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Chile's spot at the 2010 World Cup is safe after a local club withdrew legal action that had drawn the ire of FIFA and put the nation's status in international football at risk.
Chile's World Cup dream is intact
FIFA had given Chile's football association (ANFP) 72 hours to make Rangers drop a court case that disputed their relegation from the Clausura championship, or else risk a FIFA suspension and the prospect of forfeiting their World Cup berth.
Rangers took action after they were docked three points for fielding one too many foreign players under the Clausura's 6+5 rule. This consigned them to automatic relegation, but their dispute caused the play-offs for relegation and promotion, plus the championship's semi-finals, to be put on hold.
FIFA strictly forbids any government or civil interference in football matters, and wrote to ANFP demanding the situation be resolved. This ultimatum has proved enough for administration-struck Rangers to back down.
"Following the arrival of the FIFA communique, the creditors ... called on me to withdraw the case filed in the courts of justice in order not to prejudice the club," the club's administrator Cristian Herrera told the Chilean CDF channel.
Fans of Chile, who qualifiied for South Africa 2010 after finishing second behind Brazil in the CONMEBOL zone, will be relieved that what appeared to be a long-shot bid by Rangers to stay in the top division won't jeopardise their first World Cup finals campaign in 12 years.
FIFA's letter to ANFP president Harold Mayne-Nicholls had warned of the possible consequences if the action was not withdrawn.
"We beseech your association to call on your affiliated club ... to withdraw the case it took to the Chilean courts of justice within the next 72 hours or ... announce the pertinent sanctions against your affiliated club," a FIFA letter sent to Chile's Football Association (ANFP) said.
"If your association does not adopt the necessary measures as we have indicated, the case will be put to FIFA's executive committee in its session of Dec. 3, 2009 in Cape Town... so it considers imposing a suspension against (the ANFP)," the letter said.
By Soccernet staff
Argentina manager Diego Maradona has been banned from football for two months and fined by FIFA as punishment for his rant at journalists following Argentina's qualification for the World Cup finals.
Diego Maradona arrives in Zurich for his hearing
The ban, announced by a FIFA disciplinary committee after a hearing with Maradona, extends to any "football-related activity" and is effective immediately, meaning the Argentina manager is suspended from November 15 to January 15.
"The committee reached this decision following a three-hour meeting at the Home of FIFA in Zurich,'' a statement from FIFA read. "The head coach of Argentina was heard by the committee during 40 minutes and apologised to FIFA and the world football family.
"The committee took into consideration the apologies and the sincere remorse shown by Maradona in its decision, which was communicated to him at the end of the meeting. The sanction, which was taken on the basis of article 57 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, applies from 15 November 2009 to 15 January 2010.
"The committee stressed that any breach of this decision or any repetition of a similar incident would mean that stronger sanctions would have to be imposed in the future.''
In practical terms it means that Maradona will not be able to manage his side when Argentina face Czech Republic in a friendly on December 12 although he will return for their following fixture - a friendly against Germany on March 3.
Maradona, who has had a succession of brushes with authority during a controversial career, was also fined £14,800 at Sunday's hearing in Zurich despite making an apology for his behaviour on October 14.
Following a 1-0 win over Uruguay in Montevideo that confirmed Argentina's place at the World Cup finals, Maradona rounded on his critics in the press, using sexually-explicit language to denigrate journalists who had scrutinised his team's poor performance during qualifying.
It is not the first time that the 1986 World Cup winner has been punished for an altercation with the press. In 1994 he shot at journalists with an air rifle outside his home in Buenos Aires, injuring four people, and was given a suspended jail sentence of two years and ten months.
Brazilian midfielder Kaka believes Fabio Capello must include David Beckham in England's World Cup squad for next summer's World Cup finals.
Kaka and David Beckham: Former team-mates
Beckham played his part in their qualifying campaign, although is not guaranteed a place in the final 23-man squad and Kaka, who played alongside the L.A. Galaxy star with AC Milan earlier this year, believes his experience and quality are invaluable.
"David Beckham is one of the most intelligent players I have ever played alongside," said Kaka. "I am pleased he is going back to Milan, even though I am no longer there.
''I see that as a great move by Milan to take him again because he will be important to them, as he showed last season. But Milan will also be important to him with the World Cup coming up.
"Through playing in Milan in Serie A and Europe, David will be in the right condition next summer, and that is certain to help England at the World Cup.
"That's why Capello must include David in his squad. There is no-one else who has the experience and quality of Beckham."
by Guy Bailey
It was 1983, I was ten years old, David Bowie was number one with “Let’s Dance”, Dan Aykroyd and Bill Murray were bustin’ Ghosts at the Stockton Classic, The Minipops were blissfully entertaining dodgy middle-aged men on the fledgling Channel 4, and while ostensibly a Boro (Middlesbrough) fan, my trips to the old Ayresome Park were sporadic at best.
I mainly used to spend Saturday afternoons at my nanas in Meath Street watching Big Daddy on World of Sport while waiting for my own big daddy and medium-sized grandad to return, usually as miserable as sin.
I had been threatened by my Uncle on occasions, “If your naughty, your dad will take you to see the Boro” and working on the premise that a problem shared is a misery halved, my dad informed me that not only were we going, but that I was going to be the mascot in two weeks time! At home to a struggling DerbyCounty on Saturday April 9th.
My first difficulty was when the club wanted some information about me for the programme. What were my interests? This was a problem. I couldn’t honestly admit in print that my interests solely consisted of eating mars bars, watching cartoons and playing Manic Miner so in a desperate attempt to please my dad I said Golf and Fishing.
My biography submitted, we now had to get me a kit. This was before your chain sport stores so off to Jack Hatfield’s. It was the year after McLean Homes had pulled the plug so we had a pristine, sponsorless silky red home shirt, with authentic Addidas stripes down the sleeves. Like a footballing Starsky and Hutch design. We also wore white shorts and socks that season. It looked as distinctive as a Ford Cortina and would probably be worth a few bob if you had one now (the kit, not the Cortina).
I wasn’t allowed to wear the kit to school but still told the few Boro fans that were there that I was going to be leading the lads out on Saturday. Out of a school of 200 in Stockton, there must have been about five of us who owned up to supporting the Boro. Liverpool and Man Utd claimed the rest, even though I now run into a good proportion of these turncoats at the Riverside.
The big day dawned and I even had a shower, so important was this event. I didn’t really want to but I was assured that Heine Otto showered so that swung the deal. We got to the ground just after dinnertime and after wishing me luck my folks went off to their seats. Leaving me in the capable hands of a PR guy.
Looking back, you could see the writing was on the wall for the club because they were cutting corners everywhere. The programme was a six page newspaper that season called Boro News. It had a picture of Paul Daniels on the front proclaiming that the “Boro Bonanza was magic“. They were also scrimping on the mascots. I wasn’t the only one. I met the other lad, Vince Potter from Eston, an hour before kick off. While both disappointed we wouldn’t be the centres of attention, we decided that if we scored four or six goals, we would share the credit for them equally. You can tell we weren’t regulars in the Chicken Run.
We sat in an ante room and said hello to a frazzled-looking Mike McCullough as he was passing through. Looking back, he should have called his company Atlas because he had the world on his shoulders. We had a mini tour of the North Stand including the ill-fated Sports Centre where we were told that it would soon open to the public. 24 years and counting Charlie.
The time came for us to get ready. We changed out of our tracksuits, walked up the steps and through the tunnel and stood on the side of the threadbare pitch. It was not in the best of condition. We had our photo taken with the latest in a long line of saviours with sellotape knees – in this case, Kevin Beattie. We also got to meet Radio Tees’ rising star – a young Me Mark Page.
For reasons I still don’t fully understand, Mark was dressed as a high court judge with a black cape and white wig. We had to pose with him holding our ears. The headline in the next home programme, and I am not making this up, said “Ear, Ear says the Judge! – he gives mascots a good wigging (but it’s all in good fun)”. I still don’t get it.
We went back into the tunnel and awaited the teams. We met the ref, the wonderfully named Trelford Mills from Barnsley who resembled a young Brian Blessed. Derby came up led by a grizzled Archie Gemmell and then the Boro. I think Mick Baxter was captain that day. Trelford told us it was time to go and despite having already being out on the pitch, the nerves hit home. The empty South Stand was now full, the South East corner had a smattering of Derby fans making a noise and the Holgate, my god the Holgate, looked like a human pyramid. The noise was as loud as a jet engine and I got as far as the touchline and froze. I knew other mascots went to the goal and had a kickabout with Steve Pears but I couldn’t move. I was literally scared stiff.
I have never been able to boo Titus Bramble with any degree of conviction for precisely this reason. I’ve been there, to his world, you want your legs to move and your head to meet the ball but your body won’t do what you tell it to. It’s not nice.
I eventually regained some composure when I realised that most of the crowd hadn’t come to see me, (Uriah still hasn’t worked that out). I took a deep cleansing breath, looked towards the Holgate and thought “This is it Guy, your big moment, your big chance. You’re the Boro captain, and you’re leading us out at home. This is destiny. Let’s roll!”. I could see there was an unattended ball 20 yards away. I could run on and take it on, easily go by two uninterested defenders, draw Pearsy and slip it inside the right hand post. I could already see myself wheeling away in front of the crowd with a couple of ironic cheers reserved for when the tapped lad scored from three yards during the half-time draw.
I put one foot on the pitch about to break off to the right and fulfil the dream when a large, heavy hand clamped down on my shoulder. It was the PR guy. “Come on son, photo’s now”. I was frogmarched to the centre circle where I met Vince and posed for photos with the captains and the officials. We shook everybody’s hand and we turned to go back to the tunnel. I still harboured thoughts of a quick breakaway to score when Darren Wood I believe, ran up to it and wellied it back to the dugouts. My chance gone, I slouched back up the tunnel. I could never bring myself to warm to Darren Wood after that.
My dad met me, camera in hand, and we walked up the steps to our seats. “Why didn’t you have a shot?” he asked. I couldn’t answer him then and I can’t answer him now. If I had told him that I was scared shitless I’d have got a backhand. Where’s the justice?
We sat down just in time to see the Boro go 2-0 down fairly quickly but in the second half we pulled it back to 2-2. We put the pressure on the Derby goal and I made a mental deal with the almighty. I’d trade my goal, my moment of Ayresome glory for the greater good. A Boro winner. A draw wasn’t bad but what was the point of being a mascot if you couldn’t inspire your team to victory? We pushed forward in numbers for a corner. I could sense that this was the moment. This was the turning point, when my very presence in the ground and leading the team out was going to bring the lads victory as certain as if I headed the ball into the net myself.
The ball drifted in from the right hand side, Otto rose powerfully and directed his header downwards. The ball bounced up and against the shin of a Derby defender. He swung his boot and cleared the ball towards halfway. It was now three against three as the whites shirts swung forward, moving the ball to the other side of the pitch. Red reinforcements were still arriving as the ball was delivered into the box onto the head of the diving, Derby forward. Pearsy was a bystander as it bulleted into the East Stand net and the Derby fans roared their approval. Five minutes later, my mate Trelford blew the whistle and we had lost. 3-2.
Despite the result, we still went and had fish and chips at Rooneys on Newport Road like we usually did when we won. We weren’t going to let a little thing like losing spoil our day. I got slaughtered at school on the Monday. I thought I’d get away with it but oh no, the plastic scousers and mancs sought me out to give me the full treatment. “Loser Mascot! Loser Mascot!”. Oh that still smarts.
The season petered out, we were safe, and despite their win, Derby went down at the end of the season and celebrated their centenary in the third Division. By the time I got the boro bug full-time, three years later, we had emulated them.
I hope to be a father myself one day, and whether they like it or not, my son or daughter will join me in the East Stand to watch us huff and puff against a mid-ranking midlands team and hopefully one day, they will walk out alongside Roary, pigbag blaring in their ears as they shake hands with Lee Cattermole and as they look around quizzically afterwards I hope they will remember my soft words of fatherly advice.
BREAK THE BLOODY NET OR YOUR WALKING HOME!
YOU SIGNED THE PETITION, NOW PASS IT ALONG - HELP ATLANTA REACH 50,000 ONLINE SIGNATURES!
Thanks to everyone who signed the online petition to bring the FIFA World Cup to the United States and Atlanta. In order to reach our goal we need you to now forward the link to your friends, family, teammates and classmates.
If everyone gets a minimum of 10 friends to sign and they forward to10 friends and so on, Atlanta will be at 50,000 signatures in less than a week!.
If you haven't signed the petition, please do it now. It takes about 15 seconds and every entry will help Atlanta win the bid. Then, forward to your friends and have them do the same.
Be a part of history and help get the game in the United States and Atlanta. What you do now will make a difference!
Thanks to your great support, I have been asked to continue at Los Arcos every other Saturday for the forseeable future! I shall also be featuring the full Big Chicken Beatles Band from time to time. Thank you so much for turning up and proving there is life in East Cobb!!
This week I add to that a return (actually TWO returns) to the Harp Irish Pub in Roswell. Here's what's on:
Friday, Nov 13: The Harp Irish Pub II, Duluth (10305 Medlock Bridge Rd, Duluth, GA 30097) 8-1230
Saturday, Nov 14: The Harp Irish Pub I, Roswell (1425 Market Blvd, Roswell, GA 30076) 4pm-7pm This is a celebration of the anniversary of the Harp Pub's founding. Music starts with me at 4 and continues with a band afterwards. Then, I continue on to Los Arcos to play Sat eve!!
Saturday, Nov 14: Los Arcos Mexican Cantina, 3101Roswell Rd # M2n,
Marietta, GA - (678) 560-8222 As always - family-friendly and smoke-free. 730-1030
A southwestern Illinois attorney who's tried to bring professional men's soccer to St. Louis is banding together with team owners in six other cities to form a new breakaway North American league.
Jeff Cooper's St. Louis Soccer United will join with owners of the Atlanta Silverbacks, Carolina Railhawks, Miami FC, Minnesota Thunder, Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps.
Most of the clubs have been affiliated with the United Soccer Leagues. The new league is hoping to begin play in April.
The owners applied Monday for sanctioning as a Division II Men's Outdoor Professional League by the United States Soccer Federation. A similar petition to the Canadian Soccer Association is pending.
Montreal Impact's president Joey Saputo is the league's chairman. Cooper is a Madison County personal-injury lawyer and the league's spokesman.
The league still must tap a commissioner and a name.
Nominations are now being accepted for the Recharge Team of the Year. Each month, new nominations, along with those carried over from previous months, will be reviewed to determine a monthly winner. The winner team will obtain the title of "Recharge Team of the Month" and will be acknowledged and rewarded for their efforts. The 12 winning teams will then be judged against one another and the chosen team will be crowned "Recharge Team of the Year." The program rewards teams for their community work off the field. Click here to nominate your team today!
Austin Wildcats of Texas State Soccer Association-South were recognized for its charity efforts off the field at the Awards Luncheon back in October during the USASA Midyear Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona. Austin Wildcats' Manager, Angela Molock received the Award from USASA President Brooks McCormick. They are the first team to be named Recharge Team of the Year. Check out the Austin Wildcats' accomplishments here.
How would you like to be the face of our official World Cup bid to FIFA?
We're looking for one passionate soccer fan to feature on the opening pages of the official Bid Book we submit to FIFA. All you have to do is write to FIFA telling why the Game is in you -- and your country. Then, when the FIFA Executive Members open up our book, one of the first things they'll see could be your words and your picture!*
Click here for a chance to get in the running for this incredible honor and submit your letter now:
We're doing this because fans like you form the foundation of soccer in this country.
When FIFA thinks about soccer in the U.S., we want them to think of people like Staci from Pennsylvania, who told us a few days ago why the Game is in her:
In 1990, as a Peace Corps volunteer in Gabon, Africa, I had my first taste of World Cup fever. In my small village every man, woman and child crammed into what ever room had a TV. I will never forget the sound of the cheers when Cameroon beat the mighty Argentina! That sealed my fate as a soccer fan.
When the World Cup came to the states in 1994, I signed up to volunteer. I fell in love with another volunteer and we married 3 years later. Our first night as a married couple was spent cheering on the MetroStars. Now we have two young sons who play soccer and are looking forward to our own MLS team in Philadelphia. I think it would be awesome to volunteer as a family, 24 years after it all started at the World Cup motor pool in DC.
Or there's Marc from Texas, an Army soldier who told this story about an operation his unit conducted at a Baghdad soccer park during Operation Iraqi Freedom:
After about an hour of searching through living areas and accounting for everyone in the area, I found myself waiting to wrap things up. An Iraqi kid, maybe 10 years old, was holding a Soccer ball in the area we made everyone go to. I motioned for him to toss me the ball (my Arabic isn't very good), and he immediately understood that I wanted to see his Soccer ball. He tossed it and (while wearing about 75 pounds of Army gear), I "caught" the ball with a thigh and immediately juggled the ball 10-12 times before the weight of my gear, or lack of skill:)...let the ball fall to the ground. The eyes of almost every person there lit up...I guess they didn't expect an American Army Soldier to be able to juggle a ball! We passed the ball around and I made friends that day...although I will probably never see them again, we were bonded by the beautiful game. We couldn't communicate with words...but the game was all we needed to see each other as equals...as players, as friends.
As you can see, the power of soccer is very real -- and the Game really is in all of us. Join Staci and Marc -- write your letter today, and get your chance to be featured in the official USA Bid Book to FIFA:
Soccer in the Streets kicked off on November 11, 1989. Over the past 20 years, over 125,000 kids have participated in life skills training programs, developing skills such as goal setting, respect, decision making, and teamwork.
Please honor this occasion by donating today to continue this legacy of, in the words of Andrew Young, "wholesome and constructive activities," promoting "well-rounded growth and development," and "encouraging good-spirited competition and fellowship among our young people."
Or, in the words of Lauren DuBois, a Soccer in the Streets program graduate, "we're used to winning... whether it's a game or winning a child from the streets." Help us keep this "winning tradition."
Make November 11, 2009 Soccer in the Streets Day by helping the next generation of youth.
Donate to Soccer in the Streets Join Soccer in the Streets on Facebook Follow Soccer in the Streets on Twitter
EXCLUSIVE: Chelsea striker Didier Drogba pledges £3m to build a hospital in his Ivory Coast homeland By Laura Williamson Last updated at 1:42 PM on 12th November 2009 Comments (31) Add to My Stories In a remarkable show of charity, ferocious Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has pledged a £3million donation to build a hospital. Drogba is handing over the fee he will receive for becoming the new face of Pepsi. Chelsea, his employers, should have been entitled to a cut from his sponsorship fee as a result of an image rights clause in Drogba's contract. Sources close to the remarkable deal also claim there will be a further generous donation by Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich in a personal show of support for Drogba. Super pledge: Didier Drogba will donate £3m to build a hospital in the Ivory Coast
Sportsmail understands Abramovich may even have offered to match the donation pound for pound. The project in the Ivory Coast, Drogba's homeland, will shock those who consider Drogba the unacceptable face of the Barclays Premier League because of his aggressive demeanour, diving antics and foul-mouthed rant in the Champions League last season that saw him banned for three games by UEFA.
HAVE YOUR SAY... Have we got Didier Drogba all wrong? Sportsmail has revealed that Didier Drogba has donated £3million to a hospital in his native Ivory Coast. The Chelsea star is often depicted as a snarling striker who enjoys the odd dive but do you think he deserves more credit for his role on and off the pitch? Or is it difficult to warm to the giant forward? TELL US WHAT YOU THINK There is, however, another side to the prolific centre forward. He launched the Didier Drogba Foundation two years ago, bought land in his hometown of Abidjan and committed to raise funds to build a hospital with the aim of opening the facility by the end of 2010. He set up the Foundation after a close friend, Stefan, died from leukaemia and the project gained momentum after 19 fans died and 132 people were injured when a wall collapsed in Abidjan's Felix Houphouet-Boigny stadium before a World Cup qualifier between Ivory Coast and Malawi in March. The first aim of the Foundation is 'to build and fund a hospital giving people basic healthcare and a chance just to stay alive'. Later this month, the Didier Drogba Foundation Charity Ball will take place at London's Dorchester Hotel and has already sold out. Drogba, 31, will be the latest in a long line of global stars from the worlds of sport, music and entertainment to represent the soft drinks giant Pepsi. Changing man: Drogba will raise funds to improve conditions in his homeland
David Beckham, 34, ended his 10-year association with Pepsi in December last year. Brazilians Ronaldinho, Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos, Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Thierry Henry, Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas and Drogba's Chelsea team-mate Frank Lampard have also featured in Pepsi television commercials. For some, Drogba may seem an odd choice to follow in Beckham's footsteps, but Drogba's charity work and role with the United Nations sets him apart from other candidates. In January 2007 he joined Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo and Maria Sharapova as a UN Goodwill Ambassador and has since endorsed the organisation's Millennium Development Goals project, aimed at setting targets to try and halve world poverty by 2015. The striker was the first Ivorian to be crowned African Footballer of the Year in 2006.
ts a minimum of 10 friends to sign and they forward to10 friends and so on, Atlanta will be at 50,000 signatures in less than a week!.
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