Year of problems for the world game

[lewlian]

    LONDON, Dec 8 - The World Cup finals provided the perfect metaphor for the state of soccer in 2006.

    The game remains the jewel in the world's sporting crown but its value is slowly being eroded because of deep and possibly irreparable flaws.

    Even Italy's joy at becoming world champions had a sting in the tail for within days of their triumph on penalties over France in the Berlin final, the biggest soccer scandal in the country's history reached its climax.

    Two of the biggest clubs in the world: Juventus and AC Milan, along with Fiorentina, Lazio and Reggina, were severely punished for their roles in a long-running match-fixing disgrace, with Juve stripped of their 2005 and 2006 titles and demoted, forcing them to play in Serie B for the first time in their 109-year history.

    On-field problems blighted the World Cup and while some of the football played in Germany's month-long fiesta was magnificent, too much of it was merely adequate or forgettable and the negatives outweighed the positives.

    Although there was less violent play than at previous tournaments, there was more diving, more cheating and more feigning injury and unless FIFA deal with those issues swiftly and harshly the sporting fabric of the game will become increasingly threadbare.

    Before they exited after losing on penalties to Germany in the quarter-finals, Argentina provided many of the positive memories and their 24-pass move that lead to Esteban Cambiasso's goal in a 6-0 first-round demolition of Serbia & Montenegro was one of the best in the competition's history.

    Maxi Rodriguez's unstoppable volley in their 2-1 second-round, extra-time victory over Mexico a few days later was a classic goal which settled a classic match.

    Italy's 2-0 semi-final win over Germany was the best match of the tournament.

 

    CAREER END

    In stark contrast, the final between Italy and France was one of the most disappointing of all time for the neutral observer and will be forever remembered for Zinedine Zidane's head-butt on Marco Materazzi rather than for much of the football.

    The irony was that the two had each scored in the 1-1 stalemate.

    By the time Italy were crowned world champions following the penalty shootout, Zidane was back in the dressing room after being red-carded for the head-butt, his glittering career ending in a stunning anti-climax.

    At least the organisation in Germany was world class, and Berlin's innovative Fan Mile where millions enjoyed themselves showed a new, young, smiling German face to the world.

    In stark contrast to the fine impression Argentina made at the World Cup, the nation's domestic game was blighted by the violence of hard-core "barras bravas" hooligans. Games were abandoned, players threatened and the championship nearly suspended.

    Diving was not confined to the World Cup and is becoming a huge problem throughout the game, with players ever more adept at conning referees.

    FIFA President Sepp Blatter is aware of the problem but while FIFA continues to preach that "football must retain its human face" and not allow video technology to decide issues that could be settled by a television replay in seconds, the problem is unlikely to go away soon.

    FIFA had plenty of other worries. The whole future of international soccer, and perhaps even of the World Cup itself, faces a possible threat over an issue that began in Belgium and could eventually affect all 207 FIFA members.

    A test case will be heard by Europe's highest court in 2007 to decide whether a player's club or national association is responsible for picking up the bill if he is injured on national duty.

    If the court decides it is the national association's responsibility, football will be in deep trouble as many smaller, poorer FAs will be unable to afford to finance their national teams. A similar case is pending in the French courts.

 

    BARCA SHINE

    FIFA are also becoming increasingly concerned by rich men buying up clubs abroad with the balance of power in domestic leagues becoming ever more restricted to the rich, powerful few.

    While Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool have been bought, or could be bought, by foreign tycoons, Barcelona is one club unlikely ever to be poached by an overseas mogul.

    They crowned a triumphant year by winning the Spanish League and European Cup and are looking to add to those titles by winning the FIFA Club World Championship in Tokyo this month.

    Blatter declared himself happy with South Africa's 2010 World Cup preparations, scotching rumours that the tournament might have to be moved.

    Kenya, where soccer descended into chaos with two rival groups trying to run parallel championships with the same teams, were barred from international competition indefinitely by FIFA in October.

    Egypt became the first country to win the African Nations Cup five times, beating Ivory Coast 4-2 in a penalty shootout in February's final.

    The year marked the passing, at the age of 79, of one of the game's greatest players, Ferenc Puskas of Hungary, who died in November after a long illness.

    Tele Santana, 74, who coached Brazil in two World Cups, Italian defensive giant Giacinto Facchetti, 64, former England manager Ron Greenwood, 84, Chelsea great Peter Osgood, 59 and Jimmy Johnstone, 61, who won the European Cup with Celtic in 1967 and was voted the club's greatest player, also died.