Brazil’s clean break; Russia’s war on racism; the week’s best manager moves; plus the keeper who had a dark day
Man of the week
José Maria Marin – stepping up as Brazil’s new FA head after Ricardo Teixeira ended his 23-year term “with the certain feeling of having done my duty”. Marin says his objective in the job is clear: “Continuity of President Teixeira’s stupendous work. He gave so much – not just to Brazil, but to the world.”
(2011: Teixeira reveals how two decades of “pathetic” press attention alleging bribery, money-laundering, embezzlement, fraud, tax evasion and “loose ethics”, all of it denied, means nothing. “I don’t care about that. In fact, shit. Fuck you lot. I can do what I want to the press. Seriously, they cannot touch me.”)
One to watch
Argentina: FA head Julio Grondona pledging “a zero tolerance approach” to anti-semitism after Chacarita fans sang about “killing Jews to make soap”. (2003: Julio apologises after saying on live TV: “I do not believe a Jew can ever be a referee at this level. It’s hard work and, you know, Jews don’t like hard work.”)
Also cracking down
Russia: Police say a Krylia Sovetov fan arrested for throwing a banana at Roberto Carlos in June “faces no charges”. “The man said he did not try to offend the player. He just threw his banana in anger and it happened to fall near Roberto Carlos by chance. We found no racist intent.”
Last week’s moves
Nov 2011: Cagliari president Massimo Cellino says sacking coach Massimo Ficcadenti and hiring Davide Ballardini was “wise … I never once made a mistake when I sacked a coach. If anything, I waited too long. Ballardini has it all – he’s the very man we need.” March: Sacks Ballardini, rehires Ficcadenti.
5 March: PSV say fans abusing coach Fred Rutten are acting on “high emotion”, with calls for a sacking “unsupported” by the board. Director Marcel Brands: “Everyone knows how I feel about Rutten. I am not into taking sudden, drastic measures.” 12 March: Sacks him.
Plus: Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini – warming up to sacking his 22nd coach in nine years – says he still regrets terminating Stefano Pioli’s contract two weeks before the season started. “His pre-season just bothered me. I didn’t like it. So how do I feel now? I’m eating my second testicle. I’ve already eaten the first.”
Love this club
Didier Drogba: “I am happy at Chelsea … the adventure continues. I am not master of my fate, but I will stay as long as possible.” November, agent Thierno Seydi on why his client rejected a new contract: “We know what we want. He will go where he is offered the most money. You have to go to a club where you know you’ll be able to pay your bills.”
Apology of the week
Germany: Police say Hamburg’s Paolo Guerrero could face criminal charges for the foul on Stuttgart’s Sven Ulreich that resulted in an eight-game ban – an incident that followed previous sanctions for spitting, throwing a bottle at a fan, abusing an official and parking his Porsche in a disabled bay. Hamburg: “Paolo struggles with self-regulation”; Guerrero: “I beg a thousand apologies.”
Adriano news
Brazil: Corinthians owner Roberto de Andrade says sacking Adriano after the striker allegedly “missed training, refused to be weighed and then went drinking”, followed “multiple previous transgressions”. “With this incident, we just gave up. This was just one more drop of water in a glass, that made it overflow.”
Fine of the week
£2,500: Fine for Kaizer Chiefs striker Lehlohonolo Majoro after he responded to fans accusing him of lacking bravery by wearing a T-shirt reading: “I do have balz“. League: “The slogan was in bad taste.” Majoro: “I just wanted to answer my detractors. I don’t believe the outrage it caused.”
Discipline news
Tanzania: Yanga chairman Lloyd Nchunga says five players banned for a “sustained assault” on a referee were “rightly cross”: “This referee was grossly incompetent. He had no business being on the pitch, he messed the game up with premeditated decisions. Where’s the control? We tried our best.”
Denial of the week
Romania: Concordia Chiajna keeper Idan Baruch says media claims he was paid to let in “unconvincingly pathetic” goals in a 4-0 defeat are defamatory. “I just had a dark day. People will soon see the real Idan Baruch. Anyway it’s not like I need money. My family’s loaded.”
Plus: mixed week for
Brazil: Brasiliense president Luís Estevão – denying new money-laundering charges, but also celebrating record web traffic after expanding the club’s online porn output. Estevão – barred as a senator in 2000 for “breaching parliamentary decorum” – “chooses all the models himself”, says a club source. “We’re a very professional outfit.”
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