You’ve probably read the Wayne Rooney in Not Very Good Role Model Shock! stories, detailing how the Manchester United and England striker (allegedly) paid prostitute Jennifer Thompson for sex while his wife Coleen was pregnant. Click that link if you want to read a story that’s part Rooney exposé, part advertisement for said prostitute.

Obviously it’s no surprise that the English press is publishing scandalous stories about England players again. It reminded me of something from Ethan’s Rafa Honigstein interview on the England blog. German born but English based journalist Honigstein suggested that German tabloids are just as capable of digging up dirt on German national team players, but are more judicious about what’s worth publishing. Honigstein’s exact line was “Bild have tons of material on people that they won’t use.” I don’t imagine the News of the World or the Sunday Mirror has any material they wouldn’t use. Because scandal sells papers. But in a weird way, this story doesn’t feel like a big deal to me.

We already knew from way back that Wayne Rooney enjoys the pleasures of paid lady company. That’s not news. We know he smokes as well, and we know he sometimes swears at referees. We shouldn’t try and pretend that he’s any sort of role model, and I’m with Rob on the England blog in hoping that Rooney plays vs Switzerland and plays well.

Does that mean I’ve lowered my standards of what to expect from England footballers? Maybe as an England fan I’m now fully desensitized to scandal after the exploits of Ashley Cole, John Terry and others. Maybe the News of the World would have to publish an exclusive revealing that Joe Hart played a pivotal role in starting World Wars I and II and that Frank Lampard Jnr. is actually Satan himself for me to be genuinely outraged at this point.

There’s an argument that footballers are representing their nation and so should uphold certain moral ideals. And I agree with that up to a point. If Joe Hart did start both World Wars or Lampard was Beelzebub, then neither should be allowed to play for England again. But in the case of Rooney, maybe we have to accept that footballers are just people and that people do weird things and make stupid mistakes. If we’re really interested in them as footballers and not just celebrities then we should all be mature enough to just ignore the scandal and go back to watching them play football. And that includes you, English tabloids.

Tags: Ashley Cole, England, England Fan, England Fans, England Players, Exact Line, Fans, Footballers, Frank Lampard Jnr, German National Team, Honigstein, Hooker, Jennifer Thompson, Joe Hart, John Terry, Manchester United, Matter, News Of The World, Pivotal Role, Role Model, Rooney, Scandalous Stories, Shouldn’t, Story Doesn, Sunday Mirror, Wayne, Wayne Rooney

Euro 2012 qualifying is back upon us, with Yossi Benayoun protesting the move to Israel’s holy Sabbath with an aggressive hat-trick against Malta. This comes after qualifying was initially kicked off back in August as any major tournament should: with Estonia and the Faroe Islands. (The Faroes sadly fell.)

Tomorrow, however, is the big opening and we have the scoop below.

Five Games To Watch

Liechtenstein v Spain: The defending world and European champions are getting proper world and European defending champion treatment.

Pray for Liechtenstein.

Belgium v Germany: The Belgians form one of the most intriguing teams in 2012 qualifying. They’re young, gifted, brimming with promise and entirely dysfunctional – a powerkeg waiting to explode for good or bad. Their foils are well-documented and Dick Advocaat up and left town for the money and the simple fact he wouldn’t have to deal with a bunch of cliques and spoiled children.

Germany, on the other hand, are young, gifted, brimming with promise and close to functioning like a machin. Jogi’s boys are the clear favorites, but Belgium could turn it around and switch from clique to click; if not, they’ll at least get a lesson in how its done.

France v Belarus: No one needs a fresh start more than France, but perhaps what’s more is that everyone’s expecting a fresh start. Not necessarily a win, but the nature of the performances by the new and old faces highlighting the missing serving to inspire faith SA2010 is a complete bygone.

No one should have much pressure on the first day of qualifying after a World Cup, but France have a great deal piggybacking along for the short ride to Paris.

Latvia v Croatia: Well, maybe Croatia has more pressure? If you remember, they were one of Europe’s up and coming young national teams with the results to back it up. You could also say they were the best European team, if not the best team period, not to get a ticket to South Africa. Just an enormous disappointment.

This game smells of vengeance and reclaiming their place climbing the ladder. All while Slaven smokes three packs on the sidelines.

(Yes, it’s the return of Slaven Bilic.)

Sweden v Hungary: Part of the difficulty when perusing qualifying schedules for a good watch, particularly in Europe, is finding games which are both evenly matched and intriguing. Spain versus Liechtenstein is intriguing because we want to see if the champs can crack 100, but it’s not quite balanced. Conversely, Montenegro versus Wales is probably evenly balanced, but it’s not going to break rating records in the coldest circle of hell.

This game seems both balanced and intriguing enough, since Hungary made strides during World Cup qualifying in reclaiming some footballing legitimacy while there’s every chance a blubbering Zlatan unveils a t-shirt reading Why Don’t You Love Me, Pep? whilst celebrating someone else’s goal. (It’s Sweden, ergo…)

Streams: MyP2P.eu; atdhe.
World Time Clock: Because we care.

Schedule:

Tags: 2012, Afri, Belgians, Benayoun, Cliques, Defending Champion, Euro, Euro 2012, European Champions, Faroe Islands, Faroes, Five Games, Foils, Fresh Start, Friday’s, Hat Trick, Holy Sabbath, Machin, Old Faces, Qualifiers, Ride To Paris, Simple Fact, Spoiled Children, World Cup

Sometimes, life just isn’t fair. Imagine for a moment that you are Liechtenstein. You’re all revved up for your first Euro 2012 qualifying match, and feeling confident. Sure, you’ve taken some beatings, but remember – in the Euro 2008 qualifiers, you beat both Latvia and Iceland. Not too shabby for a little guy. Then you look at your first opponent, and it’s World Cup champions Spain. That has to take a little wind out of your sails.

Or imagine for a moment you are the Most Serene Republic of San Marino. Due to your tiny size and ridiculously non-threatening name, you have been a UEFA punching bag for as long as anyone can remember. Your opponent, the first day out at qualifying? World Cup runners up Netherlands.

Video of the carnage below, including a hat trick from one Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, and a record-tying strike from David Villa:

Liechtenstein 0-4 Spain. Two from Torres and a goal from Villa that brings him even with Raul for Spain’s all-time top scorer:

San Marino 0-5 Netherlands, featuring three from the Hunter, and a cherry on top from Ruud van Nistelrooy:

Tags: Beatings, Carnage, Cherry On Top, Countries, Euro 2008, Euro 2012, Finalists, Hat Trick, Klaas Jan Huntelaar, Little Wind, Opponent, Punching Bag, Raul, Republic Of San Marino, Runners, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Sails, Serene Republic Of San Marino, Small, Tiny Size, Top Scorer, Very, World, World Cup Champions, World Cup Finalists

France had a number of big problems in their camp during the World Cup, paramount among them the post-Anelka fallout which was soon followed by France falling out of the World Cup.

It was reported to L’Equipe by a mysterious rat that Anelka had told coach Raymond Domenech to do unpleasant things, which one doesn’t do with an authority. That mysterious being has now been reportedly outed as…..Raymond Domench.

To put this in words football lovers of all ages can understand: Rayray tattled.

On Thursday, the French weekly le Point reported that it had obtained a copy of an undisclosed report by the French Football Federation (FFF) on the incident, in which three players name coach Raymond Domenech as the “locker-room mole”.

According to le Point, the FFF investigation auditioned 18 players, three federation members and three team staff. Among those interviewed, three players said they thought it was Domenech himself who had leaked the incident to l’Equipe.

There’s no shortage of players on that team with a dislike for Domenech, so throwing him under the bus would seem convenient and self-serving. However, there’s not a sane person alive who doubts Raymond torpedoed his own player – this is the type of stellar reputation he’s built for himself.

But from now on, it matters not because the FFF and Rayray have come to terms on a mutual rescission of his contract, which effectively ends his association with French football. What do you think they’ll give him as a parting gift? A watch that doesn’t work? A swift kick in the pants? An aggressive cancer? Try €2m.

There is no justice in football.

Tags: Aggressive Cancer, Anelka, Dislike, Fallout, Federation Members, Fff, Football Lovers, Francs, French, French Football Federation, L Equipe, Locker Room, Mole, Moles, Parting Gift, Raymond Domenech, Rescission, Sane Person, Stellar Reputation, Swift Kick, Team Staff, World Cup

Are you planning a golf trip so that you can get away from the pressures of everyday life but don’t know where to go? There are many different golf courses that you can go to and every one offers something different as far as the experience level. There are golf courses all over the world and each one is unique because of all the different hazards and other obstacles that  can get in the way. When you are choosing a golf course to play, what are you looking for in the course? Is it going to be challenging for you or do you want to be able to hit the ball with ease? These are things that you have to decide on when you are looking for the next course to play. Here are some things that you should look at in each course before you decide to play on it.

One thing to look for is how far the holes are. The yards per hole will tell you if you can drive the ball for distance or if it going to take skill on a course. The more yards each hole is will give you an estimate on if this is a driving course or a skills course but either way, it depends on what you like playing. If you have a brand new driver, then you might want to take a course that has more yards per each hole so you can break it in right.

Another thing that you need to check out is the amount of hazards and other obstacles that might be in your way. If you don’t like a lot of hazards such as sand traps and water hazards, try staying away for a course that has them. There are going to be hazards in every golf course that you play on but some of them are cut way back to allow more people to play.

If you are looking for a course you can search right online for golf courses. Many courses are right online so that you can see every hole in the course. This also gives you the advantage because you get to see the course before you play it. My advice is to choose a course that doesn’t require a golf cart to get between holes.

Tags: Advantage, Break, Everyday Life, Golf Cart, Golf Course, Golf Courses, Golf Trip, Holes, Obstacles, Online Courses, Online Golf, Sand Traps, Water Hazards

Everyone anticipated that the World Cup would be a distraction, but the size of the distraction was vastly underestimated, and as a result online poker sites have seen their profits plummet.

Can we not all agree that online poker is the “distraction” and not the other way ’round? Poker’s nice and all, surely, but the World Cup is the biggest sporting event in the land – it deserves its due respect. Or else…

And maybe that’s why it took online poker down for the month of June.

One of the big ones didn’t anticipate just how much of a “distraction” the World Cup would cause.

Something says that’s not good business foresight.

Share holders in one company who were expecting a healthy dividend have been disappointed by the news that in order to preserve its diminished supply of cash, the company has cancelled its half yearly interim dividend. During the first six months of the year their profits fell by 56% to £2.7 million.

Even though this is just one company, we can take a wild guess and say the pinch was felt somewhat across the board.

So don’t mess with the World Cup – it will take you down. (56% or thereabouts.)

Tags: Killed, Online, Poker, World

Though it may seem an occasion long since gone, yesterday brought forth a significant obit: the only player still remaining from the first World Cup final in 1930. Argentine Francisco Varallo passed away at the ripe young age of 100.

That first World Cup final was more than 80 years ago, and 75 or so before the advent of YouTube. But through the miracle of technology and someone falling asleep in FIFA’s intellectual copyright division, we can get a grainy glimpse at the game, long before most of us were alive.

And we’re only a few years away from the replay in heaven being broadcast on YouTube as well.

Tags: 1930, Clouds, Complete, final, Replay, World

Seems those recent Jürgen Klinsmann to coach USA rumours were as baseless as, well, as a story with no identifiable source. Because current coach Bob Bradley has now signed a contract extension to coach the US national team until the end of 2014. I know that this probably will not be popular with a vocal section of US fans, but here’s how US Soccer explained their decision:

U.S. Soccer has agreed to a contract extension with U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Bob Bradley. The agreement with Bradley, who guided the U.S. team to numerous achievements including finishing in first place in their group at the 2010 FIFA World Cup for the first time in 80 years, will keep him at the helm through the end of 2014.

Frankly, I think I agree with Sunil Gulati and co. I know a lot of US fans are impatient and wanted a more glamorous name in charge of the team. But I’m thinking this is the right move. Here’s why:

Bob Bradley really did lead the US team to the top of World Cup group for the first time. That’s progress. Sure he made a mistake in starting Ricardo Clark against Ghana. But is Ricardo Clark really so bad that giving him a shirt is a sackable offence? The answer is no, it’s not. Don’t forget that Bradley’s USA team also beat Spain in the 2009 Confederations Cup and came thisclose to taking down Brazil and winning the whole thing too.

I’d also argue that there seems to be a genuine team spirit around the US team at the moment. A genuine positive vibe. Why ruin that by removing the man who created it? Most importantly, there was no viable replacement. Guus Hiddink is working for Turkey and Jürgen Klinsmann apparently isn’t interested. Last but not least, Bob Bradley is probably the most qualified American coach for the job right now.

I’d argue that being American is uniquely important for the US job. Not necessarily for patriotic reasons (though I suppose that helps) but more because US Soccer and Major League Soccer and the whole American system is a labyrinth of quirks that only a coach like Bradley who knows that world can navigate successfully.

So no, four more years of Bob Bradley may not be the most glamorous option. But if US fans want the team to continue making steady progress between now and 2014, then it might be the right one.

- Melissa over at the USA blog has taken the decision as a mixed blessing, and is preparing for “four more years of sideline scowls and the most magnificent sweatpants collection in FIFA.”

Tags: 2014., Bradley, Coach, It’s, Move., Right, Staying, Until

In England, it is not unusual for the private lives of football players to make the front pages of newspapers. Its not unusual for papers to print stories (alleging!) players are sending pornographic photos of themselves to random women across the country, engaging in extra-marital activities and impregnating numerous women along the way. The (alleged) scandal involving John Terry, Wayne Bridge and Wayne Bridge’s former girlfriend (and mother of his child) definitely broke the mold when it surfaced this summer (for the record, she denied it). Regardless, the idea behind this scandal “struck a cord” (read: sold a lot of papers). The French, not wanting to be outdone in their quest to be the most scandal-prone team, ran amok this year…

They handballed their way to the World Cup. They dropped the team’s future stars (Nasri, Benzema, Ben Arfa) from the squad. Some of them were investigated for paying an underage girl for sex. They fought their own training staff. They boycotted training. They didn’t win a single game at the World Cup. They only scored one goal in the entire tournament. And now, a former team doctor is trying to put the cherry on top. As Chris revealed earlier this week, Jean-Pierre Paclet, who served as the team doctor from 2004-2008 recently made some astonishing allegations regarding some of the French players blood samples.  He tops the implied doping accusations when he asserts the “real” reason behind the fall-out between Frank Ribery and Yoann Gourcuff.

Through the summer, Ribery was one of the players accused of “bullying” Gourcuff this summer.  Many reasons were given:  socioeconomic divisions, Gourcuff was “too nice,” competitive jealousy etc.  But, despite the fact that this is France, no one ever suspected a possible love triangle was at the root of this problem.

Paclet alleges that Ribery’s wife, Wahiba, was still upset during the World Cup over the news that her husband may have paid an underage prostitute for sex (allegedly!).  As his birthday present (allegedly!).  For the record, Ribery has never denied sleeping with Zahia- but he has denied both knowing she was not 18 at the time and paying her (other than providing money for a cab ride).  This “news” had broke a few months before the World Cup, but it dominated the headlines leading up to the tournament.  According to Paclet, the relationship between Ribery and Gourcuff turned sour when the players families visited them during their pre-tournament training camp in Tunisia…

Wahiba Ribery seized the opportunity and adds. She didn’t let Yohan Gourcuff, [who] came alone, leave her sight and made it known to her husband. Ribery didn’t think any of it. Finally, yes. Bad. Much harm. Wahiba used the ideal provocation. Since the camp in May at Tignes, Ribery seems distant from Gourcuff. On the field, he makes virtually no pass [to Gourcuff]. “

A second article references another example.

During lunch, Gourcuff found at table without a companion, causing a reaction. Including this [from the player's wives]: “Me, I would accompany [you] well. The players did not appreciate it…

Well, I have to say that was the most boring love triangle allegation I’ve ever heard.  I expect much more than sharing a lunch table from the French.  I’m pretty sure that only counts as first base in kindergarten- ya know, before kids get crazy and share the same blanket during nap time.

The book, which has made a few headlines, has been discredited by many of the players (Desailly said he didn’t know Paclet and he must need money to feed himself).  The fact that he is reporting on events that he wasn’t even present for (he did not participate in the 2010 or 1998 World Cup) does not help boost Paclet’s credibility.  When asked why he decided to publish these claims now, Paclet said that his disappointment in the behavior of the players this summer made him want to reveal the other skeletons in the France closet.  Makes sense.  If you are embarrassed by your team being a laughing stock, you would definitely want to publish more claims to substantiate that.  Not.

Tags: Bleus, Gourcuff, Least, Likely, Love, Madame, Ribery, Triangle

The piece below – a piece rather than video – is a rather astonishing remake of the final 15 minutes, the penalties, of the semifinal between France and West Germany in 1982. Astonishing in its labor, nuanced accuracy and sheer simplicity. These are everyday people doing largely everyday things, movements which normally wouldn’t turn a single head, but combine to recreate a World Cup semifinal.

Block off a quarter hour today – it’s well worth it.

The description:

“Refait” is a remake of the football WorldCup match between France and Germany (Seville, Spain, 1982). Shot by Pied La Biche in Villeurbanne (France), every aspect of the fifteen last minutes of the match was carefully reconstructed : players, positions, gestures, intensity, drama etc. It consists in shifting the traditional game area into the urban environment. Each sequence takes place in one or several locations and then the city temporarily becomes the lab for unsual experiments. The soundtrack is made up of the original commentaries mixed with interviews of the audience recorded during the shooting.

The remake:

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Tags: 1982., France, Germany, Remake, West