Brazil seeking UN help in World Cup preparations

SAO PAULO (AP) -- World Cup organizers in Brazil say they have signed a $17 million deal with the United Nations to help host the tournament.

Claudio Monteiro, the head of World Cup preparations in Brasilia, says the capital's organizing committee signed the deal with the U.N. Development Program this week.

The U.N. will provide temporary structures outside the stadium to house support services and provide some security services.

Monteiro says the U.N. has expertise in hosting big events. Local organizers in Brazil have been under pressure from FIFA and others because of delays in preparations and construction of stadiums.

from : 

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/brazil-seeking-un-help-world-175302869--sow.html

Ramirez rejects Tottenham star Bologna

news about football probably According to the Uruguay international's representative, the Spurs are the only side to have made ​​a concrete offer although he did acknowledge there have been That talks with Liverpool.

Despite Ramirez's decision to reject a move to north London, Oscar Betancourt did keep the door open for a future switch, suggesting That the sale of Real Madrid target of Luka Modric Could fund a move.

"The only solid offer is the one from Tottenham, WHO Offered 16 million euros," Betancourt of toll Calciomercato. "But the deal did not go Because the Spurs Offered through a wage too low to the player and if the wage difference is minimal he would stay at Bologna.

"Their offer Tottenham Could raise if They sell Modric and in case the deal That Could be done, otherwise Ramirez will stay another year at Bologna. We also talked with Liverpool but nothing more.

"Inter? They are interested in the player, but can not afford a cash offer similar to the English clubs. Nerazzurri would wish to include some players in the deal, but only wants cash Bologna, also Because of the arrangement with Penarol [Ramirez's former club] WHO receive a percentage if the player is sold. "

and so from this news may be less comfortable yes because I lack experience about writing thank you for reading

Euro 2012 analysis: Peerless Pirlo exposes England

Andrea Pirlo's chipped spot-kick was the crowning glory during a sparkling performance as Italy beat England on penalties to secure a Euro 2012 semi-final against Germany.

Although the margin of victory was narrow, in the 120 minutes beforehand England were given a lesson in the value of possession by the 33-year-old Juventus midfielder.
With Roy Hodgson's side struggling to hold on to the ball for long periods of the game, they allowed Pirlo to dictate play and he showed all of his mastery of the ball to lift the ball over Joe Hart to help secure a 4-2 penalty shoot-out win.
It left the England team wishing they had a player of his ilk to help cure their problems retaining the ball under pressure. He showed England midfielders Steven Gerrard and Scott Parker that despite his age, he lacked none of the qualities needed to run a game at international level.

Italy's victory in numbers

• Pirlo was by far the game's leading passer with 131 passes. England's highest passer was Ashley Cole with 44
• 13 of Italy's 14 players used had a pass completion rate of 80% or above, while England had only five players in that category
• Italy had 39 shots to England's 13, with 12 shots on target to four
• According to Uefa, Pirlo ran 11.58 kilometres, more than any England player. Gerrard covered 11.26 km
• England managed only 2.75 shots on target per game in Euro 2012; only Ukraine, Greece & Republic of Ireland produced fewer
• England have only won one of eight penalty shoot-outs in all competitions
• Italy victory on penalties was the first time they have won via this method at the quarter-final stage of a major tournament 

FRom :
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18574269

UEFA shows shameful double standard

Quick question, what’s worse: racial abuse or guerrilla marketing?
If you guessed the latter, then congratulations! You work for UEFA.
On Monday, Europe’s governing body for soccer handed down a $130,000 punishment and a one-game suspension to Denmark’s Nicklas Bendtner. His offense? Slyly pulling up his shirt to reveal an unapproved sponsor message for an Irish betting firm during his goal celebration.
Bendtner — despite his protests to the contrary — knew exactly what he was doing. The bookmakers in question admitted as much today when they agreed to pay his fine and said it was “a little bit of fun.” As well they should — they got millions of dollars in free publicity and, as marketing campaigns go, it was a fabulous one. For his troubles, Bendtner apparently got nothing more than a free pair of boxers. He needs a better agent.
Stealth marketing is the bane of folks who run major tournaments. McDonald’s has a monopoly on Euro 2012, but competitors such as Burger King are attempting to crash the party. In this case, the fast-food giant’s billboards here in Poland cheekily replace their ubiquitous motif with the phrase: “Sorry, we can’t show our logo.” People do pay a great deal to be associated with tournaments like this, and they pay for exclusivity.
But when cracking down on a marketing campaign is more important than dealing with pernicious hatred, you know this game’s compass is broken, or at least the compass belonging to the people directing orders.
UEFA fined Russia only slightly more ($156,000) for an incident in which 30 of its fans assaulted four stewards at the team’s first game in Wroclaw. A six-point penalty for Euro 2016 qualifying was suspended — declawing it from the start. UEFA has handed out significantly smaller fines to clubs that saw sustained racial abuse of players during their tournaments. Worse, UEFA continues to abet serial offenders.
Astonishingly, Croatia was fined only $105,000 on Tuesday for the racist chants its fans directed at Italy during last week’s game in Poznan. This is the third time in four years Croatia has been sanctioned for such behavior — and the fine fell far short of the punishment the team’s own manager had called for.
Croatia manager Slaven Bilic told reporters this past weekend that he wanted to impose life bans on fans found guilty of such chanting. He went on to say, “We are angry at these few crazy supporters. . . . We have to put [in] sanctions and stop these kind of supporters forever."
UEFA has taken some strides, installing monitors from FARE (Football Against Racism in Europe) at every game and quickening their response time to displays of banners and racist chants. What it has not done is made teams actually take the punishments it hands out seriously.
Why would Croatia work to root out the perpetrators when it is clear a marketing campaign riles UEFA more than hatred from the stands? Why would Russia try to stamp out its hooligan problems when the big gun — being tossed out of a tournament — is kept in its holster?
There’s a reason for this, of course. Advertisers who pay for the tournament sit right next to the UEFA bigwigs that run it. Their complaints get heard first and loudest. Those of us who catalogue the abuse that has been hurled at players with different skin colors or religions are much farther away from the skyboxes and luxury suites. It’s another example of how corrosive money has become in this sport — and it should be one of the most worrying.
When a man is banned for displaying his underwear but a team is allowed to play on when its fans toss bananas at black players, something is seriously wrong. UEFA had an opportunity to take a stand against a problem that is poisoning the game. Instead, it chose to focus on what hurts its wallet.
There’s no other word to describe that choice than shameful.

Read More :
http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/eurocup/story/uefa-shows-shameful-double-standard-nicklas-bendtner-underwear-fine-denmark-racism-croatia-061912

Donovan headed back to Everton on loan

United States and LA Galaxy star attacker Landon Donovan is on the verge of securing a two-month return to Everton FC of the Barclays Premier League, the Liverpool-based club confirmed via their website on Thursday.
According to the club, an "agreement in principle" is in place for Donovan's second stint at Everton, his first coming during the winter of 2010.
Paperwork is still to be completed on a deal reached between Major League Soccer, LA Galaxy and Everton, one which parties had been working on in Liverpool over the last 72 hours. The agreement would have Donovan in England shortly after Christmas, returning to the MLS champions after the Toffees' February 25 match at rival Liverpool.
The first game for which Donovan would be eligible is January 4, when Everton faces Bolton Wanderers.
"I am delighted that we have managed to get Landon back," Everton manager David Moyes told the club website.  "He will give us some good experience over January and February."
"His season has just finished and like last time we need him to hit the ground running because the games come thick and fast at this time of year."
During his early 2010 loan spell with Everton, Donovan scored twice in 13 appearances, giving performances strong enough to garner interest from the club a year later. Donovan instead chose to rest in the winter of 2011, but after completing a championship-winning season in MLS, the four-time US Soccer Athlete of the Year has chosen to leave for a second stint in England.
"The opportunity to return to Everton and play for such a well-respected club and a manager that I hold in such high regard was something that was simply too good to pass up," Donovan told EvertonFC.com.
"I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Everton in 2010 and I'm hopeful that we can experience similar success this time around."

From :
http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/usa/story/landon-donovan-everton-loan-2011-2012-english-premier-league-121511

South America catching up to Brazil, Argentina?

Jorge Sampaoli’s Universidad de Chile extended their unbeaten run to an astonishing 35 matches last week as they beat LDU de Quito of Ecuador to lift the Copa Sudamericana, the club’s first ever continental crown. The final was, for only the second time in the competition’s 10-year history, notable in the absence of a finalist from either of South America’s traditional big hitters, Argentina and Brazil; with Velez Sarsfield (Argentina) and Vasco da Gama (Brazil) both having exited at the semi-final stage.
It has since been mooted that we may be seeing the beginnings of a power shift in South American football, with the gap between the big two and the rest decreasing. It’s an argument that’s tough to quantify, with each variable inherently leading us to another. Of the last 16 in this year’s Sudamericana, half of the club’s were from Brazil and Argentina (4 from each nation) due to the increasingly convoluted format of the competition, but only three progressed to the quarter-finals.
The Sudamericana in itself, however, seems an inappropriate yardstick - not least because the competition is given vastly differing levels of significance by its competitors. Vasco elected to play mainly reserve sides away from home in the competition, prioritizing a bigger prize in the form of their domestic league title. Thanks to the archaic state championships that run for four months of the year in Brazil, leaving the nation’s biggest clubs mainly turning out against part-timers, the Brazilian domestic league squeezes 38 rounds into just seven months. That left Vasco facing seven games in 24 days whilst attempting to negotiate their way past Bolivian club Aurora in the quarters.
Both Velez and Vasco were quite clearly prioritizing their leagues. Despite Boca Juniors having all but sealed the title by the halfway stage of Argentina’s Apertura, Velez coach Ricardo Gareca was still certain as to where his priorities lay. “We have to see how we end the local championship,” he said following his side’s quarter final first leg, “and then see if we can move forward in the Copa Sudamericana.”
“To me, [the Sudamericana] will school us for the Libertadores” said Vasco’s Dede. The Libertadores is now number one on every South American club’s list of priorities, so it perhaps provides a better measurement of the disparity between the ten CONMEBOL nations. Historically, the dominance of Brazil and Argentina over the Libertadores is plain to see. Of the eight clubs to have lifted the trophy more than three times, five are Argentinian or Brazilian. This year’s was the 52nd edition of the competition, 37 of those are split between the Brazil and Argentina. You have to go back 20 years to the last final that wasn’t contested by a club from either nation, when Colo Colo grabbed Chile’s first and only ever Libertadores crown by beating Olimpia of Parguay.
This year, however, Brazil and Argentina had just one team each at the quarter final stage after the Brazilian clubs’ dreams of the Libertadores title were shattered in what the media dubbed ‘Black Wednesday’. Five of its six clubs would crash out at the round of 16 despite the Brazilian league being at its strongest in decades. The eternal ‘nation of tomorrow’ is in the midst of an economic boom, with government figures estimating that over 30 million people have joined Brazil’s middle classes in the last 10 years. That’s a lot of added disposable incomes, and the leading corporations have taken notice, plunging money into huge sponsorship deals that have aided the returns of the likes of Ronaldinho, Luis Fabiano, Fred and Deco whilst also proving enough to keep youngsters such as Neymar and Lucas Moura at home that little while longer.
It’s possible, though, to read too much into that. Brazilian clubs were probably showed up for being naïve as opposed to any discernable lack of quality, as the most common failing amongst the clubs to fall was an inability to deal with counter-attacking opposition that utilized wide forwards, restricting the forward movement of Brazilian full-backs, and one of two missed enough chances to win three matches. Though one of football’s great tactical innovators, Brazil can be an insular nation, and its clubs will have to be a little more streetwise if they wish to exert any real dominance over the rest of the continent next year.
Unlike Brazil, Argentina does have cause for concern. The short tournament system has undoubtedly spread a culture of short-termism throughout Argentinian soccer, and it is no surprise that Velez - the league's most practically run club - has been its standout performer over the last two years, twice lifting the league title and reaching the semi-finals of both continental competitions.
The emergence of this year’s Sudamericana finalists, 'La U', most likely the continent’s best team at present, and LDU, a club that has written its entire continental history in the last four years, are perhaps more aptly described as variants as opposed to examples of something representative of a major power shift; as are Penarol of Uruguay, deserved Libertadores finalists this year.
Successful clubs anywhere in South America are habitually disbanded as soon as success arrives, with the allure of the increased wage and status offered by a big move too much to turn down. Penarol have since lost coach Diego Aguirre to the Middle East and star forward Alejandro Martinuccio headed to Brazil to join Fluminense. LDU quickly lost Jairo Campos to Brazil, Claudio Bieler to Argentina, and Damian Manso to Mexico following its 2008 Libertadores triumph; La U has already lost its star forward, Eduardo Vargas, who sealed a move to Napoli in Italy’s Serie A less than a week after firing his side to the Sudamericana title.
Player movement at such a rate undoubtedly makes it more difficult for those outside of Brazil and Argentina to compete long term; despite lacking financial muscle, Argentina is well established as a major shop window to Europe and continues to attract players from around the Americas. According to the Professional Footballer Observatory’s 2011 player migration report, Brazil exported 283 players 2010, Argentina 215; of the other CONMEBOL nations, only Colombia and Paraguay made the top 20 (with 71 and 43, respectively).
Other clubs from around the continent will continue to compete, and likely make major impacts on South American competitions, but, for now, it seems Argentina and Brazil will, collectively at least, continue to sit above the rest. If the disparity between domestic leagues is increasing anywhere, then the most striking example is likely Brazil’s continual strides ahead of Argentina.

Rupert Fryer is a freelance soccer journalist and co-founder of SouthAmericanFootball.co.uk. You can follow him on Twitter at @Rupert_Fryer.

From :
http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/latinamerica/story/south-america-leagues-catching-up-to-brazil-argentina-122111

Beckham reflects on U.S. adventure

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – For David Beckham, the most surreal moment of his American adventure didn’t come on a soccer field or at a party, but instead involved the Los Angeles Lakers, Jack Nicholson and a Staples Center restroom.

“It was pretty strange,” Beckham said in an exclusive interview with Yahoo! Sports. “I was watching the Lakers. I was waiting to go to the restroom and Jack Nicholson comes out and he just says, ‘It’s all yours, David.’ I was like, ‘He really knows my name?’ ”

Beckham’s five years in California might be coming to a close, with his contract up at the end of the season. The Galaxy takes on the Houston Dynamo in the MLS Cup final on Sunday with the chance to win its first title of the Beckham era.
There was a minor fitness scare when the England midfielder skipped Thursday practice, with reasons for the absence ranging from a strained hamstring to a common cold. Beckham offered no more detail than an admission that he did indeed sit out.

However, it is unthinkable that he would miss Sunday’s showdown, which provides the chance to finally add some tangible silverware to what he feels has been a successful pilgrimage off the field.

When Beckham came to the U.S. in January 2007, it was hoped he could elevate interest in the game and provide a boost in media coverage and attendance. Despite a rocky first season that saw the Galaxy struggle miserably and Beckham struggle through injuries, he has for the most part achieved his goal.

“I have definitely achieved what I wanted to off the field,” Beckham said. “I wanted this game and this league to grow, and I didn’t expect it to happen so quickly. I said back then it wouldn’t happen in one or two years, but in five years a lot has happened. Attendances now rival NBA and NHL – all that in a country where soccer is not the No.1 sport. That is something I am proud to be part of.”

Beckham was unveiled as a Galaxy player in July 2007 at a glittering ceremony at the Home Depot Center attended by a string of celebrities and more than 600 media members from around the world. But he soon cut a lonely and frustrated figure, as the reality of MLS’ lower standard and the deficiencies of his teammates became apparent.

MLS was still relatively unknown then, but growth has been steady, both in terms of standard and recognition. For the past three seasons the Galaxy has claimed the Supporters’ Shield, the title given to the side with the best regular season record. The 36-year-old Beckham frequently gets messages from soccer star friends in England who can access his matches on British television.

Now the aim is to win a trophy, one the Galaxy came to within a whisker of in 2009, but lost the final on penalty kicks to Real Salt Lake. With Beckham, Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane providing the star power and a fine supporting crew including influential Brazilian midfielder Juninho and young American defender Omar Gonzalez, the side is strongly favored to beat the Dynamo.

Beckham suffered similar frustration during his time at Spanish club Real Madrid, which failed to win La Liga in his first three seasons and finally clinched the trophy in his final match there.

“I think you always feel unfulfilled if you don’t win a trophy,” Beckham said. “No matter where I have played … people asked the same question in my fourth year at Real Madrid and I ended it winning a trophy.

“The last three years have been successful but I want to win the final. Everyone wants to win it. We need to be ready.”

After the game Beckham has a decision to make, and there are two favored options. One would be to remain with the Galaxy for one more season, a second would be to switch to the most vocal and financially generous of his suitors, French club Paris St. Germain, allowing him one final crack at playing in the Champions League.

Given that his body does not recover as quickly as it once did – he played much of this season with a fractured spine – retirement could be an option, although he will surely play for the Great Britain Olympic team in London next summer.

The decision-making process will take in many factors, with his ambition, lifestyle and physical health among them.

“I want to finish this season off first, kick back and relax and think about what the future holds for me,” Beckham said. “Whether it will be to continue to play or continue to play here, who knows? I want to be a champion at the end of this season, and then I will decide what happens in the future.

“The best thing about being here is just the experience of playing in a different country with different players and being part of a soccer nation that is growing. Being part of the Galaxy this year, it’s the most enjoyable year I have had here.

“There are certain things we are able to do here that we couldn’t in Europe, but I love London and I love England. I am a very patriotic person about my country. I have loved living here and will continue to love living here because it is a great place to live. Living in L.A. has been incredible for the family. California, the weather, the climate – something like that is a dream. But who knows what is going to happen.”

Beckham and his wife, former Spice Girls singer Victoria, have settled in well to the California lifestyle and gained high-profile friends. The soccer star regularly exchanges text messages with his friend Kobe Bryant, yet any suggestion that he is more interested in showbiz than soccer would be unfounded.

His performances in 2011 have been energetic and outstanding, and were a major reason why the Galaxy did not lose a home game during the regular season. As a teammate, Beckham has the full support and admiration of his colleagues and his commitment to the team is beyond question.

The days when some Galaxy fans were unsure of his dedication to the club have long passed. At the end of both Beckham’s second and third years in L.A., he went on loan to Italian side AC Milan. That decision, based primarily on his wish to remain in contention for selection to the England national team, did not meet with universal approval, especially when he was injured in Milan and missed most of the 2010 MLS campaign. However, Beckham won over the crowd once more this year, and it is clear that he envisages a bright future for American soccer, one in which he’d like to continue to play a role. He has an option to buy an MLS club at a discount, a move likely to happen before too long.

“I definitely would like to be involved in MLS,” Beckham said. “It has been part of my life. Not just living here but being part of MLS, I have enjoyed it. Everyone knows I have an option of a franchise in the league; it is something I am passionate about moving forward.

“The new franchises, the stadiums just for soccer and expansion teams … it shows a growth in a sport in this country. When you look around the league and you see these youth academies in every MLS team, more home-grown talent coming through, it is all positive.
“If it continues to grow like it is growing, it will be up there with the top leagues in the world. Certain things need to happen: We need to bring top talent to this league at a younger age, like 25. That will happen in time. This league has only been going 16 years, and I am proud to have helped it grow.”

Whether or not Beckham signs off in fairytale fashion Sunday, whether or not it is indeed the end, there is no disputing that he has been part of a success story. The ludicrous predictions back in 2007 that he would make soccer a rival to the NFL were not of his making and were simply impossible.

But American soccer is in a far healthier position at the end of David Beckham’s contract (you know, the one that was supposedly worth $250 million but in reality paid one-eighth of that) than it was at the beginning.

For that, the Beckham era can be regarded with fondness. For that, the Beckham Experiment can be said to have passed its test.

Read More:
http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news;_ylt=AssZQkB0WEGb6lh5VS6uYn0mw7YF?slug=ro-rogers_beckham_jack_nicholson_staples_111711