2002 World Cup soccer thread

[Anders]

SOCCER-WORLD-SAFRICA
SOUTH AFRICAN CAPTAIN BARTLETT OUT OF WORLD CUP
Johannesburg, May 6 Reuters - South African captain Shaun Bartlett will definitely miss the World Cup finals after being told he needs an operation to repair an Achilles tendon injury, team officials said on Monday.
The 29-year-old Charlton Athletic striker suffered the injury playing for South Africa in the African Nations Cup finals in Mali in January and has not played for his English club or his country since.
Bartlett, South Africa's all-time leading scorer with 24 goals in 60 appearances, was named last week in a preliminary squad of 30 for the Korea/Japan finals.
He was due to join up with the South Africa team, who meet Spain, Paraguay and Slovenia in South Korea-based group B, for the start of their preparations in Durban on Monday.
But after seeking medical advice in London last week he was told he needed an operation to repair the injury and would be out for a minimum of eight weeks.
``I am heartbroken,'' Bartlett, who scored two goals in the 1998 World Cup finals in France, told South African newspapers at the weekend.
Reuters cw
SOCCER-WORLD-BRAZIL-RIVALDO
RIVALDO REGAINING FITNESS, BUT DOUBTS CONTINUE
Barcelona, May 6, Reuters - Rivaldo will be fit to join the Brazilian World Cup soccer squad at the end of the season but doubts remain over whether he will last the tournament, Barcelona doctor Ricard Pruna said today.
Rivaldo, who missed both legs of Barca's Champions League semifinal defeat to Real Madrid with a knee injury, could return for his side's final league game against Real Zaragoza next weekend, although Pruna said the club would take no risks with his fitness.
``He's been training this morning and he's getting better all the time,'' Pruna told Barcelona's official website.
``There's still a slight chance that he could be available for the game against Zaragoza, but we've got to weigh up the risks and if there's the slightest danger of him hurting himself, he won't travel.
``After this weekend, he'll be joining the Brazilian squad, but we'll also be sending them a note explaining the club's position, given that he's missed the last few games.''
Pruna said it was impossible to say how well his fitness would hold up at the World Cup.
``I don't know if he'll be able to play through the whole of the World Cup,'' he said. ``I'd imagine that he'd continue to work on strengthening his leg.
``When he joins up with the Brazilian squad, it's their doctors who'll have to make the decisions about his treatment.''
Brazil have been drawn in World Cup group C with Turkey, China and Costa Rica. They play their first game against Turkey on June 3 in Ulsan.
Rivaldo was named in coach Luiz Felipe Scolari's final 23 for the World Cup today.
Reuters jh NZP
07/05/02 0909NZ
SOCCER-WORLD-GERMANY
GERMANY'S WORLD CUP SQUAD ANNOUNCED
Frankfurt, Germany, May 6, AP - Germany soccer coach Rudi Voeller announced his squad for the upcoming World Cup today, offering few surprises.
Voeller, who had ruled out late experiments, selected players he had relied on in World Cup qualifying and recent ``friendlies'' against the United States, Israel and Argentina.
Goalies: Joerg Butt (Leverkusen), Oliver Kahn (Bayern Munich), Jens Lehmann (Borussia Dortmund).
Defenders: Joerg Heinrich (Borussia Dortmund), Sebastian Kehl (Borussia Dortmund), Thomas Linke (Bayern Munich), Christoph Metzelder (Borussia Dortmund), Marko Rehmer (Hertha Berlin), Christian Woerns (Borussia Dortmund), Christian Ziege (Tottenham Hotspur).
Midfielders: Michael Ballack (Bayer Leverkusen), Sebastian Deisler (Hertha Berlin), Torsten Frings (Werder Bremen), Dietmar Hamann, Jens Jeremies (Bayern Munich), Carsten Ramelow (Bayer Leverkusen), Bernd Schneider (Bayer Leverkusen).
Forwards: Gerald Asamoah (Schalke), Oliver Bierhoff (AS Monaco), Marco Bode (Werder Bremen), Carsten Jancker (Bayern Munich), Miroslav Klose (FC Kaiserslautern), Oliver Neuville (Bayer Leverkusen).
AP md
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06/05/02 2214NZ
SOCCER-WORLD-GERMANY-LEAD
DEISLER IN GERMANY SQUAD DESPITE FITNESS WORRIES
Berlin, May 6, Reuters - German soccer coach Rudi Voeller picked Sebastian Deisler in his 23-man World Cup squad announced today despite doubts about the inspirational midfielder's fitness.
Deisler, who has hardly played since last October, returned to action with his Hertha Berlin club only on Saturday.
The gifted Deisler, 22, who will play for Bayern Munich next season, had just recovered from knee surgery when he tore a thigh muscle in training last month.
Voeller also called up Hertha Berlin defender Marko Rehmer, who is currently sidelined with an ankle injury, in a squad with no major surprises.
Bayern striker Carsten Jancker was selected despite the fact that he has not scored a goal in the Bundesliga this season.
TSV 1860 Munich's Martin Max, joint topscorer in the German first division with 18 goals, was left out because he has virtually no international experience.
The triple world champions will leave for their base in Japan on May 22, nine days before the start of the finals, which are being co-hosted by South Korea.
Germany meet Cameroon, Ireland and Saudi Arabia in group E.

 

[TIME TO MAKE $$$]

Good info Anders, I think Caniggia will bring an uplifting spark to teh Argentinian's, he is an inspiration to those players on the team.

 

[TIME TO MAKE $$$]

Group D- Poland



Success gives a feeling of heritage

It's easy to forget that Poland were once one of the best national sides in the world, beating Brazil to take third place in the 1974 FIFA World Cup? Germany, finishing ahead of defending champions West Germany in 1978 and again finishing third in 1982 after defeating France.

In Korea and Japan, the Polish national team will play in a FIFA World Cup finals for the first time since 1986 and aside from a silver medal in the 1992 Olympics, the intervening years have not been kind to Polish football. Since the glory years of the 1970's and early '80's, Poland has been on the outside of European football, failing to get past the group stage of the European Championships and never really threatening to qualify for the FIFA World Cup finals.

All that changed when Nigerian-born Emmanuel Olisadebe took Polish citizenship and began netting the kind of goals not seen since Poland's last trip to the FIFA World Cup, when they lost to Brazil 4-0 in the second round in 1986. Olisadebe has been the difference in the current qualifying campaign, scoring seven goals as Poland lost only once while winning Group 5 and a spot in the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan.

With the Polish supporters making it clear that Olisadebe is one of their own, he now has the chance to return his adopted country to the glory days of Grzegorz Lato, the leading scorer in the 1974 FIFA World Cup. For Poland, it is a welcome reminder of a rich footballing heritage.

Significant past players:

Grzegorz Lato, Kazimierz Deyna, Wlodzimierz Lubanski, Jan Tomaszewski

Achievements:

-- 3rd 1974 FIFA World Cup West Germany
-- 3rd 1982 FIFA World Cup Spain
-- Champion Olympic Games 1972
-- 2nd Olympic Games 1976
-- 2nd Olympic Games 1992

 

[Monarch]

I've begun to make a short-list of the bets I like and have found a few favourable prices. Do you believe it's worth waiting a little closer to the tournament in anticipation of more competitive prices or will the exact opposite happen and have the value eroded?

 

[TIME TO MAKE $$$]

I think that if they are favs, teh prices will go up as the games get closer.

For example France -278 over Senegal is a gift, expect that line to go up by gametime..

 

[Andy]

TIME TO MAKE $$$

Agree with you there and I also think that Soccer is the best sports to lay money on the favorites in the crucial games, for an example : a playoff game between Germany & Ukraine , Germany was playing at home (Nov 14, 2001)to secure for a World Cup Spot , Germany was laying 2 to 1 (2 units to win 1) in that game. Those are games that we can't miss ( I had 5 units on Germany in that game posted at the other site).

Andy

 

[Anders]

Monarch

As u may have seen much earlier in this thread; I've already jumped in with a number of early plays.

I think the majority of them will now see prices move in my favour; hence the reason why I played them early.

Betting on this tournament is set to explode in the next few weeks and following kick-off...

And MadJacks will be here to kick the bookie's fat butt!! :moon:

 

[Andy]

Baggio's brilliant World Cup career comes to an end!!!

Baggio's brilliant World Cup career comes to an end!!!

Baggio's brilliant World Cup career comes to an end !!!

ROME, May 8 (AFP) - The brilliant international career of Brescia striker Roberto Baggio was effectively ended on Wednesday when Italy coach Giovanni Trapattoni did not name him in his 23-man squad for the World Cup.
Baggio may have defied doctors in returning to Italian first division action before the end of the season just finished but his comeback stopped short of selection for the finals in Korea and Japan.

Baggio, adored by the media and fans but not always so popular with team-mates and coaches, had been ruled out for the season after injuring ligaments in January but returned to save Brescia from relegation with three goals in their last three matches.

That fuelled the campaign for Trapattoni to include the 35-year-old but the coach resisted a sometimes overwhelming demand to re-instate Baggio, one of Italy's greatest World Cup stars - but one who failed to lift the ultimate prize.

The Defining Moment

Sadly the defining moment in Baggio's brilliant career came in 1994 when Italy faced Brazil in the 1994 final, the first decided by a penalty shoot-out.

Baggio, whose accuracy rate from the spot is second to none in Italy, skied his shot over Claudio Taffarel's crossbar, to ensure Brazil and not Italy would make history by winning a fourth World Cup.

It was all the more cruel as Baggio had singlehandedly carried Arrigo Sacchi's Italy to the threshold of glory, seeing them through games with Nigeria, Spain and Bulgaria before that final disappointment.

He scored both in the 2-1 win over Nigeria, the first in the 2-1 win over Spain and both in the semi-final 2-1 win over Bulgaria.

It was the second of three World Cups for Baggio who had illuminated the 1990 edition in Italy with the best goal of the tournament against Czechoslovakia, adding another in the third-place play-off victory over England in Bari.

But his appearance in France 98 with many claiming that his presence was detrimental to the form of Alessandro Del Piero, who has since admitted he was destabilised when Italy fans chanted for Baggio instead of him, calls sometimes heeded by coach Cesare Maldini.

Nonetheless Baggio scored goals against Chile and Austria.

The Divine Ponytail

Baggio, dubbed the 'divine ponytail' because of his hairstyle and his conversion to Buddhism, set a world record transfer fee in 1990 when he joined Juventus from Fiorentina.

Ironically it was just as the club was emerging from years in the doldrums that the emergence of Del Piero persuaded coach Marcello Lippi to move Baggio out of the club, instead relying on the youngster and forwards Gianluca Vialli and Fabrizio Ravanelli.

Baggio and Lippi are still not on speaking terms. After a career when Baggio had starred for Juve and both Milan clubs AC and Inter it seemed he was putting himself out to grass when he joined newly-promoted Brescia for the 2000/01 season.

But his outstanding form began the media campaign for the player to be recalled, reaching a peak during the match in Parma last Autumn when Italy met Hungary still needing a draw to be sure of automatic qualification.

After a nervous opening the Italy fans started chanting the name of Baggio and booing Del Piero who responded with the goal that took Italy to Japan.

Trapattoni delivered an astonishing broadside at Italy fans after that match.

"It's an unkind gesture towards those who took us to the World Cup," bellowed Trapattoni. "This way we are damaging the national team. Remember that, Italians."

Injury intervened, however, with the initial diagnosis ruling Baggio out of the World Cup.

But as it emerged that Baggio was recuperating quicker than expected Trapattoni moved quickly to stifle any debate by naming his seven attacking players on the eve of last month's friendly with Uruguay in Milan.

It did not work. The campaign went from strength to strength but as Baggio's fans demonstrated outside Italian football federation (FIGC) headquarters on Wednesday Trapattoni's list finally brought down the curtain on the international career of one of Italy's greatest footballers.

Baggio had scored 27 goals in 55 appearances for the 'Azzurri', his last outing coming in 1999 in the 1-1 draw with Belarus.

Squad:


Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Francesco Toldo (Inter Milan), Christian Abbiati (AC Milan).


Defenders: Fabio Cannavaro (Parma), Mark Iuliano (Juventus), Paolo Maldini (AC Milan), Marco Materazzi (Inter Milan), Alessandro Nesta (Lazio), Christian Panucci (AS Roma).


Midfielders: Francesco Coco (Barcelona), Luigi Di Biagio (Inter Milan), Angelo Di Livio (Fiorentina), Cristiano Doni (Atalanta), Gennaro Gattuso (AC Milan), Damiano Tommasi (AS Roma), Francesco Totti (AS Roma), Gianluca Zambrotta (Juventus), Cristiano Zanetti (Inter Milan).


Forwards: Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus), Marco Delvecchio (AS Roma), Filippo Inzaghi (AC Milan), Vincenzo Montella (AS Roma), Christian Vieri (Inter Milan).

 

[Andy]

About The Coaches!!!

About The Coaches!!!

One thing that I will never understand is how are the Coaches thinking, seem like most International Coach (Soccer) are too ignorance, hard-head and stubborn. It happened alot in Soccer, especially between the Super Stars and the Coaches.

Happened before with Gullit (not sure if I spell his name right) from Holland, his career with Holland National Team ended early because of some dis-agreement between him and the Coach at that time.

Happened to Roberto Baggio back in Europe 96 , when Sachi didn't take with the team , and Italy was dis-qualify in the first round.

Glad to see Caniggia back with Argentina, he was in the prime back in USA 94 , missed the France 98 due to Injuried.

Disappointed for not seeing Romario (Brazil) and Baggio in this coming World Cup.

 

[Anders]

SOCCER-WORLD-FRANCE (SPORTS FEATURE)
FRANCE MUST ANSWER CASE FOR THE DEFENCE
Paris, May 7 Reuters - The World Cup could mark the end of one era and the start of another for an ageing France side that hopes to emulate Brazil and Italy by retaining the trophy.
Although they appear stronger overall than four years ago, especially in attack, the French may have some concerns about their defence in South Korea and Japan.
In 1998, the team coached by coach Aime Jacquet lifted the World Cup on home soil thanks in large part to an outstanding back line that conceded just two goals -- one of which was a penalty -- in seven matches.
With Fabien Barthez as goalkeeper, Laurent Blanc and Marcel Desailly in the centre and Lilian Thuram and Bixente Lizarazu on the flanks, few sides were capable of penetrating their rearguard.
But since Blanc called time on his international career, things have changed.
Olympique Marseille's Frank Leboeuf, who played in the 1998 final, has failed to prove he is the ideal replacement.
Even if the players are now much more experienced and seem to have retained much of their pace, the French defence is getting old, with an average age above 32.
For the first time in a decade, France suffered three defeats in a single year in 2001, losing to Spain, Australia and Chile.
To some extent, France are victims of their own success. As holders they did not have to qualify for South Korea and Japan 2002.
``It's always tough to keep your motivation at the top when you have only friendly matches to play,'' said captain Marcel Desailly, now 33.
Desailly's Chelsea team mate, Emmanuel Petit, added: ``Sometimes we find it hard to focus on a match.
``But we are professionals. We know what we have to do. We must not get confused and mistaken. Nobody really minds losing a friendly. What we must be is ready when the World Cup starts.''
The 2002 tournament could well be the last major tournament for many of the established players, who will be well into their 30s by the time of Euro 2004 -- providing they qualify for the finals in Portugal.
Leboeuf, Desailly, Lizarazu, Petit, Alain Boghossian, Youri Djorkaeff and even Lizarazu and Barthez could be contemplating retirement.
``We are not too old,'' insisted Petit. ``We are experienced. We have been professionals for 10 or 12 years and every one of us knows himself perfectly well. It can be a great advantage in an international event.''
Coach Roger Lemerre, who took over from Jacquet in 1998, has tried to prepare for the future, picking younger players such as Manchester United's Mickael Silvestre, Philippe Christanval of Barcelona, Bayern Munich right-back Willy Sagnol and Nantes goalkeeper Mickael Landreau.
During the 2001 Confederations Cup and in the friendly internationals, these players proved reliable, even if they still lack experience and for them, the 2002 World Cup finals will be the acid test.
In attack, though, France are spoilt for choice.
During Euro 2000, France scored 13 goals in six games and always found the net at least twice in each match.
Arsenal's Thierry Henry, David Trezeguet of Juventus and Liverpool striker Nicolas Anelka have proved themselves world-class performers.
Media reports, though, have said that Lemerre, who is expected to announce his squad on May 18, has already told Anelka that he will not be picked.
Brilliant young AJ Auxerre striker Djibril Cisse has been knocking on the door and Lemerre has invited him to a training camp this week.
Cisse, 20, is still very raw but Lemerre will remember that Jacquet did not hesitate in launching both Henry and Trezeguet on to the world stage at the same age in 1998.
Over the last two years France have confirmed that they can score goals at any time in a match.
They can recover from two goals down to win, just as they did in beating Slovenia 3-2 in April 2000. Or they can simply crush their opponents, as they did highly-rated Portugal in a 4-0 demolition at the Stade de France last year.
France's midfield is just as impressive as their attack.
Arsenal's Patrick Vieira and Sylvain Wiltord, former Arsenal midfielder Petit, Boghossian and Djorkaeff -- to name but a few --are all players of proven quality.
Injury has already ruled out another Arsenal player, Robert Pires, and Christian Karembeu of Olympiakos.
The jewel in the France side remains playmaker Zinedine Zidane, the world's most expensive player and the potential star of the 2002 tournament.
Scorer of two goals in the 1998 final, Real Madrid's mesmerising ball wizard turns 29 next month, when he should be at the peak of his goal-creating powers.
Assuming they top group A as expected after matches against Senegal, Uruguay and Denmark, France could face either England or Argentina in a difficult second round encounter.
By then it will be clear if Lemerre's ageing rearguard is still up to the job.

 

[Anders]

SOCCER-WORLD-URUGUAY
PUA CALLS DANIEL FONSECA INTO URUGUAY SQUAD
Montevideo, Uruguay, May 7 AP - Uruguay soccer coach Victo Pua named veteran midfielder Daniel Fonseca in a 27-man squad for a series of friendlies in the coming two weeks.
Fonseca, who is currently playing at Uruguay's Nacional after a decade in Europe, last turned out for the national team in 1997. On his return to Uruguay in February, he made it clear he hoped to make it into the national team, but since he was not playing regularly for Nacional, that had seemed unlikely.
Nonetheless, Pua said he thought Fonseca deserved a chance to ``prove his worth'' and force himself onto the final list of 23 players that will go to the World Cup finals.
If he makes it, this will be Fonseca's second World Cup. He played twice in the 1990 finals, the last time Uruguay qualified.
Pua and his squad travel to Washington on Tuesday, ahead of a friendly with the United States on Sunday. They will then head to the Far East to play China on May 16 in Shenyang, before facing Singapore on May 21.
Pua is expected to announce the final World Cup squad after the Singapore game.
Among the other players named by Pua were Manchester United's Diego Forlan, Alvaro Recoba of Internazionale and Paolo Montero of Juventus.
There was also a recall for Sevilla's Nicolas Oliveira, who had been left out of the side for several recent matches.
Uruguay, twice world champions, face France, Denmark and Singapore in the World Cup group stages.
Goalkeepers: Fabian Carini (Juventus, Italy), Federico Elduayen (Penarol), Gustavo Munua (Nacional).
Defenders: Joe Bizera (Penarol), Alejandro Lembo (Nacional), Gustavo Mendez (Nacional), Paolo Montero (Juventus, Italy), Dario Rodriguez (Penarol), Gonzalo Sorondo (Internazionale, Italy).
Midfielders: Gonzalo De los Santos (Valencia, Spain), Sebastian Eguren (Montevideo Wanderers), Daniel Fonseca (Nacional), Pablo Garcia (Venezia, Italia), Gianni Guigou (AS Roma, Italy), Fabian O'Neill (Perugia, Italy), Nicolas Olivera (Sevilla, Spain), Ruben Olivera (Danubio), Diego Perez (Defensor Sporting), Alvaro Recoba (Internazionale, Italy), Marcelo Romero (Malaga-Spain), Gustavo Varela (Nacional).
Strikers: Sebastian Abreu (Cruz Azul, Mexico), Diego Forlan (Manchester United, England), Federico Magallanes (Venezia, Italy), Richard Morales (Nacional), Mario Regueiro (Racing de Santander, Spain), Dario Silva (Malaga, Spain)
SOCCER-WORLD-IRELAND-QUINN
IRELAND TEAM COULD BE BEST YET, SAYS QUINN
Dublin, May 7 Reuters - Niall Quinn, the Republic of Ireland's leading all-time goalscorer, believes the World Cup finals will see the team take its international standing to a new level.
The Sunderland striker was among the 23-man squad named on Tuesday by coach Mick McCarthy.
Quinn, who last year broke Frank Stapleton's record of 20 international goals, is optimistic that Ireland's third World Cup campaign will be their most successful.
The Irish reached the quarter-finals at Italia 90 and the last 16 in the United States four years later, but failed to qualify for France 98.
``There is definitely a more professional belief and approach to what we do now,'' the 35-year-old told Reuters.
``In 1990, and to some extent 1994, there were only a few experienced players who had been there and done it at the highest level.
``The rest of us were almost giddy because we were going into the unknown. What is different about this squad is that there is absolutely no fear and the players are saying 'bring it on because I want to play and be a star'.
``These lads want to take it a step further - not only in the World Cup but also cutting a dash in the next European Championships.''
Quinn is nearing the end of a long international career that has seen him earn 88 caps since making his debut against Iceland in 1986.
Sunderland's gruelling battle to avoid relegation from the English premier league has taken a toll on Quinn's frame, although he claims to be back at the peak of fitness.
``It's been a tough season for me, mentally as well as physically,'' he added. ``At my age I'm delighted to be playing regularly, but after Christmas I could hardly raise a gallop and didn't feel too great for a while.
``I've come around again and got myself into the right condition now and I feel great.
``I'm not out there to have a laugh and a swansong -- I'm out there to do a very important job.
``My aim is to be ready for the manager so that if, at any time, he needs to change the Robbie Keane/Damien Duff forward line or the way we play, he can do that.
``Half of me hopes that that won't be the case, but if it is I need to know I am ready.''
Reuters cw
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[Anders]

SOCCER-WORLD-FRANCE
NO ROOM FOR ANELKA IN FRENCH SQUAD
Paris, May 7, Reuters - France's squad of 23 for the World Cup was revealed today when manager Roger Lemerre called 13 more players to a training camp next week at France's soccer national centre at Clairefontaine.
Lemerre stopped short of officially announcing the squad who will travel to South Korea and Japan at the end of the month, but the 13 have been added to eight players currently preparing at altitude in the French Alps.
The full list of 23 will be completed by Real Madrid's Zinedine Zidane and Claude Makelele, both certain to make it to the World Cup.
Both are on club duty with Real, who will meet Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League final.
The list of 23 had circulated in the French media for over a week after players, who had been told by Lemerre they were not picked, had talked to the media.
Liverpool striker Nicolas Anelka will miss the World Cup for the second time after being a last minute dropout in 1998.
He has been replaced by in-form AJ Auxerre striker Djibril Cisse, the leading scorer in the French first division this season with 22 goals.
With Anelka being even more reluctant to talk to the press than Lemerre, news that he had been overlooked has not yet been confirmed officially.
Fulham striker Steve Marlet, injured Olympiakos midfielder Christian Karembeu, whose place goes to Bayern's Willy Sagnol, and Olympique Lyon playmaker Eric Carriere were the other players left out.
French squad:-
Goalkeepers: Fabien Barthez (Manchester United), Gregory Coupet (Olympique Lyon), Ulrich Rame (Girondins Bordeaux)
Defenders: Vincent Candela (Roma), Philippe Christanval (Barcelona), Marcel Desailly (Chelsea), Christophe Dugarry (Girondins Bordeaux), Franck Leboeuf (Olympique Marseille), Bixente Lizarazu (Bayern Munich), Willy Sagnol (Bayern Munich), Mikael Silvestre (Manchester United), Lilian Thuram (Juventus)
Midfielders: Alain Boghossian (Parma), Claude Makelele (Real Madrid), Johan Micoud (Parma), Emmanuel Petit (Chelsea), Patrick Vieira (Arsenal), Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid)
Strikers: Djibril Cisse (AJ Auxerre), Youri Djorkaeff (Bolton Wanderers), Thierry Henry (Arsenal), David Trezeguet (Juventus), Sylvain Wiltord (Arsenal).

 

[Anders]

SOCCER-WORLD-SAUDI (SPORTS FEATURE)
GULF PRIDE RESTS WITH SAUDI ARABIA
Riyadh, May 8 Reuters - Flamboyance and flair may not be their usual brand of soccer but the Saudi Arabian team has been calling the shots on the Gulf circuit with their uncanny ability to combine courage with confidence.
The team did the Arab world proud by making it to the World Cup finals for a third consecutive appearance unmatched by any Arab country.
Their victory in the Gulf Cup early this year further cemented their credentials as the number one team in the region.
Now expectations are running high that Saudi Arabia will be able to put on an extraordinary performance in the finals to convince the world and FIFA president Sepp Blatter that Asia has the talent to deserve an extra World Cup place.
In addition to the hosts, Asia will be represented by Saudi Arabia and China in the finals.
``Much is expected of the Asian teams, who are playing at home. How they do will influence the allocation of places for the 2006 World Cup in Germany,'' Blatter announced in a thinly-veiled warning to the continent's teams.
Saudi Arabia made their mark on the finals in their debut appearance in the United States in 1994 when they upset the form book and became the first Asian team to reach the second round since North Korea's stunning feat in England in 1966.
They were knocked out by Sweden in the second round but the Saudi team are still remembered for the magic of Saeed Owairan.
The 26-year-old striker collected the ball midway inside his own half and turned swiftly to beat the entire Belgium defence in a stunning solo effort which has become part of not only the region's, but the World Cup's, folklore.
The Saudis failed to produce a similar goal -- and performance -- four years later in France, making an early exit when they lost to Denmark and eventual winners France.
Their last group match against South Africa, however, salvaged them a point and a bit of pride.
The Saudis once again carry the hopes of the Arab Gulf on their shoulders in this year's group E, against Ireland, Cameroon and Germany.
A training camp squad of 29, named on Saturday, will be reduced to 23 before the finals start on May 31.
Saudi Arabia had to endure a long and winding road before booking a direct place in the World Cup finals.
With help from neighbouring Bahrain, the Saudi team finished with 17 points, two ahead of their main rivals Iran in Asian group A.
On the final day of qualifiers, Bahrain beat Iran 3-1, leaving the Saudis with the easy task of beating bottom-placed Thailand 4-1.
Saudi Arabia's start to their World Cup campaign, however, was unremarkable. They drew with Bahrain and then lost to Iran in Tehran and their lackadaisical performance earned coach Slobodan Santrac the sack.
Assistant coach Nasser al-Johar took over and guided the team to the top of the table. Johar, the former captain of al Nasr Club, has been retained for the World Cup finals.
The return of Nawaf al-Temyat, who missed the team's World Cup qualifying matches due to injury, will add an extra zip to the team.
Most of the players shortlisted for the team are young but veterans such as midfielder Sami al-Jaber and goalkeeper Mohammed al-Daeyea possess enough experience to turn the heat on opponents. Reuters
Reuters hc
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SOCCER-WORLD-DENMARK (SPORTS FEATURE)
REBORN DENMARK OUT TO MAKE THEIR MARK
Copenhagen, May 8 Reuters - Denmark's soccer renaissance can be directly attributed to coach Morten Olsen, who has remoulded the national squad into a stylish, flexible, attacking team.
Olsen, a former Denmark defender who took charge after Euro 2000, has taken Denmark to an impressive 10 wins and five draws in 16 matches. The one loss was to world and European champions France in a friendly last August.
The retirement early in the World Cup qualification campaign of veteran Peter Schmeichel, one of Europe's best goalkeepers throughout the 1990s, was the most visible change in a process that has given Denmark a new look.
Led by Schmeichel and the fluid, unpredictable artistry of brothers Michael and Brian Laudrup, the Denmark of old impressed the soccer world in their 3-2 quarter-final defeat by Brazil in the 1998 World Cup finals in France.
The 1992 European champions also qualified for Euro 2000 but an ageing squad under Swedish coach Bo Johansson lacked spark and spirit and put in a miserable performance by failing to win a single match, or even score a goal.
But the tide has turned with the recruitment of Olsen to replace Johansson.
To the surprise of many, Denmark remained unbeaten and won European group three in the World Cup qualifiers on 22 points from six wins and four draws in their 10 matches, leaving strong East European teams such as the Czech Republic and Bulgaria, as well as Iceland, Northern Ireland and Malta, trailing.
Denmark's goal tally -- bolstered by a 6-0 humiliation of Iceland and a 5-0 drubbing of Malta -- was 22-6, suggesting offensive as well as defensive qualities galore.
Their campaign's high point was a 2-1 win against the Czechs on June 2. Schalke striker Ebbe Sand and Feyenoord forward Jon Dahl Tomasson -- the Danes' obvious first-choice pair up front -- picked up one goal apiece to put Denmark on track for the World Cup finals.
``Denmark have been transformed into a much better team while we are treading water,'' lamented a Czech newspaper.
Together, Sand and Tomasson scored 13 of Denmark's 22 World Cup European qualification group three goals.
``Unlike previous Danish teams, Olsen's squad all think offensive regardless of their position,'' respected television and radio commentator Jens Joergen Brinch told Reuters.
``He insists on technically brilliant, forward-moving, flexible players. Attacking wingers are his trademark.''
Olsen replaced predecessor Johansson's solid but staid 4-4-2 system with a more aggressive 4-3-3 formation.
His aggressive tactics focus on wingers and the new generation includes technically skilled and imaginative dribblers such as Martin Jorgensen of Italian Serie A Udinese and English premier league Chelsea's Jesper Gronkjaer.
In defence, Rene Henriksen of Greek Panathinaikos guarantees a solid performance while in central midfield, English league duo Thomas Gravesen of Everton and Stig Tofting of Bolton have built up a close co-operation, anchoring Denmark's defence and attack.
Thomas Sorensen of Sunderland has taken over from Schmeichel in goal and Denmark have been none the worse off for that.
In the World Cup in Japan and South Korea, Denmark are drawn with France, Uruguay and Senegal, a group labelled by Danish experts as easy enough for Denmark to advance at least as far as they did in their two previous appearances.
``Denmark reached the last 16 in 1986 and the last eight 12 years later. Now with Morten Olsen as coach there is no reason why they should not be able do just as well again,'' Brinch said. Reuters hc

 

[Anders]

SOCCER-WORLD-ARGENTINA (SPORTS FEATURE)
ARGENTINA HEAD SOUTH AMERICAN CHALLENGE
Buenos Aires, May 8 Reuters - For once Argentina, rather than four-times champions Brazil, lead South America's challenge at the soccer World Cup. Despite being drawn in the toughest group they are favourites to win a third title.
The national team remain untouched by the situation at home, where football violence and the country's economic troubles have plunged Argentine domestic soccer into an unprecedented crisis.
Argentina swept through the marathon South American qualifying competition with 13 wins in 18 games and are unbeaten in their last 14 outings -- a record which goes back to July 2000 when they lost 3-1 to Brazil.
Marcelo Bielsa's team played the same fluent, attacking football whether they were in the tropical heat of Venezuela's oil capital Maracaibo, the thin air of Andean cities such as La Paz, the hostile surroundings of Paraguay's Defenders of the Chaco stadium or at home in Buenos Aires.
A midfield inspired by Juan Sebastian Veron, one of the world's most complete footballers, and the snarling and seasoned Diego Simeone provides the ammunition for a lethal attack headed by Lazio's Hernan Crespo, scorer of nine of their 42 goals in the qualifiers. Simeone was out of action for six months this season with a knee ligament injury.
Bielsa's biggest problem may be deciding which of strikers Crespo and Gabriel Batistuta to omit.
Bielsa appears to be convinced that the pair, two of the world's best strikers, are incompatible and that one will have to take an unfamiliar place on the substitutes' bench.
Batistuta, who says he will quit the national team after the World Cup, began the qualifiers as first choice but, after suffering a knee injury, lost his place to Crespo and was then unable to win it back.
The uncertainty is likely to continue until the start of the competition.
Batistuta has had an off-colour season with AS Roma and was not helped by a thigh injury which sidelined him for a month late last year.
The Argentines are nearly all experienced campaigners based with major European clubs, so much so that locally based players such as Boca Juniors' sublimely gifted midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme have not even been able to force their way into the national team.
On Monday, veteran striker Claudio Caniggia was named in an initial squad of 12 provided he recovers fully from an knee injury sustained during the Scottish Cup final on Sunday.
There was no place, however, for Bologna striker Julio Cruz who is unlikely to make the 23-man squad even if Caniggia fails to regain full fitness with Barcelona's Javier Saviola waiting in the wings.
Eleven individuals do not make a team and one of Bielsa's most important attributes is to have found his team base and stuck by it, instilling a close-knit atmosphere that would be the envy of many club sides.
Their unity will be needed from the start in the Far East when they tackle old foes England, Sweden and Nigeria in a daunting group F.
The fact that the vast majority of Argentina's team are based abroad has meant they have been little affected by the strife in their own country.
Like all walks of life, football has been affected by Argentina's political and economic crisis.
Players twice went on strike last year, saying clubs owed them millions in unpaid wages and bonuses. The Argentine Football Association has admitted it owes money to Bielsa, who said on Monday that he had never considered resigning.
This year, five people have been killed in soccer-related violence and in early March the government considered suspending the championship if the situation did not improve.
On the plus side, Argentina, who won the World Cup in 1978 and 1986, appeared to have discarded the more unpleasant side of their game.
The infamous quarter-final against England in 1966, Diego Maradona's Hand of God goal 20 years later and a tendency for violence and gamesmanship have often made them hugely unpopular with neutrals in the past.
When they hosted and won the competition in 1978, it was under the dark shadow of one of South America's most notorious military dictatorships.
In 1990, they became the first team to have two players sent off in a World Cup final and four years later the team was rocked by the Maradona doping scandal.
Times have changed.
Apart from the theatricals of Ariel Ortega and the menacing presence of Simeone, a player who seems instinctively to know how much he can get away with without being sent off, Argentina are no worse than any other modern, professional team.
They even picked up the Fair Play trophies at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and the 2001 World Youth championships, which the country hosted and won in great style.
Reuters hc
NZP

 

[Anders]

SOCCER-WORLD-BRAZIL (SPORTS FEATURE)
WORLD-CRUNCHING TACKLES REPLACE BRAZILIAN SKILL
By Brian Homewood of Reuters
Rio De Janeiro, May 8 Reuters - Brazil's exuberant attacking play has illuminated past soccer World Cups.
But now the unique skills of players such as Pele, Garrincha, Leonidas, Rivelino, Zico and Socrates have been replaced by the bone-crunching tackles of a new breed of midfield aggressors.
In the past decade, Brazilian football has become among the most violent in the world with an astonishing average of around 55 fouls a game in domestic matches.
The disease has spread to the national team, who are now under the command of Luiz Felipe Scolari, a man who publicly encourages his players to foul the opposition and chastises them for insufficient time-wasting.
The supply of creative players has dried up, so much so that Romario, who spearheaded Brazil's 1994 World Cup-winning campaign, is regarded as the country's most gifted player at the age of 36.
However, despite a tearful appeal to Scolari and widespread public support, Romario was still omitted from the Brazil squad announced on Monday.
Scolari, hassled by angry fans in the centre of Rio de Janeiro, said his decision was final.
Throw in scandal and chaos off the field and Brazil, the only country to have taken part in all 17 World Cups, will be going into the 2002 tournament at one of the lowest ebbs in history.
Although they are automatically included among the favourites, it would need a dramatic transformation for them to claim a record fifth title.
They spluttered through the qualifiers, losing six times in 18 matches to finish one point behind modest Ecuador and a massive 13 behind their arch-rivals Argentina.
Brazil failed to settle on a team, using four coaches and 59 players in a campaign which included humiliating defeats against Ecuador, Chile, Bolivia and Paraguay -- teams which Brazil's strikers used for shooting practice in the past.
In between, they flopped dramatically at the Confederations Cup, winning one of five matches and bowing out with a defeat to Australia in the third-place play-off. They were eliminated by Honduras in the Copa America.
The team's demise has coincided with striker Ronaldo's two-year injury lay-off.
The Inter Milan player last year reappeared after two knee operations kept him out of action for two years but was then hit by three muscular injuries in quick succession.
The third struck on December 23 and Ronaldo's return to action was delayed until mid-April. He struck form at just the right time, with four goals in as many games for Inter, but was left in tears when a shock 4-2 defeat to Lazio on Sunday denied him his first Italian title.
``My legs are fine now,'' he said before the Lazio match. ``I have the strength inside me and and I have a real desire to make up for that lost time.''
Scolari has also decided to persist with Rivaldo, despite recent injury problems and the fact that he looks a lethargic, ponderous shadow of his Barcelona self when playing for his country.
The chaotic goings-on in the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) have not helped the team.
During the qualifiers, the CBF lost count of the number of yellow cards its players had picked up, called up players who were already injured and kept getting confused over FIFA regulations on the release of players by European clubs.
Domestic football is in a shambolic state with a plethora of incomprehensible tournaments, plummeting attendances and an exodus of the top players abroad.
The outcry was so great that two Congressional commissions of inquiry were set up last year to investigate suspected maladministration and corruption in the sport.
Both said they found evidence of chronic maladministration and misuse of funds, often for political purposes, by the CBF.
CBF president Ricardo Teixeira was among 17 leading officials accused of a variety of crimes.
The commission of inquiry in the Senate accused Teixeira of ``negligent administration'' and of living in luxury at the CBF's expense. So far, Teixeira has survived mounting pressure to resign and was given a vote of confidence in January by a CBF assembly.
Meanwhile, the national team's problems continue.
Scolari's preparations suffered another setback in February when the CBF decided not to play on the date allocated by FIFA for international friendlies because it coincided with Carnival.
Instead, Brazil arranged a home match against Iceland on a March date which had not been approved for FIFA, meaning that both countries had to field reserve teams and rendering the fixture useless.
Scolari, who also omitted midfielder Djalminha after he head-butted his coach at Deportivo Coruna last week, has no illusions about his fate if Brazil perform poorly. The Brazilians have been grouped with Turkey, Costa Rica and China in group C.
``If I don't win, I'm dead meat,'' he said. ``My duty is to win. We don't have a second-place culture in this country.''
Reuters hc
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[Anders]

SOCCER-WORLD-GERMANY
GERMANY RELIEVED JUST TO MAKE FINALS
By Patrick Vignal of Reuters
Berlin, May 8 Reuters - Scorelines from Germany's most recent outings suggest they should be regarded as among the soccer World Cup favourites. Little else does.
The three-times world champions made the finals with a 5-2 aggregate demolition of Ukraine in the playoffs last November and went on to thrash Israel 7-1 in a friendly in February followed by a 4-2 win over the United States.
But the relief after the Ukraine games and the goal spree against Israel have not masked concerns that the troubled heavyweights of Europe nearly missed out on the World Cup for the first time since 1950.
A goalless draw with Finland following England's memorable 5-1 win in Munich left them teetering on the edge of elimination.
Monaco striker and former captain Oliver Bierhoff, who has passed the armband over to goalkeeper Oliver Kahn and is now fighting for a place in the starting line-up, provides a symbol of the country's soccer decline since they won the 1996 European championship.
Their downfall started immediately after their 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic in the Wembley final in which Bierhoff won hero status by scoring both goals including the golden-goal winner.
Two years later, they disappeared from the World Cup finals in France in the quarter-finals, just as they had done in 1994 in the United States.
Then came Euro 2000 and a shock first-round exit after their worst overall performance at a major tournament.
Coach Rudi Voeller, who took over from Erich Ribbeck in the wake of that failure, restored hope when, at the end of August, Germany led their World Cup qualifying group and appeared to be cruising to the finals.
But at the start of September they were crushed 5-1 by England -- their worst home defeat in 70 years and only the second time they had lost a World Cup qualifier.
They were given a second chance as England could only draw with Greece, meaning a victory over Finland would have secured Germany an automatic ticket to the World Cup.
But they failed again, waking up only after a sluggish first half to waste a handful of great chances before walking off to boos from a frustrated crowd.
``Too stupid for the World Cup,'' screamed a headline in top-selling daily Bild the following morning.
``Our national team have no heart, no self-confidence, no courage, no cleverness and no creativity,'' said former Germany midfielder Guenter Netzer, now a respected columnist.
The victory over Ukraine in the playoffs then came to lift spirits and Kahn said afterwards that he believed it had heralded a new era of success.
``I think we have great times ahead of us,'' said the talismanic figure of Bayern Munich, the current European champions. ``I've always said that we needed a spark that would push us up to a higher level. Hopefully, that was it.''
Voeller can only hope that his new captain's words will ring true on the pitches of South Korea and Japan.
The former World Cup striker is facing a huge task as replacements for a brilliant generation of players led by Lothar Matthaeus and Juergen Klinsmann are hard to find.
The fact that Ribbeck controversially called back the ageing Matthaeus for Euro 2000 illustrated the cruel lack of young talent in a country so used to success that it has neglected schooling.
But this time Voeller does have younger gifted players at his disposal, most notably midfielders Sebastian Deisler and Michael Ballack.
Hertha Berlin's Deisler and Bayer Leverkusen's Ballack, who are both about to join Bayern Munich, seem to be living up to their great potential at last and are now offered the perfect stage on which to break through.
Deisler, 22, was named in the final squad on Monday despite doubts over his fitness. After recovering from knee surgery he tore a thigh muscle in training and did not return to action until last Saturday.
Ballack, 25, has been instrumental in Leverkusen's progression to the Champions League final against Real Madrid.
Both men are modern players aware that creativity and skills are more precious in today's game than pure physical challenge and hold the key to a proud nation's footballing future.
If they fail to shine, Germany might still have a reasonably good World Cup. If they hit form, Germany can have a great one. Reuters hc
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[TIME TO MAKE $$$]

Group D-USA


Ambitious outsiders

After their last place finish in the 1998 FIFA World Cup?, the United States needed an infusion of youth. The country turned to Manager Bruce Arena, the most successful coach in the US soccer. Arena has won everything from college to MLS titles and even earned a cap for the USA as a goalkeeper.
Arena started to bring in players from all over the world, and since taking over the managerial reins has given over 20 players their first cap. The team can alternate between a 4-4-2 and a 3-5-2 formation, depending on their opponent, but with a flagrant lack of speed in the back line it is becoming more apparent that the USA will need to stick to a flat back four.

The team has traditionally been strong defensively, bolstered by two proficient goalkeepers in Kasey Keller and Brad Friedel, and to complement this, the red, white, and blue has finally found some consistent midfield and forward play. This improvement is in no small way due to midfielder and captain Claudio Reyna and winger Earnie Stewart - the US' leading scorer in the qualifiers with eight goals. Both ply their trade in Europe, Reyna with Glasgow Rangers and Stewart with Netherlands outfit NAC Breda. ying for the USA with 9 goals.

Significant past players:



Ricky Davis, John Harkes, Bart McGhee, Bert Patenaude

Achievements:

-- Semi-final 1930 FIFA World Cup Uruguay
-- Champion 1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup
-- Runner-up 1993 CONCACAF Gold Cup
-- 3rd 1999 FIFA Confederations' Cup Mexico

 

[TIME TO MAKE $$$]

Group D- Portugal


Golden generation" blaze trail to FIFA World Cup?

Never has the popular Portuguese phrase, "Third time is the right time," been so applicable to football. After twice before making it to the FIFA World Cup finals, Portugal have managed to go through to their third, the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan, with realistic hopes of achieving new heights in the world competition.

Portugal's "golden generation," which features the likes of Real Madrid's Luis Figo and AC Milan's Rui Costa, will carry the flag, fully prepared for the biggest test of their lives. Many of the players that compose the national side were part of the teams that won two FIFA World Youth Championships (Saudi Arabia 1989 and Portugal 1991). In addition, many were runners-up in the UEFA Under-21 Championship in 1994, and some reached the fourth position in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.

This is the sixth time overall that Portugal will enter a major competition. Twice beaten semi-finalists of the UEFA European Championship, they also reached a more than creditable third place in the FIFA World Cup England 1966.

With Figo, whom many consider to be the best player in the world, leading the way, the Portuguese may be on their way to overcoming their tag of purveyors of beautiful football without ever getting results. As coach Antonio Oliveira said when he accepted the position, "We have to be the first, instead of being the best."

Significant past players:

Fernando Gomes, Paulo Futre, Jordao, Eusebio

Achievements:

-- 3rd 1966 FIFA World Cup? England
-- 3rd UEFA European Championship France 1984
-- 3rd UEFA European Championship Belgium - The Netherlands 2000

 

[TIME TO MAKE $$$]

Coaches Remarks

Korea Republic (KOR)

Coach: Guus Hiddink
There is no weak opponent here. Poland is one of the countries that qualified rather easily from Europe. Many people are going in thinking that Poland is one of the easier teams to beat, but that is totally wrong. Expectations are high but we know that we will have to bridge a gap in performance. I am realistic about the outcome ? Korean football is not a world power? Nevertheless I am very enthusiastic about our prospects ? the team has great potential, but we have to prepare and we will prepare very well.





Poland (POL)

Coach: Jerzy Engel
Poland has nothing to lose in this World Cup. Anything is possible in the hunt for second place. I have every confidence in my young team which scored 21 goals in qualification. Korea Republic will start the competition off strongly ? they are technically gifted and tough at the back. Portugal has a very good team and a lethal weapon by the name of Luis Figo. He can score, pass the ball - he can do everything. I remember how well he played against England at EURO 2000.





USA (USA)

Coach: Bruce Arena
It's certainly difficult playing a host country, which we'll have to do in our second game. I am not familiar with the Korean team, but we have the opportunity to play them twice in the next month. Poland had a very good run in qualifiers. Portugal have a great group of attacking players. I voted for Luis Figo for FIFA World Player of the Year and Rui Costa is an outstanding playmaker. Obviously they are strong in many positions.




Portugal (POR)

Coach: Antonio Oliveira
No matter how it looks to others, this is not an easy group. You have to remember that Korea are playing at home and that is always an advantage. We?ve never played South Korea - we?ve only once played North Korea in 1966. Our generation has a very good memory of that match, when Eusebio scored five goals to lead us to victory.

 

[Monarch]

DYER FACING WORLD CUP KO
By Mark Bradley, PA Sport Chief Soccer Writer

On Sunday Kieron Dyer was on the brink of being ruled out of Sven-Goran Eriksson's England World Cup squad.

The England coach claims the Newcastle midfielder is "almost for sure" ruled out because of the knee ligament injury he picked up against Southampton on Saturday.

He faces at least four weeks recuperation and Eriksson has been forced to put West Ham winger Trevor Sinclair on standby.

There was more bad news for England when Eriksson also revealed Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard may need an operation on his groin injury after limping off during the season-ending match against Ipswich.

Gerrard will see a doctor in Belgium but Eriksson remains hopeful he could then link up with the England party, who leave for Dubai on Monday to begin their World Cup preparations, on Wednesday.




A visibly deflated Eriksson revealed had been Dyer "absolutely destroyed" by the news, and that Liverpool's Danny Murphy had been called into the squad after initially being placed on standby.

The Swede confirmed: "(Dyer) is not good at all, he is almost for sure out.

"The doctor said it will take at least four weeks before he can practise, so we have called in Danny Murphy to come with us. On standby we have Trevor Sinclair.

"I have talked to him for half an hour and we will decide whether he comes with us or not.

"If there is a miracle I might think about (taking Dyer). Almost for sure he will not."

He added: "I feel very sorry for Dyer - he has been extremely unlucky. What happened was not a muscle problem but a bad tackle and that happens in football.

"He is absolutely destroyed. It's a knee ligament problem, and even if everything goes 100% well it can take at least four weeks to recover."

Eriksson added he was not optimistic he would be able to take Gerrard, who may now need surgery on his injured groin.

He said: "Steven Gerrard is not coming with us tomorrow. So that means that Beckham has some problems, Butt some problems, Dyer almost for sure out, and Gerrard some problems.

"But we will have to wait on Steven, but I spoke to doctors today and they were not optimistic at all.

"This Sunday has not started well at all."




Eriksson admitted he felt England's current injury troubles were "unlucky" but remained optimistic.

He said: "It's unlucky that today we got both those problems the day before we are leaving. Of course it's not good but it's football and things like that happen occasionally.

"I know that we might play without two very good footballers, three with Gary Neville as well, but we have a lot of good players and I go there optimistic.

"With Steven Gerrard I thought it was nothing but they phoned me from Liverpool and told me it was much worse than I thought."

The Swede expects the forthcoming trip to Dubai to give his players the chance to rest both mentally and physically.

He added: "In Dubai it's going to be very hot. You come together, working a little, some of them resting depending on how tired they are.

"There will be a little bit of social life which I think they need after a very long season. I think it will do good for the muscles and the brain and then we are ready. We have to do a lot of preparation."

Eriksson also welcomed plans by world governing body FIFA to clamp down on diving and tackles from behind in the finals in Japan and Korea.

"The big thing in this World Cup will be cheating, diving," he said. "It's good for me to know it will be punished - that's a big thing from FIFA. I think diving has always been a problem.

"Of course FIFA will also be very hard on tackles from behind and I agree with that 100%, a lot of injuries come from that."