january 5th
12.09 – “One day FIFA’s chief medical officer, Professor Jiri Dvorak, says players are playing too many games and the next the same body is organising another tournament. It’s a joke.”
Arsene Wenger warns football’s governing body that Arsenal and other clubs could break away from their national leagues to form a European super league. He’s furious that Arsenal’s French players will have to take part in the FIFA organised joke of a tournament, The Confederations Cup, next summer. So instead of their few weeks of holidays before the new season, these guys will have to train then play an entire tournament against the likes of New Zealand and Japan. For what? Coz FIFA says so…
Regular readers will know my feelings about FIFA and their ‘influence’ on the game. I’ve said it here before that a breakaway from FIFA would not surprise me one bit, and perhaps the sooner it happens the better. All it would take is for UEFA to breakaway and FIFA is fucked. Who wants to watch a ‘World Cup’ without the European sides? NOBODY. If the new UEFA co-opted Brazil and Argentina into their ranks, then Sepp Blatter and his fat cat cronies might as well give it up. Even if this Confederations Cup goes ahead, they should make it a tournament for under 21 players or something, but then that would be to the benefit of young players and the national coaches, and not FIFA’s bank balance from TV rights and ticket sales….
Nicolas Anelka might have upset a few gooners with his protracted transfer saga a few summers back, but I’m sure he’ll win a few friends back if he continues these kind of scathing attacks on our favourite boggly eyed French manager. Well played old chap, hope you get a hat-trick today, then Liverpool’s season can be over at the same time as Sp*rs’. Speaking of which, according to some bloke on the Arsenal mailing list, the front page of The People newspaper’s football section in England today has the headline “LET’S ALL LAUGH AT SPURS“. That’s it. No pics, nothing else, just the text. If somebody could scan and send me a pic of that I’d appreciate it like a fox.
Oh, and well done to Jermaine Pennant as he scored in Watford’s FA cup win against Maccelsfield. That, along with the performances of Sebastian Svard, Matty Upson, and David Bentley yesterday are proof (if any was needed), that the future of Arsenal young players looks very good indeed.
