Iffy Onuora, lower league journeyman of the English leagues, is manager of Ethiopia. He is for 442 about his time managing this footballing minnow, and its a decent read.
Latest post here.
Thursday, 9 December 2010
Wednesday, 29 September 2010
Rugby star to sign football contract?
ENGLAND international rugby player Danny Cipriani could be offered a football contract by MK Dons, according to the Daily Mail.
Should the fly-half's proposed move to Australian side Melbourne Rebels fall through, the Dons - who have been allowing the egg-chaser to train with them to keep in shape - will step in and offer him a chance to change disciplines.
Manager Karl Robinson said: 'It has been a great opportunity for our players to compare training methods with a world class athlete and for Danny to vary his own training programme.
'It has been well documented that Danny was a talented footballer when he was younger and he has certainly held his own. His enthusiasm has been terrific."
Should the fly-half's proposed move to Australian side Melbourne Rebels fall through, the Dons - who have been allowing the egg-chaser to train with them to keep in shape - will step in and offer him a chance to change disciplines.
Manager Karl Robinson said: 'It has been a great opportunity for our players to compare training methods with a world class athlete and for Danny to vary his own training programme.
'It has been well documented that Danny was a talented footballer when he was younger and he has certainly held his own. His enthusiasm has been terrific."
Sunday, 26 September 2010
Paul Gascoigne name Garforth Boss
Paul Gascoigne has been appointed the new manager of non-league club Garforth Town.
The former England midfielder has described his role at the Evo Stik First Division North League club as "a big challenge".
Gascoigne, 43, told the News of the World's official website: "I feel strong right now. For me personally it's a big challenge. It's whether the players want to join me in that challenge.
"I never knew when I'd get back into football. I want to take the club forward and I want the players to develop. I will give commitment to the club.
"Going to a club like this does not bother me one bit. I love this type of football. It is not flash and the players won't be flash.
"I will get the same publicity at Garforth as if I was at a Premier League club and I don't want the players to get carried away with it.
"I am excited. I can't wait to get in and get started - but of course I will be nervous."
The former Newcastle, Tottenham, Lazio and Rangers midfielder believes his appointment with the West Yorkshire side will not be a repeat of his previous management role, at Kettering.
Owner Imraan Ladak sacked Gascoigne after just 39 days, claiming the former England international was drinking too much.
Gascoigne explained: "It went really well there. The chairman tried to blame it on the drink but it was totally untrue. He stopped me coaching and he wanted to become manager."
Garforth owner Simon Clifford said: "This is not a publicity stunt. When we signed Socrates and Careca, that was. Everyone says they love Paul but nobody does anything about it.
"I want him to be an inspiration to someone who might have depression or problems in their lives. He's walked through hell but he has kept on walking."
The former England midfielder has described his role at the Evo Stik First Division North League club as "a big challenge".
Gascoigne, 43, told the News of the World's official website: "I feel strong right now. For me personally it's a big challenge. It's whether the players want to join me in that challenge.
"I never knew when I'd get back into football. I want to take the club forward and I want the players to develop. I will give commitment to the club.
"Going to a club like this does not bother me one bit. I love this type of football. It is not flash and the players won't be flash.
"I will get the same publicity at Garforth as if I was at a Premier League club and I don't want the players to get carried away with it.
"I am excited. I can't wait to get in and get started - but of course I will be nervous."
The former Newcastle, Tottenham, Lazio and Rangers midfielder believes his appointment with the West Yorkshire side will not be a repeat of his previous management role, at Kettering.
Owner Imraan Ladak sacked Gascoigne after just 39 days, claiming the former England international was drinking too much.
Gascoigne explained: "It went really well there. The chairman tried to blame it on the drink but it was totally untrue. He stopped me coaching and he wanted to become manager."
Garforth owner Simon Clifford said: "This is not a publicity stunt. When we signed Socrates and Careca, that was. Everyone says they love Paul but nobody does anything about it.
"I want him to be an inspiration to someone who might have depression or problems in their lives. He's walked through hell but he has kept on walking."
Monday, 20 September 2010
'Fake' Togo football team at Bahrain match being investigated
Taken from the BBC.
Togo's football authorities are investigating allegations that a fake national team played a match against Bahrain earlier this month.
Bahrain won the friendly match 3-0, but said they were surprised by the poor quality of the Togolese team.
Togo later said it had never sent its national team to play in the game, staged at the national stadium in Riffa on 7 September.
Togo's sports minister said he would ask Fifa to investigate.
But Fifa says it has not yet received any official complaint and so has not launched its own investigation.
The match took place as Bahrain prepares to play in the West Asian Football Championships, which begin on 24 September.
The Bahrain Football Association (BFA) said it had been arranged under all the usual official procedures, and through an agent they had known for several years.
"Everything seemed to be in order until after the game, when we began to hear that some people are wondering about these players and this Togo team. We ourselves were surprised when we heard this," a BFA spokesman told the Gulf Daily News.
He said they had received all the official documentation for the match, including the players' passports.
The spokesman rejected reports that the match was organised by a fake football agent, saying the agent in question had always been "100% alright" and was now co-operating with the investigations.
Togo's Sport Minister Christophe Tchao told the Jeune Afrique magazine nobody in Togo had "ever been informed of such a game".
"We will conduct investigations to uncover all those involved in this case," he said.
Bahrain's head coach, Josef Hickersberger, told the Gulf Daily News the match had been a wasted opportunity for the team to practise before the West Asian championships.
"They were not fit enough to play 90 minutes - the match was very boring," he said.
"Basically it was not good for us because we wanted to get information about the strength of our team, especially playing with many of our professionals."
Togo's football authorities are investigating allegations that a fake national team played a match against Bahrain earlier this month.
Bahrain won the friendly match 3-0, but said they were surprised by the poor quality of the Togolese team.
Togo later said it had never sent its national team to play in the game, staged at the national stadium in Riffa on 7 September.
Togo's sports minister said he would ask Fifa to investigate.
But Fifa says it has not yet received any official complaint and so has not launched its own investigation.
The match took place as Bahrain prepares to play in the West Asian Football Championships, which begin on 24 September.
The Bahrain Football Association (BFA) said it had been arranged under all the usual official procedures, and through an agent they had known for several years.
"Everything seemed to be in order until after the game, when we began to hear that some people are wondering about these players and this Togo team. We ourselves were surprised when we heard this," a BFA spokesman told the Gulf Daily News.
He said they had received all the official documentation for the match, including the players' passports.
The spokesman rejected reports that the match was organised by a fake football agent, saying the agent in question had always been "100% alright" and was now co-operating with the investigations.
Togo's Sport Minister Christophe Tchao told the Jeune Afrique magazine nobody in Togo had "ever been informed of such a game".
"We will conduct investigations to uncover all those involved in this case," he said.
Bahrain's head coach, Josef Hickersberger, told the Gulf Daily News the match had been a wasted opportunity for the team to practise before the West Asian championships.
"They were not fit enough to play 90 minutes - the match was very boring," he said.
"Basically it was not good for us because we wanted to get information about the strength of our team, especially playing with many of our professionals."
Friday, 21 May 2010
Liverpool set to sign reality TV show winner
From the Mirror.
---
Liverpool's first signing of the close season could be a Vietnamese reality TV show winner.
The winner of talent show Vietnam Soccer Prince will be awarded a 12-month contract at Anfield following next week's final.
The show is made by the production company that makes Britain's Got Talent - and features ex-Wycombe and Northampton midfielder Steve Brown as the programme's Simon Cowell.
Brown has put the kids through their paces on the training pitch to test skills such as speed, co-ordination, teamwork and decision making, before telling unlucky contestants every week: "It's a no."
He said: "I am the show's Simon Cowell - I've been the one to tell the kids they weren't good enough.
"But he seems a lot tougher than me. Telling the kids they weren't good enough was a killer. I'd have to lock myself in a room for a couple of hours after filming, it really affected me.
"The series has lasted 10 weeks and at the beginning it was easy to let some of them go. But then when you get seven or eight weeks into it, you get attached to them."
Liverpool's Under-16 side have already travelled to Vietnam to play against some of the prospects, aged between 16 and 19.
A total of 2000 boys were whittled down to 20 to take part in the 10-week series. And now six remain in the battle for top honours, with the final due to air Saturday week.
The runner-up will get a one-year deal at Sheffield United.
Brown, who was youth coach at QPR until last year, added: "Four or five of them stood out from the start. Some of the kids over there have got what it takes.
"I look at them and think 'I have no doubt you will be able to handle the Liverpool academy'.
"The aim is not just to send someone there for 12 months, I'd like to see whoever wins to do enough to stay in the academy system at Liverpool."
---
Liverpool's first signing of the close season could be a Vietnamese reality TV show winner.
The winner of talent show Vietnam Soccer Prince will be awarded a 12-month contract at Anfield following next week's final.
The show is made by the production company that makes Britain's Got Talent - and features ex-Wycombe and Northampton midfielder Steve Brown as the programme's Simon Cowell.
Brown has put the kids through their paces on the training pitch to test skills such as speed, co-ordination, teamwork and decision making, before telling unlucky contestants every week: "It's a no."
He said: "I am the show's Simon Cowell - I've been the one to tell the kids they weren't good enough.
"But he seems a lot tougher than me. Telling the kids they weren't good enough was a killer. I'd have to lock myself in a room for a couple of hours after filming, it really affected me.
"The series has lasted 10 weeks and at the beginning it was easy to let some of them go. But then when you get seven or eight weeks into it, you get attached to them."
Liverpool's Under-16 side have already travelled to Vietnam to play against some of the prospects, aged between 16 and 19.
A total of 2000 boys were whittled down to 20 to take part in the 10-week series. And now six remain in the battle for top honours, with the final due to air Saturday week.
The runner-up will get a one-year deal at Sheffield United.
Brown, who was youth coach at QPR until last year, added: "Four or five of them stood out from the start. Some of the kids over there have got what it takes.
"I look at them and think 'I have no doubt you will be able to handle the Liverpool academy'.
"The aim is not just to send someone there for 12 months, I'd like to see whoever wins to do enough to stay in the academy system at Liverpool."
Wednesday, 12 May 2010
Tony Adams appointed manager of Qabala FC in Azerbaijan | Football | guardian.co.uk
From the guardian.co.uk
Tony Adams has agreed a three-year contract to manage Qabala FC in Azerbaijan and he is in the throes of relocating his family to the country.
The club, who have significant financial backing behind them, consider the appointment of Adams as a declaration of their ambition.
Adams hopes that it will help him rebuild his career after the disappointment of his 22-game spell in charge at Portsmouth.
The former England captain, who also struggled in his first managerial post at Wycombe Wanderers, worked as a coach in the Netherlands with Feyenoord and Utrecht before he moved to Portsmouth, initially as the assistant manager under Harry Redknapp.
Tony Adams has agreed a three-year contract to manage Qabala FC in Azerbaijan and he is in the throes of relocating his family to the country.
The club, who have significant financial backing behind them, consider the appointment of Adams as a declaration of their ambition.
Adams hopes that it will help him rebuild his career after the disappointment of his 22-game spell in charge at Portsmouth.
The former England captain, who also struggled in his first managerial post at Wycombe Wanderers, worked as a coach in the Netherlands with Feyenoord and Utrecht before he moved to Portsmouth, initially as the assistant manager under Harry Redknapp.
Wednesday, 14 April 2010
Lebanon's political rivals meet in football 'friendly'
From the BBC, clicking the link gives video footage of the match.
Rival political leaders in Lebanon have marked the 35th anniversary of the outbreak of the civil war with a football match to show their unity.
Prime Minister Saad Hariri captained his team against a side led by an MP from the Shia Hezbollah movement.
Commentators had to stifle their laughter as the unfit politicians quickly ran out of breath.
A unity government was formed by Mr Hariri's majority coalition and the Hezbollah-led opposition in November.
The agreement ended five months of deadlock following June's general election which had threatened Lebanon's stability.
"We are one team" was the slogan for the 30-minute friendly played by ministers and MPs to commemorate the bloody 1975-1990 civil war, which left more than 150,000 people dead.
Mr Hariri, the Western-backed prime minister, was the captain of the team in red. Their rivals - wearing white - were led by Ali Ammar of Hezbollah, which is supported by Iran and Syria.
Both teams were mixed, with representatives of almost all of Lebanon's rival political camps.
"In Lebanon, polemics is the national sport, and now we are using real sport to overcome differences. It's important to show that not everything has to be politicised," said one of the players, Information Minister Tarek Mitri.
"I haven't played football since I was 17," he added.
Almost immediately, the 30-minute match revealed that fitness was not one of the strengths of Lebanon's current crop of politicians.
The game was broadcast live by several national television channels.
Some of the commentators had to stop themselves from laughing at the sight of their pot-bellied leaders running after the ball and, very quickly, running out of breath in the curtailed match.
"They hit the ground more often than the ball," was how one of country's news sites described the action.
It was not until the end of the match that the goals came - two from 29-year-old MP Sami Gemayal, the youngest member of Mr Hariri's team.
"It's cute and very funny," said Chantal Bassil, the wife of Lebanon's energy minister, who was watching on the sidelines.
"They are not very professional, but they don't get much time to practice so they are doing alright," she added.
Mrs Bassil was among a handful of spectators - most of them diplomats and politicians, including President Michel Suleiman - who were allowed to attend the game, which was held at Beirut's main stadium.
Like all football matches in Lebanon, it was not open to the public.
Sectarian and political divisions in Lebanon remain so deep and tensions are so high that football fans are not allowed to attend matches.
The authorities fear that clashes between supporters of opposing teams could spill onto the streets and soon escalate.
The rival political leaders, some of whom met on the pitch, have failed to deal with the tensions and allowed them to cripple recent governments.
And this is one of the reasons why some people in the capital said they felt Tuesday's football match was hypocritical, even offensive.
"They are capable of having a laugh but they are not capable of solving our problems. By playing this ridiculous game they are laughing at us," said Roula, a 21-year-old biology student.
From endless problems in healthcare and education, to erratic electricity supplies and failure to agree on foreign and defense policies, disagreements between politicians affect all aspects of life in Lebanon.
And few here believe any of these problems can be solved on a football pitch.
Rival political leaders in Lebanon have marked the 35th anniversary of the outbreak of the civil war with a football match to show their unity.
Prime Minister Saad Hariri captained his team against a side led by an MP from the Shia Hezbollah movement.
Commentators had to stifle their laughter as the unfit politicians quickly ran out of breath.
A unity government was formed by Mr Hariri's majority coalition and the Hezbollah-led opposition in November.
The agreement ended five months of deadlock following June's general election which had threatened Lebanon's stability.
"We are one team" was the slogan for the 30-minute friendly played by ministers and MPs to commemorate the bloody 1975-1990 civil war, which left more than 150,000 people dead.
Mr Hariri, the Western-backed prime minister, was the captain of the team in red. Their rivals - wearing white - were led by Ali Ammar of Hezbollah, which is supported by Iran and Syria.
Both teams were mixed, with representatives of almost all of Lebanon's rival political camps.
"In Lebanon, polemics is the national sport, and now we are using real sport to overcome differences. It's important to show that not everything has to be politicised," said one of the players, Information Minister Tarek Mitri.
"I haven't played football since I was 17," he added.
Almost immediately, the 30-minute match revealed that fitness was not one of the strengths of Lebanon's current crop of politicians.
The game was broadcast live by several national television channels.
Some of the commentators had to stop themselves from laughing at the sight of their pot-bellied leaders running after the ball and, very quickly, running out of breath in the curtailed match.
"They hit the ground more often than the ball," was how one of country's news sites described the action.
It was not until the end of the match that the goals came - two from 29-year-old MP Sami Gemayal, the youngest member of Mr Hariri's team.
"It's cute and very funny," said Chantal Bassil, the wife of Lebanon's energy minister, who was watching on the sidelines.
"They are not very professional, but they don't get much time to practice so they are doing alright," she added.
Mrs Bassil was among a handful of spectators - most of them diplomats and politicians, including President Michel Suleiman - who were allowed to attend the game, which was held at Beirut's main stadium.
Like all football matches in Lebanon, it was not open to the public.
Sectarian and political divisions in Lebanon remain so deep and tensions are so high that football fans are not allowed to attend matches.
The authorities fear that clashes between supporters of opposing teams could spill onto the streets and soon escalate.
The rival political leaders, some of whom met on the pitch, have failed to deal with the tensions and allowed them to cripple recent governments.
And this is one of the reasons why some people in the capital said they felt Tuesday's football match was hypocritical, even offensive.
"They are capable of having a laugh but they are not capable of solving our problems. By playing this ridiculous game they are laughing at us," said Roula, a 21-year-old biology student.
From endless problems in healthcare and education, to erratic electricity supplies and failure to agree on foreign and defense policies, disagreements between politicians affect all aspects of life in Lebanon.
And few here believe any of these problems can be solved on a football pitch.
Wednesday, 7 April 2010
The Bulgarian Transfer That Never Was
Taken from ESPN Soccernet.
For many years, people have known that anything is possible in Bulgarian football. The sport been haunted by corruption for many years and, judging from the events in the 'A Grupa' (first division), the administrative skills within clubs still leave much room for improvement.
On February 24, Botev Plovdiv were expelled from the first division for non-payment of debts and failure to register enough players. It is a case that dates back to September 2009, though, that has dominated the domestic headlines and left the Bulgarian police bewildered over bogus transfers, odd results, betting gangsters and a football culture lacking political transparency.
Back in September, the two big clubs in Sofia - Levski and CSKA - were preparing for their first derby of the season. But the day before the big clash, four of the Levski players jumped on a plane bound for Moscow to sign for last year's Russian title winners, Rubin Kazan.
Along with three club representatives, Bulgaria international right-back Zhivko Milanov, Morocco central defender Youssef Rabeh, Macedonia midfielder Darko Tasevski and Brazilian winger Ze Soares made the near 1,500 km trip to Kazan International Airport. On arrival, they were met by Rubin Kazan 'representatives', who accompanied them to the Sheraton hotel, where they passed medicals. So far so good.
However, the next day, the Bulgarian players were told that the deal had fallen through. There were no documents, no contracts and a broken phone-line for the Rubin Kazan 'representatives'. The Levski delegation had no other choice than to make their way home, with the players arriving back in Sofia too late to take part in a game CSKA won 2-0. Unsurprisingly, the Sofia sports reporters were full of questions following the deal that never was.
For example, how could it be that, several rounds before the end of the Russian championship, Rubin needed four players from a mediocre Levski side? How exactly would it have been possible for such a deal to go through outside of UEFA's official transfer windows? Why did the Russians pull out of the contract negotiations and why were the transfers scheduled for the eve of one of their biggest games of the season?
There is apparently no doubt that the fax inviting the four players was authentic and sent from Rubin Kazan's offices. Yet Mircho Dimitrov, a Bulgarian football agent who has worked in Russia for many years, said: "I spoke with the executive director of the club and with the coach of Rubin, Kurban Berdiyev. They said: 'We don't know anything. We don't want players from Levski because we don't need them.'"
"I can't explain this," Levski president Todor Batkov said. "I didn't meet any representatives beforehand or receive an official confirmation from Rubin's president. Maybe this was a very well-executed scam. Seven people [from Levski] were met with expensive Mercedes cars and accommodated in a very expensive hotel. I did have doubts and my plan was, if there was any problem, for the four players to return to Sofia before the match with CSKA. I checked UEFA's rules [on transfer windows] and felt we had a right for extraordinary transfers [said to be because of swine flu].
"For all four players, the price was to be €4 million (£3.53 million) and the Russians told me that the money was in Sofia in a concrete bank, even in a concrete safe. Their representatives met each of the players and I have given names, descriptions, photos and phone numbers to Interpol. Maybe this whole thing is an attack against Levski, or me. I was threatened over the phone by a Russian who advised me to stop the investigation."
Batkov later admitted that he had deposited £179,000 with a man called Artur Oganesyan.
The problem is, however, that the Bulgarian police have had massive problems trying to track down the mysterious Mr Artur Oganesyan, which has led the Bulgarian media to accuse Batkov of betting £895,000 on CSKA to beat Levski. Batkov himself pointed the finger at Dimitar Borissov and Ivo Ivanov - the owners of CSKA, who were under investigation for having "fixed" the Europa League fourth qualifying round game in which CSKA won 2-1 away to Dinamo Moscow.
The Bulgarian Police are left with a long list of suspects but hardly any pieces of evidence in the farce concerning the false Rubin Kazan representatives. The case is, however, far from closed as the Levski results took a very strange turn in the weeks after 'The Eternal Derby' against CSKA. A 0-1 reverse to Chernomorets Burgas, a 2-2 draw with Lokomotiv Plovdiv and a 0-1 defeat to Beroe followed - all rare defeats against weak opponents, which strengthened the suspicion of foul play.
One of the theories of a conspiracy is that major Levski shareholder Mickael Chernoy, who is very close to the bosses of Rubin Kazan and has a tempestuous relationship with Batkov, may have been involved in an attempt to drive the share price down ahead of a bid to buy the club.
The theory may seem somewhat creative and out of touch with reality, but Bulgarians are generally not unaccustomed to these scenarios. As such, Hristo Kovatjki, a business tycoon, politician and football investor was last year arrested for embezzlement. And Kovaltjki isn't just anybody. He is the second richest person in Bulgaria and a symbol for a small group of the population who, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, have gained massive financial as well as political power in the poor country.
Kovatjki's story is only one of many. Bulgarian football has for years and years fought to hold off betting-gangsters. The best league in the country - 'A Professional Football Group' - is allegedly a preferred target for organised crime and match-fixing due to the low wages in the league.
And methods are brutal. During the last 20 years, four presidents from the club Lokomotiv Plovdiv have been murdered. The latest incident came in 2005 when the 39-year old Georgi Iliev - allegedly deeply involved in a struggle between two criminal organisations - was shot dead in a bar at the holiday resort Sunny Beach. Whether the Rubin Kazan affair will develop in a similarly violent way is doubtful, as is the Bulgarian Police's ability to find the villain in the case. Is it Levski president Batkov? Is it the Russians? CSKA? Or the mafia?
Whoever is responsible, the pressure from the media became a bit too much for Serbian coach Ratko Dostanic, who was replaced by sporting director Georgi Ivanov after a shock 1-0 home defeat by Beroe. This was fifth coach to take over Levski in 18 months and the fans' patience with president Batkov is wearing thin in the wake of the Rubin Kazan affair.
The supporters feel he has made the club look like the idiots of Europe. Whatever your feelings on Bulgarian football, it is certainly never dull.
For many years, people have known that anything is possible in Bulgarian football. The sport been haunted by corruption for many years and, judging from the events in the 'A Grupa' (first division), the administrative skills within clubs still leave much room for improvement.
On February 24, Botev Plovdiv were expelled from the first division for non-payment of debts and failure to register enough players. It is a case that dates back to September 2009, though, that has dominated the domestic headlines and left the Bulgarian police bewildered over bogus transfers, odd results, betting gangsters and a football culture lacking political transparency.
Back in September, the two big clubs in Sofia - Levski and CSKA - were preparing for their first derby of the season. But the day before the big clash, four of the Levski players jumped on a plane bound for Moscow to sign for last year's Russian title winners, Rubin Kazan.
Along with three club representatives, Bulgaria international right-back Zhivko Milanov, Morocco central defender Youssef Rabeh, Macedonia midfielder Darko Tasevski and Brazilian winger Ze Soares made the near 1,500 km trip to Kazan International Airport. On arrival, they were met by Rubin Kazan 'representatives', who accompanied them to the Sheraton hotel, where they passed medicals. So far so good.
However, the next day, the Bulgarian players were told that the deal had fallen through. There were no documents, no contracts and a broken phone-line for the Rubin Kazan 'representatives'. The Levski delegation had no other choice than to make their way home, with the players arriving back in Sofia too late to take part in a game CSKA won 2-0. Unsurprisingly, the Sofia sports reporters were full of questions following the deal that never was.
For example, how could it be that, several rounds before the end of the Russian championship, Rubin needed four players from a mediocre Levski side? How exactly would it have been possible for such a deal to go through outside of UEFA's official transfer windows? Why did the Russians pull out of the contract negotiations and why were the transfers scheduled for the eve of one of their biggest games of the season?
There is apparently no doubt that the fax inviting the four players was authentic and sent from Rubin Kazan's offices. Yet Mircho Dimitrov, a Bulgarian football agent who has worked in Russia for many years, said: "I spoke with the executive director of the club and with the coach of Rubin, Kurban Berdiyev. They said: 'We don't know anything. We don't want players from Levski because we don't need them.'"
"I can't explain this," Levski president Todor Batkov said. "I didn't meet any representatives beforehand or receive an official confirmation from Rubin's president. Maybe this was a very well-executed scam. Seven people [from Levski] were met with expensive Mercedes cars and accommodated in a very expensive hotel. I did have doubts and my plan was, if there was any problem, for the four players to return to Sofia before the match with CSKA. I checked UEFA's rules [on transfer windows] and felt we had a right for extraordinary transfers [said to be because of swine flu].
"For all four players, the price was to be €4 million (£3.53 million) and the Russians told me that the money was in Sofia in a concrete bank, even in a concrete safe. Their representatives met each of the players and I have given names, descriptions, photos and phone numbers to Interpol. Maybe this whole thing is an attack against Levski, or me. I was threatened over the phone by a Russian who advised me to stop the investigation."
Batkov later admitted that he had deposited £179,000 with a man called Artur Oganesyan.
The problem is, however, that the Bulgarian police have had massive problems trying to track down the mysterious Mr Artur Oganesyan, which has led the Bulgarian media to accuse Batkov of betting £895,000 on CSKA to beat Levski. Batkov himself pointed the finger at Dimitar Borissov and Ivo Ivanov - the owners of CSKA, who were under investigation for having "fixed" the Europa League fourth qualifying round game in which CSKA won 2-1 away to Dinamo Moscow.
The Bulgarian Police are left with a long list of suspects but hardly any pieces of evidence in the farce concerning the false Rubin Kazan representatives. The case is, however, far from closed as the Levski results took a very strange turn in the weeks after 'The Eternal Derby' against CSKA. A 0-1 reverse to Chernomorets Burgas, a 2-2 draw with Lokomotiv Plovdiv and a 0-1 defeat to Beroe followed - all rare defeats against weak opponents, which strengthened the suspicion of foul play.
One of the theories of a conspiracy is that major Levski shareholder Mickael Chernoy, who is very close to the bosses of Rubin Kazan and has a tempestuous relationship with Batkov, may have been involved in an attempt to drive the share price down ahead of a bid to buy the club.
The theory may seem somewhat creative and out of touch with reality, but Bulgarians are generally not unaccustomed to these scenarios. As such, Hristo Kovatjki, a business tycoon, politician and football investor was last year arrested for embezzlement. And Kovaltjki isn't just anybody. He is the second richest person in Bulgaria and a symbol for a small group of the population who, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, have gained massive financial as well as political power in the poor country.
Kovatjki's story is only one of many. Bulgarian football has for years and years fought to hold off betting-gangsters. The best league in the country - 'A Professional Football Group' - is allegedly a preferred target for organised crime and match-fixing due to the low wages in the league.
And methods are brutal. During the last 20 years, four presidents from the club Lokomotiv Plovdiv have been murdered. The latest incident came in 2005 when the 39-year old Georgi Iliev - allegedly deeply involved in a struggle between two criminal organisations - was shot dead in a bar at the holiday resort Sunny Beach. Whether the Rubin Kazan affair will develop in a similarly violent way is doubtful, as is the Bulgarian Police's ability to find the villain in the case. Is it Levski president Batkov? Is it the Russians? CSKA? Or the mafia?
Whoever is responsible, the pressure from the media became a bit too much for Serbian coach Ratko Dostanic, who was replaced by sporting director Georgi Ivanov after a shock 1-0 home defeat by Beroe. This was fifth coach to take over Levski in 18 months and the fans' patience with president Batkov is wearing thin in the wake of the Rubin Kazan affair.
The supporters feel he has made the club look like the idiots of Europe. Whatever your feelings on Bulgarian football, it is certainly never dull.
Tuesday, 23 March 2010
From Barnack to Brazil
English boy becomes a football star in Brazil after he is spotted by scouts on a school trip from the Daily Mail
If you want to impress with your football skills there is no tougher crowd than the Brazilians.
But that is exactly where a Lincolnshire teenager has been catapulted to national fame after signing for a national league side.
Seth Burkett, 18, was on tour with his local youth team AFC Stamford from Stamford when he was spotted by football agent Anderson da Silva in June.
The agent was so impressed with Seth's footballing talents he quickly signed him up for league outfit Sorriso EC and the youngster made his debut in November.
Seth is now the only British man playing professionally in Brazil and has become a national celebrity after playing against top-side Palmeiras in a cup match
Sorriso, who play in the Brazilian fifth division, lost 4-0 but the match catapulted left-back Seth into the national spotlight.
Millions watched the game live on all four of Brazil's national television channels and Seth was interviewed after the game.
The youngster is a rarity because while many Brazilians such as Kaka, Ronaldinho and Robinho all play in Europe, few European players make the trip across the Atlantic.
He said this week: 'I'm really proud to be doing something that nobody else is doing and am pleased to be playing for a professional team which is probably a dream for most kids my age. The whole thing is absolutely crazy.'
Before the cup match, the life-long Peterborough United fan from Barnack, Lincs., wrote about his new-found celebrity status on his blog.
He wrote: 'I have been on television three times a day - it's crazy. There are flags and posters all over the town, more than even for the world cup. I even got mentioned on Globo which is the Brazilian equivalent of the BBC.
'There are 17 television cameras that I counted when I warmed up and they followed me the whole time.'
Seth's father, St John, who watches his son's games on the internet said his son had been stunned by the media attention and was enjoying life in Brazil.
He said: 'They are taking a massive interest in him over there because he is the only English player in the country.
'He has been interviewed left, right and centre and says he is always being asked to sign autographs by fans. He's always been a good player but what has happened to him now is out of this world.'
Seth used to play for Peterborough United academy and rejected a contract with Kettering Town two years ago to finish his A-levels.
He plans to return to England to study science at sports science at Loughborough University within the next two years depending on his Brazilian football career. The uncle of Seths' grandfather, former football star Charlie Williams, managed Brazilian giants Corinthians after retiring from playing for Arsenal.
His former coach Guy Walton said the young footballer was living a 'fairytale' experience as the only British player in Brazil.
Guy, 42, the youth team manager at Seth's old club, Stamford AFC, was with him when he was spotted playing in a tournament in Salvador last summer.
He said: 'While he is out there he is being treated like a star and has gone from playing in obscurity in this country to national TV in Brazil.
'They have taken him to heart and some of the games are watched by thousands of people who all have a real passion and spirit for the game.
'A lot of fans across Brazil are fully aware there is an English lad playing samba football. For many it's the first time they have ever seen an Englishman play in the flesh.
'The atmosphere is intense and hostile and there are often queues of lads who just turn up in the morning hoping to get a game. Many see football as a passage out of poverty. Seth could be the equivalent of Wayne Rooney in Brazil.'
Sorriso is a city of 50,000 people in the western Brazilian state of Mato Grosso. In Portuguese, Sorriso translates as 'smile'.
If you want to impress with your football skills there is no tougher crowd than the Brazilians.
But that is exactly where a Lincolnshire teenager has been catapulted to national fame after signing for a national league side.
Seth Burkett, 18, was on tour with his local youth team AFC Stamford from Stamford when he was spotted by football agent Anderson da Silva in June.
The agent was so impressed with Seth's footballing talents he quickly signed him up for league outfit Sorriso EC and the youngster made his debut in November.
Seth is now the only British man playing professionally in Brazil and has become a national celebrity after playing against top-side Palmeiras in a cup match
Sorriso, who play in the Brazilian fifth division, lost 4-0 but the match catapulted left-back Seth into the national spotlight.
Millions watched the game live on all four of Brazil's national television channels and Seth was interviewed after the game.
The youngster is a rarity because while many Brazilians such as Kaka, Ronaldinho and Robinho all play in Europe, few European players make the trip across the Atlantic.
He said this week: 'I'm really proud to be doing something that nobody else is doing and am pleased to be playing for a professional team which is probably a dream for most kids my age. The whole thing is absolutely crazy.'
Before the cup match, the life-long Peterborough United fan from Barnack, Lincs., wrote about his new-found celebrity status on his blog.
He wrote: 'I have been on television three times a day - it's crazy. There are flags and posters all over the town, more than even for the world cup. I even got mentioned on Globo which is the Brazilian equivalent of the BBC.
'There are 17 television cameras that I counted when I warmed up and they followed me the whole time.'
Seth's father, St John, who watches his son's games on the internet said his son had been stunned by the media attention and was enjoying life in Brazil.
He said: 'They are taking a massive interest in him over there because he is the only English player in the country.
'He has been interviewed left, right and centre and says he is always being asked to sign autographs by fans. He's always been a good player but what has happened to him now is out of this world.'
Seth used to play for Peterborough United academy and rejected a contract with Kettering Town two years ago to finish his A-levels.
He plans to return to England to study science at sports science at Loughborough University within the next two years depending on his Brazilian football career. The uncle of Seths' grandfather, former football star Charlie Williams, managed Brazilian giants Corinthians after retiring from playing for Arsenal.
His former coach Guy Walton said the young footballer was living a 'fairytale' experience as the only British player in Brazil.
Guy, 42, the youth team manager at Seth's old club, Stamford AFC, was with him when he was spotted playing in a tournament in Salvador last summer.
He said: 'While he is out there he is being treated like a star and has gone from playing in obscurity in this country to national TV in Brazil.
'They have taken him to heart and some of the games are watched by thousands of people who all have a real passion and spirit for the game.
'A lot of fans across Brazil are fully aware there is an English lad playing samba football. For many it's the first time they have ever seen an Englishman play in the flesh.
'The atmosphere is intense and hostile and there are often queues of lads who just turn up in the morning hoping to get a game. Many see football as a passage out of poverty. Seth could be the equivalent of Wayne Rooney in Brazil.'
Sorriso is a city of 50,000 people in the western Brazilian state of Mato Grosso. In Portuguese, Sorriso translates as 'smile'.
Wednesday, 17 March 2010
British football rejects ‘Los Ingleses’ turn to Spanish league
I've posted a couple times (here and here to be precise) about the success of the Glenn Hoddle Academy. Further news has come out about possible success stories, and it always makes good reading. This is from the Metro.
---
Football fans often bemoan the lack of home-grown players turning out for the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and even Portsmouth.
Maybe they should look to the Spanish league and check out Jerez Industrial. The third division side boasts six British players – and two Irishmen – and has earned the title ‘Los Ingleses’.
The eight young players may not have attracted the same kind of attention given to David Beckham when he left Manchester United for Real Madrid but they have been crucial to Jerez Industrial’s fortunes.
All have been recruited through Glenn Hoddle’s Football Academy, based in southern Spain, which helps players who have been rejected by clubs – including the likes of Man United, Millwall and Bolton Wanderers – to kick-start their careers.
‘I have made it clear to them that the hard work really starts now. We’ve given them the opportunity and now it’s down to them to take it,’ said the 52-year-old former England player and manager.
Industrial play in front of a home crowd of 8,000 at the Stadium of Youth in the city of Jerez, in the province of Cadiz in south-west Spain.
The squad is now made up of 14 Spaniards, six Brits, two Irishmen and one Senegalese.
Striker Chris Fagan, 20, spent two years with United and has played for the Republic of Ireland’s under-21s. He is on loan at Industrial from Lincoln City.
He scored two goals on his debut and said: ‘I learned a lot from Sir Alex Ferguson but I’ve also made a lot of progress with Glenn Hoddle. We’ve got a good team.’
---
Football fans often bemoan the lack of home-grown players turning out for the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and even Portsmouth.
Maybe they should look to the Spanish league and check out Jerez Industrial. The third division side boasts six British players – and two Irishmen – and has earned the title ‘Los Ingleses’.
The eight young players may not have attracted the same kind of attention given to David Beckham when he left Manchester United for Real Madrid but they have been crucial to Jerez Industrial’s fortunes.
All have been recruited through Glenn Hoddle’s Football Academy, based in southern Spain, which helps players who have been rejected by clubs – including the likes of Man United, Millwall and Bolton Wanderers – to kick-start their careers.
‘I have made it clear to them that the hard work really starts now. We’ve given them the opportunity and now it’s down to them to take it,’ said the 52-year-old former England player and manager.
Industrial play in front of a home crowd of 8,000 at the Stadium of Youth in the city of Jerez, in the province of Cadiz in south-west Spain.
The squad is now made up of 14 Spaniards, six Brits, two Irishmen and one Senegalese.
Striker Chris Fagan, 20, spent two years with United and has played for the Republic of Ireland’s under-21s. He is on loan at Industrial from Lincoln City.
He scored two goals on his debut and said: ‘I learned a lot from Sir Alex Ferguson but I’ve also made a lot of progress with Glenn Hoddle. We’ve got a good team.’
Sunday, 21 February 2010
Forever young: Nigerian football's age-old problem
Nwankwo Kanu is 42 and Taribo West, whose career ended two years ago, is in his late fifties, say bloggers in Nigeria.
From the Guardian
Nwankwo Kanu's official age is 33 but his real age is 42. Obafemi Martins is not 25 but 32. Jay-Jay Okocha was 10 years older than his "official" age throughout his career. And Taribo West, whose playing career ended only two years ago, is in his late fifties. Who says so? A stream of bloggers on some of Nigeria's most popular websites, in response to comments made after the country's timid effort in last month's Africa Cup of Nations.
Failure to win that trophy is nearly always considered a scandal in the continent's most populous nation but Nigeria's latest misadventure in the tournament triggered a particularly explosive condemnation back home.
It started when a former manager of a leading Nigerian club told the Lagos Guardian: "What happened in Angola is a confirmation of what has been happening in the past where most of our players falsified their age during competition. Most of the players are beyond the age they professed and this made it impossible for them to withstand the pace of teams like Zambia and Benin."
It also led to an entertaining discussion that shows no sign of abating as the Nigerians, who have three months to prepare for the World Cup, reacted to the criticism by sacking the coach. "Our boys are old, we are paying the price for age cheating," said Ken Anugweje, a former national team doctor and board member of the Nigerian Football Federation.
Suspicions about true ages of some Nigerian footballers date back 20 years. Fifa banned Nigeria from all international fixtures for two years after finding that the birth dates of three of their players in the 1988 Olympics were different from ones used by the same players in previous tournaments.
A year later Pelé famously declared "an African team will definitely win the World Cup by the turn of the century" after watching seemingly promising Nigerian youngsters lift the Under-17 World Cup and reach the final of the Under-20 competition. How was Pelé to know that the so-called Under-20s of 1989 were so old that, in the words of George Onmonya on nigeriavillagesquare.com, "most of our players have now retired and become grandpas"?
Nigeria have a rich tradition of seemingly promising youngsters who mysteriously fail to fulfil their potential. Phillip Osondu was the best player at the 1987 Under-17 World Cup, after which he was snapped up by Anderlecht, only to drift out of the game and into janitorial work after questions were raised about his real age.
The star of Nigeria's finalists at the 2001 Under-17 competition went on to become officially the third-youngest player to appear in the senior World Cup when he started the 0-0 draw with England in 2002. But that was as good as it got for Femi Opabunmi, who by 2005 was playing part-time football in the French lower leagues.
A trawl through the blogosphere makes for intriguing reading. "A friend of mine who once played in the Nigerian league told me his real age was 34 but his football age was 21," wrote Onmonya. "You can walk into any immigration office in Nigeria today, forge documents at the nearby business centre, change your name, place of birth, date of birth, pay 7,000-10,000 naira instead of the official price of about 5,500 for an international passport and within hours you have completed the whole process." A new passport, a new person – and if you are a footballer, a younger one.
A former employee of the British embassy in Nigeria told Observer Sport that when visa applicants complained to him about having their applications rejected, he would reply: "Well don't talk to me about it, I'm dead." He would respond to their looks of puzzlement by pointing to the wall behind him, on which hung his death certificate, purchased for a small fee from a Lagos supplier. Fifa reckon they have finally come up with a foolproof way of determining real age. Ahead of last year's Under-17 World Cup in, as it happened, Nigeria, the governing body announced that players would be subjected to wrist scans using magnetic resonance imaging, and this would determine their true age.
That led some countries to undertake precautionary scans beforehand. The results were never announced, but Nigeria suddenly discarded 15 squad members, while Gambia omitted 11 of the 18 who had helped them to victory in the African Under-17 championship a few months earlier. Reports claim that retrospective analyses of the previous three Under-17 World Cups showed more than a third of all players were too old.
From the Guardian
Nwankwo Kanu's official age is 33 but his real age is 42. Obafemi Martins is not 25 but 32. Jay-Jay Okocha was 10 years older than his "official" age throughout his career. And Taribo West, whose playing career ended only two years ago, is in his late fifties. Who says so? A stream of bloggers on some of Nigeria's most popular websites, in response to comments made after the country's timid effort in last month's Africa Cup of Nations.
Failure to win that trophy is nearly always considered a scandal in the continent's most populous nation but Nigeria's latest misadventure in the tournament triggered a particularly explosive condemnation back home.
It started when a former manager of a leading Nigerian club told the Lagos Guardian: "What happened in Angola is a confirmation of what has been happening in the past where most of our players falsified their age during competition. Most of the players are beyond the age they professed and this made it impossible for them to withstand the pace of teams like Zambia and Benin."
It also led to an entertaining discussion that shows no sign of abating as the Nigerians, who have three months to prepare for the World Cup, reacted to the criticism by sacking the coach. "Our boys are old, we are paying the price for age cheating," said Ken Anugweje, a former national team doctor and board member of the Nigerian Football Federation.
Suspicions about true ages of some Nigerian footballers date back 20 years. Fifa banned Nigeria from all international fixtures for two years after finding that the birth dates of three of their players in the 1988 Olympics were different from ones used by the same players in previous tournaments.
A year later Pelé famously declared "an African team will definitely win the World Cup by the turn of the century" after watching seemingly promising Nigerian youngsters lift the Under-17 World Cup and reach the final of the Under-20 competition. How was Pelé to know that the so-called Under-20s of 1989 were so old that, in the words of George Onmonya on nigeriavillagesquare.com, "most of our players have now retired and become grandpas"?
Nigeria have a rich tradition of seemingly promising youngsters who mysteriously fail to fulfil their potential. Phillip Osondu was the best player at the 1987 Under-17 World Cup, after which he was snapped up by Anderlecht, only to drift out of the game and into janitorial work after questions were raised about his real age.
The star of Nigeria's finalists at the 2001 Under-17 competition went on to become officially the third-youngest player to appear in the senior World Cup when he started the 0-0 draw with England in 2002. But that was as good as it got for Femi Opabunmi, who by 2005 was playing part-time football in the French lower leagues.
A trawl through the blogosphere makes for intriguing reading. "A friend of mine who once played in the Nigerian league told me his real age was 34 but his football age was 21," wrote Onmonya. "You can walk into any immigration office in Nigeria today, forge documents at the nearby business centre, change your name, place of birth, date of birth, pay 7,000-10,000 naira instead of the official price of about 5,500 for an international passport and within hours you have completed the whole process." A new passport, a new person – and if you are a footballer, a younger one.
A former employee of the British embassy in Nigeria told Observer Sport that when visa applicants complained to him about having their applications rejected, he would reply: "Well don't talk to me about it, I'm dead." He would respond to their looks of puzzlement by pointing to the wall behind him, on which hung his death certificate, purchased for a small fee from a Lagos supplier. Fifa reckon they have finally come up with a foolproof way of determining real age. Ahead of last year's Under-17 World Cup in, as it happened, Nigeria, the governing body announced that players would be subjected to wrist scans using magnetic resonance imaging, and this would determine their true age.
That led some countries to undertake precautionary scans beforehand. The results were never announced, but Nigeria suddenly discarded 15 squad members, while Gambia omitted 11 of the 18 who had helped them to victory in the African Under-17 championship a few months earlier. Reports claim that retrospective analyses of the previous three Under-17 World Cups showed more than a third of all players were too old.
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