chronicle of this game.

On the one hand a team, the Argentine, with a lot of effort, desires, enthusiasm, force, motivation. On the other hand the other team, the Brazilian, with clear ideas, with tactics, with a strategy. Both teams had talent, but the Argentine talents found a very well-organized Brazilian defense, with outrageous marking, with men that knew what they had to do, and thus they did it.

On the other hand, the typical Brazilian talent found his counterpart with spaces, with an unbalanced defense, that gave up the field and opportunities. Such opportunities that can not be permitted to talented players.

Diego Maradona continues without finding the way as a tactician. Carlos Dunga has it clearly figured out.

Diego bets on the talent, on the motivation, on the support from the public.

Dunga bets on tactics, and he knows that great teams are built from the back to the front. Brazil, with a well-armed defense, with a well-conceived tactical plan, with more talent than they always had and still remain unalterable, is very difficult to conquer.

The other results last night helped Argentina, who knows about the World Cup qualification? But they will have to modify many things to show something more than force, commitment, enthusiasm, fight, and talent.

Modern football is not only these things, you need something more,
and this something extra was demonstrated last night by Brasil.

About the Author

Oscar R. Amoia is a lifelong member (socio vitalicio) of Club Atletico Boca Juniors, and lives in Buenos Aires.

Oscar R. Amoia Article Archive

Final Table

Brasil: 34 points (qualified)
Paraguay: 33 points (qualified)
Chile: 33 points (qualified)
Argentina: 28 points (qualified)
Uruguay: 24 points (Faces Costa Rica in November play-off.)
Ecuador: 23 points
Colombia: 23 points
Venezuela: 22 points
Bolivia: 15 points
Peru: 13 points

10 October

Argentina 2 x Peru 1
Bolivia 2 x Brasil 1
Colombia 2 x Chile 4
Ecuador 1 x Uruguay 2
Venezuela 1 x Paraguay 4

14 October

Brasil 0 x Venezuela 0
Chile 1 x Ecuador 0
Paraguay 0 x Colombia 2
Peru 1 x Bolivia 0
Uruguay 0 x Argentina 1

• The top four qualify automatically for South Africa.
• The fifth placed team enters a play-in with the 4th placed team from CONCACAF in November.

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Deal to Buy AS Bari by American Firm JMJ Holdings is Called Off

Image courtesy of AS Bari.

Last month, the deal looked virtually certain after a due diligence period by CEO Tim Barton of JMJ Holdings of Dallas, Texas. But apparently, the real estate executive without any sports management background needed more time to make up his mind. Since August, Mr. Barton had taken a rather surprising high-profile in the global media. He was seen at matches both at the San Nicola in Bari, and also last Sunday night at the San Siro in Milan. He gave several interviews where he described his goals for Bari as if he already owned the team.

But on Wednesday, he asked for a two-month extension for further "due diligence." He also failed to make a €1 million payment by 30 September per the original agreement.

"American Business Acumen and Italian Passion"

Last week, Mr. Barton was quoted in an interview by Reuters that appeared on the New York Times web site.

"This is an opportunity we found interesting and somewhere we know we can apply our ability and relationships and create a change...

Combining American business acumen and Italian passion is certainly a big part and I think it's a good marriage."

While his big aim is to make Bari competitive in Europe, he intends to take things one step at a time in the club's return to the top flight after eight years in the second tier.

"Our first goal is to stay in Serie A and build a strong team and a strong foundation so we don't have any steps back that can be avoided as we seek to get better," he said.

"The big teams don't have to fear for their places at the top of the table; not this year anyway."

What changed in the space of one week?

Perhaps it would have been better to maintain a low profile, complete the due diligence, and then announce your plans for the project after you took over the team.

Mr. Barton seemed pleasantly surprised at the passion of the Bari faithful who met him in great numbers at the airport last month, and who posted signs at the San Nicola Stadium ("Let's Go Tim"). Now, they will most likely feel betrayed and confused by the rapid change of events at their beloved team.

Of course, we are not privy to what was discovered by very astute and experienced business people at JMJ Holdings during their initial inspection into the books of AS Bari. But they did promise to make a good-faith deposit by 30 September. Instead, they asked for more time to evaluate the deal.

Mr. Barton's Comments in the Associated Press

"Due to time limitations for completing the due diligence, we were not able to continue negotiations for the purchase of A.S. Bari," Barton said in a statement Friday.

"We respect the Matarrese family's desire to be focused on the team and do not want to cause any confusion or distractions. However, I am hopeful we can revisit negotiations when the season is over. Bari remains in my heart and I ask the fans to continue their support of the team."

Source: AP, 02 October 2009.

The Other Side of the Equation

The Matarrese Family, owners of AS Bari, politely told Mr. Barton that business is not done this way in Southern Italy.

Case closed. Or is it?

"Il sogno americano è andato in frantumi. Dopo due mesi di trattative, promesse e parole, la storia si è chiusa con un secco ma eloquente comunicato della Salvatore Matarrese S.p.a. A Tim Barton non è stata concessa la proroga richiesta: due mesi. Il Bari rimane alla famiglia che lo gestisce da 32 anni. Inevitabile l’epilogo della vicenda, dopo che Tim Barton, presidente e fondatore della JMJ Holdings, non ha versato la caparra di un milione di euro entro il 30 settembre. Condizione essenziale per proseguire l’affare."

"The American dream has been broken up in pieces.

After two months of dealings, promises and words, the story closed with a brief but eloquent communication from the Salvatore Matarrese Company. Tim Barton was not granted the requested extension of two months. Bari remains with the family that has managed it for the past 32 years. Inevitably, the epilogue of the matter, after Tim Barton, President and founder of JMJ Holdings, didn't come up with the €1 million payment that was due by 30 September. An essential component for the deal to proceed."

“La proroga non è stata concessa – si spiega nel comunicato emesso dal gruppo Matarrese - per il lungo tempo intercorso dall’inizio della trattativa, per il mancato rispetto degli impegni assunti con il preliminare di vendita sottoscritto dalle parti il 18 agosto scorso, e per non disturbare ulteriormente la squadra”.

"The extension was not granted, explained the communication sent by the Matarrese Group, for the amount of time that has passed from the beginning of the deal, for the lack of respect of the binding assumptions made by the preliminary sale underwritten by the parties on last 18 August, and lastly for not disturbing the team itself."

Italian Source: La Gazzetta dello Sport, 01 October 2009.

"Oggi è una scadenza improrogabile perché lo abbiamo sancito con un contratto preliminare firmato di comune accordo tra la parte venditrice e la parte acquirente, se entro mezzanotte dunque non arriva nulla salta il preliminare".

"Today (30 September) is a planned expiration of the deal because we had sanctioned it with a preliminary contract signed in common agreement between the seller and the acquiring party. Therefore if by midnight nothing arrives (€1 million deposit) the preliminaries are voided."

Salvatore Matarrese, Director General of AS Bari.

Italian Source: AS Bari website, 30 September 2009.

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